Island News
Densmore’s artwork featured at Library for April
||| FROM ANDREA COHEN for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| David Densmore will be April’s featured artist in the Art in the Library series at the Orcas Island Library. David has been capturing the beauty and spirit of Orcas Island in his paintings for many years, and his style continues to evolve. Trained as a jeweler and metalworker, he has said that he “still sees painting and the landscape with a sculptor’s eye.”
Town parking lot closure April 7 and 8
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| Residents are advised of a temporary closure of the Town parking lot located at 330 Spring Street across from Wells Fargo Bank, April 7 through mid-day on April 8, 2026, for parking lot improvements. The Streets and Parks Department will scrape vegetation and install new gravel. This will be the first phase of improvements to the public parking lot. Questions regarding the closure may be directed to the Town Administrator […]
Let’s talk public transit for Orcas & the San Juan Islands
||| FROM COLIN WILLIAMS for FRIENDS OF RURAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ||| Hosted by the Friends of Rural Public Transportation Tuesday, April 7, 2026 1:45 PM – 3:30 PM Orcas Island Public Library Community Room Online Meeting Link Imagine Orcas & the San Juan Islands where… You can hop on a bus from the ferry to Eastsound, Doe Bay, or Deer Harbor. Kids can get to activities independently. Neighbors have reliable backup transportation when their car is in the shop. You […]
Award-winning illusion, music, puppetry show + free magic workshop
||| FROM PHINA PIPIA ||| Hailed as “Imaginative, intelligent, and strangely mesmerizing” by the San Diego Union Tribune, Phina Pipia brings award-winning solo show to the Orcas Island Odd Fellows Hall A tuba lights the way, beds make music, paintings come to life, and a radio delivers a message from the past in an award-winning production that combines illusion, music, puppetry, and theater. When a grad student discovers that Leonardo da Vinci and his collaborator, magician and mathematician Luc
Don’t forget! Join the community meeting on April 6 to review the Critical Areas Ordinance update
YOU’RE INVITED to comment on the first draft! Join County staff on Monday, April 6, from 6:00-8:00 pm to ask questions and learn more about the regulations included in the CAO ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is updating its critical areas protections, also referred to as the Critical Areas Ordinance or CAO, and YOU’RE INVITED to comment on the first draft. Join County staff on Monday, April 6 from 6:00-8:00 pm to ask questions and […]
Town Parking Lot Closure April 7 and 8
Residents are advised of a temporary closure of the Town parking lot located at 330 Spring Street across from Wells Fargo Bank, April 7 th through mid-day on April 8, 2026, for parking lot improvements. The Streets and Parks Department will scrape vegetation and install new gravel. This will be the first phase of improvements […]
Decades of data tell a complex story at Indian Island
By Darrell Kirk
Salmonberry students explore world religions in Seattle
In early March, Salmonberry Community School students returned to Seattle for a learning adventure that these 15 9- to 12-year-old students will never forget. Every three years, this classroom centers its studies on a yearlong thematic exploration of world cultures and world religions. After being immersed in the geography, history, religion and culture of regions as diverse as the Himalayas and the Middle East, these students got to experience several sacred sites in person.
Spring season in full swing for Vikings
Submitted by Amy Carlson and The Booster Team.
News Brief | Trump issues order attempting to change rules for mail-in voting
||| FROM THE WASHINGTON POST ||| President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Tuesday that purports to change rules for mail ballots even though the president has limited authority over elections. Elections experts called the order legally questionable and noted that courts blocked the major provisions of an executive order on elections he signed last year. Opponents agreed a challenge was all but certain. The administration has also sued 29 states to try to get copies of their voter
Vegetable Gardening Workshop with Dr. Carol Miles set for April 11
During the event, San Juan County Master Gardeners will be available to answer attendees’ specific gardening questions, from soil challenges to pest troubleshooting ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The WSU Extension San Juan County Master Gardeners invite the community to kick off the 2026 gardening season at a special Vegetable Gardening Workshop with Dr. Carol Miles on Saturday, April 11, from 11:30am to 1:00pm at the Marie Boe Building at the San Juan County Fairgrounds. Dr. Miles,
Orcas celebrates Trans Day of Visibility
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND PRIDE ||| Today is Trans Day of Visibility. Today, we honor our trans brethren that have passed away, and celebrate the lives of those of us still living. We did a screening of the film Heightened Scrutiny in February alongside a Q&A with the director, Sam Feder. From now until the 5th of April (04/05/2026), it is available for free streaming! Find it here. We highly recommend this look into the fight that has been happening […]
Independent Bookstore Day celebrates its 13th anniversary
Darvill’s Bookstore is happy to announce our participation in the 13th Anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day ||| FROM SARA FARISH for DARVILL’S BOOKSTORE & COFFEE BAR ||| This year, Darvill’s Bookstore & Coffee Bar on Orcas Island is celebrating with a full day of events for book lovers of all ages. Stop by for exclusive Independent Bookstore Day totes, discounts, and a community story hour for young readers. We will also be celebrating local authors and poets with in-store signings […]
No jurors needed for April 6-10
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: APRIL 6-10, 2026 For the Jury Period beginning Monday April 6th through Friday April 10th, 2026, all jurors are excused. Thank you.
WSF: Summer Vehicle reservations available April 14
Vehicle reservations for the summer 2026 sailing season (June 14 through Sept. 19) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14. For the Anacortes/San Juan Islands, the two-week and two-day reservation releases will remain at 7 a.m. The summer 2026 sailing schedules are now online: Anacortes/San Juan Islands Port Townsend/Coupeville To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, […]
San Juan County WA Sheriff’s Log: March 25-31, 2026: Pants on fire, vehicle prowls, physical altercations
San Juan County Deputies responded to 130 calls from March 25- 31, 2026 including: An Orcas Island deputy responded to trauma incident at the Orcas Island Fire and Rescue, Headquarters, Station #21. The deputy learned that the subject was involved in a physical altercation needing medical assistance. The circumstances of the altercation is still be […]
Take a hike it’s National Walking Day
Public News Service: Engaging in at least 75 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, including brisk walking, lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease by 17%, according to recent data. (Adobe Stock) Today is National Walking Day and the American Heart Association is calling on Washingtonians to hit the ground walking for heart health and stress reduction. Research […]
Cantwell Statement on “God Squad” Allowing Oil Companies to Ignore Protections for Endangered Species in Gulf of Mexico
EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released this statement regarding the decision of the Trump administration’s Endangered Species Committee, commonly known as “The God Squad,” to exempt Gulf of Mexico oil and gas drilling from laws that protect endangered animal species: “Gulf Coast communities have already paid the price for offshore drilling with polluted waters, […]
County to test vote-counting equipment in April
Submitted by San Juan County.
Orcas Middle School Vikings show growth and grit
Submitted by team mom Alicia Wigfield.
Clark Well update raises more questions than answers | Column
By Cory Harrington
Garth McCardle, public defender of San Juan County
By Darrell Kirk
A place called Happy Cat | Inclusion for all members of the community
By Darrell Kirk
San Juan County Health & Community Services publishes its 2025 Impact Report
Submitted by San Juan County.