UPDATE

The Canvas system at Peninsula College was restored and back online and operational for all users by 1 p.m., Friday, May 8, 2026. 

ORIGINAL STORY:

Peninsula College is among thousands of higher education institutions around the world hit by a massive cyberattack that has crippled the important learning platforms called Canvas. That’s a platform that’s used to manage grades, course notes, assignments, lecture videos and more, according to the Olympic Herald online newspaper. The hacking group named ShinyHunters posted online that nearly 9,000 schools worldwide were affected, with billions of private messages and other records accessed, according to Luke Connolly, a threat analyst at the cybersecurity firm Emisoft.

Peninsula College students trying to log into Canvas yesterday were first greeted by what looked like a routine maintenance message — a cartoon rocket ship and a note saying the system was undergoing scheduled work.

But that changed quickly. A new banner now stretches across the college’s website, warning that Canvas is down globally with no estimated time for restoration.

Behind the outage is what cybersecurity analysts are calling one of the largest education?sector cyberattacks in history.

Instructure — the company behind the Canvas learning platform says Canvas has been breached by the criminal extortion group known as ShinyHunters. The hackers claim they’ve stolen 275 million records and more than 3.6 terabytes of data, impacting nearly 9,000 educational institutions worldwide.

For Peninsula College, that means the personal information and private communications of students and faculty may now be in the hands of cybercriminals.

On a dark?web leak site, ShinyHunters posted a ransom note, saying they’ve breached Instructure “again” and mocking the company for focusing on security patches instead of responding to them. The group has given Instructure — and every affected school — until the end of the day on May 12th to negotiate.

As of this morning, the Peninsula College website says there is no estimated time for restoration at this time. It also says updates will be made on our Canvas Security Incident & Outage Notification webpage. 

PHOTO: Peninsula College

Thousands of people lined both sides of Sequim’s West Washington Street Saturday stretching all the way from the River Road roundabout east to almost the roundabout at S. 9th Street to participate in the country’s third No Kings Day rally. They came to protest the Trump administration’s policies on Iran, immigration and more.  Organized by the Sequim chapter of Indivisible, Sequim Police Chief Mike Hill says Indivisible organizers reported to him more than 4,300 people turned out for the peaceful, noisy rally, surpassing the previous No Kings rally in Sequim October 18 by an estimated thousand participants, making it the largest protest rally in recent years, perhaps even in Sequim history.

Wearing a variety of costumes including inflatable animals, and all sorts of placards and signs ranging from things like “Ice is the new Gestapo”, “Hate Will Not Make Us Great”, and

A man named Bill said he came to express his support for democracy.

“I’m having a ball out here expressing my first amendment rights. My stance is express my views. As you know, we have a government that’s just out of control and I want to preserve our democracy. 

About two dozen women – the Peninsula Handmaids – dressed as figures from the television series Handmaids Tale – paraded silently each holding signs saying thing’s like “Women’s rights equal Human Rights”, “1,000 Confirmed Epstein  Victims” and “Hell Hath No Fury like 157 million Women Scorned.”

The co-founder of the No Kings organization Leah Greenberg said on a March 21st  “Saturday Coffee Klatch” conversation with former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich the rallies are not intended to be partisan, they’re intended to as broad coalition of whoever is willing to be together with each other.

 “We are trying to normalize that it is something that everybody does together. It’s not a subculture that is just for activists.  It’s actually engaging a wide spread of people who may have not been involved politically or being actively politically involved.”

According to organizers, approximately eight million people nationwide participated in more than 3,300 "No Kings" protests. The rallies have been  characterized by organizers as potentially the largest single-day protest in US history, according to the Guardian newspaper.

A large No Kings rally was held in Port Angeles along Lincoln Street at the county courthouse.  No information has been published about how many were there.  However, noted entertainer and comedian Paula Poundstone was among them. She was in Port Angeles for a performance Saturday night at Field Hall Events Center.

Indivisible Sequim organizers say they continue to host peaceful rallies at 3 p.m. Fridays at the intersection of Washington Street and Sequim Avenue.

