By Dr Marli Parobek, DNP APRN Mental Health May is upon us. A great time to address how to achieve great mental health. Let’s dive in. We are all familiar with what is considered good physical health, such as diet, exercise, and avoiding risky behaviors. We are told constantly by medical professionals, the media, politicians,…
Island Resilience, May 2026, Nature
Humble Nettle
By Anthony Latora As the days stretch into longer light and the warmth in the air begins to carry the fragrance of new blooms, nettle rises from the somber earth. For many, this plant is known through accident, or by the warnings of caregivers who remember its sharp, lingering sting. Yet what if that very…
May 2026, Recipes
Mamá Anita’s Shredded Carrot Soup With a Twist
By Cynthia Sadurni It seems that most people think of soup as an autumnal or wintery dish. Once the warmer weather comes, it discretely disappears until the cold begins anew. For me, this is a very interesting approach, since I grew up having soup every day with dinner, to the point that it doesn’t seem…
Entertainment, Llaughing Llamas, May 2026
Llaughing Llamas Chronicles – May
By Daniel Hooker From my friend Micolino: Q: Were did Noah stow his bees? A: In his arc hives. ~ From Amelia at the Library: Q: How do flowers whistle? A: With their two lips. ~ From David at Ace Hardware: Q: How do you protect your bagels? A: You put a little lox on…
Announcements, May 2026, Poetry
Mukai Haiku Festival 2026
By Dr. Jade Keala Agua, Executive Director, Mukai Farm & Garden Our 7th Annual Haiku Festival brought together a vibrant community of poets from near and far. This year, the Festival received 190 submissions representing 9 different countries, with an inspiring 65% of entries from youth poets. Below, is a selection of this year’s haiku….
April 2026, Editorial Page
Elon Musk in Talks to Buy the ’Hawks
One week before winning this year’s NFL Super Bowl, Jody Allen, long-time manager of the Estate of Paul G. Allen, a family trust that owns the Seattle Seahawks, issued a statement saying the team was not yet for sale. On February 18th, only ten days after a triumphant victory in Super Bowl LX, the estate…
April 2026, Editorial Page
Washington State to Discuss Equitable Ferry Initiative
Olympia lawmakers are poised to begin discussions of a proposed “Equitable Ferry Initiative,” with plans to pursue legislation in 2027 to increase revenue while balancing personal responsibility among Washington State Ferry system users. Washington State is unique in that its ferries are part of the state Department of Transportation highway system. Known as the “marine…
April 2026, Island Voices
Healing and The Last Three Chair Squats
By Deborah H. Anderson Three weeks ago, I was introduced before preaching on “Fasting as a Practice of Calling Down Justice” at an Ash Wednesday service. The Sister of the Cloth said “… And when she sings, it comes from a place so deep inside of her.” I was so grateful to hear that the…
April 2026, Island Voices
How I Became Gates
[Jane–see image accompanying this story; I think it would go well in the print version too] By Gates (Pam) Johnson I have been asked this question about eight million times in the last, I’m going to guess, three decades. Not sure why it is such an interesting topic. Is “Gates” that odd a name that…