Charlee Glock-Jackson

Freelance writer Charlee Glock-Jackson was the primary reporter for the weekly Gig Harbor Life until it folded in 2018. She is the founder of the Olalla Bluegrass & Beyond Festival and the caretaker of an enchanted Olalla forest that's been in her family nearly 70 years.

Vandals deface Gig Harbor artist’s mural of support for Ukraine

Apr 07, 2022

A local artist’s gesture of support for the people of Ukraine — a mural of a sunflower set against the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag — was vandalized Wednesday night. The mural is on a wall outside Devoted Kiss café on North Harborview Drive and was painted by Hillarie Isackson, whose art studio

New Paddlers’ Dock at Ancich Park makes a splash

Apr 04, 2022

The opening of a new paddlers’ dock at Ancich Waterfront Park was a dream come true for the Gig Harbor Canoe and Kayak Club and others who like to spend time on the water. It was also a bit of a history lesson. The dock — including storage space the club’s boats — is the

Parks Appreciation Day a chance for volunteers to get their hands dirty

Apr 01, 2022

After a two-year COVID-induced hiatus, Parks Appreciation Day returns to Gig Harbor on Saturday, April 9. It’s traditionally been one of springtime’s most popular local events as the community rolls up its collective sleeves to get parks ready for summer activities. This year, volunteers can join in the tidying-up efforts at Wilkinson Farm, Veterans Memorial

City Council extends short-term rental moratorium, interim zoning measure

Mar 29, 2022

The Gig Harbor City Council on Monday renewed two emergency ordinances originally enacted in September. One extends interim zoning for transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, emergency shelters and emergency housing. The interim zoning was approved by the council last fall. The interim regulations were adopted in response to 2021 legislation that requires cities to amend

Gig Harbor City Council approves first strategic plan

Mar 29, 2022

The Gig Harbor City Council approved its first-ever strategic plan on Monday. The two-year plan identifies projects and issues of importance to the community and provides strategies for moving forward, based on discussions at a council retreat in January. “We need to celebrate this,” member Jeni Woock said. “Never before has the Gig Harbor council

Police reform laws get mixed marks from Gig Harbor chief

Mar 29, 2022

In 2021, in response to nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, the Washington Legislature passed several police reform bills. Law enforcement leaders around the state, including the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs and Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey, raised objections to the 2021

Olalla Valley Winery did not violate permit, Kitsap County examiner rules

Mar 25, 2022

Kitsap County Hearing Examiner Andrew Reeves ruled earlier this month that the Olalla Valley Vineyard and Winery did not violate its conditional use permit, as alleged by the county’s Department of Community Development. The ruling came following a 10-hour hearing that took place last December and a three-month delay in arriving at a decision. Reeves

Food and friendships grow at Wilkinson Farm community garden

Mar 22, 2022

The arrival of spring also heralds the arrival of gardening season. For gardeners who don’t have food-growing space at home, the community garden at Wilkinson Farm Park can be a godsend. The community garden includes 46 raised bed spaces that can be rented for $60 each per year. Each bed is 4-feet wide by 24-feet

Gig Harbor Arts Commission awards grants to local groups

Mar 18, 2022

Ten local organizations have been awarded Creative Endeavor Grants by the Gig Harbor Arts Commission for projects ranging from band concerts to craft workshops to poetry readings. This year’s awards totaled $30,000 and will be approved by the City Council on March 28. Earning the grants were: Peninsula Hands on Art, a program that creates

Gig Harbor Council passes resolution of solidarity with Ukraine

Mar 15, 2022

Gig Harbor stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and condemns the Russian invasion. So says a resolution passed unanimously by the Gig Harbor City Council on Monday, March 14. The resolution notes that Gig Harbor is home to many Ukrainian families who have relatives in Ukraine and asks local citizens to find ways