Latest news with #GigHarbor
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New turf football field with lights coming to Pierce County school district
Soon, Roy Anderson Field won't be the Peninsula School District's only high school turf football field. The Gig Harbor Tides will get their own lit turf field if all goes according to schedule next year, helping plug another hole in the supply of athletic fields playable in fair and rainy weather in the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula areas. The district also plans to address several other needs at its facilities and campuses, according to a presentation from Director of Facilities Patrick Gillespie at the school board meeting on May 20. Those issues include poor drainage at the district's two high school baseball fields and an outdated auditorium lighting system at Peninsula High School. ' ... we're really excited about this project and what it would bring,' Gillespie said about Gig Harbor's future turf field at the meeting. 'We hear all the time that we need more fields for our student athletes.' The district plans to install field lighting, re-spray the track surfacing, add a scoreboard and flag pole, install 8-foot fencing and convert the grass field to synthetic turf at Gig Harbor High School's lower field, Gillespie said at the meeting. The field will accommodate football and soccer and have reference marks for boys and girls lacrosse, discus and javelin, he said. The district is working with consultant D.A. Hogan. The company has worked on turf fields throughout the Puget Sound area, including at Mount Tahoma High School and Stadium High School, and Gig Harbor High School's upper field, according to the D.A. Hogan website. The district is working on design concepts for Gig Harbor's turf football field and plans to put the project out to bid in the spring of next year. If all goes well, construction should begin around April or May 2026 and run through the end of September that year, Gillespie told the board. Since the project is still in its early stages, there isn't an official timeline or cost estimate yet, according to district spokesperson Danielle Chastaine. The district will first gather input from its athletic teams and coaches about the field's condition and specific needs, then will begin requesting proposals from contractors and determining cost projections, she wrote in an email. She added that funding for the project will come from the district's capital projects budget, which draws from multiple sources including levies, bonds, impact fees and state match funding grants. The money in this fund also collects interest over time. No additional levy or bond dollars will be necessary to fund the field project, she wrote. The district will be working with a consultant to assess the infield dirt at both the Gig Harbor High School and Peninsula High School baseball fields, and the fastpitch softball field at Peninsula, Gillespie said at the meeting. The assessment 'could lead to removing existing infield dirt and replacing (it) with new,' he said. It's a step toward addressing long-term drainage issues at the baseball fields, but the announcement didn't completely satisfy the Gig Harbor Peninsula Youth Sports Coalition, which posted a response to the meeting on Facebook on May 22. 'Unfortunately, and surprisingly, there was no mention of converting any of the dirt infields to artificial turf, which could significantly improve year-round usability and safety,' the post said. Michael Perrow, a founding member of the coalition, told The News Tribune in a phone call that he would like to see more opportunities for public input in the district's decision-making process related to its athletic fields, such as via questionnaires and public open houses. Kevin Owens, a former coach for the Peninsula High School baseball team from 2016 to 2018, told The News Tribune in a phone call that he does remember the field at Peninsula getting 'mushy.' He sees drainage as a problem across the state because of the rainy weather, he said. 'Other than getting turf, what other solution do you have?' Owens said. Drainage issues at the two fields go back decades, former players and a former coach told The News Tribune. Gig Harbor High School's field has had particular issues because of its proximity to wetlands. A few days of rain can make the field unplayable, causing players to miss out on outdoor playing time, The News Tribune reported. Other school and parks districts in the Pacific Northwest have converted their baseball fields to artificial turf in recent years, including at PenMet Parks' Sehmel Homestead Park and schools in Skagit and Clark counties. School board member David Olson asked Gillespie at the board meeting if it might be possible to raise the Gig Harbor High School baseball field, which he described as 'the swamp,' so that the players aren't 'running around in a bunch of mud during the games.' That option 'would be a pretty massive