Latest news with #PierceCounty
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
A new 60-unit tiny home village for the homeless opens in Tacoma
A new 60-unit tiny home village has opened near Tacoma's South Hosmer Street, with the goal of providing transitional housing for those living in encampments. On July 23, local leaders and housing advocates gathered to celebrate the opening of the Kingfisher Village at 1824 S. 84th St. According to Low-Income Housing Institute, the site cost $2 million to construct. The tiny homes were built with help from volunteers, including high school students. According to Pierce County Human Services spokesperson Kari Moore, the county contributed more than $1.9 million to fund the property acquisition and some initial capital costs for the site development, including infrastructure, grading and utility installation. Some of the funding was made available to Pierce County through the Washington State Department of Commerce's Right of Way Encampment Resolution Program. The program, previously called the Rights-of-Way Safety Initiative, provides funding to local governments to support programs aimed at reducing encampments in public areas. According to LIHI, the village will serve individuals and couples that are experiencing homelessness in the Tacoma area. People are referred to Kingfisher Village as part of the state's Encampment Resolution program in cooperation with Pierce County and City of Tacoma. The facility is owned and operated by LIHI, one of the largest affordable-housing providers in the Puget Sound Region. LIHI has built and operated several tiny home villages to serve the unhoused around the region, including one at 6th Avenue and Orchard Street in Tacoma. John Brown, a program manager for LIHI, told The News Tribune the tiny houses are 8-feet by 12-feet wide, are insulated and contain heat and air-conditioning units. The homes will include beds, personal storage, outlets and Wi-Fi access. He said tiny homes are constructed at an estimated cost of between $6,000 and $7,000 each. The facility includes a shared common dining area and kitchen, laundry facilities, eight shared bathrooms and is ADA compliant with ramps and wheelchair accessible pathways. The village has one entrance and security cameras to ensure community safety, according to LIHI. Brown told The News Tribune that LIHI met with the Hosmer Business Association ahead of the opening of Kingfisher Village to collect community feedback. He said some business owners expressed concerns regarding the village, while others expressed excitement and support. The Hosmer Business Association did not respond to The News Tribune's request for comment about the hopes and concerns regarding the village. Hosmer Street has previously been a hot bed for homeless encampments and transients, causing frustration for local business owners. According to LIHI, residents at Kingfisher Village will get case management from on-site staff, and the facility will have at least two staff on site at all hours. In 2024, the Hosmer Business Association hired a security firm to sweep encampments on nearby private property. Kingfisher Village is adjacent to South Lakeshore Christian Church. On July 23, Pastor Vic deLeon said a prayer at the village's opening ceremony and called it the 'beginning of a good relationship' between the church and the new transitional community. LIHI director Sharon Lee also spoke during the opening ceremony on July 23. She said the village, like LIHI's other villages, will serve as transitional housing for people who were previously living in encampments, and they will receive support in finding long-term housing. On July 23, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello attested to the success of LIHI's tiny home village efforts. 'This model works,' Mello said. 'It works to move people into the next phase of their housing journey.' Kimberly Soto previously lived at LIHI's tiny village at 6th and Orchard. Soto said she became homeless after her fiance died. While living unhoused, she had surgery on her hip and recovered while living in her car. 'Without tiny homes, I don't know where I would have been,' she said at the July 23 event. 'It was not good, but they helped me and lifted me up, got me back on track. I needed to do that to get back into a place, and I will be forever grateful to them.' Soto is now a resident at LIHI's Patsy Surh Place, an affordable-housing complex in Tacoma's Lincoln District. Victoria Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, said the long-term plan for the Kingfisher Village property is to build an affordable-housing project there. 'This is not just a wish,' Woodards said on July 23. 'I've seen it and I know it's something they can do.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Avoid water recreation, fishing at popular Pierce County lake due to toxic algae
