local news
By Kathie Meyer When it comes to homelessness, Julia Cochrane has all of the “deets.” Her activism for this particular social problem started in her youth in New York City and continues to this day in her 70s here in Jefferson County. Chosen as one of the Jefferson County Beacon
local news
By Nhatt Nichols When it comes to loving her community deeply through her actions, Oceana Sawyer doesn’t mess around. “I came here with one goal. I've set the same goal now for five years. I just want to live in a beautiful place with black and brown
local news
By Angela Downs AJ Hawkins is the owner of Kalma, a death-positive retail store in downtown, with a community space called the Parlor. She was nominated as a Change Maker of the Year by many people who have felt the positive impact of her deep care for the community and
local news
A letter from editor Nhatt Nichols I’ve always struggled with newspapers’ “best of” special editions. It isn’t just that they never seem to pick my favorite bartender or barista; it’s more the niggling feeling that we should be celebrating people for more than just their job. Of
local news
By Scott France On a quiet stretch of Marrowstone Island, where mossy trees meet the long memory of the land, Bastian Basalt is building something rare: not just housing, but trust. Basalt, a Jefferson County Change Maker of 2025, doesn’t flinch at the size of the work. He leans
local news
[caption id align="alignnone" width="1793"] Owner Candace Mangold poses with Bright Tide Designs. Photo by Angela Downs [/caption] News by Angela Downs You’ve seen their work all around town and likely never known you were seeing them. From the Food Co-op to gift stores,
local news
[caption id align="alignnone" width="2500"] Photo by Scott Graham, Unsplash [/caption] News by Blanchard Alice Those who went to WashingtonHealthPlanFinder.org this fall to purchase insurance know that the outlook is bleak for Washingtonians next year. Many are seeing their insurance premiums more than double,
Visual Art
[caption id align="alignnone" width="1076"] Photo courtesy of Centrum [/caption] A Centrum Residency Column by Melissa O’Neil Crasis (/krey-sis/ from the Greek κρᾶσις, "mixing", "blending") is a contemporary art collaborative duo made up of Andy Davis and Anne Lukins. Their
Columnist
[caption id align="alignnone" width="3072"] A Douglas Firs’ bottle brush needle display on branches as well as cone showing unique "mouse in house" cone. Photo by Eden Blooms [/caption] Chlorophyll Corner is a monthly column by Eden Blooms that explores the cultural, ecological,
local news
[caption id align="alignnone" width="2414"] Infographic from the five-year plan meeting [/caption] News by Scott France The mounting challenges of meeting the housing needs of those at or near the edge of homelessness have spurred a coalition of housing and homeless services providers, City and
Performing Art
[caption id align="alignnone" width="2979"] Vincent Oneppo (courtesy of the Port Townsend Saxophone Quartet) [/caption] Art news by Diane Urbani de la Paz Editor’s note: we published an earlier version of this that was an uncredited press release. This is an updated article. Experience
school news
[caption id align="alignnone" width="3024"] Photo by Daniel Evans [/caption] News by Angela Downs In room 109 at the Chimacum High School, students are quietly focused on an instructional welding video, but soon the students in the Chimacum Valley Tech - Construction Trades Program switch