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
Diversity Book Fund launches to provide free children’s books
-- from Ady Walker for Children's House -- The mission of Children’s House is to prepare children for kindergarten and life, and rests on the ideals of inclusivity and equity. We believe every child has the right to grow up with safety, love, and the opportunity to reach their full potential. Systemic
Master Gardeners are still available for your plant questions
-- from Dianne Macondray for Master Gardeners of Orcas -- Do you have a plant problem? Would you like a bug identified? The Master Gardeners of Orcas are virtually here to help. In order to answer your questions, we recommend you fill out the proper form found HERE, and email
Village Voices | Meet some island visitors
--by Minor Lile, Orcas Issues reporter-- It was a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon in Eastsound when I set out to interview a random selection of people visiting the island. And there were fewer visitors out and about than I had anticipated. Of the 14 families or individuals that I approached
Orcas Community Resource Center advocates for racial justice
-- from Orcas Community Resource Center Board of Directors and Staff -- As we all continue to deal with the economic, social, and healthconsequences of the novel coronavirus pandemic in our community, we arealso coming face-to-face with the tremendous harm caused by racialdiscrimination in the United States. The events occurring
Aging Like a Guru | The HOW is the entire point of this journey
-- by Rosie Kuhn -- Upon reviewing our lives, reliving memories of the past, we can see patterns and strategies we were conditioned to engage in. There were principles and rules, ideals and obligations to uphold. We took the path we took based on what made sense to us and
Pandemic Poetry | Hope by Czeslaw Milosz
Hopeby Czeslaw Milosz (1911-2004) Hope is with you when you believeThe earth is not a dream but living flesh,That sight, touch, and hearing do not lie,That all things you have ever seen hereAre like a garden looked at from a gate. You cannot enter. But you’re sure it’s there.Could we but look
Recapping today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Numbers. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's website. Gov. Inslee issues guidance for card rooms in Phase 2. Through the Washington ‘Safe Start’ plan, more businesses and activities are reopening in phases with safety
Guest Opinion | Funhouse Commons’ message of solidarity
-- from The Funhouse Board, Executive Director, and Staff -- The recent protests sweeping the country are a long, overdue wake up call for many individuals and organizations across the world, including The Funhouse. Being silent is not an option. We recognize The Funhouse must do more to openly fight
New report shows increasing COVID-19 activity in Washington state
-- from Washington Department of Health -- OLYMPIA – Today the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report, which shows COVID-19 transmission continued to increase in eastern Washington as of the end of May, with a possible uptick in western Washington as well. There are still significant
Guest Opinion | Support Orcas health commissioners
-- from Norm Zimlich -- Friends, in the flood of bad pandemic news, have you have missed the historic GOOD NEWS about Orcas healthcare happening right now? For the last 14 years Orcas has been served by three competing nonprofit MD practices, all financially challenged and unable to provide adequate
Sheriff’s Report | June 3 – 9, 2020
-- from San Juan County Sheriff's Office -- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 202020-004173 Trespassing 12:45:48 06/03/20Orcas Island Deputies were dispatched to a trespassing call. A trespass warning letter was issued to the suspect. 20-004176 Death Investigation 13:37:09 06/03/20San Juan Deputies responded to a death investigation. It appears the male died of
Pandemic Poetry | I Worried by Mary Oliver
I Worried Mary Oliver I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the riversflow in the right direction, will the earth turnas it was taught, and if not how shallI correct it? Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,can I do better? Will I ever be
This year’s scholarship awards went to …
-- from Janna Carter for Orcas Island School District -- Scholarships were awarded this morning to the seniors graduating from Orcas Island School. American Legion Voyle B. Martin Post #93Academic Scholarship in Honor of Glen MonsonJaydon Krisch Derr $1,500Academic Scholarship in Honor of Andy NigrettoMartha Lum $1,500Claude A. Rubeling Academic
Land Bank, libraries team up to explore, learn more about our public lands
-- from Tanja Williamson for San Juan County Land Bank -- Your Conservation Land Bank turns 30 this year and is celebrating with a multi-island exploration. Every preserve has a story – gather your family and get outside this summer to discover what your public lands have to say. The
Court updating list of non-profits willing to support offenders’ community service hours
-- from Mellissa Derksema, San Juan County District Court -- The courts of San Juan County are updating and improving their community service program. In many cases, criminal defendants have the opportunity to volunteer at non-profit organizations to work off court fees or in lieu of imposed jail time. To
This week’s films are stories from three continents
-- from Orcas Island Film Festival -- The brilliance and struggles of Indigenous Aboriginal youth with IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS from Australia; The trauma of Indigenous past with the Cannes award-winning film OUR MOTHERS from Guatemala; and on the comedic front, the story inspired by a group of singing
