Dispatch News 7-26-2023

By Seth Boettcher Special to the Dispatch

is letter is to alert you to an imminent issue impacting the Town’s water supply.

Normally, May and June have moist cool/wet weather and few nice sunny days but this year we have had unusually dry/ warm weather through May and June with no rain in the forecast. As a result, the ow in the Mashel River has plummeted through May and June to the lowest ows in recorded history (48 years) for this time of year. We are now setting a new low ow record on the Mashel River every day.

We are, understandably, very concerned about the Town’s ability to keep up with the current water demand; especially if this hot weather continues into September with no signi cant rainfall. At this point we are asking you to voluntarily, but immediately, cut back on your water consumption. Here are some things that you can do

• Signi cantly reduce your outdoor irrigation — grass is resilient and will come back with the rain

• Catch your sink water and use for outdoor plant watering

3rd and 4th of July festivities

By Mayor David Baublits

e Fourth of July activities here in Town were absolutely stupendous! It is amazing how many people come to Eatonville to watch the reworks show and the 4th of July Parade. ese kinds of functions do not happen without hard work from many di erent people and organizations, and we would like to take a moment to recognize those who make these events happen successfully.

First, thanks to the Eatonville Business Association for taking the lead on both of these events, especially Karen Woodcock, Nathon Smith and Becky Crocker, who were responsible for all organizational and cat herding activities as well as setting everything up, tearing everything down and all tasks in between. is year’s pre- reworks musical entertainment was phenomenal! A huge thank you to Shaken for providing all the music this year.

Mayor David Baublits

Savvy Senior: The hidden danger of untreated heartburn

Dear Savvy Senior, Is regular heartburn or acid re ux anything to worry about? I eat a lot of Rolaids throughout the day to help manage it, but it’s gotten worse with age and it keeps me up at night too. What can you tell me?

Belching Bob

Dear Bob,

Almost everyone experiences heartburn or acid re ux from time to time, but frequent episodes can signal a much more serious problem. It’s estimated that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, with around 15 million people who su er from it daily.

Heartburn symptoms show up in a variety of ways – as a burning pain behind the breastbone, indigestion, or a sour or burning taste in the back of the throat. Other symptoms may include chest pain, excessing belching, a long-term cough, sore throat or hoarseness.

If you’re plagued by heartburn two or more times a week, and it’s not responding well to overthe-counter antacids you need to see your doctor, who may refer you to a gastroenterologist. Frequent bouts may mean you have gastroesophageal re ux disease, or GERDs, which can severely irritate and damage the lining of your esophagus, putting you at risk of Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal

cancer if it’s not treated.

LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS

Depending on the frequency and severity of your heartburn, there are a number of lifestyle adjustments you can make that can help provide relief and avoid a more serious problem down the road, such as:

• Avoid trigger foods: Some foods can trigger heartburn symptoms like citrus fruits, tomatoes, fatty foods, chocolate, garlic, onions, spicy foods, mints, alcohol, co ee and sodas. You should keep a food diary to track which foods cause you the most problems and avoid them.

• Eat smaller, slower and earlier: Smaller portions at mealtime and eating slower can help reduce heartburn symptoms. You should also wait at least three hours a er eating before lying down or going to bed.

• Lose weight: Having excess

weight around the midsection puts pressure on the abdomen, pushing up the stomach and causing acid to back up into the esophagus.

• Quit smoking: Smoking can increase stomach acid and weaken the valve that prevents acid from entering the esophagus.

• Sleep elevated: To help keep the acid down while sleeping, get a wedge-shaped pillow to prop yourself up a few inches. If that’s not enough, try elevating the head of your bed six to eight inches by placing blocks under the bedposts or insert a wedge between your mattress and box spring. Wedges are available at drugstores and medical supply stores. Sleeping on the le side may also help keep the acid down.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

If the lifestyle adjustments don’t solve the problem, or if antacids

(Tums, Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta or Alka-Seltzer) aren’t doing the trick, there are a variety of over the counter (OTC) and prescription medications that can help, including:

H-2 Blockers: Available as both OTC and prescription strength, these drugs (Pepcid, Tagamet, Axid and Zantac) reduce how much acid your stomach makes but may not be strong enough for serious symptoms.

Proton-Pump Inhibitors (PPI): If you have frequent and severe heartburn symptoms PPIs are longacting prescription medications that block acid production and allow time for damaged esophageal tissue to heal. ey include Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Zegerid, Protonix, Aciphex and Dexilant. Prevacid, Nexium, Prilosec and Zegerid are also available OTC. But be aware that long-term use of PPIs can increase your risk for osteoporosis and chronic kidney disease.

