Community

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

Two In Tow & On The Go: Tacoma’s Franklin Park has Gig Harbor ties

Oct 18, 2024 | By:

Franklin Park in Tacoma has all the makings of a fantastic kiddo destination … slides, swings, and an unexpected tie-in to Gig Harbor. (That last one is a prerequisite on what’s considered cool, right?) Plus, Clara and Wyatt have already asked to go back. 

Read More

A filling station in the forest? Developers propose bringing gas, retail and more to the heart of Swede Hill

Oct 17, 2024 | By:

Leaving Highway 16 at Burnham Drive and turning left onto Sehmel Drive has always meant a quick shift into rural mode. As drivers navigate the winding two-lane road through Swede Hill and North Rosedale, over hills and alongside woods and scattered residences, there’s nary a place to shop or fill the gas tank before arriving

Read More

Vision for future Peninsula Gardens park emerges

Oct 17, 2024 | By:

Consultants working with the community create a master plan for the former nursery that includes all the desired amenities they could reasonably fit.

Read More

Conservative, progressive values collide in state superintendent race

Oct 16, 2024 | By:

As K-12 schools have become a battleground for culture wars, it’s no surprise that the 2024 race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, a nonpartisan position, is fraught with political overtones. David Olson, a longtime Peninsula School District board member, hopes to unseat incumbent Chris Reykdal, seeking a third term as head of the state’s

Read More

Pierce County jurors now getting $100 per day

Oct 15, 2024 | By: Grace Deng/Washington State Standard

The Washington State Standard, a nonprofit newsroom covering policy and politics in Olympia, wrote this story. Residents of Pierce County who appear for jury duty will receive $100 a day and mileage reimbursements in an attempt to improve juror participation and diversity. The pilot program, which began Monday, Oct. 14, replaces the $10 typically paid

Read More

Sixth District contest matches state senators from adjacent districts

Oct 15, 2024 | By:

During an event at the Admiral Theater in Bremerton last week, Democratic candidate Emily Randall recounted to a colleague how she first came to the venue as a fifth-grader, winning the chance to present a check to the reigning Miss America. Randall, a state senator from Bremerton, has frequently highlighted her Kitsap County upbringing as

Read More

Harbor Happenings | Tracing the history of Northwest rock ‘n’ roll

Oct 15, 2024 | By:

Our weekly roundup of what’s happening around Gig Harbor.

Read More

Possible northern giant hornet sighting reported near Burley

Oct 15, 2024 | By: David Nelson/Kitsap Sun

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is investigating a report of a potential northern giant hornet in South Kitsap County. The northern giant hornet is an invasive species sometimes referred to as “murder hornets.” They first surfaced in Washington nearly five years ago. A Washington State Department of Agriculture spokesperson said Monday that a Burley

Read More

PAL’s new Art in the Park show includes paintings, pyrography and prizes

Oct 14, 2024 | By:

The Art in the Park show helps inaugurate PenMet Parks’ new headquarters building — and its partnership with Peninsula Art League.

Read More

19-year-old woman dies in Highway 16 crash

Oct 14, 2024 | By:

A 19-year-old Everett woman died following a collision on Highway 16 early on Thursday, Oct. 10. The Washington State Patrol said the woman was driving a 2015 Honda Civic east on Highway 16 near 24th Street in Gig Harbor around 7:30 a.m. Thursday. The car left the roadway and hit a guardrail before coming to

Read More