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Key Center Loses a Business, Venue and Meeting Place

After celebrating its 10th anniversary Oct. 8, Blend Wine Shop will close its doors permanently Oct. 30. “Even as we were recovering and revenues were slowly starting to return … more

Staff Report | 9/29/21

‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

The bait is hard to resist but if you bite, you’ll be trapped in a sinister nightmare you hadn’t bargained for and from which you may never wake. more

Joseph Pentheroudakis | 9/29/21

Green Corn Tamale Pie

In October 1981, I was napping on the hallway floor near a guest bathroom the morning after a pre-wedding function in the (to me) extremely foreign land of Arizona. I was 20ish and otherwise … more

Katrina Herringbottom | 9/29/21

Tales of Key Peninsula Orchards

People of the Key Peninsula love their orchards, as evidenced by the apple trees growing everywhere. Historically, most apples on the Key Peninsula were grown for private use. Tim Kezele grew up … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 9/29/21

ARAMIS in her vampire outfit, showing fangs ready to bite!

Cats of the Key [Photo gallery]

Earlier in the year we thought it would be fun to run a collection of KP dog photos. That made a lot of dogs and their owners very happy, but it riled up the loyal opposition, the cat people. … more

Staff Report | 9/25/21

Local Circumnavigator Rows for Oahu

Wauna resident Erden Eruç, 60, is due to make landfall early in September after rowing from California to Hawaii in his attempt to row, pedal and climb around the world. more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 9/2/21

The peaceful community of Home was upset by erratic disturbances.

Local Man Arrested After Tensions Erupt in Home Neighborhood

Michael Kotas, 46, of Lakebay was arrested July 22 for second-degree assault on a Home community resident. A hearing Aug. 8 to determine whether Kotas is competent to stand trial was continued to Sept. 27 and he was ordered held in Pierce County Jail. more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 9/1/21

Crews installing Peninsul School District’s new fiber optic cable marked everything “Not Copper” to prevent theft.

The Big Push for Broadband Equality on the KP

The Pierce County Council unanimously approved an appropriation of $15 million from the county’s 2020-2021 biennial budget to support partnerships, seed money and matching funds for grants to provide or improve broadband services in underserved areas of Pierce County. more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 9/1/21

Taking Care of Each Other

A few friends and I go swimming early in the morning in Von Geldern Cove. We’d done it a dozen times already this summer, I was getting acclimated to it and kind of proud of us for continuing a … more

Lisa Bryan, Executive Editor | 9/1/21

Fire Commissioners Stan Moffett and Frank Grubaugh meet with the Chief.

Voters Approve 6-Year Fire Levy Lid Lift

A six-year Key Peninsula fire levy lid lift was approved in the Aug. 3 primary election vote by 62% to 38%, or 2,696 yes to 1,631 no votes in a typical 22% off-year summer voter turnout. The vote … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 9/1/21

Moonshine Reflections

The night sky above the Key Peninsula isn’t always clear. We enjoy about 140 nights a year that are partly cloudy or better. The rest remind us that the KP isn’t West Texas and you … more

Dan Clouse | 9/1/21

Waiting

Recently I rediscovered a forgotten pleasure. I have come to believe that waiting is one of life’s under appreciated treasures. Unfortunately, societal norms have created the impression that … more

Carolyn Wiley | 9/1/21

Our New Columnist

We moved to the Key Peninsula from Seattle in 2019. We had and continue to have such vivid impressions of this place — so many stories, discoveries, wilderness encounters, new family members … more

José Alaniz | 9/1/21

Back to School

Before I was a mom, back when I used to see social media as fun rather than torture, I would roll my eyes at those captions accompanying photos of kids headed off to their first day of school. … more

Krisa Bruemmer | 9/1/21

Our Schools Should Support Diversity

As concerned citizens of the Peninsula School District, we are alarmed by the board’s passage of resolution No. 21-28 without public comment at its July 22 meeting, “Regarding State-Mandated Training for Staff and School Board,” which addressed the diversity, equity and inclusion training called for in Senate Bill 5044. more

9/1/21

More About That Ad

Regarding the “Save Peninsula Schools” ad in the July 2021 issue, your “About that Ad” editorial and the reader comments in the August 2021 issue: First and foremost, … more

9/1/21

Janice McMillan

Longtime Key Peninsula resident Janice Lucille McMillan died Aug. 1 after a lengthy illness. Janice was born at Tacoma General Hospital June 2, 1930, to Ella and Vernon Grosser. She graduated from … more

9/1/21

Two Fatal Accidents

Two Key Peninsula residents died in separate accidents in July. Pedestrian Colby Jake Pederson, 32, was hit and killed by a car July 28 on Wright Bliss Road NW just north of 109th St. Ct. NW at … more

Staff Report | 9/1/21

Rate of newly diagnosed confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents April through August 16.

Fire Department Covid Vaccination Rate Exceeds Key Peninsula, County and State; Braces for Mandated Shots

Most Key Peninsula Fire District 16 personnel have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Fire Chief Dustin Morrow. more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 9/1/21

Shabadrang (Christin) Khalsa aka Bam Bam shows off her skills.

Skate Night Ready to Roll Under New Management

Skate Night returns to the Key Peninsula Civic Center Sept. 10 with roller skate rental and concessions available from 6 to 9 p.m. There is a new Skate Night management team on board eager to get the program back up and running. more

Krisa Bruemmer, KP News | 9/1/21