Wildfires are burning across the Pacific Northwest, and public health officials are encouraging West Sound residents to prepare for the possibility of smoky conditions and poor air quality. What are conditions like now? Washington is in the midst of what is likely to be an unusually hot and dry summer, according to the state Department
Following the retirement of its longtime congressman, three state officials are running to fill an open seat in Washington’s Sixth Congressional District. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, has represented the district — which spans the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas plus a large swath of Tacoma — for the last decade. He decided not to seek
Most jurisdictions in the West Sound have signed on to a settlement agreement with grocery company Kroger following a lawsuit over its role in the opioid crisis. Others are expected to follow suit. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the $47.5 million settlement in April. The grocery company, which does business in Washington as QFC
Mental health outcomes for Peninsula District students are comparable to their peers in Pierce County, according to a recent statewide survey. But results also underscore recent concerns from community members about bullying at district high schools. Data from the 2023 Healthy Youth Survey showed positive trends for students across Washington. The survey is an anonymous
West Sound law enforcement agencies arrested more people for drug and narcotic violations in 2023 than they have in either of the past two years, according to a new state report released this month. The 2023 Crime in Washington Report, an annual tally of arrests compiled by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health announced Tuesday that it plans to open a new hybrid emergency room and urgent care facility at its Port Orchard campus on South Kitsap Boulevard. Currently, VMFH offers only urgent care and other specialty services at the Port Orchard site. Creating the dual-purpose facility, the health care providers say, will vastly
A short-term residential facility supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from across Washington is expected to open near Gig Harbor in the coming months. The facility will help its clients avoid institutionalization and return to their home communities. The facility, located along Highway 302 west of Wright Bliss Road, will provide crisis care and
After overwhelmingly rejecting a property tax increase earlier this year, Gig Harbor voters will head to the polls again this summer to vote on a sales tax measure supporting the city’s police department and general fund budget. Revenue from the proposed Public Safety Sales Tax, which will appear on the Aug. 6 primary ballot, would
April Kelly spent years in and out of jail because of her addiction. Her health suffered, she lost contact with family and eventually ended up homeless. None of it was enough to make her quit. “They talk about reaching your bottom,” she said, “but it didn’t matter what I lost or how alone I was.
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health confirmed Monday that it will close its outpatient rehabilitation and physical therapy clinic in Port Orchard next month. St. Michael Medical Center President Chad Melton said the clinic is no longer financially viable given current insurance reimbursement rates, especially for Medicaid. The office plans to close July 12. The care of
