Dispatch News by Pacific Publishing Company

New driving school set to launch in Eatonville

Byy Merrick Parnell

Soon, young drivers in Eatonville will have a local option for driver education.

Husband-and-wife team Luis and Tracy Marin are set to launch Take the Wheel Driving School in Eatonville. Luis has been a certified driving instructor and examiner for 20 years and has a background in enforcement, while Tracy has worked with vehicle licensing in Washington state for the last 25 years.

Together, they bring over 40 years of licensing experience and form a dynamic duo with extensive knowledge in the field.

“We love this town and the people who call it home. We look forward to serving our great community,” Tracy said.

The idea for the driving school stemmed from a focus on valuing and using time wisely.

“As parents, we realize the value of time and how most of us could use more of it. Having a driving school in town will provide convenience for all of us working parents. Our business hours will align with school hours and should be

accessible to parents,” Tracy said.

Take the Wheel Driving School will be the only driving school and Department of Licensing (DOL) testing center in Eatonville. This will allow families to get licensed locally instead of traveling to Graham, Lakewood, Yelm, or Lacey.

What sets them apart from other driving schools is their commitment to providing a robust foundation in driver education. While many focus on issues like gun violence or drug use, Take the Wheel recognizes that vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, according to the Highway Safety Commission.

“At Take the Wheel Driving School, we don’t just aim to fill seats; we strive to ensure that each student leaves as a skilled and responsible driver. Our goal is to equip young drivers with the tools and knowledge they need to be collision-free for life, aligning with Washington State’s ‘Target Zero Plan’ to eliminate traffic fatalities,” Tracy Marin said.

Take the Wheel Driving School is eager to start

Pierce County Council split on sheriff’s department being featured on 'Cops'

By Spencer Pauley The Center Square

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department will be featured on the next season of the reality television show “Cops,” and county officials are split on whether or not this will help the department in its recruitment efforts.

KING 5 first reported on the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department being featured on the next season of the long-running show. The department told KING 5 that being on the show could help the department attract recruits.

Last December, Deputy Jeff Papen said that the Pierce County Sheriff's Office is one of the lowest staffed departments in the country. At that time, the county had 771 fulltime employees related to public safety. The county's law enforcement branch saw the number of positions drop from 414 FTEs in the 2022-2023 budget year to 402 set for the 2024-2025 budget year. For context, neighboring King County, Washington state’s most populated county, had 1,125 positions in its sheriff's department at the same time.

The prospect of Pierce County deputies being on "Cops" has drawn mixed reactions from members of the Pierce County Council.

Council Chair Ryan Mello said he is skeptical that the show can help the county attract professionals needed to improve safety in the region and is instead a distraction.

“What the show 'Cops' does is take isolated incidents and creates a perception that this kind of violent crime is happening all across the county. It is not,” Mello told The Center Square in an email. “This takes away from all the work we are doing to make this a great place to do business, work and raise a family.”

Mello mentioned the county council’s previous work to compensate sheriff's deputies and invest in recruitment and retention bonuses as better ways to recruit and retain deputies.

On the other side of the argument, Pierce County Councilmember Amy Cruver views the sheriff's department's presence on the show as “an ideal opportunity” to showcase what deputies deal with during a routine patrol.

Cruver said that the show is informative and that viewers can see the issues facing the county and come up with their own opinions and potential solutions based on what "Cops" showcases.

Join us Sunday at Home Spun

ALCOHOL ANONYMOUS MEETINGS OFFERED

Alcoholics Anonymous is available for people who have a problem with alcohol. Meetings begin at noon Wednesdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays at the American Legion Hall/ Lions Club, 123 Rainier Ave. N.

COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Graham-Kapowsin Community Council's Center at Evergreen on the Graham Hill has free exercise Tuesday & Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Ted Brown’s Music Therapy on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month at 12:30 p.m. and karaoke at 12:30 p.m. on the last Thursday each month plus line dancing at 12:45 p.m. for $3 every Thursday. Benston Hall has Taichi on Tuesday at 2 for $4. Both locations have $7 lunches for members or $10 for non members. RSVP to 253-921-2914 at least 24 hours before.

