News and Views
Other News
Dec 17, 2025: A Victory for Affordable Housing: County Council Approves Development Agreement for Argyle Project
Dec 16, 2025: From Pilot to Payoff: SJC’s 32HR Work Week Pilot Project Brings Fiscal Savings & Workforce Gains
Dec 15, 2025: San Juan County Resident Camping Reservations Open February 24 - Set Up Your Account Now!
Dec 12, 2025: County Council Passes 2026 Budget but Prepares for Ongoing Financial Discussions in 2027
Dec 12, 2025: San Juan County Opens Cultural Access Application Materials & Recruits for New Review Board
Dec 11, 2025: County Council Adopts 2025 Comp Plan Update - Leaves Several Items for Further Discussion in 2026
Dec 5, 2025: Council Adopts Legislative Priorities for 2026: Infrastructure, Transportation, & Affordable Housing
Dec 3, 2025: County Council Opts for One-Year Budget; Focuses on Adopting 2026 at December 9 Public Hearing
Dec 1, 2025: Notice of Recount: Lopez Park & Rec. Dist. Commissioner No. 5 & Recount Certification Meeting
Nov 18, 2025: County Cuts Budget Deficit by More Than Half; Still Seeks $2M in Strategic Service & Personnel Cuts
Nov 17, 2025: County Recognizes Native American Heritage Month with Proclamation & Affirms Tribal Engagement Efforts
Nov 13, 2025: County Issues Proclamation Recognizing Veteran and Military Families Month This November
Nov 9, 2025: Thank you for the feedback regarding the picnic table at Weeks Point Way and related issues
Nov 5, 2025: U.S. & Canadian Leaders Convene Cross-Border Forum to Strengthen Collaboration & Resilience
Oct 29, 2025: How Do YOU Want to Plan for Sea Level Rise in San Juan County? Join Community Workshops this December
Oct 29, 2025: Looking to Get Involved? Join the Land Bank Commission & Guide Conservation in the Islands!
Oct 17, 2025: WSF Ferry Terminals will Close for 48 Hours in Spring of 2027: What Timing is Best for You?
Oct 14, 2025: County Issues Proclamation in Recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Oct 14, 2025: Building the Team: San Juan County Welcomes New DCD Director, Fire Marshal, and Public Defender
Oct 11, 2025: Dr. Corey Casper’s Official Candidate Statement for Lopez Island Hospital District, Position 2
Oct 8, 2025: Fall 2025 Great Islands Clean-Up Collects Over 1,300 Pounds of Litter Across San Juan County
Oct 6, 2025: San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Acquires 225-acre School Trust Land Parcel on Blakely Island
Sep 25, 2025: Meeting Recap: Community Discusses Sheriff Substation Move on Lopez with County Officials & Staff
Sep 16, 2025: Interested in Learning About the County's Sheriff Substation Move on Lopez? Join us for a Briefing & Feedback Session!
Sep 9, 2025: Rising Tides: Protecting our Homes, Roads, and Habitat - Save The Date for Sea Level Rise Workshops this Fall
Sep 5, 2025: *POSTPONED* Watch Over Yourself Well: Coast Salish Gender, Sexuality, & the Canoe Journey
Aug 29, 2025: Black-tail deer Hunting Season Opens September 1 at Lopez Hill and Mount Grant Preserves
Aug 28, 2025: Free Public Lecture and Field Seminar Growing Old Growth: The Relationships that Define the Future of our Forests
Aug 20, 2025: Meeting Recap: Community Members Discuss County’s Potential Purchase of Decatur Island Property
Aug 19, 2025: San Juan County Awards $815,000 in Public Facilities Assistance Funding to Local Organizations
Aug 14, 2025: ‘Coffee with Kari’ Offers Lopez Islanders a Chance to Meet with Councilmember McVeigh on Sep. 27
Jul 31, 2025: Interested in discussing the potential Property Purchase on Decatur? Join us for a Brown Bag Lunch!
