More News

Trails connections and coalition give updates on walking, biking path projects

By Kirk Boxleitner   Those interested in trails throughout Jefferson County and the Olympic Peninsula can update themselves on the latest information about their trails systems this …

WA’s members of Congress react to passage of Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’

Bold, beautiful, bloated, ugly. How the legislation is described depends who you ask. But Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is now on its way to becoming law. The …

ECHHO drivers step up as demand grows to transport people for care, errands

ECHHO, a nonprofit organization that provides transportation services to help older adults, low-income residents, and people with disabilities in Jefferson County, met Monday for its 2025 annual …

Washington’s historian closes the book on a career in a melancholy mood

John C. Hughes is, at root, a storyteller. As he marks the end of a nearly six-decade career that spanned hot-type newspapering on the coast to crafting the biographical record of Washington’s …
More News
Though Washington State Parks, like other parts of state government, did not make it through this year’s legislative session with its budget unscathed, park visitors shouldn’t notice any …
Hundreds of people filled McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden Historical State Park for Centrum’s “Fiddles on the Fourth” on July 4, part of a traditional that goes back much farther …
The survival odds of the 74 critically endangered killer whales residing in the Salish Sea have received a significant boost with the installation of a thermal-imaging system at Point Wilson that …
The Northwest Watershed Institute (NWI)   has acquired 81 acres of forest and wetlands that will be permanently protected and stewarded as part of the institute’s 500-acre Tarboo Wildlife …
The Trump administration announced last week that it would open nearly 59 million acres of wilderness in national forests to road building and development, including almost 86,000 acres of Olympic …

Law Enforcement

Sherrif's log

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a total of 358 calls for service from June 27 to July 4. Deputies conducted 107 traffic stops, of which 5 resulted in criminal …

Police log

The Port Townsend Police Department logged a total of 156 calls from June 20-26. Police officers conducted 35 traffic stops and made 2 DUI arrests. Calls such as domestic violence and …

Arts & Entertainment
Amy Montes will be the first flamenco dancer ever to grace the Quilcene barn stage, and she’ll be joined by the returning Carpe Diem String Quartet.

Quilcene’s beloved Concerts in the Barn returns with first flamenco dancer

The eighth season of free chamber music series known as “Concerts in the Barn” includes the novelty of flamenco for the first time. Amy Montes, the first flamenco dancer ever to …
Spanish harpsichordist Irene Roldàn and flutist Jeffrey Cohan will be performing Domenico Scarlatti and Johann Sebastian Bach at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on July 13.

Harpsichord virtuoso makes U.S. debut at Salish Sea music festival

The Salish Sea Early Music Festival concludes its 2025 season in Jefferson County by featuring Irene Roldàn from Spain, one of Europe’s prominent young prize-winning harpsichordists, as …
Guitarists Roberto Luti and Luke Winslow-King will play at the Rainshadow Recording Studio at Fort Worden on July 16.

Guitarists honed by New Orleans and Europe play in PT

One guitarist became a blues musician in New Orleans before moving to Europe, while the other moved from Europe to New Orleans to hone his skills, but both are coming to Port Townsend next week. …
If you wake up a T-Rex, you’re gonna have a bad time in “Jurassic World: Rebirth.”

‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ dead on arrival, in spite of overqualified cast

Congratulations, Universal and Amblin. After seven films, you’ve finally managed to wipe out any lingering fondness I had for the “Jurassic Park” franchise. Honestly, …
This year’s weeklong Port Townsend Writers Conference includes Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novelist Tessa Hulls, and even if you’re not part of the conference, the authors’ free …
The Quilcene Lantern is celebrating its first full year in operation by staging its second-annual “Tarboo” Olympic Peninsula music festival over the Fourth of July weekend. Brothers …
The Fourth of July marks the start of a weekend this year, so the Palindrome is turning it into a weekend-long get-together and celebration. The Palindrome at Eaglemount Winery and Cidery is …
News from local businesses

Real Stories, Real Flexibility: Why Homeowners Choose a HELOC


When homeowners need flexible financing, a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) stands out as a versatile and cost-effective option. Unlike lump-sum loans or high-interest credit cards, a HELOC offers access to funds as needed ...

