Other News
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
Observer Corps Notes: Board of Health, August 2024
Aug 22, 2024
By League of Women Voters of the San Juans
Board of Health August 21, 2024
For the Accountable Communities of Health (ACH), Kristen Rezabek represented the county at a conference in Everett this month. Mark Tompkins will represent ACH at an equity conference in Atlanta. At the September Board of Health meeting the resource centers will report on their ACH-funded projects. The North Sound Behavioral Health organization is working on a plan for providing direct services in the future. The county received a $100k grant to support services to under-insured residents, and Lopez got a grant to run their Recovery Café. The Northwest Regional Council needs more staff to coordinate care and to do case management for in-home care for seniors. Their 2025 grant cycle is beginning now. The population of those 85 and older will increase fourfold in the next two decades.
The Public Health Department gave an update on communicable diseases. There have been measles cases in the state, but our county vaccination rates are very good. There are whooping cough cases in the state, but not the county. It to vaccinations up to date is important, because whooping cough can have serious and even life-threatening complications. The county has done back-school-vaccination clinics on all three islands and will do one in late August of childhood vaccinations only.
The county has been hit with the recent increase in covid cases. Over-the-counter test kits have been in short supply and the only other place to get tested is at the Peace Health emergency room. The county health department provides Covid vaccines to those 18 and under and for uninsured adults. People with insurance must go off-island to get them. The new vaccine variant is due out in September. The main danger of avian flu is for birds, flocks and some animals; people are cautioned to take care around sick or dead birds. The Mpox outbreak is a concern only for overseas travelers.
On the Hannah Heights PFAS contamination, the Department of Ecology began its investigation, taking 12 core samples, and will start ongoing sampling in October. The community has secured grants and loans to pay for the cost of hauled water, and to drill a new well, but so far have not found any suitable land that they can secure permission to drill on. They are looking at the possible need to replace the distribution system though initial tests indicate the system may have been flushed. The community has gotten medical briefings on potential health issues, and after some struggles are beginning to find partners to help with blood testing and monitoring. The type of PFAS found are those used in firefighting foam.
*The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.
The Public Health Department gave an update on communicable diseases. There have been measles cases in the state, but our county vaccination rates are very good. There are whooping cough cases in the state, but not the county. It to vaccinations up to date is important, because whooping cough can have serious and even life-threatening complications. The county has done back-school-vaccination clinics on all three islands and will do one in late August of childhood vaccinations only.
The county has been hit with the recent increase in covid cases. Over-the-counter test kits have been in short supply and the only other place to get tested is at the Peace Health emergency room. The county health department provides Covid vaccines to those 18 and under and for uninsured adults. People with insurance must go off-island to get them. The new vaccine variant is due out in September. The main danger of avian flu is for birds, flocks and some animals; people are cautioned to take care around sick or dead birds. The Mpox outbreak is a concern only for overseas travelers.
On the Hannah Heights PFAS contamination, the Department of Ecology began its investigation, taking 12 core samples, and will start ongoing sampling in October. The community has secured grants and loans to pay for the cost of hauled water, and to drill a new well, but so far have not found any suitable land that they can secure permission to drill on. They are looking at the possible need to replace the distribution system though initial tests indicate the system may have been flushed. The community has gotten medical briefings on potential health issues, and after some struggles are beginning to find partners to help with blood testing and monitoring. The type of PFAS found are those used in firefighting foam.
*The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to expand public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.