About The Island Guardain

Locally Owned & Operated
360-378-4900 - PO Box 38, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
The Island Guardian is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists

The Island Guardian, Inc.
Incorporated Under the Laws of the State of Washington
January 12, 2005

A Message from the Publisher:

The Island Guardian was created by a number of local citizens from different islands in San Juan County with the goal of producing a locally owned and controlled news media, that had the county wide connections, and desire, to report an in-depth review of topics, ranging from government actions -and lack of action- to those general topics that may be of interest to the members of our community, and do so in a manner that will be both hard hitting and thought provoking, in editorials and factual in news reporting. We also want to have fun, and yet serve a purpose. With that in mind, we have created the Weekly Nag, where the public can vent and suggest how our life style can be improved. For the serious minded, It is the aim of the Guardian to present the views of the Left, the Right, and the Center, in the form of columns, guest editorials and letters to the editor. Hard news will be just that: a statement of facts as we observe them. Under no circumstances will we reject any letters to the editor simply because we may disagree with the content, or feel it may influence public opinion in some way that we personally, or professionally, agree or disagree with.

As a corporation we are selling stock in the corporation, and once the stock is sold it is our intent to produce a weekly printed paper that is widely distributed to all the islands. Our revenue will be depended on the citizens of our county. A minimum qualification to purchase stock is one must own property or reside in San Juan County. We will not accept any out of county advertising if it is in direct competition with an existing service or business in the county .

We have started a new journey and we ask you to join us, not only as readers, but also as providers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Jack W. Cory
360 378-9400
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Recreational Campfire Status in San Juan County

As of July 10, 2024, at 1:00pm, Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) issued a declaration banning all fires statewide on DNR protected lands. This ban extends to recreational campfires on DNR lands in San Juan County.

The San Juan County Fair is Just Around the Corner; Register Your Exhibits TODAY!

The San Juan County Parks & Fair Department continues to streamline ways to help you participate in the County Fair. With online pre-registration for entries and a new pick-up and drop-off service on Orcas, Lopez and Shaw, it’s never been easier to be part of the Fair!

Scam Alert: Recent 'Spoofing' Scam Impersonates Sheriff's Office

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office is alerting the public to an ongoing 'spoofing' scam in our community. Islanders are getting calls from someone claiming to be the Sheriff’s Office, attempting to scam them out of money. These calls are NOT from the Sheriff's Office and the community is encouraged to be aware of suspicious phone calls.

Former astronaut William Anders, who took iconic Earthrise photo, killed in Washington plane crash

William Anders, the former Apollo 8 astronaut who took the iconic “Earthrise” photo showing the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space in 1968, was killed Friday when the plane he was piloting alone plummeted into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state. He was 90.

Same-day camping reservations now available at 26 state parks

Same-day reservations program expands across Washington

OLYMPIA — June 6, 2024 — Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) is excited to announce its same-day reservation pilot program has expanded to 26 parks across the state.

Additionally, Parks has implemented a new flexible dates feature in its reservations system. Rather than searching for exact dates, visitors can now choose the flexible booking dates option and see when different sites are available. This great new feature lets campers with flexibility find a site, especially during peak season, at busier parks.

Pet of the Week

ABOUT

Age: ~8.5 months old
Sex: Female
Breed: Domestic Medium Hair, Black
Origin: San Juan Island
Weight: ~5lbs
Personality: Conscientious, One-of-a-Kind, Worth-the-Wait
Energy Level: Varying, and still revealing itself.
Likes: Building Trust, Cryptozoology, Fellow Feline Friends
Dislikes: Parades, Poachers, Surprises

Application:
https://www.apsfh.com/adoption-program/feline-application/

Community Meeting: Discussion of Trail Routes on San Juan Island

The County is exploring trail routes between the Town of Friday Harbor and Zylstra Lake Preserve, as well as other routes and destinations that connect the Town with neighborhoods, public lands, and other amenities. The community is invited to a meeting where together, we will recap the trail project goals, share potential trail routes, and open discussion for ideas and feedback.

Detransitoner Guest Speaker Shunned by Friday Harbor Citizens

Matt and Maureen Marinkovich invited 23-year-old Nicolas Blooms to speak to the comunity about his journey down the slippery Transitional experiment. While many in the community welcomed Nicolas, there were many who rejected him, including The Grange, where Nicolas was going to speak.

Listen to Maureen on [un]Devided with Brandi Kruse and KIRO's John & Jake

San Juan County Files a Lawsuit Against the Town of Friday Harbor to Protect Access to Water

The County has a 21-day window to appeal the Town’s decision before forfeiting the right to engage in further action.

San Juan County made the difficult decision Tuesday, May 21, to file a lawsuit against the Town of Friday Harbor in an effort to protect access to water at the Fairgrounds.

Raw Milk at the Crossroads, Again

Analysis by Sally Fallon Morell

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

The campaign against raw milk began with a fabricated 1945 article in Coronet magazine claiming a deadly brucellosis outbreak in a nonexistent town, leading to restrictive laws against raw milk starting in Michigan in 1948
A 2007 PowerPoint presentation by an FDA official falsely maligned raw milk using flawed reports; none of these reports proved pasteurization would have prevented alleged outbreaks
The 2024 USDA announcement attributed symptoms in dairy cows to avian flu without confirmed viral presence in milk, relying on questionable PCR testing methods
Despite claims, there is no peer-reviewed evidence supporting transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza from raw milk to humans
While pasteurization is promoted as making milk safe, the actual diversion or destruction of milk from infected animals suggests that pasteurization may not guarantee safety