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: 5 New Cases on Lopez Island
Feb 25, 2022
By San Juan County
Since the last update on Friday February 18th, there have been 27 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 1202.
This is a significant drop from last week's case count (67), and hopefully the first clear sign of the long-anticipated reduction in cases county-wide.
LOPEZ ISLAND: There are 5 new cases on Lopez Island since the last update.
ORCAS ISLAND: There are 4 new cases on Orcas Island since the last update.
SAN JUAN ISLAND: There are 18 new cases on San Juan Island since the last update.
Of these 27 new cases, 17 were identified via one of the free test kits handed out by the County, State or Federal governments, 4 were identified by school district testing, 3 were identified by local medical providers, and the remaining 3 were via other at home or mail-in testing providers.
What the Future May Hold:
With luck this week’s steep drop in case numbers will hold. Schools are currently on mid-winter break, and hopefully students returning to schools next week will not lead to any spike in cases. Islanders are asked to remain thoughtful and cautious over the next couple weeks.
Assuming cases continue to decline, here are some quick thoughts on what the future will bring:
-The Governor will lift his mask mandate on March 21st, including for school students. San Juan County Health Department staff will monitor the situation, but currently feel more than comfortable with the timing of this decision.
-Islanders will need to display their usual patience and empathy through the transition. Some will feel most comfortable continuing to wear masks- and that’s a perfectly reasonable decision. Some will be eager to go mask free, and if current trends hold, that will be fine too. Recognizing that nearly everyone’s nerves are frazzled and meeting that anxiousness with relaxed and patient kindness and basic human decency will go a long way towards healing the collective mental health of our community.
-This all said, COVID will still be out there, is still a serious illness for many, and certainly something to be wary of. There will continue to be hospitalizations and fatalities. With that in mind, it’s important that anyone who is feeling sick stay home, and if you need to go out in public while symptomatic, for goodness’ sake, wear a mask. Get tested if you think you might have COVID and make decisions based on common sense and respect for your community.
-There is good news: anyone who is fully vaccinated and boosted is quite well protected. Clearly those who are older or immunocompromised are still at higher risk, but so long as they are fully vaccinated and boosted, the risks they face and the precautions they need to take should be similar to what they faced prior to COVID (masking up, avoiding high risk locations, their friends and family being extra careful, etc.).
-While their overall risk is quite low, children under the age of 5 are not yet approved for a vaccine, and as such are at higher risk. A bit of extra caution would be prudent.
-Individuals who are able to be vaccinated but choose not to will continue to represent the majority of hospitalizations and fatalities. As always, the County Health Team will be offering periodic vaccination opportunities (https://www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info) or contact your local provider or pharmacy.
-More good news is that there are now a number of treatments available that drastically minimize the likelihood of severe illness from COVID. Anyone who is at high-risk of serious illness should have a plan in place to test rapidly should they become symptomatic, and if positive, should contact their medical provider quickly to discuss their options, as rapid treatment is essential.
-As always during these years of disruption and sacrifice, staying flexible and even-tempered is key. Hopefully the pandemic is finally coming to an end, but even if there are more surprises to come, islanders will continue to respond with our humanity and compassion intact and will continue to take care of each other above all else.
LOPEZ ISLAND: There are 5 new cases on Lopez Island since the last update.
ORCAS ISLAND: There are 4 new cases on Orcas Island since the last update.
SAN JUAN ISLAND: There are 18 new cases on San Juan Island since the last update.
Of these 27 new cases, 17 were identified via one of the free test kits handed out by the County, State or Federal governments, 4 were identified by school district testing, 3 were identified by local medical providers, and the remaining 3 were via other at home or mail-in testing providers.
What the Future May Hold:
With luck this week’s steep drop in case numbers will hold. Schools are currently on mid-winter break, and hopefully students returning to schools next week will not lead to any spike in cases. Islanders are asked to remain thoughtful and cautious over the next couple weeks.
Assuming cases continue to decline, here are some quick thoughts on what the future will bring:
-The Governor will lift his mask mandate on March 21st, including for school students. San Juan County Health Department staff will monitor the situation, but currently feel more than comfortable with the timing of this decision.
-Islanders will need to display their usual patience and empathy through the transition. Some will feel most comfortable continuing to wear masks- and that’s a perfectly reasonable decision. Some will be eager to go mask free, and if current trends hold, that will be fine too. Recognizing that nearly everyone’s nerves are frazzled and meeting that anxiousness with relaxed and patient kindness and basic human decency will go a long way towards healing the collective mental health of our community.
-This all said, COVID will still be out there, is still a serious illness for many, and certainly something to be wary of. There will continue to be hospitalizations and fatalities. With that in mind, it’s important that anyone who is feeling sick stay home, and if you need to go out in public while symptomatic, for goodness’ sake, wear a mask. Get tested if you think you might have COVID and make decisions based on common sense and respect for your community.
-There is good news: anyone who is fully vaccinated and boosted is quite well protected. Clearly those who are older or immunocompromised are still at higher risk, but so long as they are fully vaccinated and boosted, the risks they face and the precautions they need to take should be similar to what they faced prior to COVID (masking up, avoiding high risk locations, their friends and family being extra careful, etc.).
-While their overall risk is quite low, children under the age of 5 are not yet approved for a vaccine, and as such are at higher risk. A bit of extra caution would be prudent.
-Individuals who are able to be vaccinated but choose not to will continue to represent the majority of hospitalizations and fatalities. As always, the County Health Team will be offering periodic vaccination opportunities (https://www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info) or contact your local provider or pharmacy.
-More good news is that there are now a number of treatments available that drastically minimize the likelihood of severe illness from COVID. Anyone who is at high-risk of serious illness should have a plan in place to test rapidly should they become symptomatic, and if positive, should contact their medical provider quickly to discuss their options, as rapid treatment is essential.
-As always during these years of disruption and sacrifice, staying flexible and even-tempered is key. Hopefully the pandemic is finally coming to an end, but even if there are more surprises to come, islanders will continue to respond with our humanity and compassion intact and will continue to take care of each other above all else.