Here’s a thought…
“No one, I mean no one, has the right to sit in judgment of who’s American enough.”
MICHELLE OBAMA
Recent COVID-19 news, updates from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 355,387 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 14. There have been 5,362 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Weekly case update report for our local island populations
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT || Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard. As indicated on that page, these numbers are only updated after case confirmation is complete, usually daily. It is possible that other information sources in community
Get registered | National Guard is returning to county to administer additional inoculations
Vaccine Registration Opens TUESDAY APRIL 20 at 9 a.m. ||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| In a piece of very welcome news, the same WA National Guard team that vaccinated 2,000 islanders in February and March will be returning to the islands at the end of
WSF staffing challenges cause change to upcoming service plans
They also want you to know they are taking applications ||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Change to upcoming service plans Because of crewing challenges, we made the difficult decision to delay the addition of a second boat on our Port Townsend/Coupeville route until no sooner than Sunday, June
‘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.
Today’s the day | Vaccine eligibility expands to everyone 16 and older in Washington state
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Starting today everyone 16 and older who wants a COVID-19 vaccine can receive one in Washington. The eligibility expansion marks the four-month anniversary of vaccine rollout in our state. Since mid-December, nearly 4.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across
Look up! There’s something to see up there besides pewter-tinted skies this weekend
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| The National Weather Service, in a seemingly routine release, is forecasting warm, 70-degree weather, possibly followed up by 80 degrees on Sunday, which is pleasurable news as we greet the full impact of Spring following a bizarre year that has pulled many of
Inslee issues proclamation expanding Family Emergency Assistance Program
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today issued a proclamation allowing for the expansion of the Family Emergency Assistance Program (FEAP) to assist families both with and without children. This proclamation is issued under the authority granted to the governor by SHB 1151, which passed the legislature
Letter to Editor | YES vote for school levy is an investment in our kids, community
||| FROM RICK HUGHES and MARLACE HUGHES ||| Fellow islanders, my name is Rick Hughes, my wife Marlace, and I operate Ray’s General Store and Pharmacy and Con’s Pit Stop. As business operators, and former public servant, the Hughes family will be voting YES for the REPLACEMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS/TECHNOLOGY LEVY
Local celebrities help deliver meals to local Seniors to highlight Meals on Wheels program
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS ISLAND SENIOR CENTER ||| Throughout the month of March, resident celebrities from Lopez, San Juan, and Orcas Islands were invited to ride or follow along with volunteer Meals on Wheels Drivers as they delivered meals to seniors on their respective islands. The goal of
The Snake River in the Pacific Northwest is the nation’s ‘most endangered river’ of 2021
||| FROM USA TODAY ||| The Snake River in the Pacific Northwest is the nation's most endangered river of 2021, according to a report released Tuesday by the environmental advocacy group American Rivers. © Jesse Tinsley, AP A man fishes for salmon in the Snake River above the Lower Granite Dam
Letter to Editor | Technology, capital projects levy help District meet learning demands
||| FROM SHARON HO and MATT VACCARELLA ||| We are writing in support of the 2021 Technology and Capital Projects levy on the upcoming April 27 ballot. This levy replaces the one approved in 2014 that expired last year, at a time when the District’s teachers, staff and students are
Music Advocacy Group announces upcoming student concert video
||| FROM ANNETTE VAN DONGEN for MUSIC ADVOCACY GROUP ||| Orcas Island Music Advocacy Group (MAG) champions public school music education on Orcas Island. MAG traditionally presents “100 Musicians! 1 Great Cause!” every spring. This is MAG's annual fund raiser concert, showcasing student musicians and community music groups. Pandemic restrictions cancelled
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from 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 April 10, more than 4,189,884 doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is more than 82% of the 5,094,380 doses
Inslee signs bill to place Billy Frank statue in National Statuary Hall
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee signed HB 1372 today, which will place a statue of tribal leader Billy Frank Jr. in the National Statuary Hall. Inslee was joined by members of Frank’s family, tribal and community members, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and Rep. Debra
State is tracking small number of breakthrough infections following COVID vaccinations
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is reporting a total of 217 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases among vaccinated individuals in Washington state as of April 3, 2021. That is up from 102 since we first reported cases of breakthrough on
