Island News
Local headlines from around the San Juans
Letter to Editor | Environmental stewardship is essential to our islands
I have been a homeowner on San Juan Island since 1985 and have chosen to reside here because of its incredible natural environment. I am an environmental scientist by profession and therefore am painfully aware of the environmental challenges we face locally and globally. While most of my professional work addresses problems nationally and internationally, I volunteer my time to serve on San Juan County’s Climate a
J31 is carrying her dead calf
Center for Whale Research posted October 7, 2026 on Facebook: Our team is saddened to report that Southern Resident killer whale J31 has been observed with a deceased newborn calf. CWR researcher Mark Malleson encountered J31 and her immediate family on October 3rd near Sombrio Point in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It’s unclear […]
Burn Permits Now Local on Orcas Island
Orcas Island, WA – Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (OIFR) will begin issuing burn permits for Orcas Island. Permits will be available starting October 12, 2026, if weather and conditions allow. The process is online. Apply and pay at orcasfire.org. The site also has burn safety rules and requirements. You may also come to Station 21 at […]
Interactive Food System Plan is live on San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild website
Submitted by: Caitlin Leck, on behalf of the Food System Team of San Juan County: 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 […]
Washington residents urged to oppose Pacific Link pipeline and supertankers in 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 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 West Coast Oil Pipeline) and the supertanker traffic it would bring to the Salish Sea. The pipeline woul
Library event | A better world is possible
What does it take to imagine a better future—and what can the next generation teach us about making it happen? Join award-winning journalist Meera Subramanian and beloved poet and author Maleea Acker for an inspiring conversation about our changing planet, the power of young voices, and the places we call home. Meera’s new graphic nonfiction book, A Better World Is Possible: Global Youth Confront the Climate Crisis, illustrated by Danica Novgorodo
Larsen | New B.C. oil pipeline is ‘not ready for prime time’
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 the Washington State Standard. “Canada’s plan to fast track this new oil pipeline project puts sensitive marine habitats […]
Guest Opinion | Covenant-smuvadent – the deforestation of Decatur Island
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 […]
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 […]
Larsen | I will not let them stick you with the bill for data centers
Data centers are expanding across the country, including here in the Pacific Northwest. This growth carries real consequences for our communities. Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity and water to operate. Without strong guardrails, the costs of building and running these facilities can be passed on to ordinary ratepayers through higher electricity bills and increased strain on local water systems. At the same time, the public infr
CWR provides update on J31 with deceased calf
Our team is saddened to report that Southern Resident killer whale J31 has been observed with a deceased newborn calf. CWR researcher Mark Malleson encountered J31 and her immediate family on October 3rd near Sombrio Point in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It’s unclear whether the newborn was a male or female, if it had been carried to full term prior to birth, and if it died after birth or […]
San Juan Island School District: Cost of full-size electric bus too high
LWVSJ Observer Corps*: San Juan Island School Board September 30, 2026. Public Comment: Parent Eliza Habegger is concerned about the use of AI in the classroom. She made three recommendations: 1. Remove Google Gemini in all Chrome books. 2. Consider Los Angeles Unified School District AI use policy. 3. Gather community input on using AI […]
Port to use $650k grant to pave Jensen’s and Shipyard Cove’s driveways
LWVSJ Observer Corps: Friday Harbor Port Commission, September 25, 2026 A new lease was approved for San Juan Canvas with all terms remaining identical with the previous agreement and with a five-year extension. A new lease was approved for San Juan Air’s Hangar 80 (Units A & B) with all terms remaining the same except […]
New analysis reveals major increase in vessel traffic through the Salish Sea
Submitted by the Friends of the San Juans.
Civic engagement goes beyond the ballot box | Letter
During the course of my campaign for County Council, I have had countless conversations with people across the islands and have learned a great deal about their concerns. These conversations have given form to how I will, as councilmember, approach the budget.
David B. Williams comes to Orcas Island for ‘In the Range of Fire and Ice’
Submitted by the Orcas Island Public Library.
Expert speakers highlight sustainable gardening at October workshop series
Submitted by the Master Gardeners.
Washington lawmakers, colleagues demand transparency after U.S. Forest Service coordinates with ICE on public lands
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Emily Randall (D, WA-06), Kim Schrier, M.D. (D, WA-08), Suzan DelBene (D, WA-01), Jared Huffman (D, CA-02), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Adriano Espaillat (D, NY-13), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Andrea Salinas (D, OR-06), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), Val Hoyle (D, OR-04), Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10), Suzanne Bonamici (D, OR-01), and P
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 […]
Islands’ Oil Spill Association utilizes eyes in the sky
||| FROM BILL SYMES and ELAINA THOMPSON || Wednesday morning, September 16, was glorious in Deer Harbor: bright sunshine glinting on the water, color from early-turning leaves, light breeze out of the north, pleasant temperatures. In short, a perfect day for…an oil spill response drill! Islands’ Oil Spill Association (IOSA) trains monthly throughout San Juan County. On this mid-September morning, IOSA Deputy Director Rick Winings supervised eight Tier One (response-trained) volunteers from Orcas
Guest Opinion | Open letter to County Council
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 waste utility is also clearly a part of attempting
Burn permits now local on Orcas Island
Orcas Island Fire and Rescue (OIFR) will begin issuing burn permits for Orcas Island. Permits will be available starting October 12, 2026, if weather and conditions allow. The process is online. Apply and pay at orcasfire.org. The site also has burn safety rules and requirements. You may also come to Station 21 at 45 Lavender Lane to purchase in-person. Please note this is a new process and application portal […]
Guest Opinion | Permanent, until inconvenient
OPALCO bought land with a recorded Native Growth Area covenant and open-space protections intended to preserve a wildlife corridor. Its solar project conflicted with those restrictions. San Juan County has now approved moving the open-space designation to accommodate the project. The protections dated to 2012. OPALCO bought the property in 2025. Apparently, the forest was in the wrong place. And what project warrants this accommodation? A solar expansion approaching $6 m