Here’s a thought…
“The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.”
WILLIAM GIBSON
Planning Commission takes a look at climate change
||| BY STEVE BERNHEIM, ORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| If you are concerned that San Juan County government is not doing enough to reduce the county’s carbon footprint, you should know the Planning Commission just received a briefing at its Feb. 19 monthly meeting on how climate change and its consequences for
Letter to Editor | Island healthcare looks finally poised for success
||| FROM TONY GIEFER ||| Access to medical care is a right. Perhaps unfortunately, medicine is also a business. Providing medical care has to somehow be financially sustainable. In the 16 years I’ve been here, Orcas has not had a sustainable model – until now. With the hospital district taxes,
Inslee signs $2.2 billion COVID relief bill
||| FROM GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today signed House Bill 1368, which appropriates $2.2 billion in federal funding that has been allocated to states in response to the ongoing COVID emergency. The legislation takes effect immediately. “Our focus this year is relief, recovery and resilience, and this
It’s the year of the Ox, and Eth-noh-tec has stories, recipes to share
||| FROM DANA SHERRY for ETH-NOH-TEC ||| It’s Chinese Lunar New Year 4719 - the year of the Ox! Celebrate on Feb. 25th at 5pm with Robert and Nancy by making Chinese wonton dumplings for your own special broth! We will wrap together and learn how to best cook them.
EDC to begin asset mapping with SJ Makers Guild
||| FROM MICHELANGELO (MICKEY) VON DASSOW for SJ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| Makers – from craftspeople to engineers and from hobbyists to business owners – are invited to join the Economic Development Council of San Juan County (EDC) to begin asset mapping with the San Juan Makers Guild on Friday,
PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center adjusts visitor policy to allow for limited visitor access
||| FROM DEANNA ELLEFSON for PEACE ISLAND MEDICAL CENTER ||| FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. – PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center continues to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 in our community to ensure the health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff members until COVID-19 is no longer a public health
Latest COVID-19 news, updates from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 314,655 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 17. There have been 4,803 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, data note: Total case counts may include up to 400 duplicates. Negative test
Port Commission will meet on Monday
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| REGULAR MEETING AGENDA FEB 22, 2021 5:00 P.M. Meeting Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87616872997?pwd=V2JJc1dTQ09GV2xoVUZJOU15T2ovdz09 Meeting ID: 876 1687 2997 Passcode: 769482 One tap mobile +12532158782,,87616872997#,,,,*769482# US (Tacoma) CALL TO ORDER – 5:00 P.M. AGENDA AMENDMENTS PUBLIC ACCESS Executive Session- To discuss with legal counsel
Streaming Live from Orcas Center: ChellaJay and Luka Palisæde
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center’s live music streams continue with ChellaJay and Luka Palisæde on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. ChellaJay’s “avant arias” blend bouncy dance jams with a flair for the bizarre, revealing curious new corridors to wander down with each song. Seductive
Some news you can use from Economic Development Council
||| FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| EIDL Has Re-Opened - Check Your Email Did you apply for an EIDL before? You may be invited to apply for a new round of EIDL funding. The SBA has provided this FAQ (links to PDF document): https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/Targeted%20EIDL%20FAQ_Final-508_0.pdf. See their document for important information about
Sheriff’s Report | February 10 – 16, 2021
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 21-001178 Agency Assistance 10:01:21 02/10/21 San Juan Deputies responded to an agency assist to take a defendant into custody. The defendant was booked into jail without incident. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 21-001207 Lost Property 10:53:42 02/11/21 An Orcas citizen reported
Highlights from last night’s Island Hospital community briefing include some staffing decisions
||| BY SUSAN MCBAIN theORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| Two local physicians are currently in discussions with Island Hospital (IH) managers about employment, Dr. Camille Fleming and Dr. Frank James. IH intends to hire a total of three physicians, and discussions with two or three other applicants are ongoing, according to IH
SJIMA is opening its doors again
We can hardly wait to see you again! ||| FROM DIANE MARTINDALE for SAN JUAN ISLANDS MUSEUM OF ART ||| SJIMA will be open starting February 19 following Governor Jay Inslee’s announcement that our region can move to Phase 2 of the reopening plan. After all these months of waiting,
Happy fantastic Friday weekly update from Rep. Lekanoff
||| FROM REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| As of last weekend, the entire state has moved to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington reopening plan. This is great news for families and businesses across the state! Learn more about what Phase 2 means for you and your family. Even as we progress through the phases
Three new COVID cases in the county this week; none on Orcas
||| 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 | After recent snow, tow truck operator says, “well done, Orcas”
||| FROM UZEK SUSOL (ORCAS TOWING) ||| I had many “I’m stuck in the ditch” calls. Going through my incoming phone records I had an average of 25-35 per day starting last Friday through Wednesday, most of them were from out of State phone numbers. Many times they say they
