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Kitsap Sun •

Nordic Musikk Festival debuting in Poulsbo will fundraise for local nonprofit

Nordic Musikk Festival debuting in Poulsbo will fundraise for local nonprofit On Saturday, over 100 residents will line up at Nordic Hill Manor for Poulsbo's first Nordic Musikk Fest, with over five hours of live music and barbecue, to raise funds for North Kitsap Fishline, a nonprofit food and resource center for low-income residents. All ticket sales for the festival, which is self-funded by Nordic Hill owners K.J. and Heinz Lange, will be donated to the organization. As of Aug. 3, about $7,
Kitsap Sun •

Partial ban on outdoor burning to take effect in Kitsap County on Friday

Partial ban on outdoor burning to take effect in Kitsap County on Friday A phase one ban on outdoor burning will begin midnight on Friday, the Kitsap County Fire Marshal announced in a press release on Wednesday. Burning permits will be suspended along with all outdoor burning with the exception of recreational fires in approved appliances and locations and on permitted state or federal campgrounds. Recreational burning includes small fires for cooking, religious or similar purposes and are le
Kitsap Sun •

Walters and Hinman lead in five-way race for District 3 Kitsap commissioner seat

Walters and Hinman lead in five-way race for District 3 Kitsap commissioner seat Democrat Katie Walters, 55, and Republican Josh Hinman, 44, advanced to the Nov. 8 general election for the District 3 Kitsap County commissioner seat, earning 40.63% and 25.69% of the vote respectively. Candidates Axel Strakeljahn, Leiyomi Preciado and Jeff Wallis trail with 20.47%, 8.29% and 4.91% of the vote respectively. "I'm feeling amazing right now. I'm so thankful to the voters in Kitsap County who support
PolitiFact •

PolitiFact - Fact-checking Rep. Miller-Meeks claims that Democratic bill would allow abortion up until birth

Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, state and national lawmakers have scrambled to introduce legislation that either restricts or secures access to abortion. Some Iowa Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks, stand firmly against the procedure. In a July 17 newsletter that addressed several topics, Miller-Meeks wrote: Here, we’ll focus instead on whether or not the abortion bill that was passed by the U.S. House — and sent to the Senate, where
Kitsap Sun •

Iconic downtown Poulsbo clock renovated after years of malfunction

On Wednesday, just before 6 a.m., clock maker George Pease arrived at Front Street in downtown Poulsbo, across from Liberty Bay Books and down the block from Sluys Bakery. That morning, Pease was to install the inner-mechanics of the refurbished Rotary City Clock, a large, iconic clock that has become a recognizable monument of Poulsbo. Within a year of the clock's installation in 2008, when it had been designed to honor the 100th anniversary of the city of Poulsbo, it began to display incorrec
Kitsap Sun •

First probable monkeypox case reported in Kitsap County

The first case of probable monkeypox has been reported in Kitsap County, the Kitsap Public Health District stated in a press release on Wednesday. The resident, an adult male, tested positive for orthopoxvirus — the genus of virus which includes smallpox, cowpox and monkeypox — early this week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will conduct follow-up testing to confirm the case as monkeypox. Health officials are currently identifying and notifying anyone who might have had contact
Kitsap Sun •

'It feeds my soul': Hansville woman launches vinyl record store on wheels

'It feeds my soul': Hansville woman launches vinyl record store on wheels When Melanie Peters, 54, goes on vacation, she makes sure to leave open the possibility of purchasing a suitcase to lug back stacks of vinyl records to her home in Hansville. Peters, a musician and record seller, is always looking for inventory. On July 31, Peters will open Rockin' Ruby's Records and Relics, what she says is the first mobile record shop in Washington state and one of few in the United States, at the Hood
Kitsap Sun •

'An education in bread:' Los Encantos serves globally inspired baked goods in Bremerton

'An education in bread:' Los Encantos serves globally inspired baked goods in Bremerton BREMERTON — Paul Castro, baker and owner of Los Encantos, views his craft as an art rather than just cooking food. As an artist, Castro said there are few greater compliments he could receive about his art from his customers⁠ — his audience, he sometimes calls them ⁠— than a customer telling him that his puerquitos, conchas or other baked goods remind them of home. Castro began selling bread at his small,
Kitsap Sun •

184 tickets issued in second traffic enforcement emphasis in Gorst

184 tickets issued in second traffic enforcement emphasis in Gorst Kitsap area law enforcement agencies issued 184 traffic citations during their second High-Visibility Enforcement (HiVE) patrol on Thursday in the 5-mile Gorst region, one of the most accident-prone regions in Kitsap County, according to the Washington State Patrol. The 184 traffic citations included 84 for speeding, 17 for distracted driving and 17 for seat belt violations. Law enforcement officers arrested nine people on susp
Kitsap Sun •

Kitsap law enforcement begins high-intensity enforcement patrols near Gorst

The Washington State Patrol, Bremerton Police Department and Kitsap County Sheriff's Office began a series of High Visibility Enforcement (HiVE) patrols last Thursday near Gorst in an effort to reduce fatalities and collisions in one of Kitsap County's most incident-prone regions. During the July 14 HiVE patrol, law enforcement conducted 54 traffic stops and issued 67 traffic violations, according to Trooper Katherine Weatherwax, Washington State Patrol District Eight Public Information Officer
Kitsap Sun •

