Island News
Chandelle Anderson oil paintings featured at Artworks
||| FROM B.J. ARNOLD for ORCAS ISLAND ARTWORKS ||| The Orcas Island Artworks features new paintings in oil by Chandelle Anderson through the month of June. Chandelle is a new member of Orcas Island Artworks. Alongside her ceramic work, Chandelle also enjoys painting and drawing. This series began as an experiment in color perception. She says “the process is meditative and methodical. Translucent layers of blue, yellow, and red, are applied separately between semi-opaque layers of white. Each l
Emmanuel Episcopal offers Wednesday musical series to benefit music scholarship fund
||| FROM JEFFRY STEELE for EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH ||| I am writing to announce another summer of our Wednesday noon series. Admission is by free-will offering to benefit the Emmanuel music scholarship fund in support of Orcas Island students attending music camps. 7/1 Orcatrazz: Swingin’ & Rockin’ Featuring the great swing band dance music of the early years 7/8 Turtleback Brass: From Medieval to Modern Some new ones and some old favorites 7/15 The Irthlingz Duo: Harmony, Humor & Healing Shar
Health Care District communication regarding clinic provider transition
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| We are appreciative of the outpouring of support for Dr. Simpson-Manske. We are grateful for the compassionate care that Dr. Simpson-Manske has provided while employed with Island Health. We acknowledge that a provider transition is challenging on those that had built a relationship with a provider, we are sorry for the impact that the transition will have on many in our community. As we mention below, both Island Health and the Health […]
I’m Not the Church Lady | Learning to Unlean
Who Could I Be in My Enoughness? ||| I’M NOT THE CHURCH LADY by ROSIE KUHN ||| Something essential about me is not enough yet. Recently, I realized the degree to which I’ve been living in a constant lean. Whether it’s leaning towards relationships with businesspeople, clients or family, I’m not centered in myself. I’m ungrounded. And I’ve been living in this uncentered, ungrounded leaning for so long. I thought this was me. My leaning is towards ensuring people see […]
Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union to open Orcas Island branch, bringing year-round financial services to the San Juan Islands
Submitted by the Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union.
Four volunteer positions open on the county’s Parks and Recreation commission
There are four positions on San Juan County Parks and Recreation Commission that need to be filled. Two from Orcas Island, one from Lopez Island, and one from Shaw Island. he Commission is an advisory body comprised of volunteer representatives that recommends actions and policies to the Council. The Commission meets virtually on the third […]
20 Washington state employees recognized for saving the state more than $1 million
OLYMPIA – The Productivity Board, a state employee incentive program of the Office of the Secretary of State, voted unanimously, Thursday, to approve recognition of three teams of Washington state employees and two individual state workers for their suggestions to reduce costs, saving over $1.09 million in taxpayer money. In total, 20 employees across three teams […]
Letter to Editor | Health Care District responds to concern from community
||| FROM CHRIS CHORD for ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| I’m sharing this information as the Superintendent for the Orcas Island Health Care District. I’ve tried to respond to most of those on this thread by email, as they have reached out to me. I am sharing this information to ensure that those who do not use Facebook, or who have not reached out directly to the district, know how to share their concerns with Island Health and the […]
Sheriff’s Report | May 20 – 27, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 26-002857 Suspicious Person/Circumstance 09:16:43 05/20/26 A man was arrested for a violation of a protection in Friday Harbor. The order is active and valid out of Whatcom County. He was transported to the Sheriff’s Office and booked into jail. 26-002859 Fraud 09:56:35 05/20/26 An Orcas Island Deputy responded to a fraud incident in the Eastsound area. The Deputy learned that the victim incurred a significantly large financial loss
Midnight Mutterings | Planning
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| Pretty sure not one of us thinks planning for aging is simple. First of all, we have to decide at what age we will be officially old. That is until there’s really no question that time passed a long time ago. Then we have to guess how long that time of being old will last. Sometimes the short length of time is obvious, if remarkably painful. As when we have a diagnosis that […]
Letter to Editor | Why?
||| FROM SUSAN MUSTARD ||| Yesterday I was shocked to learn that Dr. Jennifer Simpson-Manske is no longer at Island Primary Care – Orcas. And yet, I have appointments with her in early fall on my calendar! For a good number ol years, I had suffered with unusual physical issues. My doctor at the time reassured me over time that I was fine. He thought I probably had heart problems. I did not have heart problems. When I learned, more […]
Orcas Island shines at state with golf title, track qualifiers and baseball postseason run
By Declan O’Malley
Friday Harbor’s 4th of July theme is: “Cheers to 250 Years!”
