Here’s a thought…
“Peace is not something we ask for — it’s something we practice, together.”
WALK FOR PEACE
Decatur Island releases survey results
Survey administered by Decatur Island Alliance December 2025 ||| FROM DECATUR ISLAND ALLIANCE ||| Decatur Island Alliance, a 501c(3) non-profit registered in Washington state, was created in the first quarter of 2025 by a group of island residents who were concerned that there was no mechanism in place for community members
Community event to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
Sunday, Jan. 18, 3-5 pm Emmanuel Parish Hall, 242 Main Street, Eastsound ||| FROM SHARON ABREU ||| On Sunday, Jan. 18, from 3-5 pm at the Emmanuel Parish Hall in Eastsound, there will be a community event celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event
News Brief | Washington bill would round cash transactions to the nearest nickel
||| FROM KOMO-4 NEWS ||| Without clear guidance, cash-only businesses have been unsure of how to handle rounding, which can create confusion and errors in transactions. HB 2334 solves this problem by putting clear rules into state law. The bill will hit the Capitol floor in Olympia on Jan. 12,
Spring sailing season reservations open Tuesday, Jan. 27
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations for the spring 2026 schedule (March 22 through June 13) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, we will continue using a virtual waiting room during the reservations release.? Anacortes/San Juan
Washington State Ferries 2025 Year in Review
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Washington State Ferries made significant headway in 2025. We reached notable operational milestones by delivering more dependable service. We also unveiled North America’s largest hybrid-electric vessel and strengthened our long-term future with plans to build new boats. Ride with us as we look back
Federal 12-Month Endangered Species Act finding for Olympic Peninsula steelhead
||| FROM EMMA HELVERSON for WILD FISH CONSERVANCY ||| Today, NOAA Fisheries issued its 12-month finding on the petition to list Olympic Peninsula steelhead under the Endangered Species Act acknowledging long-term population declines, reduced productivity, and substantial uncertainty, but concluded that listing is not warranted at this time. Wild Fish
Land Bank to hold monthly meeting on January 16
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting Friday, January 16. The meeting is scheduled from 8:45am – 11:10am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the San Juan Island Grange, 152 First Street, Friday Harbor, WA. The
SJC Master Gardeners open 2026 Native Plant Sale for online ordering January 24
||| FROM VICKI LEIMBACK for SAN JUAN MASTER GARDENERS ||| Calling all nature lovers and garden enthusiasts! The eagerly awaited 2026 Native Plant Sale officially launches online at 8:00 AM on January 24, offering island residents a wide array of locally native plants that beautify landscapes while supporting healthy ecosystems.
Seedy Saturday celebrates seed sharing and community traditions
||| FROM SAN JUAN ISLAND GRANGE ||| The San Juan Island Grange will host the Fourth Annual Seedy Saturday, Saturday, January 31, from 2-4pm, offering a free, community seed swap rooted in long-standing traditions of seed sharing and local self-reliance. By gathering locally to exchange seeds, participants pass along locally adapted
Protect yourself in the New Year | Respiratory illness reminders
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS. ||| Each year, respiratory illnesses are responsible for millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States. In addition to the virus that causes influenza (flu), there are many other types of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus
Fingerstyle guitarist to take journey through strings, stories at Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Experience the spellbinding artistry of Hiroya Tsukamoto, a master of fingerstyle guitar and evocative storytelling that transcends cultural boundaries. Praised by Acoustic Guitar Magazine for his “delicate, fluid, and beautifully details” style, Hiroya’s music weaves intricate melodies with poetic narratives, creating
Letter to Editor | An open letter to Eastsound Water Users
||| FROM DAN GOTTLIEB ||| In June of 2024, my wife was assaulted in the parking lot of Eastsound Water. In October 2024, Eastsound Water’s insurance company acknowledged the claim. In March 2025, the insurer sent us a letter saying they were still waiting for two documents from Eastsound Water
No Place Like Loam | A woman at work in the garden
Defiance Part 2 ||| NO PLACE LIKE LOAM by ALEX TAMAYA-WOLF ||| The Order to Appear When the German leader—that one—rolled through Zirndorf, Germany with his lacquered cavalcade and pillbox mustache, the village was expected to fold itself into awe. The order had gone out: come to the street, stand
Olga Strawberry Council annual meeting on Tuesday
||| FROM SELBY LIGHTHILL for OLGA STRAWBERRY COUNCIL ||| The Olga Strawberry Council Board of Directors will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, January 13, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will include a brief review of the past year and a look ahead to ongoing stewardship and maintenance of
Letter to Editor | So, you are thinking about investing in silver or gold?
||| FROM ROBERT AUSTIN ||| Some of you may have noticed that the price of gold and silver has gone a little bit crazy, of late. For example, silver, which rarely has changed much in value, suddenly leapt briefly towards $80 an ounce, before settling back to a still-very-high $70
OICF Leadership, Excellence, Advancement, and Development (LEAD) grant program application period now open
||| FROM KIM WEST ACTKINSON for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for the Winter 2026 Leadership, Excellence, Advancement, and Development (LEAD) Grant Program. The LEAD Grant Program, which first launched in Summer 2025, was created
