Bainbridge Island band Gruff Mummies had a great launch to its musical career: a first place finish in the 2005 Experience Music Project Battle of the Bands contest earned it a spot on the EMP stage to open Bumbershoot 2005, professional studio recording time, technical help from former Nirvana producer Jack Endino, a gig with the Presidents of the United States of America and air time on a Seattle radio station.
POULSBO — With three major traffic improvement projects coming in $80,000 under budget, city officials were left with the question of what to do with the extra money before March 31.
City council members stepped up to the plate and decided to put the surplus funding toward three other projects:
Chances are that when the teenaged Judy Garland performed in her biggest role, as the innocent, Oz-bound Dorothy, she never imagined she would become an icon for gay men.
Of course it’s the older, boozier nightclub version that is most mimicked by female impersonators, but there is a deep love for the naive girl in gingham as well.
POULSBO — Kind eyes, soft fur coats, floppy ears and doggy breath have helped create an environment that is breaking down barriers for students struggling with reading at Poulsbo Elementary School.
And the improvements are being unleashed weekly.
HANSVILLE — Following the Jan. 19 meeting regarding plans for the Point No Point resort, boat launch and park and Forbes Landing, resident Tony Atkinson felt the community just wasn’t happy with the plans Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife was offering for a new boat launch.
POULSBO — Looking to draw momentum from a 2005 campaign that saw the Lady Vikes finish one match out from being undefeated, the 2006 girls tennis squad is hitting the court with a purpose.
The goal: repeat success. The challenge: learn a new system.
What’s going on at the Sons of Norway? It depends on who you talk to. There are certainly two sides to the story behind what exactly is causing the shake up there that has put many members into one of two opposing camps: cultural and social.
Essentially, the SoN is finding itself at odds with the mission statement of the international fraternal lodge, which states:
INDIANOLA — There hasn’t been much opposition to the amenities the Kitsap County Facilities, Parks and Recreation staff has been proposing for the North Kitsap Heritage Park, but there is one issue that keeps coming up — the proposed east-west connector road slated to go through the 450-acre park.
POULSBO — As the petition drive to stop work on the 10th Avenue municipal campus site continues to gain momentum and signatures, council members took a few moments to respond to the issue March 15.
Bight of Poulsbo founder Bill Austin and community member Ardis Morrow presented more than 200 signatures to the council from residents requesting that city officials take a look at alternate locations.
SUQUAMISH — The owners of Tucker’s Topsoil don’t see their business trying to compete with the larger rock, soil and mineral suppliers in the area. In fact, they work with one another to cater to the needs of both residential and commercials customers for topsoil, compost, rocks and other natural landscaping materials.
POULSBO — Though the state’s high-security approach to Washington State Assessment of Learning testing this year wouldn’t allow the Herald to talk with North Kitsap High School sophomores to get their reaction to the first week of testing, test coordinators said they witnessed a renewed determination among students.
V For Vendetta
Starring Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, John Hurt. Rated R
You gotta see this if: You own a copy of “The
Anarchist Cookbook. 
The West Sound Entertainment Association continues its concert series March 28 with the operatic duo of Lisa Williamson and Nathan Granner, performing at the Bremerton High School Performing Arts Center.
Williamson is a soprano who is known for the “agility of her lyric-coloratura voice and her theatrical artistry.â€
POULSBO — The smile on Joan Hett’s face rivaled that of the Sunday afternoon sun as she scurried to make sure her small army of volunteers was up to that task in front of them.
Last month, volunteers planted 150 of the 400 trees donated by the Liberty Bay Foundation for Fish Park and Sunday’s goal was to get as many of them in the ground as possible.
SUQUAMISH — If you think your street is in need of some spring cleaning, the Suquamish Garden Club is inviting residents to participate in a community-wide event that has had sparkling results in the past and hopes to have the same this year.
“It’s gotten to be a really big event,†said resident Julia Smith, who has been helping coordinate the event, which is in its third year. “We clean up everything we can clean up.â€
POULSBO — The Lady Viking JV bats have been fired up to start the season. They have driven in a total of 54 runs while their defense has allowed only four during the first four games of the season. That’s an average of 13.5 runs per game.
When the members of the Bainbridge-based Science Fiction Writing Cooperative were trying to think up a name for their second anthology, they decided they wanted a title that would reflect the diversity of the content.
The book contains contributions from 14 local authors, and ranges from hard science fiction and science fantasy to magical realism and whimsy. Collectively it is called speculative fiction, with all the stories containing a “what if†element.
POULSBO — Lessons learned.
The Capital Lady Cougars stormed into Poulsbo Monday under clear skies to steal a non-league win from the Lady Vikings, but it is possible that North’s potential hasn’t reached the surface yet.
POULSBO — When the new Miss Poulsbo is crowned March 25 at the Bremerton High School Performing Arts Center, she won’t be alone.
A youngster who has cheered her along the way will join her at the coronation and continue to be her Little Sister for the next year.
HANSVILLE — Steve Bauer would prefer that he goes unrecognized as he goes about his business, which is going the extra mile when volunteering his time and effort at pretty much any Hansville event — kids’ holiday parties, concerts in the park, working on trails within the Hansville Greenway, cooking at holiday breakfasts and being on committees for many community issues.