Island News
Orcas Christian students serve, connect during Spring mission trip
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| Students from Orcas Christian School are turning a spring trip into an opportunity to serve, connect and grow during their recent visit to Hilo, Hawaii. The group departed Orcas Island on the evening of Wednesday, March 18, beginning a long journey that took them first to Kona before continuing by road across the island to Hilo. After arriving in the early morning hours of March 19, students took a short rest before jumping straight […]
Letter to Editor | Springing forward
||| FROM SUZETTE LAMB ||| Having recently gone through the sometimes jarring reset of moving our clocks ahead, I’ve been thinking about the concept of “springing forward.” As I look around our property and drive to and from town, there are signs of nature moving into the next season everywhere: daffodils, cherry blossoms, young green leaves on our blackberry and raspberry canes, and even some delightfully plump orange-bottomed bumblebees lazily feasting on bright yellow dandelions. They are all
Spring ferry schedule begins March 22
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Reminder – Our spring sailing schedule starts on Sunday, March. 22 and lasts through Saturday, June 13. All routes will operate on their regular spring schedule. Highlights of the spring schedule: Port Townsend/Coupeville: A second vessel will operate every Friday through Monday starting May 10. Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: Three-boat service returns on the weekends. Seattle/Bremerton: The route returns to its regular schedule after a revised winter s
Midnight Mutterings | Radio
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| The news today is that CBS Radio News, which was founded in 1928, is now kaput. Really? Is that even possible? As I am writing this on Friday night, 3/20/2026, I am also reading this news. All staff will be laid off as a result. I assume that CBS television will continue at least for now… Radio has always been important in my life. My natal family was later than most to come […]
Sheriff’s Report | March 11 – 17, 2026
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 26-001410 Citizen Assist 12:57:55 03/11/26 An Orcas Island Deputy responded to a citizen needing assistance with trespassing individuals from their property. The individuals were trespassed, and the incident was documented. 26-001413 Found Property 16:41:23 03/11/26 An Orcas Island Deputy took possession of found property. A small backpack with multiple items within was found by public works along Orcas Rd near Eastsound. The item
Latest from Lekanoff | Reflecting on the Legislative session
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| As the legislative session comes to a close, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on the work we’ve done together, and looking ahead to the season before us. Spring is arriving here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, bringing longer days, fresh air, and a sense of renewal. It’s a time to slow down, to ground ourselves, and to reconnect with the land, with one another, and with the communities we […]
Bernie vs. Claude | A couple of revealing AI chats
||| FROM YOUTUBE ||| Also see: But, wait! There’s more
Grow Your Own Food | Free basic gardening class series
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Community members interested in growing their own vegetables this spring are invited to register for Grow Your Own Food – A Hands-On Gardening Series, a free, four‑part lunchtime program designed to help new gardeners gain practical, ready-to-use skills. Hosted by Washington State University San Juan County Extension Master Gardeners, the series will feature live demonstrations, step‑by‑step instruction, and opportunities for participant questions. Wi
Letter to Editor | Thank you for making Soda Shop Sock Hop a success
||| FROM JAKE PERRINE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center held Soda Shop Sock Hop fundraising events before the last two Saturday performances of Grease, which would not have been possible without the donation of time and food from the Lower Tavern. Thank you to Katie O’Rourke and her team for cooking and cleaning and doing it all with a smile. We also received an ice cream donation from Clever Cow Creamery to make delicious ice cream sodas to go […]
Port to meet on Monday
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will hold a Regular Meeting on Monday, March 23rd at 4:00 p.m. online via Zoom and in-person at the airport terminal conference room. Access and agenda information can be found at portoforcas.com.
