Here’s a thought…
“No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a democratic country.”
ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE
New funding available to support private landowners in forest health, reduce wildfire danger in SJC
||| FROM KAI HOFFMAN-KRUL for SJI CONSERVATION DISTRICT ||| The San Juan Islands Conservation District (SJICD) has received funding from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to assist forest landowners in San Juan County with improving forest health and wildfire resiliency. The forest health practices being targeted are
Poetry | Mediterranean Blue by Naomi Shihab Nye
||| SUBMITTED BY ORCASONIAN READER ||| Mediterranean Blue by Naomi Shihab Nye From her latest book, “Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems” If you are a child of a refugee, you do not sleep easily when they are crossing the sea on small rafts and you know they can’t
Letter to Editor | Take action to eliminate those unwanted catalogs in the mail
||| FROM JANICE WIEMEYER ||| Like others, I notice many discarded catalogs at the post office at this time of year and think about all of the trees throughout the country these discarded catalogs represent. So, if you receive a catalog that you don’t want, please take a minute to
Inslee: Take advantage of opportunity to receive your COVID booster
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statement today as the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup confirmed actions taken... by FDA and CDC to recommend boosters for all adults who received their initial course of COVID- 19 vaccine six or more months ago.
Sun Days on Orcas | Thankful
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by EDEE KULPER ||| I was born in Texas, the fifth child 11 years after my closest sibling. They were all born about a year apart and when my Catholic mom was pregnant with the fourth, my grandfather said to her, "JoAnn, this is getting
Orcas Vikings are State Soccer Champions!
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ||| This is their return to the island this morning after winning the state championship last night... Orcas Vikings Are State Soccer Champions! After a slow start, the Orcas Island Vikings soccer team fought back to tie the match with Providence Christian at
PeaceHealth Peace Island announces additions to rehab therapy team
||| FROM ANNE WILLIAMS for PEACEHEALTH PEACE ISLAND ||| We are pleased to announce that our PeaceHealth Peace Island Rehabilitation therapy team is growing and we are now able to offer our patients expanded services and access, including Saturday appointments. In the last six months we have welcomed three new
Update from Inslee addresses high-speed rail, Whatcom County flooding
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Inslee affirms support of high-speed rail corridor with Oregon & B.C. On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee joined leaders from British Columbia and Oregon to announce partnerships to promote business expansion, collaboration and sustainability. As part of the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference, Inslee
Latest from Lekanoff | Flooding, ferries, committee assembly days, & preparing for 2022 session
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| The Washington State legislative session starts on January 10. It has never been more important for us to work together to improve the lives of people in Washington. In the 2021 session, we made historic progress by enacting laws and budget
Doe Bay community confronts washout by bridging the divide
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| There is something sacred about how this community has responded to the recent torrential rains which brought significant road damage and flooding. When folks woke up on Monday, they realized the road just past Doe Bay Resort had washed away,
Midnight Mutterings | If you build it, they will come… ***
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| On Tuesday, when the wind and rain subsided enough to see, I checked for my heron. Sure enough, there it was, standing on the boardwalk that goes from the slightly higher ground where the house sits to the low berm that separates the
Sheriff’s Report | November 10 – 14, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 21-009844 Controlled Substance Problem 15:33:02 11/10/21 San Juan Deputies executed a search warrant on a vehicle impounded the day prior for a narcotics investigation. During the search of the vehicle, the Deputies located methamphetamine. 21-009848 Welfare Check 21:50:16 11/10/21
Update on Pt. Lawrence Road closure for this weekend
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Important information regarding the washout of Pt. Lawrence Road at Doe Bay: The project is still on schedule for completion on Wednesday November 24, but as has been stated previous, there is always opportunity for delays as things progress. Let’s
‘Come Stand in my Shoes’ this weekend at Orcas Center
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| This Friday and Saturday! COME STAND IN MY SHOES November 19th - 20th Dance returns to the Orcas Center Main Stage with The Orcas Dance Collective! Directed and Choreographed by Tiffany Loney Presented through Orcas Dance Collective Featuring Junior Dance Collective and
Rep. Larsen supports House passage of Build Back Better Act
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) supported House-passage of the Build Back Better Act (BBB), historic legislation that creates millions of well-paying union jobs, drives long-term economic recovery and growth, and enables Northwest Washington communities to combat the climate change crisis.
Newest COVID numbers from State Health
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 669,378 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 17. There have been 9,086 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
