Opinion

Letter to the editor: Here’s how to learn about city council candidates

Sep 21, 2023 | By: Mary M. Kolar

To Gig Harbor residents, I say: “You make the difference.” As a new resident of Gig Harbor, there are a few topics that I hear from people who have lived here longer than my husband and me:  The population growth of Gig Harbor, the transportation challenges, and the goal of maintaining this city’s maritime charm

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Letter to the editor: PenMet levy request by the numbers

Sep 20, 2023 | By: Craig McLaughlin

PenMet’s advocacy for approving this November’s levy lid lift is supported mainly by the following two points: Describing how the tax rate has dropped since the last levy lid lift Informing us that we need to approve this levy lid lift to maintain and expand the level of service provided to the residents of the

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Letter to the editor: Suicide prevention requires attention, compassion and action

Sep 13, 2023 | By: Thelma Brown

Hello, Gig Harbor Now and Followers. I am Thelma Brown, President of the Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula Suicide Prevention Coalition. On behalf of our Coalition, we would like to thank Mayor Markley and the City Council for proclaiming September as the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It is truly an honor to be supported by our Mayor,

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Fox Island open house planned to discuss wildfire risk

Sep 13, 2023 | By: James M. Braden

Fox Island asks the question: Could a Lahaina type of wildfire happen here? Fox Island has but one way for emergency vehicles to arrive to help their Fire Station 53 crew on the island in a major conflagration — the Fox Island Bridge.  The island also is heavily wooded, providing fuel for a wildfire.  And

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Dolly Parton wants your kids to read, and we’re here to help

Aug 31, 2023 | By:

Hello Dolly! Dolly Parton came and conquered the State of Washington. By proclamation from Governor Jay Inslee, August 15 is now Dolly Parton Imagination Library Day. This program had delivered over 200 million books to children worldwide since it began in 1995 and gives over 2 million books each month! Dolly Parton dazzled an invitation-only

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In the Margins: Not your father’s real estate market, nor your mother’s

Aug 23, 2023 | By:

Nearly 40 years ago, my wife and I purchased our first home. For what seemed like a staggering sum of $75,850 ($221,000 in today’s dollars), we moved into a 1,350 square-foot, three-bedroom home in a small subdivision just north of the Harbor. We vacuumed our sofa cushions for the down-payment and borrowed the balance at

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Letter to the Editor: Downtown Waterfront Alliance wants to know what you think

Aug 15, 2023 | By: Carrianne Ekberg

The Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance is the voice and ears for the merchants and restaurants for our downtown waterfront.  We ask that you take a very quick survey in order for us to determine your shopping and dining preferences as residents and visitors.  It will help us shape the future of our downtown. Lots

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Letter to the Editor: More questions about PenMet’s levy request

Aug 07, 2023 | By: Craig McLaughlin

Editor’s note: Craig McLaughlin submitted this letter in response to our June 22 story, PenMet proposing levy lid lift renewal From 2017 to 2023, as property values rose at a greater than 6% rate so that the “rate” of taxation dropped below the 75₵, this did NOT reduce PenMet’s overall income from property tax levies. 

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Letter to the editor: Levy funds help Gig Harbor Fire protect the community

Jul 27, 2023 | By: Joe Urvina

Ballots have been delivered and more than 10% of those in the Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One service area have already been returned to the County Clerk. As Fire District Commission Chairman, I hope the majority of these, and the ones still sitting on kitchen counters, are cast in support of the District’s general

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In the Margins: Can’t we find better ways to celebrate a birthday?

Jul 19, 2023 | By:

We returned to Gig Harbor at the end of June after a family vacation in the north woods of Canada’s Great Lakes region. Unfortunately, this year the typically fresh lake air and photogenic views were compromised by a gray layer of noxious wildfire smoke from northern Ontario. It reminded us of Puget Sound’s summer of

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