Watch out for poisonous green scum or other streaks or clumps of colored algae in Spanaway Lake, health officials said in a toxic algae caution advisory Wednesday. 'When you see algae, don't swim, wade, waterski, or fish,' the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department news release said. 'Keep in mind as wind direction changes, the algae could move elsewhere in the lake. When in doubt, stay out!' The health department sampled the waters Monday and will check for toxic algae again next week. Officials will leave the advisory up for two weeks 'out of an abundance of caution' once the bloom disappears, the release said. Spanaway Lake is located next to Spanaway Park, which has a boat launch and two swimming beaches without lifeguards, according to the county website. The lake also provides opportunities for fishing stocked rainbow trout as well as largemouth and smallmouth bass and rock bass, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website says. Signs at the lake warn visitors of the advisory. People should avoid any areas of the lake with algae and avoid eating fish from contaminated water, according to the release. Toxic algae or cyanobacteria exists naturally in lakes and can make people and animals sick. The algae can take different shapes and colors, including a layer of scum akin to green pea soup. They can also be brown, red and blueish, the department said. Symptoms that can result from coming into contact with toxic algae are muscle weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea, the release said. Your skin also can become irritated or get a rash if it comes in contact with toxic algae. Visit your medical provider if you show symptoms and may have been in water with toxic algae. You can get sick minutes to hours after exposure. Rinse off any pets or people exposed immediately and seek medical help if symptoms appear, the department advises. Small children and pets are particularly susceptible to illness because of their small bodies and their likelihood of ingesting water with toxic algae. Take your pet to the vet if they show any signs of lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, difficulty breathing or general weakness; and keep exposed pets from licking their fur, the advisory said.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pierce County fire agency with ‘brownouts,' firefighter vacancies seeks funding
After months of temporary station closures, staff vacancies and contentious Q&As, the Key Peninsula Fire Department is again asking voters to pass a ballot measure that would reverse the effects of a failed levy last year. The measure on the Aug. 5 ballot would raise property taxes for residents back up to 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value in 2026, per the Pierce County Voters' Pamphlet. Voters approved that rate in 2019, but property tax laws have caused that rate to drop to 32 cents per $1,000 in assessed value, Fire Chief Nick Swinhart said in a video about the measure posted on the fire district's website. The measure is called a 'levy lid lift' because it allows jurisdictions to lift the 1% cap on how much more property tax revenue they can collect each year. The 1% cap, mandated by the state, automatically drives down the levy rate each year as property values increase, to ensure that the jurisdiction doesn't collect over 1% more than it collected in the previous year. It requires a simple majority to pass. If it does, a home valued at $500,000 will pay $250 for the year — an increase of $87.50 from the current rate — or a total of $20.83 per month, per month, according to a chart released by the fire department on social media. Swinhart said in the video that Key Peninsula Fire crews responded to 2,864 calls last year, over 70% of which 'were medical emergencies, heart attacks, strokes, accidents or serious falls.' EMS levy funding goes toward these calls, he said. The levy 'supports the paramedics and EMTs who respond to your calls, the ambulances that they drive to the calls, and the equipment that they use,' he explained. In November 2024, voters turned down a maintenance and operations (M&O) levy that had been approved in each four-year cycle since 2012, The News Tribune reported. In public meetings and town halls following the vote, some residents said they had concerns about the fire department's fiscal management and transparency after the purchase of three parcels in Key Center in 2021. The fire department bought the properties with a low-interest loan rather than drawing on funds from their budget, according to The News Tribune's reporting. The resulting loss of $800,000 from the failed M&O levy required the department to 'tighten (their) belts,' department spokesperson Anne Nesbit told The News Tribune. Following the levy failure, a January update from Swinhart posted