Here’s a thought…
“When you re-read a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in yourself than there was before.”
CLIFTON FADIMAN
Washington tribe calls on Seattle City Light to remove the Gorge Dam
To help salmon and free a culturally important stretch of the Skagit River, the Upper Skagit tribe demands that Seattle tear down the dam. ||| FROM CROSSCUT.COM ||| Raindrops fell through gusts of fresh April air as clouds and mist draped the ridges above the Skagit River near the town
World-famous photographers coming to San Juan with tales from Africa
||| FROM DIANE MARTINDALE for SAN JUAN ISLANDS MUSEUM OF ART ||| Get your tickets now! The world-famous photographers, Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher, land in Friday Harbor on August 22 to share their spellbinding adventures in Africa. The talk is brought to town by the San Juan Islands Museum
Measuring and making change in our local food system: Online presentation, community discussion
||| FROM KATE MIKULAK for WSU EXTENSION ||| Join local food system changemakers online for an evening of updates from the field! Did you know that we have an increase in new, younger farmers in the county? Curious what crop has the biggest market share? How much farmland is leased?
Harmful algae blooms found in Washington lakes and rivers
Blooms can be toxic to humans, pets, and wildlife ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- Washington State Department of Health is advising the public to take precautions while enjoying water recreation this summer. Harmful algae blooms have been found in some Washington lakes and rivers. Algae can vary
Doe Bay Water signs agreement for Eastsound Water to manage their water system
Eastsound Water to operate and maintain the Doe Bay water system in 2022 ||| FROM DAN BURKE, EASTSOUND WATER , and TOM WALKER, DOE BAY WATER USERS ASSOCIATION ||| On August 6, 2021, Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) and the Doe Bay Water Users Association (DBWUA) signed an agreement to
Midnight Mutterings | Whales!
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS BY JACKIE BATES ||| A couple of weeks ago I was off island when the Orcas came through Obstruction Pass, and my neighbors gave excited reports of a small group that included two youngsters who traveled west right in front of our houses on the beach. I
Sheriff’s Report | July 28 – August 4, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, JULY 28 21-006663 Citizen Assist 09:28:35 07/28/21 A Deputy on Orcas responded to a callback about a possible order violation. After reading the order and speaking with the protected party it was found that no crime had been committed. 21-006665 Found
K21 – Although gravely-ill, Southern Resident killer whale death is not confirmed …
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Center for Whale Research Statement: Southern Resident killer whale K21 On July 28, the Center for Whale Research (CWR) received a report and video from a Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) vessel of an apparently distressed killer whale in the Strait of Juan
WSF Weekly Report | Some system news, yes, but check out this ferry built on Lopez
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Behind the scenes: Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility Did you know our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island has 10 different trade shops? Each of them is vital in maintaining a fleet of 21 vessels and 20 terminals. While I could go on for
San Juan County 4-H invites you to celebrate local youth with this year’s Hybrid Fair!
||| FROM WENDY WAXMAN KERN for SAN JUAN COUNTY FAIR ||| Fair week is swiftly approaching, and kids and teens around the county are hard at work finishing up their 4-H projects. Due to the ongoing pandemic, this year they will participate in a hybrid fair, submitting most entries for
Latest COVID update from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 443,230 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 4. There have been 6,155 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more,
Virtual Socrates Cafe coming up at Senior Center
Orcas Socrates Café @ Orcas Senior Center (Sunday, August 8, 4pm-6pm) ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| On the second Sunday afternoon each month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Orcas Senior Center hosts the Orcas Socrates Café. It is an opportunity to gather virtually, as a
‘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.
Inslee statement on suspected death of Southern Resident orca K-21
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| "I am saddened to hear the news that one of the 75 remaining endangered Southern Resident orcas, K-21 - a 35-year-old male - was seen this week emaciated and struggling off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The whales have
Island Hospital announces additional support for COVID-19 testing on Orcas
||| FROM LAURA MORONEY for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Due to recent COVID-19 community outbreak on Orcas Island and in San Juan County, Island Primary Care - Orcas will expand testing for COVID-19. Testing takes place by appointment only at the Clinic on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings with a capacity
Weekly county COVID case update, and an Orcas case cluster update
||| FROM KYRA KINNAMAN for SJC HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES ||| Orcas Case Cluster Update San Juan County has been aggressively investigating a recent COVID outbreak on Orcas Island. Since the source case was identified, San Juan County has identified nine additional linked positive cases. Of the ten outbreak cases,
