News & Community

As the risk of wildfire increases here in Jefferson County, East Jefferson Fire Rescue (EJFR) is scheduled to provide wildfire prevention information for residents on Thursday, May 21 , 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Avenue in Port Hadlock. Robert Wittenberg, Community Risk Manager for EJFR, together with Lara Gaasland-Tatro, Jefferson County Public Health Environmental Health Specialist, will talk about how wildfires move and grow, ways yo

by Karen Griffith, Guest Writer It’s almost instinctive – when you lose a loved one – to pick up the phone to call them, to hear their voice, to tell them you love and miss them. This happened to Itaru Sasaki while grieving his cousin’s death in 2010 in Japan. He purchased an old-fashioned phone booth and set it up in his garden. He installed a rotary phone that was not connected to wires or any “earthly system.” Here, Itaru felt a continued connection to his cousin as he t

Amanda Wilson, locally based Estate Planning Attorney with Northwest Estate Planning & Probate P.S., will present this free seminar and answer questions as time will allow. Join us at the Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Pl, Port Ludlow, on Wednesday, May 13, from 1 - 2 p.m. Walk-ins welcome but RSVP appreciated at (360)437-4172 or info@nwepp.com .

Find your latest adventure at the Jefferson County Library! We’ll be closed on May 25 for Memorial Day, but there’s plenty of time to find a story to enjoy during the long weekend. Join us for a variety of fun programs this month, from a repair event to emergency preparedness. Visit our program calendar at jclibrary.info for more information. The WSU Master Gardeners are back and ready to answer more questions in this ongoing class. On Saturday, May 9 , from 1 – 3 p.m. in

by Stephanie Buehler, Guest Writer Olympic Area Agency on Aging will be discussing their Dementia Outreach Program at our Wednesday, May 6, luncheon held at the Beach Club, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. In recognition of Cinco de Mayo, a taco salad bar will be set up, and all tableware will be provided. Feel free to wear any Mexican-themed clothes you may have hanging in your closet. RSVP to firstwednesdayluncheon@gmail.com or sign up at either the Bay or Beach Club no later than May

A Washington State committee is awarding funds totaling $30,151.96 to five Jefferson County entities to support accessibility improvements to a variety of public resources. The funding was secured thanks, in large part, to the work of volunteers collaborating with Jefferson County Public Health. The award recipients are the City of Port Townsend, Disabled Hikers, Jefferson County Historical Society, Peninsula Trails Coalition, and the Port Townsend School District. The v

Jefferson Healthcare has released its 2026 Community Benefit Report, offering a transparent look at how the hospital district served East Jefferson County throughout 2025 and into early 2026. The report, available now on the Jefferson Healthcare website, details the measurable impact of the hospital’s work and the deep connection between the organization and the communities it serves. By The Numbers: Community Impact In 2025 alone, Jefferson Healthcare: Cared for 35,801 patie

Jefferson Healthcare has announced the planned expansion of the Port Ludlow Clinic. The new building will bring more specialty care and advanced diagnostic services to Port Ludlow and surrounding communities. Jefferson Healthcare has always provided top-quality care close to home for East Jefferson County. In the early stages of expanding the Port Ludlow clinic, it takes an important step toward delivering access to more healthcare in the southern part of Jefferson County. Th

Leonard Pitts, Jr., a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist turned historical-fiction author, portrays the chaotic state of the south in the aftermath of the Civil War in his 2012 novel, Freeman. His major protagonists: an escaped slave now a freeman searching for his wife, a northern abolitionist schoolteacher determined to bring education to the children of former slaves, and a slave owner doggedly refusing to free his slaves, are the eyes through whom we view this upheaval of