on the agency's website noted that they left a vacant firefighter position open and reduced their daily minimum staffing from seven to five personnel, which allowed them to save on overtime costs but forced them to occasionally close one of their three staffed stations on days when they didn't have enough firefighters to work shifts. The Key Peninsula Firefighters Facebook account posted announcements of these temporary closures, or 'brownouts,' of the Longbranch station in January, February, April and May. If the EMS levy passes, the department will be able to eliminate those brownouts because they'll be able to restore their minimum daily staffing to seven, Nesbit said. They'll also be able to fill four vacant firefighter positions, which she wrote in a text message will bring their total number of firefighters to 33. At their next meeting on July 22, the Board of Fire Commissioners will consider a resolution to run the EMS levy on the November ballot, in case it doesn't pass in the August primary. If it passes in August, the fire district will 'pull it from the Pierce County docket to run in November,' she said. Five candidates for the district's Board of Fire Commissioners are also running in the Aug. 5 primary. The top two candidates will advance to the Nov. 4 general election. Whoever wins the general election will replace Cambria Queen, who was selected by the board in 2024 to fill a vacancy following a commissioner's resignation, according to the fire district website. Several candidates referenced fire district staffing, budgeting or transparency with taxpayer funds in their statements submitted for the Pierce County Voters' Pamphlet. One candidate, Jennifer Dow, did not submit any information for the voters' pamphlet. 'I will maintain the highest level of integrity the public deserves and open up transparency to what our tax dollars are being used for,' Gretchen Schneider, who has served 10 years as a paramedic, wrote. She also believes that commissioners need to 'work alongside the fire department's senior staff, and union to make significant reductions in fire/medical response times while still maintaining the safety and wellness of our first responders.' Colleen Marie Mullen, a former fire captain serving 22 years in the Minneapolis Fire Department and a U.S. Navy veteran medic, wrote she is 'committed to reducing response times and ensuring our fire stations are adequately staffed to protect and serve effectively.' She also hopes 'to introduce innovative water rescue and high-angle rescue programs, enhancing the safety and preparedness of our department,' she wrote. 'This vital role demands difficult financial decisions regarding staffing, equipment, facilities, and growth – a tall task with limited revenue,' Ed Bressette, Jr., wrote. After 30 years of working for the YMCA, including seven as association facility director, he would draw on 'extensive experience overseeing maintenance, capital projects, budgets, and strategic long-term planning,' he continued. The News Tribune also reached out to all five candidates for further comment. Only one candidate, Josh Johnson, responded in an email by Friday evening. He wrote that he is 'running to restore public trust in (the) fire district,' and anticipated the need to manage funds from the EMS levy if passed, which he believed likely. His priorities include rebuilding the fire district's volunteer program, increasing transparency around budget decisions, better planning ahead for funding shortfalls and looking for ways to 'reduce costs without compromising core services.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pierce County fire agency with ‘brownouts,' firefighter vacancies seeks funding
After months of temporary station closures, staff vacancies and contentious Q&As, the Key Peninsula Fire Department is again asking voters to pass a ballot measure that would reverse the effects of a failed levy last year. The measure on the Aug. 5 ballot would raise property taxes for residents back up to 50 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value in 2026, per the Pierce County Voters' Pamphlet. Voters approved that rate in 2019, but property tax laws have caused that rate to drop to 32 cents per $1,000 in assessed value, Fire Chief Nick Swinhart said in a video about the measure posted on the fire district's website. The measure is called a 'levy lid lift' because it allows jurisdictions to lift the 1% cap on how much more property tax revenue they can collect each year. The 1% cap, mandated by the state, automatically drives down the levy rate each year as property values increase, to ensure that the jurisdiction doesn't collect over 1% more than it collected in the previous year. It requires a simple majority to pass. If it does, a home valued at $500,000 will pay $250 for the year — an increase of $87.50 from the current