Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
PA’s office and District Court move to termporary offices while courthouse has seismic retrofit
San Juan County District Court and the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office are moving out of the historic courthouse to allow for structural renovations. The “seismic retrofit” will improve the safety of the building in case of an earthquake, and it is funded through a matching grant from the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Construction […]
Larsen Statement on Joint U.S.-Canada Oil Spill Response Exercise
WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 15, 2026 U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement: “On September 1, my staff observed a joint exercise between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard designed to simulate response efforts and coordination between our two countries in […]
Larsen Applauds $4.2 Million for Local Salmon Passage Restoration
WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 15, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) is awarding $4.2 million to the Skagit River System Cooperative (Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community) for restoring fish passage to support Similk Estuary Chinook salmon. “This is great news for fish!” said Rep. Larsen. “This […]
A message from Peggy Bill, SJC Conservation Land Bank Commission chair
Submitted by San Juan County.
Leadership San Juan Islands invites applications for Cohort XVIII
Submitted by Leadership San Juan Islands.
September at the library: More art
The display case at the Orcas Island Library this September features art by Christina (Chris) Frausto. Frausto is a renowned artist, curator and educator whose book-related art spans over 30 years. She has served as curator of art for Ontario International Airport, been a featured artist for the Smithsonian Maloof Foundation, been a board member for several arts organizations and been a teacher helping folks learn book binding skills. Frausto’s goals include sharing her unusual hand-bound books
The Madrona Institute announces 2026 Request for Proposals for San Juan Islands Stewardship Fund grants
Submitted by The Madrona Institute.
Getting ready for Medicare
Is 2026 your year for joining Medicare? Medicare enrollment is not automatic for most people, so you’ll probably need to enroll with Social Security. Then you’ll have to decide what type of Medicare coverage you want. To make an informed decision about your coverage choices, you’ll need to understand a lot of new information.
OCS students explore ‘Love in Action’ through service
Middle and high school students at Orcas Christian School recently heard from guest speakers about serving others and putting their faith into action. Lauren Lombard, who coordinates service mission work abroad with the nonprofit education group EducareNow, spoke with students about serving communities through practical acts of compassion. Following her presentation, students worked in breakout groups to develop ways they could serve and show love to the Orcas Island community.
Meet Alexis Annis, OPAL’s new director of finance and operations
Submitted by OPAL Community Land Trust.
Budget updates from Sept. 8 meeting
The San Juan County Council continued discussing the budget at the County Council Regular Session on Sept. 8, projecting a challenging budget through 2030. County Manager Jessica Hudson and Council Chair Justin Paulsen reflected on a past Council meeting where Paulsen declared 2026 “The year of the budget,” with 2027 demanding the same attention as 2026, and Hudson alluded to further work on future budget years. Paulsen agreed with Hudson: “They turned ‘The Lord of the Rings’ into a trilogy. We’
Critical Areas Ordinance and Shoreline Master Program update process
Submitted by San Juan County.
2026 Assessment Change of Value Notices
Submitted by San Juan County.
Experience island life at its best: 2026 Farm Tours of the San Juans
Three weekends of farms, food, fiber and community on Lopez, San Juan and Orcas islands
Orcas Island Farmers Market Harvest Festival Sept. 26
Submitted by Erica Lyons.
Voters invited to meet candidates in October forums | Letter
This October, San Juan County voters will have a chance to hear directly from the candidates running for two important local offices: County Auditor and County Council District 3.
Vote, vote, vote | Letter
Please vote!
Play for pride, pleasure, prizes at upcoming Library event
Calling all book lovers, trivia buffs, and literary know-it-alls! Put all those hours spent with your nose in a book to good use at Literary Trivia, Thursday, September 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Orcas Island Public Library. Gather a team of 2–4 and get ready for four rounds of ten questions covering everything from beloved classics and literary genres to books-to-film, famous quotes, banned books, and a few surprises along […]
Meeting tonight | EWUA’s recurring governance problem
EWUA’s Board meets tonight, September 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. at the Orcas Fire Hall EWUA’s Board meets tonight, September 15, 2026, at 5 p.m. at the Orcas Fire Hall. As of this morning, EWUA has not emailed or posted an agenda or formal notice containing the meeting details and anticipated business. The most recent posted minutes are from June; the July entry says no meeting occurred. EWUA website That is not an isolated oversight. […]
Larsen applauds $4.2 Million for local salmon passage restoration
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) is awarding $4.2 million to the Skagit River System Cooperative (Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community) for restoring fish passage to support Similk Estuary Chinook salmon. “This is great news for fish!” said Rep. Larsen. “This funding will give the Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe and
‘Coffee with Kari’ offers islanders on San Juan time with Councilmember Kari McVeigh
The fourth ‘Coffee with Kari’ of the year will take place on San Juan on September 19 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Skagit Valley College San Juan Center in Friday Harbor District 1 Council representative Kari McVeigh is hosting another ‘Coffee with Kari’ event on San Juan Island – an opportunity to ask questions, hear the latest County news, and chat about what matters to locals. McVeigh began hosting these open-house style meetings last […]
Paws, pedals, and people this weekend at Orcas airport
Orcas Island airport has been part of our community since the 1940s. Most of us have stood at the fence, watched from Mt Baker Road, or picked someone up at our small terminal more times than we can remember. But almost nobody has ever actually stood on the runway. That’s always been for pilots and staff — and that makes sense, it’s a working runway, not a walking path. But with […]
Land Bank to hold monthly meeting
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting Friday, September 18. The meeting is scheduled from 8:30am – 11:10am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the Orcas Island Fire Hall, 45 Lavender Lane, Eastsound, WA. The public is invited to attend. Click HERE to download the agenda (includes Zoom meeting link) and meeting materials.
Larsen statement on joint U.S.-Canada oil spill response exercise
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02), top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement: “On September 1, my staff observed a joint exercise between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard designed to simulate response efforts and coordination between our two countries in the event of an oil spill in shared waters. “This type of collaboration across the b