Here’s a thought…
“That confidence — that the law cannot reach you because you are the one wielding it — is the oldest and most dangerous delusion in Washington.”
MILES TAYLOR
Inslee approves use of state strategic reserve funds for Point Roberts business
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOV. JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee announced the approval of state strategic reserve funds today to support a crucial business in Point Roberts. The small Washington community is physically isolated from the mainland United States and has experienced unique hardships during the pandemic due
Council approves proclamation designating “Plastic Free July” for San Juan County
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Council, in today’s regular council meeting, approved a proclamation designating “Plastic Free July” in San Juan County. The proclamation recognizes the pressing issues around plastic waste, including the fact that plastics are the most prevalent type of marine debris
At long last, runners set foot on new track at 1st Annual Bob Henigson Fun Run
||| FROM CATHY FERRAN ||| Saturday, June 26th, our community was at last able to recognize the generosity of the Henigson Family, by celebrating the memory of husband, father, and devoted runner, Bob Henigson, with the dedication of the new OISD track and a Fun Run/BBQ in his honor. Thirty
Matthew Laslo brings back his live Magic Show for July 4th weekend
A Magic Show for the Entire Family ! ||| FROM MATTHEW LASLO ||| After over a year of being closed for live performances and movies, the Sea View Theatre will welcome back audiences for the Magic of Matthew Laslo, July 1-4; two shows daily. “We will be opening up
Latest upcoming class offerings from Island Hospital
||| FROM RACHEL LAMBERT for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Swallow Screening at Island Hospital Determine if you might have a swallowing disorder at a free screening on Tuesday, July 13 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy clinic at Island Hospital, 1015 25th St., Anacortes. Appointments are
Weekly walking tours with Hilary Canty are back
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| Come take an hour long leisurely stroll with me through Eastsound to see and hear how your contributions to the Community Emergency Response Fund (CERF) have benefited our nonprofit organizations and our community during the pandemic. Walks are on Thursday afternoons
Rental assistance available for San Juan County tenants and landlords
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Are you a San Juan County Tenant who has fallen behind on rent as of March, 2020? You may be eligible for assistance. Who can apply? Applications can be completed online for either the Tenant or Landlord: Tenant application - www.oppco.org/sanjuanrentalassistancetenant Landlord application - www.oppco.org/sanjuanrentalassistancelandlord
Orcas Center outlines their reopening plans going forward
||| FROM DIMITRI STANKEVICH for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center’s closure over the past 15 months has brought about great challenges, change, and opportunities. I am thrilled that we can look towards a more certain future now that the majority of San Juan County residents are vaccinated! As we move
With travel restrictions barely easing, U.S.-Canada border towns stuck in economic limbo
||| FROM SEATTLE TIMES ||| BLAINE — At Border Mailbox and Parcel, just minutes from the U.S.-Canada border, owner Doug Hornsby all but trips over the economic fallout of the pandemic every time he comes to work. Before COVID-19, Hornsby’s customers were primarily Canadians who used his Blaine address for
San Juan County mask requirements to end today
||| FROM DIMITRI STANKEVICH for ORCAS CENTER ||| The San Juan County Health Officer Order requiring the wearing of masks by customers indoors in businesses and other public spaces will end on June 27th, 2021. Health Officer Dr. Frank James explains his decision, “Thanks to the high vaccination rates in the
Enroll to explore Salish Sea marine and near shore terrestrial environments by kayak
Skagit Valley College is enrolling now for a unique Sea Kayak Exploration class in the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands ||| FROM ARDEN AINLEY for SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE ||| If you love the salt air and exploring the beautiful Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands, you’ll want
Use the Whale Warning Flag to protect both whales and boaters
LET YOUR FLAG FLY! ||| FROM ANGELA BRODERICK, SJC ENVIRONMENTAL DEPT. ||| Across the region, homes and businesses will soon be displaying the Stars and Stripes to herald the Fourth of July holiday. Meanwhile, on the waters of the Salish Sea, another flag can be spotted - the whale warning
Are you or someone you know in heat crisis? Hot tips for hot temps
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| While island temps are considerably lower than on the mainland, it’s hot today and will be again tomorrow. There are a number of common-sense precautions listed below to minimize the impact, but if you or someone you know are in
Inslee announces eviction moratorium “bridge”
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOV. JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee announced a “bridge” proclamation [Thursday, June 24] between the eviction moratorium and the housing stability programs put in place by the Legislature. The bridge is effective July 1 through September 30. More than $650 million of federal relief
Study: Local restrictions on Airbnb listings reduce property values in areas popular with tourists
||| FROM SCIENCE DIRECT || Re-posted at request of Orcasonian reader Abstract Online short-term rental (STR) platforms such as Airbnb have grown spectacularly. We study the effects of regulation of these platforms on the housing market using a quasi-experimental research design. 18 out of 88 cities in Los Angeles County have severely
Ecological Restoration Certificate now available through WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment
||| FROM KAI HOFFMAN-KRULL for SJI CONSERVATION DISTRICT ||| The new Ecological Restoration Certificate in the San Juan Islands is provided in partnership with the San Juan Islands Conservation District (SJICD) and Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University. The program combines academic coursework and hands-on implementation of
