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
October 20: Community Meeting: Agate Beach County Park Updates & Road Relocation on Lopez Island
MacKaye Harbor Rd and the Agate Beach County Park on Lopez Island are scheduled for infrastructure updates in 2027. Reconstruction of MacKaye Harbor Road and the Agate Beach County Park parking area will help protect access to public, private, and tribal lands, while navigating the impacts of coastal erosion. Nearby property owners and Lopez Islanders […]
Letter to the Editor | Decatur’s open-space decision deserves countywide attention
San Juan County’s October 1 approval relocating recorded open space for OPALCO’s proposed Decatur solar expansion raises questions that matter throughout our islands. The County acknowledges that portions of the replacement open space overlap land already protected by a Native Growth Area covenant. It maintains that those protections remain enforceable and that the revised configuration meets conservation requirements. County explanation But maintaining a perce
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
Letter to Editor | Homes we can afford, islands we must protect
Two of my four priorities as a candidate, affordable housing and protecting our environment, are really about the same thing: keeping these islands a healthy, desirable and affordable place where people can live, work and thrive for generations. Expanding access to the full spectrum of affordable housing starts with the people already doing the work. We have experienced housing experts and non-profits on each of our major islands, along with the Home Fund, a targete
Governor Ferguson sends video to Trump Administration to support Washington’s request for wildfire assistance
OLYMPIA – To support Washington’s request for federal assistance following this summer’s devastating wildfires, Governor Bob Ferguson is sending a video to the Trump Administration to help show the severity of the damage. The video is available for download here, and features interviews with impacted residents, and bipartisan leaders calling on the federal government to approve Washington’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration. The Governor’s
Letter to Editor | Questions every OPALCO member should ask
Whether we live on Shaw, Orcas, Lopez, San Juan, or an outer island, we share an interest in OPALCO’s spending, reliable electricity, and accountable decisions. The proposed Decatur solar expansion raises questions that belong to every cooperative member. What will members pay over the project’s life, and what purchased-power costs will it actually avoid? OPALCO should publish an independent financial review, including financing, maintenance, equipment replacem
Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens come to Orcas with Barb Faville
Submitted by the Orcas Island Garden Club.
Land Bank October 2026 meeting and agenda
The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting October 16. The meeting is scheduled from 8:45am – 11:10am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the Mullis Community Senior Center, located at 589 Nash Street, Friday Harbor, WA. The public is invited to attend. Click HERE to download the agenda (includes Zoom meeting link) and meeting materials.
Construction begins on Orcas Landing Marine Facility Improvements ahead of Re-Opening in 2027
SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. October 14, 2026 – Repairs to the pilings at the public dock in Eastsound are expected to begin in November. This much-anticipated project will address key maintenance needs and restore seasonal use of the dock. With the project’s design, permitting, and bidding now complete, construction is being scheduled to take place this […]
NEWS BRIEF | Hostile Waters: Orcas in peril
The Seattle Times will continue to explore and expose the plight of the southern resident killer whales, among the most-enduring symbols of our region. We’ll examine the role we have played in their decline, what we can do about it and why it matters. FOLLOW STORY
There’s always something happening at the Exchange
Let’s Shred! The Exchange has partnered with Bellingham-based A-1 Shredding to offer secure document destruction. Customers can drop off documents in secure, locked bins located at The Exchange. A-1 Shredding will periodically bring its mobile shredding truck to Orcas Island to destroy the collected materials. The shredded paper will be transported to the mainland to be turned into new paper products. Learn More The GICU is About More Than Garbage This y
Community comes together for fall ‘Great Islands Cleanup’
Islanders carry on the legacy of caring by clearing over 2,000 pounds of waste from our beaches Across the San Juan Islands this fall, community members came together to clean beaches, shorelines, roadsides, and favorite island places as part of the bi-annual Great Islands Cleanup. The fall cleanup brought volunteers together around a simple idea: caring for these islands is a legacy worth continuing. This year’s theme of ‘Caring for Our Island Home’ [
Great Islands Cleanup: 152 volunteers gathered up 2,382 pounds of trash
Across the San Juan Islands this fall, community members came together to clean beaches, shorelines, roadsides, and favorite island places as part of the bi-annual Great Islands Cleanup. The fall cleanup brought volunteers together around a simple idea: caring for these islands is a legacy worth continuing. This year’s theme of ‘Caring for Our Island […]
Covenant-smuvadent: The deforestation of Decatur Island | Letter
It’s a funny thing about islands. They tend to stay put. The trees stay put, too—quiet, hardworking citizens who ask for nothing except a little rain and the chance to stand upright for a century or two. On Decatur Island, where I grew up and now live, those trees have been doing their job faithfully, keeping the hillside from wandering off, shading the deer, and sheltering the owls. Did I mention they’re holding the soil in place so the rest of us don’t slide into the Salish Sea?
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
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.
SeaDoc Society’s Salish Sea Wild: Young Beachcomber Finds Giant Mystery Predator Egg
A mythical object long tied to mermaids turns out to be real. Its discovery on a local beach is the once-in-a-lifetime find for a young girl and leads SeaDoc scientists on a race for answers. Will Dr. Michelle Lino make it off the mountain in time? Will Dr. Joe Gaydos starve before he gets there? […]
Sharon Abreu: Endorses Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council
Support for Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council Although I acknowledge that we here in San Juan County are fortunate to have two strong candidates running for County Council District 3, I have decided to endorse Katherine Bryant Ingman for the position. I appreciate Katherine’s energy, and I see her as an independent thinker, which […]
Native pollinator presentation by Russel Barsh coming to Orcas Library
More than 200 wild bees and flies are native to the San Juan Islands, but many are threatened by pesticides, loss of nesting habitat, competition with introduced non-native bee species, and the spread of parasitic flies, mites, and viruses. Learn to identify, protect, and provide appropriate habitat for the most important native pollinators of island gardens and wildlands, including bumblebees, wild solitary bees, and hover flies, from Kwiah
Grieving whale carries dead newborn
Another Southern Resident mother has been spotted carrying her deceased orca calf. Mark Malleson of The Center for Whale Research reported an encounter with J31 on Oct. 3, swimming near Sombrio Point in the Straight of San Juan de Fuca, with a baby on her nose.
Register now for Annual Garden Workshop Series
Garden enthusiasts throughout the region are encouraged to register now for the 2026 Garden Workshop Series presented by the San Juan County WSU Extension Master Gardeners and San Juan County Master Gardener Foundation. Registration closes Thursday, October 15. Held over two weeks in October, this popular annual series will be offered as live Zoom webinars, allowing participants to enjoy presentations from the comfort of home. The ser
Community Meeting | Agate Beach county park updates & road relocation on Lopez Island
Join the conversation on Tuesday, October 20 at Agate Beach County Park MacKaye Harbor Rd and the Agate Beach County Park on Lopez Island are scheduled for infrastructure updates in 2027. Reconstruction of MacKaye Harbor Road and the Agate Beach County Park parking area will help protect access to public, private, and tribal lands, while navigating the impacts of coastal erosion. Nearby property owners and Lopez Islanders are invited to a community mee
Interactive food system plan now live on San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild website
The Food System Team of San Juan County, in partnership with the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild and local data scientist, Adam Martin, is excited to announce the launch of an interactive online version of the Food System Plan for San Juan County. For residents and food system workers, this new tool will make it easier to explore and navigate the shared goals of the plan, and […]