If the medications aren’t enough, there are also surgical procedures that can tighten or strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter so gastric uids can’t wash back up into the esophagus.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY APPLICATIONS

Adam & MaryBeth Orellana SUNDAYS: IN PERSON - 10 am ONLINE – 10 am & 8 pm

Celebrate Recovery – Tuesdays 6:30 pm Thrive Youth – Wednesdays 7 pm 351 Madison Ave. So., Eatonville, WA TheCenterPoint.org

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL CATHOLIC

Reverend Dominic Chikankheni 253-875-6630 ext. 127

229 Antonie Ave. N. 253-875-6630

Saturday Mass...........4:00 p.m.

Join

Where church is the way it should be!

10:30 AM WORSHIP SERVICE 37117 103rd Ave Ct E, Eatonville, WA www.homespunministries.com

(360) 832-4315

Pastor Larry Dorothy

Christ Episcopal Church 210 5th St. SW Puyallup, WA 98371 253-848-2323

www.episcopallup.com

Sunday Services

8am & 10am

10 am also livestreamed on Facebook

All are Welcome!!

LIVING WORD LUTHERAN

CHURCH

10515 269TH ST. E., GRAHAM, WA 98338 www.livingwordlutheranchurch.com

(253) 846-1276

SUNDAY 9:30 AM WORSHIP SERVICE

EATONVILLE MAJOR BOOK SALE AUG. 4-5

e bi-annual Major Book Sale for the Eatonville Library is scheduled for Aug. 4-5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be a “Bag Sale.” Cost is $3 per bag if you bring your own bag and $4 if you use one provided by the Friends of the Eatonville Library Group. Articles for sale at the August Eatonville Book Sale will be books, magazines, CDs, “books on tape,” and miscellaneous other items. During the last hour of the sale on Saturday, all bags of books will cost $1.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FRIENDS OF EATONVILLE LIBRARY

e Friends of the Eatonville Library operates as a fundraising group to assist the Eatonville community. Primarily, it does so by accepting books and other donations and conducting book sales during the year. All of the funds are used to supplement the various library programs that enrich the local community.

To learn more about the group, contact Mike Eaton at 253-310–7709 or reach him in person at the library any Friday. ere is no obligation. Application forms to join the organization are available at the library.

EATONVILLE CLASS OF 1963 REUNION IS AUG. 5

Eatonville Class of 1963 Reunion is Aug. 5. For information contact, Bill Noe 360-832-6678 or LaNorma 360832-3441 or Donna 360-832-6584 or Edwinna 360-832-3251 and Eileen 253-677-7592.

EATONVILLE LIBRARY GROUP SEEKS MEMBERS

e Friends of the Eatonville Library Group is currently operating with only two members — in contrast to 10-13 members in the pre-Covid era. e group seeks members and volunteers. Contact Mike Eaton at 253-310-7709.

ALCOHOL ANONYMOUS MEETINGS OFFERED

Alcoholics Anonymous is available for people who have a problem with alcohol. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, noon Wednesdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays at the corner of Carter and Rainier.

ALANON HELP

Alanon is available to help people struggling with a loved one’s drinking. Call 425-830-0314.

Submit information to dispatch@ pacifcpublishing.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

WISHING TO SEE THE MILKY WAY

In the mid 1960s, my brother Denny and I enjoyed views of the Milky Way from most any place in Eatonville.

A recent trip down Washington Street saddened me as I saw new glare bomb lights installed. Such lighting produces glare, sending much wasted lighting into the sky. A better solution would be to install shields to put light where you want it. Google “seeing the stars: small

WATER from Page 1

Jody

customers as well to look for water conservation opportunities. We all need to do our part to ensure that we all have a su cient supply of water through the summer. We depend on our aquifer particularly in late summer, so saving water now saves the aquifer

towns and rural parks, pursue dark sky goals” to see what was/is possible.

Eatonville has moved in the opposite direction and missed an opportunity to preserve a dark sky. Such a sky, I saw as a teenager — a sky that moved me to teach astronomy for 42 years. Some may say this is the price of progress and they enjoy the “pretty lights.” Have you ever seen the Milky Way?

Don Morris

for use later as the river usually continues to drop.

We will keep you informed on how you are doing with your conservation e orts and how we are doing on the water supply side. ank you for paying attention, conserving water and cooperating as a community.

Report: Metro capital project delays continue, could impact electri cation plans

Submitted

A new report from the King County Auditor’s O ce found that King County Metro continues to struggle with meeting deadlines on capital projects, o en overpromising and risking increased budgets down the road.

e audit, presented July 18 before the King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee, focused on analyzing Metro’s large capital projects — buildings and infrastructure projects over $1 million — from 2016 to 2022. e ndings come as Metro looks to electrify its eet and expand its RapidRide system, work that could be held up if Metro continues to miss deadlines.

“Metro Transit’s ability to put transportation infrastructure in place is directly linked to the e ectiveness of the County’s

transit system and its impact on the environment,” said Kymber Waltmunson, King County Auditor.

“We are encouraged that Metro Transit has agreed to implement all of our recommendations.”

