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Top stories of 2024: Here’s what Gig Harbor was reading this year

Gig Harbor Now had our biggest year in 2024. Just three years after launching, we amassed nearly 2 million page views.

So what did our readers find so interesting? This story attempts to answer that question. Below, find two of our top stories for each of the 12 months of 2024.

These aren’t necessarily the most-read stories in every month. In selecting this list, I leaned toward stories that were both popular and good journalism.

So fewer breaking news stories or police blotters (with a few exceptions that I couldn’t leave out). More stories that required some digging and told you something about your community that you didn’t know.

Read on to see what were some of our most popular stories of 2024. And come back on Thursday for a look at some of the stories we expect to be covering in 2025.

January 

Pierce County weighs stripping urban growth designation from Purdy 

By Ted Kenney, published Jan. 29 

This story reported that Pierce County was considering removing Purdy from the Gig Harbor urban growth area. Communities inside an urban growth area can be more heavily developed and are intended to eventually be annexed into cities. 

The Purdy UGA issue took several twists and turns during 2024. In October, we reported that county planners had changed their minds and wanted the community to remain in the Gig Harbor urban area. Facing pressure from Council Councilmember Robyn Denson and the city of Gig Harbor, the county eventually flip-flopped again and removed Purdy. 

Tides to Huskies: A conversation with two locals who will play for a national title 

By Dennis Browne, published Jan. 5 

Two former Gig Harbor Tides suited up for the Washington Huskies in the college football national championship game on Monday, Jan. 8: right tackle Samuel Peacock and edge rusher Jake Jennings. 

Neither local player appeared in the game, a 34-13 loss to No. 1 Michigan. But they were significant parts of a historic season for the Huskies, who were unbeaten until the title game. 

Jennings, a junior walk-on, remained on the Huskies’ roster in 2024. He saw the first game action of his college career, appearing in seven contests and earning recognition on the Fall Academic All-Big Ten team. Peacock was not on the UW roster in 2024. 

February 

Minterbrook Oyster Company hopes Laguna’s will be a slam dunk with diners 

By Leland Smith, published Feb. 14 

This story detailed the Minterbrook Oyster Company’s plans to open an oyster house-style restaurant near the Purdy Bridge. Minterbrook is owned by the Kingman family, whose twin passions are seafood and basketball. 

A Goldmine in Gig Harbor 

By Julie Warrick Ammann, published Feb. 26 

Goldmine Coins and Relics has been a Gig Harbor institution since 2013. But in January, the store moved to a new location in the former Umpqua Bank location on 56th Street. 

 The new location offered better visibility, with a sign easily seen from Highway 16. If you didn’t read this story last winter, check it out – Goldmine has some cool stuff inside. 

March 

Highway 16 traffic helps police nab suspect in Tacoma homicide 

By Vince Dice on March 29 

A homicide suspect fled from police in Tacoma on March 26, but took a turn he probably regretted. 

Pierce County prosecutors charged Apele Sone Tauanuu, 33, with killing a 31-year-old woman in Tacoma on Dec. 18, 2023. Tacoma police spotted Tauanuu on South Stevens Street around 5 p.m. on a Tuesday.  

He fled across the Narrows Bridge — and smack into the rush-hour traffic with which Gig Harbor drivers are so familiar. Tauanuu tried to swerve onto the shoulder to get off Highway 16 at Wollochet Drive, but he ended up boxed in by other drivers. Gig Harbor and Tacoma police arrested him. 

Gig Harbor plans $2 million roundabout at 56th Street and 38th Avenue 

By Ted Kenney, published March 14 

Judging by social media comments, many readers were not happy to learn about the city of Gig Harbor’s plan to install yet another roundabout. Neighbors of the project weren’t happy, either, as their comments in the story show. 

This one would be at the busy intersection of 56th Street and 38th Avenue. Work could begin as soon 2025. 

April  

Deputies arrest Evergreen Elementary teacher previously placed on administrative leave 

By Vince Dice, published April 18 

Pierce County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Jordan Roy Henderson, at the time a teacher at Evergreen Elementary School, on suspicion of first-degree child molestation. Prosecutors subsequently charged Henderson with multiple counts of molestation involving students in his class. 

Henderson pleaded not guilty. Members of his church, which is led by his parents, posted on social media that Henderson is “of the highest character and quality as a man.” 

Parents of the victims later sued the Peninsula School District. 

Henderson’s trial is scheduled to begin March 6. He remains out on bail. 

