Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
WSF honors frontline workers with joyful, nightly ferry whistles
-- from Amy Scarton, Assistant Secretary, WSDOT/Ferries Division -- Making a joyful noise nightly for frontline workers As part of a community and worldwide movement to make a joyful noise in appreciation of workers on the front line of the COVID-19 response, all our ferries underway at 8 p.m. are sounding their
Tune in tonight for virtual reading of play by local author
Thursday, April 9, 7 p.m., ZOOM -- from Bethany Marie for Orcas Center -- Join us for a virtual reading of this original musical by local author Shannon Borg! Local actors will voice the script while accompanied by slides of concept pictures by the author. Audience feedback welcome after the reading! Topic: Manifest
COVID-19 crisis increases gratitude for greenspace and highlights need to leash dogs
-- from Tanja Williamson for San Juan County Land Bank -- Land Bank Preserves remain open despite other public land closures because we believe people need access to nature close to home, especially when nothing else in life seems normal. Early evidence suggests that dogs don’t spread COVID-19. However, current
State Commerce offering Working Washington small business grants
-- from Victoria Compton for Economic Development Council -- The Washington State Department of Commerce is offering a new Working Washington Small Business Emergency Grant (WWSBEG) program to assist small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Businesses which qualify for the grant program and are located within San Juan County
Letter to Editor | Open letter to Health District Board
-- from Spirit Eagle -- Dear Orcas Island Health Care District Board Members, In this time of the COVID-19 epidemic it behooves you to employ Dr. Vincent Shu, M.D. to help combat the spread of COVID-19 on Orcas Island. I am amazed that the board has yet to take the
OISD spells out continuous learning status
-- from Eric Webb, Orcas Schools Superintendent -- Dear Students, Parents, Staff, & Community, On April 6, Governor Inslee extended his initial proclamation by declaring that all school buildings are to remain closed throughout the remainder of the 2019–20 school year. He also made it clear that learning is not to
Tuning out the pandemic | What a Wonderful World by Ron Myers
— from your community — Our musical community reaches out during an unscheduled pandemic to share their tunes. Because music soothes, centers, distracts us. WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD | Ron Myers (music available for purchase) If you have music you wish to share, send us an MP3 file to editor@theorcasonian.com.
Lions Club to award scholarships; apply now
-- from Martin Arnold for Orcas Island Lions Club -- The Orcas Island Lions Club and Foundation is responsible for administering the funds for five academic awards: Abrahamsen Family Vocational Scholarship, Joseph Bond Vocational Scholarship, Jim Golithon Vocational Scholarship, the Leonard Wellman Academic Scholarship, and Vic Hughes Academic Scholarship. The
Inslee provides additional guidance on school closures, impact on available services
-- from the Office of Governor Jay Inslee -- On Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal announced the extension of K-12 school closures through the remainder of the academic year. The order provides a direction for schools as they plan for the remainder of the
Pandemic Poetry | You Can’t Have it All by Barbara Ras
You Can't Have it All by Barbara Ras But you can have the fig tree and its fat leaves like clown handsgloved with green. You can have the touch of a single eleven-year-old fingeron your cheek, waking you at one a.m. to say the hamster is back.You can have the
Great Islands Clean Up becomes month-long individual effort
-- from Pete Moe for Orcas Island Recycling Services -- In honor of Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary this April, Islanders areencouraged to use the whole month to help clean up roads and beaches during wellness walks. Due to health concerns, the Spring Great Islands Clean-Up has been cancelled as a
Inslee statement on Century Link field hospital redeployment
-- from the Office of Governor Jay Inslee -- Gov. Jay Inslee today announced that after consultation with local, state and federal leaders, the Department of Defense field hospital currently stationed at the Century Link Field Event Center will be returned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency so it can
Reprinted without permission | How to tell this story
Author: Rabbi Steve Cohen, Congregation B’nai B’rith, Santa Barbara CA Friday night, March 27 2020 Shabbat Shalom everyone. Passover is coming. In less than two weeks, Jews all over the world will retell our ancient story of one endless night over three thousand years ago, during which the Angel of
Tuning out the pandemic | Living the Good Life by Carl Burger
— from your community — Our musical community reaches out during an unscheduled pandemic to share their tunes. Because music soothes, centers, distracts us. LIVING THE GOOD LIFE | Carl Burger If you have music you wish to share, send us an MP3 file to editor@theorcasonian.com.
Letter to Editor | ‘Shout out’ to Island Market staff
-- from David Kobrin -- Among those many folks who are working assiduously to care for our island’s residents during these frightening times, I want to give a special “shout out” to those people working in Island Market. Despite the extra work burdens required to make shopping at the market
Meaningful films for uncertain times
-- by Matthew Gilbert, Orcas Issues reporter -- “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -- Anais Nin For the last several years, I’ve been writing/curating a film review newsletter of entertaining, provocative, and
