Cheers and Jeers, March 23

Jeers to the driver who failed to secure a ladder to the top of a construction van on Monday. The ladder fell off midspan onto the westbound Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Had there been a vehicle in the lane next to me I would have been unable to avoid colliding with a ladder bouncing across the roadway at 60 miles per hour. Cheers to the driver behind me who left enough room for a full-size Ford pickup to swerve.

Cheers to Pastor Chuck Slocum and Peninsula Lutheran Church for providing a wonderfully warm, engaging and welcoming place to worship in so many ways.

Cheers to Kopachuck Middle School’s women-in-science display in their Commons. A science teacher dedicated hours to creating an eye-catching display with beakers, test tubes, microscope, books and student essays to celebrate the contributions of women in science. In addition, the Peninsula School District is sponsoring a middle school girls’ science expo in April.

Cheers to two Gig Harbor citizens that were picking up garbage on Ray Nash Road. Gig Harbor is a beautiful place to live and work thanks to responsible, caring citizens.

Cheers to all of the residents of the Harbor. Almost 20 years ago, I moved here and didn’t know a single soul for 800 miles. And all of you welcomed me with great warmth, kinship, friendship and tremendous kindness. I remain deeply touched, and my gratitude is inexpressible. A very sincere thank you to all of you — seriously.

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 9:54 AM with the headline "Cheers and Jeers, March 23."