Here’s a thought…
“If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about the answers.”
THOMAS PYNCHON
State Health Dept. recap of recent COVID-19 news and updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 372,262 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 28. There have been 5,487 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Coffelt Farm CART report now available for viewing, comments
||| FROM TANJA WILLIAMSON for SAN JUAN COUNTY LAND BANK ||| San Juan County Land Bank has received the requested Conservation Agriculture Resource Team’s (CART) Coffelt Farm Report, a review, analysis, and recommendations for agriculture at the SJC Land Bank’s Coffelt Farm Preserve on Orcas Island. The SJC Land Bank
Senior Center selected to participate in GiveOrcas drive
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Orcas Senior Center (OSC) was selected to participate in the 2021 OICF GiveOrcas fundraising campaign, May 3-17. With your help OSC will raise $19,000 and contribute up to $6,000 in matching funds so that isolated seniors can receive “check-in” phone calls
‘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.
WA state vaccine allocation strategy moving to provider need-based approach
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is adjusting the way COVID-19 vaccines are allocated in an effort to quickly and equitably reach more people statewide and get vaccine where it’s needed most. Until recently, DOH used a pro-rata approach for allocations,
Grants for venues, restaurants, childcare, plus PPP & EIDL updates from our local EDC
||| FROM SAN JUAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| RESTAURANT GRANT REGISTRATION BEGINS TOMORROW! Register for an account starting April 30th at 6a PST, OR check your Square or Toast account for more information. You can register here: restaurants.sba.gov. More info is available here: sba.gov/restaurants After registering and to apply, visit: application
Biden’s jobs plan historic funding levels put Washington on path to accomplish broadband goals
Going big on broadband ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ||| As the United States rebuilds its way out of a pandemic that crushed sectors of the economy and exposed deep-rooted inequities in the workplace and within communities of color, President Joe Biden unveiled his American Jobs Plan that includes $100 billion
OCS Junior has been awarded an Airhawks scholarship
||| FROM BOB WAUNCH and REBECCA CARTER for AIRHAWKS FLYING CLUB ||| The Airhawks Flying Club, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization based in Eastsound, is proud to announce the awarding of a $4,000 Flight Training Scholarship to Diego Rivera, a student at Orcas Christian School. Diego will begin his training this
Letter to Editor | A heartfelt thanks for passing this school levy
||| FROM ERIC WEBB for ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOLS ||| I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Orcas Island Community for your overwhelming support of our Technology Capital Projects Levy. You have proven time and time again that you are dedicated to OISD and the children of
Help the Senior Center clean-up for spring
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Are you itching to get outside in this beautiful spring weather and socialize safely? Orcas Senior Center will have the perfect opportunity for you on Sunday, May 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. We need help cleaning up our grounds,
Guest Opinion | If not now, when? What COVID-19 teaches us about the future of tourism
||| FROM AMY NESLER for SAN JUANS VISITORS BUREAU ||| Since May 2 - 8 is National Travel and Tourism Week, this is the perfect opportunity to restart the dialogue about the future of the San Juan Islands' experience economy: tourism. Nobody in the world anticipated this vast, COVID-19 health
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from State Department of Health
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is thrilled to share the state surpassed another remarkable vaccine milestone this week. More than 5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Washington. Thanks to the hard work happening across the state, we are
Orcas Senior Center to hold district committee elections this summer due to court order
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| The April 23, 2021 issue of the Sounder featured an article entitled "Judge mandates new elections for senior center directors." The article was submitted by James P. Grifo, the attorney of record for the plaintiffs in this case. To be clear,
Recap of recent COVID-19 news, updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 369,481 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 26. There have been 5,462 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more,
Pianist Ron Myers to stream Orcas Center performance
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center is pleased to present island legend, pianist Ron Myers, through their free streaming events series on Friday, May 7 at 7 p.m. To watch, go to www.OrcasCenter.org on the day and time of the performance. Ron Myers began private classical
Totem Pole journey to D.C. has scheduled stopovers in the San Juans
||| FROM STEPHANIE BUFFUM ||| A totem pole carved at the Lummi Nation from a 400-year-old red cedar will begin a cross-country journey next month, evoking an urgent call to protect sacred lands and waters of Indigenous people. The journey called the Red Road to DC, will culminate in early
