Island News
Letter to Editor | Every San Juan County voter has a say in District 3 council race
||| FROM KATHERINE BRYANT INGMAN CAMPAIGN||| As the August 4th primary approaches, Katherine Bryant Ingman’s campaign wants to clear up a common misunderstanding about how San Juan County Council elections work. Many residents believe they can only vote for the Council candidate running in their district. That’s not the case. While each Council member must live in the district they represent, San Juan County Council seats are elected at-large. Every registered voter in the county votes on every
Dirt Jam | Dr. Dirty reunion concert this weekend at Captain’s Taproom
||| FROM LIV NEWKIRK for CAPTAIN’S TAPROOM ||| Join us Sunday, August 2nd for a walk down memory lane as Terry Anderson returns to the islands with a concert at Captain’s Taproom on Shaw Island from 6-8:30 PM. Terry Anderson, “Dr. Dirty,” came to the islands in 1978 and became a staple of the music scene on Orcas and around the islands. As a singer, songwriter and guitar player, he is beloved for his ability to capture the hearts of […]
Get immunized before the school year with your local public health department
Sign up or stop by for one our clinics this summer to make sure you’re caught up before school starts ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Health & Community Services (HCS) is making it easier for families to get their children up to date on required vaccines before next school year starts. This August, HCS is holding immunization clinics on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. See our back-to-school clinic dates and details below! Immunizations are a safe […]
July 28: WA postal workers unite for Day of Action to protect the USPS
Public News Service: Postal workers in Washington state and across the country are joining together for a day of action July 28 to protect the U.S. Postal Service from what organizers call the threat of privatization. Supporters are calling on Congress to remove financial burdens on the Postal Service, protect and expand vote-by-mail, and invest in […]
San Juan Island Fire District will resume burn permit administration in the fall
LWVSJ Observer Corps*: Fire District #3 Commissioners Meeting, July 21, 2026 meeting. Commissioners approved a one-time contribution to Chief Monin’s retirement fund of $15,000, following a positive performance evaluation from the Special Meeting on July 2, 2026. Commissioners passed a resolution updating fiscal and financial policies for the district. The Fire District sent SJ County officials […]
OPALCO Students Earn Scholarships and Leadership Recognition Through the Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship Program
In early July, six San Juan County students proudly represented Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) at the 2026 Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association (ICUA) Youth Rally as part of the Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship Program. The Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship provides $1000 in scholarship dollars for each student to put towards continuing education […]
Critical fire weather creates high fire danger
Fire Officials Seek Public Cooperation Critical fire weather conditions, including Red Flag Watches and Warnings, are underway across the Geographic Area, creating an increased risk for rapid wildfire growth. Fire officials urge residents and visitors to help prevent wildfires by avoiding activities that could spark a fire, following local fire restrictions, and staying informed about changing conditions. The public should also monitor evacuation information and be prepared to act quickly if con
A fleet of neighbors: Boaters from Orcas and San Juan Islands carry the Aqua Chautauqua across the Salish Sea
A flotilla of small boats from Orcas Island and San Juan Island has spent the summer ferrying performers and gear across the Canadian Gulf Islands, and pitching in with labor and supplies to help the Chautauqua and the island communities it visits, tying together communities on both sides of the border through a traveling circus, service project and family reunion known as the Aqua Chautauqua. Along the way, performers and hosts alike say the real story isn’t the juggling or the parades — it’s t
Site preparation underway for Pea Patch Community Campus
Submitted by the Pea Patch Community Campus.
