Here’s a thought…
“When you re-read a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in yourself than there was before.”
CLIFTON FADIMAN
Reminder: Parent orientation night coming up tomorrow
||| FROM LORENA STANKEVICH for ORCAS SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Orcas Island School District has put together a parent orientation night to showcase the three public school options for the Orcas Island School District, especially for those students entering 1st grade. The Zoom event will last about an hour, with short
Navy remains committed to environmental stewardship, conducts critical training in PNW
||| FROM CAPT. MATT ARNY, COMMANDING OFFICER, NAS WHIDBEY ||| Numerous area media outlets, including The Seattle Times, published stories, which cited studies that have raised questions about whether Navy jet noise affects Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) and the soundscape of the Olympic Peninsula. We disagree with some scientific
County Boards need your participation, input
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY NEWS ||| The County Council is searching for San Juan County citizens to fill current and upcoming vacancies on various boards and commissions. Additional information about each committee is available on the County's website at: http://sanjuanco.com/641/Board-Committee-Vacancies. Persons interested in serving on a board or advisory
Wind gusts up to 55-60 mph anticipated for our Tuesday
||| FROM U.S. WEATHER SERVICE ||| * WHAT...Southeast winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 55 to 60 mph possible. * WHERE...San Juan County, Western Whatcom County and Western Skagit County. * WHEN...From Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening. * IMPACTS...Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines.
Guest Opinion | Rebuilding the guard rails of our Republic
||| FROM HEDRICK SMITH, RECLAIM THE AMERICAN DREAM ||| Hedirck Smith, NY Times reporter, Frontline producer and founder of Reclaim the American Dream (reclaimtheamericandream.org) Washington – Just when you think we are out of the woods and that, for all his histrionics, Donald Trump will surrender the White
ArtsWA, Department of Commerce announce investment of $3.405 Million in relief funds
||| FROM DIANE MARTINDALE for ArtsWA ||| The CARES Act funding brings much needed assistance to the state’s cultural sector and San Juan County organizations. Nearly 390 nonprofit arts and culture organizations serving 32 Washington counties received funding in recent rounds of CARES Act funding in Washington State. The state’s
PBS to feature Orcas Island’s “Bison antiquus” in upcoming episode
Airs Thursday, January 7, 2021 ||| FROM CAROL KULMINSKI for ORCAS HISTORICAL MUSEUMS ||| The story may be familiar to some residents who remember the remarkable find of the Bison antiquus, the extinct giant bison, at a swamp and peat bog adjoining Obstruction State Park. In 2003, some workmen were digging a trench with a
Senior Center service numbers since March 2020
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| The following are Orcas Senior Center service numbers since March, the beginning of the pandemic: Total # of Buddy Check-In volunteer hours = 730 Total # of Buddy Check-In phone calls = 3,929 Total # of home delivered meals = 8,235
Report on COVID emergency rental and mortgage assistance through Dec. 31
||| FROM LISA BYERS for OPAL ||| I am writing to provide you with an update on the use of OICF grant funds for Covid related rental and mortgage assistance through December 30, 2020. To date, OICF has granted $280,000, and Federal and County funds have provided an additional $95,654.
Food Bank service numbers for 2020
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The Orcas Island Food Bank had an increase of 2,201 recorded visits in 2020 than in 2019. Our annual percentage growth rate for new customer was 48% and bags of food distributed increased by 174%. Based on the 4 lb average
Guest Opinion | The more things change, the more they stay the same
||| FROM MICHAEL "MJ" JOHNSON ||| On a macro level the beginning of 2021 gives good reason for optimism with the hope that the vaccines coming out now will prove to be a cure-all for the COVID-19 virus. Whether it does or not we can be assured that the criteria
State Parks staff releases environmental determination of U.S. Navy training permit application
Commission will hold public comment meeting Jan. 26 ||| FROM STATE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION ||| OLYMPIA – Dec. 22, 2020 – Today, staff of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission released a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) finding for the U.S. Navy’s application
Fish For Teeth brings mobile dental clinic to Friday Harbor (and fish tacos)
||| FROM SANDY RABINOWITZ for FISH FOR TEETH ||| We at Fish for Teeth are excited to announce our January dental clinic: January 13 thru 16, at the Mullis Center on San Juan Island. Yes, four days! Fish For Teeth has received additional funding to sponsor a mobile dental van
Midnight Mutterings | Who is Selena Montgomery?
||| BY JACKIE BATES ||| A few days before Christmas I was half-listening to a radio call-in show about favorite books read in 2020. One caller got my attention when she recommended a book by Selena Montgomery. I don’t recall the name of the book, but I do remember that
Qigong workshops with Joan Roulac return to Senior Center
15-Minute Weekly Qigong Workshop with Joan Roulac: Wednesdays at 9 a.m. or Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. by Zoom ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Quiet the mind and strengthen the body with Joan Roulac’s Ease Please Qigong series. These quick 15-minute sessions will gently loosen tense muscles, strengthen immunity,
WSF has two virtual public meetings upcoming in next year
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Washington State Ferries will host two virtual public meetings to kick off the New Year. Staff will be available to answer questions and give an update on what’s happening at Washington State Ferries at each of the meetings. The first meeting will be at
