Pierce County Human Services' (PCHS) Birth to 25 Initiative, in partnership with The Griot Party, has launched a Youth Talent Search aimed at preventing youth violence by showcasing the creativity of local youth and young adults. This initiative invites Pierce County residents aged 12 to 24 to audition their talents in dance, comedy, rap, poetry, acting, singing, music, and other creative skills. Auditions are scheduled for July 30, 2024, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lincoln High School, located at 701 S. 37th St., Tacoma.
Selected participants will have the opportunity to receive recording studio time, appear in a music video, and perform in a Youth Talent Showcase at Edison Square in Tacoma on August 25, 2024. This program aims to provide a constructive outlet for youth, fostering their skills and creativity while promoting positive community engagement.
The Youth Talent Search is sponsored by PCHS' Birth to 25 Initiative, supported by the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA), which funds programs for low-income children and youth, those experiencing homelessness, or in foster care. Edison Square and the Eastside Community Center in Tacoma have generously donated the venue and studio recording time.
The Birth to 25 Advisory Board (B-25 Board) is a 21-member board tasked with proposing to the County Executive and County Council a long-range plan with policy, systems, and environmental change recommendations to ensure the successful educational development of infants, children, youth and young adults ages Birth to 25. The Board will adopt a pro-social approach that engages children, youth and young adults throughout the age spectrum of Birth to 25 within families, their communities, schools, justice systems, health systems, nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, and peer groups.
Purpose Statement: Pierce County's Birth - 25 Advisory Board provides policy and funding recommendations to the Pierce County Council and Executive to positively impact needs of children, youth, young adults, and their families. We aim to create equitable systems for our children by collaborating with community and

• Gathering and Sharing Information

• Supporting Learning

• Developing and Activating a Shared Advocacy Agenda

Vision Statement: Each child, youth, and young adult throughout Pierce County thrives and realizes their dreams.Birth to 25 Strategic Plan
Pierce County Human Services seeks interested candidates to serve on the Birth to 25 Advisory Board (B-25 Board). The B-25 Board is a newly created 21-member board tasked with proposing a long-range plan with policy, systems, and environmental change recommendations to ensure the successful development of infants, children, youth and young adults ages Birth to 25.
Current vacancies include representatives from the Behavioral Health Community, Pierce County Council Districts 2 and 5, and a Young Adult.

[image] new marines

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium has welcomed over 40 new marine animal species to its Tropical Reef Aquarium this month, adding to the existing 130 species already housed there. Among the new residents are four blacktip reef sharks, a tasseled wobbegong shark, a grey reef shark, a black blotched ray, and numerous tropical fish, including the striking humphead wrasse. The Tropical Reef Aquarium now hosts six shark species in the Outer Reef habitat, with two additional shark species in the Lagoon, totaling 21 sharks with more expected in the future.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Northwest, also features the Pacific Seas Aquarium, which is home to hammerhead sharks, green sea turtles, eagle rays, and the popular Tidal Touch Zone. Both the zoo and aquariums are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information and photos of the new animals, visit Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium's official website.

[image] new director

Chantell Harmon Reed has taken on the role of Director of Public Health for Pierce County, with a mission to protect and enhance the health of all residents. To better understand the community's needs and priorities, she is hosting a series of meet-and-greet events at local libraries throughout August and September.
Residents are encouraged to attend any of the following sessions to share their ideas and concerns:

• Monday, August 12, 2024, 6:30–7:30 p.m. at University Place Library, 3609 Market Pl. W., Suite 100

• Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 5:30–6:30 p.m. at Gig Harbor Library, 4424 Point Fosdick Dr.

• Monday, August 19, 2024, 5:30–6:30 p.m. at Fife Library, 6622 20th St. E.

• Monday, September 9, 2024, 6–7 p.m. at Graham Library, 9202 224th St. E.

• Wednesday, September 11, 2024, 5:30–6:30 p.m. at South Hill Library, 15420 Meridian E.

• Monday, September 16, 2024, 6–7 p.m. at Bonney Lake Library, 18501 90th St. E.

• Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 6–7 p.m. at Tacoma Library Moore Branch, 215 S. 56th St.

• Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 6:30–7:30 p.m. at Parkland/Spanaway Library, 13718 Pacific Ave. S.

These sessions are free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP to ensure adequate space and snacks. For more information, visit tpchd.org/news/meet-your-new-director-of-public-health or email questions to news@tpchd.org.

[image] salmon bake

The Original Browns Point Salmon Bake is the best summertime event in the PNW.  Fresh- caught Alaskan salmon is cooked over alder wood fire pits in the same manner Jerry Meeker did at the first official salmon bake in 1946.  This is an event for the whole family with kid’s games, crafts, and an art show featuring local Northwest artists.  There is no cost to attend.  Come on out and join us for a fun Northwest tradition. 

Aug 3rd & 4th 2024 – Noon to 8 pm both days – Saturday only, the beer garden stays open until midnight. 

