The Killebrew Lake beavers mean business.
They diligently work on their dam every night, from 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., and there’s always a sentry posted, ready to alert the construction crew to danger with an emphatic slap of his scaly tail.
Eighty-one-year-old Orcas island resident David Schermerhorn will set sail for Gaza near the end of June with a flotilla of international boats.
The Metropolitan Opera is coming to Orcas Island next week in all of its glamour and show – the lights, the stage, elaborate costumes and world-class divas.
Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” will show at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 1, streamed to a custom calibrated, 24- by 13-foot projection screen installed on the Center Stage. The showing is part of the “Summer HD Encores” series, a selection of screenings from the Metropolitan Opera Series, “Live in HD” series. The Summer Encore series showcases the best of performances from past seasons, and will not be streamed live.
On Memorial Day weekend Orcas sailor Eric Moulton skippered a crew of eight to victory in the Swiftsure International yacht race, hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.
Orcas fire chief Mike Harris has decided that it may be time to begin the process of moving on.
The first annual Truckapalooza, a fundraiser for Orcas Family Health Center, drew a steady stream of kids ready to clamber up steps, beep horns, flip switches and listen to sirens howl. Contractor Justin Paulsen took up lift-loads of passengers for an unusual ride.
Saturday dawned overcast and grey for Eastsound’s 2011 Summer Solstice Parade, so revelers brought their own radiance.
Auditor Milene Henley has dropped the asking price for the Orcas Rec sports equipment from $1,000 to $342, county council member Richard Fralick told the Orcas Island Park and Recreation district commission on June 9.
A dance choreographed by Orcas High School senior Sabina Smith-Moreland has been selected for performance at Seattle’s Moore Theater on July 8 and 9.
“It’s very angular and oppressive,” she says of the contemporary dance titled “Headphones,” an exploration of George Orwell’s book, “1984.”
The dancers all wear plain-colored Dickey overalls, framed by “guards” at each stage corner. “At the start we’re all on chairs, and we get caught by big brother,” she explained.
Smith-Moreland has been chosen as Seattle Theater Group’s emerging choreographer, and her work will be presented as part of the group’s DANCE This! production featuring original choreography from nationally and internationally celebrated choreographers Mark Morris, Broadway’s Joey McKneely, Daniel Cruz, Dora Oliveira, Rex Kinney, and others.
Orcas high school sophomore rowers Jake Zier, Josh Bronn and spring co-captain Max Blackadar have been honored with invitations to the US Junior National Rowing team development camp.
“If they go to the development camp this year it would give them possibility in their junior year of being invited to the selection camp,” said Lisa Bronn, Josh’s mom. Rowers invited to the junior national selection camp may try out for the national team that competes at the world competition, this year being held in Eton, Great Britain.
The day will be a machine aficionado’s delight: tractors, a fire truck, police car, two excavators, a man-lift, a forklift, dump truck, tow truck, some classic cars, a semi, a pumper truck, an airplane and possibly a schoolbus and a helicopter or two.
“Orcas Family Health Center never turns anyone away for financial reasons, and because of that we often find ourselves brainstorming for ways to raise funds to help offset the costs of providing care to everyone,” said organizer Shelley Rankin, who works as a receptionist at the center. “We attended a similar event in Las Vegas when we lived there and my children couldn’t wait until the next year to go again.”
The first annual Orcas Island Truckapalooza invites kids of all ages to come to the Eastsound airport to climb, touch, honk, and learn about the varied vehicles of the island. The event will raise funds for Orcas Family Health Center.
After her high school graduation through the Orcas schools’ OASIS program, 18-year-old Camilla Lloyd plans to attend the University of St. Andrews, travel around Europe, study hard and “eat delicious things.”
“Camilla and Breena [Benthin], our co-valedictorians, have both been full-time OASIS high school students for their entire high school careers,” said Marta Branch. “I am so proud of both of these exceptional students.”
Seven students graduated from the OASIS program this year, earning either their high school diploma or a GED.
It was a day of celebration for the 24 nonprofits who collectively received $100,248 through the Orcas Island Community Foundation’s 2011 grant disbursements.
It was also the first year foundation awards have topped $100,000, said grant committee member Dianne Berreth as she thanked the foundation’s partners in philanthropy.
In a ceremony held at Orcas Center, the following awards were announced:
