Changelog

Jefferson County's real assistance programs are split across three organizations — the City's own income-based discount on water, sewer and trash bills, Jefferson County PUD's electric-bill credits, and OlyCAP's heating grants, rental assistance and two shelters. This tool asks what's actually going on and shows the specific program, contact and paperwork for it, so residents don't have to already know which of the three doors to knock on.

Vehicle fares carry a peak-season surcharge that comes off on 1 October, so a standard car and driver drops from $21.00 to $15.80. The page used to imply today's prices held until December. It now checks with the ferry service and tells you the date and the new figures.

Put your party and your vehicle in and it works out the crossing from Washington State Ferries' own live price list, including the bit people get wrong — the vehicle fare already covers the driver, and this route collects a fare in both directions. It also compares paying each time against a 20-ride card or a monthly pass, and will tell you when neither is worth it.

Put in who is travelling and what you are bringing, and it works out the crossing from Washington State Ferries' own price list, read fresh each day. It handles the two things people most often get wrong here: the vehicle fare already includes the driver, and this route collects a fare in both directions. A second part compares paying each time against a commuter card or a monthly pass at however often you actually cross — and will tell you plainly when no pass is worth it, which is the case for a senior travelling on foot.

One page for the two ways on and off the peninsula: is the Coupeville ferry running and how full is the next boat, and is the Hood Canal Bridge open. The ferry departures, drive-up spaces and tidal-cancellation notices come live from Washington State Ferries, and the bridge status from WSDOT. It replaces the older curated bridge-and-ferry page.

The town page now opens with a drawing of the Victorian brick waterfront seen from the water, wooden boats moored in Admiralty Inlet, and the Jefferson County Courthouse clock tower on the bluff above.

Four questions neighbors actually ask — what's worth doing off-season, the best no-fuss meal, a good low-tide beach walk, and a day out on the free buses — answered and voted on by people who live here. Adding a pick or voting takes a free account.

Outages, trash, transit, the hospital, help with bills, and non-emergency dispatch — every number read off the organization's own page.

Trash weeks, where mill-odor complaints actually go, the zero-fare buses, what's open at Fort Worden, historic-district basics, and more — each answer checked against its official source.

The festival calendar in one place — farmers markets, Centrum's summer festivals, the Wooden Boat Festival (September 11–13), the Film Festival and the Kinetic Race, every date verified on its source.