Here’s a thought…
“I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us.”
LORD BYRON
Midnight Mutterings | A little more on voter suppression
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS BY JACKIE BATES ||| World news has been discouraging of late with the Israel-Hamas conflict escalating and probable war crimes in Northern Ethiopia, so I decided to look a little closer to home for cheer. While I did find relief in reported progress against the pandemic, at
Sheriff’s Report | May 4 – 10, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| TUESDAY, MAY 4 21-003610 Controlled Substance Problem 02:34:47 05/04/21 A San Juan Deputy responded to a complaint of drugging of a community member. The victim was interviewed and transported to the hospital for examination. The investigation is ongoing. 21-003611 Theft 08:55:19 05/04/21
OISD just discovered three secondary school students test positive for COVID
Further test results pending ||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ||| Just this afternoon, OISD identified three secondary students in our district that tested positive for COVID-19 after OISD nursing staff administered the BinaxNow Rapid Test. Immediately after receiving the positive results, we followed with PCR tests. We hope
Quick note: Fuel is back at Orcas Island Airport
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| We now have 100LL fuel available at the pump. The new cost is $5.89 per gallon.
Masks still required on all public transportation including ferries
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Please be advised that while CDC and state guidance loosen some restrictions on wearing masks, wearing a mask is still a requirement for travel on all public transportation, including Washington State Ferries. This includes outdoor spaces on vessels. Passengers who refuse to wear masks
Sheriff requests to speak with former tenants of suspect in voyeurism case under investigation
||| FROM RON KREBS, SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF ||| On April 28, 2021, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office investigated a report of a hidden camera located in the bedroom of a Friday Harbor residence. The landlord, Ryan H. Bennett, has been charged by the Prosecuting Attorney with Residential Burglary
Here’s the latest on COVID case count for San Juan County
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard. As indicated on that page, these numbers are only updated after case confirmation is complete, usually daily. It is possible that other information sources in community
Here we go: New CDC COVID masking guidance is fast-moving
Important community update ||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| As many are no doubt aware, the CDC has recently released new guidance on wearing of masks for fully vaccinated individuals. That announcement has been followed by the Governor’s decision to more or less match the CDC
Reopening, vaccine update, bill signings, Native American mascots in latest Lekanoff news release
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| Happy Fantastic Friday! COVID-19 Updates Healthy Washington Reopening Yesterday, Gov. Inslee announced that Washington is moving toward a statewide June 30 reopening date! In addition, all counties will move to Phase 3 of the Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery reopening plan effective May
Next Meeting of the Minds: Forage fishes and the beach
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Meeting of the Minds – “Forage Fishes and the Beach: The Role of Local Shorelines in Marine Ecosystem Recovery” brought to you on Zoom by Orcas Senior Center: Wednesday, May 19, 1 - 2 p.m. Tina Whitman The San
‘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.
Vaccine for kids 12 & up! (and their families)
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT |||
¡VACUNAS! Para niños de 12 o mayores (y sus familias)
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT |||
Fish & Wildlife now lists cause of deer deaths as Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease
Not transmittable to humans ||| FROM RON KREBS, SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF ||| Over the last few weeks, the Sheriff’s Office has been getting increasingly more reports of dead deer that show no real signs of trauma, but have foaming mouths. WDFW now believes the cause of the deaths is
Enroute to DC, Lummi totem pole makes a stop at Madrona Point
||| FROM MICHAEL RIORDAN ||| Over a hundred islanders came to Madrona Point (known to the Lummi as Ts’el-xwi-sen) Tuesday afternoon, May 11, to view and bless the Red Road to DC Totem Pole carved by the House of Tears Carvers for presentation this summer to President Joe Biden. Among
Department of Health releases updated K-12 school guidance
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Today, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released guidance for the 2021 summer school session and 2021-2022 school year. Under the updated guidance, schools must plan to provide full time in-person education for all interested students for the 2021-2022 school year with
