Tuesday, April 1, 2025by Jeff Noedelvideo by Jeremy Tyler Ferry activists and local leaders reading the recently-passed State Senate transportation budget (ESSB 5161) were shocked to find a major policy shift proposed on page 105 of the 260-page bill. Section 720 of the bill details the make-up of Washington State Ferries ferry advisory committees. In…
Sunday, March 9, 2025by Jeff Noedel In a Thursday news conference in Seattle, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced he intends to visit the San Juans on July 15 to talk with citizens about Washington State Ferries. He said, “We’re tentatively scheduled to have me up in the San Juan Islands I think on July 15….
Thursday, March 6, 2025by Jeff Noedelwith video from TVW Today at Washington State Ferries’ Colman dock in Seattle, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson announced his decision to restore all WSF routes — but one — to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. To accomplish that, he announced another decision to postpone the electrification of two Jumbo Mark II vessels….
County Council member Justin Paulsen: Desire in County to “make decisions with our constituents” Saturday, February 22, 2025by Jeff Noedel TVW VIDEOS ARE BELOW Support for State Rep. Greg Nance’s HB 1923, the “Mosquito Fleet Act” was almost universal at the bill’s public hearing Wednesday. Of nearly three dozen witnesses who testified, only only spoke…
Tuesday, February 18, 2025 FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY WATER TAXI We continue to shape and support legislation to help our local ferry crisis. We are asking for your support for HB1923, “The Mosquito Fleet Act”, which will provide funding for passenger transportation initiatives in San Juan County and beyond. If passed, this bill…
If enacted, the new law could lead to improved life for San Juans’ inter-island travelers and citizens of other seaside towns by creating more freedom of movement IMAGINE: A trip to see a doctor in Bellingham. Using a foot ferry and a ground shuttle could turn a 4-hour one-way trip to Peace Health Medical Center…
Friday, February 7, 2025by Jeff Noedel reporting from OlympiaVideo by Jeremy Tyler A SanJuans.Today VIDEO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE A delegation of two County Council members, six other San Juans citizens, and one activist from Vashon Island met with nearly a dozen State Senators and State Representatives Thursday as part of a…
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: Thursday, September 26, 2024REPUBLISHED: Thursday, February 6, 2025 The union representing Washington State Ferries’ engine room crew members (Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association) and state negotiators reached an impasse in bargaining their new contract in early August. The parties entered into an interest arbitration hearing Friday, August 23. The hearing ended Friday, August 30. …
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 As delegations of county and town leaders and concerned citizens converge on the Washington State Capitol campus this week to lobby for better ferry service, here are their talking points with legislators. FOLLOWING IS AN OPEN LETTER TO STATE LEADERS, SIGNED BY 29 local governments, committees, and other organizations and leaders….
Tuesday, February 4, 2025by Jeff Noedel A SanJuans.Today VIDEO IS BELOW State Rep. Greg Nance, 36, is a ball of energy. An out-of-the-box thinker. And a State Representative whose 23rd District serves three major WSF ferry terminals (Bainbridge Island, Bremerton, and Kingston). Nance, who is serving his first full elected term in the House, speaks…
Tuesday, January 21, 2025 FOLLOWING IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY BC FERRIES VICTORIA, BC – Starting this summer, BC Ferries passengers can look forward to an enhanced travel experience with the launch of Seascapes, a new onboard lounge featuring a selection of food and beverage options in a quiet, more relaxed setting. Located in the former Pacific…
Thursday, January 16, 2025 FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT BY VASHON ISLAND-BASED ‘ISLANDERS FOR FERRY ACTION’ & THE ‘FIX OUR FERRIES’ COALITION Governor Bob Ferguson gets started right by focusing his budget priorities on steps to fix the state’s ferry transportation crisis. Ferguson released his 2025 – 2027 budget priorities this week, including important investment in…
Saturday, January 11, 2025by Jeff Noedel In 2024, candidate Bob Ferguson promised to make the problems with Washington State Ferries a priority. He promised change. On Wednesday, in appearances in Mukilteo and then in Clinton, Governor-elect Ferguson began to make good on his promise for change — the speed of change, and the cost of…
Sunday, December 22, 2024Written Summary by Jeff NoedelVideo Directed by Jeremy Tyler An EXCLUSIVE SanJuans.Today VIDEO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE In this SanJuans.Today interview of San Juan County Council Chair Jane Fuller, Jeff Noedel poses questions for 35 minutes about how the County intends to spend $1.5 million ($500,000 more than the…
Saturday, December 14, 2024by Jeff Noedel One of our 70 subscribers asked SanJuans.Today to find out exactly what is the “mechanical issue” with the M/V Tillikum. So we did. An hour ago, a spokesperson for Washington State Ferries was happy to shed light on the exact problem. It’s an electrical capacitor. Then we reached out…
