Editorial By Marianne Lincoln Surface water can be annoying. The rain douses roads and properties. It seems like no one’s friend, but actually, all that water has always had a purpose; it goes back into the aquifer and creates the streams that flow and brings life to the ecosystem. Water has always had it place…
Category: Government
Goverment, all levels
By Marianne LincolnWe must change how we flush water
By Marianne Lincoln Reclaiming fresh water from sewage to save the Chambers Clover Creek aquifer You wash your laundry, flush your toilet, turn on the dishwasher, take a shower or a bath and all that fresh water goes to the sewer. Just this past year the County worked on a project to expand the size…
Vote for those who do it the right way, they mingle, they know their community, they know and vote to fund the real needs. Thank you, Senator Conway.
October 15 was the Retirement event for State Senator Steve Conway. His 18 years of service as a State Representative and 16 years as a State Senator, for a total of 34 years was not only recognized, his accomplishments, mutual accomplishments, were praised. The event was paid for by the balance of funds left in…
Thriving Together October 29
Co-hosted with Parks TacomaOctober 29, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.STAR Center – Journey Hall – 3873 S 66th St, Tacoma, WA 98409 (map)FREE! Register Here The Pierce County Community Navigator team and Parks Tacoma invite you to the Thriving Together Resource Event. This event is ideal for local small business owners and entrepreneurs…
Thousands of Chinook Salmon Swim into Lakewood and University Place
By Al Schmauder A historically large number of Chinook salmon returned to Chambers Bay this year according to Rahmi Aiken, manager of the WDFW fish trap at the dam on Chambers Creek. He estimated 5,000 or more fish were either harvested by Tribes, caught bysport fishermen or released into Chambers Creek. As of 1 Oct…
Sept 8 Community Meeting for Oak View Tiny House Village
The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) is a nonprofit affordable housing and tiny house village shelter provider in the Puget Sound region hosting the following public meeting on the proposed temporary housing community in Spanaway, Oak View Tiny House Village: What: Community Meeting for Oak View Tiny House Village When: Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, from 5:30-6:30 p.m….
Pacific Avenue SR 7 Changes – Open House Aug 19
[Editor Note: Come prepared with the issues, flooding areas, signals, and turning problems you already know about! When I-5 is blocked at Nisqually/Dupont and traffic flows through Yelm & Roy, Pacific Avenue is a key corridor. There are no alternate routes nearby.] SR 7/ SR 507 to 99th St S – Corridor Improvements – Pre-design…
Toxic Algae Advisory for Spanaway Lake
TPCHD — The Tacoma Pierce County Health Department has now issued a toxic algae caution advisory for Spanaway Lake as of August 13, 2026. You should avoid areas of the lake where you see algae because they can pose health concerns. You’ll see signs posted at the lake to let you know about the advisory….
22nd Ave. & 208th St. intersection to open Friday, July 24
July 24 is the promise date from Planning and Public Works for the intersection at 22nd Ave. & 208th St to re-open. It will surely be a relief to many. This area is not like the more urban communities. A blocked road and detour in any community south of Clover Creek is likely to create…
Checking in with the Sheriff – Parkland Spanaway June 20
Sheriff Swank will extend his availability to residents into this weekend, and with particular convenience for those of Parkland and Spanaway. Date: June 20, 2026Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PMLocation: Parkland/Spanaway Pierce County LibraryAddress:13718 Pacific Ave STacoma, WA 98444 Checking In with the Sheriff Residents are invited to share crime investigation leads and other public safety concerns to assist Sheriff Swank catch the bad…
History’s a Five Alarm Fire in Pierce County
Story & Photos by Marianne Lincoln “Oops, sorry.” These are the famous words joked about all over Pierce County. Ask almost anyone who has lived here more than ten years. They will tell you. In Pierce County, it is easier to just do it and then apologize later when you get caught. The Planning department…
Is zoning turning urban creeks into dry ditches?
Community plans in unincorporated areas and city urban planning are all being pressed by the state Growth Management Act to add more and more housing. Prices of housing are high because of housing shortages. But lost in all this demand for housing is how we plan for out green space and floodplains. Beginning in June,…
The answer is: Rocky Ridge!
By Marianne Lincoln One of my favorite questions for people in the Bethel School District is, ” Can you name the five original school districts that were combined to make Bethel?” And yes, I even hit up the Superintendents for this one. It is common for people to name Clover Creek. That is an incorrect…
Governor Ferguson, Department of Ecology launch initiative to foster water supply solutions amid statewide drought
Series of regional roundtables will inform conservation proposals ahead of 2027 legislative session OLYMPIA — Today, Governor Bob Ferguson and the Washington State Department of Ecology announced the launch of Washington’s Water Future, a statewide initiative to ensure Washington has an enduring supply of water for generations to come. Following the declaration of a statewide drought…
May 7 District 6 Council Meeting
Per our Pierce County Charter, each County Councilmember is required to hold one in-district meeting in the evening each year. May 7 will be the date for the 6th Council District meeting, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at James Sales Elementary, 1301 113th St S, Tacoma, WA 98444. This year, the focus will be on homeless youth…
Knowing the greater Spanaway – Roy area
There is a great deal of history hidden in the bushes and trails of the area south of the Tacoma borders. Although Fort Nisqually resides, reconstructed in the Point Defiance Park, its former footprint lies south of Steilacoom in the city of DuPont. In fact, it had two footprints in DuPont. The 1833 site lies…
Property taxes due April 30
The April 30 property tax payment deadline is fast approaching, at which time taxpayers need to have the first half or full payment into the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer or Finance offices. The deadline does not apply to property owners who pay their taxes through a mortgage lender. “We encourage taxpayers to get their taxes in well before…
County Council District 5 “In District” meeting
UPDATED 4-15-26 On Thursday, April 23, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., a Pierce County Council meeting will be held at the Dacca Barn in Fife. The address is 2820 54th Ave E, Fife, WA 98424. The meeting will also be available on Zoom and PCTV. Councilmember Bryan Yambe wrote, “District 5 is currently the…
Business Resources, April 22, in Graham
A RESOURCE EVENT FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS & ENTREPRENEURS April 22, 2026 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM Frontier Park Lodge – 21718 Meridian E, Graham, WA 98338 (map)FREE! Register Here The Pierce County Community Navigator team and Graham Business Association invite you to the Thriving Together Resource Event. This event is ideal for local small business owners and entrepreneurs…
Washington declares 4th year of drought emergency
From the Washington State Department of Ecology Drought Response On April 8, 2026, Ecology issued a drought declaration for all watersheds in the state due to low snowpack and multiple years of precipitation deficits. This is the state’s fourth consecutive drought declaration – a record under the current drought framework established in 1989. Drought emergency…