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
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from State Department of Health
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) continues to make progress with our COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration efforts. As of April 10, more than 4,189,884 doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is more than 82% of the 5,094,380 doses
Inslee signs bill to place Billy Frank statue in National Statuary Hall
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee signed HB 1372 today, which will place a statue of tribal leader Billy Frank Jr. in the National Statuary Hall. Inslee was joined by members of Frank’s family, tribal and community members, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and Rep. Debra
State is tracking small number of breakthrough infections following COVID vaccinations
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is reporting a total of 217 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases among vaccinated individuals in Washington state as of April 3, 2021. That is up from 102 since we first reported cases of breakthrough on
State Poet Laureate among the readers in upcoming salon series
||| FROM JILL MCCABE JOHNSON for ARTSMITH ||| To celebrate Poetry Month, five poets, including Washington State's newest Poet Laureate, Rena Priest, will read for the Artsmith / Darvill's Salon Series reading this Thursday, April 15. Priest will be joined by Orcas Island poet Quinn Bailey, plus Keetje Kuipers, Jory
Letter to Editor | Join me in voting yes for school levy
||| FROM MICHELE RODRIGUEZ ||| As a mother of an OASIS student who also has experienced our elementary and Montessori schools, I believe that technology, when used appropriately, can help enhance learning. The remote learning demands of COVID revealed that all schools need to be better prepared with technology now and
Latest recap of COVID-19 news, updates from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 353,147 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 12. There have been 5,340 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's
Witnessed, recorded: More than 50 Orca hunted, killed blue whale off Australian coast
This is one of just a handful of times that orca have ever been recorded killing a blue whale As many as 70 orcas cooperatively hunted, killed and ate a roughly 50-foot long blue whale last month off the coast of Australia. (Naturaliste Charters) By Alex Fox |||FROM SMITHSONIANMAG.COM ||| Last month,
Here’s the San Juan County Land Bank April 2021 meeting agenda
||| FROM TANJA WILLIAMSON for SAN JUAN COUNTY LAND BANK ||| A patch of uncommon native cactus discovered near the Turtleback shoreline, discovered during a monitoring outing. The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on April 16, from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Inslee signs commutations following Blake decision on drug possession charges
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee has signed commutations for 13 individuals convicted of drug possession charges under a law that was recently struck down by the Washington State Supreme Court. Those individuals have been released from Department of Corrections custody. More commutations are expected
Add amateur radio to your disaster preparedness toolkit
||| FROM GREG HANCOCK for SJC AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY ||| Has COVID got you thinking about what you can do to prepare for future emergencies and disasters, like the inevitable Cascadia Subduction Zone mega-quake? We know that it will grind our region to a halt for weeks if not months,
State Health Dept. pauses statewide J&J vaccines pending further study
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| The Washington State Department of Health will pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson (J & J) vaccine statewide starting immediately, following the guidance of the FDA/CDC. Use of that vaccine will be put on hold until we receive further recommendations from
Guest Opinion | Tax games corporations play
||| FROM HEDRICK SMITH, RECLAIM THE AMERICAN DREAM ||| Washington – Okay, let’s talk turkey about taxes and their implication for U.S. economic growth and inequality. But let’s get real. Let’s get beyond the political kabuki dance in Washington, with politicians echoing well-rehearsed lines. That means focusing on real-world economics.
Pandemic Poetry | Here in the time between
Here in the Time Between by Jack Ridl Here in the time between snow and the bud of the rhododendron, we watch the robins, look into the gray, and narrow our view to the patches of wild grasses coming green. The pile of ashes in the fireplace, haphazard sticks on
OISD launches COVID testing effort in collaboration with State Health Department
||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ||| Dear Students, Parents, Staff, & Community, OISD, in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Health, is participating in a state-funded effort to provide voluntary COVID-19 testing that will be incorporated into our existing district reopening plans. This is a tremendous step
Sharon & Mike will be live from New York singing of climate change, environmental justice
||| FROM SHARON ABREU ||| I'm thrilled to invite you to a special online Earth Month Concert hosted by the People's Voice Café, the venue at which Mike and I met in NYC 23 years ago this month. We'll be doing a 25-minute set in this concert honoring Mother Earth at 5 pm
5th annual Steve Resch Memorial Golf Tournament is coming soon
||| FROM STEVE RESCH MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT ||| The 5th Annual Steve Resch Memorial Golf Tournament is prepping for this popular annual event that will happen on Saturday, May 22, 2020. You may register your team, be a sponsor or donate on our website. Feel free to invite anyone that would
