Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Pandemic poetry | The Weighing by Jane Hirshfield
THE WEIGHINGby Jane Hirshfield The heart’s reasonsseen clearly,even the hardestwill carryits whip-marks and sadnessand must be forgiven. As the drought-starvedeland forgivesthe drought-starved lionwho finally takes her,enters willingly thenthe life she cannot refuse,and is lion, is fed,and does not remember the other. So few grains of happinessmeasured against all the darkand
New Poll: Washingtonians more concerned about public health than economy
-- from Crosscut -- 76% of voters believe the pandemic restrictions are working, and 61% are concerned about lifting them too soon SEATTLE—A majority of Washingtonians are more concerned about the coronavirus’s threat to public health than to the economy, according to results from a new Crosscut/Elway Poll focused on coronavirus
Local t-shirts go viral in support of Senior Centers
-- from Lena Kassa for Orcas Senior Center -- Local T-Shirts Go Viral! Let's stick together while staying apart! Show your support for us against the virus with a custom-made shirt from https://loea.shop/separatetogether/. In these uncertain times of isolation and social distancing, we must be proactive if we are to remain
Inslee extends 20 proclamations relating to COVID-19
-- from the Office of Governor Jay Inslee -- Gov. Jay Inslee announced the extension of 20 proclamations today in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The extensions were approved by the state Legislature. "It's important that we work together to continue the state's efforts at mitigating challenges facing all
Pandemic poetry | Perhaps the World Ends Here by Joy Harjo
Perhaps the World Ends Here Joy Harjo The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live. The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on. We chase chickens or dogs
HOT TOPIC #18 | How to access mental health resources
COVID-19 updates from San Juan County around subjects on the minds of islanders -- from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management -- YOU ARE NOT ALONE! It is a time of so much stress and worry. Now more than ever, in this time of social distancing and withso many unknowns
Letter to Editor | Quarantine and the virus
-- from Walt Corbin -- Of all the communities that could shelter from the virus is Orcas and the other islands. I have been delayed getting back home because of the virus but I was astounded to hear that daily dozens of workers on the OPAL project and the renovation
Stories on new site show extent of economic crisis revealed by unemployment figures
Socially distanced state unemployment line would stretch all the way from Olympia past San Francisco -- from Sage Wilson for Working Washington -- TODAY we are releasing a new website — ThisIsACrisis.com — where Washington workers are sharing powerful stores about how the coronavirus crisis is affecting their incomes, their health, their lives, and
Spend a dollar, donate a dollar, volunteer an hour
Stimulus checks for local recovery— -- from San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau and San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) -- Since government stimulus checks have started to arrive in bank accounts, many of our most vulnerable islanders have already spent their funds, need to hold onto their checks, or
Tuning out the pandemic | Love Me by Mia Vermillion
-- from your community -- Our musical community reaches out during an unscheduled pandemic to share their tunes. Because music soothes, centers, distracts us. LOVE ME | Mia Vermillion If you have local music you wish to share, send us an MP3 file to editor@theorcasonian.com. Keep ’em coming! Your community loves
Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Numbers: As of 11:59 p.m. on April 20, there are 12,282 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state (14 in San Juan County), an increase of 197 cases in the last 24 hours. Visit the Department of Health's website for cases by county, demographics, and more. Recovery plan: Gov. Jay Inslee spoke directly to Washingtonians Tuesday
Inslee, Ferguson issue joint statement on some public officials disregard of “Stay Home, Stay Healthy”
-- from the Office of Governor Jay Inslee -- Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson released a joint statement today in response to some Washington state officials disregard for the governor's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order. “It is disappointing when elected officials promote illegal activity that puts their
County Council anticipates next phase of Coronavirus response
-- by Minor Lile, Orcas Issues reporter – As with each of County Council meetings for the last several weeks, the April 21 meeting began with a Covid-19 update. This week that update was an exploration of how to approach the process of easing the current Covid-19 restrictions at the
Candidate filing for November 2020 elections begins soon
-- from Milene Henley, San Juan County Auditor -- If you have ever wanted to be an elected official, now is your chance. Candidate filing for positions open for election in 2020 is about to begin. The list of offices available for filing is below. In addition to President (sorry,
Earth Day message from Ken Balcomb, PLUS new Orca gallery photos
-- from Center for Whale Research -- First of all, I hope you are all well and hunkering down in caution for whatever this COVID-19 pandemic brings to our species, Homo sapiens. If and when the scary part is over, I then hope that we live up to our self-proclaimed title sapiens and
Nature Notes | Never underestimate a salmon
-- Contributed by Jenny De Groot, MSc., Speckled Trout Consulting, LLC -- One lesson learned is that you should never underestimate salmon. They find ways to get up waterfalls, slip through nets too small to do so, and apparently, spawn when you never imagined they would. Nearly five months since
