'Murder InCLUEdead’ 

Port Townsend Kiwanis Mystery Dinner is back this year with two performances, Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Oscar Erickson Building at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.

The 2024 performance, "Murder InCLUEdead," is written and directed by Ramon Dailey, a staple of the show since its beginning. The Port Townsend Mystery Players will again take center stage, offering an entertaining and interactive experience for those who want to participate. Four of the performers, David and Mary Crozier, Jan Boutilier, and Dailey, have been a part of every mystery dinner show since the event’s inception in 2006, ensuring a night filled with experience, creativity, and passion. The show will be catered by Thysen & Debi Scott of God Bless Food (GBF), offering delicious vegetarian and gluten-free options to accommodate all dietary preferences. All proceeds from the event benefit the Jefferson County Children’s Programs supported by the Port Townsend Kiwanis Club, such as the non-profit, Foster Supports Organization and Olympic Angels. You can purchase tickets online at brownpapertickets, event #6466014, or by contacting Mary Crozier at 360-531-0200 or maryjcrozier@gmail.com. Tickets can also be ordered by downloading a ticket order form from the event’s official website. To learn more, visit ptmystery.com 

Thanksgiving ferry rush

Ferry officials say they expect nearly 300,000 riders Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Dec. 1, and travelers should budget extra travel time if they plan to ride a ferry over the Thanksgiving weekend.

To help navigate the holiday crowds, state officials suggest using the ferry’s mobile app or the website before heading to the terminal. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, there will be schedule changes on some routes. Holiday sailings are marked on the schedules for each route.

It was busy getting to the holiday week. For the week of Nov. 11 to 18, crews completed 98.89% of their 2,787 scheduled sailings. Of the 33 cancellations, 16 were due to crewing, 14 because of tidal currents and three for schedule resets (when a boat is so far behind schedule, the sailing is canceled to get it back on schedule, thus providing predictability for customers).

Chimacum fire displaces two

East Jefferson Fire Rescue responded to a report of a structure fire in the 4700 Block of West Valley Road at about  8:35 a.m. Nov. 21. Crews found a single-story home with flames showing from multiple locations, an indication fire had spread throughout the building. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly.

One resident was home at the time and able to evacuate along with two pets, while the other resident was elsewhere. No injuries occurred to the resident or the pets. Damage to the home was significant, forcing the residents to make alternate living arrangements. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Jefferson County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Oyster funding

The Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee (MRC) secured a $16,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to support ongoing efforts to restore oyster populations in Discovery Bay. 

For over a decade, the MRC has been dedicated to restoring the populations to local waters, which, due to habitat loss and over-harvesting, are a fraction of what they were prior to the arrival of settlers in the 1800s. 

The funds will be directed to the Hood Canal Oyster Company, which will use them to distribute clean oyster shells throughout the bay. The shells will provide essential habitat for oyster larvae, supporting the recovery of the population.

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners agreed to the partnership and funding during their Nov. 25 meeting.

PUD manager to retire

Jefferson County PUD General Manager Kevin Streett will retire from the utility effective June 8.

Streett was the first employee hired to help build the PUD’s electric division in 2012 when he began as Line Superintendent. He was promoted to assistant general manager in 2017, and general manager in 2019. In that time, Streett oversaw the expansion of essential electric, water, wastewater, and most recently rural broadband services to the community. During his time with the PUD the workforce and his duties have grown to oversee 76 employees and a $53 million annual budget. Streett announced his planned retirement during the regular board meeting Nov. 19. 

During the meeting, HR Director Melanie Des Marais noted the Jefferson PUD Board will work with an executive search firm to find future GM candidates beginning in the new year. The PUD Board makes the final determination for the position.

JUMP! playground upgrade

The Jefferson Universal Movement Playground (JUMP!) in Chimacum has received funding and will begin work on Phase 2, which is for toddlers and younger children. A grant from the Dan Thompson Memorial Fund is paying for the upgrade. The grant is administered through Washington State Development Disabilities Council.

Phase 2 will include the play structure for 2–5-year-olds with the same accessible surfacing (tiles) that are under the swings. There will be a new Art Gate entry created by local artist Gunter Reimnitz, and shade covers over the play structure, Sea Snail Plaza and also over the Orcas. Covering the Orcas is especially important given the sun can warm them to dangerous temperatures in summer.

The JUMP! park, at 9884 State Road 19 (Rhody Drive), is a fully accessible and inclusive playground designed to provide play opportunities for all children regardless of ability.

The playground project, begun in 2016, will be closed for two months for the upgrade, with a grand opening set for mid-January. 

Razor clam digs open

Clam diggers have another reason to be grateful this season, with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) shellfish managers confirming razor clam digs on coastal beaches beginning the day after Thanksgiving. 

“Get active and outside with seven days of razor clam digs beginning Nov. 29,” said Bryce Blumenthal, a WDFW coastal shellfish biologist. “Now that the stormy weather is behind us, hopefully we can get back to calm winds, low seas, and easy limits for the long holiday weekend.”  

Not all coastal beaches are open for every dig, so diggers should check that their destination is open before heading out. No digging is allowed before noon during digs when low tide occurs in the afternoon or evening. Most successful digging occurs between one and two hours before the listed time of low tide. For more info, go to the WDFW’s razor clam web page.