Here’s a thought…
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
WSF issues statement on ferry vs. humpback whale in Elliott Bay
-- from Washington State Ferries -- On Tuesday night, the Wenatchee struck a humpback whale around 8:20 p.m., a few minutes after leaving Seattle on its way to Bainbridge Island. The whale breached several feet in front of the ferry, too late to turn the 460-foot vessel. We are all deeply saddened
Canadian garbage on its way from Philippines back to Vancouver
Fights over mislabelled Canadian trash have been going on for 6 years -- from The Canadian Press -- Sixty-nine shipping containers of fetid trash are on their way back to Canada, after being loaded onto a container ship in the Philippines port of Subic. The last container was put aboard the
Inslee visits San Juan, Skagit counties to discuss broadband
-- from Governor Inslee's office -- Gov. Jay Inslee stepped into a small room in a Friday Harbor hospital on Tuesday and faced a large, white screen as if he were going to stand and watch a movie. A Bellingham pediatrician wearing a headset popped onto the screen, introduced himself
Health Care District tackles after-hours care, building maintenance, financing
-- by Susan McBain, Orcas Issues reporter -- The major continuing topics for the commissioners of the Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) sound familiar: provision of after-hours care; costs to support the two clinics, Orcas Family Health Center (OFHC) and the Orcas UW Neighborhood Clinic (UWNC); and maintenance of
Auditor to conduct test of vote counting equipment
Wednesday, June 19 at 11:00 a.m., County Elections Office A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the August 6, 2019 Primary is scheduled for June 19 at 11:00 a.m. The test works by tallying the results of a prepared set of ballots
Guest Opinion | New road going in the wrong direction
-- from Mindy Kayl -- As I sit in my house and watch Mt. Wollard go by in the back of gravel trucks, I wonder why is our county government so reactionary, backwards, and fearful when we have such capacity to be visionary and innovative? Because of where we have
Tourism to San Juan Island NHP creates $19.3 million dollars in economic benefits
Report shows visitor spending supports 164 jobs in local economy -- from Brandon Cadwell for National Park Service -- A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 255 thousand visitors to San Juan Island National Historical Park in 2018 spent $15.1 million dollars in communities near the park. That
Fill a great need: Learn about foster parenting in San Juan County
Thursday, June 13, 6 p.m., San Juan Grange -- from Lauren M. Franciosi for San Juan County Superior Court -- Foster care is the temporary placement of children -- often due to child abuse or neglect -- outside of their own homes and into approved relative care or licensed foster
Early bird passes available now for this fall’s film festival
The Orcas Island Film Festival is a film lovers' dream with over 30 buzz-worthy, brand new films screened in state of the art cinemas in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Films at the Orcas Island Film Festival are, "the crème de la crème of the first-tier festival circuit," says Charles
Open enrollment now for summer and fall quarters at Skagit Valley College
-- from Arden Ainley for Skagit Valley College -- You belong here! Open Enrollment for all students is going on now for Summer and Fall quarters at Skagit Valley College. Summer classes start July 1 and Fall classes start September 24. Begin your college experience with us and save money
Master Gardeners Question Table will be setup to answer your gardening queries
Saturday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 5, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. -- from Dianne Macondray for Orcas Master Gardeners -- Announcing the Orcas Master Gardener’s Question Table at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday, June 1 and at Driftwood Nursery on Wednesday, June 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Both
Meet this year’s Indian Island youth steward fellowship award
-- from Russel Barsh for Kwiaht -- Emma Thoron is this year’s winner of the Robyn Lowe youth steward fellowship for Indian Island. The nonprofit conservation laboratory Kwiaht makes this $3,000 work-study award to an Orcas Island student each year. A senior at Orcas Island High School headed to Reed
State ferry on Bainbridge run collides with a gray whale
-- from KOMO News -- A ferry on the Seattle to Bainbridge Island run hit a gray whale Tuesday night in Elliott Bay, according to a Washington State Ferries spokesperson. At 8:18 p.m. the M/V Wenatchee left Colman dock, westbound toward Bainbridge Island. The whale breached in front of the
OPALCO awarded $5.8M to fund member energy efficiency projects
Switch it Up! puts thousands back in members’ pockets -- from Krista Bouchey for Orcas Power & Light Cooperative -- OPALCO is now offering on-bill financing for members who want to Switch it Up! and install super-efficient ductless heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and electric vehicle chargers. These upgrades
Guest Opinion | The Feds and the damage done
-- from Joseph Murphy -- When someone’s dogs are being pinched it is human nature to look aroundfor someone to blame. It is becoming more apparent by the day and hourthat the force which is most responsible for the ongoing damage to theway of life preferred by Islanders is us.
So where, how did Memorial Day first began? Depends upon your source
-- from Axios -- Library of Congress, LC-BH825-40 The history of Memorial Day is the subject of a longstanding academic smackdown, with dozens of cities and towns claiming to be the holiday’s birthplace, Axios' Jennifer Kingson reports. The backstory: Scholars agree that in 1868, three years after the Civil War’s end, Union
