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Latest Blog Posts

A powerful lesson

What if I told you students in Puyallup can graduate with an RN degree by age 20?! It’s true! The Puyallup School District has teamed up with Clover Park Technical College to offer a nursing program that begins in high school and finishes in college...
Boom town

I love it when people outside of Pierce County invest in our community and our residents! I love it even more when people who are already here decide to re-invest! 40 years ago, far-sighted community leaders set aside 500 acres in Frederickson for a...
2019 Council Leadership and Committee Appointments

At the first Council meeting of the year, we have our organizing votes electing leadership and making committee appointment. The Rules Committee is responsible for scheduling and administrative functions of the Council. It will be led by:...
Beyond the Borders

For many reasons, thousands of people who live in or travel to Pierce County are either temporarily or permanently unable to transport themselves where they need to go. They may be too young or too old to drive, they may have a mental or physical...
Farewell & Welcome

The Sheriff tweeted out his congratulations for the 22 members of the Department who retired in 2018. Shockingly, the combined service to the people of Pierce County came to a total of 523 years! If you added that to the retirees from the...
Always serving Pierce County residents

I took advantage of a lighter work calendar on Christmas Eve and Dec. 26, to get around the County to thank employees and wish them Happy Holidays. I found departments celebrating the holidays with festive decorations or people taking deserved time...
That’s a wrap!

Soon we will be singing Auld Lang Syne and celebrating the start of a new year. But, before we do, I want to invite you to take a quick look back at some of the highlights of 2018. Together, we accomplished...
‘Tis the season to think of others

I love the holiday season because it brings out the best in people – including our County family. I was proud to learn that more than 45 teams of County employees from 18 different departments are participating in Adopt-A-Family this year. This...
Everyone counts, no matter where they live

Next month, on January 25, hundreds of volunteers will hit the streets to participate in the annual Homeless Point-in-Time Count. The purpose of the Count is to collect information about how people became homeless, so we can improve programs and...
Remembering a President – and much more

Wednesday was a national day of mourning for our former President George H. W. Bush, who passed away Nov. 30, 2018 at the age of 94. The 41st president was the last World War II veteran to serve as Commander in Chief. In 1942, then 18-year-old...
Planning for the Future and Remembering the Past

New Year’s Day will be upon us before we know it, and after a lot of important work by our departments and the Council, we are ready to both close out our 2018 financial year and start on 2019. I am very thankful for all the folks who work very hard...
Hope and healing in the Orting Valley

Last year, 11.4 million Americans aged 12 or older reported misusing opioids. Drug addiction is an issue that affects everyone, even here at home. In Pierce County, from 2007 to 2017, the number of opioid-related deaths rose to 833. The Orting...
Thanks, a lot!

Have you ever seen that TV show, “Dirty Jobs?” The host, Mike Rowe, takes on different difficult jobs (Season 6 Episode 24 “Fish Squeezer” & Episode 30 “Medical Waste”) sharing the gross details with the audience. It’s easy to blanche at the...
Food for Thought

One in seven people in Washington state lacks access to food sufficient for a healthy and active lifestyle. In Pierce County, about 1.3 million visits are made to food pantries and meal sites every year. More than half of these visits to emergency...
Transitions

Election season is an exciting and intriguing time. With a more than 65% voter turnout, new equipment and improved processes, our Auditor and her team have had a challenging few weeks. While there are still a couple of undecided races and the...
A salute

They’ve served our country with courage and skill. The work to transition to the “real world” begins when the uniform is hung up for good. Veterans face a challenging journey when they finish their military service and come home to those who love...
A grateful nation extends across the Pacific

I have always felt a powerful personal connection to the people of the Philippines, stemming from my time in the Navy. Tens of thousands of Filipinos have become US citizens through service in our Navy, and Filipino-Americans have a strong history of...
45 years?

A few weeks ago I wrote in the blog about our terrific colleagues who were recognized with Standing Ovation Awards. We had a great time this week cheering for their terrific accomplishments. Folks were on the edge of their seats as raffle tickets...
Let Us Help

John Adams passed the Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen in 1798, marking the first federal public health law. Over the next 200 plus years, many laws and much legislation would be passed cementing the government’s role in ensuring the...
Leverage

Archimedes is quoted as saying “Give me a lever long enough, and I shall move the world.” While I am not looking to move the world, I am interested in leveraging our resources to better serve our residents. Whenever I read reports of natural...