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Washington State Declares Drought Emergency
In April, the Washington State Department of Ecology declared a statewide drought emergency, warning that snowpack deficits and warm winter temperatures will lead to below-normal runoff and significant water shortages. more
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Towering trees shade a blanket of huckleberries and Oregon grape growing beneath.
KP Forest Once Inhabited by ‘Outsider Artists’ Protected Forever
Public trails will be built on the 60-acre property adjacent to the undeveloped Haley State Park land. “It’s what a Northwest forest should look like.” more
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Creative landscaping can help provide easy access for maintenance and inspections.
DIY Septic Certifications on the Way for KP Homeowners
Pierce County may someday teach you how to inspect your own septic system. The hope is to increase compliance by lowering costs. more
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There was time for sharing knowledge, history and wisdom during a tour with Great Peninsula Conservancy leadership and neighboring forest owners.
Great Peninsula Conservancy Expands Filucy Bay Preserve by 55 Acres
Four parcels donated to Great Peninsula Conservancy extend the preserve to the Pitt Passage shoreline. more
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Most forests in the area face similar issues as this scene from YMCA Camp Seymour where stewardship practices encourage healthy old growth forests of the future.
WSU Extension Brings Flagship Forest Management Course to KP
Forestry education is coming to the Key Peninsula. Washington State University’s extension forestry service will offer its flagship nine-week forest stewardship course to local landowners. more
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The population of the peaceful beachside community rises throughout summer.
The Taylor Bay Beach Club Plans a New Sewage Treatment Plant
Members of the Taylor Bay Beach Club have spent five years working with agencies and consultants to assess their sewage treatment system, evaluate alternatives, and find millions of dollars in funding. more
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The humpback whale known to local whale watchers as “Malachite,” passes the derelict barge in Henderson Bay.
An Eyesore from the Seashore: The Purdy Spit Barge
A converted oyster barge has become the unofficial, unintentional and unwanted welcome sign to those entering the Key Peninsula while crossing the Purdy Spit. more
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Whiteman Cove with YMCA camp canoers. The causeway on right will be breached and bridged.
Whiteman Cove Restoration to Begin in 2024
Restoration of salmon habitat at Whiteman Cove is set to begin in 2024, following a $6.9 million appropriation in the state capital budget. more
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Tina McKail won first place for her “standout feature image” in “Evergreen Elementary Girls on the Run” (June 2022), her fourth award overall for her photography in KP News.
KP News Wins Record-breaking 25 Statewide Awards
Key Peninsula News staff and contributors shattered their own record Oct. 7 by earning 25 awards at the statewide Washington Newspaper Publishers Association 2023 Better Newspaper Contest. more
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Planning for Key Center Path Gets Health Department Funding
Preliminary planning is underway for a roadside path to connect Key Center and the Red Barn Youth Center at the corner of the Key Peninsula Highway and 84th Street NW, a distance of about 500 yards. more
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Puget Sound harbor seals number in the thousands and are generally healthy.
Bird Flu Found in Puget Sound Harbor Seals for First Time
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that three adult harbor seals in Puget Sound tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 strain Sept. 8. The seals stranded on … more
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Though rare, barred owls are known to swoop on people.
Barred Owls and Ant Marathons
Last month my wife was attacked while running near our home in Lakebay. It was dusk. She had just left the paved county road for a forest road when she felt something grab her hair and yank upward. … more
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Pierce County Updates Its Solid Waste Program
This spring Pierce County upped its game in collecting organic waste. It will now allow vegetable and fruit trimmings, tea bags and coffee with paper filters in yard waste collected at curbside and … more
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County Roadside Vegetation Management Program Changes
In late May and early June drivers may have noticed wider than usual swaths of dead vegetation along the sides of many Key Peninsula roads. A combination of factors, including unusual early spring … more
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This photo well illustrates how shallow a drain field is.
What’s All the Stink About Septic System Inspections?
Septic systems are the unsung heroes for homeowners on the Key Peninsula. They work tirelessly and discreetly handling nature’s call, and until something nasty happens, they’re often … more
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Bob and Barb Green watched this bear lick seed out of their bird feeder at Driftwood Point.
Bears on the KP: Stories and Notes on the Local Bear Situation
Last October, for the first time in recent memory, a bear paid a visit to Herron Island. By the time word got out and folks went looking, it was nowhere to be found, swum back to the mainland. … more
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A view of Burley Lagoon during an outgoing tide as viewed from SR 302 along the Purdy Spit.
Public Weighs in on Burley Lagoon Geoduck Farming
More than 100 people gathered May 22 for the first opportunity to speak publicly about a Taylor Shellfish Co. application to convert part of its current oyster and clam bed farms in Burley Lagoon to … more
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No Nukes: Carbon-free Electricity
We pay about 6 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity in Washington state, much less than the national median of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour. Here I’m just comparing the electricity costs, not the … more
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Penrose Point State Park Closed Until May for Septic Repairs
All day-use areas, trails, and camping at Penrose Point State Park have been closed since Jan. 15 for sewage system repairs and upgrades, according to the Washington State Parks and Recreation … more
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Is Fusion Power On the Way?
Harnessing fusion energy as a source for carbon-free, near limitless electricity seemed much closer last November when the Department of Energy breathlessly announced a key advance: there was a … more
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