Here’s a thought…
“Deep breath. Deep breath. The air is free. You can take as many as you want.”
BUDDHIST MONK
‘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.
Letter to Editor | An open letter to the Journal of the San Juans
||| FROM MICHAEL JOHNSON ||| To: Mandi My name is Michael Johnson. I live on Orcas Island. I find myself at this time wanting to reach out to you in response to your 6/29 editorial titled "Vacation rentals alone aren't causing the affordable housing crisis." I'm assuming that perhaps you,
Heat-related deaths in Washington state climb after historic heat wave
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- As the result of the extreme heat wave last week, the Department of Health has further identified a total of 78 likely heat-related deaths in Washington state. To compare, in 2020, there were seven heat-related deaths in Washington state from mid-June to
Free COVID-19 student/staff testing appointments available from OISD
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Please be aware that OISD continues to offer free Covid-19 testing for our students and staff on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30pm to 5:30pm; however, because of the current low demand, we are now offering it by appointment only. If you wish to schedule
We still won’t admit why so many people believe the Big Lie
Six months after the insurrection it triggered, it’s clear that the stolen-election nonsense is just a drop in a tidal wave of bullshit. ||| FROM THE DAILY BEAST ||| How could so many Americans believe in “the Big Lie?” We see the numbers and we shake our heads. Poll after
Richard Donner honored by PETA for producing Free Willy
Free Willy raised awareness about the anguish of orcas in captivity 20 years before Blackfish, and PETA is grateful for Richard Donner producing the movie ||| FROM MOVIEWEB.COM ||| Richard Donner is getting a lot of praise from friends, fans, and contemporaries in the wake of his death, and PETA is
Orcas School Board will Zoom-meet on Thursday
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island School District School Board will be hosting their meeting online VIA ZOOM. Here is the link to sign up for free ZOOM: https://zoom.us/freesignup/. Please click on this link to join the OISD Zoom meeting, where a host will admit you: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5474235505 5:00
Feeling philosophical? Senior Center’s Socrates Cafe is coming up this weekend
Orcas Socrates Café @ Orcas Senior Center (Sunday, July 11, 4 - 6 p.m.) ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| On the second Sunday afternoon each month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Orcas Senior Center hosts the Orcas Socrates Café. It is an opportunity to gather
Just what we need as we emerge from pandemic: Library Fair is back Aug. 14
||| FROM DAVE KOSIUR for FRIENDS OF THE ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| After a 1-year hiatus, the Friends of the Orcas Island Library are now organizing this year’s library fair. Come to the library’s parking lot on Saturday, August 14, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for
Latest COVID guidance from State Health Department
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 416,532 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on June 5. There have been 5,960 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Richard Donner dies: ‘Superman’, ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘The Goonies’ director was 91
||| FROM DEADLINE.COM ||| Richard Donner, the prolific Hollywood director and producer whose helming credits include some of the most iconic movies of the 1970s and ’80s including the Christopher Reeve-starring Superman, The Goonies and the Mel Gibson-Danny Glover buddy cop series Lethal Weapon, has died. He was 91. Donner passed away Monday, according to
Learn how to operate and rent the Conservation District no-till drill
||| FROM KATE MIKULAK for SJC WSU EXTENSION ||| Interested in reseeding your pastures or hayfields? Planting cover crops or grains? The SanJuan Islands Conservation District is implementing a program to rent out their Great Plains606NT No-Till Seed Drill for use by San Juan County farmers. Join the Conservation District,
Fair winds, farewell | Departing NAS Whidbey commander shares some words about noise complaint system
||| FROM CAPT MATT ARNY, COMMANDING OFFICER, NAS WHIDBEY ||| NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. – I’m filled with conflicting emotions as I prepare to “depart the pattern” and embark on a new journey. I’m excited for what lies ahead, yet grateful for what I have experienced here. The
Council pre-empts Charter Review Commission with climate re-organization
||| BY MATTHEW GILBERT, theORCASONIAN OP-ED REPORTER ||| Last month, the Charter Review Committee released the outcomes of its lengthy deliberations, and among its proposed amendments was an independently-elected position to run a new Climate and Environment Office while adding an advisory “commission” – a group with more influence than
Climate Eyes | Tennis, anyone?
||| BY STEVE BERNHEIM, theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| To limit global warming to 1.5°C / 2.7°F above pre-industrial levels requires rapid transitions in energy and infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and requires deep emissions reductions in all sectors, says a U.N. panel. Rapid transitions in energy, transport and buildings? Deep emission
Guest Opinion | Zero emissions EV charger project on Orcas Island
||| FROM BRUCE BENTON ||| Shortly after my wife and I moved permanently to Orcas Island in June 2020, I launched an EV charger project for the Island. It was clear through discussions with people concerned about the local environment as well as OPALCO that vehicle emissions were by far