Jul 17, 2025: San Juan County Responds to Recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Actions in the Islands
Jul 16, 2025: County Council Discusses Ferry Service with Governor Ferguson at Orcas Community Meeting
Jul 9, 2025: Potential Purchase by the County of Property on Decatur Island to Support Barge Landing Access
Jul 1, 2025: Updated County Fairgrounds Ready to Welcome Summer Picnickers, Fairgoers, Campers, and More
Jun 18, 2025: How Does the New State Budget Impact San Juan County Funding & Programs? Council Reviews Highlights
May 22, 2025: San Juan County Elections Disability Advisory Committee Annual Meeting June 10 at 9:00AM
May 17, 2025: Need Urgent Community Support: Tell Governor Ferguson to Sign HB2049 and Increase Funding for Lopez School
May 16, 2025: One Month Mark: County’s Pilot Transport Services Shows Steady Ridership & Variety of Uses
May 14, 2025: Hazardous Waste Round-Ups: What Lopez and Orcas Residents Need to Know Before Drop-Off Day
May 7, 2025: Auditor Seeks Writers of Argument against Lopez Island Library and Lopez Island School District Ballot Measures
May 2, 2025: Plastic Free Salish Sea Sets Sail with the San Juan Island Yacht Club and Washington State Parks
Apr 25, 2025: New Daily Service Schedule, Growing Ridership & Other Insights on County’s Pilot Transport Services
Apr 24, 2025: Building and Land Use Permits, Long-Range Planning Projects, & Staff Recruitments: DCD Leadership Provides Spring Update
Apr 4, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Transportation Element, Plan Intro, & Administration Piece Ready for Review
Mar 19, 2025: San Juan County Establishes Interim Inter-Island Transportation Services as RFP Process Continues
Mar 7, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Climate Element and Draft Official Map Amendments Available for Review
Mar 6, 2025: Governor Ferguson announces plan to restore Washington State Ferries to full service by this summer
Mar 4, 2025: Public Meeting: Land Bank Using Prescribed Fires to Manage Wildfire Risks & Restore Ecosystems
Feb 19, 2025: San Juan County Seeks Proposals from Transportation Service Providers for Pilot Project
Feb 12, 2025: Call for Candidates: Three-Day Special Filing Period for Lopez Metropolitan Park District Commissioners
Jan 19, 2025: Four districts, six unions, three PTAs, and county leadership all agree: legislators must take action to fully fund education no
Dec 19, 2024: San Juan County Parks and Fair Announces New Camping Software; Delaying Reservation Availability
Dec 10, 2024: County Council Considers Extending Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste to Allow for More Collaboration
Dec 5, 2024: San Juan County to Consider Updated Interlocal Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District
Dec 2, 2024: San Juan County Council Sets Public Hearing for Cultural Access Sales Tax at Dec. 10 Meeting
Nov 25, 2024: San Juan County Celebrates Completion of Lopez Skate Park and Calls for Inaugural Skaters
Nov 7, 2024: How Has Extreme Weather Impacted You? Participate in the County’s Climate Resilience Planning Effort
Nov 1, 2024: UPDATE: Sea Wall Repairs Temporarily Close MacKaye Harbor Dock and Boat Ramp on Lopez Island
Oct 22, 2024: DRAFT North Shore Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Oct 21, 2024: Reminder: You’re Invited to Attend Open Houses for the 2025 Comp Plan Update This Fall
Oct 1, 2024: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE SAN JUANS SPONSORS OCTOBER COUNTY COUNCIL VOTER FORUMS ON SJI, ORCAS, AND LOPEZ
Sep 24, 2024: County Hosts Community Meeting on Lopez Island to Discuss Public Safety during Hunting Season
Sep 24, 2024: SJC Reviews Shoreline Habitat & Infrastructure Adaptation Strategies in the face of Sea Level Rise
Sep 23, 2024: DRAFT Watmough Bay Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Aug 29, 2024: San Juan County’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Survey Sets Baseline for Ongoing Change
Aug 27, 2024: 2024 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Gardening Workshop Series, October 15-24, 2024
Aug 27, 2024: County Representatives Discuss Solutions to Ferry Service Disruptions with Governor Inslee
Aug 21, 2024: County Council’s Request to Governor for Relief from Ferry Service Disruptions Not Fulfilled
Aug 20, 2024: San Juan County Certifies Primary Election Results & Celebrates Highest Primary Turnout in Years
