Here’s a thought…
“There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking.”
ALFRED KORZYBSKI
Council to hold special meeting to consider canceling Phase 3 application to State
-- from San Juan County Council -- The SJC Council will be holding a Special Meeting on Wednesday, July 15 (via videoconference) beginning at 1:30 p.m. The purpose of the special meeting is to Consider Recommendations from the Board of Health & Health Officer Regarding the Status of San Juan County’s
State Health Department publishes detailed COVID-19 preliminary death data report
-- from State Department of Health -- OLYMPIA – In the continuing effort to collect, maintain and publish the most useful data available to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has published a new death data report that includes different categories of COVID-19 deaths. Among those who have
County Health Officer recommends withdrawing Phase 3 application
-- by Minor Lile, Orcas Issues reporter -- At this morning’s County Council meeting, County Health Officer Dr. Frank James advised the Council that he has sent an email to the County Board of Health recommending that the County withdraw its application to move to Phase 3 under the Governor’s
FAQ for employers, businesses re: positive COVID test results
-- from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management -- As the islands enter the sixth month of the COVID crisis, the likelihood of local families, individuals, and businesses being connected to someone with a confirmed positive test result continues to increase. We created this FAQ to highlight answers to likely
Critical school levy on the August ballot
-- from Orcas Island School Board -- The August 4 Election Day is just a few days away. On the ballot will be the replacement EP&O levy for the Orcas Island School District. The current levy is set to expire at the end of December. The replacement levy has a fixed tax rate
Letter to Editor | Palmateer has my support for County Council
-- from Katie Fleming -- I support Ryan Palmateer for the County Council District 1 position. I have worked with Ryan for 3 years on energy conservation, renewable energy promotion, and climate action programs in the San Juan Islands. Ryan is very committed to the resiliency and health of both
Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Newest numbers. The state of Washington reported a total of 40,656 cases as of July 11 at 11:59 p.m. The total number of deaths are at 1,438. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's dashboard and
EDC provides analysis of PPP loan data for San Juan County businesses
-- from John Gomez for Economic Development Council -- On Monday July 6 ,2020, the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) announced the release of detailed loan-level data regarding the loans made under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This program was launched as a way to retain workers by providing funding to
Three new positive COVID-19 cases identified on San Juan
-- from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management -- Over the weekend of July 11-12, three new positive COVID cases were reported on San Juan Island. Two of these cases were close contacts of each other. In total, over 20 close contacts of those two positive individuals have been identified
Inslee requests extension of National Guard mission for COVID-19 pandemic response
-- from Governor Jay Inslee's Office -- Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter today to the Trump administration requesting an extension of federal authority and funding for Washington National Guard employment in support of COVID-19 pandemic emergency response operations through December 31, 2020. The letter reads, in part: "As the number of positive
Letter to Editor | Upcoming school levy is critical
-- from Janet Brownell, Tony Ghazel, Scott Lancaster, and Chris Sutton -- In the past, the four of us have all been on the Orcas Island School Board. Collectively, we have decades of service to our public schools. We have served together, and separately. There are times we did not
Library welcomes multi-award-winning author via Zoom
-- from Mary Pugh for Orcas Island Library -- Join us as we talk with multiple award-winning author Kij Johnson, in her own words a “writer, dreamer, fritterer.” She did not start writing until she was twenty-five, yet still has an impressive lineup: novels, short stories, essays, poetry, script, and
No EPRC walkabout meeting tomorrow
-- from Leith Templin -- EPRC meeting scheduled for tomorrow with a walkabout has been cancelled. We are unable to legally walk about so that has been cancelled. The meeting on 13 has been postponed until July 30. Time and zoom link to be announced later.
Two proposals leave many Health District questions still to be answered
-- by Susan McBain, Orcas Issues reporter -- One thing became very clear at both the Orcas Island Health Care District’s regular meeting on July 7 and its public Town Hall on July 9: The commissioners still need many detailed answers from both groupsproposing to open a consolidated medical clinic
Michael Durland announces his candidacy for County Council
-- from Michael Durland -- I moved to Orcas Island in 1977 and raised a family here. I have served as a member of the Marine Resources Committee and a member of Island Oil Spill Association. I started and continue to run two local businesses. I ran for County Council in 2016
Southern Resident Orca – long absences punctuated by sporadic sightings
A closer look at July 4 Encounter #33 with J Pod -- from Katie Jones, CWR Orca Survey Outreach & Education Center Manager -- J31 and J56 during Encounter #33 (Photograph by Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research) If you aren’t already a CWR Member, you may want to consider becoming
