Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Fire danger downgraded to HIGH in San Juan County
Effective Friday, August 15 at Noon ||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| San Juan County, WA – The San Juan County Fire Marshal, in coordination with local fire districts and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, has announced that fire danger will be downgraded
Friday Harbor Film Festival | ‘A Dream Takes Flight’ showing FREE on August 22
||| FROM ELLEN ROBERTS & KAREN PALMER for FRIDAY HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL ||| Follow aviator John Norman’s journey to build and fly a precise replica of the Spirit of St. Louis in this inspiring aviation documentary. The Best of the Fest screening of A Dream Takes Flight will be followed by
The Exchange Update | August 2025
||| FROM ORCAS RECYCLING/THE EXCHANGE ||| Microplastics Beach Cleanup at Eastsound Waterfront Park Join us on Saturday, August 23, from 11am to 1pm at the Eastsound Waterfront Park for a hands-on effort to tackle microplastics pollution. Volunteers will help remove harmful debris from our shoreline, making Orcas
WSF Weekly Report | Ferry fare increase; increased service for SJC Fair
||| FROM JOHN for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from John Steve is taking some time off for the rest of the month to recharge. We all know how helpful that can be for bringing back new ideas and fresh energy. While he’s away, I’ll be filling in as
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Welcome to our weekly feature, Occam's Razor, from local artist S.C. Watson.
Today, the Social Security Administration (SSA) proudly commemorates its 90th anniversary
||| FROM SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ||| Today, the Social Security Administration (SSA) proudly commemorates its 90th anniversary, marking its unwavering commitment to the financial security and dignity of millions of Americans. Since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law on August 14, 1935, the program has
WSF making adjustments for SJC Fair traffic Sunday to Anacortes
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| To prepare for heavy interisland traffic on the last day of the San Juan County Fair, we're limiting reservation space on the 9:50 p.m. Friday Harbor to Anacortes sailing this Sunday, August 17. We’re expecting many livestock trailers and vendors from the fair on
Supporting Orcas Islanders with Dementia
||| FROM INGRID MATTSON for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Odds are you know someone with a degree of memory loss. Depending on your age and stage of life, it’s possible you’ve wondered how to help that person or how you will be supported if you’re experiencing memory loss. You’re not
Eth-Noh Tec | Takashi’s Dream is back by popular demand – for a LIMITED TIME ONLY!
||| FROM NANCY WANG for ETH-NOH-TEC ||| Thank you for joining us for Takashi's Dream, screened live on August 6th, and for the outpouring of love and support of Eth-Noh-Tec's moving and artful performance. Due to an overwhelming request, we have decided to make this recording live for the next
No jurors needed for August 18-22
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: AUGUST 18-22, 2025 All jurors summonsed for jury duty beginning Monday August 18th through Friday August 22nd, are excused.
Washington state is getting three new ferries, and they’re hybrid-electric
||| FROM NORTHWEST PUBLIC BROADCASTING ||| The process to get more ferries into Washington state is floating along, with the state signing a contract with shipyard Eastern Shipbuilding for three new hybrid-electric ferries this month. It will take another year for the state to finalize the design of the electric
At the Speed of Island Life | Why transit is about more than transit
||| FROM ISLAND STEWARDS ||| It’s not about buses. It’s about belonging. We’ve always known living here asks more of us—more intention, more interdependence, more care. That’s the tradeoff for waking up to clean air and forest-filtered light. But in 2025, that tradeoff is tilting. For more people—especially those without
Get ready for Trashion Fashion Show & design workshops
||| FROM JESSICA ARDIS for TRASHION FASHION SHOW ||| Get front row ready for an evening of recycled style, clever construction, and earth-first elegance! The Exchange is bringing you the 2025 Trashion Fashion Show on Saturday, September 20, at 6:00 PM at the Orcas Grange. This fun and funky runway event
ATOI to present Deathtrap | A comedic thriller in two acts
||| FROM ACTORS THEATER OF ORCAS ISLAND ||| Deathtrap is a 1978 American Play written by Ira Levin with multiple plot twists driving its play within a play story. It is in two acts with one set and five characters. It holds the record for the longest-running comedy-thriller on Broadway
Larsen, Murray lead WA Democrats in urging interior secretary Burgum to restore funding for critical salmon recovery and habitat restoration efforts in WA
Bicameral group of Members urge Trump administration to restore funding for Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups, abrupt cancelation of $1.285 million for WA state jeopardizes dozens of active habitat restoration projects across the state ||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Rick Larsen
55th Shaw Island Classic race results
||| FROM PEG GERLOCK for SHAW ISLAND CLASSIC ||| This year’s story of the 55 th Shaw Island Classic sailboat race hosted by the San Juan Island Yacht Club, begins with a remarkable finish. A standing ovation for Purple Martin, a Martin 242 skippered by Betsy Wareham as the only