Aug 13, 2024: WSF Commits Additional Crews to Interisland Route to Ensure Service During County Fair Week
Aug 13, 2024: Ferry Data from Staff and Local Partners Shapes Council Request for ‘Executive Relief’ From WA State
Aug 5, 2024: The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival returns to Lopez for its 27th Summer Concert Season
May 2, 2024: WA State Governor and Assistant Secretary of WSF Talk Ferry Service & Solar Power with SJC Officials
Apr 11, 2024: Community Meeting: Sea Level Rise Adaptation for Outer Bay and Agate Beach Areas on Lopez Island
Mar 11, 2024: Queers in Unexpected Places: Searching for (and Finding) Gender and Sexual Non-Conformity in the Rural and Early PNW
Mar 7, 2024: DRAFT Richardson Marsh Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Dec 5, 2023: County Council Member Jane Fuller and Senator Liz Lovelett to Host Public Meeting on Lopez
Nov 3, 2023: County and Town Send Open Letter to State Officials Regarding Impacts of Poor Ferry Service
Sep 29, 2023: Conservation Land Bank Announces Special Meeting to Discuss Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
Sep 14, 2023: The mobile dental van is coming to Lopez! // ¡La camioneta dental móvil ya llega a López!
Aug 22, 2023: San Juan County Adopts 32-Hour Work Week in the Name of Fiscal Health, Recruitment, and Islander Wellness
May 25, 2023: Recap of Lopez Neighborhood Meeting Regarding the Relocation of Public Works Facilities
May 23, 2023: District 3 Councilmember Jane Fuller Opens Office on Lopez and Hosts Community Conversation
Apr 17, 2023: Give Lopez Starts April 17th - A two week fundraiser benefiting 15 Lopez Island Non-Profits
Sep 22, 2022: Interim Watmough Preserve Addition Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Stay Healthy, Lopez!
Dec 11, 2020
By Lopez Covid Health Support
A message for a Covid-safe holiday from a group of your fellow Lopezians working to promote a healthy community during the pandemic.
Lopez Covid Health Support is a group of your fellow Lopezians working to promote a healthy community during the pandemic. These are some guidelines to inform your decisions this holiday season:
The safest-Stay is in your household bubble for the holidays.
There is one behavior you should try to eliminate, without exception: Spending time in a confined space outside your household where anyone is unmasked.
Safer- Quarantine for 2 weeks before getting together or quarantine for 7 days and get a COVID test and results before getting together with people outside your bubble.
If you have to go indoors away from home, wear a mask, minimize exposure time, and keep a 6 ft. physical distance.
Risky- Spending extended time indoors with people other than your household bubble, even with everyone masked.
Riskiest- Spending time with people other than your household bubble without quarantine or masks.
Speaking of “bubblesâ€, see the graphic on “Your Bubble is Larger than You Thinkâ€.
Now for some better news: Several activities are less risky than some people fear. You don’t need to wear a mask when you go for a physically distant walk or a jog. Keeping six feet distance outdoors is more important than wearing a mask. Of course, in some areas it is not possible to keep 6 ft. apart, even outdoors. So, keep your mask handy!
The safest-Stay is in your household bubble for the holidays.
There is one behavior you should try to eliminate, without exception: Spending time in a confined space outside your household where anyone is unmasked.
Safer- Quarantine for 2 weeks before getting together or quarantine for 7 days and get a COVID test and results before getting together with people outside your bubble.
If you have to go indoors away from home, wear a mask, minimize exposure time, and keep a 6 ft. physical distance.
Risky- Spending extended time indoors with people other than your household bubble, even with everyone masked.
Riskiest- Spending time with people other than your household bubble without quarantine or masks.
Speaking of “bubblesâ€, see the graphic on “Your Bubble is Larger than You Thinkâ€.
Now for some better news: Several activities are less risky than some people fear. You don’t need to wear a mask when you go for a physically distant walk or a jog. Keeping six feet distance outdoors is more important than wearing a mask. Of course, in some areas it is not possible to keep 6 ft. apart, even outdoors. So, keep your mask handy!
Poster Art by Moira McDonough
Pasture Poster