Sequim Fire Chief Justin Grider updated the City Council Monday, March 23 on the success of the Saturday, March 21 training exercise that allowed the fire department to set fire to and burn down an old, abandoned house at 1610 S. 3^rd Avenue.  During a power point presentation Grider said 47 firefighters from Fire District 3 participated in the exercise including 30 career firefighters, 11 volunteers and 6 explorers.

“We trained all day and it was phenomenal. We started at 0700 and about 2:15 in the afternoon we began our burn. We got 14 different evolutions done out of the 16 planned before the house began to fail. And so we pulled it down and we – well you can see the results there. We started with a house and ended up with a big barn fire and left a big burning pile of rubble.”

He said there we no injuries and no major equipment damages. The exercise provided over 305 hours of live burn training.

“It was fantastic training.”

Grider says he himself was not physically present at the exercise. He was at the City yards down the street where he and City Communications manager Barbara Hannah were explaining what was going on and answering questions from the public as they watched a live video feed that had been set up by the city to view the exercise as it unfolded.

”I think it went really well. We couldn’t have done it without you and just want to say thank you on behalf of Fire District 3 for allowing us to do that. So…I appreciate you all.”

PHOTO:  Clallam County Fire District 3

KSQM is pleased to welcome veteran broadcaster Al Brady to the all-volunteer staff of our radio station.  With 45 years of professional radio experience, Brady has agreed to accept the position of Program Director to lead programming for Sequim’s community radio station.

Brady’s extensive experience brings a background in programming, on-air performance, and community engagement. He recently relocated to Sequim after nearly a decade serving as Assistant Manager and Program Director at WVLG in The Villages, Florida.

Brady says joining KSQM is both a thrill and an honor.

He calls local radio a vital link to the community — a way to be there when listeners need it most — while sharing the timeless music people remember and love.

Often described as a walking encyclopedia of the rock ’n’ roll era, Brady has worked alongside legendary artists and broadcasters. In the mid-1980s, he served as a DJ and master of ceremonies at Little Darlin’s Rock ’n’ Roll Palace near Walt Disney World, where he co-hosted a nationally televised show with Hall of Fame broadcaster Wolfman Jack.

George Dooley, President of Sequim Community Broadcasting, says Brady brings passion, knowledge, and a genuine love of radio. Dooley says Brady’s leadership will strengthen the station’s mission and enrich the listening experience across the community.

KSQM first signed on the air December 7th, 2008. Broadcasting at 91-point-5 FM, the station is licensed to Sequim Community Broadcasting, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Operated entirely by volunteers, KSQM provides commercial-free programming throughout the greater Olympic Peninsula and Victoria, B.C., featuring local news, emergency information, timeless music, and community-driven programs and shows.

Brady will stepping in to fill the shoes of Tama Bankston who has been serving as interim Program Director for the past year.

The Sequim Food Bank has named its new executive director. She’s Jen Colmore who has been serving as the food bank's community engagement coordinator. The announcement comes after a nationwide search led by the board of directors and outgoing executive director Andra Smith.

Board president Deon Kapitan says Colmore stood out for her vision, compassion and practical leadership, noting her deep understanding of the organization and her long record of service to the community. In her role as community engagement coordinator she has strengthened donor relationships, expanded partnerships and helped shape organizational strategy.

She first joined the food bank as a volunteer and later led its first annual fundraiser “Everyone at the Table” which brought in more than $70,000.

Beyond her local work Colmore brings decades of non-profit leadership. Since 2005 she has served as Executive Director of Living Compassion. That’s a development initiative in Zambia supporting more than a thousand children and families.

Outgoing Executive Director Andra Smith says the organization is in excellent hands, praising Colmore’s clarity, steadiness and respect for the people the food bank serves.

PHOTO: Sequim Food Bank

The Sequim City Council has elected Rachel Anderson as Mayor and Nicole Hartman as Deputy Mayor at the City Council meeting on January 12.  Both are two-year terms that expire on December 31, 2027. 

Anderson was appointed to the City Council in February 2021, elected in November 2021, and re-elected in 2025. She currently serves on the Clallam Transit System Board, the Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization, the Housing Solutions Committee, the Council Finance Committee, the Clallam County Economic Development Council, Clallam County Solid Waste Advisory Board, and as the liaison to the Sister City Association and the Sequim Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

Anderson earned her Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities in 2021.

