Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
The Metals Company applied to the U.S. for a deep-sea mining license
||| FROM MONGABAY ||| Mere days after the Trump administration rolled out a controversial executive order directing the U.S. government to expedite the launch of deep-sea mining, The Metals Company (TMC) announced that it had applied for a license to mine the deep seabed. If approved, the Canadian firm, which
Trump takes a major step toward seabed mining in international waters
A new executive order pits the United States against the rest of the world over the question of who can exploit mineral resources in shared waters. ||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| President Trump has ordered the U.S. government to take a major step toward mining vast tracts of
Orcas Garden Club presents Margaret Payne, joyful gardener
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Please join us on Wednesday, May 21, at the Orcas Center when Orcas Island Garden Club welcomes Margaret Payne to describe helpful principles and practices to find joy in the garden and show us slides depicting deeply personal and joyful gardens in Mexico,
Underwater volcano reveals thousands of giant living eggs in breathtaking discovery that terrifies marine scientists
Beneath the ocean's surface, an astonishing discovery off the coast of Vancouver Island reveals thousands of giant, vibrant eggs nestled within an active underwater volcano, shedding light on the mysterious life cycles of deep-sea creatures and the extraordinary ecosystems that thrive in such extreme environments. ||| FROM SUSTAINABILITY TIMES |||
Plastic Free Salish Sea sets sail with San Juan Island Yacht Club, Washington State Parks
A fleet of volunteer boaters will cruise to Stuart, Sucia, and Jones Islands to remove marine debris and microplastics from state park shorelines that are otherwise difficult to access without private watercraft. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Plastic Free Salish Sea is thrilled to announce a new partnership
Learn how state and federal government is impacting the arts and humanities
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Inspire Washington is the state-wide advocacy organization for the cultural sector, promoting the value of science, heritage, and arts programming within every city, town, and hamlet. The team at Inspire Washington will be at Orcas Center on Thursday, May 8 from 4
2025 Comp Plan Update | Second draft available for review
Public comments regarding the second draft of amendments to the Comprehensive Plan can be submitted by May 15 for review at the Planning Commission meeting on May 16. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) as
Collapsing bird numbers in North America prompt fears of ecological crisis – research
Study using citizen data finds three-quarters of nearly 500 species in decline, with steepest trend in areas where they once thrived ||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| Bird populations across North America are falling most quickly in areas where they are most abundant, according to new research, prompting fears of ecological
A ferry sunny May Day protest in Friday Harbor
||| FROM STEVE BERNHEIM ||| Last Thursday, May Day May 1, five Orcas Island neighbors boarded the 12:50 pm interisland ferry bound for Friday Harbor, intending to test two hypotheses: 1) whether islanders protesting acts of a deranged lunatic can use the ferries to gather in one place and 2)
‘Worlds of Color” art show at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Visit Orcas Senior Center, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, May 5 through the end of June, to experience Worlds of Color—a vibrant two-person art exhibition featuring local artists Susan Slapin and Gail Anderson-Toombs. Gail, a self-taught
New EMTs at Orcas Fire and Rescue
||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS FIRE & RESCUE ||| Twelve community members (11 from Orcas and 1 from San Juan) have just completed the 2025 OIFR EMT Academy! After three months, including weekday and weekend training, the recruits are now in the process of taking their National Registry exams
Sheriff’s Report | April 23 – 29, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 25-002277 Vagrancy 13:22:35 04/23/25 Orcas Island Deputies responded to a report of illegal camping. Deputies found two vehicles that appeared to be setting up camp. The individuals were informed that camping was not permitted in the area. One driver
Hawaiʻi Legislature takes historic step toward a visitor ‘green fee’
If passed, the first-of-its-kind fee would raise millions of dollars annually to protect the state’s natural resources and make it more resilient to climate change. ||| FROM HONOLULU CIVIL BEAT ||| In a major win for conservationists, Hawaiʻi is poised after years of debate to finally approve a so-called “green
Midnight Mutterings | Pink smoke
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| Almost two weeks ago, on April 21, 2025, Pope Francis died. I have been touched by his life since he was elected by the Papal Conclave in 2015, after his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI resigned in ill health. Why am I so interested
An evening exploring environmental stewardship
||| FROM ELISE COPE for FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS ||| Friends of the San Juans and Salish Current are proud to co-host a special evening with journalist and author Lynda V. Mapes to celebrate her latest book, The Trees Are Speaking. Tuesday, May 13 5:00–7:00 PM (Doors open at
San Juan Islanders gather at each ferry terminal for May Day, International Workers’ Day
||| FROM INDIVISIBLE SAN JUAN ISLAND TEAM ||| On May 1st, Indivisible San Juan Islands, organized an event where islanders from each of the islands organized at their ferry terminals. The local group organized in sync with nationwide movements for International Workers’ Day, a public holiday in most countries. The aim was
