Here’s a thought…
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”
READER BOARD
Health Commissioners hear more about transition plans to Island Hospital clinic
||| BY SUSAN MCBAIN, theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| The commissioners of the Orcas Island Health Care District heard a lot of details at the Feb. 16 meeting about Island Hospital’s (IH’s) plans for opening a new practice on Orcas in April. But for the community, perhaps the most interesting information was
Helpers on Orcas join forces to assist us in signing up for COVID-19 vaccine
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Do you know a community member who needs extra assistance with signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine? If so, help is available through a collaboration between San Juan County Health and Community Services, the Orcas Senior Center, and the Orcas Community
DOH expands school testing initiative to encourage more in-person learning
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in partnership with the Washington Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction (OSPI) and Health Commons is expanding its COVID-19 testing service for schools and adding voluntary testing options to its toolkit for school districts.
Recap of recent COVID-19 news, updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 312,828 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 15. There have been 4,709 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's
Larsen, Veasey introduce bill to fight discriminatory voter ID laws
||| FROM REP. RICK LARSEN'S OFFICE ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Reps. Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Marc Veasey (TX-33) introduced legislation to protect citizens who face disenfranchisement because of restrictive voter identification laws. The America Votes Act establishes new federal protections for voters arriving at polls to affirm their identity by submitting a sworn,
Here’s a good reason to become a Garden Club member
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Each month the Orcas Island Garden Club emails an informative eclectic Newsletter to its members. We’re sharing the gardening goodness with the community, along with some recipes, a webinar, poetry, and a variety of stories about local individuals and a long-time business. Click
How some frustrated COVID-19 vaccine hunters are trying to fix a broken system
||| FROM SEATTLE TIMES ||| That pretty much said it all, the other day, when a 90-year-old remarked in a Seattle Times story that the easy part of navigating our COVID-19 vaccine system was when she had to walk 6 miles through the snow to get the shot. George Hu is only 52,
CRITICAL UPDATE: Severe weather impacts SJC vaccine supply chain. No clinic tomorrow.
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| CRITICAL UPDATE Severe Weather Impacts San Juan County Vaccine Supply Chain Impacted Vaccine Clinics: Wednesday 2/17 – ORCAS (Orcas Center): POSTPONED Thursday 2/18 – SAN JUAN (Fairgrounds): POTENTIALLY POSTPONED Friday 2/19 – SAN JUAN (Fairgrounds): POTENTIALLY POSTPONED If you are
Letter to Editor | Thank you, National Guard
||| FROM DAVID KOSIUR ||| While some of us might have initially had problems making a reservation for this week’s Covid-19 vaccinations, everything went very smoothly and quickly when my wife and I went for our vaccinations on Tuesday. Many thanks to the National Guard personnel who were here to
OPALCO Board nominations due February 19
||| FROM ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| The volunteer member Elections & Governance Committee (EGC) has completed their nominations process and selected a slate of candidates for the OPALCO Board of Directors election. There are two open positions in District 2 (Orcas, Armitage, Big Double, Blakely, Fawn, Little Double
Fire Commissioners will meet on Thursday
||| FROM KIMBERLY KIMPLE for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| Regular Meeting Agenda San Juan County Fire Protection District #2 Thursday – February 18th, 2021 5:30 p.m. Online / by phone via ZOOM: Dial # (253) 215-8782 / Meeting ID: 874 0222 0862/ Passcode: 628668 Commissioners: Tim Fuller (Chair),
Whidbey SAR transports patient from Orcas
||| FROM THOMAS MILLS for NAS WHIDBEY ||| NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. – A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island conducted a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) from Orcas Island in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. The SAR team launched
Land Bank monthly meeting this Friday
||| FROM TANJA WILLIAMSON for SJC LAND BANK ||| Volunteers Jerry Weatherman and Michael Noonan “on set” at Cascade Creek filming fisheries biologist, Jenny De Groot, whilst she makes her way upstream during a monitoring visit. The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting
Ferry Alert | Regular weekday winter schedule to resume Tuesday
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| All routes will resume normal operating schedules on Feb. 16. Anacortes/San Juan Islands back to 4 vessels Edmonds/Kingston back to 2 vessels Mukilteo/Clinton back to 2 vessels Seattle/Bainbridge/Bremerton back to 2 vessels Faunt/Va/SW back to 2 vessels No changes to the Port Townsend/Coupeville or
Skagit Valley College is offering basic education for adults, along with English language acquisition
||| FROM ARDEN AINLEY for SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE ||| Skagit Valley College’s Basic Education for Adults office www.skagit.edu/beda is continuing to offer services via remote delivery, as well as some in-person support offered by SVC BEdA faculty. Spring Quarter classes begin on Monday, April 5 for High School Completion, GED
OHS Key Club to hold second food drive for Food Bank
||| FROM IZIE JANECEK for OHS KEY CLUB ||| The Orcas Island High School Key Club will be holding their second food drive for the Food Bank on Sunday, Feb. 28. On that Sunday the Key Club will welcome community members to drive by and drop off their food drive
