What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm

The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

Home
United States
Port Townsend, WA
The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader

Serving Port Townsend and Jefferson County since 1889

09/27/2025

Over 50% of Port Townsend students considered low-income

By Alex Frick

Editor’s note: This is part eight of a thirteen-part series that explores the housing crisis affecting Port Townsend and Jefferson County

“In 2023-24, about 53% of Port Townsend students qualified as low-income,” said Linda Rosenbury, superintendent of the Port Townsend School District. “Over half of our students are experiencing poverty. That may not be the perception in the community, but it’s the reality.”

It is a percentage that has increased as families face rising costs that are outpacing paychecks. In Jefferson County, the Area Median Income (AMI) for a family of four was about $84,300 in 2023, according to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Low income is considered to be a family of four earning 80% or less of that sum, or $67,440.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/26/2025

Vacate notices issued; OlyCAP says deadline unrealistic

By Alex Frick and Mallory Kruml

The city of Port Townsend gave official notice on Sept. 16 to the residents living in the encampment behind the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services building that they had about six weeks to leave the property.

The notice, distributed by city staff and law enforcement, states that on Nov. 3, the city will discontinue dumpster and toilet services, the site will be cleaned. “Service providers, city staff and police would visit the camp frequently to offer help” in the meantime.

At a Sept. 15 city council meeting, City Manager John Mauro said the city would “transition and close that encampment by early November,” adding that the goal was to prioritize care for every individual and “make sure we transition gently.”

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/25/2025

$6.2M price tag stalls the Sims Gateway Project

By Mallory Kruml

For years, local leaders have had a clear vision for the Sims Gateway and Boatyard Expansion Project: remove the poplar trees on the south side of the street and move electrical wires underground to improve safety and support expansion of the adjacent boatyard.

That plan is likely to change, as Joe Wilson, the new general manager of the Jefferson County Public Utility District (PUD), pumps the brakes. The fate of the poplars remains the same.

At the Sept. 2 meeting of the PUD Board of Commissioners, Wilson said he was not convinced the project could be completed within its $2.3 million budget.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/24/2025

Mill leaked 114,000 gallons of untreated water, fined $20,000

By James Robinson

Port Townsend Paper Co. faces $20,000 in fines after leaking pipes spilled wastewater into Port Townsend Bay on two occasions earlier this year, the state Department of Ecology (DOE) announced Sept. 18.

The mill’s parent company Atlas Holdings LLC, generates approximately $18 billion in revenues annually.

The mill, according to the DOE, has 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal it to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/23/2025

City requests voluntary water conservation

By Mallory Kruml

An unusually dry summer and lower-than-normal water levels at the Lords Lake Reservoir have prompted city officials to ask Port Townsend residents to be mindful of their water usage.

The city issued a voluntary water conservation notice Sept. 11 for households, businesses and industrial water users.

“Voluntary water conservation means refraining from irrigating,” said Public Works Director Steve King. “It means being diligent about ensuring faucets are turned off and that leaks are fixed.”

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/22/2025

Port’s $3 million breakwater repair project pushed out by a year

By Mallory Kruml

Pending a final grant agreement and permit approval, the Port of Port Townsend will begin work to improve the structural integrity of the breakwater at the Boat Haven Marina.

Tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2026, the $3 million Boat Haven Main Breakwater Project will reinforce the eastern 600 feet of the main breakwater, which reduces the force of incoming waves in the marina.

“It’s a wood cooper dam structure filled with sand and coated in rocks that dates back to the ‘30s,” said Port Executive Director Eron Berg. “It’s been tuned up since, of course, but this project will take out some of the unsuitable sand and basically just put a whole bunch of more rock in place.”

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/21/2025

Hedge fund sues regional bank over alleged $100 million water vending machine fraud

By James Robinson

Port Angeles-based First Fed Bank faces a $106 million lawsuit filed on June 10 in King County Superior Court, the suit alleging the bank was complicit in a borrower’s water vending machine Ponzi scheme.

