Here’s a thought…
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”
READER BOARD
Letter to Editor | Thank you, Orcas Island, from UW Medicine
||| FROM UW MEDICINE ||| To the Orcas Island Community: UW Medicine extends its sincere thanks to the entire Orcas Island community for your support since the opening of our clinic in September 2017. It has been a tremendous privilege to provide high-quality primary care to Orcas Island residents, and
SJ Makers Guild launching an on-line, countywide Makers Directory
||| FROM SAN JUAN MAKERS GUILD ||| This Spring the San Juan Makers Guild is busy launching the online countywide Makers Directory and is hosting an important interactive Asset Mapping project to help strengthen the Maker Community. There is NO COST to use these tools - we encourage and support
Island Primary Care–Orcas will open its doors on Monday, April 5
||| BY SUSAN MCBAIN, theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| As of April 5, Orcas Island will have a new practice operating in the medical facility on Deye Lane: Island Primary Care–Orcas, an Island Hospital (IH) clinic. And the practice will have a new phone number, 360- 293-3101, which can already be used
Larsen’s message to Dreamers: You make Northwest Washington stronger
||| FROM REP. RICK LARSEN'S OFFICE ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted for two commonsense, bipartisan bills to secure permanent protections and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers and guestworkers. More than 16,000 Dreamers call Washington state home and contribute over $1 billion annually
Inslee rescinds state travel advisory to align with CDC travel advisory guidance
||| FROM GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE || Gov. Jay Inslee today rescinded his November 2020 Travel Advisory and is advising Washingtonians and others visiting Washington to comply with the Center for Disease Control’s current COVID-19 travel advisory guidance. On November 13, 2020, due to the increasing incidence of COVID-19 in many states and
EDC Annual Economics Luncheon will feature Milene Henley & stand-up economics comedian
||| FROM VICTORIA COMPTON for ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| Join the conversation on What’s Next: The Islands Economy at the 11th Annual EDC Economics Luncheon, held online on Wednesday, April 28 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., featuring economist Yoram Bauman and San Juan County Auditor Milene Henley. This year, participants are
Sign of normality returning? SJC courts to soon resume jury trials; watch your mailbox for a summons
||| FROM MELLISSA DERKSEMA for SAN JUAN COUNTY DISTRICT COURT ||| The San Juan County Superior Court and District Court are once again resuming jury trials, after postponing trials in November of 2020 due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. Thanks to transmission rates falling regionally and statewide, and technological
Mobile dental clinics to offer Medicaid and uninsured patients access to dental care on Orcas
||| FROM ERIN O'DELL for ORCASS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| People in San Juan County who don’t have dental insurance or who are covered by Apple Health (Medicaid) can get free or reduced-cost dental care at upcoming mobile clinics. The public-private partnership making the dental care available includes the North
You will want to listen up! Recording of Island Hospital community briefing is now available
||| FROM ANNE PRESSON for ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| We would like to thank all of the community members who spent part of your Thursday evening learning about the clinic transition. A copy of Island Hospital’s presentation can be found HERE, and the recording is available for viewing
Editorial | Have you noticed something familiar in the air? Relief? Hope?
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| There's something going on, something afoot, stirrings beneath the surface. Have you felt it? I first felt the unrest shuffling after the result of the 2020 presidential election, although there were plenty of instances when that, too, seemed endangered, that perhaps nothing in
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from Washington 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 March 13, more than 2,517,506 doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is nearly 80% of the 3,165,350 doses that
Guest Opinion | A brief history of vaccines — today’s best defense against COVID-19
||| BY THOMAS O. BALDWIN, PhD ||| As a result of amazing strides in basic biomedical science over the past several decades—development of methods allowing the cloning of genes, DNA sequencing, etc.— it has been possible to develop several exceptionally effective vaccines against COVID-19 over the past year, an accomplishment
Inslee announces extension of eviction moratorium, expansion of vaccine eligibility, resumption of long-term care visitations
|||FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE||| Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that the statewide eviction moratorium will be extended through June 30, as well as upcoming vaccine eligibility expansion, including restaurant workers and Washingtonians 60 and older. He also announced that effective immediately, many visitations at long-term care facilities
Lopez Fire Chief Bigby weighs in on water safety
||| FROM PHILIP PROD'HOMME for FRIENDS OF LOPEZ ISLAND POOL ||| For many islanders, warmer weather means water weather. But as people hit the seas for sailing, kayaking, fishing, and (gasp!) even swimming, there are important safety measures to consider. Recently, Friends of Lopez Island Pool (FLIP) talked with Lopez
Sheriff’s Report | March 10 – 16, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 21-002024 Fraud 09:10:18 03/10/21 A San Juan Deputy responded to a report of fraud. The reporting party realized the transaction was fraudulent and canceled it, resulting in no loss to them. The incident was documented. 21-002025 Threats 09:24:14 03/10/21
New vaccine registration window opens on Monday 9 a.m.
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| San Juan County Health and Community Services will be opening registration for first dose vaccine appointments on Monday March 22 at 9 a.m. These clinics will be on Orcas and San Juan Island. Those who are eligible and wishing to
