Story by Louise Dustrude… Washington state attorney general Bob Ferguson spoke at the December meeting of the League of Women Voters on Monday about the great variety of issues currently being confronted by his office. Speaking to the group on Zoom, he called his office “the largest law firm in the state,” and said they  Continue Reading

All in a day’s work for our stewards! Check out this time lapse video volunteer Michael Noonan shot of the dock demo at Fisherman Bay Spit Preserve Lopez Island: https://vimeo.com/645420585/bda88786e9  The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on December 17, from 8:30am – 10:20am, followed by a special meeting  Continue Reading

Just got a call from Bruce Martin with the Lions club. They’re having a guest speaker at their meeting today at noon – Dr. House from Eventide Health will be talking about the future of healthcare on the island and you’re invited to attend via zoom. Here’s the info you will need to join:

People seeking job skills or career inspiration are invited to a free, hands-on woodworking course, offered by the Economic Development Council of San Juan County (EDC).  This four-session course, Introduction to Woodworking, will be taught by Kristen Ryan, the woodworking instructor at Lopez Island High School. The course runs Jan. 22nd to Feb. 12th (Saturdays),  Continue Reading

This article was Submitted by Transitions San Juan Island Waste Management Group… What keeps on giving each year? Creating traditions that help nature: A potted fir tree brought inside to decorate, used yearly; growing side by side with us all. A candle lit every Xmas eve. A cactus passed down through generations, nourished and watered  Continue Reading

Since the last update on Friday December 3rd, there have been 13 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 450. There are approximately two unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases currently in quarantine in the islands. Lopez Island: There is one new case on Lopez Island since the  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag today we find this letter from Norvin Collins… As the year comes to a close, your San Juan Island Fire and Rescue (SJIF&R) responders and I wished to take a moment to reflect where we are today and what the future holds. There are three points to address that are  Continue Reading

This just in from WSF… Vehicle reservations for travel on the San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes after New Year’s Day are scheduled to open next week should the current four-boat service remain sustainable. Winter season reservations will be available at 7 a.m. PST on Friday, Dec. 17. The winter schedule runs from Jan.  Continue Reading

The Conservation Land Bank and the Preservation Trust recently completed a forest assessment at Turtleback and Turtlehead Preserves. The resulting report (click here to view report) outlines a variety of forest management actions aimed at increasing forest health, habitat value and climate change resiliency. Staff are incorporating the recommended actions into the forthcoming update to  Continue Reading

COVID-19 updates from San Juan County around subjects on the minds of islanders  The New Omicron Variant and What it May Mean for the Islands The rise of a worrisome new variant is front and center in headlines for good reason, but as is so often the case, finding the balance between irrational fear and  Continue Reading