Federal shutdown, private-sector layoffs lead to increase in unemployment claims OLYMPIA – As the federal government shutdown continues, more federal workers are applying for unemployment benefits with the Employment Security Department. Through Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1,184 federal workers (about 79 per day) in Washington state applied for benefits. Unemployment claims for federal employees are a…
Category: Government
Goverment, all levels
Do not disturb the redds
It is Fall. It is raining. In Washington, that means there are salmon coming up the creeks and rivers to spawn. The spawning female salmon make nests in which to lay eggs. They move their bodies and tails back and forth in the gravel to create a cone shaped hollow. They may create several in…
YOU’RE INVITED: PERMITTING WITH PIERCE COUNTY CLASS
Pierce County Planning and Public Works: Land Division – From Concept to Construction (A 3-part series) This October, Pierce County’s permitting classes launch a three-part series on how to successfully subdivide property. These sessions will cover how a single property can be divided into multiple home sites. For the first time, the series will go…
Oct 15 Pierce County invites public input on Five-Year Homeless Plan
Pierce County Human Services will host a virtual Community Feedback Session on Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 5 – 8 p.m., to gather resident input on the Draft Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness Update. This session is the last of three public meetings held this year to inform the plan, which serves as Pierce County’s required State Five-Year…
Grandmother speaks
By Marianne Lincoln Tonight, I am trying to wrap my brain around the event I just witnessed at the Washington State Historical Museum. This was right up there with the night I was at the museum for the Leschi Exoneration Trial. I walked in a little late, because I wasn’t off work in time for…
West Coast Health Alliance
Washington, California and Oregon to launch new West Coast Health Alliance to uphold scientific integrity in public health as Trump destroys CDC’s credibility WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: In response to recent federal actions that have undermined the independence of the CDC and raised concerns about the politicization of science, Washington, California and Oregon Washington are…
Applications being accepted for the 2026 Pierce County Historic Preservation Grant Program
The 2026 Pierce County Historic Preservation Grant Program, which assists preserving and promoting historical and cultural heritage in Pierce County, is accepting applications from Aug. 25 through Sept. 30, 2025. The Pierce County Historic Preservation Grant Program distributes grants that are awarded based on a project’s public benefit, its contribution to maintaining Pierce County history,…
Chambers Bay Estuary, fish ladder repair and more
Before Chambers Creek becomes Chambers Bay, the water flow is blocked by an outdated dam. Built to provide electricity for a nearby paper plant that closed years ago, the dam is widely considered to be harming the ecosystem of the area. Pierce County Surface Water Management, South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group and three local…
WTF is Charter Review?
Every ten years, Pierce County elects a group of people to comb through the Pierce County Home Rule Charter, to make changes and hopefully, improvements to the rules our County is run by. Once they determine a rule needs revision, the final decision goes to a vote by the public. They are called the Charter…
Tour of Chambers Creek Dam August 20
August Field Trip Join the Chambers Clover Watershed Council to learn about the Chambers Bay Estuary Restoration project’s efforts to remove the Chambers Creek dam. The dam is an active fish passage barrier, but this also requires replacing the existing Chambers Creek bridge, and restore roughly 180 acres of estuary habitat. This project will open…
YOU’RE INVITED: PERMITTING WITH PIERCE COUNTY CLASS
Understanding Recent Land Use and Housing Code Updates Last month, the Pierce County Council adopted updates to the land use and housing regulations. These changes are part of the County’s work to implement its Comprehensive Plan update. They also align with regional growth strategies, including the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Vision 2050 and the state’s Growth Management Act. The…
Stage 2 burn ban in place for Pierce County
A Stage 2 burn ban is in place in Pierce County effective immediately. The Pierce County Fire Marshal, in partnership with local fire chiefs, has declared the Stage 2 burn ban in response to dry conditions on the ground and ongoing fires in western Washington. The elevated burn ban will remain in effect until conditions…
Pierce Prairie Post 