Genealogy Club: What to talk about on your Thanksgiving Zoom call
||| FROM KATHI CISKOWSKI for ORCAS GENEALOGY CLUB ||| “What to talk about on your Thanksgiving Zoom call 2020” is the topic for the Nov. 17 Orcas Island Genealogy Club meeting. Ranging from one-on-one interviews to lively family remembrances, oral history is a cornerstone of genealogical research, and planning a
April’s Grove receives finishing touches
||| FROM CRYSTAL MOSSMAN for OPAL ||| On a cold and sunny October 24, a group of 15 volunteers – April’s Grove residents, OPAL homeowners and trustees, and community members wanting to get their hands dirty – helped to landscape the new April’s Grove neighborhood of affordable rental townhomes in
Community Church readies severe weather shelter, seeks volunteer staff
||| FROM RYAN CARPENTER for ORCAS COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| When temperatures this winter drop to 32 degrees or below, the Severe Weather Shelter at Orcas Island Community Church plans to again offer a warm place to sleep to unsheltered community members. Due to covid, the Food Bank is using the
Thank you for your service | Honoring our veterans
||| FROM ZANETHA AMANI MATISSE for COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| Celebrating Veteran’s Day, and acknowledging veterans and their service to this nation, feels especially poignant this year. On this day, the Orcas Community Resource Center honors our island veterans. Allow us to introduce you to two veterans that are doing
Looking forward to 2021? You’re not the only one
||| FROM ANDREA HENDRICK |||
Letter to Editor | Our postal service is an appreciated lifeline
||| FROM BEV LEYMAN ||| The Eastsound Postal service is outstanding. Last night after dark, the mail carrier delivered a long-awaited package to our home that was sent regular mail not overnight delivery. We did not make any special request about it at the post office. This year, in addition
Recapping recent COVID-19 news, updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 120,011 confirmed cases as of 11:59 pm on November 9. There have been 2,482 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
Even during shutdown, OISD students find a way to thank our Veterans
||| FROM TEACHERS, STAFF, STUDENTS OF ORCAS SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island School District was not able to hold our annual Veteran's Day assembly and Veteran's breakfast, as we have done for the past several years, due to COVID-19, but we wanted our community to know that especially in
Inslee extends 27 proclamations relating to COVID-19
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee announced the extension of 27 proclamations today in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. A November 9 letter from the Legislature extended the following proclamations until December 7, 2020. 20-15.9: Department of Licensing (20-15.8) 20-20.9: Department of Revenue - Relief from Penalties,
A blast from the past encountered on early morning jaunt through Eastsound
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, EDITOR ||| Anyone else surprised by the appearance of the old Washington Federal Savings sign at the intersection of North Beach Road and Main Street this morning? An alert reader snapped this photo and emailed it to theOrcasonian with the following comment: "Seeing the old Washington
Health officials call for renewed efforts as COVID-19 activity becomes extremely concerning statewide
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Today the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report on COVID-19 transmission, which shows disease transmission is happening at an accelerated pace across the entire state. Report findings include: Disease is spreading rapidly across Washington. The best estimates of the
Second talk about developing a makerspace system in San Juan County this Friday
||| FROM MICKEY VON DASSOW for ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| I want to invite you to the second talk in our series about developing a makerspace system in San Juan County. It will be this coming Friday from noon to 1PM. We will be hearing from Marcy Montgomery and Stephen
Hot Topic #34 | Youth sports: Guidance for staying healthy
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| As anyone who has interacted with island kids of late can tell you, COVID is taking a toll on the mental and physical health of our children. While that’s true for all of us, many younger islanders are really struggling. Opportunities
Inslee appoints representatives to multi-state COVID vaccine workgroup
||| FROM GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that Dr. Ed Marcuse and Dr. John Dunn will represent Washington in the multi-state COVID Vaccine Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. Inslee announced the Western state workgroup in October in coordination with California, Oregon and Nevada. "I have no
Orcas Island Library is now open for browsing (20 people, 20 minutes rule applies)
||| FROM PHIL HEIKKINEN for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| We are happy to invite library users back into the building, after almost eight long months of closure, so that they can browse our collections, use our copier/printer, and even read newspapers and magazines. People can reserve or checkout materials as
Poem for this day: The Greeter
||| BY BRUCE HANNA ||| "The GREETER!” — joy is stronger than fear of “the other” (the surprising onetime largess of conservative Laguna Beach) Southern Cal. beaches in the ‘50s Beach Boys Rte. 1, South Coast Highway Orange County… Disneyland… REPUBLICAN stronghold sybarite heaven’s self indulgent luxury not yet constricted
