Hello, my name is Rick Hughes, and I live on Orcas Island. My wife and I operate Ray’s General Store and Pharmacy, Con’s Pit Stop and Island Life on Orcas and I served for eight years as the San Juan County Council member from district #2, Orcas and Waldron Islands. I have known Sheriff Krebs for over a decade, consider him a good friend and was a great partner in operating San Juan County for the 6 years we served together as elected officials.
Ron Krebs doesn’t get it. He states that Animal Control Officer training is unnecessary because of the lack of animal abuse call data to support it. He completely misses the point; it’s about preparation. If we were to apply his logic to school safety, schools wouldn’t hold annual active shooter drills until after several shootings had occurred.
There are a number of important differences between Sheriff Ron Krebs and his opponent, but one of those differences is critical. Ron is the only candidate who understands what’s required to be the sheriff in a small rural county.
Education is one of the most important things we can impart to our youth, and this November we can affect the lives of not just the youth on the island today, but for generations to come. Our library provides a safe, inclusive and quiet place to study. They offer free Wi-Fi for many who cannot afford it, and they provide laptops to check out if you don’t have one. The difference our library makes in a young person’s life cannot be overstated.