Other News
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
Weekly Case Update: One New Case on Lopez Island
Apr 23, 2021
By San Juan County
Since the last update on Friday April 16th, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 166 to 173.
Note that there are 25 close contacts of positive cases currently in active quarantine.
SHAW ISLAND
There are no new cases on Shaw Island since the last update.
There is one confirmed positive case under active monitoring on Shaw Island at this time.
ORCAS ISLAND
There are no new cases on Orcas Island since the last update. There are no confirmed positive cases under active monitoring on Orcas Island at this time.
LOPEZ ISLAND
There is one new case on Lopez Island since the last update. The following details are known about this new case:
-The new case is a close household contact of previously reported positive cases. Initial transmission source is related to mainland travel.
There are three confirmed positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island at this time.
SAN JUAN ISLAND
There are six new cases since the last report on San Juan Island. The following details are known about these new cases:
-Three of these new cases are close household members of each other, initial transmission source is through mainland travel.
-One of these new cases is possibly tied to the hosting of off-island visitors.
-Case investigations are ongoing for two of these cases.
There are six positive cases under active monitoring on San Juan Island at this time.
OVERALL PICTURE:
First off, if you’re not vaccinated - DO IT NOW. There are clinics on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez the first half of next week, and there are MANY SLOTS LEFT. Sign up at www.sjccovid.com.
Good news: While we're not 100% out of the woods, it seems that the large outbreak that had been ongoing on San Juan Island has been contained. Great cooperation and patience from everyone involved and an almost indescribable amount of work by the County Contact Tracing Team were the key pieces of a remarkable effort to prevent further spread. So while we’re still watching the situation closely, there is cause for optimism.
Less good news: We're starting to see cases popping up from islanders who have traveled or who have hosted off-island visitors. This is hardly a surprise but is clearly a risk going forward. That said, so far everyone involved in these cases have done the right thing by minimizing their exposures to the community once they returned home. That sort of thoughtful behavior will do a lot to keep the islands safe.
So, if you're unvaccinated and are in a high-risk situation while traveling (indoors, unmasked, with others who are unvaccinated), stay home when you get back to the islands. This is also true for kids - keep them home for two weeks once you’re back.
And finally, please don’t take COVID lightly. We’re seeing young, healthy, perfectly strong adults who are dealing with prolonged and very difficult struggles with COVID. If you’re on the fence about getting the vaccine, get it now- while there are very, very small (like one in a million small) risks that are associated with the vaccine, you’re chances of getting COVID and suffering from serious long-term complications are far, far higher.
SHAW ISLAND
There are no new cases on Shaw Island since the last update.
There is one confirmed positive case under active monitoring on Shaw Island at this time.
ORCAS ISLAND
There are no new cases on Orcas Island since the last update. There are no confirmed positive cases under active monitoring on Orcas Island at this time.
LOPEZ ISLAND
There is one new case on Lopez Island since the last update. The following details are known about this new case:
-The new case is a close household contact of previously reported positive cases. Initial transmission source is related to mainland travel.
There are three confirmed positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island at this time.
SAN JUAN ISLAND
There are six new cases since the last report on San Juan Island. The following details are known about these new cases:
-Three of these new cases are close household members of each other, initial transmission source is through mainland travel.
-One of these new cases is possibly tied to the hosting of off-island visitors.
-Case investigations are ongoing for two of these cases.
There are six positive cases under active monitoring on San Juan Island at this time.
OVERALL PICTURE:
First off, if you’re not vaccinated - DO IT NOW. There are clinics on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez the first half of next week, and there are MANY SLOTS LEFT. Sign up at www.sjccovid.com.
Good news: While we're not 100% out of the woods, it seems that the large outbreak that had been ongoing on San Juan Island has been contained. Great cooperation and patience from everyone involved and an almost indescribable amount of work by the County Contact Tracing Team were the key pieces of a remarkable effort to prevent further spread. So while we’re still watching the situation closely, there is cause for optimism.
Less good news: We're starting to see cases popping up from islanders who have traveled or who have hosted off-island visitors. This is hardly a surprise but is clearly a risk going forward. That said, so far everyone involved in these cases have done the right thing by minimizing their exposures to the community once they returned home. That sort of thoughtful behavior will do a lot to keep the islands safe.
So, if you're unvaccinated and are in a high-risk situation while traveling (indoors, unmasked, with others who are unvaccinated), stay home when you get back to the islands. This is also true for kids - keep them home for two weeks once you’re back.
And finally, please don’t take COVID lightly. We’re seeing young, healthy, perfectly strong adults who are dealing with prolonged and very difficult struggles with COVID. If you’re on the fence about getting the vaccine, get it now- while there are very, very small (like one in a million small) risks that are associated with the vaccine, you’re chances of getting COVID and suffering from serious long-term complications are far, far higher.