Here’s a thought…
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Orcas Health Care District will be hosting a virtual Town Hall
Everyone invited to participate via Zoom -- from Anne Presson for Orcas Island Health Care District -- The Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) is hosting a Town Hall meeting to update the community on the status of the Medical Clinic Operator Request for Proposal (RFP) that closes on June
Today’s ongoing COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Numbers. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard and the state’s COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard. Kittitas County approved to move to Phase 3 of Safe Start plan. Today Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman approved Kittitas
Update on recent San Juan County cases
-- from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management -- Over the past week, San Juan County reported three new COVID-19 cases. Two were on San Juan Island and one on Lopez Island. The County Health & Community Service Department’s surveillance team has performed initial investigation, contact tracing, and testing for
Center for Whale Research shares mind-blowing orca encounters
An interview with Dave Ellifrit about how he got started with CWR -- from Center for Whale Research -- CWR's Dave Ellifrit and Michael Weiss taking photo-ID shots of orcas (photograph by Gary Sutton) This article first appeared in the September 2018 issue of the WHALE Report (CWR Member's exclusive
Inslee announces statewide mask mandate — inside and outside
Effective Friday, June 26 -- from Governor Jay Inslee's Office -- Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman today announced a statewide mandatory face covering order that will take effect Friday, June 26. The order comes after a Saturday announcement of a mandatory mask proclamation for Yakima County
Editorial | A step back from the fray
-- by Minor Lile, Orcas Issues reporter -- There is no question that we are living through a time of great upheaval and disarray. It is a time when the necessity for change is being thrust upon us in profound and often heart-wrenching ways. This is true on a local,
Today’s COVID-19 news and updates recap
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Numbers. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard and the state’s COVID-19 risk assessment dashboard. Please note that due to an issue that stalled data reporting starting Saturday night through Monday morning, both the DOH and
Phase 3? County Council, Health Department to meet
-- from San Juan County Council -- County Council and the Department of Health will conduct a meeting on Wednesday, June 24 at 9 a.m., to address moving San Juan County into Phase 3 of Governor Inslee's Safe Start Program. PRELIMINARY AGENDA: Discussion items may be added and/or the order
Guest Opinion | Against common sense: White male privilege and me
-- from David Kobrin -- As an historian, I know there can be two opposing accounts of the same event, both of which are equally accurate. I’m not alluding to “alternative facts” or made up fictions. I mean exactly what I wrote: two stories that contradict each other, even though
Letter to Editor | Nix the street lights; put in speed bumps
-- from Jacquelyn Hoag -- One of the advantages of living on Orcas Island is the stars at night and the peaceful ambience. It would be a shame for those of us who live in and around Eastsound to be deprived of these natural wonders because of added lighting and speeding
Orcas Fire experiences communications outage during double search and rescue effort, fire call
-- from Kim Kimple for Orcas Fire & Rescue -- A communications outage left San Juan County Dispatch unable to hail Orcas Island Fire and Rescue personnel for several minutes during a double search and rescue effort on Mount Constitution Saturday night. The OIFR frequency went down following a power
Be a virtual vendor at the San Juan County Fair
Remember: the Fair is not the Fair without your participation -- from San Juan County Communications -- A call to action for all San Juan County businesses, restaurants, non-profits, organizations, service groups, cottage industries, artist and more. Become a virtual San Juan County Fair vendor and join the “2020: A
Inslee announces task force members to address issues of policing and racial justice
-- from Governor Jay Inslee's Office -- Gov. Jay Inslee, announced today members of a task force to provide recommendations for legislation on independent investigations involving police use of force. The governor’s task force is a part of a coordinated effort with legislators to provide a comprehensive set of reforms.
Sign now: I-1776 will stop discrimination
"Please read this note. It is possibly the most important note I have ever sent out." -- from David Turnoy, Chair, San Juan County Democrats -- Initiative 200 was a Tim Eyman-led initiative that created a 1998 law for Washington State that bans preferences in public contracting, education, and public
State Parks adds free days for later this year
Two free days replace April days lost to COVID-19 closures -- from Washington State Parks -- The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission announces two additional free days in 2020, which replace the two free days lost to COVID-19 related closures in April. On free days, visitors don’t need a
School construction project right on track
-- from Eric Webb, Orcas Schools Superintendent -- Happy Summer! This past week, OISD entered into the final phase of construction from the 2017 School Construction Bond. The focus of the final phase is the track surface. This past week, Matia Construction, D.A. Hogan, and Beynon Sports have been on site