Voters will choose among five candidates to replace Kitsap Commissioner Ed Wolfe in primary

Voters will choose among five candidates to replace Kitsap Commissioner Ed Wolfe in primary Three Republicans and two Democrats are vying to become the next District 3 Kitsap County Commissioner. The top two candidates in the Aug. 2 primary, regardless of partisan affiliation, will advance to the Nov. 8 general election. Republican candidates include Port of Bremerton Commissioner Axel Strakeljahn, Kitsap County Coroner Jeff Wallis and newlife Executive Director Josh Hinman. Democratic candida
Kitsap Sun •

Tenants at Housing Kitsap's Poulsbo complexes say mold, other hazards ignored

Tenants at Housing Kitsap's Poulsbo complexes say mold, other hazards ignored When Windsong Apartments resident Debbie Daves, 55, pushes her finger against her living room wall, the wall squishes and leaves her finger sticky. The wall turned wet four years ago and has never been repaired despite requests lodged with maintenance technicians multiple times, she said. Daves has lived at Windsong for five years. When she moved in, she immediately noticed mold and dirt in her bathroom. She cleaned
Kitsap Sun •

Kitsap median home prices reach $600K even as inventory rises

The median residential home price in Kitsap County jumped from $550,000 to $600,000 in June, a record-high price for homebuyers who are increasingly finding it difficult to afford a home, according to data from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Meanwhile, median home prices in Washington state dropped slightly from $660,000 to $650,000. Active listings rose from 288 listings in May to 606 listings in June, an inventory increase of 110%. The market has 1.28 months of housing inventory, compar
The Daily Yonder •

Meet the 77-year-old Woman Keeping Her Town's Newspaper Alive

A two-story, brick building lies empty. Only darkness appears through the cracks on the shuttered windows. Large, white letters reading The Montezuma Record span the building’s exterior. In a white, one-room building across the road, a short, 77-year-old woman named Shirley Dunham shuffles amid stacks of newspapers. Static, yellow light pours through the windows. A hand-painted, wooden sign reading “The Record” hangs from the banister. Dunham is the last remaining employee of The Montezuma Rec
Kitsap Sun •

Neighborhood parade makes for festive Fourth for Marine Drive residents

Clara Ruddle and her sister Julia Cable handed out red roses to onlookers who watched from their front lawns as over 100 residents of Bremerton's Marine Drive marched north in the neighborhood's annual Fourth of July parade on Monday. Children in red, white and blue outfits rode on their decorated scooters, bikes and wagons from the entrance of West Marine Drive to the northern terminus of Marine Drive and back. Their parents and grandparents, also decked in Fourth-themed decor and holding coff
Kitsap Sun •

Bainbridge program matches teen workers with employers for a summer of professional growth

Bainbridge program matches teen workers with employers for a summer of professional growth Tia Preston, a 2021 Bainbridge High School graduate, will spend her summer earning a paycheck working for Island Volunteer Caregivers, a nonprofit that works to connect volunteers with elderly residents and persons with disabilities. The summer job was ideal for Preston, who was looking to work for an organization that helped the community and brought Bainbridge Islanders together. The job, which pays $
Kitsap Sun •

'This takes us back to those terrible days:' Kitsap residents protest the end of Roe

'This takes us back to those terrible days:' Kitsap residents protest the end of Roe Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court issued the 6-3 decision that overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday, over 200 protesters gathered at the ends of the Manette Bridge in Bremerton, condemning the decision that eliminated the constitutional right to abortion that had lasted nearly 50 years. The controversial decision sparked protests and celebrations in front of the Supreme Court building and in cities across the cou
Kitsap Sun •

Kitsap County weekend temperatures forecast to climb in the 80s and 90s

Kitsap County weekend temperatures forecast to climb in the 80s and 90s After an unusually cool spring, Kitsap County will see temperatures climb above 80 degrees this weekend, the National Weather Service announced in a special weather statement on Thursday. Temperatures are forecast to rise to roughly 80 degrees on Friday afternoon, peaking in the 90s on Sunday. By Tuesday, temperatures are expected to cool. "After a cool and wet spring, most of the population has little to no acclimation to
Kitsap Sun •

Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue elevates assistant fire chief to lead fire district

A 22-year Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue firefighter and EMT will take the helm as the department's next chief starting July 1. Assistant Chief Jay Christian has been selected by the CKFR board of commissioners as the fire district's chief, replacing retiring Chief John Oliver, according to a press release. Oliver has served as chief since December 2018 and previous to that served as deputy chief for three years. Oliver spent the majority of his career at the Clackamas Fire District #1 in Oreg
Kitsap Sun •

Disaster responders test plans to help isolated Kitsap neighborhoods during earthquake drill

Disaster responders test plans to help isolated Kitsap neighborhoods during earthquake drill Volunteers hoisted stretchers onto their shoulders on Friday, but the stretchers were unusually light. They carried teddy bears, plush toys and fluffy stuffed reindeer; they carried plastic baby dolls and mannequins in 90s polo tees. Each "survivor" was strung with green, yellow and red tags, denoting where in the medical triage tent for volunteers to lay them down. Medics and disaster-trained personn
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