Washington | Today is the last day to register to vote online
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| (Today) is the last day to register to vote online: please take a moment today to ensure you are ready to cast your vote! Check My Status Your voter registration may become out of date for a variety of reasons, including a change of address, change of name, and voter inactivity. Some states periodically update voter rolls, and if a person has been inactive for a long time without voting […]
I’m Not the Church Lady | Build your own rehab center
Having an agenda of no agenda requires me to simply show up and see what shows up ||| What if recovery isn’t some place we have to get to? What if it isn’t another project to manage, another self to improve, or another part of myself that needs fixing? What if recovery begins the moment I stop ignoring, avoiding, and distracting myself… from myself? And what if recovery isn’t what happens when I finally let go of a substance, a […]
San Juan County Sheriff’s Office statement on plane crash on Sucia Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| On Thursday, July 23, around 5:30 pm, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office started receiving 911 calls reporting a plane crash at Shallow Bay/Sucia Island. It was reported that a pilot and 10 passengers were on board at the time of the crash. The SJCSO responded with two boats with deputies and fire personnel on board, the U.S. Navy was on scene to assist, and three airlift ambulances were on scene to transport […]
Letter to Editor | Why we support Jennifer Swanson
||| FROM TERRI GUDGELL MASON, KERWIN JOHNSON, ANITA ORNE, RICK HUGHES, RHEA MILLER, GORDON KOENIG, BILL WATSON, TRISH LEHMAN, RON ZEE ||| Some of us have had the pleasure and opportunity to learn about Jennifer Swanson just recently, through the course of her campaign, while others of us have watched her serve our community for years. Our conclusions are the same: time and again, we’ve seen her tackle rigorous questions and difficult issues with integrity, preparation, and genuine respect for […
Bredahl sentenced for firearm possession and assault
Thomas Alexander Bredahl, 37, was arrested on June 1 after a domestic dispute at a family member’s home in Eastsound escalated when he allegedly grabbed her by the neck, threatened to kill her partner and threw her phone to stop her from calling 911. The victim said she was “shell-shocked” but physically fine and declined medical attention.
Eastsound Water Users Association reaches first-ever collective bargaining agreement with IBEW Local 77
Submitted by the Eastsound Water Users Association.
Sucia Island plane crash up close shows bystanders’ heroics
||| FROM CBS NEWS |||
OPALCO students earn scholarships and leadership recognition through Nourdine Jensen Youth Scholarship Program
||| FROM JO LANGE for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| In early July, six San Juan County students proudly represented Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) at the 2026 Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association (ICUA) Youth Rally as part of the Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship Program. The Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship provides $1000 in scholarship dollars for each student to put towards continuing education and includes an all expenses paid trip to the Yout
Friday Harbor APS awarded Grey Muzzle grant to help senior dogs
The Grey Muzzle Organization has awarded a significant grant to Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor (APS-FH) to strengthen local efforts to support vulnerable senior dogs in our community. APS-FH is one of the select group of animal welfare organizations chosen nationwide from a highly competitive applicant pool. This funding will expand access to veterinary […]
Construction on the Pea Patch Community Campus has begun
Summer update on site work and fundraising success ||| FROM SUZANNE OLSON for PEA PATCH COMMUNITY ||| Summer is in full swing and so is the site work to prepare the Pea Patch Community Campus for construction! You may have noticed some big piles of dirt: the current work effort by local contractor Island Ex includes utility connections, stormwater retention installation and construction of the new entry road. Special thanks to the neighbors around the Pea Patch for their patience […]
July 25 Kenmore Air resumes flights
Kenmore Air Press Release: Friday, July 24, 2026 – 6:00pm (PDT) Update Kenmore Air will resume flight operations tomorrow, July 25, 2006. This decision follows our internal review and coordination with the appropriate authorities. Safety remains our highest priority, and we continue to cooperate fully with the NTSB’s investigation into Thursday’s incident. Any conclusions about contributing […]
Midnight Mutterings | Lindsey
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| Tonight I’m muttering about Lindsey Graham. But not about his politics. Nor about his fickle bromance with Donald Trump. I’m muttering about his death on July 11, 2026 and the cause of his death. That is: aortic dissection. Aortic dissection, particularly Type A, which involves the ascending portion of the aorta is a critical condition which develops rapidly and can result in a immediate death even if it is diagnosed and surgically treated […]
World-class jazz under the summer sky: The Charlie Porter Quintet returns to Orcas Island
By Steve Alboucq
Update on Kenmore floatplane crash
At approximately 5:15 p.m. July 23, 2026 one of Kenmore Air’s de Havilland DHC-3 Otter aircraft (flight #140 departing from Lake Union, Seattle) was involved in an accident in Shallow Bay near Sucia Island. There were ten passengers and one pilot on board. All survived the crash. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received the initial report […]
Orcas Center Visual Arts Committee announces new community show
“Light and Shadow” to open on August 28 ||| FROM MARJORIE TAYLOR for ORCAS CENTER ||| For this show, the VAC welcomes artists to contribute pieces that reflect their own interpretation of the light and shadow theme. Space permitting, up to three pieces per artist will be accepted and all art mediums will be considered for display. Community shows are open to ALL island artists, beginning and experienced alike. The purpose is to showcase island art and celebrate our creative […]