Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Letter to Editor | Public health, protests, and the missing link
-- from Tom Eversole -- Public Health functions include assessment, policy development, and assurance. Successful response to a pandemic requires an “All of Government” approach to successfully manage the outbreak. When data show that too many children are dying from vaccine-preventable diseases (assessment), a school exclusion policy requiring proof of immunity serves to
Recap of Today’s COVID-19 News and Updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Numbers: As of May 12, there are 17,512 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, an increase of 182 cases in the last 24 hours. Visit the Department of Health's website for cases by county, demographics, and more. Statewide Response Updates 2020 Wildland Fire Season & COVID-19 Telebriefing: Warm, sunny days have
OICF releases a new set of posters to encourage mask-wearing
-- from Kate Long for Orcas Island Community Foundation -- The Orcas Island Community Foundation has created a series of posters for businesses and organizations to use as they see fit to encourage mask-wearing in their establishments. There are seven posters both in English and Spanish with different messages. They
Letter to Editor | Visitors from off-island also need to be mindful of COVID rules
-- from Russel Barsh for KWIAT -- Last weekend Indian Island had over fifty visitors from the mainland, only a handful had masks, and they seemed completely clueless. That put my (masked) researchers and volunteers at risk. I am altogether happy to be welcoming and positive with visitors, but they
It’s a Wrap! Health Care District issues RFP for a new medical practice
-- from Susan McBain, Orcas Issues reporter -- After two years of operations, observations, research, and professional and public input, the commissioners of the Orcas Island Health Care District approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) describing in detail the medical system and services they would like to see on Orcas
Guest Opinion | The road ahead is ours to chart
-- from Joseph Murphy -- As the late senator from Illinois, Everett Dirksen once said, “A billion here and a billion there, pretty soon you’re talkin about real money.” Those were simpler times, when government spoke in terms of billions rather than trillions of dollars. Last Friday, the current occupant
Port will meet, releases preliminary agenda
-- from Mia Kartiganer for Port of Orcas -- May 14th Preliminary Agenda 5pm Call to OrderAny modifications or changesApproval of minutes from foreverApproval of VouchersAny DOWL updatesApplicant Letters and CallsScheduling Next round of interviews with public participationOld Business:Any new businessPublic AccessAdjournment Orcas Airport is inviting you to a scheduled
Sheriff’s Office issues alert for those preying on coronavirus
-- from Ron Krebs, San Juan County Sheriff -- The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office is seeing a rise in both online and mail fraud in recent months. Will millions of Americans filing for unemployment, tax season extended and upon us, and stimulus checks coming in the mail those who
An expert explains what we really need to understand about those ‘murder hornets’
-- from Science Alert -- According to recent press reports, two Asian giant hornets – a species not known to occur in North America – were found in northwest Washington state in late 2019, and a hornet colony was found and eliminated in British Columbia. Now scientists are trying to determine
Pandemic poetry | who will be the messenger of this land
who will be the messenger of this land Jaki Shelton Green who will be the messenger of this landcount its veinsspeak through the veinstranslate the language of waternavigate the heels of lineagewho will carry this land in parcelspaper, linen, burlapwho will weep when it bleedsand hardensforgets to birth itself who
New guidance for partially resuming in-store retail and additional manufacturing operations in Phase 2
-- from Governor Jay Inslee's Office -- Gov. Jay Inslee issued guidance today for partially resuming limited in-store retail and manufacturing operations for counties granted variance under the Safe Start Phase 2 recovery plan laid out last week. Through the Washington "Safe Start" plan, more businesses and activities will re-open in
Inslee announces contact tracing initiative
-- from Governor Jay Inslee's Office -- Gov. Jay Inslee announced the launch of a statewide contact tracing plan today that will allow more businesses to open and more people to be active in public while helping to slow and prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Contact tracing is another tool
Letter to Editor | There’s still air in Airbnb
-- from Gregory Oaksen -- Residents are reporting that the tourist onslaught has begun on Orcas. Tourists coming here now are thoughtlessly exposing locals to the virus. Where are these people staying? They can’t all be “essential” workers. In spite of the downturn in vacation rentals, many are still active.
Let’s keep singing
-- from Monica Steele -- Spread the word! Keep singing! Happy Mother’s Day to Mothers and those who mother others and those who have mothers!! Time to appreciate nurturance of each other and Mother Earth as a universal ideal for all people regardless of gender. Some of you have contacted
Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Numbers: As of May 11, there are 17,330 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state, an increase of 208 cases in the last 24 hours.Visit the Department of Health's website for cases by county, demographics, and more. Statewide Response Updates Contact tracing initiative: Gov. Jay Inslee announced the launch of a statewide
Tuning out the pandemic | Red River Valley by JP and the OK Rhythm Boys
— from your community — Our musical community reaches out during an unscheduled pandemic to share their tunes. Because music soothes, centers, distracts us. RED RIVER VALLEY | JP and the OK Rhythm Boys If you have music you wish to share, send us an MP3 file to editor@theorcasonian.com.
