Here’s a thought…
“Once a man has tasted freedom he will never be content to be a slave. That is why I believe that this frightfulness we see everywhere today is only temporary. Tomorrow will be better for as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life.”
WALT DISNEY
News Brief | How billionaires took over American politics
||| FROM THE WASHINGTON POST ||| The concentration of wealth among the richest Americans is unlike anything in history — and so is billionaires’ influence in politics. In an era defined by major political divisions and massive wealth accumulation for the richest Americans, billionaires are spending unprecedented amounts on U.S.
News Brief | Indoor firing ranges exacerbate blast waves
||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| The brain is a delicate network of about 100 trillion connections with a consistency close to Jell-O, and how blasts affect that network is still poorly understood. Experts don’t yet know what level of blast can damage the tissue, or whether blasts that
News Brief | A tribally owned network of chargers will soon be complete in the Dakotas
||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| Over the past three years, Standing Rock has installed chargers across the reservation as part of the Electric Nation project, a regional effort to create an intertribal charging network. By the time the project wraps at the end of November, Standing Rock Nation
News Brief | Home prices on a warming planet
||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| “Homeowners don’t appreciate or don’t understand that we are living in a much riskier world than we were 25 years ago. And that risk? They have to pay for it.” Researchers found that a rapid repricing of disaster risk had been responsible for
Larsen secures more than $50 Million for Northwest Washington transit agencies
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| SNOHOMISH, SKAGIT AND WHATCOM COUNTIES, WA – This week, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded more than $50 million in grant funding to four Northwest Washington transit agencies to transition to low emission buses, improve service reliability and invest in paratransit
Yoga, needlework at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Revitalize Your Body and Mind with Tara Plank’s Yoga Workshop Join Tara Plank for an energizing LYT Yoga Workshop on Saturday, December 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Orcas Senior Center. This core-focused vinyasa practice, inspired by LYT Yoga
Holiday magic comes to Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Step into the season at Orcas Senior Center, where a charming selection of holiday decor is available for free or by donation until December 25. Stop by 62 Henry Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. We will
Port of Orcas to meet on Monday
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will hold a Regular Meeting to include the 2026 Budget Hearing on Monday, November 24th at 4:00 p.m. online via Zoom and in-person at the airport terminal. Access information as well as the Agenda,
Larsen releases statement on Ukraine-Russia peace talks
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| EVERETT, WA – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement on ongoing peace talks between Ukraine and Russia: "Putin started this war and his unprovoked aggression must not be rewarded. The Administration's proposed ‘peace plan' for Ukraine is a
News Brief | New fishing closures, and whale deaths raise concerns on B.C.’s coast
||| FROM THE MARTLET, UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA ||| The death of a young humpback whale off B.C.’s coast is renewing attention on the growing human pressures on coastal waters. DFO has confirmed that the cause of death is still under investigation, but other sources suggest a whale-watching vessel may have
As the Paradigm Shifts | Yes, no, and the space in between
The big fat be-with of the whole bewildering, holy mess ||| AS THE PARADIGM SHIFTS by ROSIE KUHN ||| I used to paint — I loved to paint. Then I stopped. Even though I really want to paint, I’m not painting. I’ve been knitting for years. I love to knit
Severe weather shelter to be open every night, starting Thanksgiving night
||| FROM ALICIA WIGFIELD for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH |||
Sheriff’s Report | November 12 – 18, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 25-007843 Fraud 07:08:11 11/12/25 A Lopez Deputy responded a fraud call. A Lopez citizen gave away thousands of dollars to a caller impersonating Microsoft and their banking institution. The incident was documented. 25-007845 Abandoned Vehicle 07:44:32 11/12/25 An Orcas
WSF | Plan ahead for Thanksgiving holiday travel
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We’re expecting around 300,000 people to travel on our ferries this Thanksgiving holiday period. Even with added service in recent years, customers boarding a ferry in a vehicle should still prepare for the possibility of long waits at terminals. We’ll also run holiday service
News Brief | Drones are remaking marine mammal research
||| FROM KNOWABLE MAGAZINE ||| The rapid advancement of drone technology makes it difficult to predict what marine mammal research will look like in the future. Gathering snot is one of many ways that drones are being used to study whales. The new world of information supplied by drones hovering
OISD announces upcoming surplus sale
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Come check out the surplus items for sale from Orcas Island School District on Friday, December 5th, 2025 from 1 pm- 3 pm. *Cash or check only* Address: 557 School Road, Eastsound WA 98245. Outside the CTE building, between the old gym and the HS
