Here’s a thought…
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
High levels of hospital occupancy likely to continue through fall 2021
Declines in trends indicate effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations, masking ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- The latest COVID-19 modeling and surveillance situation report from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) shows case counts, hospital admissions and hospital occupancy have declined, yet these levels remain high. Hospitals across the state are
Sun Days on Orcas | Urgent
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by LEVI KULPER ||| Hello. My name is Levi and I am 11 years old. My mom let me write the column this week. I want to say something that I actually don't think many adults will listen to. A lot of people are used
It’s October, and the high winds will predictably blow — Sunday into Monday
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| The National Weather Service is calling for strong winds in the islands Sunday and Monday. Winds are forecast to be strongest at the south end of San Juan and Lopez Islands, with possible gusts to 60mph, and perhaps as high as 70mph.
Port of Orcas meeting coming up on Monday
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas will convene in a regularly scheduled meeting to discuss budget issues on Monday, October 25, at 5 p.m. via ZOOM. Agenda here.
New caregiver brings collaboration and integrative medicine to Orcas Clinic
||| FROM LAURA MORONEY for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Rachael Cleghorn, PA-C ANACORTES, Washington -- Island Hospital welcomed Rachael Cleghorn, PA-C to its Island Primary Care - Orcas Clinic on October 4. Cleghorn, who received her Master of Clinical Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Barry University, FL,
SJC Comprehensive Plan 2036 Update: Studios and open houses popping up
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Please participate in the San Juan County Department of Community Development’s Pop-up Studio and Open House events regarding the 2036 Comprehensive Plan update. These events are intended to provide an opportunity for County residents to learn about the work that has been done
High wind watch in the offing beginning Sunday morning
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| Headline High Wind Watch Description * What, Southeast Wind of 40 MPH with Gusts to 60 MPH Are Possible. * Where, San Juan County, Western Whatcom County, Western Skagit County, Admiralty Inlet Area, Western Strait of Juan De Fuca, North Coast and Central Coast.
Midnight Mutterings | More on plastic…
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| It was surprising to me to experience the in-person response to my earlier post on laundry detergent. You (well a few of you) found the information on TruEarth Laundry Detergent (one of the brands that comes in the mail in a light cardboard
Inslee and Murray on establishing solutions for salmon recovery in Columbia River Basin
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Today U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee issued the following joint statement on next steps as they pursue a joint federal-state process to establish a comprehensive solution for salmon recovery in the Columbia River Basin. “Saving our salmon is
Sheriff’s Report | October 13 – 19, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13 21-009171 Domestic Dispute or Assault 21:27:29 10/13/21 A San Juan Deputy responded to a report of a domestic in Friday Harbor. No crime appeared to have been committed and the incident was documented. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14 21-009173 Court Order
Latest from Lekanoff | Ferry service disruptions, Native mascots, COVID, women in STEM
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| Ferry Service Disruption The San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) recently launched a survey to determine economic and social impacts to San Juan County residents from recent Washington State Ferries service disruptions. Key initial findings from the survey: 447 participants from
Orcas Public Library on the search for a new Trustee
Review of applications will begin on November 5, 2021. ||| FROM JANET MARLOW, INTERIM DIRECTOR, ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| The Orcas Island Public Library is seeking a new Trustee to begin serving a five-year term on Jan. 1, 2022. As the trustees’ handbook states, “Throughout our nation’s history, the public
Planning Commission stands firm on a vacation rental cap of 650
||| BY MATTHEW GILBERT, theORCASONIAN OP-ED REPORTER ||| On the table at the Planning Commission’s October 15 meeting was a public hearing on the commission’s deliberations over setting a cap on vacation rental permits before the moratorium on new permits runs out in January. If any issue has run a
Newest statewide COVID numbers
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 625,677 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 20. There have been 8,417 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
WSF weekly check-in | “Starting to look at our ability to increase service”
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Giving thanks to our employees I want to start this week by asking everyone to join me in recognizing and thanking our hardworking and dedicated employees. The last 19 months have created tremendous strain on our workforce and many of my
A dozen new COVID cases in SJC this week
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday October 15, there have been 12 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 344. Of these 12 new cases, initial investigations indicate that five appear to have
