From Jeffrey Struthers and Rick Christmas, OPALCO Orcas District Representatives It is time to vote for Orcas district directors for OPALCO and Rock Island. We, your current Orcas district directors — Jeffrey Struthers and Rick Christmas — ask for your vote. Here is why we believe you should return both of us to the board  Continue Reading

From the Purple and Gold Booster Club The Purple and Gold Booster Club fully endorses the Island Rec levy renewal. We support Friday Harbor High School by running concessions at the games and collecting tickets for events. We fill in some of the gaps that are not covered by the Island Rec levy such as  Continue Reading

By Gib and Jen Black, San Juan Island Please join us in supporting Island Rec by voting in favor of renewing its levy. Our family, like many here on San Juan Island, receive a value from Island Rec that far exceeds what we contribute in taxes. We benefit from daily walks at the Gravel Pit  Continue Reading

By Missy Martin, Friday Harbor Dear Editor: I encourage Islanders to vote YES for the upcoming Island Rec levy! They are requesting funding at the same rate, without an increase from the previous six years. The fact that Island Rec funds high school sports is reason alone to voice my support and vote. But the  Continue Reading

By Martha Alvarado, Floyd Bourne, Stephanie Buffum, Katie Fleming, Darla Jungmeyer, Kari McVeigh, Brian Moore, Katy Taylor-Jacobson Through this levy, Island Rec funds our high school sports program which allows our school district to focus on academia. Places to play and sports are important for child development.  Athletic participation improves self-esteem, teaches time management, builds  Continue Reading

The following is an open letter to the San Juan County Council from dozens of San Juan Island businesses, including Mike’s Café and Wine Bar, San Juan Hostel, Crystal Seas Kayaking, Island Pets, On Point Barber Shop and more. Dear San Juan County Council, We are strongly opposed to the moratorium that you have recently  Continue Reading

By Travis and Jennifer Ayers, Friday Harbor We encourage all eligible voters to join us and vote YES for the renewal of Island Rec’s levy on April 27. This is not a new levy; it remains at $0.385 per $1,000 of assessed property value. It is worth noting that this rate is only 64% of  Continue Reading

By Karen Meenan, San Juan Island I was asked to be on the Island Rec Levy Committee and I gladly said yes.  Let me tell you why.  I love Island Rec.  What a gem for our community; such a robust set of programs for a little community like ours.  Most of us use or support  Continue Reading

Frank James MD, health officer for San Juan County, sent this open letter to county schools on Jan. 30. I am recommending that schools consider opening grades K to 6 for in-person education. The Washington state metric for opening in-person education has not been met due to high rates of infection in our four-county region,  Continue Reading

By San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1 Thank you to all the advocates raising their voices. At the Skagit Valley Hospital District board meeting on Dec. 18, the hospital districts that jointly own Hospice of the Northwest announced that they would not sell to Bristol Hospice. San Juan County Public Hospital District No.  Continue Reading

By Donna Sandstrom, Whale Trail director and former member of Governor Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force Last Friday, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Commissioners approved rules for commercial whale-watching that will make it easier for the endangered southern residents to forage and rear their young in these next few critical years. Commercial whale-watching on  Continue Reading

By Fred Woods, Superintendent, San Juan Island School District It is with sadness and frustration that I must announce the return to teleschool for all grades in the San Juan Island School District. As a community, San Juan Island is beginning to experience increased levels of the COVID-19 virus, and though we have maintained a  Continue Reading

As cases spike dramatically in San Juan County, Washington, and the United States, we would like to urge islanders to scale back their holiday plans. Over recent months, we’ve been able to enjoy a slow reopening of our islands. Restaurants, gatherings, shops, gyms, and most recently schools have all made slow progress towards returning to  Continue Reading

By Christine Minney, San Jan County Council Member-elect  Position 1 I am joyous and honored to have been elected to serve on the SJ County Council, District 1. I am grateful for the community’s support and trust that I am a good fit to represent all islanders. I look forward to working with my fellow  Continue Reading

By Cindy Wolf, San Juan County Council Member District 2 Elect I want to extend my sincere thanks to all of my campaign supporters, volunteers and staff, and especially to the voters, for electing me as San Juan County Council Member from District 2. I am honored that you put your trust in me to  Continue Reading

Members of San Juan County Public Hospital District 1 have each signed this letter regarding the potential sale of the Hospice of the Northwest. One copy is being sent to United General District 304 and the other to Skagit Regional Health. Dear Commissioners, We write to you as concerned citizens of San Juan County and  Continue Reading

You can see letters from individuals at the links below. As more letters come in, this list will be updated so be sure to check back. Letters are posted in the order received in support of: Ryan Palmateer Winnie Adams and Bob Gamble Steve Ulvi and Lynette Roberts Christopher Minney Cindy Wolf Winnie Adams and  Continue Reading

We believe it is important to set the record straight on recent exchanges between some of the San Juan EMS volunteers and the Board of Public Hospital District No. 1. Following the PHD board’s restructuring of the administration of both the PHD and EMS, a number of volunteers from San Juan EMS met to share  Continue Reading

By Marie-Luz Villa MD AGSF, Main Operations Manager, Hospice of San Juan San Juan County, being relatively tiny in the eyes of Medicare, receives insurance-funded hospice care under the umbrella of Hospice of the Northwest (HNW), which is based in Skagit County. Although both San Juan Island and Lopez Island have all-volunteer hospice organizations to  Continue Reading

By Kathryn Clary, RN, BSN, CHPN, Hospice of the Northwest, San Juan Island Currently, the only Medicare-based hospice in our county is Hospice of the Northwest. Two years ago this hospice was listed as the No. 1 hospice agency in the United States. HNW provides medical hospice services no matter one’s ability to pay. Medicare  Continue Reading

By Mary Stone, San Juan Island After 40 years practicing law, 30 of them in Friday Harbor, I am retiring, but I am leaving the law practice in the very capable hands of my partner, Bob Bulloch. My husband and I will continue to spend winters in Puerto Rico, but instead of returning to Friday  Continue Reading

By Susan Kollet, San Juan Island A vote for Rick Hughes for Council Dist. 2 and Christine Minney for Dist. 1 will provide a wonderful balance to the three-member council. At such a critical juncture, the continuity and expertise Rick brings to the office will benefit our community and put the county in a better  Continue Reading