ALANON HELP

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

LEARN ABOUT FRIENDS OF EATONVILLE LIBRARY

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL

CATHOLIC CHURCH

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Reverend Dominic Chikankheni

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Reverend Dominic Chikankheni

253-875-6630 ext. 127

253-875-6630 ext.

229 Antonie Ave. N.

253-875-6630 ext. 127

229 Antonie Ave. N.

360-832-6363 or 253-875-6630

Saturday Mass...........4:00 p.m. Wednesday.................6:30 p.m.

The 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. There is no obligation. Application forms to join the organization are available at the library.

Saturday Mass...........4:00 p.m. Wednesday.................6:30 p.m.

Also, The Friends of the Eatonville Library Group is currently operating with only two members — in contrast to 10-13 members in the pre-Covid era. The group seeks members and volunteers. Contact Mike Eaton.

Your Garden on Vacation

Summer is so beautiful in the Pacific Northwest that it seems a shame to go away, but if you do, don’t forget to set your garden up for success.

Seattle already receives barely perceptible levels of moisture in summer from rain, so our gardens depend on us for life support during our dry season from May-September. With weather patterns becoming so erratic, keeping your garden hydrated is even more critical to sustaining it during any heat dome that may roll in.

Erica Browne Grivas Get Growing

You may be saying, oh, my garden is shady and has never been irrigated or watered in summer. That’s what I used to say about the East-facing fence border in our yard. It’s got plenty of dappled tree cover, has moisture-retentive clay soil and plenty of tough mature shrubs and trees. For about ten years, I never watered that border, and still grew hosta leaves as big as my head. In the last few years however, we’ve had consistently low rainfall in winter and excess heat in summer and, in a new twist, spring. This created a double whammy of drought and heat (with a few extended winter

freezing events thrown in) that overstressed even the hardiest plants in our borders.

Despite my extra ministrations watering in summer the last two years, I lost a massive lacecap hydrangea that predated us moving in, as well as a mature variegated willow Salix ‘Haruko Nishiki.’

So, the bottom line is, if you have mature trees and shrubs that you value and you haven’t had an irrigation system the last three years, they likely need about a month of water to catch up and rehydrate their roots and surrounding soil — please give them a good soaking (even several hours) right now. I’ll wait.

Other conditions that merit extra attention include:

▶ Young seedlings, cuttings, and recent divisions. One of the biggest causes of direct-sown seed-starting failure is letting them dry out. Their first roots are extremely thin and fragile and vaporize quickly without water. They may need water daily or more often depending on the heat and soil conditions.

▶ Fruiting or flowering plants grown for harvest. This could be your veggie and cutting garden plants as well as berry shrubs or fig

trees – which with luck have some fruit swelling in August.

▶ Potted plants and hanging baskets, or plants in rockeries with little soil. Soil acts as an insulator and a hydrating sponge around plant roots, so pots don’t have as much moisture to draw upon, needing watering daily in hot weather.

▶ Plants in sandy soil – it releases water almost instantly. (Adding organic matter on top, whether compost, “Soil conditioner,” or natural bark mulch will help retain some water.)

▶ Plants without groundcover or mulch surrounding them to protect the soil from evaporation.

▶ Plants added to your garden or transplanted within the last two years. Similar to the seedling roots, plants need at least two seasons of regular watering to “establish” in their new spot.

▶ Plants that are struggling (unless, of course they are suffering from overwatering, as in a pot without sufficient drainage holes).

▶ Plants that love water and hate to dry out. Examples include fuchsias, ligularia, and ferns.

Now that we’ve covered all the reasons to water, and which plants need some extra babying, here are some strategies to help them through your vacation.

If time and means allow, set up an irrigation, soaker hose, or sprinkler systems on timers – even if only for

your most vulnerable plants. Early morning is the best time to water to avoid water evaporating in the heat and or water sitting on the leaves in cool conditions overnight which can promote fungal issues.

Other options to consider include digging in ollas – clay vessels that slowly disperse water over about a week or “plant nannies” in the form of wine or plastic bottles inserted into a clay cone in the ground. Ollas can be homemade by gluing two clay flat-bottomed pots together and sealing the bottom drainage hole with a cork or you can purchase them from various companies –you’ll need more for larger areas.

