Employees of the Food Co-op in Port Townsend will have the opportunity to vote on whether to unionize. The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) posted a notice of …
    Olympic Community Action Programs (OlyCAP) is concluding its annual Point in Time (PIT) count in Jefferson County to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness, …
Councilman acquires Evergreen Fitness To bring more fitness opportunities to residents of the Port Townsend area, city council member Neil Nelson recently purchased Evergreen Fitness, taking …
Sixty-five million American households contain dogs and 45.6 million contain cats, yet few of us know the threat the escalating bird flu outbreak poses to our pets.  This column …
    As part of an effort to build an aquatic facility that meets the needs of area residents, the JeffCo Aquatic Coalition launched a survey Feb. 1, with nearly 1,300 residents …
Arts and Entertainment
Bass player Charles Clements and guitarist George Clements will be joined by drummer Pele Greenberg and fiddler Carolyn Kendrick at the Palindrome on Jan. 16.

‘An evolving journey into Americana music’: Aunt in PT urged The Clements Brothers to play the Palindrome

    The suggestion to play the Palindrome came from the aunt of the twins that anchor The Clements Brothers band. “Our Aunt Francie told us, ‘You have to play the …
The Community Chorus with Jon Stafford (in plaid shirt) last spring, the last time he directed them.

Chorus to sing music by contemporary composer

    Jon Stafford, spring director of the Community Chorus of Port Townsend and East Jefferson County, has selected music by Shawn Kirchner to center the chorus’ next …
Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson modernize decades-old erotic thriller tropes in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl.”

Movie Review: ‘Babygirl’ inverts traditional power dynamics in its troubled romance

    Writer-director Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” starring Nicole Kidman and Antonio Banderas, is inspired by 1992’s “Basic Instinct” and …
“Fort Wonder’s Magic Mountain,” by Mike Biskup.

Northwind plans fine-art pop-up sale this weekend in PT

    In its first-ever Pop-Up Sale on Saturday, Jan. 18, through Monday, Jan. 20, Northwind Art will offer fine art and furnishings at what it deemed “unheard-of …

News from local businesses

Unlock Your Savings Potential for the New Year

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to reassess your financial goals and take control of your savings. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to maximize your current savings …

Give Your Kids a Gift that Keeps Giving: High-Yield Savings


The holiday season is upon us—a time for joy, giving, and meaningful connections with loved ones. While toys and gadgets often top the wish lists, there’s a unique gift that grows in …

In other news ...
Obituaries

Ronald Walter Anderson

Ronald W. Anderson, born on October 22, 1956 in Port Townsend, Washington, passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 31, 2024 in Port Hadlock, Washington. A lifelong resident of the …

Chiara Colella

Chiara Colella, age 63, passed away peacefully at home in Quilcene, WA on January 23, 2025, after a long illness (end stage renal disease) and other serious complications. She was preceded in death …

Mary Ashby “Abby” Kimball

Abby Kimball passed away peacefully in her home in Port Townsend on December 13, 2024, after a courageous five-month battle with lung cancer. She was surrounded by the love of her husband, Dan …
Calendar of events
Opinion & Columnists
Karen Sullivan
You say DOGE like it’s a good thing | Guest Column
A recent column in The Leader suggested in positive light that the DOGE-ing happening on a federal level might well be replicated here in Washington, and that it would be a good thing. Given the …
Mike Glenn
Amid uncertainty, Jefferson Healthcare still here for you | Guest Column
On Jan. 20, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of our country. As anticipated, there has been a flurry of executive orders and legislative actions that may impact hospitals and clinics …
Carole Marshall
Balance: An integral part of good aging | Aging in Good Spirits
From jogging to slogging, speed walking to a slower but steady stride, I’ve aged into a reasonable exercise program. Along the way, I’ve had a few minor mishaps like stumbling over tree …
Barney Burke
Price tag for pool could leave us drowning in debt | Guest Column
During the 2020 presidential debates, Pete Buttigieg made a great point when he said politicians often tout a program or project because it’s the largest or most expensive of its kind rather …
Meredith Jordan
Reporting on city manager’s salary yields outsized, aggressive response | Mixing Metaphors & Doubling Entendres
When I was a babe in the woods of the news business, there were a couple of unspoken rules. One was that we didn’t swing back if someone hit us with smack-talk, including public officials. …
Jason Victor Serinus
Coup or just plain cuckoo? Trump’s flurry of actions both confusing, concerning | As I See It
There’s nothing unusual about a string of bizarre statements pouring out of the mouth of Donald J. Trump. But even those accustomed to his ramblings, lies and mythological constructs were not …
TOONS

BLOGS
  After seeing her star-making turn in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” last year all that Hulu had to do to get me to watch its true-crime miniseries …
Letters
    • Civil not criminal

        I am writing in response to a letter in The Leader on Feb. 5 regarding illegal immigrants and the need for sheriffs and other state …

    • Faber hurting us

        Faber does not represent core values of Port Townsend. Faber does not respect the will of the people nor lead with any kind of …

    • How can city justify salary?

        How can a town with a population of less than 11,000 afford to pay its city manager a salary and benefits approaching a …

    • Right before our eyes

        What have we learned in the first three weeks of the second Trump administration? Voters have spoken, and the results are: Character …

    • Intentional provocation

        Marcia Kelbon asks, “can Governor Ferguson truly be a moderate?” apparently inviting a discussion about streamlining …

    • Be more specific

        I wish Jason Serinus had told us more about the “antisemitic crack” that offended his Jewish friend at the Jan.18 rally, …

Photo Gallery

Photos of efforts to contain Jupiter fire near Brinnon

John and Christy Strickland sit in lawn chairs and watch as ground and airborne firefighters attempt to tame the wildfire on Mount Jupiter, west of Brinnon on Friday, August 17.
Photos taken of the wildfire on Mount Jupiter near Hood Canal, where firefighters have been battling the blaze since Wednesday, Aug. 14.
Sports
    The East Jefferson Rivals Wrestling Squad traveled to Vashon on Jan. 22 to compete in a dual meet with an opponent in the Nisqually League. The Rivals won the Varsity dual …
    The East Jefferson Rivals earned a fifth-place finish at the 16-team Island Invitational at Bainbridge Island High School on Jan. 13. East Jefferson entered 17 boys and eight …
    East Jefferson Wrestling Rivals has continued at a frantic pace. For the third weekend in a row, more than 20 local athletes competed in two competitions in northwest …