Auditors did note that Metro leadership and sta are aware of issues and have been making improvements to try to bring projects in on time and on budget, but gaps continue to turn up.

Key ndings include:

• Metro Transit has steadily grown its capital program and increased spending. Nonetheless, spending has not kept pace with forecasts, and Metro Transit has fallen short of its projected biennium spending on xed asset capital projects by at least 33% since 2017.

• Available data shows this lag in spending is because Metro Transit completes projects later than planned.

• Delays in capital projects hinder Metro Transit’s ability to meet its long-range plans (e.g., Metro Connects and the transition to a zero-emissions eet) and its ability to meet existing service levels. Delays can also lead to higher project costs because of in ation.

• Metro Transit leadership is aware of the issues and has implemented new initiatives to improve its capital planning and delivery processes since Metro Transit transitioned to a department in 2019.

• ese initiatives have helped Metro Transit improve oversight of projects, but gaps in continuous improvement practices, reliable data, and communication with sta hinder the e ectiveness of new initiatives and Metro Transit’s ability to improve performance.

• Additional gaps in speci c areas of operations include the lack of

estimation standards, not aligning project planning with internal sta capacity, not yet tailoring processes to the variety of Metro Transit’s capital projects, and the lack of a process to collect and review past lessons learned to identify and mitigate repeat issues.

e audit made 19 recommendations, including:

• Metro Transit should develop, document, and implement management accountability processes to support implementation of continuous improvement initiatives.

• Metro Transit should develop, document, and implement a change management plan that ensures communication between sta and management, improves communication within and between operation groups, and creates forums for sta to ask questions and provide feedback.

State's rst case of potentially lethal fungus diagnosed in Pierce County man

By Glenn Minnis e Center Square

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department o cials have issued a health alert and are still actively investigating a er a Pierce County man was recently diagnosed with what is believed to be the rst case of Candida auris in Washington state.

“We are working with DOH, Public Health SeattleKing County, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and Kindred Hospitals to investigate,” TPCHD Public Information O cer Kenny Via told e Center Square. “We will provide testing for other patients who may have been exposed. is patient will remain isolated while he continues to receive care.”

Candida auris is a drug-resistant fungus that can cause severe infections, according to a Tuesday TPCHD news release that also notes the yeast variation can lead to acute sickness, particularly in those who’ve su ered serious medical conditions while spending time in hospitals. Patients in intensive care units and nursing homes are especially susceptible. People carrying Candida auris can spread the fungus even if they're not sick themselves, according to o cials.

Approximately every one in three patients with a Candida auris infection dies, per the news release.

TPCHD o cials said the man was rst diagnosed on July 13, during an admission screening at Kindred Hospital Seattle – First Hill. e man had previously been a patient at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma for about six weeks.

e man su ers from multiple comorbidities and has not traveled out of the state recently, o cials said.

Tacoma-Pierce Division Director of Communicable Disease Control Nigel Turner indicated it’s too early to say if or how far the fungus may have spread across the state.

“Our investigation is ongoing to nd out things like the scope of the spread,” he said. “As we do more investigation, we’ll have a much better idea. We prepare for this and other diseases to make sure we and our healthcare partners can respond quickly and e ectively.”

From 2013 through 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 5,654 infections across the United States.

e risk of otherwise healthy people being infected by Candida auris is extremely low, according to the CDC.

• Metro Transit should align future Capital Improvement Programs and program timelines with assessments of sta capacity.

• Metro Transit should develop standardized guidance for creating capital project budget and schedule estimates from Capital Improvement Plan preparation through project baseline.

• Metro Transit should develop, document, and implement processes to ensure all Capital Division sta understand and practice guidance on roles and responsibilities for decision-making and escalation of project issues.

• Metro Transit should develop, document, and implement mechanisms for management to review lessons learned to identify potential division- or agency-level improvements that could help address common issues on capital projects.

MAYOR from Page 1

anks to the Eatonville School District for allowing the EBA to use the school facility for the 3rd of July reworks show and thanks to the Eatonville Police Department and South Pierce Fire and Rescue for monitoring the festivities as well as participating. Other organizations who donated either their time or money include Ohop Mutual, Sunrise Auto, Eatonville Auto, Best Kept Secret, Arrow Lumber, Rainier Connect, Town of Eatonville and the Lions Club. ere were also many volunteers including a large group from the Church of Latter Day Saints as well as the local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops. e EBA always does a great job of ensuring there are activities for kids at the 3rd of July celebration. anks to Integrity Medicine, Kirks Pharmacy and Gypsy Wagon for sponsoring the bouncy houses and other activities keeping our kids entertained.

It is always di cult to include everyone when dealing with such large activities which have so many people involved. Apologies to anyone we may have missed and thanks to all for the hard work and dedication! Mayor David Baublits can be reached at mayor@eatonville-wa. gov.