Moore Than Homes: Local Builder Thrives with First Fed

When Matt Moore launched Moore Construction in 2021, it started with two people in a garage and a big vision: to build a company grounded in integrity, transparency, and genuine care for …

Banking with Purpose: Celebrating 10 Years of the First Fed Foundation

If you live on the Olympic Peninsula or anywhere in western Washington, chances are you’ve seen First Fed show up for your community. Whether it’s supporting local nonprofits, sponsoring …

Calendar of events
Obituaries
John Manus Gallagher
John Gallagher, 56, of Port Townsend, died in June while traveling to visit family. John was a father, teacher, herbalist, and friend. He built his life around helping others—through his work, …
Tammy Lynn Sukert
Our Tammy left this world on June 21,2025 at Harborview Medical Center following a medical emergency. She was 64 years old. Tammy Lynn Robinson was born in LaGrande, Oregon on November 13, 1960 …
Frederica “Freddie” Jacobs Lofquist
Frederica “Freddie” Jacobs Lofquist passed away peacefully May 7, 2025 in Port Townsend, Washington at age 96 after a short illness. Freddie was born at home in Norristown, …
Donald Joseph Barrows
Don was born on June 10 th 1954 to Donald and Eleanor Barrows of Port Townsend, WA where he was raised and spent his life rooted in the community he loved. Don graduated from Port Townsend High …
Mary Charlotte Tietjen
Mary “Mare” Charlotte Tietjen moved on unexpectedly Nov. 25, 2024. Beauty, booklover, thinker, musician, artist, sailor, paddler, skier, biker, hiker, gardener, builder, councilor, …
Opinion
Columnists
Recommended viewing to keep sane during scary political shift and some pickelball, too
How, you might wonder, does one deal with the ever-darkening cloud that hangs over so many of us following the heartless Trump Administration’s latest cruel move, the awful One Big Beautiful …
Note to privilege: Sometimes being different requires a hotline
I take exception to Marcia Kelbon’s recent column,“Whose Speech is Free?” She blasts Washington’s SB 5427 that establishes a hotline to report hate crimes and bias incidents …
Skip Owen with his restored 1957 Oldmobile.
Some observations on the light side and all those flags in Port Ludlow
Sometimes it is more educational and entertaining to just stand around and take it all in. People, events, weather, friends and the internet all provide opportunities to expand perspectives. I …
Mike Glenn
Hospitals, including Jefferson Healthcare, hit hard by Republican-championed bill
On July 3, 2025, the U.S. Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” We are angered and saddened that so many members of Congress would choose to make devastating cuts to Medicaid …
David Faber
Reporting, columns giving false impression of city’s finances
The core responsibility of the Port Townsend City Council is to preside over our city’s budget, ensuring that it is balanced and that our limited assets are spent as wisely as possible. But …
Jason Victor Serinus
Considering the balance of responsibilities for a child’s wellbeing
I resisted the idea of participating in a point/counterpoint until I saw the opening question: “Who is primarily responsible for your child’s well-being, you or the state?” I felt …
TOONS

Letters
    • Letters

      Where was Randall? On June 12 there was a key vote to clawback $9.4 billion already allocated to a variety of important causes, including …

    • Letters

      Representation matters The photographs you selected to represent the attendees of last Saturday’s No Kings protest gave the impression …

    • Prayer in school

      Why would you even entertain bible studies in public school curriculum? Bible studies in church and home is everyone’s right! But in …

    • Context please

      Salaries and benefits paid to public officials have always been hot-button issues.  Publishing the numbers can create easy targets for …

    • Flawed survey

      In February, Commissioner Dudley-Nollette and Jefferson County Aquatic Coalition (JAC) representatives hosted a forum in Quilcene to discuss the …

    • Measles wake-up call

      Measles wake-up call I was horrified to read in the Washington Post that our country “faces millions of measles cases over the next 25 …

Photos

PHOTO: Jammin’ at Fiddles on the Fourth

Musician plays banjo on lawn during jam sesh.
Sports
It’s a major accomplishment. “An exceptional team of young athletes made waves this year with 25 gymnasts qualifying for the Washington State Championships — an extraordinary …
On Thursday, May 15, senior Mason Iverson, the sole Quilcene High School athlete on the East Jefferson   Rivals track and field team, traveled to Franklin Pierce High School to compete in the …
The East Jefferson Rivals Track and Field Team had two competitions this past week. The first was a nine school Nisqually League meet at Charles Wright Academy (CWA) in Tacoma on Wednesday, May …