Here’s a thought…
“America is and always has been an argument — it’s an experiment.”
DAVID W. BLIGHT
Local pilots to compete in Annual Air Race Classic
||| FROM BETHANY CARTER ||| On June 23, 2026, Elizabeth Menozzi and Bethany Carter will take off from East Alton, Illinois to kick off the start of the 49th Annual Air Race Classic. They will compete as Team 8 in a field of 46 teams, flying a 2,743-statute mile route
San Juan County publishes the ‘Budget in Brief’ to summarize the 2026 budget
Rich with graphics, photos, and reduction and expenditure highlights, the Budget in Brief provides an overview of the County’s complex funds. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is pleased to publish the 2026 Budget in Brief, posted in tandem with the full 2026 budget book. Rich with graphics, photos, and reduction and expenditure highlights,
Community show | “Color, Texture & Pattern” will be on display from June 26 to July 28
Art intake on June 24, art opening on June 26 ||| FROM ORCAS CENTER VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE ||| The Visual Arts Committee of Orcas Center announces a new community show -- “Color, Texture & Pattern” – to open on June 26. For this show, the VAC welcomes art in which
County issues Pride Month proclamation in recognition of LGBTQIA+ community in the islands
Pride Month is celebrated throughout June to coincide with the gay liberation movement ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During the May 26 meeting, the County Council issued a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month in San Juan County. The proclamation, written alongside members of the LGBTQIA+ community, acknowledges that
Monthly training brings oil spill volunteers to Orcas Island Marina
||| FROM BILL SYMES and ELAINA THOMPSON for ISLANDS OIL SPILL ASSOCIATION ||| On the morning of May 13, ten volunteers gathered at Rosario Marina on Orcas Island with a training mission: find a boat leaking diesel into the marina and contain it before it spreads. Time is of the
Orcas Center summer concert series announced
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center is proud to present its annual Summer Concert Series on the Village Green, bringing free, live music to the heart of Eastsound. This vibrant outdoor series, supported in part by Joe & Maureen Brotherton and the Doe Bay team,
Council discusses budget priorities, planning for 2027 budget amidst funding challenges
Current estimates for revenues and expenses in 2027 show that the County is facing a $4 million budget deficit. Council gears up for ongoing discussions on anticipated cuts to staffing and service levels. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During the May 26th meeting, the County Council discussed strategies
No jury duty June 15-18
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: JUNE 15-18, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the Jury Period beginning Monday June 15 through Thursday June 18, 2026 are excused. Thank you.
Summer sailing schedule starts Sunday, June 14
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Our summer sailing schedule starts Sunday, June 14, and runs through Sept. 19. Anacortes/San Juan Islands: We’ve made schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance. Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: The #3 vessel will operate a full-day schedule on Saturdays and Sundays this summer. Last year, it operated half days on weekends due to limited crewing. Port Townsend/Coupeville: Starting Tuesday, June 16, the route will operate a two-boat schedule daily through Oct. 12.
Larsen statement on bill reforming Library of Congress
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement: “The Librarian of Congress is the People’s Librarian, not the President’s Librarian. “I have always stood up for libraries and the books that challenge us to be
Land Bank Commission monthly meeting scheduled
||| FROM SJC CONSERVATION LAND BANK COMMISSION ||| The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting Friday, June 12. The meeting is scheduled from 8am – 11:15am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the Lopez Island Family Resource Center, Lopez Island,
Letter to Editor | Bring back our family physician
||| FROM MARTHA KRAMER ||| Orcas Island Primary Care has chosen to terminate a very well loved family practice physician, Dr. Jennifer Simpson-Manske at a time when there are NO other family practice physicians on-island accepting new clients. The decision to terminate Dr. Manske was made by Island Hospital. On
Art Talk event coming up at Crow Valley Gallery
||| FROM AYN GAILEY for CROW VALLEY GALLERY ||| Please join us for a creative conversation at Crow Valley Gallery with artist David Densmore and Ayn Gailey exploring his painting process, techniques, sources of inspiration, and the evolution of his work, including a sneak peek at an upcoming series. This is
Existing vacation rentals in Eastsound & Lopez Village need a provisional use permit by June 25
If you operate a vacation rental in Eastsound Village or Lopez Village, it is a requirement to apply for a provisional use permit to remain compliant with the County code. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| If you operate a vacation rental in Eastsound Village or Lopez Village, it
News Brief | Impacts of fish farming, industrial aquaculture
||| FROM COUNTERPUNCH ||| While discussions about land-based farmed animals, such as cattle, pigs, and poultry, are dominated by their impact on emissions and the environment, aquaculture has been positioned as a sustainable alternative. Industrial fish farms, particularly open-net salmon pens, concentrate thousands of animals in confined spaces, producing waste
Tickets now available for 2026 Orcas Island Garden Tour
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Mark your calendar for the annual 2026 Orcas Island Garden Tour on Saturday, June 27 & Sunday, June 28 from 11 am to 5 pm each day. Tickets are $25 each. The garden club provides education and experiences to the garden community to
