Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
It’s a stunning Scottish Isle. Good luck getting on or off
With aging ferries delayed sometimes for days, life goes haywire on an island in the Outer Hebrides ||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| The text message arrived with an ominous ping as I drove north through a rugged Scottish valley to catch the next day’s boat to the spectacular,
Orcas Center presents Bobby Bare Jr. and Mars FM in free summer concert
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center is excited to announce a special performance featuring Bobby Bare Jr. and Mars FM on Sunday, July 20, at 5:00 PM on the Village Green. This free event is part of the Summer Concert Series event presented by Orcas Center,
Olga Daze returns
Saturday, July 19 10:00am to 2:00pm ||| FROM SUSAN GORDON for OLGA DAZE ||| Festivities begin in front of the Community Center at 10:00am. Come for breakfast at the bake sale, featuring the world famous maple bars made on the spot. Stay for lunch then come back to the bake sale for dessert.
Orcas Christian students to embark on service-focused mission trip to Hawaii
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| This coming school year, students from Orcas Christian School will have the opportunity to broaden their horizons and put their faith into action during a mission trip to Hilo, Hawaii. The trip, scheduled for the spring, will take students to Mauna Loa School, where
Columbia Basin’s salmon are in hot water, literally, says report from Save Our Wild Salmon
Fish face a ‘triple threat’ in the Columbia River: Rising temperatures, stagnant water and toxic algae ||| FROM THE COLUMBIAN ||| Environmental group Save Our Wild Salmon released its first Columbia River Hot Water Report of the year Wednesday, as water temperatures throughout the basin this year have already surpassed
Midnight Mutterings | Gardens and another island
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| I didn’t grow up with gardens, though I did get lost in a cornfield when I was three or four years old. I’ve never had a good sense of direction, but that was the first time I knew I was lost, the first
Sheriff’s Report | July 2 – 8, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, JULY 2 25-004112 Theft 16:14:57 07/02/25 A Lopez Island Deputy was dispatched to a theft call. The incident was documented, and the investigation is ongoing. 25-004125 Domestic Dispute or Assault 22:02:33 07/02/25 Deputies on San Juan Island responded to the Emergency
Washington State Ferries launches largest hybrid-electric ferry in North America
||| FROM MY NORTHWEST.COM ||| Washington State Ferries took delivery of its first hybrid-electric ferry. The Wenatchee, already one of the largest boats in the fleet, is now the most technologically advanced ferry in the fleet. The conversion cost $133 million and makes the Wenatchee the largest hybrid-electric ferry in
Community Foundation | New LEAD grant program
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| For 30 years, the Orcas Island Community Foundation has focused on encouraging and supporting local philanthropy and strengthening nonprofit organizations. Anniversaries are a good time to reflect upon and celebrate the past, clearing the way for renewal and fresh energy.
Nantucket’s workers are living on the margins
Teachers, police officers, firefighters and other workers live in overcrowded and substandard housing, or even in their cars on the beach. ||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| The median home price in Nantucket is currently around $2.5 million, which is out of reach for many of the people who
Celebration of life, open mic
||| FROM LOLA APPLEGATE |||
WSF Weekly Report | Wenatchee soon to be in service; requesting feedback on fare changes; SR20 delays in Anacortes
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve We’re excited to share the Wenatchee will return to service next week as our first hybrid-electric ferry. It will run part-time in the evenings on our Seattle/Bainbridge route, before returning to full-time service by the end of
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.
Scotland’s Tidal Bet | Net zero, net loss
||| FROM WHAT'S. UP WITH THAT? ||| Let me invite you to consider the Scottish coast, where the tides are large and the headlines are gushing—much like the capital outflow—over the MeyGen tidal project, a four-turbine, six-megawatt marvel whirring away beneath the waves. The headlines scream Underwater turbine spinning for
Orcas Island School District seeking applications for pro and con statement committees
||| FROM SUZANNE SMITH for ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Orcas Island School District is seeking applications from persons interested in being appointed to a committee to write the “for” or “against” statements for the San Juan County Local Voters’ Pamphlets related to the District's Capital Project Levy and EP&O
Larsen: Local impacts of Republicans’ big ugly law
||| FROM U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| This week, I have been traveling around Northwest Washington state to talk to local health care providers and food banks about how Republicans' Big Ugly Law will impact our friends and neighbors. At Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, the Big
