Quincy Square in downtown Bremerton will serve as Kitsap's primary community gathering space, operated by the Bremerton Downtown Association. The space will feature large-screen community match broadcasts, food vendors, live music, cultural programming, family-friendly games and activities, and a lively festival atmosphere. Plus, Kitsap offers so much more: 

• Multiple transportation options: fast ferries, car ferries, highway access, Kitsap Transit, and rideshare services
• Walkable downtowns near dining, nightlife, and adventure
• Boutique inns, family-friendly vacation rentals, and shoreline stays
• Panoramic water views and outdoor recreation.

For families, friends, and visitors:

Whether you live, work, and play in Kitsap, or know someone coming for the games, you can now plan your trip at StayKitsap26.com. This site lets you explore lodging, transportation, dining, and match-day itineraries. I'm grateful to Love Kitsap for their innovative leadership on this project and to our community partners who are making Kitsap a welcoming hub for global fans.

Fans, mark your calendars:

Here is the latest Seattle FIFA World Cup™ schedule:

• June 15 — Belgium vs. Egypt at Noon PT
• June 19 — USA vs. Australia at Noon PT
• June 24 — Qatar vs. Euro Playoff A Winner at Noon. PT
• June 26 — Egypt vs. Iran (time TBA)
• July 1 — Round of 32 at 1 p.m. PT
• July 6 — Round of 16 at 5 p.m. PT

Businesses and entrepreneurs, we have you covered too:

The Greater Kitsap Chamber is also hosting a business and tourism readiness summit, Ready Kitsap 2026, Jan. 15 at the Kitsap Conference Center. More info is available at Ready Kitsap 2026 - Greater Kitsap Chamber. Register by Jan. 1, 2026.

It was a joy-filled afternoon celebrating the opening of the new tower at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale! This state-of-the-art facility represents a significant investment in healthcare access for our community.

As I shared at the event, accessible healthcare needs both a state-of-the-art facility and trained healthcare workers. That's why we're so proud of our partnership with Olympic College as we continue building Healthcare Division programs and better healthcare for all of Kitsap County.

The new tower brings expanded services and modern care spaces to Silverdale, ensuring families in District 3 have access to quality healthcare close to home.

Kitsap County continues making progress on affordable housing. This week, I had the honor of providing remarks at the opening of Kitsap Community Resources' new affordable housing project in Bremerton's Manette neighborhood.

This project brings much-needed affordable housing units to our community, helping ensure that families and individuals have access to safe, quality housing they can afford. It's partnerships like these—between the County, KCR, and community stakeholders—that make meaningful progress possible.

Affordable housing isn't just about buildings; it's about creating stability, opportunity, and community connections for our neighbors. 

I recently had the opportunity to visit Dickerson Falls with Great Peninsula Conservancy. The trail is well-loved, accessible, and thousands of people visit it each year.

GPC is working to acquire the Falls and more than 1,200 acres at the headwaters of Chico Creek. This area is critical to the biodiversity and health of the Chico Creek watershed. Their vision is to create a community forest and publicly accessible preserve with trail connections across the Kitsap Peninsula.

Protecting this land means protecting wildlife, clean water, and meaningful access to nature for our community. I'm grateful for GPC's work and the chance to experience this remarkable place firsthand.

What a spectacular celebration we had at the first-ever Trail of Lights Festival! Thank you to everyone who came out to the Silverdale Waterfront for an evening filled with luminaries, carolers, the lighted car parade, and the stunning Bremerton Yacht Club's lighted boat parade.

Special thanks to the Central Kitsap Community Council Engagement Committee, Old Town Silverdale businesses, and all our generous sponsors—including Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Kettle Fish, Kitsap Art Center, Monica's Waterfront Bakery, Oxford Suites, Peninsula BrewHouse, Thrivent, and many more. Your dedication to our community makes events like this possible.

This festival reminded us all of what makes Central Kitsap so special—neighbors coming together to celebrate the season with warmth, joy, and community spirit.

The Puget Sound Regional Council is seeking public comment on the draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The comment period runs from December 15 to February 2, 2026.

The goal of the Regional Transportation Plan is to ensure the transportation system
accommodates continued growth in the Puget Sound region now and into the future.

The $335 billion draft long-range plan is focused on these six foundations:

• Maintain and preserve the existing transportation system - Bring all parts of
  the system including roadways, bridges, sidewalks, bike lanes, transit, ferries
  and all other infrastructure and assets up to a state of good repair and
  maintain into the future.
• Create a multimodal system that works for everyone – Improve the
  transportation system for all modes of travel.
• Promote a safe and healthy transportation system – Reduce roadway
  deaths and serious injuries and support healthier communities through
  access, mobility, and reduced air pollution.
• Address regional climate goals – Ensure the region addresses regional state
  and climate goals with planned investments and a zero-emission system
• Ensure the system performs for the region – Evaluate transportation system
  progress toward plan goals.
• Develop a practical financial strategy – Identify revenue sources to cover the
  costs to maintain, operate and improve the transportation system.

The RTP lays out a regional blueprint for the wide variety of investments and services that make up the region’s transportation network. Projects and programs to improve
all aspects of the transportation system are addressed, including transit, rail, ferry,
streets and highways, freight, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The plan covers
the geographic area formed by King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, through the year 2050. It provides the integrating framework to ensure that projects from all
over the region are coordinated and working together.

Learn more about the draft Regional Transportation Plan and make a comment
through PSRC's Engagement Hub.

District 3 Residents Needed to Serve on County Advisory Groups

If you live in District 3, consider applying to serve on a Kitsap County advisory group! Share your experience and insights to help support our communities; create plans and strategies to accommodate growth and development; and implement programs that ensure and improve quality of life.

Advisory group members are appointed by County commissioners and play an essential role in local government, serving as conduits between residents, businesses, communities, County staff, and commissioners.

Learn more about County advisory groups and find position descriptions for current vacancies here.

Advisory groups with vacancies for Central Kitsap residents include:

• Commission on Children and Youth Advisory Board
• Council for Human Rights
• Parks Advisory Board

Questions? Contact Volunteer Services in the Kitsap County Commissioners' Office at volunteer@kitsap.gov.

With potential inclement weather on the way, make sure you are signed up for Kitsap Alert emergency notifications. Emergency alerts keep Kitsap residents updated on potential life-threatening dangers—from countywide winter storms to neighborhood gas leaks. Sign up for alerts for your address to receive timely notifications, whether you’re at home or away. Visit www.kcowa.us/alert now to sign up and learn more about KitsapALERT.

Join us the first Wednesday of the month, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted*, at the Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue Headquarters, located at 5300 NW Newberry Hill Road in Silverdale.

This is your opportunity to connect with local leaders, stay informed about County projects, and share your thoughts on issues that matter to you. The meeting is open to all community members, and public comment is encouraged.

Upcoming meetings include:

• Jan. 14*: CKCC Board retreat, no presentation
• Feb. 4: HEART Team update

For more details and to view past presentations and my Commissioner Corner videos, click here.

The Commissioners' Office public service counter is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Commissioners' Office will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 in observance of Christmas and New Years Day.

For questions or appointments with the Commissioners, please email kitsapcommissioners@kitsap.gov or call 360.337.7080.

For County services and questions, or to report speeding in your neighborhood, email help@kitsap1.com or call 360.337.5777.

Stay connected! Sign up to receive electronic notifications from Kitsap County.