Here’s a thought…
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and the government when it deserves it.”
MARK TWAIN
County’s preliminary 2022-2023 budget now available for perusal
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The County Auditor has published the County's Preliminary 2022-2023 Budget. The County budget sets spending and hiring limits for the County by fund, by department, and by program. Adopting it is the greatest responsibility of the County Council. The preliminary budget is developed
Grannie’s Closet is back at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Grannie’s Closet offers household décor, kitchen and vintage items, crafting supplies, and much, much more. Located in the lobby at the Orcas Senior Center, Grannie’s Closet occupies only a few shelves. But with a constantly changing array of items, it’s worth
IslandRidesOrcas freely delivers goods, rides to islanders
||| FROM SANDY PLAYA for ISLAND RIDES ORCAS ||| IslandRidesOrcas gives rides and delivers essential goods to islanders who don’t drive or have access to transportation. We schedule rides and deliveries for essential needs 7 days a week 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Rides are free, donations are accepted, but
New research to be funded to determine what is killing shellfish
||| FROM WASHINGTON SEA GRANT ||| With funding from the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, researchers from Washington Sea Grant, the Northwest Indian College and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will study shellfish-killing toxins Over the last few decades, shellfish farms and natural shellfish populations in Washington
Orcas Center welcomes audiences back to live, on-stage performances after two years of going dark
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| It’s hard to believe that the last performance on the center stage at Orcas Center was The Rocky Horror Show back in October 2019. Now, after two years of closure, Orcas Center welcomes live audiences back with a timely production: Tragedy: A
Letter to Editor | Vote ‘no’ on Propositions 3, 5, and 6
||| FROM WILLIAM APPEL ||| We elected our county government to, among other things, regulate our shared environment and protect individual rights. The Charter Review Commission has perceived a failure of citizens to prompt action on these issues. This has resulted in: Proposition 3, creates a nine-member advisory Environment and
Letter to Editor | I encourage a ‘yes’ vote on all Charter amendments
||| FROM ANNE WHIRLEDGE-KARP ||| I am writing these comments as someone who attended several of the Charter Review Commission meetings and followed the process. I encourage you to vote yes on all of the Amendments. I would like to thank the elected SJC Charter Review Commissioners for the hundreds
Letter to Editor | Reject charter amendment proposition 1
||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| I am writing today to urge voters to vote "no" on the proposed language change in the preamble of the San Juan County charter in the Amendment to the Charter Introduction. I am urging a "no" vote specifically because of five words in the Economy
Letter to Editor | In support of proposed amendments from Charter Review Commission
||| FROM KAI SANBURN ||| Community Rights San Juan Islands (CRSJI), a Washington State nonprofit working to protect the Salish Sea, supports the Charter Review Commission’s proposed amendments, particularly Propositions #1 and #3. These Propositions most reflect our mission, which is anchored in securing the health and wellbeing of the
Latest COVID update from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 634,113 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 25. There have been 8,511 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Artistic achievement of Nola Ahola’s 60-year art career comes to SJIMA
||| FROM DIANE MARTINDALE for SAN JUAN ISLANDS MUSEUM OF ART ||| Autumn’s blustery days and chilly air offer the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the many attractions the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) has to offer. Especially one currently on display, Going the Distance featuring the
Global Entrepreneurship Month offers free trainings, support for small businesses in November
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ||| OLYMPIA, WA --- As Washington state turns the corner on the pandemic, record numbers of entrepreneurs are starting their own businesses. Compared to 2020, new business starts are up 19.8% statewide, increasing from 55,539 through October last year to 69,301 new businesses this
School District refines COVID testing policies, aims to keep students in school
||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ||| Dear Students, Staff, Families, and Community, OISD strives to offer and implement as many mitigating measures as possible to keep our students and staff healthy and safe, all the while refining procedures on how to co-exist with this virus going forward. This
Got questions for the Land Bank? Bring them to this Fall Community Conversation
||| FROM TANJA WILLIAMSON for SJC LAND BANK ||| Join us on Zoom for our second Community Conversation. – we will host a countywide meeting on Wednesday – November 10, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Register here to join the meeting: https://bit.ly/3ntRUAy The online Pol.is dialogue generated great topics and areas
Live performance art coming to SJIMA, featuring Bellingham artist
||| FROM DIANE MARTINDALE for SAN JUAN ISLANDS MUSEUM OF ART ||| Bellingham artist, Francie Allen, will be in Friday Harbor Saturday evening, November 6 to present a live dance performance at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. The performance will be held in the museum’s Atrium to highlight
Experts file court documents supporting a court-ordered immediate breach of Lower Snake River dams
||| FROM STEVEN HAWLEY for NORTHWEST RESOURCE ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT ||| On October 21, 2021 five experts, each with decades of experience as natural resource scientists and managers, provided expert declarations in an amicus brief filed with the Oregon U.S. District Court in the long- running court battle over the impacts
