Here’s a thought…
“Like the drunk guy at the bar who doesn’t drink.”
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL
Events and updates for SJC businesses
||| FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ||| Makerspaces In San Juan County Join us to learn about the San Juan Makers Guild's asset mapping efforts and meet neighbors interested makerspaces, fablabs, and community labs on November 13th at noon-1 on Zoom.This continues our series of events to support entrepreneurship, education, and
Application deadline extended for Leadership San Juans
||| FROM KATHERINE BRYANT INGMAN for LEADERSHIP SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| The due date for Leadership San Juans 2021 Applications has been extended two weeks, to Friday November 20, 2020. This coming year's cohort will begin as a ZOOM experience, opening up to in-person as circumstances allow. We feel we
Calling all heroes virtual fall fun run
||| FROM THERESA BOUCHER ||| Maarta Vandenberg Sanders is a lovely woman who grew up on Orcas Island and most recently worked at Washington Federal Bank. Locals will remember her infectious smile and high spirits. She’s married to the love of her life, Zach Sanders, and has a blossoming family.
Four new COVID cases in San Juan County: One on Lopez, three on San Juan
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Four new positive COVID test results have been reported for San Juan County. Three of these cases are on San Juan Island, and one is on Lopez. Though investigations are ongoing, early results suggest that these cases are not related. After
Planning Commission mulls resource lands, clusters, urban growth
Public Calls for Vision Revision ||| BY STEVE BERNHEIM, ORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| The San Juan County Planning Commission met October 16 to receive a briefing from the County’s Community Development staff on the state of the County’s draft comprehensive plan for the period 2016-2036, this session addressing so-called “resource lands”
Goldendale Observatory launches weekly virtual program
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE PARKS ||| Viewers will learn about stars, planets, satellites and more via YouTube Live OLYMPIA – Nov. 5, 2020 – Washington State Parks will offer free weekly virtual programs livestreamed from Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Site. Troy Carpenter, State Parks interpretive specialist, will present the one-hour #GoldendaleObservations programs
COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan update from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) continues to make progress with our COVID-19 vaccine distribution planning efforts. Throughout the month of October our community engagement team connected with communities, workers, and business sectors that are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and communities
Village Voices | What are your thoughts about the election results?
||| BY MINOR LILE, ORCASONIAN REPORTER ||| With the monthly Village Voices series, we aim to take the pulse of the Orcas Island community. Every month we’ll be out and about, asking people to share their point of view on a particular topic. Sometimes the questions will be serious, sometimes
Letter to Editor | Palmateer extends congratulations to Minney, thanks to supporters
||| FROM RYAN PALMATEER ||| I want to thank all of the voters who supported me in my not quite successful effort to become the San Juan County Council member from District 1. I also want to thank all the folks who helped me with my campaign. We’d never have
Orcasional Musings | Car and title: What about that?
||| ORCASIONAL MUSINGS by STEVE HENIGSON ||| Friends, Orcasians, Washingtonians, lend me your time. I come not to praise the Department of Licensing (DoL), but to condemn its voracious need to bury us in paperwork. The evil that bureaucracy does lives malevolently forever, while the good is often hidden beneath
COVID-19 cases spreading very quickly in Puget Sound region
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA –The Washington State Department of Health is announcing 1,777 new COVID-19 cases today. Last week, we announced 1,000 new cases in a day for the first time since mid-summer. Last Friday, we shared a report detailing how COVID-19 spread is intensifying across the state. On Wednesday,
Sheriff’s Report | October 28 – November 3, 2020
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 20-009209 Attempted Suicide 14:15:09 10/28/20 Deputies on Orcas responded to a suicidal subject near Eastsound. The person was located, help was given and a report was taken. 20-009210 Fraud 14:16:57 10/28/20 An Orcas resident reported that his identity was
Guest Opinion | Have we just crippled Washington?
||| FROM HEDRICK SMITH ||| Washington – Normally, elections clear the air, bring new faces to power, offer the dawn of a new day, a fresh beginning, and an opportunity for political healing. Not this year. Whatever the final vote-counts, the electorate has rendered a split and potentially crippling decision.
Help raise funds for vital island institution: Orcas Center’s Whale of a Telethon
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE FOR ORCAS CENTER ||| Saturday, November 14 at 7 p.m., Orcas Center will host its fall fundraiser: A Whale of a Telethon! online at www.OrcasCenter.org. We count ourselves among the lucky – while many of our counterparts have had to shutter their doors completely, Orcas Center
Recapping recent COVID-19 news and updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 112,550 confirmed cases as of 11:59 pm on November 4. There have been 2,431 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 the
