Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
Getting to Know Katherine | People-first leadership & proven results
Excellent council members bring neighbors together, build on community strengths, identify solutions by focusing on shared goals, and lead through change and crisis with empathy and compassion. I have a proven, professional track record of effective community facilitation, mediation, and equitable outcomes — even in circumstances where diverse viewpoints seemed irreconcilable. With the Lopez Island Prevention Coalition, I helped bu
In Memoriam | Doug Marshall
It is difficult to find the words to say goodbye to someone who has been an important part of my life. My beloved husband, Doug Marshall, passed away on September 15 with me by his side. Doug loved this island, and in 1995 made a decision to purchase property in West Sound and to build our retirement home. He loved the beauty of the island, the quiet moments, the familiar places, and most of […]
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Free immunization clinics for children to protect against influenza and COVID
Free influenza and COVID-19 immunizations for all children 6 months through 18 years old this October! Please note, while we hope to have sufficient COVID-19 vaccine availability, there may be shortages and delays in the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. Protect your family this fall and winter by bringing your child to one of our upcoming school-based walk-up immunization clinics. We will have vaccines to protect children against flu and it is anticip
Learn to fly in 2027
Three OAA scholarships now open Have you ever watched a small plane lift off Runway 34 at Orcas Island Airport and thought, “That could be me”? This year, it really could — and the island needs you up there. The Orcas Aviation Association (OAA) is now accepting applications for our 2027 Adult Private Pilot Scholarships, and we’ve expanded the program: three scholarships will be awarded this cycle, up from two in […]
Take charge of your health at upcoming Senior Center screening
Life Line Screening will be at Orcas Senior Center on Thursday, October 22 offering safe, painless, and non-invasive preventive health screenings—services not typically included in a routine physical. By participating, you can take a proactive step toward protecting your health and supporting your well-being, as well as that of your family and community. You can register online at llsa.social/HABC or call toll-free: 1-800-324-9458.
All San Juan County beaches closed to recreational shellfish harvesting
Due to high levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poison, all beaches are closed until further notice As of Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has closed recreational shellfish harvesting in San Juan County due to unsafe levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP). This closure includes all species of molluscan shellfish including clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters, and snails. PSP and other biotoxins are pois
Letter to Editor | Swanson will be a great addition to county council
I endorse Jennifer Swanson for County Council. She is a great listener, and strives for communication, not conflict, to resolve issues. She has worked to better our community through communication and respectful dialog. She considers all sides of an issue before making a decision, and will make a great addition to county council.
Orcas Youth Chorus is back
Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to work with local musician, Stormy Hildreth, for a reboot of the Orcas Youth Chorus! Middle and High School Students are welcome to attend this weekly class on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 in the Black Box to expand their musical theory and knowledge, rehearse using healthy vocal techniques, practice standing with poise and posture, and confidently sing rich harmonies with friends. Performance opportunities w
Shoe Drive provides shoes for 60 island children
The Orcas Community Resource Center is grateful to continue its long-time partnership with the Sons of the American Legion through the annual Shoe Drive, which provided shoes for 60 island children this year. This ongoing effort helps ensure local children have comfortable, properly fitting shoes for school, play, and everyday activities. For families, support like this can ease household expenses while helping children feel prepared for the months ah
Letter to Editor | My enthusiastic endorsement of Jennifer Swanson
I have been a voter in San Juan County for more than 50 years and am writing to enthusiastically endorse Jennifer Swanson for County Commissioner. Jennifer and I worked together on the Shaw Island school board for several years. During her term as chairman she was called upon to steer the board through the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a challenging time but Jennifer based her leadership on the facts and the science. […]
Japanese music masters Také to Ito perform at Odd Fellows
The sounds of traditional and contemporary Japanese music come to Orcas Island when Také to Ito, featuring koto master Curtis Patterson and shakuhachi master Bruce Huebner, perform at Odd Fellows Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 8. Také to Ito – a name evoking také (bamboo) and ito (string), brings together two musicians who have devoted much of their lives to the study and performance of Japanese music. Their […]
Leadership San Juan Islands to host open house
Leadership San Juan Islands invites you to an Alumni & Applicant Open House on Thursday, October 8, at 285 Geneste Street, Friday Harbor, between 3:30 and 7:00 PM. Join us for savories, sweets, libations and lively conversation. Hosted by our LSJI board, at the home of Steve Hushebeck, we look forward to reconnecting with members of prior cohorts and invite you to bring along an interested colleague/friend/family member as we […]
Letter to Editor | Ingman has our full support
This is to share how my husband and I know Katherine Bryant Ingman candidate for San Juan County Council District 3, and why she has our full support. We first met Katherine when we began to volunteer at the Lopez Food Share in 2020, during the Covid epidemic. Lopez has a long history of food generosity but as the impact of the epidemic hit the island like a tidal wave, the need […]
OISD Strategic Planning | Building our future together
The Orcas Island School District is beginning a new Strategic Planning process to help shape the future of our schools. The goal is to celebrate what’s working, identify opportunities for growth, and establish clear priorities that improve experiences and outcomes for students. Your voice matters! Listening sessions are being held for students, staff, families, caregivers, and community members to share their ideas, experiences, and hopes for the future.
