Here’s a thought…
“America is and always has been an argument — it’s an experiment.”
DAVID W. BLIGHT
Letter to Editor | This pandemic is a portal
-- from Michael Johnson -- As an early Phase 2 of the health crisis re-opening begins setting in we find ourselves as a community and as a society contemplating what normalcy means to us. We can see that the same "powers that be" that were ramping things up before the health crisis
One of the earliest Memorial Day ceremonies was held by freed slaves
At the close of the Civil War, freed slaves in Charleston honored fallen Union soldiers -- from History.com -- Memorial Day was born out of necessity. After the American Civil War, a battered United States was faced with the task of burying and honoring the 600,000 to 800,000 Union and Confederate soldiers
Phase 2, masks, and other updates from Orcas Chamber of Commerce
-- from Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce -- Moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2. San Juan County applied for and received approval on Saturday, May 23 from the State to move into Phase 2 of the Governor's Safe Start plan. What does that mean for Orcas Island and the County? Please
Center for Whale Research back on the water with a new encounter
-- from Center for Whale Research -- Jane Cogan called Dave in the late afternoon to relay a report of a group of whales that was heading west in Spieden Channel. Dave made a couple of phone calls and checked the wind forecast before heading to Snug Harbor. One of
Orcas Island High School will celebrate graduates of Class of 2020
-- from Kyle Freeman for Orcas School District -- For this year’s graduating class, the COVID-19 outbreak has meant the cancellation of our traditional graduation celebrations and ceremonies. However, we are committed to ensuring that the Orcas Island High School class of 2020 is celebrated and honored as only our
Inslee letter requests extension of National Guard mission
-- from Governor Jay Inslee's Office -- In case you missed it: Gov. Jay Inslee sent a letter today to the Trump administration requesting an extension of authority and additional funding for Washington National Guard employment in support of COVID-19 pandemic emergency response operations through July 31, 2020. The letter reads, in part:
Letter to Editor | Choosing a future: Stakes couldn’t be higher
-- from Tom Eversole -- We humans crave certainty, however nature, disease and health don’t work that way. CDC recommendations change with new information, and medicos work from the best information they have at the time. Long term, it is not helpful to frame safety guidance changes for political advantage. Short
School Board will Zoom-meet at upcoming session
Thursday, May 28, 5 p.m., via Zoom -- from Orcas Island School Board -- JOIN VIA ZOOM LINK 5 p.m. CALL TO ORDER - REGULAR MEETING – VIA ZOOM. Approve AgendaApprove Consent Agenda ADMINISTRATORS’ REPORT Capital Projects- Liz LeRoyBusiness Report - Keith WhitakerSuperintendent Update - Eric WebbBoard’s running
Aging Like a Guru | Space – The final frontier of aging
-- by Rosie Kuhn -- Space abounds in our lives. How we empower ourselves to choose to be with that space is a potent choice. It doesn’t really matter what you or I choose. Each of us are on our own human/spiritual journey and will make use of the space
San Juan County cleared for Phase 2
-- from Washington Department of Health -- WA State Secretary of Health John Wiseman has approved San Juan County‘s application to move to Phase 2 effective immediately. Newly allowed activities: -Gatherings: Gather with no more than 5 people outside your household per weekNote an individual business is only allowed to
San Juan among seven new counties approved to move to Phase 2 of Safe Start plan
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Camp Murray, WA — Today Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman approved variance applications for Cowlitz, Grant, Island, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific and San Juan counties to move into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan. A total of 21 counties have
San Juan County Health Officer extends ban on transient lodging
-- from Brendan Cowan, Department of Emergency Management -- On May 22, San Juan County Health Officer Dr. Frank James extended his order limiting non- essential transient lodging operations. The order was previously set to expire on May 31. In his extension (Order 2020-5), Dr. James ties the future ending
Tuning out the pandemic | 720 In the Books from Orcas Community Band
— from your community — Our musical community reaches out during an unscheduled pandemic to share their tunes. Because music soothes, centers, distracts us. 720 IN THE BOOKS | Orcas Island Community Band If you have local music you wish to share, send us an MP3 file to editor@theorcasonian.com. Keep ’em
New pumpout stations expand options for boaters
-- from Washington Sea Grant -- With funding from the Clean Vessel Act Grant program, new pumpout stations increase the total of pumpout stations to more than 100 in Washington State — and help boaters divert sewage from Washington’s waters. Shaw Island General Store owners Terri and Steve Mason and
Editorial | Anybody know the steps to this new dance?
-- by Lin McNulty, Orcas Issues editor -- So, say you've been going weekly, or perhaps monthly, to the same dance at your local club; you've been doing the dance for years and have perfected the waltz. You have developed the perfect sway and rhythm to this all-familiar waltz. It's
Recap of today’s COVID-19 news and updates
-- from Emergency Operations Center, Camp Murray -- Statewide Response Updates Numbers. For the most recent tally of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department of Health's website. Data Update May 22, 2020. We want to highlight two important data issues on the testing tab. The first is that about 11,000