Another choice which looks silly but can do in a pinch – get plastic kiddie pools for groups of you potted plants and let them drink from the bottom up for ten days or so.

Mulching with bark, grass clippings, shredded leaves, or straw will help retain a lot of moisture in the soil for in-ground and potted plants.

You can also hire help or bribe neighbors to hand-water (note you may have to offer to watch their Bernese Mountain Dog the next time they go away).

No matter which you choose, before you head to the airport, drench your garden and pots with a loooonnnnggg watering to give it a good reserve from which to draw.

Adobe Stock Image

Innovative fish passage meant to revive Yakima River Basin salmon opens in Cle Elum

By Carleen Johnson The Center Square

U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was in Cle Elum, Wash., Wednesday to highlight federally funded salmon restoration projects.

Secretary Haaland joined Gov. Jay Inslee and state, local and Native American tribal leaders to celebrate the opening of almost 30 miles of critical habitat for salmon and steelhead populations above Cle Elum Dam via the completion of the juvenile fish passage facility.

The goal of the project is to open up habitat to spring Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, steelhead and bull trout.

U.S. Department of the Interior

Secretary Deb Haaland was in Cle Elum, Wash., Wednesday to highlight federally funded salmon restoration projects.

Secretary Haaland joined Gov. Jay Inslee and state, local and Native American tribal leaders to celebrate

A cheese worth grilling

By Lynda Balslev

Who doesn't like melty, gooey cheese? Nearly no one, we might venture. However, in the case of applying direct heat and the fire of a grill, the concept of cooking a hunk of cheese and then watching it dissolve into a bubbling ooze of dribble on the grill grates isn't ideal. No worries: There is a cheese for this conundrum, and it's called Halloumi.

Halloumi is a unique Cypriot cheese that is made by cooking strained and pressed milk curds in boiling whey. Since it's prepared with such high heat, Halloumi maintains its shape when exposed to high heat during cooking. In other words, it's unmeltable. This allows it to be grilled and seared without liquifying into a puddle — perfect for skewering, grilling directly on the grates or an even sear in a skillet. Heck, you can even fry it. While this cheese remains firm, it does not mean you will be chewing on a squeaky rubber band. Although Halloumi won't melt, it does, in fact, soften

and relax, transforming into a tender, satisfying bite. It's also naturally briny and salty, which adds seasoning and contributes to the overall flavor of a composed dish — or in the case of this recipe, a hearty salad.

GRILLED HALLOUMI AND QUINOA SALAD

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Dressing:

▶ 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

▶ 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

▶ 1 garlic clove, minced or pushed through a press

▶ 2 teaspoons honey

▶ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

▶ 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

▶ 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

▶ 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

▶ 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

▶ 1 1/2 cups red quinoa

▶ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

▶ 2 (8-ounce) packages Halloumi

▶ Extra-virgin olive oil

▶ 1 red bell pepper, thinly

sliced

▶ 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

▶ 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish

▶ 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped, plus more for garnish

▶ 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

▶ 8 to 10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

▶ 2 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Rinse the quinoa in a finemesh sieve. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the quinoa seeds release their germ (white tail), about 12 minutes. Drain the quinoa and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Season with salt. Cut the Halloumi into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot dry with paper towels, then lightly brush with oil. If using a grill, grill the Halloumi over direct medium heat until it's wellmarked, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. If cooking on the stovetop, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high

heat. Add the Halloumi and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the Halloumi from the grill or skillet and brush with some of the dressing. Add the red pepper, onions, parsley, cilantro and the lemon zest to the quinoa and stir to combine. Spread the quinoa in a shallow serving bowl or divide between serving plates.

Arrange the Halloumi and tomatoes over the salad. Sprinkle with the additional parsley and cilantro and garnish with almonds. Drizzle with the remaining dressing to taste.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.

Adobe Stock Image

Courtesy Lynda Balslev

By TJ Martinell The Center Square

A subcommittee for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program to construct a new Interstate 5 Bridge across the Columbia River from Vancouver to Portland has adopted recommended tolling scenarios for consideration by the Washington and Oregon Transportation Commissions.

The four scenarios unanimously adopted by the Bi-state Tolling Subcommittee at its July 19 meeting offer the commissions a variety of different rates that vary not only depending on the status of the bridge’s completion, but how the rates are adjusted during weekends in response to traffic levels.