The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for the 2026 July 4th Parade, and this year’s theme is “Cheers to 250 Years!” If anyone deserves a BIG birthday celebration, it’s America. Parade lovers, float builders, and anyone who owns more craft supplies than they’ll admit, this is your time to shine! Entry […]
June 8: The Nature Record Community Conversation in Friday Harbor
The Whale Museum, UW Friday Harbor Laboratories, Friends of the San Juans and San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship are excited to announce a public engagement event on June 8 from 6:00-8:00 PM PT at Brickworks Event Center in Friday Harbor, Washington with Director Phillip Levin and other leaders and authors from The Nature […]
Washington Secretary of State Response to USPS Proposed Rule on Ballot Mail
OLYMPIA — On Friday, May 29, the U.S. Postal Service released a proposed rule for handling ballot mail in federal elections in alignment with Executive Order 14399 regarding elections. “This is an unnecessary rule and does nothing to provide security in our elections. We’ll continue to evaluate and provide feedback to the USPS,” Secretary of […]
Schools Out party coming to Village Green
||| FROM FUNHOUSE COMMONS |||
News Brief | Blond Bangladeshi buffalo nicknamed ‘Donald Trump’ saved from Eid sacrifice
||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| A rare albino buffalo in Bangladesh nicknamed “Donald Trump” for its distinctive blond tuft has been spared from Eid al-Adha sacrifice after a last-minute government intervention. “At the last moment, the decision was taken to spare the buffalo from sacrifice due to security concerns and the unusual level of public interest,” a ministry official said. Mridha said the animal was unusually gentle and needed careful upkeep, including frequent feeding and regular baths. REA
CWR logs another Bigg’s encounter
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 11:15 AM ObservEnd: 12:48 PM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson Pods: Bigg’s killer whales IDsEncountered: T011A, T046B, T046B2, T046B2B, T046B3, T046B3A, T046B4, T046B6, T046B7, T046B8 LocationDescr: Sansum Narrows EncSummary: Mark left Victoria on Mike 1 at 0930 en route to Galiano Island with hopes to find some Bigg’s along the way. Shortly after departing, he received a report of a group of killer whales southbound ne
The Nature Record comes to Friday Harbor for a public engagement event
||| FROM CONOR AGNEW for THE WHALE MUSEUM ||| The Whale Museum, UW Friday Harbor Laboratories, Friends of the San Juans and San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship are excited to announce a public engagement event on June 8 from 6:00-8:00 PM PT at Brickworks Event Center in Friday Harbor, Washington with Director Phillip Levin and other leaders and authors from The Nature Record. The Nature Record is working with hundreds of scientists, subject-matter-experts, graphic artists, an
Letter to Editor | I’ve lost my doctor on Orcas
||| FROM ANJI RINGZIN ||| I want to share my concern about the recent ‘letting go” of Dr. Jennifer Simpson-Manske from Island Primary Care – Orcas — and to invite others in our community who feel the same way to speak up. My granddaughter and I were so happy that we had found Dr. Simpson-Manske – she listened carefully, cared for patients of all ages, and felt like a genuine part of island life. She was exactly the kind of […]
Early chamber music from Salish Sea Early Music Festival
||| FROM JEFFREY COHAN for SALISH SEA EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ||| 2026 SALISH SEA EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ~ early chamber music on period instruments on Orcas Island ~ WHAT: BACH & JACQUET Johann Sebastian Bach and Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre WHEN: Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM WHERE: Orcas Adventist Fellowship Chapel at 107 Enchanted Forest Road in Eastsound ADMISSION: suggested donation: $20 to $30 (a free will offering), […]
WSF Weekly Report | Celebration of WSF 75th Anniversary
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve A lot of people have been asking what we have planned for our 75th anniversary. For months now there’s been a bunch of things in the works. With June 1 just days away, I’m excited to share a rundown of how we’re going to celebrate this milestone. Festivities begin tomorrow, May 29, when KISW-FM 99.9 “The Rock” broadcasts its morning show from a ferry on our Edmonds/Kingston […]
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
OIHS track and field at state championships
Submitted by Amy Carlson and The Booster Club.