Gig Harbor voters overwhelmingly rejecting property tax proposal 

By Vince Dice, published April 23 

Voters in Gig Harbor turned down the city’s request to increase property taxes. It wasn’t close. 

More than 69% of voters in city limits opposed the property tax proposal, which would have increased the city portion of the property tax to $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed value from $0.70.  

Facing a budget deficit, the city turned to sales taxes instead. Voters approved a .1% public safety sales tax in August, and the city increased its Transportation Benefit District sales tax by the same amount in September. 

In December, the city council increased utility rates. In 2025, the city may enact a business and occupation tax. 

May

Expect westbound Narrows Bridge lane closures for multiple days, WSDOT warns

By Gig Harbor Now staff on May 13 

The Washington state Department of Transportation discovered a damaged expansion joint on the deck of the westbound Narrows Bridge, forcing lane closures for four days. The emergency closure caused extensive backups, especially during afternoon commutes. 

Similar closures happened again in June and December on the westbound bridge, which was built in the 1950s. WSDOT was able to schedule those closures for weekends, however, limiting the traffic impact. 

Kopachuck State Park closing for more than year on June 3 

By Ed Friedrich on May 13

The state Parks Department closed Kopachuck State Park on June 3 for a revamp envisioned since 2014. The park should reopen in June 2025. 

June 

Five injured in collision during Maritime Gig Parade 

By Vince Dice on June 1 

The Maritime Gig Grande Parade came to an early end on June 1, when two vehicles participating in it collided. Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One took four people to the hospital and treated another at the scene. 

Village at Harbor Hill still waiting on an anchor-tenant grocer 

By Ted Kenney on June 13 

The developers behind the long-awaited Village at Harbor Hill commercial project held a community meeting to discuss their plans in June. The upshot of the meeting as described in the story: “Developers are not even close to landing a grocery store to anchor the 18.5-acre project.”

Without an anchor tenant, plans for the retail center could change — or, conceivably, developer Raydient could walk away from it.

The one hopeful note for people who have eagerly anticipated a new upscale shopping center: City Administrator Katrina Knutson said a representative from Trader Joe’s was in the crowd.

July

Two Gig Harbor groceries would be sold if Kroger-Albertsons merger wins approval 

By Vince Dice on July 9 

We finally learned which stores would be divested if Kroger and Albertsons merged. The two grocery chains had been working toward a merger for more than a year, but had not previously said which stores a combined company would sell off. 

Locally, the new mega-chain would have sold the Safeway on Point Fosdick Drive and the Albertsons on 51st Avenue to C&S Wholesale Grocers. Gig Harbor Now readers were dismayed, to say the least, to learn the news.

They needn’t have been. The merger fell apart after the companies lost two lawsuits, and Albertsons is now suing Kroger. 

Trouble in paradise: Short-term rental on sandspit becomes flashpoint for controversy 

By Ted Kenney on July 19

Pierce County Councilmember Robyn Denson effectively vetoed the appointment of Dave Baumgardner to a position on a Pierce County land-use advisory committee over issues with the septic system at Baumgardner’s Lighthouse Beach short-term rental.

The blocked appointment brought to light both the problems with the septic system near the mouth of the harbor and the thorny issue of regulating short-term rental properties.

August

Crowd backs Olalla Bay Market at Kitsap commissioners meeting

By Conor Wilson on Aug. 14

Fans of the Olalla Bay Market crowded a Kitsap County commissioner meeting to support the community gathering place. The outpouring of support came after market owner Gregg Olsen filed a tort claim against the county, alleging a neighbor who works for Kitsap County filed hundreds of frivolous complaints against his business. 

Fire near Brinnon now estimated at 445 acres

By Conor Wilson on Aug. 16

A wildfire in remote Jefferson County filled the skies of Gig Harbor and Kitsap County with smoke in mid-August. The fire was visible from as far away as West Seattle and Tacoma. 

Fighting the fire proved difficult, due to an abundance of dry fuel, steep hillsides and lack of roads. 

September

Owner of huge Crescent Valley forestland threatens logging, selloff to preserve dream of Canterwood-like development

By Ted Kenney on Sept. 11

The 1,000-Acre Wood property on Crescent Valley Road is popular with bicyclists and hikers. But it’s not a park, a fact that this story made clear.

The property is owned by Gaines Investment Trust of California. The property owners dream of someday building a Canterwood-style development there. When Pierce County proposed a zoning change that would make that vision difficult to achieve, Gaines Trust threatened to log off the property and sell it off piecemeal to developers. 

