Here’s a thought…
“There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking.”
ALFRED KORZYBSKI
Statewide response updates from State Health Department.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 363,840 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on April 21. There have been 5,428 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
Weekly San Juan County COVID case update
||| 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
WSF weekly update: How they are making every day Earth Day
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| In honor of Earth Day, here’s an update on our first-ever Sustainability Action Plan. As part of our Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Program, we launched the two-year plan on this day in 2019 to outline our goals and actions to protect orca whales, reduce greenhouse gas
‘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.
State says COVID-19 immunity increasing, but not enough to slow transmission
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Today the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report on COVID-19. Report findings include: Population immunity is helping control transmission, but isn’t enough to counteract risky behavior. The report includes two estimates of the reproductive number (Re), which tells us
Two dental vans will be coming soon to see patients
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The Arcora Foundation - SmileMobile will be on Orcas April 26 - 29 to see babies (first tooth) up through high school age and pregnant/postpartum people with Apple Health and those who are uninsured. The dentist and team may provide one
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from the 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 April 19, more than 4,765,270 doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is nearly 82% of the 5,820,340 doses that
Climate Eyes | Warmer weather? Greenhouses gasses? Fire danger? What are we in for?
Earth Day launches new climate column by Steve Bernheim ||| CLIMATE EYES BY STEVE BERNHEIM, theORCASONIAN OP-ED REPORTER ||| Local TV weather announcers couldn’t be happier: record high temperatures and sunshine in April. Viewers seem unconcerned, even giddy. On these warm sunny days, Orcas Island can seem far from a
Want to buy a resort? Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island hits the market
||| FROM PUGET SOUND BUSINESS JOURNAL ||| Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island is for sale — all 82.89 acres and 2,166 feet of waterfront. Current owners are Jerrel Barto of Anacortes, who along with his son, Craig Barto, own Signal Hill Petroleum and are principals of Rosario Signal LLC. They bought it at auction
Earth Day Poem | XI by Wendell Berry
XI by Wendell Berry The need comes on me now to speak across the years to those who finally will live here after the present ruin, in the absence of most of my kind who by now are dead, or have given their minds to machines and become strange, "over-qualified"
Port sets agenda for next meeting
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| REGULAR MEETING AGENDA April 26th, 2021 5:00 P.M. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89432112153?pwd=OXUydStLNHFBVmtzYk1Gb2tRZTMrQT09 Meeting ID: 894 3211 2153 Passcode: 547239 One tap mobile +12532158782,,89432112153#,,,,*547239# US (Tacoma) CALL TO ORDER – 5:00 P.M. AGENDA AMENDMENTS PUBLIC ACCESS MONTHLY BUSINESS 1. Approval of Previous
Letter to Editor | School levy will support more than just repair, replacement of equipment
||| FROM LINDA SHERIDAN, ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT ||| Please Vote! The School Board members of the Orcas Island School District unanimously voted to place a Capital Projects and Technology Levy on the ballot for the upcoming special election. Ballots are due back to San Juan County Elections by
Lummi totem pole journey, Red Road to D.C., will have stopover in 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
New property tax deferral signed into law for businesses with real property
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Rhonda Pederson, San Juan County Treasurer said Gov. Jay Inslee signed a new bill into law on April 16, 2021, ESHB 1332 , which provides a deferral of 2021 property taxes for businesses with real property. Businesses with a documented 25% reduction of its
Inslee statement on Chauvin trial verdict
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement today regarding the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. "This was more than the death of one person. It
Hot Topic #47 | This is your best chance to get vaccinated; Sign up now
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| More than 2,000 vaccine appointments are now open on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. Sign up ASAP to ensure you get a spot. Links to register at: www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info 18* OR OLDER? NOT VAXED? RIGHT NOW IS YOUR BEST REMAINING
