Island News

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 […]

October 25: Sharon Abreu’s Olga and Buck Bay featured in short film at Friday Harbor Film Fest

 Michael and I (and my fiddle tune “Olga and Buck Bay) are featured in a short film that will be shown in the Friday Harbor Film Festival at 10:30 am on Sunday, Oct. 25. I hope you can come see it! The film was made by our friend Mara Miksch and it focuses on the […]

January 6-8: San Juan County Resident Camping Reservations Open

San Juan County Resident camping reservation program will continue to be offered online in 2027 and will open in early January. On Wednesday, January 6, at 9:00 am through Friday, January 8 at 4:00 pm, reservations will be available online to San Juan County residents. These three days are an opportunity for residents to reserve […]

Woodbridge: Swanson has a proven track record

To the Editor: Jennifer Swanson has my wholehearted support for the San Juan County Council, District 3. Jennifer brings an exceptional and effective combination of thoroughness, thoughtfulness, practicality and kindness. She has the rare ability to bring together people with divergent points of view. She’s a pleasure to work with and to know, and her […]

Shannon: Swanson is a uniter

I have known Jennifer for over 20 years. We served on the Shaw Island School Board together for many years and I have admired her quiet and effective leadership. She is one of the best listeners I know and she has an innate ability to carefully process all sides of an issue with empathy, common […]

Ekstrom: Supports Jennifer Swanson for San Juan County Council Position 3

To the editor, We support Jennifer Swanson for San Juan County Council Position 3. For many years Jennifer has been at the center of making the Shaw community run smoothly. She serves effectively as a leader on local and county boards, a careful and patient listener, respectful of others’ opinions. We are eager to see her courtesy, […]

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 […]

Guest Opinion: Getting to Know Katherine: What I Bring to the Table

First and most importantly, I bring to the County Council a deep love for these islands and the people who live here. I’m running for County Council to improve the lives of everyone who lives here — especially those of us most impacted by the challenges and uncertainties that we face. I know how knowledgeable, […]

Structure fire destroys home on Yacht Haven Rd

A structure fire at 1423 Yacht Haven Road on San Juan Island destroyed a home. The fire about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, October 17, 2026 was extinguished by San Juan Island Fire and Rescue Dept firefighters.

48-hour terminal closures at Lopez and Orcas for transfer span construction in 2027

In early 2027, WSF will replace the major mechanical and electrical systems of the vehicle transfer span at the  Anacortes, Lopez, and Orcas terminals. The transfer span is the part of the terminal dock that raises and lowers to meet the ferry to allow vehicles to drive on and off. What to expect in early […]

Reservations for winter sailing season available October 27 at 10 am

Washington State Ferries vehicle reservations for the winter sailing season (Dec. 27 through March 20, 2027) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, WSF will continue using a virtual waiting room during the reservations release. Anacortes/San Juan Islands route:  Some […]

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 […]

November General Election ballots mailed to all eligible voters by Oct. 16

OLYMPIA — County elections offices statewide will mail ballots to every eligible voter for the Nov. 3 General Election by Friday, Oct. 16. Over 5.1 million registered voters will be mailed a ballot for the midterm elections. Voters will decide on local, state, and federal contests, as well as three statewide ballot measures. Voters participating in […]

Meehan-McNeill: Endorses Jennifer Swanson for county council

I want to recommend Jennifer Swanson for County Council District 3′ I’ve worked with Jennifer through Shaw Islanders Inc, where she’s been the Recording Secretary for the Shaw Inc board for the last three years’ She’s steady, organized and easy to work with.  She keeps things on track and communicates clearly, which makes a big […]

Orcas Island Fire and Rescue Bonds Available to Local Investors

Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (San Juan County Fire Protection District No. 2), San Juan County, Washington (the “District”) is in the process of issuing phase 1 of voter approved Unlimited Tax General Obligation Bonds (the “Bonds”) to provide $14,000,000 to construct, acquire, equip, renovate and make capital improvements to apparatus and facilities of the […]

Guest Column by Ron Krebs: Understands the challenges facing the Sheriff’s Office

To the Citizens of San Juan County, As we approach the upcoming election, I want to share my priorities for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and my commitment to the community we serve.Having served as your Sheriff from 2015 to 2022, and with 19 years of experience in the Sheriff’s Office, I understand the […]

Jamie Stephens: Katherine Bryant Ingman Gets Things Done

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. A graduate of Leadership San Juans, she is a leader that gets things done. Issues that affect us […]

Eames: Endorses Katherine Bryant Ingman for county Council

  Katherine Bryant Ingman has my support to be our next San Juan County Council Representative for District 3 for many reasons: Every SJC District Representative is sworn to support the welfare of the entire San Juan County.  I firmly believe, as shown by Katherine’s efforts to reach out to the Waldron, Shaw, Decatur, San […]

San Juan County receives $660k Public Safety Grant

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA – October 14, 2026 – San Juan County has received a $660,000 grant from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) to increase staffing in the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. On September 29, CJTC notified the County of its grant award funded by the state’s relatively new Public Safety […]

Week 7: Game Cancelled – FRIDAY HARBOR WOLVERINE FOOTBALL Trivia, numbers, history, ramblings and stuff by Bruce Bennett

Saturday, October 17 Game Cancelled due to lack of players from Toutle Lake     This may come as a surprise to some Friday Harbor folks, but this is not the first game with Toutle Lake…it’s the fourth.  This “series” started over a half century ago in 1976.  The Wolverines and Ducks played for three consecutive years […]

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 […]

Guest Column: Jay and Trudi Inslee and Former Leaders Endorse Katherine

From Katherine Bryant Ingman for San Juan County Council To the voters of San Juan County, Former Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and former First Lady Trudi Inslee have endorsed me for San Juan County Council, District 3. I am proud that the members of AFSCME Local 1849, the union representing San Juan County employees, […]

October 17: Orca Recovery Day Open House in Friday Harbor

Keith Busha January 18, 1951 – September 18, 2026

Keith David Granley, also known as Keith Busha, was born on January 18, 1951 in Queens New York, the second child and only son of David Granley, a half-Swedish mining engineer from Minnesota, and Irma Moisio Granley, a native New Yorker of Piedmontese Italian heritage.  He died from complications of lung cancer on September 18, […]