Here’s a thought…
“No one, I mean no one, has the right to sit in judgment of who’s American enough.”
MICHELLE OBAMA
Letter to Editor | Time for yellow ribbons?
-- from Stephanie Rosenblatt -- Last night my daughter was on the front line with the other PDX MOMs and DADs peacefully supporting her and our nation's constitutional right to protest. They were tear gassed for standing up for democracy. These people are NOT anarchists; they are displaying courage and
Letter to Editor | More on plans for Prune Alley
-- from Chris Bean-Hearne -- I took a long look at the recently detailed and lengthy proposed plans published by EPRC for the improvements on Prune Alley. It comes down to this -- the gentrification and tarting-up of a nice, old village street with the final effect (at a cost
USDA seeks feedback to launch program to create high-wage jobs in rural communities
-- from U.S. Department of Agriculture -- WASHINGTON, July 22, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Bette Brand today announced that USDA is seeking feedback to launch a new program to help create high-wage jobs in rural communities and strengthen regional economies. Under the Rural
Recapping today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Muray -- Newest numbers. The state of Washington reported 838 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of cases to 48,575 as of July 19 at 11:59 p.m. The total number of deaths are at 1,465. For the most
Letter to Editor | Ryan Palmateer has strong background we need
-- from Karin Agosta -- A friend asked me yesterday about Ryan Palmateer's strengths as a candidate for San Juan County Council District 1. This is a great question in today's confusing, demanding world. Here's what I wrote her. First, his work in sustainable construction plus information
Letter to Editor | Isn’t selecting Island Hospital a step backwards?
-- from Spirit Eagle -- It appears that the board is attempting to reinvent the wheel by considering bringing in Island Hospital again. Didn’t we have them running the clinic for two different five year periods, already? UW was another disaster. We need a locally run-clinic that offers a
Orcas Island’s new Sunspice is first ‘not-coffee’ shop to open in Washington
-- from Nicole Miller for Sunspice -- Celebrating the summer sun in the San Juan Islands is something special. A beautiful release after a dark winter. This year is a bit different for obvious reasons. Orcas Island in particular is a magical place usually filled with all kinds of festivities,
Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Newest numbers. The state of Washington reported 797 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of cases to 47,743 as of July 19 at 11:59 p.m. The total number of deaths are at 1,453. For the most
School Board calls public hearing for 2020-21 budget adoption
-- from Orcas Island School Board -- Notice of aREGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGandPUBLIC HEARING #2 for the possibleAdoption of the 2020-21 BUDGETThursday, July 23, 2020 AGENDA Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7661783771 5:00 PM CALL TO ORDER – REGULAR MEETING. Approve Agenda Approve Consent Agenda ADMINISTRATORS’ REPORT Project Manager- Liz LeRoy Business Report
Letter to Editor | Does the emperor wear no clothes?
-- from Michael Johnson -- In a recent online conversation about the legitimacy of both non-essential travel, and people not staying local during SJCs current Phase 2 re-opening under Gov. Inslee's Stay Safe Stay Local Plan, the following was said, Comment: "...the repeal (by Dr. Frank James) of the orders
State returns Safe Start applications to seven counties
San Juan County remains in Phase 2 -- from Washington Department of Health -- OLYMPIA -- Today, Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman announced that he is returning all COVID-19 Safe Start applications from counties whose applications were put on pause or pending review before Governor Jay Inslee implemented a statewide pause
Over 200 Orcas businesses benefit from Paycheck Protection Program
-- by Minor Lile, Orcas Issues reporter -- Recent data released by the Federal government indicates that somewhere between $10,000,000 and $15,000,000 of funding from the Paycheck Protection program has been received by Orcas Island businesses, protecting more than 1,000 jobs. Not all of the jobs are located on Orcas,
Public comment period open for Shoreline Master Program
-- from San Juan County Communications -- NOTICE OF A SAN JUAN COUNTY COUNCIL JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE WA DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY (ECOLOGY) TO HEAR TESTIMONY ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM REGULATIONS; AMENDING SAN JUAN COUNTY CODE (SJCC) 18.20.020, 18.20.140, 18.20.190, 18.50.020, 18.50.030, 18.50.040, 18.50.050, 18.50.450,
Letter to Editor | Leadership in the public interest
-- from Tom Eversole -- Reluctance of federal, state and local politicians to mandate face coverings may be due to their under-experience with infectious diseases and an over-experience with being in charge. However, pandemics don't work the way citizens do. Pathogens aren’t compliant, and they don’t negotiate. It took 20
Land Bank Nature Notes | A moveable feast
-- from Kayla Seaforth for San Juan County Land Bank -- Island Marble butterfly photo courtesy of WDFS The green and white butterfly known as Island Marble (Euchloe ausonides insulanus) has been on the minds and lips of biologists, land managers and private landowners in the archipelago leading up to its listing as
Poem for today | Assume the Position
Assume the Position by Jive Poetic The train came with a police officeron his gun. He shifts his weightagainst the door. A flash back loadsthe first time a service weapon was pulled in my face;the second time it made me lay on the ground;the third time it put my hands