rate — or a total of $20.83 per month, per month, according to a chart released by the fire department on social media. Swinhart said in the video that Key Peninsula Fire crews responded to 2,864 calls last year, over 70% of which 'were medical emergencies, heart attacks, strokes, accidents or serious falls.' EMS levy funding goes toward these calls, he said. The levy 'supports the paramedics and EMTs who respond to your calls, the ambulances that they drive to the calls, and the equipment that they use,' he explained. In November 2024, voters turned down a maintenance and operations (M&O) levy that had been approved in each four-year cycle since 2012, The News Tribune reported. In public meetings and town halls following the vote, some residents said they had concerns about the fire department's fiscal management and transparency after the purchase of three parcels in Key Center in 2021. The fire department bought the properties with a low-interest loan rather than drawing on funds from their budget, according to The News Tribune's reporting. The resulting loss of $800,000 from the failed M&O levy required the department to 'tighten (their) belts,' department spokesperson Anne Nesbit told The News Tribune. Following the levy failure, a January update from Swinhart posted on the agency's website noted that they left a vacant firefighter position open and reduced their daily minimum staffing from seven to five personnel, which allowed them to save on overtime costs but forced them to occasionally close one of their three staffed stations on days when they didn't have enough firefighters to work shifts. The Key Peninsula Firefighters Facebook account posted announcements of these temporary closures, or 'brownouts,' of the Longbranch station in January, February, April and May. If the EMS levy passes, the department will be able to eliminate those brownouts because they'll be able to restore their minimum daily staffing to seven, Nesbit said. They'll also be able to fill four vacant firefighter positions, which she wrote in a text message will bring their total number of firefighters to 33. At their next meeting on July 22, the Board of Fire Commissioners will consider a resolution to run the EMS levy on the November ballot, in case it doesn't pass in the August primary. If it passes in August, the fire district will 'pull it from the Pierce County docket to run in November,' she said. Five candidates for the district's Board of Fire Commissioners are also running in the Aug. 5 primary. The top two candidates will advance to the Nov. 4 general election. Whoever wins the general election will replace Cambria Queen, who was selected by the board in 2024 to fill a vacancy following a commissioner's resignation, according to the fire district website. Several candidates referenced fire district staffing, budgeting or transparency with taxpayer funds in their statements submitted for the Pierce County Voters' Pamphlet. One candidate, Jennifer Dow, did not submit any information for the voters' pamphlet. 'I will maintain the highest level of integrity the public deserves and open up transparency to what our tax dollars are being used for,' Gretchen Schneider, who has served 10 years as a paramedic, wrote. She also believes that commissioners need to 'work alongside the fire department's senior staff, and union to make significant reductions in fire/medical response times while still maintaining the safety and wellness of our first responders.' Colleen Marie Mullen, a former fire captain serving 22 years in the Minneapolis Fire Department and a U.S. Navy veteran medic, wrote she is 'committed to reducing response times and ensuring our fire stations are adequately staffed to protect and serve effectively.' She also hopes 'to introduce innovative water rescue and high-angle rescue programs, enhancing the safety and preparedness of our department,' she wrote. 'This vital role demands difficult financial decisions regarding staffing, equipment, facilities, and growth – a tall task with limited revenue,' Ed Bressette, Jr., wrote. After 30 years of working for the YMCA, including seven as association facility director, he would draw on 'extensive experience overseeing maintenance, capital projects, budgets, and strategic long-term planning,' he continued. The News Tribune also reached out to all five candidates for further comment. Only one candidate, Josh Johnson, responded in an email by Friday evening. He wrote that he is 'running to restore public trust in (the) fire district,' and anticipated the need to manage funds from the EMS levy if passed, which he believed likely. His priorities include rebuilding the fire district's volunteer program, increasing transparency around budget decisions, better planning ahead for funding shortfalls and looking for ways to 'reduce costs without compromising core services.'
