Here’s a thought…
“If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about the answers.”
THOMAS PYNCHON
WSF Weekly Report | Focus on recruitment, hiring, training to restore service, and a new website coming
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Building back our staffing and service To provide more predictable travel, we made the difficult decision last month to temporarily move to reduced service schedules on most routes. Understanding the importance of our sailings to thousands of Washingtonians who ride for work, medical
New Library program on conflict management: What do you say when…?
||| FROM CAROL DAPOGNY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Has the pandemic increased conflicts in your life? Orcas Island Public Library is offering a new program to help with such challenges. Adapted from a seminar, “What Do You Say When….Conflict Management as You Interact,” Dr. Jeanne McPherson will facilitate two,
With time change, be sure to change your smoke alarm batteries
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Sunday, November 7 is the end of daylight savings time and it is also a good time to change your smoke alarm batteries and check any hard-wired detectors to verify they are in good working condition. It is good practice to
‘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.
New growth management grants help Washington communities design a future with housing choices affordable to all income levels
Funding for housing action plans and transit-oriented development helps communities address years of underbuilding that left middle and lower-income residents priced out of housing as state’s population boomed. ||| FROM STATE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT ||| A 2020 report tagged Washington state with one of the 10 worst housing shortages in the nation, underbuilding
COVID-19 infections among children and youth slowing after months of steady growth
Pediatric vaccine availability highly anticipated to slow spread of virus in kids ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- With the arrival of vaccines for children ages 5-11, a new report from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) shows the level of COVID-19 spread among the state’s youngest residents.
School District seeks to hire for these positions
||| FROM VICKI VANDERMAY for ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT || Position: Title 1 Reading Specialist Description: 3.5 hours/day beginning December 1, 2021 to June 17, 2022. Must have appropriate Washington State certification/endorsements. Position: Speech Language Pathologist Assistant Description: One day per week at 6.5 hours per week. Must have an Associates degree in
Fire Commission to gather in special meeting on Friday
||| FROM KIM KIMPLE for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| The Board of Fire Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Friday, November 5 at 2 p.m. 2021-11-05 AGENDA Special Meeting Agenda .
EDC offers free Introduction to Masonry class
||| FROM MICHELANGELO (MICKEY) VON DASSOW for ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| People seeking new job skills or career inspiration are invited to a free, hands-on introduction to masonry, offered by the Economic Development Council of San Juan County (EDC). The one-day course will be taught by Dave Koch, retired masonry
Senior Center looking to re-activate Hearts & Hands program
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Among the Orcas Senior Center’s Companion Services, two programs stand out: Hearts and Hands and Buddy Check-In. While Buddy Check-In has grown and thrived during the pandemic, the Hearts and Hand home visit program has not. Hearts and Hands matches vetted
Second round of ballot counting is completed in San Juan County
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY ELECTIONS ||| November 2, 2021 General Election Number of Precincts 19 Number of Registered Voters 14,567 Total Ballots Counted 5,278 Estimated Ballots Left to Count 1,000 Next Ballot Count On 11/08/2021 5:00 PM Last Tabulated 11/03/2021 3:30 PM Voter Turnout 36.23% Certification Date 11/23/2021 Export
Pediatric vaccination appointments are now available for ages 5-11
San Juan County has one of the highest vaccination rates in the nation for children 12 – 17 ||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| With FDA and CDC approval of the Pfizer vaccine for those ages 5 to 11 now granted, San Juan County Health &
Rick Larsen to host veterans telephone town hall on Thursday
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| EVERETT, WA - On Thursday, November 4, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) will host a live telephone town hall on issues facing Northwest Washington veterans and their families. Leaders from VA Puget Sound and the Seattle Area VA Office will join Larsen to
Recap of recent COVID-19 news and Updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 645,596 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 1. There have been 8,696 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Inslee statement on vaccine approval for 5-to 11-year-olds
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| “Parents can breathe a sigh of relief that their younger kids can now be vaccinated against the deadly COVID-19 virus. This gets us a step closer to having the entire population of Washington eligible for the vaccine. And a step closer
Actors Theater is bringing ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ to Grange stage in December
||| FROM DOUG BECHTEL for ACTORS THEATER OF ORCAS ISLAND ||| Everyone (at least everyone of a certain age) remembers the wonderful movie of the same name directed by Frank Capra starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore. Well, the Actors Theater is turning the Grange into a radio
