Here’s a thought…
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.”
ROBERT LYND
Letter to Editor | We need to ask ‘why’ of our Fire Department
||| FROM COLEEN O'BRIEN ||| I write in support of our Volunteer FireFighters and EMTs and the employees of the Orcas Island Fire Dept. We Orcas livers and lovers depend upon them to save our homes (three times for me! Yup!) and to support us in illness. It is quite
Pt. Lawrence Road opens at NOON on TUESDAY NOV. 23rd
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Emergency repairs to Pt. Lawrence Road have been completed and the road will be open to traffic beginning at noon on Tuesday, November 23. The road is only one lane. Caution must be used, and cars traveling westbound (towards town)
Giving thanks for island farms
||| FROM MARCY MONTGOMERY for SAN JUAN MAKERS GUILD ||| This Fall the Islands saw a great response to the annual Farm Tour. September and October saw over 500 people out visiting island farms on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez and enjoying a preceding online film and discussion. Spanning three
Prepare your property for the next big rain event
||| FROM ANGELA BRODERICK for SAN JUAN COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS ||| The massive rain event last week caused a wide range of impacts in the county and caught many islanders off-guard. The severe weather was caused by an atmospheric river: a long, narrow band of water vapor that often is
Melody a strong addition to Fidalgo Medical Associates’ Women’s Health team
||| FROM LAURA MORONEY for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Lisa Melody, PA-C, joined Fidalgo Medical Associates this month as part of the Women’s Health team. Melody earned her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, CA. Her work in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) includes physician
County provides a quick update on Pt. Lawrence Road repairs
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Things are looking good for a potential opening tomorrow (Tuesday - knock on wood). Public Works is awaiting delivery of barriers for the road edge that are due to arrive on the 5:30 a.m. ferry on Tuesday from Anacortes. Once
Huh. So, what we just experienced is called an atmospheric river
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The massive rain event last week caused a wide range of impacts in the county and caught many islanders off-guard. The severe weather was caused by an atmospheric river: a long, narrow band of water vapor that often is released as rain or snow
Letter to Editor | Thank you to our public health workforce
||| FROM TOM EVERSOLE ||| Today is “Public Health Thank You Day,” a day to recognize the hard work and resilience of the public health (PH) workforce. I would like to thank San Juan County PH staff, their co-workers and volunteers who worked together this year to promote and protect
New rule opens door to widespread testing for harsh chemicals in drinking water
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Drinking water for over 6 million Washington residents will be tested for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under rule changes adopted by the Washington State Board of Health (SBOH). The rule now sets State Action Levels (SALs) and requires widespread testing of public drinking water
Climate Eyes | Dry wet
||| CLIMATE EYES by STEVE BERNHEIM, theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| In the Pacific Northwest, we’ve survived the Heat Dome but now less than five months later the bridge at Doe Bay is washed out. While each of us decides what to do or not about the climate emergency, local authorities have
Orcas Christian School graduates first aviation student
||| FROM MIKE PARNELL for ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| Diego Rivera, a senior at Orcas Christian School, recently completed his ground school and passed his Airman written test. On a recent sunny evening Mr. Rivera completed his first solo flight with the Air Hawks Club! Air Hawks is a local
COVID booster now encouraged for everyone 18 and older
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Booster doses of all three COVID-19 vaccine types are now available for everyone 18 and older. The expansion comes following recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices, and the
A drained lake, a re-routed river, and the rain: the deep roots of the Sumas flood crisis
||| FROM FRASER VALLEY CURRENT ||| Reprint at request of Orcasonian reader Sumas Lake once covered much of the Fraser Valley's fertile farmland. This is the story of how it disappeared, how it could re-appear, and some of the challenges ahead. To understand the flood crisis currently gripping the Sumas
Orcas Library set to ‘pop up’ at Doe Bay bringing books, movies, games to stranded East-enders
||| FROM CAROL DAPOGNY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| This pop up is for those East-est Orcas Islanders who cannot get to the library due to the road closure and must use the pedestrian bridge for access. Doe Bay Resort parking is reserved for workers, guests, and road repair crews.
Library Board meeting rescheduled to Tuesday, noon
||| FROM JANET MARLOW for ORCAS LIBRARY BOARD ||| We had to reschedule our usual monthly Orcas Island Library Board Meeting, and it will now be Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 12 p.m. Please find the agenda attached.Library11 - Nov 23 2021 Resceduled Regular Mtg Agenda
Letter to Editor | A community comes together
||| FROM JOE BROTHERTON for DOE BAY RESORT ||| We hope this message finds you well and safe after the most recent deluge that hit the Pacific NW. For us, we were met with a most unexpected surprised on Monday morning to find the road between the upper and lower
