Here’s a thought…
“I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us.”
LORD BYRON
Drink wine at home at upcoming Senior Center, Doe Bay Wine virtual vineyard
“the virtual vineyard” Thanksgiving favorites by Orcas Senior Center and Doe Bay Wine Sunday, November 21, 5 p.m. by Zoom ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join Cole Sisson at “the virtual vineyard,” on Sunday, November 21 at 5pm by Zoom as he guides us through tasting
Another step toward zero waste
||| FROM HEATHER WALLACE for ORCAS RECYCLING SERVICES ||| Orcas Recycling Services (ORS) moved closer to its mission of “creating a zero waste community…” on November 3rd. About 40 invited guests–donors, contractors, public servants, and ORS staff–gathered to dedicate the new glass crusher. Jim “Duff” Duffield, president of ORS Board
WSF weekly update indicates service restorations begin on Anacortes/San Juans run
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Four-boat Anacortes/San Juan Islands trial service marks beginning of gradual service restoration Starting tomorrow, Nov. 19, a fourth boat will be added on our Anacortes/San Juan Islands route to operate a full fall schedule on a trial basis. With new hires
‘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.
Emergency services continue east of the Point Lawrence divide
||| FROM KIM KIMPLE for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| With the area east of Doe Bay Resort cut off due to road washout from the recent storm, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue was able to dispatch an additional medic with the help of a San Juan County Sheriff’s
Orcas Island soccer team advances in State finals
||| FROM KATE LONG for ORCAS ISLAND BOOSTER CLUB ||| OI Soccer will compete on November 19 & 20 at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner, WA for the final four championships! Send a good luck message to the team using this form. The first game is against rival Friday Harbor at
San Juan County Land Bank will meet tomorrow
||| FROM TANJA WILLIAMSON for SAN JUAN COUNTY LAND BANK ||| The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on November 19, from 8:30am-11:30am via Zoom. The public is invited to attend. Click HERE to download the agenda (includes ZOOM link)** and meeting materials, including the
We return to normal four-boat ferry schedule tomorrow
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| The Anacortes/San Juan Islands route will return to four-boat service and operate on its usual Fall Schedule starting Friday, Nov. 19. Customers are encouraged to check the four-boat “Anacortes/San Juan Islands” sailing schedule, which will be listed as inactive until it takes effect on Nov.
Crow Valley Road will be closed westbound at least a week
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Due to erosion having caused cavities beneath the roadbed, Crow Valley Road will be closed to west-bound traffic (traffic heading away from Eastsound towards Island Hardware) between Orcas Road (Fowler’s Corner) and West Beach Road (Island Hardware). East-bound traffic is
School Library suffers water damage from our storm
||| FROM ERIC WEBB for ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Dear Students, Families, Staff, & Community, I’m sure you would agree that the sun was a welcome sight for all [yesterday}! Please know our hearts go out to those struggling with the aftermath of [our] heavy rains. We here at
Latest numbers from State Health Department
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 666,016 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 15. There have been 9,029 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Latest COVID update | Two major outbreaks underway in county
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday November 12, there have been 28 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 404. Of these twenty-eight new cases, initial investigations indicate that at least ten appear
Letter to Editor | Open letter to community from Fire Chief Williams
||| FROM SCOTT WILLIAMS, CHIEF, ORCAS FIRE & RESCUE ||| To the Orcas Island community: First and foremost, I will say the members of Orcas Island Fire & Rescue appreciate all of you and your support. As you explore the field of Emergency Services you will find caring people who
Bipartisan legislation introduced to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales, marine mammals
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-03), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) and Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) introduced bipartisan legislation to protect marine mammals nationwide, including Southern Resident Killer Whales (orca). The Protecting Our
Letter to Editor | I’m leaving the fire department with heavy heart
||| FROM HILARY CANTY ||| It is with a heavy heart that I announce my resignation from Orcas Fire and Rescue, through which I have had the pleasure to serve this community as a volunteer EMT for the past 22 years. I had hoped to have a couple of new
Waking up to the storm of a lifetime
||| BY EMILLIE NOVAK, theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| Orcas Island was the unexpected beneficiary of 60 hours of heavy rain, a deluge of tons of storm rainwater that left islanders stunned with the catastrophic impact, and working to create new networks of support, physically and as a community. Dan Carlberg, a
