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
Medicare recipients will receive vaccine boosters at no cost
||| FROM PEGI GROUNDWATER for SHIBA ||| Following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent action that authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for certain high-risk populations and a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
When Orcas Island had a sea serpent
||| FROM JOHN TITUS ||| May 1909, off the North Shore of Orcas Island, Washington State: “As Baker ran he saw the water begin foaming out past the reef, and the head of a huge serpent rose from the roiling waters. Ten feet and more of the monster’s head
Library Director announces he will soon retire
||| FROM PHIL HEIKKINEN, SOON TO BE FORMER ORCAS LIBRARY DIRECTOR ||| I’m pleased to share that I am retiring as Director of the Orcas Island Public Library as of September 30. It’s been my favorite of five jobs in the profession (minus a few moments here and there!), almost
Sheriff’s Report | September 15 – 21, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 21-008372 Boating Problem 09:24:36 09/15/21 A Lopez Island Deputy was sent to investigate a boat reportedly aground on a beach near Shark Reef Park. After searching the area on foot, no beached vessels were located in the area. 21-008378
Latest from Lekanoff | Redistricting, moratoriums, ferries, SJC Council, more…
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| Let State Redistricting Commission know what you think of their proposed legislative district maps On Tuesday, the Washington State Redistricting Commission released the four proposed legislative district maps from each of the voting commissioners. Those maps are now live on their website,
Letter to Editor | County Council, science is powerful
||| FROM JANET ALDERTON ||| Dear County Councilors Minney, Stephens, and Wolf, Recognizing that a problem exists is key to addressing the problem. This is what Joe Symons’ Docket Request 21-0003 is all about. Until you, the ultimate deciders of our County’s fate, decide to recognize that a problem exists
New week, new COVID case count in San Juan County
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday, September 17, there have been eight new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 300. Of these eight new cases, initial investigations indicate that three appear to
Latest COVID updates from the State
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Statewide Response Updates Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 567,011 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 22. There have been 7,434 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics,
OPALCO ‘team’ to hit the road with Electric Vehicle trek to Eastern Washington (and back)
||| FROM SUZANNE OLSON for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT CO-OPERATIVE ||| “Switch it up pup” Pepper Starting October 6, an exclusive team from OPALCO (Communication Specialist Krista Bouchey and the “Switch it up pup” Pepper) will be driving the Co-op's Kia Niro 100% electric vehicle (EV) to Eastern
Department of Agriculture destroys another Whatcom County ‘murder hornet’ nest
||| FROM THE BELLINGHAM HERALD ||| The Washington State Department of Agriculture announced that it has destroyed another nest built by Asian giant hornets — commonly referred to as “murder hornets” — in Whatcom County. The department announced the latest Asian giant hornet nest eradication, which would be its fourth
Letter to Editor | Council has more to consider with environmental matters
||| FROM BILL APPEL ||| Dear Council Members: You made an excellent start by recently establishing a department into which environmental matters were consolidated. But this action lacks substantive effect without the following: Your willingness to discourage the development axiom, “Forgiveness is more attainable than permission,” with respect to environmental
‘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.
WSF Weekly Report | No line-cutting, new schedules/fares, photo contest
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| New line-cutting educational campaign To address an ongoing problem of drivers cutting our ferry lines, we’ve teamed up with Washington State Patrol on a new line-cutting educational campaign and emphasis patrols. We explained these new efforts to the media at our Edmonds
Only 73 SRKWs are left, but three of them appear to be pregnant
||| FROM WASHINGTON POST ||| On a routine research trip, two marine biologists were struck by what they saw in the waters of the Pacific Northwest: three endangered orcas with bulges indicating that they are pregnant. The discovery was delightful — there are only 73 southern resident killer whales in the
Letter to Editor | Mammogram van a success
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| For more than five years, Orcas Senior Center (OSC) has partnered with Assured Imaging to make mammograms for breast cancer screening available on Orcas Island. This week, we provided mammograms to 109 patients during our annual Mammogram Van visit, reflecting a
Library Board calls special meeting
||| FROM JANET MARLOW for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| The Orcas Island Library Board will be having a special meeting on Monday, September 27. Topics include consideration of vaccine mandates and appointment of an interim Library Director. Please find the agenda attached.
