Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
WSF Weekly Report | WSF receives national recognition; end of DST; winter schedule Nov 1
A message from Steve I’m proud to share that Washington State Ferries has been named a 2026 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration. This national recognition highlights the work our Training Team and employees across the system do to build the next generation of maritime professionals. Since 2022, we’ve hired and trained 324 ordinary seafar
SJICF to Offer Workshop, Understanding Nonprofit 990s, for Donors, Board Members, and Organizational Leaders
As the first of a new workshop series, the San Juan Island Community Foundation (SJICF) invites nonprofit donors, board members, and leadership to a workshop entitled Understanding Nonprofit 990s on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the San Juan Island Community Foundation offices at 640 Mullis Steet in Friday Harbor. Each year, most […]
San Juan Fire employment opportunity as Logistics Director
San Juan County Fire Protection District No. 3 is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Logistics Director, a full-time exempt administrative leadership position reporting directly to the Fire Chief. Position Details • Position: Logistics Director • Department: Administration • Reports To: Fire Chief • FLSA Status: Exempt • Work Schedule: 40-hour work week • Anticipated Start Date: January 2027 Salary and Benefits • Starting Salary: $114,000 a
Interactive Food System Plan now live on San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild website
By Caitlin Leck
Easements keep the co-op running
Submitted by the Orcas Power & Light Cooperative.
Michael T. Bosworth | Passages
1947–2026
Guest Opinion | San Juan Islands need an AI skills test for small businesses
Washington is receiving a new federal industry-driven workforce training grant. The state’s listed industries include AI and data-center infrastructure, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. But people working in small island businesses also deserve the skills to assess automated decisions. Consider an inn whose AI reservation assistant promises a ferry connection that cannot work, or a shop whose automated inventory tool suggests buyin
County moves forward with belonging, equity and inclusion efforts
San Juan County will continue diversifying its workforce and building a more inclusive workplace, building on efforts started in 2023. Goals include all underrepresented groups, including the county’s growing Hispanic and Latino community, which was the most underrepresented demographic in county employment.
Washington, Denmark establish formal ties around maritime and industrial expertise
SEATTLE — Governor Bob Ferguson and Ambassador Karen Eva Abrahamsen, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Denmark in the United States established a new era in trade and partnership between Washington and Denmark with the signing of the first cooperative agreement between the two regions. Photos from the event are available here. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the State of Washington and the Royal Danish Embassy to ad
WSF Weekly Report | Running the numbers; Colman clock; Maritime Blue’s One Ocean Week
A message from Steve It’s easy to become discouraged by the challenges facing Washington State Ferries. Aging vessels, financial constraints and service disruptions are very real problems, and customers sometimes question whether things are getting better. It’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong instead of what is going right. Last week, October 12-18, we completed 99.26% of our 2,850 scheduled sailings. Every cancelled sailing matters to th
Town to match $7,500 in November donations to the food bank
Donations made in November to the Town of Friday Harbor’s “Harbor Life Ring” utility assistance fund will again be matched up to a total of $7,500 and forwarded to the Friday Harbor Food Bank. Anyone may donate at Town Hall. Utility customers may also donate by marking the Harbor Life Ring line item on their […]
News Brief | One-quarter of data centers are located in water-stressed areas, study shows
Data centers need water to stay cool and functional, and lots of it: The larger facilities can consume as much water a day as a town of 50,000 people, and because much of the cooling involves evaporation, freshwater is often preferred. That raises serious questions about the environmental impact of the cloud compute we use to run AI queries, host photos and videos, stream music, and all the rest. Researchers are trying to get a […]
2026 Winter Flea & Craft Market returns December 5th & 6th
Each year the San Juan County Fairgrounds hosts the Winter Flea & Craft Market in the Main Exhibit Hall. Local vendors showcase a variety of handmade gifts and unique second-hand items for sale making this the perfect event to find gifts for all the special people on your list. Whether you’re seeking a venue to showcase your latest creations or searching for the perfect spot to do your holiday shopping, the Winter Flea […]
Dec. 5 and 6: Winter Flea & Craft Market at county fairground
Each year the San Juan County Fairgrounds hosts the Winter Flea & Craft Market in the Main Exhibit Hall. Local vendors showcase a variety of handmade gifts and unique second-hand items for sale making this the perfect event to find gifts for all the special people on your list. Whether you’re seeking a venue to […]
EWUA members petition to explore public ownership
More than 50 EWUA memberships have signed a petition supporting a formal, non binding evaluation of whether Eastsound’s water utility should be transferred to public ownership through the Eastsound Sewer and Water District (ESWD). Bringing water and sewer together could offer important community benefits: Shared operators, equipment, facilities, administration, emergency response, and long-term planning. Access to public grants, loans, and inf
EWUA Board Meeting | Public utility petition, Clark Well costs, Board election
The Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) Board met Tuesday evening, October 20, 2026 with several notable developments involving public ownership, capital expenditures, and the upcoming Board election. Members Preparing Petition to Explore Public Ownership During the meeting’s only public comment, an EWUA member informed the Board that a group of members is preparing a petition requesting a feasibility study of transitioning EWUA to public ownership through a pot
Meet Bethany Hansen, OPAL’s new expense accountant and CRM specialist
We’re excited to welcome Bethany Hansen to the OPAL team as our new expense accountant and CRM specialist!
Odd Fellows annual Firewood Raffle
Submitted by the Odd Fellows.
Decatur Island residents demand halt to OPALCO solar expansion project at board meeting
Co-op members cite costs, fire safety and a strained relationship
Auditor race: Heather Lee versus Natasha Warmenhoven
Heather Lee was chief deputy auditor to current auditor Natasha Warmenhoven until March.
Jeremy Nash: Heads Up Friday Harbor, Utility Rates!
The Town of Friday Harbor is getting ready to raise utility rates again. At Thursday’s Town Council meeting, staff proposed 2027 increases of 7.5 percent for water, 3 percent for sewer, 4.5 percent for refuse and 25 percent for stormwater. For an in-town single family residence, the Town’s example would take the basic monthly charges […]
Jon Stewart interviews former Anthropic, OpenAI researcher
Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher who spoke out about the dangers of artificial intelligence, opens up to Jon Stewart about the grim reality of the tech industry— from malicious hacks to potential biological attacks. The two discuss the future, AI-led utopia that tech companies are trying to sell us, the megalomania and riskiness that underlie the industry, and the terrifying capabilities Coxon witnessed while training AI models at Anthropic and Op
Letter to Editor | Jennifer Swanson will represent all of San Juan County
Having served eight years on the San Juan County Council, participated in the Ferry Advisory Committee, and spent much of my life operating small businesses on Orcas Island, I know firsthand the challenges of representing our island communities. That experience is why I am proud to support Jennifer Swanson for San Juan County Council, District 3. Jennifer brings something especially valuable to public service: kindness, honesty, independence, and a genuine willingness t
Merri Ann Simonson: San Juan Island and County real estate market summary
The third quarter results for San Juan Island and San Juan County, for the most part, reflected a downward direction when compared to 2025 for the same period in both volume and transaction numbers. Per the NWMLS, the dollar volume year-to-date on San Juan Island was $108,388,919 with a total of 99 transactions. This reflects […]