undertaking,' Gillespie said. '... there would be a lot of work and costs associated with that.' Gillespie added in response to a question about the purpose of replacing the dirt that the typical options for dirt are sand, clay, or a combination, and certain soil types are better-suited to certain kinds of weather. Sand is better to help the field drain in the winter months, but turns the field into a 'sand pit' in the summer, he said. Clay is better for the summer but worse in the winter, 'so you tend to go with something in between,' he continued. He said that he's talked to people involved in working on other fields including at Seattle's T-Mobile Park — a grass field with a specially designed drainage system including 'layers of drainage pipe, pea gravel, sand, and grass,' according to the Major League Baseball website — and has gotten conflicting opinions on what works best. The consultant will be able to share insights into how the district can address its issues with the water-logged fields, according to Gillespie. District spokesperson Danielle Chastaine did not immediately respond when asked by The News Tribune about the cost of working with the consultant. The district also plans to replace the aging outfield fence at Gig Harbor High School's baseball field and look into adding more storage space there this summer, he said. Another aging system will also get an upgrade: Peninsula High School's electrical/dimmer panel system and associated lighting for the auditorium. The estimated cost is $150,000, according to Director of Career and Technical Education Kelsey Parke. The school's electrical/dimmer panel system, which controls lighting in the auditorium and is also known as the 'matrix,' is over 50 years old, Parke wrote in an email Wednesday. It's used by students in the school's drama program to control lighting during theater productions. 'While it was well known that our auditorium lighting was outdated, stepping into my role as the new director provided a fresh perspective on our fiscal responsibility,' Parke wrote. 'We realized that the amount being spent on ASB lighting rentals was nearly equal to the ticket revenue brought in from each production.' A student representative at the board meeting who has participated in school drama productions expressed enthusiasm for the new system, saying that the company that made the old system doesn't exist anymore and that there aren't any manuals available online. The district will begin the process of replacing the panel system in July, and will upgrade the lighting systems before September, according to Parke. The district will provide training to students and staff to use the new equipment, and students will also be able to access it through courses like 'Theater Tech: Lights and Sound' as they 'gain hands-on experience designing lighting sequences for upcoming productions,' she wrote.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Vote now for The News Tribune's Boys Athlete of the Week (May 19 to 24)
Vote now for The News Tribune's Boys Athlete of the Week for contests played between May 19-24. Voting will remain open until noon Thursday. The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below. Note: If you are not seeing the poll at the bottom of the story, try opening the story in a different browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Votes emailed will not be counted. Want to nominate a South Sound high school athlete in the future? Email reporter Jon Manley ( or Tyler Wicke (twicke@ or send a direct message on Twitter/X (@manley_tnt or @WickeTyler) with the athlete's first and last name, school, year, position and a stat line from game(s) during the past week. Nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. Sunday. Quentin Bockhorn, Gig Harbor baseball — Junior right-hander threw 6.1 strong innings in Saturday's 3-2 state win over West Seattle, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) with four walks and eight strikeouts. The Tides went on to beat Inglemoor, 6-2, and advanced to this weekend's 3A semifinals. Reece Colbert, Charles Wright-Life Christian baseball — Junior threw six excellent innings in Saturday's 1A quarterfinal win over Cedar Park Christian, 9-3, permitting two hits and one earned run with five walks and 10 strikeouts. Leadoff hitter went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI, two walks, and two runs. Kaleb Copeland, Peninsula baseball — Junior right-hander delivered six shutout innings in Saturday's extra-inning state loss to Eastside Catholic, 1-0, allowing four hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Jake Cuda, Gig Harbor baseball — Junior right-hander threw a complete game in Saturday's 3A quarterfinal win over Inglemoor, 6-2, allowing six hits and two earned runs with one walk and five strikeouts. Cuda threw 99 pitches, 70 for strikes. Ethan Flavel, Decatur baseball — Sophomore right-hander dominated North Thurston via complete-game shutout in Saturday's 5-0 state