Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
Decatur Island residents demand halt to OPALCO solar expansion project at board meeting
Co-op members cite costs, fire safety and a strained relationship
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
I am pleased to share my strong support for Katherine Bryant Ingman. I worked closely with Katherine during the pandemic as we strengthened hunger relief systems across San Juan County. Throughout that challenging time, I witnessed her ability to balance immediate needs with long-term solutions. She brought clarity, creativity, and a steady hand to complex challenges, contributing to our community’s access to food with consistency and dignity.
Jennifer builds community through service and hard work | Letter
I have known Jennifer for 20 years. She is a thoughtful, inclusive leader who brings people with diverse opinions together to find solutions.
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Katherine Bryant Ingman has the vision, strength of leadership and proven negotiating skills to take care of business for the people of San Juan County. She has proven problem solving ability and a collaborative leadership style needed to address the current issues facing San Juan County. I admire her practical understanding for what resources are needed to solve complex long-term problems.
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
I am grateful that we have two well-qualified candidates running for County Council in San Juan County. Thanks to both for making the effort. It is great to have options!
Katherine Bryant Ingman gets things done | Letter
District Three deserves a Councilmember who District Three voters chose. That’s Katherine Bryant Ingman. Between Katherine and Jennifer Swanson, primary voters of District Three voted 61% to 39% for Katherine. There are differences between the two candidates.
Deadline approaching: Pay your property taxes before Oct. 31
Submitted by San Juan County.
Assessor’s Office presents the Levy Transparency Tool
Submitted by San Juan County.
Auditor race: Heather Lee versus Natasha Warmenhoven
Heather Lee was chief deputy auditor to current auditor Natasha Warmenhoven until March.
Inspired by the women running for office
It’s easy to get lost in the drama that emerges during elections in small communities. Even without pots intentionally stirred, there’s an inherent mess that comes from running against your former boss, or current boss (gulp!), who may or may not be less easy to work with on the other side of the campaign.
Meta’s new commercial terms will allow the scraping of news sites, legal experts say
By Andrew Deck and Hanaa’ Tameez
Orcas Island Fire & Rescue bonds available to local investors | Sponsored content
Submitted by Orcas Island Fire & Rescue.
Don’t dismantle San Juan County’s Environmental Stewardship | Letter
Katherine Bryant Ingman has the vision, strength of leadership and proven negotiating skills to take care of business for the people of San Juan County. She has proven problem solving ability and a collaborative leadership style needed to address the current issues facing San Juan County. I admire her practical understanding for what resources are needed to solve complex long-term problems.
Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
Sometimes, in public life, people emerge who quietly hold the community together. Jennifer Swanson is one of them. In an archipelago where daily life depends on the weather, the ferry, and a willingness to listen, she has built her leadership with patience, steadiness, and attention to others.
Islands’ Sounder and Journal of the San Juans receive General Excellence in 2026 WNPA Better Newspaper Contest
San Juan Group newspapers combine for 24 awards, including a sweep of Crime & Court Story reporting
Support for Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
A Letter to All Islanders
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
Katherine Bryant Ingman is the breath of fresh air San Juan County needs right now. We are struggling to find our footing between financial troubles and a growing mountain of needs. The old ways have not worked. New ways, new ideas, new leadership are needed.
Katherine Bryant Ingman is a leader who has lived it | Letter
I believe elected officials should understand what it means to walk in the shoes of the people they represent. That means knowing what it’s like to work multiple jobs to pay the bills, and to worry about affording healthcare and keeping a roof over their heads. For many people in this county, a steady paycheck, affordable healthcare, and a secure home are not givens. Worrying about them keeps families up at night. I want a leader who knows what our neighbors are dealing with, and the best way to
Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
I have known Jennifer since 2013 soon after I moved to Shaw Island. Since then she has served as a Shaw School board member and the superintendent, a Ferry Advisory Board member, the founder of the Shaw Island Brown Bag Lunch monthly community meeting, a Shaw Islanders Inc board member and the chair of the Shaw Library and Historical Society Education Committee.
Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
We are writing to offer our wholehearted support for Jennifer Swanson for county council.
Protecting your vote | Letter
Many people have shared their concerns about election security with me and how election officials can address those concerns. I believe the biggest issues are cybersecurity, ballot security, chain of custody, staffing, and misinformation.
Jennifer Swanson for County Council | Letter
I write to highlight the profound actions SJC Council candidate longtime-islander Jennifer Swanson’s taken in our community, which are easily applied to the larger islands. Most notably, she has served as an elected official for repeated terms as a school district board member (and also board chair), and then as appointed superintendent.
OPALCO brings member conversations to the community | Letter
OPALCO has established a great new member outreach effort that has been very successful. I just wanted to reach out to the members and community in-general and highlight the “Chat with the OPALCO team” informal community meetings that we have been hosting and to extend an invitation to participate. We have hosted three of these thus far over the last few months, one on Orcas, one in Friday Harbor and one on Lopez. We return to Orcas next week for one scheduled at the OPALCO office in Eastsound n
Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council | Letter
I was talking with a friend from San Juan Island and asked what he would think about someone from Stuart Island as the San Juan Island representative on the County Council. His response was that it would be a problem; different culture, different issues and the likely inability to understand San Juan Island’s people and priorities. I then sought out a friend from Orcas Island and asked what she would think about their Council representative coming from Waldron. She responded “no way” for the sam