Here’s a thought…
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.”
ROBERT LYND
The North Pacific right whale | Why you should care about the world’s rarest whale
Zoom presentation with Kevin Campion, Thursday, July 23, 6:30 p.m. -- from Katie Fleming for Friends of the San Juans -- Join Friends of the San Juans and Kevin Campion of Deep Green Wilderness on July 23 to hear about Kevin and his team's expeditions to film the North Pacific right whale. You’ll
WSF crews rescued four people in the past month
-- from Amy Scanton for Washington State Ferries -- A shout out to our highly trained crewmembers for rescuing four people in the past month! A Samish crew rescued a person whose kayak overturned yesterday near our Lopez Island terminal. Last week, on July 9, a Walla Walla crewmembers saved an overturned kayaker while
Letter to Editor | While you were sleeping
-- from Christopher Evans -- Scene at West Beach Resort, Friday night (7/17) at 10 pm: 16 people in their 20s gathered around one campfire on the beach in front of cabin 5. Zero masks, zero social distancing. Singing, dancing, and partying like it’s 1999. Blasting pop music from a
Aging Like a Guru | People’s death affects us more than we imagine
-- by Rosie Kuhn -- We are affected by people’s death more than we know. We are often surprised, even though we know that everybody dies. And often we experience regrets and guilt for not engaging more with the deceased while they were alive. Anytime I hear about someone’s passing
Did you know there are three types of killer whales?
-- from Center for Whale Research -- Killer whales are second only to humans as the most widely distributed mammal on earth. The species is found in all oceans, but is most commonly found in coastal waters at cooler latitudes. Their widespread distribution and their closely knit social structure have
Inslee announces steps to address COVID-19 spread
-- from Governor Inslee's Office -- As cases of COVID-19 continue to increase across the state, Gov. Jay Inslee and Sec. of Health John Wiesman today announced a new limit on social gatherings and a ban on live entertainment across the state. “The steps are necessary to slow down the
This week from Sea View: The Audition
-- from Orcas Island Film Festival -- We hope you are enjoying all of the films in our virtual cinema. This week we are adding another film from Germany: "The Audition" Germany | 2020 | 99min Anna Bronsky is a violin teacher at a music-focused high school. Despite the opposition of all other teachers,
EPRC addresses Prune Alley FAQ from public input
-- from Leith Templin for Eastsound Planning Review Committee -- How does the County “know” that Prune Alley needs to be improved? In 1981 the First Eastsound Subarea Plan (Ord 225-1981) discussed lighting “will probably be desirable to install street lighting” in the future and included a graphic with overhead
Orcas Women’s Coalition endorses Christine Minney for SJC Council
-- from Chuck Dalldorf, Volunteer Christine Minney for SJC Council -- The Orcas Women’s Coalition (OWC) announced their endorsement of Christine Minney for San Juan County Council (District #1, San Juan Island seat). Christine went through the OWC endorsement process and attended two ZOOM teleconference interviews with members. In an
“We are made in the image of God — and then there is John Lewis”
--from Joe Biden. Reprinted at the request of a valued Orcas Issues reader -- We are made in the image of God, and then there is John Lewis. How could someone in flesh and blood be so courageous, so full of hope and love in the face of so much
Orcasional Musings | A wild turkey mystery story
||| ORCASIONAL MUSINGS BY STEVE HENIGSON ||| Flocks of wild turkeys live here and there on Orcas Island, but the bunch with which I'm most familiar is the one which lives on our north-east coast, at Buckhorn, along the road to Raccoon Point. This particular flock, when last seen, consisted
State Health Dept. warns COVID-19 is on a path to runaway growth in Washington state
-- from Washington State Department of Health -- OLYMPIA – [Friday] the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report, which highlights alarming trends in transmission and hospitalization data. Report findings include: The spread of COVID-19 continues to accelerate across most of Washington state as of the start
Sheriff’s Report | July 8 – 14, 2020
-- from San Juan County Sheriff's Office -- Wednesday, July 8, 202020-005412 Weapons Noise 09:36:35 07/08/20Deputies investigated firearm noise during hours of darkness on Orcas Island. The responsible property owner was contacted and educated about the County Code, which permits the discharge of firearms on private property when due caution
Health District will host a third town hall meeting
-- from Anne Presson for Orcas Island Health Care District -- The Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) is hosting a third virtual Town Hall meeting to provide an update on the Medical Clinic Operator Request for Proposal (RFP). This will be the community’s final opportunity to provide feedback to
Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Newest numbers. The state of Washington reported 1,266 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of cases to 44,313, as of July 15 at 11:59 p.m. The total number of deaths are at 1,427. Today’s increase of
Planning Commission recommends adoption of new marijuana production and processing ordinance
-- by Steve Bernheim, Orcas Issues Reporter -- The San Juan County Planning Commission remotely met via Skype and county-website livestream July 17 to recommend to the County Council adoption of a revised marijuana production and processing ordinance. The Commission also received a planning staff recommendation to reorganize the “rural
