Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
Rob Grant: Endorses of Katherine Bryant Ingman for San Juan County Council District 3
I am supporting Katherine Bryant Ingman for San Juan County District 3! Decatur is a relatively small outer island in the archipelago, but we are a critical link in the energy chain serving the entire county! We need a fierce advocate on the Council, one who speaks truth to power and will represent not only […]
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 […]
Maureen See: Jennifer Swanson is the best candidate for County Council District #3.
Jennifer Swanson is the right person to tackle our problems. She is articulate and organized and qualified to do the job. She will listen to the community and respect their opinions. She will understand the role of the County Council in our government and in our neighborhoods. She will not engage […]
October 12: Indigenous Peoples Day
Columbus Day which is on October 12, 2026 is recognized as a federal holiday meaning federal offices, banks, and the Post Office will be closed. Indigenous Peoples Day has replaced Columbus Day in many states but is not a federal holiday. Washington state recognizes Indigenous Peoples Day but not as an official state holiday. Washington […]
Governor Ferguson Commits to Addressing WSF Engine Room Crew Workforce Crisis
The Marine Engineers Beneficial Association (MEBA) represents 417 licensed and unlicensed engineers who operate, repair, and maintain the fleet of vessels at Washington State Ferries (WSF). A growing workforce crisis boiled over this week when crew call-outs resulted in major service disruptions. Eric Winge, the MEBA representative for WSF, shared developments today: “Our union leadership […]
Borner: Jennifer builds community through service and hard work.
I have known Jennifer for 20 years. She is a thoughtful, inclusive leader who brings people with diverse opinions together to find solutions. Jennifer has a proven record of public service and strong relationships throughout the county. She served 11 years on the school board and later led as superintendent through COVID. During that challenging […]
Long-time Lopez Pharmacists Endorse Katherine for County Council
We would like to endorse Katherine Bryant Ingman for County Council. During our 30-plus years owning the Lopez Island Pharmacy, we’ve been fortunate to know and work closely with many of the former council representatives from Lopez. Katherine has served in many island and county-wide positions. When management of our clinic transitioned from the University […]
Ferries: I’ll Keep Fighting for Improvements By Jennifer Swanson, Candidate for County Council District 3
Of Washington’s 39 counties, San Juan County is the only one made up entirely of islands, reachable only by boat or plane. Most residents rely on Washington State Ferries (WSF), and for the past eight years I have served on our county’s Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC), currently as chair, acting as a link between WSF […]
October 17: No Kings: Vote Early Rally
Rally | October 17 | 12 noon to 2 pm | Courthouse Lawn | Friday Harbor Hello to all who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of your ballot! Good news. Our Indivisible group on San Juan Island is holding a No Kings – Vote Early! rally on October 17th on the Courthouse lawn in Friday Harbor from noon to 2pm. We […]
Gigi Allaway: Supports Swanson for county council
Dear Editor, I write to highlight the excellent work of SJC Council candidate longtime-islander Jennifer Swanson in our community, which is easily applied to the larger islands. Most notably, she has served as an elected official for repeated terms as a school district board member (I served a similar term, staggered to hers, during this […]
Henley: Heather Lee is the right person for auditor
I hired Heather Lee to work in the Auditor’s Office, initially as an administrative assistant. It immediately became apparent to me that she was capable of so much more. Since then, she has gained experience in all areas of the Auditor’s office, including payroll, elections, and customer service. For three years, she served as Chief […]
Nelsen: Wholehearted support for Swanson for county Council
We are writing to offer our wholehearted support for Jennifer Swanson for county council. We’ve known Jennifer since she and her husband Chad moved to Shaw Island in 2003. Jennifer is someone who is thoughtful, trustworthy, and deeply committed to serving our community. Her dedication is demonstrated through action and looking for practical ways to […]
Doug Crosby: Swanson will be a valuable member of San Juan County council
To the Editors 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 […]
Andrews: Katherine Bryant Ingman Is a Leader Who Has Lived It
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, […]
Guest column: Getting to Know Katherine: Leadership in Action
I’ve been fortunate to benefit from, and contribute to, impressive and impactful volunteer work throughout my life. From an early age, I’ve looked for ways to bring people together with integrity, care, and joy, and to create the kind of culture and environment that we want to live in, born of the priorities and values […]
Easements Keep the Co-op Running
OPALCO does not comment on active legal matters, but some misinformation in a recent King 5 article needs to be addressed. The pole site in question was on the property mentioned, with the previous owner’s permission, prior to the current owners’ purchase of the land. The pole was upgraded in 2023 and is 103 feet […]
Washington residents urged to oppose Pacific Link Pipeline and supertankers in the Salish Sea
Petition calls on Governor Ferguson and state agencies to fight the Canadian pipeline and supertanker project and secure enforceable, fully funded protections for Washington state. Friday Harbor, WA—October 7, 2026—A new petition being circulated by Friends of the San Juans is calling on Washington state to oppose Canada’s proposed Pacific Link pipeline (formerly called the […]
Larsen: New B.C. Oil Pipeline is “Not Ready for Prime Time”
SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA – Last Friday, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) commented on the news that Canada is fast-tracking a new oil pipeline project that would increase oil tanker traffic in Larsen’s district: “This project is not ready for prime time, and speeding up the review process will only make that worse,” said Rep. Larsen in […]
Sluis: Katherine will bring youthful spirit and perspective to county Council
To the Editor: We are writing in support of Katherine Bryant-Ingman’s candidacy, for the District 3 seat on the San Juan County Council, representing residents of Lopez, Shaw and Decatur islands. We quickly endorsed Katherine for the District 3 seat of the SJC Council. District 3 is the district that represents the county residents that […]
Henley: Katherine Bryant Ingman Endorsement
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 is a proven leader, as shown by her work […]
Washington authors speak out against censorship in honor of Banned Books Week
OLYMPIA — In honor of Banned Books Week (Oct. 4-10, 2026), Washington authors speak out against censorship and share what reading freely means to them. The Washington Center for the Book, a program of the Office of the Secretary of State, partnered with the Washington chapter of Authors Against Book Bans to curate a collection of short videos about what […]
County Council Passes 2027 Budget and Plans for Additional Budget Work Leading into 2028-2029
PRESS RELEASE: At its October 5 meeting, the San Juan County Council adopted the 2027 budget after hearing from residents across the county. This adopted budget includes organizational restructuring and over $3.8 million dollars in reductions to staffing and critical programs across all departments and elected offices. As part of the annual budget adopted on […]
Tom Cowan: Lopez has large support for Katherine Bryant Ingman
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 […]
Cindy Wolf – Guest Opinion: Beheading the Department of Environmental Stewardship
In the State of Washington, responsibility falls on the local and Tribal governments to execute Salmon habitat conservation and restoration projects, which is a focused way of saying projects addressing marine health in general. This mission dovetails nicely with the clean water utility function of keeping pollution out of the stormwater and surface water. The solid […]