win, surrendering just four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts (0 ER). Easton Francis, Charles Wright-Life Christian baseball — Senior right-hander tossed six solid frames (6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 11 K) in Saturday's state-opening win over Royal, 4-3, and went 1-for-4 with a double at the plate. In the 1A quarterfinals later Saturday, Francis finished a homer shy of the cycle at the plate and went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Dylan Hoots, Fife baseball — Went 2-for-4 and drove in the team's only run in an 8-1 loss to Bainbridge in 2A state tournament opening round game on Saturday. Cooper Hordyk, Curtis baseball — Sophomore right-hander threw six strong innings in Saturday's 1-0 state loss to Eastlake, allowing four hits and one earned run with no walks and a strikeout. Kellen Mariani, Charles Wright-Life Christian baseball — Sophomore left fielder delivered the game-winning, RBI single in the sixth inning of Saturday's 4-3 state win over Royal. Mariani went 1-for-2 with a walk and RBI. Cooper Markham, Enumclaw baseball — Senior tossed 6.2 strong innings in Saturday's state-opening win over Stanwood, 2-1, allowing three hits and one run (0 ER) with two walks and 11 strikeouts. At the plate, doubled and finished 1-for-3 with a walk. Mason Pike, Puyallup baseball — Star pitcher no-hit Moses Lake with 17 strikeouts in Saturday's 4A State Round of 16, walking two across seven spectacular innings. The Vikings took down Moses Lake (5-0) and Lake Stevens (6-5) to reach this weekend's 4A semifinals. Wyatt Plyler, Sumner baseball — Sophomore right-hander threw five solid frames in Saturday's 6-2 state loss to Issaquah (3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 8 K) and went 1-for-2 with two walks at the plate. Daniel Porras, Gig Harbor baseball — Tides center fielder lifted a two-run homer in the first inning of Saturday's 3A quarterfinal win over Inglemoor, 6-2, finishing 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Zeke Prociw, Cascade Christian golf — Fired a tournament-low 69 in Tuesday's opening round and carded a final-round 72 to claim the 1A state boys golf title by four shots at Liberty Lake Golf Course. Jett Reed, Puyallup baseball — Senior left-hander threw 4.2 strong innings (4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K) to push Puyallup past Lake Stevens, 6-5, and into this weekend's 4A state semifinals. DJ Ringenbach, Puyallup baseball — A walk-off for school history books, the left fielder's game-winning single completed a three-run comeback in the final frame and lifted Puyallup over Lake Stevens, 6-5, in Saturday's 4A state quarterfinals. Ringenbach went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. Zack Robertson, Puyallup soccer — Despite nursing an injury, came in and scored Puyallup's lone goal in 2-1 loss to Hazen in the 4A state tournament quarterfinals. It was his 30th goal of the season. Theo Snyder, Gig Harbor golf — Carded a two-day 144 (73-71), tying for fourth at the 3A boys state golf tournament at Creek at Qualchan Golf Course in Spokane. Jimmy Womach, Tumwater baseball — Junior catcher doubled twice in Saturday's 6-4 state loss to Port Angeles, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
A Man Didn't Show Up to the Memorials of His Dad and Brother. Now He Is Accused of Murdering Them
A 25-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated murder and one charge of first-degree arson after investigators alleged that he fatally shot his brother and father before setting fire to their home Luis Miguel Huitron Campos was arrested on May 20 in connection with the deaths of Oliverio Huitron-Rosalez, 64, and Alejandro Huitron Campos, 31, in Gig Harbor, Wash. A relative told investigators that Luis did not attend his father and brother's memorial services, and his family "was told he had disappeared"A Washington man is accused of killing his father and brother before setting fire to their house to cover up their deaths. According to an affidavit obtained by The News Tribune and a statement from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office (PCSO), 25-year-old Luis Miguel Huitron Campos was arrested on Tuesday, May 20, in connection with the deaths of his father Oliverio Huitron-Rosalez, 64, and brother Alejandro Huitron Campos, 31. Sheriff's deputies and firefighters were originally called to the family's Gig Harbor home, located on the 15600 block of 14th Avenue Northwest, for a fire on April 8, according to the affidavit. As the house was engulfed in flames, firefighters dragged out two men, later identified as Oliverio and Alejandro. According to two reports from the Pierce County Medical Examiner, both men sustained gunshot wounds to the back of the head. Their manners of death were both ruled homicides. KOMO News also reported that the medical examiner determined that Oliverio was alive during the fire due to the presence of carbon monoxide in his blood. He