One scenario would have

Proposed toll rates for new bistate bridge advance to state commissions State agency: Repealing Climate Commitment Act means billions in lost revenue

By Carleen Johnson The Center Square

the toll rate be between $1.55 and $3.20 until the bridge is completed, at which point the maximum toll rate would go up to $3.65; that same scenario would have the toll rate increase by 2.15% annually, while providing a 50% discount for low-income drivers upon the bridge's completion.

The scenario with the highest rates would rage from $2 to $4.75 prior to the bridge’s completion, yet that rate would remain once it’s finished. The toll rate would increase by 3% every two years, while it would break up weekend rates into three separate categories.

Three of the four scenarios would have the same truck toll rates that would be either 1.5 or three times the regular toll rate.

The tolling program is

one piece of the financial puzzle to cover not only the cost of the bridge’s construction but it’s ongoing maintenance and preservation. According to bridge replacement planners, the toll program will need to provide at least $1.24 billion in capital

funding for the bridge’s construction, while also generating enough revenue to meet future financial obligations.

In addition to $600 million obtained through a National Infrastructure Project Assistance program grant, the project recently

secured $1.5 billion in Bridge Investment Program funding.

The state transportation commissions will ultimately vote to adopt tolling rates before the program begins. They are scheduled for a joint meeting on Oct. 1 to be held in Vancouver.

The Washington State Office of Financial Management has released its fiscal impact statement on Initiative 2117, the measure to prohibit state agencies from implementing a cap-and-trade program and repeal the 2021 Climate Commitment Act.

OFM’s fiscal impact statement notes that the passage of I-2117 “will reduce state revenue from carbon allowance auctions by $3.8 billion and reduce state expenditures by $1.7 billion between the effective date of the initiative and June 30, 2029.”

Todd Myers, vice president for research at the Washington Policy Center think tank, notes a repeal of the CCA would impact future spending, so there is no hole in the actual budget.

“Not surprisingly, the tax has generated more than initially expected, bringing in more than $2 billion,” Myers said. “So, it isn’t surprising that they would say, 'Look at all the spending we’re going to lose.’”

Passage of I-2117 would cut funding for more than 300 state employees, according to OFM

“These are new taxpayer-funded positions created by CCA: people who run the CO2 tax program, distribute grant money, and those involved in various government planning, which is funded by the tax money,” Myers explained. “There’s a lot of government planning in there,

so that’s where a lot of these jobs are coming from.”

OFM says the passage of 2117 would lead to some transportation projects being cut or scaled back.

But those are not infrastructurerelated projects like roads and bridges; rather, they are environmental projects like $42 million for electrifying ferry docks and funding new electric ferries.

Myers questions other CCAfunded projects that OFM says could be cut with the passage of the initiative.

“There’s a million dollars for transportation planning for the 2026 World Cup,” he noted. “What that has to do with fighting climate change, I’m not sure.”

The OFM report does not consider the CCA’s impacts on taxpayers,

including higher gas prices and utility costs.

In a recent blog post, Myers lists a number of CCA projects that could be in jeopardy.

Some of those projects would fund forest health and salmon recovery, which Myers concedes should be priorities for the Legislature, regardless of funding.

“The total amount in 2025 that goes to wildfire prevention is $7.5 million,” he said. “That’s a tiny amount of money, and there’s $7 million – almost the same amount –dedicated to algae and blue carbon projects.”

According to the state Department of Natural Resources, carbon sequestration projects “offer a significant opportunity to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.”

“I think if you ask voters, what is more important – stopping catastrophic wildfires or putting government money into blue carbon projects – I think the answer is pretty clear,” Myers said.

The Center Square contacted Gov. Jay Inslee's office for a response to Myers’ claims about CCA spending and received an email response from Deputy Communications Director and Press Secretary Mike Faulk.

“Transportation, as you know, is our largest source of carbon pollution,” Faulk said.

He went on to say, “The CCA cap slashes pollution, and the critical revenue funds our clean transition and resilience to climate change impacts,” said Faulk.

Myers said the state will bring in less revenue if voters pass I-2117 in November, but he pointed out the state has plenty of money to go around.