Address:  Browns Point Improvement Club – 201 Ton A Wan Da Ave NE, Tacoma, WA 98422

Parking:  Parking is very limited near the event, no general parking at the BPIC club house parking lot.  There is a shuttle that runs from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm Saturday and runs Sunday from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm.

Shuttle Stops:            

St Mathews Church – 6800 East Side Dr NE Tacoma, WA 98422

Browns Point Town Center – 1000 Town Center NE Tacoma, WA 98422

Browns Point Elementary – 1526 51st St NE Tacoma, WA 98422

Cliff House Restaurant – Annex Parking Lot – 6300 Marine View Dr Tacoma, WA 98422 (across the street from restaurant). 

[image] bon odori

The Tacoma Buddhist Temple is set to host its annual Bon Odori Festival on August 6th and 7th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 1717 Fawcett Ave, Tacoma, WA. This traditional Japanese event celebrates and honors ancestors through Bon Odori, a form of folk dancing.
The festival will open each day at 4:00 p.m. with food booths, a beer garden, and other activities. An Obon service will take place at 4:30 p.m., followed by dancing and taiko drumming performances at 5:00 p.m. The event will conclude with a memorial candle service in the temple garden at 8:00 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or small chairs to sit on the sidewalk or hillside.
The menu will feature items such as teriyaki chicken, unagi bowls, cold somen, spam musubi, mochi, and shaved ice. The festival is free to attend, and credit cards are preferred for all purchases. For more details, visit Tacoma Buddhist Temple's website.

[image] northern lights

Tacoma residents have a rare chance to witness the Northern Lights this weekend due to a geomagnetic storm forecasted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The aurora borealis, known for its stunning displays of green, red, and purple lights, is predicted to be visible from late evening into the early morning hours on Saturday, August 5, 2024, and Sunday, August 6, 2024. To enhance your chances of capturing this celestial event, use a camera with manual settings or a smartphone in night mode.

For the best viewing experience, it's recommended to find a location away from city light pollution with a clear view of the northern horizon. Ideal viewing times are between 11:00 PM and 3:00 AM. Factors such as weather conditions and the strength of the geomagnetic storm will influence visibility, so clear skies are essential.

Real-time updates and detailed forecasts can be found on NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and other aurora forecasting tools​​. 

For more information: https://www.koin.com/weather/forecast-northern-lights-expected-for-parts-of-the-pacific-northwest-this-week-as-geomagnetic-storm-watch-extended/

[image] hearing

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at approximately 5:15 p.m. by the City Council of Tacoma to discuss the proposed extension of an existing moratorium within the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District. The hearing will consider the extension of the moratorium that prohibits new or expanded underground storage tanks, metal recycling, and auto wrecking facilities.
This moratorium was initially adopted in March 2023, extended in March 2024, and is set to expire in September 2024. The proposed extension would last for up to six months. The moratorium applies to the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District, as depicted in the attached map.
The public hearing will be conducted in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and virtual attendance. Comments can be submitted via email to cityclerk@cityoftacoma.org or by mail to the City Clerk’s Office at 733 Market Street, Room 11, Tacoma, WA 98402. For more information, visit the City of Tacoma's website.
Contact: Adam Nolan, Senior Planner, at anolan@cityoftacoma.org or 253-320-8119.

I spoke at Community Forum at the last Council meeting regarding property crime and drug use in the Theater District. My son’s car had been broken into just days before, in broad daylight. Since then, another neighbor had his car broken into. Just now, my son’s car has been broken into again, right on Market St. in the middle of the day, bringing damages to a total of about $1,000. Ironically, when he went to his car to drive to work (he couldn’t bc of the pieces that were stolen), he had a parking ticket on his windshield. These are not unusual occurrences but I feel compelled to raise them to a broader audience in an effort to advocate for my community and effect change. For context, I have been raising the issue of crime in the Theater District since August of 2023 with Councilmember Rumbaugh and city staff. We struggle with all manner of property crime, from vehicle prowls (usually w broken windows), broken windows on buildings, open air drug use, graffiti, and problems associated with drug use and homelessness. I have yet to see significant or coordinated action to address these problems. I am hopeful this will change with greater visibility. While I realize the crimes we are seeing are not as serious as many seen in the “hot spots” of our City, they are significant and concerning in their frequency, the impact to our social fabric, and in the fact that the costs for others’ misdeeds are transferred to law abiding citizens. Coupled with the fact that stressed police resources are often pulled to felony crimes and are unavailable to address our issues, the risk to reward ratio (virtually no risk) guarantees that these activities will persist and increase. In the nearly two years I have lived at the Bridge on Market St, I have seen marked escalation of frequency of crime. Taken individually, these issues may constitute a nuisance, but when looked at as a whole, they reveal a different story.

I. Impact on Social Fabric and Cost Transference

The lack of enforcement has created an environment of lawlessness in our area. It is well known that unless a felony crime is committed, there is unlikely to be a police response (not because police do not want to respond, but because they can’t). Drugs are regularly smoked midday on the sidewalk in front of City Hall. Residents, businesses, and visitors are routinely greeted with broken windows when they return to their cars or businesses. It is “normal” to see naked people roaming or masturbating along Theater District streets in a drug induced state. Tip jars are stolen in the middle of a Sunday afternoon off counters in busy restaurants. People lay lifeless on the sidewalks, status unknown. The fact that these things are considered “normal” in our area should cause alarm to City Leaders, especially given it is occurring at the city’s front door. I have a Masters in Education and a certification in Special Education. Much of my education focused on behavior and how to shape it.