David B. Williams comes to Orcas Library for ‘In the Range of Fire and Ice’
What stories can a mountain range tell? On Wednesday, October 7 at 6:00 p.m., the Orcas Island Public Library welcomes award-winning author and naturalist David B. Williams for a special conversation about his book, In the Range of Fire and Ice: A Human and Natural History of Washington’s Cascades. Williams will be joined in conversation by Amy Frost, Executive Director of the Lopez Island Historical Society. Blending human and natural history, […
Friday Harbor Poetry Gardens contest winners announced
The Town of Friday Harbor and Friday Harbor Arts Commission have announced the winners of their third Poetry Gardens Contest. A blind judging process was used to review 162 entries submitted by San Juan County residents. Selection of the 30 winning poems was made by current Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield who noted they make “a really strong, evocative selection” for the Poetry Gardens. Winning poems will be published […]
OCS students develop leadership skills at Sunset Lake Camp
Orcas Christian School high school and middle school students returned Thursday from a week at Sunset Lake Camp in Wilkeson, Washington, where they joined students from several small Adventist schools for activities focused on leadership, worship, teamwork and personal growth. OCS high school students arrived Sunday and helped prepare the camp before welcoming middle school students from OCS, Skagit Adventist School, Cypress Adventist School and Lewis County A
Orcas Center presents “No Time To Waste” + Jaeger & Reid
Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m. | Center Stage, Orcas Center Orcas Center will present an evening of documentary film and live music on Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m. on Center Stage. The program opens with “No Time To Waste,” a documentary about the late Betty Reid Soskin, the National Park Service ranger who retired from the Park Service at 100 years old. Soskin died at home at the end of […]
Soroptimists launch Live Your Dream award
Soroptimists International of Friday Harbor is now accepting applications for its annual Live Your Dream Award. The deadline is Nov. 15. This award of up to $4,000 is for a woman in San Juan County who is the primary support for her family; who is enrolled in a vocational training or other undergraduate educational program; and who has financial need. It can be used for any expenses incurred while […]
Your 2026 Friday Harbor Film Festival experience starts now
Plan your festival, reserve your seats The 2026 Film Guide and Festival Schedule are live, and passholders can now start building their Festival experience! With 34 feature documentaries and 20 shorts to choose from, plus a full rundown of the Program Guide, filmmakers, and everything else new this year, we’ve got the details in our latest blog post — read it before you start building your festival weekend. READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT The […]
I’m Not the Church Lady | I’m really tired of this
The other night, I was lying in bed ruminating about a conflict with a friend. You know how that goes—the conversation that isn’t actually happening is happening brilliantly in my head. What I could say. What I’m afraid to say. What I might say. What he might say if I say what I might say. Round and round. Then something in me said, “I’m really tired of this.” It wasn’t […]
Community budget with Council Chair Justin Paulsen event scheduled Sept. 30 on Lopez
The San Juan County Council Chair and District 2 Representative will hold a meeting with the community to discuss the County budget and related fiscal challenges at the Lopez Island Library Community Room from 5:30-7:00 p.m. San Juan County Council Chair and District 2 representative Justin Paulsen is hosting “Community Budget with County Council Chair Justin Paulsen” – an opportunity to hear the outline of how the County budget works, ask questions, a
Orcas Island Pride shares important information about ballots this November
So much of what we do as a Pride organization is centered around joy – but even we must sometimes contend with the reality that our rights are being threatened and actively being repealed in parts of the country. Many people like to think that Washington, and our little idyllic islands, are immune from the horrifying things happening in other states. Unfortunately, even here, in Washington state, which is considered a “sanctuary state” by […]