“Between the 2019-21 biennium and 2023-25, the state’s operating budget increased from $51.86 billion to $71.95 billion,” Myers said.

Those figures aren’t adjusted for inflation.

“There’s no doubt there would be less money for government to spend," Myers reiterated. "But what this shows is their choices for how to spend the money are questionable.”

A recent Survey USA poll on Initiative 2117 found that 48% of likely voters intend to vote yes on the measure, 34% plan to vote no, and 18% are unsure how they will vote.

Adobe Stock Image

the opening of almost 30 miles of critical habitat for salmon and steelhead populations above Cle Elum Dam via the completion of the juvenile fish passage facility.

The goal of the project is to open up habitat to spring Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, steelhead and bull trout.

According to officials, the newly completed helix chamber is a one-ofa-kind solution to that problem.

Using a tiered system with multiple levels, officials can adjust which entry point the fish are coming through as the water rises and falls. This allows fish previously trapped when water levels in the lake are low to move safely into the river.

The fish are guided through the facility via a waterslide-like structure, ensuring a safe exit downstream.

A time lapse video, posted by Garco Construction, the company contracted to build the fish passage facility, is linked here.

In her remarks, Haaland announced a $16 million investment for drought resilience in the Yakima River Basin courtesy of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included a total of $500 million for conservation efforts, along with ecosystem and habitat restoration for basins experiencing long-term drought.

The Bureau of Reclamation began testing the Cle Elum intake and nowcompleted helix fish passage system last summer. It will allow sockeye salmon and other fish to go from Cle Elum Lake through the dam and on to the Cle Elum River.

In her remarks, Haaland touted the project as a model for conservation.

Officials broke ground on that facility Wednesday. FISH from Page 4

“The Yakama Nation Integrated

COPS from Page 1Æ

“Portraying reality is not exploiting those in a troubled season of life; it’s informative to the public,” Cruver emailed The Center Square. “Perhaps this kind of publicity will spur more ideas for dealing with dangerous or hazardous situations,

DRIVING from Page 1Æ

offering classes, currently scheduled for Aug. 20.

In addition to driver education, the school will offer private coaching for those needing extra one-on-one help.

They will also serve as a “onestop shop” as a DOL testing center (pending approval from the DOL). They anticipate to be a DOL testing center in approximately three weeks, or sooner, and will be able to service the community for these needs then. In the interim, they plan to provide available private coaching in

Plan truly is a model for our future in how we balance conservation with water supply and economic needs,” she said. “These historic investments will support fish, farms and families who rely on this vital river, building resiliency and safeguarding future generations."

Inslee harkened back to 2013 when signing the Integrated Salmon Recovery Plan, the first bill he signed into law as governor.

“This is something for the tribal people, but it’s for the non-tribal people as well,” the governor said.

Inslee went on to say of the state's iconic fish that “The salmon carry our hopes and our dreams on their back, and we now need to bring them back."

Inslee said the Climate Commitment Act, which caps and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from Washington's largest emitting sources and industries, is crucial for salmon recovery.

“If you take one thing from my comments, I hope you’ll remember that the CCA is an instrumental source so we can do what we’ve done here,” Inslee said. “I consider this a matter of life and death. We are doing bypass surgery to give our salmon the gift of life."

Voters will decide the fate of the CCA this November via Initiative 2117, which would repeal the CCA and bar state agencies from imposing any type of program involving the trading of carbon tax credits.

In addition to the juvenile fish passage, plans are underway for a facility to collect adult fish and transport them upstream via truck, further aiding their migration and spawning efforts.

validate the need to review current laws for ones that will better protect the public, hold the lawless accountable, and prioritize the need for effective services to address mental health concerns.”

The sheriff's office did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment by the time of publication.

preparation for the DOL skills test.

“This will allow anyone to schedule and take their written DOL exam and their DOL skills exam (drive test). The only services we do not provide are picture taking and final issuance of the actual driver’s license. Customers will need to visit an actual DOL location for those services,” Tracy Marin said.

Anyone interested in learning more about Take the Wheel and its offerings can visit their website at ttwdrivingschool.com, email them at takethewheeldrivingschool@ outlook.com, or call 360-832-1731.