Here’s a thought…
“Deep breath. Deep breath. The air is free. You can take as many as you want.”
BUDDHIST MONK
WSF Weekly Update | Summer schedule starts Sunday; meeting on fare changes
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve This week, we had the honor of welcoming a U.S. Department of Transportation leader. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs Connor Torossian toured Colman Dock and Walla Walla on a sailing to Bremerton. He was in Seattle
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Welcome to our weekly feature, Occam's Razor, from local artist S.C. Watson.
Trump cancels landmark Columbia River agreement with tribes, WA, OR
||| FROM THE SEATTLE TIMES ||| A sweeping Biden-era initiative to restore Columbia Basin salmon runs, boost tribal energy development and provide a pathway for dam removal on the Lower Snake River has been canceled by President Donald Trump. A presidential memorandum issued Thursday revoked the 2023 Resilient Columbia Basin
Spirit of Peace Celebration
||| FROM NIK SCHULZ ||| The Orcas community and guests are invited to join in witnessing a historic celebration of peace between Lummi and Haida tribal leaders. The community will witness song, dance, celebration and culture in an embodiment of what it means to move forward from historical atrocities and
OPAL pursues purchase of rental housing on Crosswind Lane
||| FROM QASIM ALI DINO for OPAL ||| OPAL recently entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire eight two-bedroom rental homes on Crosswind Lane in Eastsound. The current owners of the property, Tom Keel, his son Luke Keel and Tom’s partner Tina Leavitt, approached OPAL because they
Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers is next in FHFF Best of the Fest series
||| FROM FRIDAY HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL ||| Join the Friday Harbor Film Festival for a captivating Best of the Fest screening of Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers, followed by a special live-streamed Q&A with award-winning producer Phil Grabsky. The screening begins at 7 pm on Friday, June 20 at the
Update from The Exchange
||| FROM ORCAS RECYCLING/THE EXCHANGE ||| This Saturday: Hazardous Waste Roundup Clean Harbors professionals will be on site at The Exchange this Saturday, June 14th from 10am - 2pm for the summer Hazardous Waste Roundup. Learn what you can and cannot bring to the event. Businesses must register in advance.
Jurors for Jun 16-20 are excused
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: JUNE 16-20, 2025 All jurors summonsed for jury duty beginning Monday June 16th through Friday June 20th, are excused. Thank you.
OIHCD Community Partner Request | 2025 Coalition for Orcas Youth Community Survey
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| What are the Orcas Island community norms around drug and alcohol use for both youth and adults? Please consider taking the Community Survey to share your perspective! Orcas Island Health Care District has been a partner with the Coalition for Orcas Youth for several years. COY,
Medicare Fraud Awareness Month | Fight back against fraud
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| When 73-year-old Eleanor Simmons received a call from someone claiming to be from Medicare offering "free" genetic testing kits, something didn't feel right. The caller knew her name and address and just wanted to “verify” her Medicare number. He insisted that
8 things you should never do when you visit the doctor, according to nurses
These simple missteps can derail your care. ||| FROM REAL SIMPLE ||| Be strategic with your time and come prepared to help avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment. Focus on describing your symptoms to give your provider the best chance at identifying the root cause. Be your own best advocate.
Bragg soldiers who cheered Trump’s political attacks while in uniform were checked for allegiance, appearance
||| FROM MILITARY.COM ||| It was supposed to be a routine appearance, a visit from the commander in chief to rally the troops, boost morale and celebrate the Army's 250th-birthday week, which culminates with a Washington, D.C., parade slated for Saturday. Instead, what unfolded Tuesday at Fort Bragg, North Carolina,
Canadian warship enters Orcas Island waters
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| A suspicious vessel was spotted in West Sound earlier today by an alert and concerned Orcasonian reader, who forwarded photos to theOrcasonian. Shortly after receiving the photos, what appears to be this same vessel was observed at the mouth of East Sound. According
‘Ticking timebomb’ | Sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems
Ocean acidification has already crossed a crucial threshold for planetary health, scientists say in unexpected finding ||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| The world’s oceans are in worse health than realised, scientists have said today, as they warn that a key measurement shows we are “running out of time” to protect
LWVSJ Observer Corps Notes | San Juan County Council June 10, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| State legislators Lekanoff, Ramel and Lovelett reported on what was accomplished in the legislative session, including work on increasing housing supply, securing health insurance in the face of Medicaid cuts, progress on salmon recovery, more support for schools, maintaining improvements
County issues Pride Month Proclamation in recognition of LGBTQIA+ community in the islands
The proclamation, written alongside members of the LGBTQIA+ community, acknowledges that LGBTQIA+ folks have lived in the San Juan Islands since time immemorial and celebrates their valuable contributions to the islands. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During the first meeting of the month, the Council issued a proclamation
