The narrative of maintaining city service levels with fewer personnel echoed throughout budget presentations from department heads during Monday night’s Gig Harbor budget work session.

The saga between Gig Harbor city staff and a proposal for a mixed-use development continued during a public hearing last week for proposed comprehensive plan amendments.

Construction continues to push forward on the $6.41 million improvements at the interchange at Burnham Drive, Borgen Boulevard and state Route 16.

The Pierce County Council passed a $269.3 million budget last week for 2010, shaping the spending and direction of the county for the next year.

There was a bittersweet feeling to the Nov. 3 general election for Pierce County Council member Terry Lee.

In the halls of the Gig Harbor Civic Center last Thursday, people dressed in suits discussed the implications of Constitutional law and its impact on today’s society.

Regular school business took a back seat during last Thursday’s Peninsula School District Board of Directors meeting at Henderson Bay High School in Gig Harbor.

On learning that Encore! Theatre was to produce one of my favorite musicals, “Oliver,” I contacted Kathleen McGilliard, the Encore! director, and arranged to attend the cast’s dress rehearsal Saturday morning.

Professional animal communicator Penelope Jensen believes everyone has the ability to get in touch with their non-human companions. In fact, pet owners who are close to their animals are probably already connected — but may not know it.

The Key Peninsula Lions Club will continue its public forums with elected officials at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 with state Rep. Larry Seaquist, D-Gig Harbor.

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Citizen Advisory Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Gig Harbor Civic Center for its second of three public meetings regarding the Tacoma Narrows Bridge toll rate recommendation process for the 2011 fiscal year (July 2010 to June 2011).

The Harbor History Museum hasn’t officially opened its doors to the public, but it already has won a national contest. The museum recently was chosen as the winner of the Antenna Audio Tour Contest.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and so is the Gig Harbor Turkey Trot.

Anyone who has lost a pet can remember them in a special way this holiday season.

Nov. 7 — An unknown type of fire was reported under the new Narrows bridge by a caller in Tacoma. It was said to have been on a bank near the bridges. Firefighters drove under the new bridge and down wind from the alleged fire, but nothing was located and firefighters returned to service.

Shrubs and trees are often used in the landscape to create barriers. Privacy screens are the most common, either to prevent other people from seeing into an area, or to physically keep them out.

Nov. 13 — Police were contacted by Gig Harbor Public Works employees near the Gig Harbor YMCA, where several light poles were found inoperable from an apparent theft of the wires from the underground access. Eight lights were damaged. Crews estimated two workers will need 80 hours of work to repair the damage. There were no suspects at the time of the report. Gig Harbor police are asking for anyone who witnessed the thefts to call 253-851-2236.

Thanksgiving is a time when many families gather for a day of thankfulness, feasting and football.

Looking back at the heat of battle, surrounded by cruel and grueling life-threatening situations, sometimes the human mind can recall the smallest of details. Army pilot Gil Nelson of Gig Harbor can remember freezing in the cockpit while he flew bombers over strategic locations during World War II.

Josh Otto has been collecting war memorabilia since he was in grade school. And that wasn’t all that long ago, considering he’s a senior at Gig Harbor High School. However, in that amount of time, he’s gathered enough to amass an impressive collection that’s on display at the Fox Island Historical Society Museum through November.

Status quo won out over a fresh face and a former city manager in the Gig Harbor City Council races during last week’s general election.

Key Peninsula voters partially reshaped the Fire District 16 Board of Commissioners last week and rejected a property tax increase for a levy lid lift.

On the night of Nov. 24, a room at Uptown Gig Harbor will resemble a Santa’s workshop, with volunteers bustling about, making gifts for the needy.

Gig Harbor police contacted a man last Friday after he called 9-1-1 to report several newspaper single-copy boxes had been dumped at the old Spadoni sand pit.

When Brodie Yastrum started to look at colleges a few years ago, he knew that obtaining scholarships would be vital to continuing his education.

The City of Gig Harbor is expected to increase rates for water, sewer and storm services over the next three years.

Kristen Bottiger, owner and operator of Key Fitness in Key Center, shared a laugh last month with folks who attended the gym’s four-year anniversary ceremony.

In the garden, it seems all we really want to do this time of year is clean up the garden and head back in the house to dry off and warm up. It is not the concern of all that garden debris in a pile trying to “heat” up and make compost.

The Dr. Penrose Orthopedic Guild held its annual fundraiser last Saturday at a seasonally decorated Longbranch Improvement Club to support Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma.