Here’s a thought…
“Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.”
HEATHER FRENCH HENRY
We still won’t admit why so many people believe the Big Lie
Six months after the insurrection it triggered, it’s clear that the stolen-election nonsense is just a drop in a tidal wave of bullshit. ||| FROM THE DAILY BEAST ||| How could so many Americans believe in “the Big Lie?” We see the numbers and we shake our heads. Poll after
Richard Donner honored by PETA for producing Free Willy
Free Willy raised awareness about the anguish of orcas in captivity 20 years before Blackfish, and PETA is grateful for Richard Donner producing the movie ||| FROM MOVIEWEB.COM ||| Richard Donner is getting a lot of praise from friends, fans, and contemporaries in the wake of his death, and PETA is
Orcas School Board will Zoom-meet on Thursday
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island School District School Board will be hosting their meeting online VIA ZOOM. Here is the link to sign up for free ZOOM: https://zoom.us/freesignup/. Please click on this link to join the OISD Zoom meeting, where a host will admit you: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5474235505 5:00
Feeling philosophical? Senior Center’s Socrates Cafe is coming up this weekend
Orcas Socrates Café @ Orcas Senior Center (Sunday, July 11, 4 - 6 p.m.) ||| 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
Just what we need as we emerge from pandemic: Library Fair is back Aug. 14
||| FROM DAVE KOSIUR for FRIENDS OF THE ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| After a 1-year hiatus, the Friends of the Orcas Island Library are now organizing this year’s library fair. Come to the library’s parking lot on Saturday, August 14, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for
Latest COVID guidance from State Health Department
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 416,532 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on June 5. There have been 5,960 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Richard Donner dies: ‘Superman’, ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘The Goonies’ director was 91
||| FROM DEADLINE.COM ||| Richard Donner, the prolific Hollywood director and producer whose helming credits include some of the most iconic movies of the 1970s and ’80s including the Christopher Reeve-starring Superman, The Goonies and the Mel Gibson-Danny Glover buddy cop series Lethal Weapon, has died. He was 91. Donner passed away Monday, according to
Learn how to operate and rent the Conservation District no-till drill
||| FROM KATE MIKULAK for SJC WSU EXTENSION ||| Interested in reseeding your pastures or hayfields? Planting cover crops or grains? The SanJuan Islands Conservation District is implementing a program to rent out their Great Plains606NT No-Till Seed Drill for use by San Juan County farmers. Join the Conservation District,
Fair winds, farewell | Departing NAS Whidbey commander shares some words about noise complaint system
||| FROM CAPT MATT ARNY, COMMANDING OFFICER, NAS WHIDBEY ||| NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. – I’m filled with conflicting emotions as I prepare to “depart the pattern” and embark on a new journey. I’m excited for what lies ahead, yet grateful for what I have experienced here. The
Council pre-empts Charter Review Commission with climate re-organization
||| BY MATTHEW GILBERT, theORCASONIAN OP-ED REPORTER ||| Last month, the Charter Review Committee released the outcomes of its lengthy deliberations, and among its proposed amendments was an independently-elected position to run a new Climate and Environment Office while adding an advisory “commission” – a group with more influence than
Climate Eyes | Tennis, anyone?
||| BY STEVE BERNHEIM, theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| To limit global warming to 1.5°C / 2.7°F above pre-industrial levels requires rapid transitions in energy and infrastructure (including transport and buildings), and requires deep emissions reductions in all sectors, says a U.N. panel. Rapid transitions in energy, transport and buildings? Deep emission
Guest Opinion | Zero emissions EV charger project on Orcas Island
||| FROM BRUCE BENTON ||| Shortly after my wife and I moved permanently to Orcas Island in June 2020, I launched an EV charger project for the Island. It was clear through discussions with people concerned about the local environment as well as OPALCO that vehicle emissions were by far
Orcas community to usher long-time, local doctor into retirement at upcoming celebration
||| FROM AAIMEE JOHNSON ||| Join us to celebrate nearly 30 years of commitment to healthcare on Orcas Island as Dr. David C. Shinstrom, Dr. Dave to most, hangs up his stethoscope in retirement. Dr. Dave is hoping many of you can attend so he can express his appreciation for the
Inslee declares wildfire state of emergency, limited burn ban
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today declared a statewide state of emergency relating to the growing risk of wildfires, including a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through September 30, 2021. "Washington is facing a historic drought and we have already experienced record-breaking
Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms with The Horsenecks to perform live on Village Green
Summer Concerts on The Village Green continue July 10 with Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, and The Horsenecks ||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Summer Concerts on The Village Green, a joint venture between Orcas Center and Doe Bay, continue July 10 with Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms,
Funhouse virtual fundraiser looks through rose-colored glasses to brighter future
||| FROM FUNHOUSE COMMONS ||| Join us in looking through rose-colored glasses to the brighter future we know we are capable of creating for our island youth. While this past year has been full of ups and downs and new adjustments, we have been so thankful to be able to
