Here’s a thought…
“America is and always has been an argument — it’s an experiment.”
DAVID W. BLIGHT
Sheriff’s Report | September 23 – 29, 2020
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| Wednesday, September 23,2020 20-008166 Abandoned Vehicle 13:22:17 09/23/20 A Deputy on Orcas Island received a complaint of several vehicles with expired registration in the Crane Island parking area located in Deer Harbor. Several owners were contacted about the complaint and warning stickers
Introducing ‘Occam’s Razor’ | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Welcome to our new weekly feature, Occam's Razor, from local artist S.C. Watson.
Council candidates Minney and Palmateer address issues on Orcas Island
||| BY MINOR LILE, REPORTER ||| Over the course of the last several months, the Orcasonian has run a series of Q&A articles with District 2 candidates Rick Hughes and Cindy Wolf (see here and here). Christine Minney and Ryan Palmateer are the two contenders for the District 1 County
Recap of recent COVID-19 news and updates
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Statewide Response Updates Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 88,116 confirmed cases as of 11:59 pm on September 30. There have been 2,132 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of
After seven year project, salmon habitat restored on Sucia Island
||| FROM KATIE FLEMING FOR FRIENDS OF SAN JUANS ||| Almost seven years ago, Friends of the San Juans began working with Washington State Parks on a salmon recovery project on Sucia Island. After a lot of research, surveys, designs, engineering, and permitting, the on-the-ground work to restore habitat has
2020 Assessor change of value notices mailed on October 1
||| JOHN KULSETH, COUNTY ASSESSOR ||| The Assessor’s Office mailed the 2020 Change of Value Notices on October 1, 2020. The notices show market value as of January 1, 2020 based on sales between January 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020. The new values do not reflect much impact from
State Health Dept. prepares to deploy new rapid COVID-19 tests
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Within the next five to ten days the Washington State Department of Health will receive and distribute the first batch of Abbott BinaxNOW antigen test kits for COVID-19 from the federal government. These are rapid tests that can return results in as
Letter to Editor | Standing up for your property rights in San Juan County
||| FROM MICHAEL DURLAND ||| SJC County Code has a procedure for appealing decisions you do not think follow County Code: 18.80.140 Appeals. At first it seems a daunting procedure but with careful reading, assistance from County employees, and some advice from one who has done it before it can
You can livestream upcoming test of vote counting equipment
||| FROM CAMOLYN ARMSTRONG, ELECTION SUPERVISOR ||| A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the November 3, General election is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, at 11:00 a.m. The test works by tallying the results of a prepared set of ballots to
COVID-19 vaccine update from the Washington State Department of Health
||| 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. Yesterday we learned that on Friday, October 2, the National Academies will release the final Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine. This report
Letter to Editor | It’s time for a new deal
||| FROM NEW DEAL SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| The San Juan Islands are like no place on earth. Our remarkable natural beauty is rivaled only by our tight-knit communities. San Juan County also has one of the more progressive voting blocks in the nation. Yet, with a few exceptions, we
A poem for now from the past
Election Day, November, 1884 Walt Whitman - 1819-1892 If I should need to name, O Western World, your powerfulest scene and show, 'Twould not be you, Niagara—nor you, ye limitless prairies—nor your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado, Nor you, Yosemite—nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic geyser-loops ascending to the skies, appearing
Governors release joint statement on threats to American democracy
||| FROM GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE'S OFFICE ||| A coalition of 11 governors, including Govs. Jay Inslee (WA), Kate Brown (OR), Gavin Newsom (CA), Phil Murphy (NJ), Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Tony Evers (WI), Tim Walz (MN), Ralph Northam (VA), John Carney (DE), Steve Sisolak (NV) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM), released
Upcoming Orcas Food Co-op 6th annual member meeting: Thriving together
||| FROM ORCAS FOOD CO-OP ||| At Orcas Food Co-op we’re excited to hold our 6th annual Member Meeting during National Co-op Month. Join us virtually for a chance to connect with fellow members as well as co-op staff and board and talk about the co-op’s future and explore new
Burn permits will go on sale October 5th
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Fall is here and the time has come for burn permits to go on sale. Please follow the link below to purchase a burn permit through our online portal. Burn permits issued at this time will be valid until the end of May
Recent COVID-19 news and updates recap
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Statewide Response Updates Newest numbers. The Department of Health reported a total of 87,042 confirmed cases as of 11:59 pm on September 28. There have been 2,124 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department
