Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Canadian warship enters Orcas Island waters
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| A suspicious vessel was spotted in West Sound earlier today by an alert and concerned Orcasonian reader, who forwarded photos to theOrcasonian. Shortly after receiving the photos, what appears to be this same vessel was observed at the mouth of East Sound. According
‘Ticking timebomb’ | Sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems
Ocean acidification has already crossed a crucial threshold for planetary health, scientists say in unexpected finding ||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| The world’s oceans are in worse health than realised, scientists have said today, as they warn that a key measurement shows we are “running out of time” to protect
LWVSJ Observer Corps Notes | San Juan County Council June 10, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| State legislators Lekanoff, Ramel and Lovelett reported on what was accomplished in the legislative session, including work on increasing housing supply, securing health insurance in the face of Medicaid cuts, progress on salmon recovery, more support for schools, maintaining improvements
County issues Pride Month Proclamation in recognition of LGBTQIA+ community in the islands
The proclamation, written alongside members of the LGBTQIA+ community, acknowledges that LGBTQIA+ folks have lived in the San Juan Islands since time immemorial and celebrates their valuable contributions to the islands. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During the first meeting of the month, the Council issued a proclamation
Attention San Juan County businesses | Sales tax decrease effective July 1, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Treasurer’s Office is providing notice to local businesses of an upcoming change to sales and use tax in San Juan County. Effective July 1, 2025, local sales and use tax within San Juan County will decrease fifteen one hundredths of
Local Indivisible island groups to host June 14th events
||| FROM PAM HOKE and SUSAN WEST for INDIVISIBLE SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WA - On June 14th, 2025, Indivisible San Juan Islands, local groups with national Indivisible.org, will be hosting several No Kings events throughout the islands, many have become fun island-style community picnic themes while
San Juan County to test vote counting equipment in June
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Elections office will hold a “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used for the County’s August 5, 2025, Primary election. The test is scheduled for June 24, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Logic and accuracy testing is a standard
Larsen releases statement on protests in Los Angeles
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement: "I condemn any violence in Los Angeles and interference with law enforcement activities that seems to involve only a limited number of demonstrators. "Americans have the First Amendment right
On wildlife, Ferguson is no Inslee
||| FROM COLUMBIA INSIGHT ||| When longtime wildlife advocate and Spokane resident Ronald Reed learned Wash. Gov. Bob Ferguson was sending two of former Gov. Inslee’s nominations to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission back to the drawing board, he thought maybe there had been a mistake. “I wondered what
LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council June 9, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The communication coordinator updated the council on conversations about the request to join the state committee organizing celebrations of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence in 2026. The state committee is including tribal nation sovereignty in the theme. After talking
Are electric minicars the future of city driving? We put one to the test
Electric low-speed vehicles look like golf carts, top out at 25 mph and could offer a transportation compromise between full-sized cars and e-bikes. ||| FROM THE WASHINGTON POST ||| I turn the key. The touch screen on the dashboard flashes to life. Colored disco lights illuminate inside the speakers. As
Summer sailing schedule starts Sunday
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Our summer sailing schedule starts Sunday, June 15 and lasts through September 20. Two routes will have large schedule changes on June 15: Anacortes/San Juan Islands: We’ll begin a NEW summer schedule for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route this year, following a schedule update
Youth Community Health Assessment report is here
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Health & Community Services is proud to announce that the 2025 Youth Community Health Assessment Report is here. This report follows our 2023 Community Health Assessment as looks specifically at the health and well-being of youth and families in our
¡El Informe de Evaluación de la Salud de la Comunidad Juvenil ya está aquí!
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| El Departamento de Saluad y Servicios Comunitarios del Condado de San Juan se enorgullece en anunciar que el Informe de Evaluación de la Salud Comunitaria Juvenil 2025 ya está aquí. Este informe sigue a nuestra Evaluación de Salud Comunitaria 2023, que analiza específicamente
Class of 2025 graduation celebration
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL ||| Senior Project and Paper Presentations June 10th, 11:00-12:30 (OIHS) All graduates from Orcas Island High School are required to complete both a senior paper and project as part of their senior year social studies classes (Contemporary World Issues and Civics). Students will present
Develop your leadership skills with Leadership San Juan Islands
||| FROM GRETCHEN KRAMPF for LEADERSHIP SAN JUAN ISLANDS |||