WSF Weekly Report | 4th Annual Career Day; Walla Walla crew makes rescue
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| For several years now, it’s been a priority to grow and stabilize our workforce. One way we are doing that is by partnering with local schools to get young adults interested in maritime. Today, we hosted nearly 200 students at our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for our fourth annual Career Day. They learned about the many jobs we offer on our ferries, at our terminals and in our trades shops. The […]
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
My Warning to Washington State | Republicans are trying to make it harder for you to vote
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF SEN. PATTY MURRAY |||
Community Meeting | Provide feedback on new facility at Odlin County Park on Lopez Island
The project has cancelled the request for bids, and the public is invited to a community meeting to learn more, ask questions, and provide feedback ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Parks, Recreation, & Fair Department is seeking feedback on plans to construct a new facility for the County Parks operation on Lopez Island. The facility is planned to serve as a visitor contact station, maintenance facility, and office for park rangers on Lopez Island. […]
Letter to Editor | Eastsound Water’s Clark Well update raises more questions than it answers
||| FROM CORY HARRINGTON ||| Eastsound Water’s latest installment in its Clark Well series (Episode #5) focuses heavily on history, engineering evolution, and inflation. It walks readers through a 2006 concept design, explains how treatment standards have changed, and argues that a project once estimated at $600,000 would reasonably cost around $1.2 million today. That may all be true. But it’s not what members have been asking. The central issue is not whether a project designed in 2006 would c
Auditions | An ATOI Production anxiously anticipated this July
||| FROM LYNDA SANDERS for ACTORS THEATER OF ORCAS ISLAND ||| Moon Over Buffalo is a delightful farce with a whirlwind of hilarious misunderstandings and madcap adventures. This play celebrates the passions and predicaments of theater life, making it a heartfelt tribute to the dedicated “theatre hams” everywhere. In “Moon Over Buffalo,” a delightful and hilarious backstage farce by Ken Ludwig, we meet Charlotte and George Hay, a struggling acting duo on tour in Buffalo in 1953. Their repertoire
Let’s talk public transit for Orcas & the San Juans
||| FROM COLIN WILLIAMS for FRIENDS OF RURAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ||| You’re Invited to a Community Meeting Hosted by the Friends of Rural Public Transportation, Thursday, March 26, 2026, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, Orcas Island Public Library Community Room Imagine Orcas & the San Juan Islands where… You can hop on a bus from the ferry to Eastsound, Doe Bay, or Deer Harbor. Kids can get to activities independently. Neighbors have reliable backup transportation when their car is in the […]
Library presents Ken Burns’ The American Revolution
Sunday, March 29 | 1–3 PM | Orcas Center Free and open to all ages ||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY ||| Join the Orcas Island Public Library for a special community screening of selections from Ken Burns’ powerful new documentary, The American Revolution, followed by a thoughtful civic conversation about the founding of our nation — and what it means today. After viewing a portion of the film at the Orcas Center, attendees are invited to stay […]
Weather Alert | Heavy rainfall
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Seattle WA 1211 PM PDT Thu Mar 19 2026 San Juan County-Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties- Cascades of Snohomish and Northern King Counties- Cascades of Southern King County- Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties- Foothills and Valleys of the North Cascades- Foothills and Valleys of Snohomish and Northern King Counties- Foothills and Valleys of Central King County- Foothills and Valleys of Pierce and So
Medicare’s preventive benefits | Why they matter
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Taking care of your health before problems arise is essential—and Medicare helps make that possible. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers many preventive services to detect conditions early. Medicare Part B also includes an annual wellness visit, a yearly appointment to review your health and create a personalized prevention plan. Many preventive services are available at no cost, meaning no deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance. These benefi
County Health & Community Services publishes its 2025 impact report
Immunizations, dental care, meals for seniors, affordable housing, early learning, and so much more! ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Department of Health & Community Services has released its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting the programs, services, and partnerships that supported the health and well-being of islanders across the county over the past year. “I am proud to present this report to our community and to celebrate the achievements made this past year,” sa
No jury duty March 23-27
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: MARCH 23-27, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the jury term beginning Monday, March 23rd through Friday, March 27th, 2026, are excused. Thank you!
Guest Opinion | Paul Ehrlich was early, not wrong
||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| When Paul Ehrlich died recently (March 13, 2026), many of the obituaries and articles about him repeated a familiar judgment: he was alarmist, even brilliant, but ultimately wrong. His 1968 book, The Population Bomb, warned of mass famine and ecological collapse that did not arrive on schedule. Critics still point to the famous Simon–Ehrlich wager as proof that he misunderstood the future and missed the advances in our capabilities to extract “resources” (i.e. natur
Orcas Choral Society is weaving an American choral tapestry
||| FROM LYNN BAKER for ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY ||| Songs of three centuries swirl through the Orcas Center every Tuesday and Thursday this spring, as the Orcas Choral Society prepares, An American Choral Tapestry, a concert of works by American composers to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. “In only 250 years, our young country has overseen the expansion of older forms and contributed major genres to world culture, including jazz, rock and roll, and musical theater,” said OCS Artistic Directo