Gig Harbor rallies past Peninsula in Fish Bowl

By Vince Dice on Sept. 7

Fish Bowl 2024 was held on a Saturday afternoon, in Tacoma, with stepped-up security measures.

It was the first football game between Peninsula and Gig Harbor since the 2023 edition, which featured a gruesome on-field injury and an extremely tense, confrontational atmosphere. Fearing a repeat, the Peninsula School District moved the game from Roy Anderson Field to the much larger Mount Tahoma Stadium in Tacoma. The district also kept fans of the two schools separated from each other. 

On the field, the game was a dandy. Gig Harbor scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to defeat Peninsula, 14-10. 

October

Conservative, progressive values collide in state superintendent race

By Christina T. Henry on Oct. 16

Peninsula School Board member David Olson challenged incumbent Chris Reykdal for the post of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The race is officially nonpartisan, but progressives lined up behind Reykdal while conservatives supported Olson.

Peninsula teachers, others blast school board’s new staff expression policy

By Christina T. Henry on Oct. 22

The Peninsula School Board approved a new policy on staff expression. The policy notes that the district has the right to discipline employees whose self-expression “has an adverse impact on district operations” or limits employees’ ability to do their jobs.

Current and former district employees blasted the policy during a school board meeting. The board passed it anyway, saying the policy is based on a model policy recommended by the Washington State School Directors Association. 

November

Rush-owned property near Peninsula High could be sold to school district … or, it could become 130 homes 

By Ted Kenney on Nov. 11 

Reporter Ted Kenney discovered that Rush Construction had begun applying to build 130 new homes on land it owned near Peninsula High School. At the same time, the company was negotiating to sell the same property to Peninsula School District.

That’s what Rush did, shortly after we published this story. The district bought the larger of two Rush plots on Nov. 22, for $6.24 million. PSD has until the end of March to close on a smaller Rush-owned parcel, after doing more due diligence. 

Our story about Peninsula buying the land was also one of our most popular of November. 

The district says it has “no specific plans” for the property. 

Reeves steps down as Gig Harbor football coach

By Dennis Browne on Nov. 13

Darrin Reeves resigned as football coach at Gig Harbor High School on Nov. 12. Reeves led the Tides for three years and was an assistant coach at the school for four years before that. 

A month later, Peninsula High football coach Ross Filkins also resigned, leaving both local schools with vacancies. Filkins, who will remain a teacher and the athletic director at Peninsula, announced his resignation after 30 years leading the Seahawks, on Nov. 13. 

December

Mark Dickson Creek’s record-breaking chum run

By Carolyn Bick on Dec. 5

A tiny creek that empties into Henderson Bay near Rosedale experienced a massive run of chum salmon this fall. It was just a year after neighbors saw no chum at all in Mark Dickson Creek. 

The record run was the fruit of a DIY restoration effort by neighbors who live along the stream, which crosses under Ray Nash Drive near Island View Market. 

Rush applies to build triplexes in Purdy ahead of zoning change

By Ted Kenney on Dec. 23

Stories about Rush Construction projects in Purdy were universally popular. 

This one detailed Rush’s plans to build 30 triplexes on other land near Purdy Elementary and Peninsula High (not the same land as the 130-home project that we reported on in November). Rush filed preliminary applications for the project ahead of changes to the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan – meaning this project would be grandfathered in ahead of the 2024 update, which down-zones Purdy. 

That’s no guarantee that the project will go forward, but it gives Rush the option to do so. 

Top 10 of 2024

The 10 most-read stories we published during 2024:

1. 1. Conservative, progressive values collide in state superintendent’s race (Oct. 16)
   2. Owner of huge Central Valley forestland threatens logging, selloff to preserve dream of Canterwood-like development (Sept. 11)
   3. 19-year-old woman dies in Highway 16 crash (Oct. 14)
   4. 2024 Summer Sounds at Skansie schedule is set (March 27)
   5. Five injured in collision during Maritime Gig Parade (June 1)
   6. Day Tripper | A first exposure to the TV-famous town of Roslyn (June 25)
   7. Mark Dickson Creek’s record-breaking salmon run (Dec. 5)
   8. Kitsap County warns of food deserts if Albertsons-Kroger merger proceeds (Sept. 24)
   9. 2024 Maritime Gig Festival: Here’s what you need to know (May 28)
   10. Deputies arrest Evergreen Elementary teacher previously placed on administrative leave (April 18)