Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Public scoping meeting for San Juan Island’s Beaverton Marsh Preserve
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Join the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank for a public scoping meeting on July 31, 2025, and help shape an updated Beaverton Marsh Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan (SMP), which includes the recently proposed trail project to connect the facilities at John
Orcas Family Caregivers | Need an afternoon off?
||| FROM SUSAN GORDON BENTLEY for ORCAS LIONS CLUB ||| Knowing your care partner is in good hands and enjoying themselves in a safe environment, will give you the peace of mind to take a few hours for yourself. The Orcas Lions Club, with support from the Orcas Senior Center,
OIFR seeks for/against statement applications for bond ballot measure
||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS FIRE & RESCUE ||| San Juan County Fire Protection District No 2 (dba Orcas Island Fire and Rescue) is seeking applications from those interested in being appointed to write the “for” or “against” statements for the San Juan County Local Voters’ Pamphlets related to
Orcas Housing Focus Group | New resource guide for renters and landlords
||| FROM RESOURCE CENTER COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ||| Finding and keeping stable housing on Orcas can feel overwhelming, especially when resources are scattered and rental laws can be hard to navigate. That’s why this spring, a dedicated group of community members, renters, and advocates came together to change that story. In
Driftwood, a poem from Wasakalobo
||| FROM W. A. SCHMIDT (WASAKALOBO) ||| Driftwood By wasakalobo The morning fogs, thicker than shrouds Wrapping intriguing shapes Not unlike those encircling clouds That cling to mountainscapes Theirs is but an ephemeral state Until the warming sun Makes them all slowly dissipate Their end has thus begun As
Ferry Alert | Vehicle reservations for fall sailing season open Tuesday, August 5 at 10am
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations for the fall 2025 schedule (Sept. 21 through Dec. 27) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, we will also continue using a virtual waiting room during the
In Review | County’s marine transport services pilot project
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| After 10 weeks of service, the County’s Marine Transportation Services Pilot Project is complete. These services included emergency barge and foot-passenger transportation during disruptions to Washington State Ferry (WSF) service as well as travel to and from the mainland (Anacortes) on a daily
Jurors excused, July 28 – August 1, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: JULY 28 - AUGUST 1, 2025 All jurors summonsed for jury duty beginning Monday July 28th through Friday August 1st, are excused. Thank you.
Orcas Island Public Library secures state funding for renovation
||| FROM INGRID MATTSON for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Orcas Island Public Library has secured funding of $294,000 in the 2025-2027 Washington State budget for capital improvements via a Library Capital Improvement Program (LCIP) grant administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce. “We are incredibly grateful to our local
County Council to surplus gravel on Waldron Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| This spring, the County Council has been considering a plan to make gravel available for public sale from the County's gravel pit on Waldon Island. Councilmembers discussed the potential plan during the April 15, 2025 meeting along with the feedback received from Waldron
Port of Orcas to hold public meeting
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| PORT OF ORCAS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on Monday, July 28, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the airport terminal conference room, 147 Schoen Lane, Eastsound, WA 98245, to amend
Have a garden question? Ask an Orcas Master Gardener
Now at the Market Garden Nursery ||| FROM CAITIE BLETHEN for WSU EXTENSION SAN JUAN COUNTY ||| Do you have a question about your soil, have a problem with your fruit tree, or are thinking about starting a garden? Is something bugging your plants, or you are curious about identifying
Nantucket’s workers are living on the margins
Teachers, police officers, firefighters and other workers live in overcrowded and substandard housing, or even in their cars on the beach ||| FROM THE NY TIMES ||| As private jets and superyachts arrive on Nantucket for the summer season, full-time residents and government officials are warning that the Massachusetts island
Orcas Health Care District Board to meet
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT BOARD ||| The Orcas Island Health Care District Board will hold a regularly scheduled board meeting on Wednesday, July 23rd from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Orcas Island Library, 500 Rose Street, Eastsound. The Board Meeting Public Packet is available below:
San Juan County celebrates plastic free July
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| “Even just committing to one action helps,” urged Katie Johnson, Marine Project Coordinator for San Juan County. She’s referring to Plastic Free July, a challenge that encourages millions of people around the world to find ways to cut back on their plastic consumption
Isabeau Waia’u Walker and Lilo Sanchez in free summer concert
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center is delighted to announce a special performance featuring Isabeau Waia’u Walker and Lilo Sanchez on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at 5:00 PM on the Village Green. This free event is part of Summer Concert Series event presented by Orcas Center,
