NEW YORK, July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- This August, the little town of Port Orchard, Washington will be transformed into the fictional community of Cedar Cove as townspeople pull out all the stops to honor their favorite daughter, New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.The event kicks off at noon on August 27 and runs through the weekend with closing ceremonies on Sunday, August 30.

By Dean Kahn, The Bellingham Herald, Wash. Oct. 8--Dorothy Cornelia Taft, one of two daughters of the founders of Willows Inn, officially sent the vessel gliding into the waters off Lummi Island. It was April 9, 1917.

By The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. May 17--A ceremony in honor of former state Sen. Bob Oke, who died Monday night, will be Sunday in Port Orchard. A military graveside burial for family will be Monday at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.

HAVING GARDENED for more than 25 years in Port Orchard and having diagnosed plant problems for much of my career, I know many of the common diseases that attack fruits and vegetables here. Sometimes though, I'm stumped.