Latest news with #PierceCollege
USA Today
3 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
You can catch Mercury's big light show. It's called the greatest elongation.
August is full of celestial events, and this week marks a milestone for the 4.503 billion-year-old planet known as Mercury. Being such a small planet that lies close to the sun, Mercury can be difficult to see. That'll change on Aug. 19, when planet-gazers on Earth can look up and see Mercury at its greatest distance from the sun, according to Time and Date. This period where it is farthest from the sun, called the greatest elongation, happens twice every 116 days or so (or about every four months), reported Time and Date. Elongation is essentially how far apart the sun and a planet appear when we look at them in the sky, the Pierce College Science Dome in western Washington shared on social media. Because the planet appears farthest from the sun, the sun's glare doesn't impede our ability to see the planet as much, the college said. More on greatest elongation and why it happens so often According to Pierce College, there are multiple types of greatest elongations, including: The one space enthusiasts will see on Aug. 19 is the greatest elongation west, best visible in the morning, according to Time and Date. The next greatest elongation east will occur on Oct. 29, making Mercury most visible in the evening, Time and Date said. According to Pierce College, Mercury reaches its greatest elongation six or seven times a year. Other planets such as Venus reach greatest elongation only twice per year, the college said. This is because Mercury orbits closer to the sun, and it doesn't take as much time for the planet to make an entire orbit around the sun. More news: Want to see the planet parade? Here's when to view the last show of 2025 How can I see Mercury at its greatest elongation? The best time to see Mercury during its greatest elongation is about 30 minutes before sunrise, according to EarthSky. It's best to look in the direction of the sunrise as the sky gets lighter. According to Time and Date, those wanting to see Mercury should be cautious. 'Never point binoculars or a telescope in the direction of the Sun,' the website warns. 'It can cause permanent eye damage. Do not try to observe Mercury while any part of the Sun is above the horizon.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Building college success for poverty-impacted Pierce County students
Community colleges nationwide are developing new measures to better serve our students and our local communities. While historically our success has been demonstrated by being open to all students and our progress in helping them complete their education, transfer and find jobs, we need to do more. Working with the national organization Achieving the Dream and 14 other colleges nationwide, Pierce College is introducing a new approach called community vibrancy. We are rethinking who we serve and seek not only to produce graduates but also to ensure that they will get jobs that pay a family-sustaining wage to support economic mobility and thriving communities. Our starting point is reaching out to working adults who earn above the federal poverty level but not enough to make ends meet due to the costs of housing, childcare, transportation and other needs. This group — introduced to us by the United Way as the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) population — comprises about a quarter of residents in Pierce County and Washington state. While many industries in western Washington have placed a strong emphasis on bringing new employees into the state, we need to invest in local workers who live paycheck to paycheck. They have much to offer and the most to gain from a community college education. The jobs are there for local workers to find. Industries such as construction management; health care fields such as nursing, radiation technologists and dental hygienists; software development and engineering have unfilled jobs. About four in 10 (38%) of Washington employers say that a lack of qualified workers is one of the most important challenges facing their business today. To better reach and serve ALICE households, Pierce College is: Partnering with community organizations, serving them to build trusting relationships and increase awareness and support for students and families Partnering with other colleges to provide easily digestible information about applying to and paying for college (including accessing free financial aid) Eliminating unnecessary administrative requirements wherever possible Providing training, resources and support for our staff to best serve and champion the success of all students and families But we can't do this alone. We need the state to fully fund community and technical colleges and to incentivize collaborations across sectors. For example, there is a student housing crisis. We can't work in silos; rather we need to work with housing service providers and public housing authorities to develop systemic solutions. This approach should be extended to other challenges, including food access, child care, and other resources that will help students succeed in college and beyond. We are asking employers to collaborate with us in helping their current employees gain needed skills and further education. For example, we partner with local health care employers to train current LPN's to become RN's. The employers agree to support the students' class schedule and to provide clinical placements. Partnerships like this help create both consistency and stability for employers while reducing the need to recruit talent and risking high turnover. We are asking local and state governments to recognize — and amplify — the importance of our role in meeting local workforce needs and ensuring that all communities we jointly serve can realize their fullest potential. State policymakers and technical and community colleges want residents to have the education and skills to contribute to the workforce and their communities. Some residents have easy access to education; others have not had that. Prioritizing those who are being left behind is critical to the economic and social well-being of our communities and our state. Julie A. White is the chancellor and CEO of the Pierce College District.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Live updates: Winter weather conditions affect some Pierce County school schedules
Many residents in Pierce County woke up to a fresh blanket of snow, prompting some schools to adjust their schedules Friday morning. The snow level is near 300 feet this morning with a chance of more rain and snow in Tacoma, according to the National Weather Service. It will mostly be cloudy with highs in the lower to mid 40s. There is a slight chance of rain in the evening and it will be partly cloudy, the forecast says. After midnight, it will mostly be cloudy in Tacoma with a slight chance of rain. Temperatures will be in the low 30s. Here's what school districts around Tacoma and Pierce County are doing Friday (note that these announcements are subject to change, so please check with your school district): Dieringer School District: Closed Charles Wright Academy: Two-hours late. Campus opens at 9:30 a.m. Classes begin at 10:15 a.m. Buses running a 2-hour delay with regular routes. Franklin Pierce School District: Two hours late, no preschool, No out-of-district transportation. Peninsula School District: Two hours late, no half-day preschool, no out of district transportation. Buses will come two hours later than regularly scheduled. Start times as follows: high schools at 9:30 a.m., middle schools at 10:15 a.m., elementary schools at 11 a.m. Pierce College: Two hours late. Life Christian Academy: Delayed start on Friday, February 14. All before-school activities, Before School Care, and AM ECE classes are canceled. Classes for grades 6-12 will begin at 10 a.m. Classes for full-day ECE-grade 5 will begin at 10:15 a.m. Emerald Learning Center in Tacoma: Two hours late. Franklin Pierce School District: Two hours late. No preschool, no out-of-district transportation Peninsula School District: Two hours late. No half-day preschool, no out-of-district transportation. Buses will come two hours later than regularly scheduled. High schools at 9:30 a.m. Middle schools at 10:15 a.m. Elementary schools at 11 a.m. Pacific Lutheran University: Closed. PLU main campus evening classes and activities canceled starting at 5:30 p.m. Clover Park Tech College: Afternoon/evening activities canceled. Both campuses will close at 4 p.m. All classes and operations are canceled. Our Place To Grow Children;s Center, Spanaway: Closed. Championship 18 and Williams 9 courses are closed at the Meadow Park Golf Course. The driving range and Pro Shop are open, according to Parks Tacoma.