The bank disclosed the suit in a Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday, June 13, 2025.

A trial is tentatively set for June 2026.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/20/2025

Five-night closure of Hood Canal Bridge scheduled

By Mallory Kruml

Pack your patience, Peninsula drivers.

The Hood Canal Bridge will close nightly to all travelers — including emergency vehicles — from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., Sept. 21 through Sept. 25.

“It’s an emergent repair, meaning it’s not part of a project,” said April Leigh, communications consultant with the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT). “It’s emergent work, and it needs to be done before the upcoming storm season, because the issue could get worse with another storm season; that’s why it needs to be done now.”

During the closure, WSDOT crews will straighten and weld the steel track on the westbound span of the bridge. The track guides the wheels that move the bridge span back when it opens for boat traffic.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/19/2025

Port Hadlock wastewater system turned on, making way for development

By Mallory Kruml

After decades of planning, years of construction and more than $35 million in funding, the Port Hadlock Wastewater Treatment System is officially online.

Jefferson County officials see the project as a major step forward for economic development, enabling the Irondale and Port Hadlock Urban Growth Area (UGA) to support affordable housing, medical facilities, higher-density and multifamily residences, senior housing, and expanded commercial and industrial development.

As new Jefferson County Public Utility District (PUD) customers are connected, they will no longer rely on on-site septic systems.

“We are connecting customers every day since influent started flowing on Sept. 8,” wrote PUD Digital Communications Specialist Jameson Hawn. “We have six residences online so far, and the numbers grow daily.”

09/18/2025

‘The Wall That Heals’ brings legacy of Vietnam War home to Jefferson County

By Kirk Boxleitner

Area residents came together to commemorate the legacy of the Vietnam War from Sept. 9-14, with the arrival and temporary installation of “The Wall That Heals” at the Jefferson County International Airport.

After the traveling three-quarters replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., was escorted from Port Townsend to the airport by a fleet of motorcycles and classic cars Sept. 9, “The Wall That Heals” was installed and opened to the public with a brief ceremony Sept. 11.

During that ceremony, event co-organizer Jim Kelly observed that the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, were similar to the Vietnam War in that they also “affected the whole nation.”

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/17/2025

City plans to close DSHS encampment by early November

By Alex Frick and Mallory Kruml

Port Townsend officials say they plan to close the homeless encampment behind the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) building, citing the need for consistency in enforcing city codes and a lack of staff training and equipment.

City Manager John Mauro made the announcement during his regular report at the Sept. 15 city council meeting.

“We as a city are going to need to transition and close that encampment by early November,” he said. “We want to make sure that the two months that we have between now and then, we have a lead in to make sure we prioritize care for every individual, and work to the best standards and best practices to make sure we transition gently. Ideally, we make the situation better for a lot of folks.”

Mauro said the city coordinated with partner agencies before the announcement.

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

09/16/2025

County adopts policy on immigration enforcement at courthouse

By Mallory Kruml

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners adopted a policy aligning the county with state law on maintaining a safe and accessible courthouse for all individuals, regardless of immigration status.

Jefferson County Acting Sheriff Andy Pernsteiner called the policy precautionary, noting that, to his knowledge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has never had a presence at the courthouse.

“We have actually seen different courthouses across the nation where ICE has come into the courthouse and they don’t have any kind of policy in place, like saying that they can or they can’t make an arrest there, so they just kind of muscle their way in and make arrests,” Pernsteiner said. “From what I’ve been told, if you have a policy in place and the courthouse security tells them, ‘Listen, you are not allowed to arrest someone here without an actual order from the court,’ they’ll leave.”

For the full story pick up a copy of The Leader or go to ptleader.com

Address

226 Adams Street
Port Townsend, WA
98368

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(360)3852900

Website

http://ptleader.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to The Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Business
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company in Port Townsend?