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TNT Endorsement: Our choices in two races for Port of Tacoma commissioners
Pierce County voters have a choice in two different races for port commissioner this summer, with Port of Tacoma Commissioner Pos. 1 and Pos. 4 on the primary election ballot. We sat down for group interviews with the candidates, one panel for each race, and talked through issues that reverberate from the port to the entire community. The port is an economic engine for the region, with an impact on jobs, local businesses and the quality of our environment. As the federal government puts forward a vacillating trade policy and reverses national environmental goals, the editorial board wanted to know how candidates would lead the port through the shifting currents of our times. Position 1 For Port Commissioner Pos. 1, the board endorses Tim Payne, a challenger to the incumbent who brings local government experience and an impressive knowledge of the port's history as well as its current projects and challenges. Among other things, he emphasized the importance of pressing on with the port's efforts to transition to electric on-shore power and remediating contaminated sites. Payne, 62, has a fitting background for the port commission. He's currently executive vice president at EMA Inc., which consults local governments on water and wastewater management. He told of how he spent his early adulthood working a union job in the maritime industry to put himself through college and law school. After earning his law degree, he said he worked in environmental remediation, often working on oil spill clean-ups. He also served three terms on Gig Harbor City Council. In 2021, this paper endorsed incumbent John McCarthy for another term based on his vast years of experience and clear leadership skills. McCarthy, 75, first sat on the Port Commission starting in the 1980s, before serving as a Pierce County judge for 22 years. He rejoined the port commission in 2018 and is now finishing up his second term in a row. McCarthy currently serves as president of the port commission and co-chairs the Northwest Seaport Alliance, the body that runs the marine terminals at the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. He also worked on a deal with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians to clear the way for a new terminal that will do business in the break-bulk side of shipping. McCarthy spoke convincingly on the issues during our interview. The board has no doubt he would use the immense knowledge and relationships he's built up over the years to keep the port on a steady course if he's elected. So why are we endorsing Payne? Four years ago, the editorial board said McCarthy shouldn't run again in 2025, in order to keep new ideas flowing into the port commission. We stand by that now. With a candidate like Payne on the ballot, who shows a mastery of the issues and history of leadership, it's a chance to add a strong new voice to the commission. That chance doesn't come every election. The third candidate in this primary race, Randy Wilson, showed a passion for the challenges facing the port and through it the county as a whole. But the knowledge that Wilson, 61, displayed on the issues was not deep enough to merit an endorsement with candidates like Payne and McCarthy on the ballot. Position 4 In the other seat slated for the primary election, Port Commissioner Pos. 4, the board endorses JT Wilcox. Current port commissioner Don Meyer is stepping down at the end of his term, making this an open seat. Wilcox, 62, is one of three contenders, and he pairs a familiarity with the port with his long history of relationship building in the Washington state legislature. As a Republican, Wilcox was the state House Minority Leader for part of his tenure at the statehouse. He retired in January. Wilcox has built his name on bipartisanship. He sees the port as a connection from local farms to the rest of the world, and a source of high-wage jobs for the region. He also stresses his commitment to environmental and conservation causes. He lists endorsements from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Democrat and former governor Christine Gregoire, Republican and former attorney general Rob McKenna, and the Northwest Marine Trade Association. He also touts the endorsement of two unions: locals of the IUPAT and the BAC, which represents builders like masons. Candidate Dan Knox lacks the experience in government that would make him a good fit as commissioner. However, he showed a detailed knowledge of the policy tools available to make needed changes at the port. The board felt that Knox, 30, could be a valuable resource working inside a government agency, whether that's supporting the port commission or elsewhere. The final candidate, Cyrus Donato has an impressive background in the maritime industry. He works as the Puget Sound-based inspector for the International Transport Workers Federation, a union. Donato, 38, has participated in investigations into violations of foreign workers' rights at sea. Given his background, the board was surprised at the lack of a clear vision in many of his answers to our questions. A third port commissioner race is heading directly to the general election this November, because only two candidates are running for the role. That will be Port of Tacoma Commissioner Pos. 2. The News Tribune Editorial Board is: Laura Hautala, opinion editor; Stephanie Pedersen, TNT president and editor; Jim Walton, community representative; Justin Evans, community representative; Bart Hayes, community representative. Hayes recused himself from the endorsement process for Port Commissioner Pos. 1 due to a personal relationship.
