I am responding to Jean Ball’s March 5 opinion column on the Pleasant Harbor Master Planned Resort (MPR). Zoning regulations aim to leave rural areas rural. The one … more

I’m not like the others, I have just one eye and sometimes this oddity makes me cry.  One nose, one mouth, one tail all good yet it’s a bother to not look like I … more

When asked what her day to day workload looked like at Port Townsend High School, Lisa Anderson turned her eyes upward and repeated the thought back to herself, “What do I do? I don’t … more

Are gas vehicles worse for the environment than electric vehicles? That is a question we should be discussing.  more

Being a child in the late forties, I experienced a Mayberry-like upbringing. Back in the day we went out to play till the streetlights came on, rode our bikes to Fisher Field playground to trade baseball cards and play tetherball, and slurped a foreign blue liquid from wax figurines. All good memories, but an incident in my late teens is a funny yet sad reminder of the ingrained, hard to overcome two faces of the teenage girl of the fifties. more

Who’s reeling most, we who defend democracy and personal liberties or Donald J. Trump and his supporters? Within 48 hours of delivering his slash and burn, lie-ridden address to the nation, Trump walked back (at least temporarily) his 25% tariff on automobiles, and then most goods from Mexico and Canada. more

Recently there have been articles and letters to the editor about paid parking in downtown Port Townsend. I understand that charging for parking seems an untapped revenue stream to city leaders, especially given the volumes of tourists who flood into downtown throughout the year. more

At Housing Solutions Network, we’d like to thank Marcia Kelbon for sharing our Housing Jefferson County’s Economy Community Survey Report with the Leader’s readers. Kelbon and HSN both agree: the rental situation in our community is dire. Over the course of the last 11 years, JeffCo has lost around 579 rental units. The number of vacant homes (as defined by US Census) now outnumber rentals. Furthermore, our survey showed 72% of renters are cost burdened by housing, or spending more than 30% of income on housing costs. The graphic accompanying Kelborn’s article displays a fact from the WA Dept. of Commerce stating “rising rents are the largest driver to homelessness” -- not mental illness or drug and alcohol abuse. more

A few Republican Senators might do themselves and the nation a service if they viewed a re-run of “The Wizard of Oz.” more

Norm Tonina and Gee Heckscher stated in their March 5 column in The Leader that there should be more scrutiny of my actions, suggesting that may have contributed to the further demise of the Fort Worden Public Development Authority. I truly welcome it. This ongoing saga causes me to regret that I ever engaged in the effort. I should have allowed others to save the PDA from being consumed by a much larger tragedy than what I left behind. more

In about a week, the Port Townsend City Council is preparing to rewrite the script—gutting key accountability measures in the city’s ethics code. One council member recently described the city manager’s behavior as “Machiavellian,” a master of schemes. But the art of political maneuvering isn’t limited to just one player in this production. more

  The Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) is holding a hearing to create a new public agency, a Public Facilities District (PFD), purportedly for the purpose of building and operating a … more

  I am writing to agree with Noreen Parks letter about a raise for the city manager, “How can city justify salary,” Feb. 12. We should not be giving raises to any government … more

  I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve got to give the president full credit where credit is due. I’ve been blessed with a long and adventurous life, born just a … more

  It is reassuring — especially now, in these days of bad government and perfidious journalism — to see our local independent newspaper fight the good fight. I am talking about … more

  When I Can’t Sleep I heat milk, add hot water Cholesterol you know! If home, I put the heating pad On my stomach or shoulders or back Set it low Low, … more

Try the Trader Joe’s in Bellingham. It’s been overflowing with visiting Canadians for years, but not any more. “Canadians Are Staying Away,” read a recent front page … more

The “sold out” Port Ludlow Performing Arts concert by “The Wardens” at the Bay Club on Feb. 22 exceeded the expectations of most folks. That being said, it was “sold … more

I was thrilled to see Housing Solutions Network’s recently published survey on housing needs in Jefferson County. I applaud this project and its focus. HSN is one of several organizations, … more

As Fort Worden PDA founding board members who served until June 2021, including three years as chair and vice-chair, we’d like to respond to The Leader’s recent articles on the Fort … more