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
San Juan County Health Officer Reinstates Masking Requirements
Aug 12, 2021
By San Juan County
As per a recent Health Officer order, all customers entering businesses in San Juan County will be required to mask up beginning at 5pm on Friday August 13th.
San Juan County Health Officer Dr. Frank James highlights his thinking, “First off, I want to say that I truly hoped that vaccination rates in our nation would be high enough that this moment wouldn’t come. But hospital beds are filling quickly with COVID patients, and our regional healthcare system is beginning to struggle. We all need to sacrifice to reduce that strain, even those of us who are vaccinated.â€
This order is identical to the previous masking requirement in San Juan County that was lifted on June 30th.
Dr. James explains the situation, “Those who are vaccinated are not causing the immediate problem, since they are extremely unlikely to be hospitalized. However, vaccinated individuals can transmit the disease in some cases. As we have seen over and over through the pandemic, masking up does reduce caseloads, and that’s the goal of course.â€
With other jurisdictions in Washington implementing similar orders, San Juan County is part of a coordinated effort to try to preserve capacity in the regional medical and public health system.
San Juan County Health & Community Services Director Mark Tompkins sympathizes with those who are frustrated, “My team is exhausted and stretched and we’re all so disappointed that we’re facing a new surge in cases that was completely preventable. The Delta variant is highly infectious, and that combined with so many unvaccinated individuals is causing this crisis. While vaccination rates in the islands are relatively high, they’re not perfect and there are many across Washington and beyond who are making the choice to remain unvaccinated. We count on mainland hospitals for our advanced care and doing all we can to help reduce need is our duty.â€
The masking order will remain in place until lifted, something that will happen once case volumes have returned to baseline levels. Businesses looking for no-nonsense signage announcing the order may utilize the attached posters.
This order is identical to the previous masking requirement in San Juan County that was lifted on June 30th.
Dr. James explains the situation, “Those who are vaccinated are not causing the immediate problem, since they are extremely unlikely to be hospitalized. However, vaccinated individuals can transmit the disease in some cases. As we have seen over and over through the pandemic, masking up does reduce caseloads, and that’s the goal of course.â€
With other jurisdictions in Washington implementing similar orders, San Juan County is part of a coordinated effort to try to preserve capacity in the regional medical and public health system.
San Juan County Health & Community Services Director Mark Tompkins sympathizes with those who are frustrated, “My team is exhausted and stretched and we’re all so disappointed that we’re facing a new surge in cases that was completely preventable. The Delta variant is highly infectious, and that combined with so many unvaccinated individuals is causing this crisis. While vaccination rates in the islands are relatively high, they’re not perfect and there are many across Washington and beyond who are making the choice to remain unvaccinated. We count on mainland hospitals for our advanced care and doing all we can to help reduce need is our duty.â€
The masking order will remain in place until lifted, something that will happen once case volumes have returned to baseline levels. Businesses looking for no-nonsense signage announcing the order may utilize the attached posters.
Read the full text of the order.
Black and White Poster.
Red Poster.