School superintendent offers thanks for safe start screenings
||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ||| Dear Students, Parents, Staff, & Community, On behalf of the Orcas Island School District, I would like to say “THANK YOU” to the students, family, and staff that participated in the OISD “Screening for a Safe Start” held this past Wednesday. The
Orcas Island Fire wants to know, is your property “FireWise”?
||| FROM KIM KIMPLE for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| Orcas Island Fire and Rescue is pleased to announce a joint focus with our community on the National Fire Protection Association’s FireWise USA program. Every year, we witness wildfires occurring across the country. This raises our concern especially as
Orcas Elementary’s summer reading program is a success story
||| FROM TOM OWENS ||| Orcas Elementary’s summer reading program met with good success. Four weeks, two hours a day, 14 students received additional reading instruction. The summer vacation months are typically a period of declining reading skills, particularly for those students falling behind. The goal of the Orcas Elementary
Join JP and the OK Rhythm Boys as they close Moran Centennial music series
||| FROM ANITA ORNE for JP AND THE OK RHYTHM BOYS ||| You’re invited to join JP and the OK Rhythm Boys for the closing concert of the Friends of Moran State Park 2021 Centennial Music in Moran series on Saturday, September 4. JP, Gordon, and Anita will bring their
Sheriff’s Report | August 18 – 24, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18 21-007479 Welfare Check 13:06:42 08/18/21 A Lopez Deputy assisted in a welfare check. The concern arose when a Lopez citizen's telephone lost power and the citizen was unreachable to family members. The citizen was contacted, confirmed to be healthy,
Typo? Or is WSF finally being upfront about their staffing shortages?
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| Ferry Alert: Ana/SJs - Update - Samish Running 40 Hours Behind Schedule - 11 p.m. Ana Delayed theOrcasonian does not routinely post the delayed Washington State Ferry (WSF) sailings on any given day, for a couple of reasons. The first reason would be
WSF weekly report
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO, ASSISTANT SEC'Y, for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Youth Maritime Collaborative aboard Tacoma I had the pleasure of meeting 10 bright minds and possible future mariners on Friday! That’s when we hosted members of the Youth Maritime Collaborative’s (YMC) Accelerator Project on a tour aboard Tacoma, where they explored the inner
Latest from Lekanoff | COVID-19 Q&A, economic recovery, and the Green Amendment
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| Happy Fantastic Friday! Thank you for your continued diligence as we continue to navigate the rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths here in our communities. We must all work together to remain vigilant and take the necessary precautions to keep
The latest COVID case numbers from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 491,869 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 25. There have been 6,471 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Warning | Ivermectin should not be used to prevent or treat COVID-19
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) warns people should not take ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19, following today’s Health Alert Network advisory released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug used commonly in humans and
Urgent reminder for Eastsound Sewer/Water customers: Complete independent income survey
||| FROM SUSAN KIMPLE for EASTSOUND SEWER & WATER ||| The Eastsound Sewer & Water District (ESWD) needs to address repair and replacement of an aging wastewater treatment plant and system components. This project will require the design and construction of system upgrades. We are investigating the most cost-effective way
Weekly COVID update reveals 17 cases have been removed from confirmed case list
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| IMPORTANT NOTE: A total of 17 previous cases have been removed from the list of confirmed cases in San Juan County. These are cases that occurred after June 1, 2021 and were first identified by a positive over-the-counter COVID test
Historic map exhibit opening soon at Orcas Museum
Exhibit opens September 4, 2021 ||| FROM ANTOINETTE BOTSFORD for ORCAS HISTORICAL MUSEUMS ||| The Orcas Island Historical Museum's new exhibition “Mapping Orcas: The Way Home” features an extraordinary collection of maps, most of which were assembled, restored, and reproduced by photographer Peter C. Fisher of Orcas Island. They include
Letter to Editor | Eastsound P.O. workers are efficient, friendly
||| FROM DAVID KOBRIN ||| It's impressive that the Orcas Eastsound Post Office is, in itself, a small “community” on our island with a life and culture of its own. There’s a comfortable feeling of welcome, projected so strongly by the women and men who work there that it carries over
‘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.
Fire Commission will hold a special meeting Friday afternoon
Commissioners to approve mandatory vaccination policy ||| FROM KIM KIMPLE for BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS ||| The Board of Fire Commissioners will hold a special meeting tomorrow, Friday, August 27 at 3 p.m. to address a resolution requiring mandatory vaccinations for the department. Special Meeting Agenda San Juan County Fire