Hartman was appointed to the City Council in April 2024. She was elected to a four-year term in November 2025.  Hartman serves on the Council Finance Committee and as the Sequim Planning Commission liaison.

PHOTO: City of Sequim

The City of Sequim will be hosting the city’s first ever community talent show and competition during the upcoming 2026 Sequim Sunshine Festival.  Whether you sing, dance, juggle, or dazzle in your own way, step into the spotlight at our first-ever community talent show on March 7! Amateur performers of all ages are welcome. Auditions are on Saturday, January 24, at the Guy Cole Center. All auditionees must submit an application by Monday, January 19. 

Shine On, Sequim! will be an amateur talent competition that will be held on Saturday, March 7, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. during the Sequim Sunshine Festival.  It’s an opportunity to watch your friends and neighbors and vote for your favorite performers.

Selected acts will perform live on the festival stage inside a heated tent.  Audience members will vote for their favorite youth and adult performances, with prizes awarded.

• All auditionees MUST register in advance.
• Walk-ins will NOT be accepted.
• You may NOT just show up to audition.
•  

 Audition applications must be submitted by Sunday, January 12, 2026, to be considered.  Audition times will be assigned to applicants.

Who Can Audition?

• Youth and adults
• Solo or group acts
• Amateur performer only (must not earn income from performing)
• Acts must be appropriate for a family audience
• 
  

Selection Process

• Eligible auditionees will be randomly selected within the youth and adult categories
• Selected acts will perform at the Sequim Sunshine Festival on March 7

The Makah Tribe’s long-awaited return to traditional whaling has been pushed back yet again — this time by more federal delays, according to a report by KNKX radio.

Despite securing a key federal waiver last year affirming their exclusive treaty right to hunt gray whales, the NOAA permit needed to begin a hunt is now unlikely for at least another 18 months.

The tribe applied for that permit in March, expecting quick approval after more than 20 years of review. But this summer’s hunting window came and went with no decision from NOAA.

Makah Chairman Timothy Greene says the tribe is determined to get back on the water, calling the hunt vital for future generations to see their culture in practice.

NOAA officials say only that the Marine Mammal Protection Act requires both a waiver and a detailed permit before any whale hunt can begin. The Makah application outlines proposed seasons in 2025 and 2027 and complies with strict federal criteria on methods, safety, and whale-management limits.

The waiver allows the tribe to take up to 25 gray whales over 10 years.
Some observers, including UW professor Joshua Reid, argue the continued delays amount to the federal government bogging down treaty rights through bureaucracy.

Archaeological evidence indicates that the Makah people have hunted whales going back at least 2,000 years.

Continuing the traditional whaling practices is at the heart of Makah citizens' identity, spiritual beliefs, subsistence practices, and ceremonies. Makah ceremonies, songs, dances, art, basketry and traditions are all connected to their whale relatives. Makah citizens are deeply spiritually and ecologically connected to the whales and the ocean — not just hunters, but stewards of the whales in a reciprocal relationship that is honored through ceremony before the whale is hunted and before it is harvested.

PHOTO: Makah Tribe website

The Port Angeles Winter Ice Village is set to return for its eighth season later this month.

The popular downtown skating rink opens Friday, November 21st, and will run daily through Sunday, January 5th.

Located at 121 West First Street, the temporary rink offers skating from noon to 9 p.m. each day, with short breaks for ice resurfacing at 3 and 6.

Admission includes skate rental—$20 for adults, $15 for teens, and $10 for kids ages 3 to 12, seniors, and active military. There’s also a $3 discount for anyone bringing their own skates. Season passes are available for $200, but children under 3 aren’t allowed on the ice.

All skaters must complete a one-time online waiver before lacing up. The link is available through the website of the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

Organizers say the Winter Ice Village relies on volunteers to help with skates, safety, ice maintenance, and concessions. Volunteers receive free skate time and other perks—and the Chamber says there are still plenty of shifts to fill.

IMAGE: AI Generated