sustained burns to the back of his body, and he had a gunshot wound that indicated he was shot at close range. Alejandro was also likely shot at close range, the outlet reported, citing the medical examiner. His arms and fists were raised in a fighting position when he was found. Officials wrote in the affidavit that the fire first started in the bedrooms of the home, and the fire marshal believes the flames were intentionally set. Investigators also found a shell casing and blood stains, as well as a gas can and a lighter that the fire marshal said was possibly used to set the fire. After interviewing several members of the family, investigators began looking into Luis' background They learned from his cell phone records that he was in the vicinity of the home at the time of the fire, according to KOMO News. Detectives wrote in the affidavit that Luis was issued a concealed-pistol license in December 2024, and he later purchased a Heckler & Koch pistol. Per the News Tribune, the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab later found that the shell casing and a bullet from the May 20 homicides were likely fired from a Heckler & Koch gun. A relative of the suspect told investigators that they were trying to get in touch with him to tell him about his father and brother's deaths, and the 25-year-old also did not contact police after he was eventually told about their deaths. According to KOMO News, a relative also told investigators that Luis did not attend his father and brother's memorial services, and his family "was told he had disappeared." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The affidavit also claims that 61-year-old Oliverio had recently requested to withdraw $100,000 from his retirement savings plan. His family member told investigators that the father had a home in Mexico that was currently undergoing construction — and that he had accrued a significant amount of wealth from investments over the past 30 years. Luis was arrested by a SWAT team and was charged with first-degree arson and two counts of first-degree aggravated murder, according to police. The Tribune reported that he pleaded not guilty on May 21. Jail records show that he is currently being held on a $5 million bond. It is not clear if he has legal representation to comment on his behalf. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Pierce County farmers market just opened for its 10th season. It's grown
Purdy Good Pickles owner Sis Lavigne remembers when there were only a small number of vendors selling wares at the Gig Harbor Waterfront Farmers Market. When the Gig Harbor Waterfront Alliance took it over about ten years ago, she recalls seeing only 10-15 vendors, she told The News Tribune. Since then, she's seen the market grow to include dozens of farms and small businesses. On May 22, the market celebrated its 10th anniversary with 46 vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, honey, spices, crafts and much more, per its website and opening day map. The market helped Purdy Good Pickles get its start, according to Lavigne. Previously an art teacher, she decided to look for a second job after employer budget cuts put her position in jeopardy. She started substitute teaching, but that job didn't pay in the summer, so she got to talking with her daughter about what they could sell. Organic pickles, they decided, because 'people always have pickles in the refrigerator' and they'd been growing organic gardens for years. That's how Purdy Good Pickles was born, according to Lavigne. 'From our first market, our business just took off,' Lavigne said. 'It was so crazy.' Lavigne's likeness is pictured in a poster print commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Waterfront Farmers Market, according to Waterfront Alliance Special Projects and Outreach Director Clare Dunis. The market opened for the summer on May 22 with a 1 p.m. ribbon-cutting from Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber. The market will be held from 1-6 p.m. at Skansie Brothers Park each Thursday through Aug. 28, according to the market website. For visitors wanting to avoid the stress of downtown parking, a free shuttle service will take visitors on a continuous 10-15 minute loop from two church parking lots to the market downtown, the website says. Visitors can park at either The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (8002 Dorotich St.) or Gig Harbor United Methodist Church (7400 Pioneer Way). The shuttle is ADA-accessible and sponsored by BBQ2U, according to a news release from the Gig Harbor Waterfront Alliance. Another option is riding Pierce Transit's Gig Harbor Waterfront Connector from locations including the Kimball Drive Park & Ride or the Uptown Gig Harbor Shopping Center. The schedule of stops is posted on the Pierce Transit website. You can also try your luck at one of Gig Harbor's public parking lots, or book a ride on-demand through the Pierce Transit Runner service for the same price as a bus ride. You can also float into the market: it's accessible via boat, kayak and stand-up paddleboard via Jerisich Dock, according to the market website. The waterfront ambiance, with the waves breaking on the shore and Mount Rainier in the background, is part of what makes the farmers market so special, said Fox Island Trading Co. co-owner Kim Henson. She and her husband, Andre, launched their all-natural, organic bath and body products business at the market in 2015. 