Here’s a thought…
“The United States, despite the fact that we are so big and powerful and militarily capable, we still need our allies and partners.”
JOHN BRENNAN, EX CIA DIRECTOR
News Brief | Orcas islander Jas Ikeda remains in an Israeli prison
||| FROM KING-5 TV||| "Israeli naval forces recently captured over 400 activists, including at least 22 Americans, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea” ORIGINALLY FROM KING-5 TV "When you have somebody in a small community who steps out and does something like this, I think people see it as
No jurors needed for October 6-10
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: OCTOBER 6-10, 2025 All jurors summonsed for the week beginning Monday, October 6th through Friday, October 10th are excused.
No Place Like Loam | A strawberry tree grows in Seattle: Rediscovering an ancient evergreen
Why this overlooked Mediterranean native belongs in Pacific Northwest landscapes ||| NO PLACE LIKE LOAM by ALEX TAMAYO-WOLF ||| The strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, never seems in step with its neighbors. While other trees surrender their leaves and settle into rest, it carries two seasons at once. Last year’s fruit
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.
OPALCO renewable energy community meetings recap
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| A few weeks ago, the OPALCO team held a series of community meetings about local, renewable energy. The meetings were held at all three major islands to engage co-op members on the energy future of San Juan County. At
Conservation Land Bank acquires 225-acre school trust land parcel on Blakely Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| On September 18, the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank received a 225-acre parcel on Blakely Island from the Washington Department of Natural Resources. The property is located on the island’s eastern edge and has shoreline frontage on Rosario Strait. It is one
J36 and J Pod documented off San Juan Island
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 12:52 PM ObservEnd: 03:25 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss Other Observers: Rachel John, Taylor Redmond Pods: Southern Resident: J Pod IDsEncountered: J16, J26, J27, J31, J36, J37, J38, J40, J42, J45, J49, J53, J56, J59,
Winter Artisan Market accepting applications for artists, artisans
||| FROM PARKER PAVITT for WINTER ARTISAN MARKET ||| The annual Winter Artisans Market at the Odd Fellows Hall invites applications from artists and artisans for this traditional gathering of island creatives and community supporters. This year's Market will be held on Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th at
The Countdown Is On | Get your Friday Harbor Film Festival 2025 pass
||| FROM ELLEN ROBERTS & KAREN PALMER for FRIDAY HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL ||| The Friday Harbor Film Festival returns October 23–26 with the largest lineup in our history! From more than 189 submissions, our Selection Committee has curated a schedule of 34 feature documentaries, 21 short films, and 14 inspiring
Senior Center | Where fun meets health
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Ukulele Kanikipila: Join the Musical Fun at Orcas Senior Center! Experience the joy of making music at Ukulele Kanikipila, Hawaiian for "play music," Mondays from 1 to 3 pm at Orcas Senior Center. This gathering is open to everyone with an
2025 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Garden Workshop Series
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY WSU MASTER GARDENERS ||| The series includes 4 one-hour presentations with additional time for questions and discussion. Our speakers are scientists, authors, naturalists, professional gardeners, and accomplished Master Gardeners who will share their knowledge, experience, and beautiful photographs of plants, flowers, birds and bees, and
NYT bestselling author Ben Clanton at Library
||| FROM JENNY DEEGROOT for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Join NYT bestselling author Ben Canton at the Public Library on Monday, October 6th at 4pm for an informal storytime. Ben is best known for his Narwhal and Jelly books, Tater Tales, and so much more. Free and open to all
Guest Opinion | AI’s dirty secret
Washington is subsidizing toxic data centers ||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| While the world marvels at the promise of artificial intelligence, a darker reality hums beneath the surface: the sprawling data centers that power AI and other online applications are poisoning communities, draining water, and gobbling energy at a staggering
Port Commission approves ‘better – not bigger’ option for airport
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| At the Port’s September 2025 regular meeting your commissioners approved a motion to formally accept the FAA’s funding award and engage Granite Construction in Bellingham for our ORS pavement rehabilitation initiative. This marks an important step in the most significant port
Midnight Mutterings | Florynce Kennedy
||| Midnight Mutterings: Florynce Kennedy I had a couple of other lame ideas for this little column in the last few days, but somehow Florynce Kennedy popped into my head. I had never heard much (well anything, really) about her, but I did see her on a television panel in
Larsen releases statement on Trump administration raising costs by cancelling clean energy projects
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF. U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| EVERETT, WA – Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after the Trump administration announced the cancellation of funding for the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub and ten other projects in Washington state: “The Trump administration is raising the cost of
