Community

Gig Harbor Now reporters cover community events and efforts that benefit and entertain the community.

FISH toy drive distribution begins for record number of kids

Dec 16, 2022 | By:

A generous rush of last-minute donations put Gig Harbor-Peninsula FISH Food Bank‘s 2022 toy drive over the top, despite requests for gifts for a record number of kids. Despite reporting a slow pace of donations in the final days of the drive, FISH ended up with plenty of gifts for the 777 children from who

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Gig Harbor Police Blotter: Man brandishes gun during dispute outside school

Dec 15, 2022 | By:

Editor’s note: The Blotter is written based on information provided by Gig Harbor Police and Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One. A parking dispute near Harbor Ridge Middle School on the afternoon of Dec. 12 turned scary when one of the people involved produced a handgun, causing teachers to steer kids away from the area and administrators to send

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Peninsula elementary students take their learning outdoors

Dec 15, 2022 | By:

A gaggle of 4- and 5-year-old students at Evergreen Elementary stood in line, squirming with excitement Tuesday at the gated entrance to a wide-open field graced only by a circle of tall fir trees. School staff are developing plans for an outdoor learning space here. For starters, plans call for rocks and logs to climb

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Gig Harbor girls basketball: Injuries don’t stop strong start

Dec 15, 2022 | By:

The Gig Harbor girls basketball team got off to a fast 4-1 start, even after a hard-luck offseason in which two starters suffered season-ending knee injuries. Coach Mike Guinasso’s team was only one win away from the 2022 Class 3A state tournament before losing in the regional round to Kelso. His team was primed to

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Flu season in full swing, and meds can be hard to find

Dec 14, 2022 | By:

A “triple-demic” is clogging Washington health care facilities, the state Department of Health warned this week. And over-the-counter medicine to treat flu, COVID-19 and RSV symptoms are hard to find. The situation is straining the state’s health care system, DOH leaders said in a media briefing Tuesday, Dec. 13.  Both DOH and the Tacoma-Pierce County

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Discovery Elementary to get classroom doors

Dec 14, 2022 | By:

Last spring, parents and staff at Discovery Elementary School sounded off on a long-standing safety issue at the school, which lacks interior classroom doors in its main wing. The school, built in 1981, employs an “open concept” design that was popular before school shootings became an all-too-common occurrence. The Peninsula School District’s capital projects team

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New city parks manager has long experience in local government

Dec 14, 2022 | By:

Jennifer Haro was in Ireland to attend a friend’s wedding when she received an email indicating that the city of Gig Harbor wanted to interview her to be its new parks manager. After that slightly delayed interview, the city hired Haro as its new parks manager in early November. She replaces Matthew Keough, who took

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Harbor Happenings: Lighted Car Parade, Santa’s Village

Dec 13, 2022 | By:

It’s looking – and sounding – a lot like the holidays, all over town. Lighted Car Parade and Santa’s Village Dozens of lighted cars — 65 at last count — will rendezvous for the third annual Lighted Car Parade on Saturday, Dec. 17, at Uptown Gig Harbor. As is the tradition, Santa will lead the

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Gig Harbor boys basketball: Tides looking for return trip to state

Dec 12, 2022 | By:

The Gig Harbor boys basketball team, coming off a successful 2021-22 season in which the Tides reached the state tournament, have begun this season 3-1 for head coach Billy Landram. The Tides reached the Class 3A state tournament quarterfinals last year with a 23-5 record, won the South Sound Conference championship and were undefeated at

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Stronger shoreline protections on county council’s docket

Dec 12, 2022 | By:

If passed next week, an amendment to the shoreline management plan would keep 49.2 miles of shoreline free of docks and piers. They’d be mostly confined to shorelines where others already disrupt the habitat.

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