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
Good holiday news: Inslee announces eviction moratorium extension
||| FROM GOV. JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today announced he will extend the eviction moratorium to March 31, 2021. The current eviction moratorium was set to expire on December 31. "COVID-19 has had a significant financial impact on Washingtonians over the last nine months," Inslee said. "I know
The newest numbers, announcements, proclamations from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 219,584 confirmed cases as of 11:59 pm on December 21. There have been 3,131 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard and
All In Washington goes ALL IN, fully matching donations through Dec. 31
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The Seattle Foundation has announced that it has secured an additional $25 million from Jeff Bezos. This means that all donations to the Orcas Island Community Foundation’s Community Emergency Response Fund by December 31 and noted “All In WA” will
Concerns noted around unsafe COVID protocols at local building & construction job sites
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Recent San Juan County COVID case investigations have revealed a trend of lax COVID safety protocols on various construction and building sites across the islands. As in any workplace, consistent masking is a critical tool for preventing disease transmission. Work
Port of Orcas has regular ZOOM meeting scheduled for Monday
||| FROM PORT OF ORCAS ||| The agenda for the regularly scheduled meeting of the Port of Orcas is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 28 at 5 p.m. Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87852382775?pwd=M2Nxek5XREtkTzBIT1N3ZGlHT3Judz09 Meeting ID: 878 5238 2775 Passcode: 350949 By Phone: (253) 215-8782 One tap mobile +12532158782,,87852382775#,,,,*350949# US (Tacoma) CALL TO ORDER
State Parks releases environmental determination of U.S. Navy training permit application
Commission will hold public comment meeting Jan. 26 ||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE PARKS ||| 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 to conduct
Navy conducting noise monitoring at NAS Whidbey Island
||| FROM MICHAEL WELDING for NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ||| NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. - The Navy completed its first week of real-time sound monitoring at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island as directed by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20). Flight activity
Orcas Community Church invites you to online Christmas Eve service
||| FROM BRIAN MOSS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| Orcas Island Community Church invites you to an Online Christmas Eve Candlelight Service this Thursday, December 24th at 6:00 pm at orcaschurch.org. This service will include Music, Prayer, Candlelight, and a reading of the Christmas story. Pastor Brian Moss will
Upcoming parent orientation night to showcase public school options
||| 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
Inslee issues proclamations on travel restrictions, updates to existing religious guidance
||| FROM GOV. JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| Proclamation 20-83: COVID-19 Prohibitions on Travel from Countries with 501Y.V Variant Circulation Today Gov. Jay Inslee issued a 14-day quarantine requirement for anyone returning to Washington state after visiting the United Kingdom, South Africa and other countries where a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2
Orcas Family Health brings mobile COVID testing to Orcas community
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, EDITOR ||| Orcas Family Health rolled out Orcas Island's first mobile rapid COVID testing at the Olga artworks on Monday. With results available in 15 minutes, 32 tests were conducted in two hours. Testing was done by OIHC nurses Shila Wachtel and Valentina Rivera, as well
Inslee statement on federal coronavirus relief and omnibus package
||| FROM GOV. JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today released a statement on Congress reaching agreement on an omnibus funding package that includes emergency relief to address the health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. “While it is many months overdue, I am pleased Congress has reached
Health District/Island Hospital presentation available online
||| BY SUSAN MCBAIN, ORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| At least 100 community members tuned in to the Zoom presentation by Island Hospital (IH) and the Orcas Island Health Care District on Dec. 17. They were there to hear IH CEO Charles Hall, his senior staff, and District representatives describe the services
Solstice Poetry | Still Point by Bruce Hanna
Still Point by Bruce Hanna Contemplating the Infinity of Time and Space a Pacific Ocean still point An ordinary act of profundity in my neighborhood From the edge of a continent at sunset’s minus tide Moon and Earth aligned Near the Winter solstice A special stillness Will the light return?
The Medicare mystery explained in upcoming ZOOM session
||| FROM JULIE MCKEE for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Do you find Medicare a mystery? Are you unsure which Medicare plan is best for you? Join SHIBA online for a virtual Medicare 101 class where we will cover the "A, B, C, Ds" of Medicare. Our certified SHIBA volunteers will be
Letter to Editor | Use these three P’s to determine if something is true
||| FROM DAVID KOBRIN ||| The “Three P’s” are a basic method for distinguishing something that’s true — that is actually happening — from something that is “fake” news, or an unsubstantiated internet rumor that’s gone viral. I’ll use a personal household example to illustrate how the “Three P’s” method
