Gig Harbor Now reporters chase down news that affects community residents, providing facts with context and perspective.
Emergency repairs to the old Tacoma Narrows Bridge backed up traffic to I-5 on Wednesday, Jan. 31, and left commuters wondering what the heck the state Department of Transportation was thinking. The agency explained its reasoning on Thursday. “We know a lot of people were frustrated. So what happened?” WSDOT wrote in a statement in
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On Feb. 12, the Gig Harbor City Council will decide whether to ask voters to “lift the levy lid” to increase property taxes. If the council approves the request, voters would decide whether to increase their property tax rate from the current rate of 70 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to $1.10 per
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The Washington state Department of Corrections agreed to a $9.9 million settlement with a former inmate diagnosed with terminal cancer after receiving inadequate medical care at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor. The Seattle Times reported the settlement on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Failure to perform follow-up Paula Gardner, now of Tacoma, was
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Pierce needed to change some code wording to allow properties not owned by the county to receive funds. PenMet is budgeted to get the $472,000 that was pegged for 2023, plus $300,000 in each of 2024 and 2025.
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The city of Gig Harbor’s $35,000 Creative Endeavor grants program is back on. During a study session in November 2023, the council unanimously agreed to suspend the five-year-old grant program, which supports the arts. But a crowd turned out to criticize the move at the Dec. 11, 2023 council meeting. Many others emailed or called
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As the days get longer and warmer, the calendar is filling up with events and activities that educate, entertain, fill the belly, mind and spirit – and just bring people together. The Greater Gig Harbor Foundation hosts its annual crab feed at the Eagles Club at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. Dinner includes all-you-can-eat fresh
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If Purdy ever truly dreamed of an urban future, that possibility may be slipping away. The tiny agglomeration of businesses, schools, homes and utility company maintenance yards at the head of Henderson Bay, just over Gig Harbor’s northern border, has long been designated an urban growth area (UGA) under the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan. That’s
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Gig Harbor Now and Then’s question from last time concerned a major fire at the north end of Gig Harbor in 1923 that destroyed several waterfront buildings. A group of unorganized volunteers saved all the structures on the opposite side of the road. Question: What firefighting equipment did the unorganized Gig Harbor volunteer fire fighters
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The Gig Harbor (18-3, 9-2 South Sound Conference) boys basketball team dropped a 49-47 decision at Timberline (11-6, 9-2) on Wednesday, Jan. 24. A three-point attempt by Gig Harbor’s Michael Masini with four seconds left almost won it for Gig Harbor. It looked good but just glanced off the rim. Timberline raced out to a
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For this week’s column, I’m going to tell you fun facts about the Paul Titus Carousel at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma. Why? Because its history is fascinating. And because the kids love it. I like it, too. But … I’m also the Debbie Downer who gets mercilessly ill on anything that
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