Consequences exist for a reason; they shape behavior and help those who cannot, for whatever reason, make good choices on their own. Consequences are guardrails that help everyone stay on the road and allow us to coexist. In my first year of teaching, I quickly learned that order and consistent application of both expectations and consequences are the bedrock of a productive classroom. Without that, everyone suffers and learning is compromised. In a chaotic classroom no one can thrive because you are in a reactive mode, constantly focused on disruptions and problems rather than growth and learning.

The Theater District demonstrates this same chaos and mirrors an unmanaged classroom. We have clear expectations (laws) but little application of consequences. As a result, none of us is thriving because the community is out of balance— we are constantly reacting rather than focusing on growth. As in the classroom, those who cannot or do not follow expectations, adversely impact those who do. It is the teacher’s obligation to ensure that the classroom environment is conducive to learning by helping manage those who cannot yet manage themselves. Similarly, it is the City’s responsibility to help manage those who cannot yet manage themselves through expectations and consequences.

Unfortunately, what I see daily is that the City is not managing its classroom. What do I tell my son, a straight A running start student who held a 20+ hour a week job during the school year, to save for a car that was broken into in broad daylight and ransacked within a week? And then again a few weeks later rendering it useless until repaired? As a single mother, I lead by example. I work hard and I expect it of my children who are both now successful young men. I have to admit, of all the property crimes I have experienced and seen, this one hit hard. All I could say was, “I’m sorry. It’s not fair. And yes, you will have to work harder to repair the damage to your car. And no, there will be no consequence or cost to the person who caused it, and yes your insurance will likely go up.” If this were an anomaly, it would’ve been easier to rationalize, but it isn’t. This is “normal” here. Is that what we want to teach? That breaking the law—damaging others’ property and stealing— has no consequence, except for those who follow the rules?

This transfer of consequences from perpetrators to law-abiding citizens is not a desirable path—in fact, it sets a dangerous precedent. It begs the questions, why do we have laws and why should I follow them when there is no consequence? For those without an internal locus of control, the answer is a slam dunk. As a community, this should give us pause, as it plots our trajectory. In the context of open air drug use—I again ask, is this what we want to promote? If not, we must take action, because right now, we are demonstrating it is acceptable. What do I say when my son tells me there are people on the street smoking drugs with straws and foil in front of our home? I reinforce what I have always taught him—drugs are dangerous, illegal, don’t do them—but what about kids who don’t have that reinforcement and are more vulnerable? Again, this erosion of norms is a dangerous path — it is not just impacting the people directly involved right now— it is shaping future generations by teaching them laws are made to be broken; they are irrelevant.

We must also consider that in the City, we are extremely firm with parking tickets. You may not park for free or else you will be ticketed, but… …you may destroy property, tag, steal power from light poles, steal from vehicles, do drugs on the street, brandish guns from vehicles, and break thousands of dollars of windows in one fell swoop with nary a glance. This incongruence is both striking and disturbing.

II. Taxed Twice: Property tax, crime tax

In addition to the impact of the erosion of norms, the repeated and constant costs associated with property crime to residents and businesses are substantial both financially and emotionally. Hard work is often wiped out by one person who will get up tomorrow and do it again without a care. It is demoralizing and wears on the psyche. It results in people giving up and leaving the area—as being taxed twice —once formally by the government and once informally through costs associated with crime—becomes a burden.

III. The link between illegal drugs and property crime

I would be remiss in my efforts to be thorough if I didn’t point out that the prevalence of illegal drug use and property destruction seem to be linked—the drugs fuel the destruction either through a need for money or through hallucinations. To illustrate this point, the woman who broke out the windows on Broadway, causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage, has been released and is back at her home in our neighborhood. She was revived with narcan at Ben Gilbert Park, right next to the Municipal building, just last week. Is this safe for her? For our community? Our inaction hurts everyone: our City, those who are impacted by repeated breaking of laws, those who are vulnerable to going down these paths, and also those who are perpetrating the crimes, as their fate is all but sealed to not live to their potential. We are failing to thrive as a community and as individuals because of a lack of consequences/ enforcement of laws. (To this point, I want to make it very clear that I am in no way stating or implying that this is a problem with the police department. I believe the problem is that the police do not have the necessary resources to address these issues adequately) I speak for many who call the Theater District home and depend on it for their livelihood—these problems are making our area inhospitable for residents and businesses alike. They are desensitizing our youth and eroding our social fabric. They are leaving perpetrators in a situation where they have no guardrails and there is no reason to change. As a teacher, this failure to tap into human potential and to allow consequences to be transferred to others is incredibly disheartening. We cannot simply hope these problems go away—they will only grow through inaction —we have to manage the classroom.

- Amalie O'Connor