History is being brought to life at the BoatShop. Volunteers under the direction of master shipwright Mike Vlahovich have been building a traditional Croatian fishing skiff called a batana since early July. Vlahovich hopes the project will spark an on-going cultural exchange between Gig Harbor and Sumartin on the island of Brač, Croatia. Both have
The brick house at Eddon Boatyard is one step closer to being open to the public. The Gig Harbor City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Gig Harbor BoatShop for management of the site at a special meeting on Aug. 18. The city bought the house and boatyard on Harborview Drive in 2004. They are
Interrupted briefly by thunder and lightning, Gig Harbor’s newest artwork was installed Wednesday at the water’s edge in Austin Park at txʷaalqəł Estuary. The carved cedar figure, called “Our Fisherman, Our Guardian,” depicts a Native American holding a large salmon, flanked by a canoe on each side. It stands 15-feet tall and looks out over
Police Chief Kelly Busey told the Gig Harbor City Council on Monday that theft is Gig Harbor’s biggest criminal issue. The city’s top law enforcement officer presented his 2021 crime report at Monday’s meeting. He said retail theft was up about 11% in 2021, and vehicle theft rose a whopping 70%. Drugs are also a
Gig Harbor Parks Manager Matt Keough resigned July 29 to take a job with PenMet Parks. Keough was hired by the city in December 2021 and led the city’s efforts to update its Parks & Recreation Open Spaces (PROS) plan. He had also done extensive work preparing the Parks Commission’s 2023-24 work plan, according Public
It’s hard to say for sure how many scholarships are awarded to Peninsula School District seniors every year. The total number is certainly in the hundreds, maybe thousands. Peninsula High School alone awarded $350,000 in scholarships this year, according to PHS teacher Jonathan Bill, who emcees an awards ceremony for the school. Awards went to
Gig Harbor is a step closer to establishing a sister city relationship with Bodø, Norway. Bodø (pronounced “boo-duh”) is the capital of Nordland County and lies just north of the Arctic Circle. The City Council approved a resolution on July 25 allowing Mayor Tracie Markley to sign an agreement with Bodø to “enrich cultural understanding,
When Katrina Knutson was confirmed as Gig Harbor’s new city administrator last month, it was the fulfillment of a goal she set years ago. It just didn’t happen exactly how she’d planned. Knutson had a 10-year career objective to land a position in city administration. She wanted to “be part of what makes a city
When Jan Coen and a small group of friends got together in 1976 to brainstorm ways to help their less-fortunate neighbors, they couldn’t have imagined their efforts would lead to a spacious, inviting, 11,500-square-foot building stocked with food, clothing, small appliances and other items for people in need. On July 12, the ribbon was cut
After a two-year absence, the Summer Art Festival returns to Judson Street in downtown Gig Harbor this weekend. Sponsored by the Peninsula Art League, the festival hosts more than 100 artists and craftspeople from throughout the Northwest. They will show and sell their paintings, yard art, photography, ceramics, glass, leather, wood and other offerings. Literature,
