Here’s a thought…
“No one, I mean no one, has the right to sit in judgment of who’s American enough.”
MICHELLE OBAMA
Cases of COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough confirmed in Washington state
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA -- The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is investigating reports of people in the state who tested positive for COVID-19 more than two weeks after being fully vaccinated. Scientists call these “vaccine breakthrough” cases, which are expected with any vaccine. Large-scale
Pre-register for this Chamber Music Festival cooking event with Miro Quartet violist
||| FROM LINDA SLONE for ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL ||| On Sunday, April 11, at 1 p.m., you won’t want to miss Miró Quartet violist and chef extraordinaire John Largess as he entertains Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival’s online audience with a free livestream cooking class, where he will
Orcas Community Church invites you to celebrate Holy Week with them, in-person or online
||| FROM BRIAN MOSS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| You are invited to join us at Orcas Island Community Church as we celebrate Holy Week. Everyone is welcome as we gather both in-person and online. MAUNDY THURSDAY We will have a communion service starting at 6:30 pm. This in-person
Mobile Dental Clinic announces 2021 service dates for San Juan County
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Residents of 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 on each of the islands. The public-private partnership making the dental care available includes
State’s online eligibility tool no longer required starting March 31
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Phase Finder, the state’s online vaccine eligibility tool, will no longer be required to verify COVID-19 vaccine eligibility starting March 31. That means that people who want a vaccine should check DOH’s prioritization guidance webpage to see when they are eligible to get vaccinated.
Letter to Editor | In support of Proposition 2 for our schools
||| FROM LESLIE HUTCHINSON ||| I write in support of Proposition 2. This is a renewal request for an expiring technology levy for our schools. It is not a new tax but instead is the 2021 Replacement Capital Projects/Technology Levy which was previously approved by voters. Its purpose is to replace outdated equipment,
Washington partnership leverages AmeriCorps to address unprecedented food insecurity efforts across state
||| FROM GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| Last year, Serve Washington, the state’s service commission, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Schultz Family Foundation created the Response Corps to respond to unprecedented levels of food insecurity across the state. New findings reveal just how successful the partnership was to help make the AmeriCorps
Working Washington small business emergency funding grants are available
Round 4: Working Washington Small Business Grants Applications for up to $25,000 in emergency funding Apply now. Portal closes Friday, April 9! Don't delay in reviewing the details from Washington State's Department of Commerce. $240 million has been allocated for grants. Applications portal opened today and continues for two weeks. Click here to visit
There are some free State Park Days coming up in April
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE PARKS ||| OLYMPIA – March 29, 2021 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to celebrate the spring season and Earth Day with two free days at state parks in April. On free days, visitors do not need a Discover Pass for day-use
Orcas Family Health Center to remain somewhat operational during transition to new clinic
||| FROM ORCAS FAMILY HEALTH CENTER ||| David Shinstrom, M.D. As many of you are aware, on April 5 Island Primary Care-Orcas, the merger of UW Orcas staff and Orcas Family Health Center, will begin seeing patients. Although the majority of the OFHC staff including PAs Jennifer Utter
Inslee updates proclamation on in-person education
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today updated the Children’s Mental Health Crisis proclamation related to in-person education physical distancing guidelines. The update will permit Washington's K-12 school districts to follow the new CDC guidance allowing physical distancing in classrooms of 3 feet. Schools are still
Vaccine Milestones: More than 1 million people fully vaccinated in Washington, 3 million COVID-19 doses administered
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is thrilled to share the state surpassed two major vaccine milestones this week. More than 1 million people in Washington are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and more than 3 million doses of vaccine have been administered
OCS will be adding a new teaching position for 21/22 school year
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| “Orcas Christian has announced a new staff hire for the 2021/22 school year”, stated Principal/CEO Terry Pottle. “We already have a waiting list for most of our classrooms for next school year and our decision was that if we could identify and retain exceptional
COVID-19 vaccine distribution update from the Washington State Department of Health
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Next week Washington will open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to those who qualify under Phases 1B tier 3 and/or 1B tier 4. This expansion is estimated to begin March 31 and will add about 2 million people to the roughly 3 million currently eligible
Weekly legislative update from Rep. Lekanoff
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. LEKANOFF ||| Updates on my bills House Bill 1117 integrates salmon recovery into the Growth Management Act (GMA) and sets a standard for net ecological gain in community development. Through these policies, we can protect our environment and mitigate the impacts of climate change as we
Inslee’s weekly update addresses COVID, Legislature, anti-Asian hate
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Inslee calls on leaders to condemn anti-Asian hate and be part of the solution Gov. Jay Inslee was joined Monday by members of Washington's Asian and Pacific Islander community and local leaders to condemn growing harassment and violence against the community. "This is
