Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Meet Cory Harrington | New housing specialist, with lived experience
||| FROM MEGAN METCALF for ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| Raised on Orcas Island, Cory Harrington has lived through nearly every form of island housing—employee housing, living aboard a boat, bus life, building a cabin on his parents' property, and ultimately developing raw land for creative housing solutions. Now, as
Orcas artist-blacksmith debuts new works featuring totemic sculptures, handcrafted masks
||| FROM B.J. ARNOLD for ORCAS ARTWORKS ||| Orcas Artworks is pleased to feature artist Steve Gropp during the month of December. The gallery is open daily from 10-4, closing January 1, 2025 for a brief winter break. "I have been a full-time professional Artist Blacksmith here on Orcas since
LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council December 1- 2, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| At a public hearing, the county council reviewed the updates to the 2026 and the Six- Year Capital Improvement Plans. The 2026 plan includes environmental stewardship projects like solid waste, culvert replacements, stormwater improvements and creek, beach and wetland restoration
Letter to Editor | Odd Fellows hall Thanksgiving dinner gratitude
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND ODD FELLOWS ||| The Community Thanksgiving dinner at the Odd Fellows Hall was a great success! The Hall was filled with community members and guests to the island. We would like to thank all the organizers and everyone who contributed towards the potluck deliciousness! Special thanks
Jurors excused for December 8 – 12
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: December 8-12, 2025 All jurors summonsed for the week beginning Monday, December 8th through Friday, December 12th 2025, are excused. Thank you.
Despite the speed at which it is progressing, AI is getting far too little discussion in Congress
||| FROM THE GUARDIAN by BERNIE SANDERS ||| There is a very real fear that, in the not-so-distant future, a super-intelligent AI could replace humans in controlling the planet. "My staff and I will soon be presenting a very specific set of recommendations to Congress as to how we can
News Brief | DOJ demands info on all state voters, sues WA secretary of state
||| FROM THE SEATTLE TIMES ||| The U.S. Department of Justice sued Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs on Tuesday over his refusal to turn over a trove of personal information about every registered voter in the state. Hobbs refused in a Sept. 23 letter to DOJ, citing state law
Orcas Montessori School hosts annual wreath sale & Holiday Bazaar
||| FROM BRIDGET WRIGHT for ORCAS MONTESSORI SCHOOL ||| Our annual Wreath Sale is officially open! We’re excited to help you fulfill all your holiday greenery needs with beautiful, handcrafted wreaths, garlands, and centerpieces, perfect for bringing festive cheer to your home. Orders are open now, and wreaths will be
Wild salmon and steelhead in Columbia River Basin are collapsing; endangered orcas that depend on them are starving
Feds concede new management plan is inadequate ||| FROM EMMA HELVERSON for WILD FISH CONSERVANCY ||| Wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin are collapsing, and endangered orcas that depend on them are starving — yet the federal government continues to fund hatchery operations that fuel their decline.
Health Care District & Island Health sign 10 year+ contract renewal for Island Primary Care – Orcas clinic operations
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| As healthcare organizations across the country struggle with unprecedented uncertainty in operations and finances, the Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) Board is happy to report an important step in long-term stability for our island community. Island Health and OIHCD have executed
GiveOrcas is now here
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for GIVEORCAS ||| Giving season is officially here, and we hope you consider giving local with GiveOrcas! The annual holiday collective giving campaign is now open and runs through Thursday, December 11 at www.giveorcas.org. Today is also Giving Tuesday, a world-wide celebration of generosity. Every gift
Larsen releases statement on Trump administration changes to immigration processes
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF. U .S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after the Trump administration announced changes to immigration processes: “Refugees and humanitarian nonprofits that support refugees should not be punished because of the actions of one violent person.
Today starts the 10 Days of GiveOrcas with a party
||| FROM A*OK ||| Welcome to the first day of the 2025 Holiday GiveOrcas Campaign As we head into the 2025 GiveOrcas Holiday Campaign, we want to thank you for helping make weekly hands-on art instruction possible for more than 200 K–8 students this year. Your ongoing support has filled
Avian Influenza in domestic flock confirmed in San Juan County
There are no reported human cases of avian influenza in San Juan County. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| A local backyard flock and a wild bird have tested positive for avian influenza. San Juan County Health & Community Services is contacting people with exposure to avian influenza-infected birds
Join us for another evening of Drag Bingo
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND PRIDE ||| DRAG BINGO Round 2! Dec 14th, 1PM to 4PM, at Odd Fellows Hall! With returning superstar Bubblegum B and island favorite UhOh XOXO, this event is all-ages and a great way to spend a cold winter Sunday on Orcas! A ticket gets you 6
Garden Club presents language of flowers & holiday tea party
||| FROM PERRI GIBBONS for ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Please join the Orcas Island Garden Club on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at the Orcas Center when we welcome Kimberly Wilder of Botanical Bar and Gemma Glasser of Primavera, as they guide us through the hidden meanings and symbolism embedded