'It's magical down there when everything comes together,' Henson said. Hosting the market downtown, while a challenging location to access, has been a goal from the market's beginnings, according to Dunis, the Waterfront Alliance special projects and outreach director. She was the farmers market manager last year. 'It was very much a community recognition that we wanted to have an opportunity for local farms and produce providers to be able to have greater access to the community in a communal space, and where could that happen best but on the waterfront in Gig Harbor at Skansie Brothers Park,' Dunis said. Volunteers also help vendors load their items and get in and out of the space, a gesture that vendors have consistently told market organizers adds to an overarching sense of community, according to Dunis. More recent goals for the market have been increasing the number of hyperlocal farms participating in the market as well as opportunities for youth entrepreneurs and local performance groups, she told The News Tribune. This year, they'll have a Peninsula Female Farmers Network Co-Op booth featuring 'at least 12 hyperlocal farms rotating throughout the season offering stunning flowers, starts, herbs, fruit, vegetables, meat and more,' the market website's list of vendors says. The co-op relieves the pressure on each individual farm to produce yield for the entire farmers market season, Dunis said. The market is also hosting a free loyalty program this year, according to the website. After marking eight visits to the market by scanning one of the QR codes posted at the site, customers can get a free Gig Harbor coffee tumbler while supplies last and be eligible for another 'special invitation,' the website says.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Peninsula knocks off top-seeded rival Gig Harbor, wins 3A District 3/4 baseball title
Some wins are sweet, others are sweeter. Then there are the sickly, tooth achingly-sweet wins — like Peninsula baseball's 4-2 win over Gig Harbor in the Class 3A District 3/4 championship game at Auburn High School on Saturday afternoon. Consider this: the schools are crosstown rivals, Gig Harbor had beaten Peninsula in the first meeting this season and the Tides are currently the No. 1 ranked team in the state in the WIAA's latest RPI rankings. 'Feels great,' said Peninsula center fielder Isaac Schultz-Tait, who drove in a pair of runs. 'It's awesome. Feels amazing. Knocked off the No. 1 team in the state.' Gig Harbor's pitching staff has been lights out all spring, but the Seahawks jumped on the Tides early and often, scoring a run in the first, one in the second and two in the fourth. Peninsula totaled seven hits and drew six walks. 'Just working counts, long (at-bats), trying to get into pitchers' heads, get on in any way possible,' Schultz-Tait said. Peninsula scored first on a Jonathan Vergara-Dykes single, adding a run in the second on a Schultz-Tait double down on the left field line in the second. An Ethan Mar single tied the game in the bottom of the third. A Matthew Saunders single and a Schultz-Tait sacrifice fly scored the game's final two runs for the Seahawks. Bragging rights at the family dinner table will go to Peninsula freshman Daniel Sleeter, who started the game and went three innings for the Seahawks after missing the past month of the season with an injury. Sleeter's dad, Ben, is Gig Harbor's head coach. 'Definitely will be talking about that one tonight,' Daniel Sleeter said, smiling. 'Obviously, we're all friends, us and that team. At the end of the day, it's a crosstown rivalry and it feels great to beat them anytime.' Peninsula coach Matt Thomas feels his team has momentum heading into the state tournament and hopes the Seahawks have done enough in the eyes of the state seeding committee to have earned a top 12 seed in the state tournament and avoid an early-week play-in game. 'Going into the week, we've beaten the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 7 teams (in the state, per the WIAA's RPI),' Thomas said. 'That proves to me we can go out and beat anybody on any given day. Just hope that keeps us out of a play-in game at state and I don't see why they should put us in one now.' Either way, it looks like Peninsula is peaking at the right time. 'They're just coming together as a group,' Thomas said. 'We've got nine seniors, two juniors and the rest are sophomores and freshmen. So it's a bit of a learning curve there. If it comes together now, that's the best time.'
