Julie Warrick Ammann

Julie Ammann is a freelance writer, photographer, and producer. Following her degree in architecture from the University of Washington, Julie discovered the power of storytelling. Her early career in national TV news (The Christian Science Monitor’s World Monitor TV, PBS NewsHour) and documentaries (PBS Frontline) would inform the journalist and creative storyteller she is today. Julie lives in Gig Harbor with her family, in a house of filmmakers and photographers. She doesn’t like scary movies, and she’s named after Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music). Her favorite film director and inspiration is Jane Campion.

Photo gallery: 2023 Turkey Trot

Nov 27, 2023

Photos by Julie Warrick Ammann from the 2023 Turkey Trot 5K race in Gig Harbor. Click on any image below to view the gallery.

Annual Turkey Trot fights hunger

Nov 25, 2023

Dinosaurs, turkeys and tutus were among the colorfully styled ensembles runners sported as they gobbled up the road competing in the Gig Harbor Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Now an annual tradition, the Turkey Trot began in 2002 with just 15 friends, family and patients of Dr. Tim Holmes, an area chiropractor. Today, more than

Photo gallery: 2023 ChumFest

Nov 24, 2023

Click on any photo below to see a gallery of images from the 2023 ChumFest along Donkey Creek in Gig Harbor.

Chum Fest brings lots of families (but no salmon) to Donkey Creek

Nov 20, 2023

The salmon didn’t show up, but hundreds of festival goers did. The 2023 Chum Festival, hosted by Harbor WildWatch, was a family-friendly walk this year, with hands-on learning activities along txʷaalqəł Estuary from Austin Park, behind Harbor History Museum, and to Donkey Creek Park. To keep it fun, participants received a small passport book to

Books in a Bus a perfect pairing of owner’s love of reading and Volkswagons

Nov 02, 2023

A fidgety, exuberant buzz runs through the classroom as the afternoon kicks off at Gig Harbor Co-operative Preschool. There’s a special visitor today. She’s tan, wears four wheels and lots of colorful stickers, and she’s too big to fit inside the classroom. It’s Connie’s Books in a Bus. Accompanied by GHCP teacher Nadine Mart, small

Business Spotlight: Community and creativity at the heart of Local Whimsy

Oct 30, 2023

A passion for community and craft is the inspiration behind Gig Harbor’s latest retail store to open on Harborview Drive, Local Whimsy. Local Makers founder Caasi Dickens and Salena Ausburn, plant stylist and owner of Whimsy Plant Co, have joined forces to offer more than just a marketplace for locally crafted products and plants. They’ve

Photo gallery: 2023 ChuSeok Festival

Oct 02, 2023

Click on any photo below to view a gallery of images from the 2023 ChuSeok Festival:

Korean ChuSeok Festival honors ancestors and celebrates harvest

Oct 02, 2023

Editor’s note: Patsy Surh O’Connell organizes the local ChuSeok Festival. An earlier version of this story misstated that fact. Hundreds gathered in Skansie Park on Sept. 30 for Gig Harbor’s third annual Korean ChuSeok Festival, a free and family-friendly event sponsored by the Asia Pacific Cultural Center. Often referred to as the “Korean Thanksgiving”, ChuSeok

Business Spotlight: One:11 is Gig Harbor’s new gentlemen’s den

Sep 25, 2023

Tall, dark, and handsome describes Gig Harbor’s latest new retailer One:11. Located on Harborview Drive, this “gentlemen’s den” offers customers a curated assortment of men’s clothing and accessories. With a distinct vintage-meets-contemporary vibe, it’s hard to miss the nods to bygone eras. Mounted on a hunter-green wall, a vintage car door hangs above an aged

Photo gallery: Re-launching the Thunderbird No. 1

Aug 29, 2023

The Gig Harbor BoatShop and the Harbor History Museum re-launched the restored sailboat Thunderbird No. 1 on Saturday, Aug. 26. Read our full story about the Thunderbird here, or click on any image below to see a gallery of images.