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
County seeks proposals for affordable housing development on Lopez
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| At their September 21, 2021 meeting the San Juan County Council officially released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase 5 acres of land on Lopez Island for the development of affordable housing. San Juan County seeks an experienced developer to purchase the
WSF and WSP to announce new line-cutting patrols
||| FROM WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ||| EDMONDS –To address an ongoing problem of driver line cutting at ferry terminals, the Washington State Patrol and Washington State Ferries are teaming up for a new educational campaign and emphasis patrols. WSP and WSF will provide details of the education and patrol campaign to warn violators
Nominees announced for Friends of Library directors
||| FROM DAVE KOSIUR for FRIENDS OF ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| The Board of Directors of the FRIENDS OF THE ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY (FOIL) has approved the following nominees to be elected as Directors by the membership-at-large during the annual meeting on Sunday, October 24, 2021, 2 p.m.: Robert Demarest
Who wrote the Constitution?
||| FROM THE BRENNAN CENTER ||| That’s obvious, we think: it was crafted by 55 men in powdered wigs who met in Philadelphia over the summer of 1787 with the charge of “establishing in these states a firm national government.” But more than 40 percent of the Constitution was actually
CWR reports that SRKW L47 is missing, presumed dead
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| The Center for Whale Research (CWR) is sad to report that Southern Resident killer whale, L47, is missing from our 2021 census. CWR last encountered L47 on February 27 in Swanson Channel, where she did not appear to be in particularly poor condition.
Auditor is about to conduct logic & accuracy test of ballot tabulating equipment
Tuesday, September 28, 11 a.m. In person or via YouTube ||| FROM MILENE HENLEY, SAN JUAN COUNTY AUDITOR ||| A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the November 2, General Election is scheduled for Tuesday, September 28, at 11 a.m. The test
Sen. Murray meets with SVC students on legislation to make community college tuition free
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. SENATOR PATTY MURRAY ||| U.S Sen. Patty Murray recently visited Skagit Valley College to meet with students and staff to hear how tuition-free community college would help them and the local community. “As a former community college instructor at Shoreline Community College, I know how life-changing
San Juan Island’s American Camp hit with extensive vandalism
||| FROM BRANDON CADWELL for SAN JUAN ISLAND NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ||| On September 4, 2021 unknown individuals damaged public lands and destroyed public property at the American Camp Unit of San Juan Island National Historical Park. The park needs your help to identify and apprehend these lawbreakers. Any tips
Inslee letter requests medical staffing resources from the feds
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter today to Jeff Zients, federal COVID-19 response coordinator, requesting federal staffing resources, including clinical and non-clinical staff, to support the Washington health care system in response to rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. The letter reads, in part: "In Washington
Planning Commission splits on revised VR permit cap
||| BY theORCASONIAN OP-ED REPORTER MATTHEW GILBERT ||| The most recent stop on the journey to establish caps on vacation rental permits was the Planning Commission’s Sept. 17 monthly meeting, where it heard a report from the DCD’s Adam Zack and revisited their recommendation from the August meeting. Prior to
Port aims to retain trophy in second annual Fly Washington food drive
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| Starting October 1st - November 19th the Orcas airport will once again be collecting food for the Orcas Island Food Bank during the Second Annual Fly Washington Passport Food Drive. Last year our airport collected 500 Lbs of food and we
Washington Community Economic Revitalization Board invests over $10 million in nine rural county projects
||| FROM STATE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION BOARD ||| OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) yesterday approved $8,272,040 million in grants and $1,975,000 in low-interest loans for planning, economic development and rural broadband infrastructure construction projects. Five rural broadband projects were approved for nearly $8 million
Reminder | Road work ahead near West Sound bridge
||| FROM COLIN HUNTAMEYER for SAN JUAN PUBLIC WORKS DEPT. ||| Deer Harbor Road near West Sound Bridge Who: Public Works Department working with Mike Carlson Enterprises Inc. Onsite construction supervisor: Jeff Sharp, (360) 298-4710, jeffs@sanjuanco.com What: Deer Harbor Road will be closed to thru traffic and will also be
Sun Days on Orcas | A letter to my children about hardship
||| BY EDEE KULPER ||| We live here on beautiful Orcas Island where the air is perfect. Forested hills reflect off of the calm ocean, and not even the buzz of a mosquito disturbs the lovely peace and quiet. Birds sing outside, and apples, plums, and berries hang heavily off
County Planning Commission has scheduled a special meeting on Comp Plan
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION ||| NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the San Juan County Planning Commission will conduct a virtual special meeting on October 8, 2021 using Microsoft Teams, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The special meeting is called to present additional briefings on Comprehensive Plan update topics.
JP und die OK Rhythm Boys to play the Orcas Hotel Oktoberfest Biergarten
||| FROM ANITA ORNE for JP UND DIE RHYTHM BOYS ||| Oktoberfest is coming to Orcas! The annual autumn festival traditionally begins two weeks before the first Sunday in October. In celebration, The Orcas Hotel is going to be having a lot of fun, and you’re invited! Saturday, September 25,
