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
Sun Days on Orcas | Unexpected healing
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by EDEE KULPER ||| Two years ago, I was out running with my husband. We hadn't exercised much at all together over the past 14 years, and I was elated to finally be doing it again, especially since that's how we met and courted. Parenting
Orcas Senior Center appeals to you to help meet unmet critical needs
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Over the last 18 months, the pandemic has shined a bright light on unmet critical needs of our island’s seniors. COVID-19 opened our eyes to new challenges, but it also opened doors. We responded by introducing Buddy Check-In and other new
Letter to Editor | Shepler understands the role of the fire service in our community
||| FROM R. J. MYERS, FIREFIGHTER/EMT ||| When Paramedic Patrick Shepler entered the back of the classroom in my fire academy nearly 10 years ago, a pager hanging off his belt, cup of coffee in hand, smile on his face, he was introduced to our class of new firefighters and
Senior Center’s Meeting of the Minds will learn about past, present, future of the Exchange
Meeting of the Minds – “Past, Present, and Future of The Exchange/Orcas Recycling Services” by Orcas Senior Center: Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 1 p.m. ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| For the next Orcas Senior Center Meeting of the Minds presentation Board President Jim “Duff” Duffield and
Letter to Editor | Yes, Patrick Shepler for Fire Commissioner
||| FROM JESSICA GIASULLO and JAMES SCHEIB ||| Patrick Shepler for Fire Commissioner Patrick Shepler is running for commissioner of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (OIFR). My husband James Scheib and I have been close friends with Patrick for many years. As a volunteer with OIFR,
Latest from Lekanoff | It’s Orca Recovery Day, COVID updates, student financial aid, and – yes – ferries
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| Orca Recovery Day Today is Orca Recovery Day - a day in which people from across Washington will go out in their communities and take action to help recover our salmon and orca populations. Supporting salmon supports orcas because the largest
Letter to Editor | Please join me in supporting upcoming climate proposals on the ballot
||| FROM SUE BAUER ||| Please research then consider joining me in supporting the CRC proposals, especially Proposition 3 which creates a “Climate and Environment Commission.” This body would be made up of 11 of our neighbors each appointed by County Council but from these crucially important and currently unrelated groups:
Sheriff’s Report | October 6 – 12, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 21-008967 Agency Assistance 09:20:39 10/06/21 A Lopez Island Deputy accompanied representatives of a state agency to contact a resident. The person was not located. 21-008972 Theft 12:43:36 10/06/21 A San Juan Deputy took a report of an incident of
School Board holding an in-person, all-day work session tomorrow
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island School District School Board will be hosting a meeting IN-PERSON only for an all-day work session on Saturday, October 16, at 9 a.m.. The School Board will convene at Four Winds, Westward Ho Camp Lodge - 286 Four Winds Rd.
This week’s numbers: Lopez 0, San Juan 4, Orcas 16. This is not a sports score
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday October 8, there have been 20 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 332. Of these 20 new cases, initial investigations indicate that 3 appear to
Do you need a vaccine booster? Yes and no
||| FROM ANNE PRESSON for ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| Need a good news boost? Look no further than the arrival of COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Recently authorized by the CDC and the FDA for the Pfizer vaccine and for certain groups of people, boosters are here to protect higher risk populations
Orcas School District identifies 11 COVID positive students
||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ||| Over the past few days, Orcas Island School District has identified 11 COVID positive students and several other positive individuals within their households. All cases originated from outside of the district, and no spread within the district has been identified. During this
This week’s COVID-19 statewide response update
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Statewide Response Updates Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 612,757 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 13. There have been 8,198 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics,
Letter to Editor | Strong support for Shepler as Fire Commissioner
||| FROM BRIAN EHRMANTRAUT ||| I strongly endorse and recommend Patrick Shepler for Fire Commissioner. I believe Patrick is well positioned to help craft a path forward for the Fire District that honors and respects the entire island community. I have worked with him over the years at Orcas Island
Spooky reminder: Second half property taxes are due on Halloween
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Rhonda Pederson, SJC Treasurer San Juan County Treasurer, Rhonda Pederson would like to remind county property owners that the second half property taxes and personal property taxes are due October 31. Since the due date falls on a weekend, mailed payments must
This week’s ferry update: Reduced service schedules begin tomorrow
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Temporary reduced service schedules starting Saturday, Oct. 16 First off, I want to thank our riders for their continued patience and understanding as we navigate through a worldwide shortage of mariners and the effects of the pandemic on our ability to
