Here’s a thought…
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”
READER BOARD
Letter to Editor | Huge kudos to the vaccination team
||| FROM BILL GINCIG ||| I received a phone call informing me that I would be receiving my vaccination shot on Friday, Feb 5. As is normal with anything new, I was nervous, worried and having a little bit of fear I was told to go to Orcas Center and
Sheriff’s Report | January 27 – February 1, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 21-000800 Domestic Dispute or Assault 22:58:11 01/27/21 Deputies responded to a Lopez Island residence on 1/27/21 and investigated a possible domestic violence incident. No crime could be substantiated and a report was completed. THURSDAY, JANUARY 28 21-000802 Disorderly Conduct
Statewide recap of recent COVID-19 news, updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 302,782 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on February 3. There have been 4,416 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. Thursday, February 4, 2021, data note: Total case counts may include up to 660 duplicates. Negative test
Vaccine appointment registration delayed until 9 a.m., Monday Feb. 8
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| IMPORTANT UPDATE: The release of vaccine appointments for San Juan County Health & Community Services events has been delayed until 9 a.m. on Monday February 8. WA Department of Health (DOH) has delayed their regularly scheduled Friday release of vaccine
Update on vaccine registration as County switches to new system
Next registration opportunity is Friday, Feb. 5, at 5 p.m. ||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Please visit the San Juan County COVID Vaccine Page for critical details. Continue reading below for more in-depth information. As San Juan County Health & Community Services continues to provide
Letter to Editor | Doctors abandoned their commitment to community
||| FROM DALE HEISINGER ||| I was troubled when I learned that Drs. Russell and Alperin have chosen not to pursue employment with Island Hospital when it assumes administrative responsibilities on April 1. Clearly, they have every right to define their personal directions, but it is unclear what they intend
Weekly COVID-19 new cases update: Orcas 4, Lopez 3, San Juan 2
||| 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
Letter to Editor | A gigantic MLK Day of Service thank you
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| A great, big, gigantic thank you to YMCA Camp Orkila, Funhouse Commons, and all of the fabulous volunteers who helped nine seniors on MLK Day of Service! Volunteers across Orcas helped clean up storm debris, clean gutters, and stack firewood. Terri
Upcoming Island Hospital classes, screening
||| FROM RACHEL LAMBERT for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Swallow Screening at Island Hospital Concerned about your swallow? Determine if you might have a swallowing disorder at a free screening on Tuesday, February 16 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy Clinic at Island Hospital, 1015
Letter to Editor | Extraordinary talent on Orcas
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Seniors Have Talent went virtual, if not viral, on Saturday, January 30, thanks to the heartfelt collaboration of Orcas Senior Center, Orcas Center, and our incredibly talented community! We were reminded not only how much talent resides on this small island
A plea to the community on travel, new variants, keeping safe: DON’T TRAVEL, DON’T HOST
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| As was seen in the islands over the holidays and throughout this crisis, island residents traveling off-island or hosting guests from off-island is far and away the most likely source of COVID transmission in San Juan County. As most are
Strengthening Community: Latinx-focused peer-to-peer mentoring at The Funhouse
||| FROM NICOLE SPINOGATTI for FUNHOUSE COMMONS ||| This fall, Funhouse Commons partnered with Equity Institute, an organization whose mission is “to impart leadership and life skills to Latinx youth,” to create a bilingual youth empowerment peer mentor program within Orcas Island Middle and High Schools. 8 high school mentors
County’s Mark Tompkins addresses our most pressing COVID-19 vaccine questions
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| San Juan County Health & Community Services Director Mark Tompkins is featured in a recent video Q&A addressing the COVID-19 vaccine topic: https://youtu.be/8KjZ5_em9Ls Thank you.
Join the treasure hunt! We’re looking for Orange Jelly Fungus on Orcas Island
||| FROM RUSSEL BARSH for KWIAHT ||| KWIAHT's Ten Treasures project, supported by more than 30 individual donors through the Orcas Island Community Foundation, will highlight a unique local plant, animal, or other organism twice a month, with clues about where to look for it on Orcas, and a map
Recap of recent COVID-19 news and updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 300,018 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on February 1. There have been 4,316 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's
With COVID-19 vaccine supply limited, PeaceHealth is contacting eligible patients
||| FROM DEANNA ELLEFSON for PEACE HEALTH ||| Although the state of Washington recently expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, the demand for vaccine continues to exceed the number of doses the state has made available for eligible groups. As we receive vaccine, PeaceHealth is reaching out to patients whose health record
