The Friday Harbor Chapter of the International Thespian Society would like to thank the generous support of the San Juan County Arts Council for their contribution to help bring an adjudicator to San Juan Island to see the high school’s upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors. For the past two years, members of Friday  Continue Reading

Note: it’s a little earlier this year… Saturday, December 14, 2019 From Christmas Bird Hunts to Christmas Bird Counts –119 Years of Counting In 1900 ornithologist Frank Chapman along with other conservationists were disturbed at the slaughter of birds in the annual holiday event called the “side hunt”. The team that shot the most birds  Continue Reading

In partnership with Rain Shadow Consulting, the San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) will offer a free 6-week training in tree work and arboriculture, beginning December 5th.  This course is sponsored by Walt Corbin and the Kiwanis Club of Orcas Island. The course will be taught at the Rain Shadow Consulting office by Carson  Continue Reading

Dear Fellow Islanders, Much to my chagrin, I report Tiffany, at USPO, delivered news in the form of a Voters Pamphlet. This means our beloved TV programs are soon be the peanut butter in an endless political-ad sandwich, and beautiful Sunday drives will be peppered with signs howling “VOTE FOR [insert candidate/cause here].” I get  Continue Reading

Here’s what’s in the San Juan Update mailbag this morning… To the Editor: We usually fill out our ballots as soon as they arrive in the mail. However, we need more information before we can vote on Proposition 2. We completely support the programs funded by Proposition 2’s levy lid lift. In 2009, during the  Continue Reading

Thanks to all of our Orca Recovery Day Volunteers! We want to thank everyone who came out and celebrated Orca Recovery Day with us last Saturday. Our October 19th celebrations spanned two islands, with approximately 50 volunteers coming together to support natural areas and the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales that grace the Salish Sea.  Continue Reading

In the San Juan Update mailbag this morning we have this letter from Louise Dustrude… If you haven’t yet turned in your ballot, perhaps it’s because you think there’s no reason to vote in so many uncontested races. Here’s another way to look at it. In the public hospital district election, which is my focus  Continue Reading

True to ISL’s ongoing mission to produce the best-written, most inspiring plays of our times – ones that move us – not just to laughter, although often infused with it, but with reconsidered viewpoints, ones that leave us with new understandings and empathy for those around us, we are thrilled to present Lucy Kirkwood’s brilliant  Continue Reading

Join David Montgomery and Anne Bikle as they explore the connections between soil and human health. David Montgomery earned his Ph.D. in geomorphology and teaches at the University of Washington where he studies the evolution of topography and how geological processes shape landscapes and influence ecological systems. Montgomery writes about the relationship of people to  Continue Reading

Story by Richard Wright In the islands we usually associate hummingbirds with the spring and summer seasons. In mid March our small Rufous Hummingbirds arrive from Mexico to breed in our islands and elsewhere in the NW. By mid August most of our Rufous Hummingbirds return to winter in Mexico. Recently, however, another species of  Continue Reading