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Kelley Balcomb-Bartok Staff photo The Herda Clan, Jennifer, Syd, Gabe and Sam.

Life

Father’s Day is every day for Gabe Herda

Gabe Herda says being a father was something he always wanted to be.

Editorial

Opinion

Congratulations Class of 2023 | Editorial

To the graduating class of 2023.

Kelley Balcomb-Bartok / Staff photo ASB President Ayana Berube takes a ‘selfie’ with friend and classmate Meg Carrier in the high school library minutes before entering Turnbull Gym for the 111th Commencement of Friday Harbor High School.

Life

Graduation marks beginning of next chapter for 2023 grads

Friday Harbor was a busy place this weekend with three seperate high school graduation ceremonies occuring either Friday,…

Kelley Balcomb-Bartok / staff photo The WSF Suquamish, one of four ferries connecting the islands to the mainland, loads vehicles bound for Anacortes.

News

Over 100 vehicles stranded in Friday Harbor Memorial Weekend

Sobbing mothers. Screaming infants. An angry mob.

Heather Spaulding Staff photo Paul Hart, president of the Hannah Heights Homeowners Association has been working through the water crises.

News

Hannah Heights continues struggling with water contamination

‘Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.’

File photo 40 Spring Street, the building most recently associated with Crystal Seas Kayaking, has a solid foundation built, walls and floors in place, and designs on returning to nearly the same look the building had prior to the blaze.

News

Spring Street buildings to rise from the ashes after 2022 arson fire

Speaking of rising from the ashes.

Contributed photo San Juan County has three newly trained Animal Control Officers now stationed on three of the ferry-served islands. From left to right, Deputy Jason Gross (Orcas), Deputy Walker Vandenhazel (Lopez), and Deputy Nicholas Wainwright (San Juan) all were recently certified at the Criminal Justice Training Academy in Burien.

News

Three San Juan County deputies trained as animal control officers

Animal cruelty is a crime.

Kelley Balcomb-Bartok Staff photo

News

Hannah Heights water system highly contaminated

San Juan County Department of Health and Community Services has issued a Water Quality Advisory for the Hannah…

Contributed photo by Island Community Home Trust.

News

County Council moves forward with Home Trust on Argyle project

By Kelley Balcomb-Bartok

Heather Spaulding staff photo Three historic buildings on the corner of Spring and First Street in downtown Friday Harbor were destroyed in an arson fire in the early morning hours of April 7, 2022.

News

A year after downtown fire, progress comes slowly

By Kelley Balcomb-Bartok

Kelley Balcomb-Bartok / Staff photo San Juan County Sheriff Deputy Isaac Norton prepares to demonstrate the department’s new drone as Deputy Ron Krebs looks on. Norton, along with two other deputies, have earned their FAA licenses to legally operate the new drones for the Sheriff’s office.

News

Sheriff’s Office demonstrates new drone technology to County Council

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! …

The Town of Sidney will have to explore all options for its waterfront property currently leased by Washington State Ferries for the Sidney terminus of the Anacortes, Wash. to Sidney ferry route, which they announced Tuesday (Feb. 28) will not resume until 2030. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

News

Sidney ferry run unlikely to return until 2030

The Anacortes/Sidney, B.C. ferry run is unlikely to return to service until 2030, according to Washington State Ferries.

Contributed photo As a young journalist, Frank Leeming Jr. was instrumental in unearthing a photo of the murderer of Martin Luther King.

News

For Frank Leeming, journalism was a calling

For some, journalism is calling. It’s an inner desire to tell stories and share facts with a wider…