A developer looking to build 1,700 homes over the Lipoma Firs Golf Course in Graham has adjusted its plans to address concerns of the local fire district.

Graham Fire and Rescue officials originally opposed the Lipoma Communities development because of worries that the new neighborhood would strain fire district resources. They also feared the Planned Development District would create fire hazards by building homes close together without adding fire safety measures like sprinklers or fire-resistant siding.

The fire district was ready to argue its case before the Pierce County Hearing Examiner Thursday. But before they could appear, fire officials and the developer reached an agreement on their own.

The developer has agreed to pay the fire district $500 for each dwelling unit during the first phase of the project, which consists of 309 homes.

In total, the fire district will receive $154,500 during the course of construction, said Gary Franz, deputy chief of Graham Fire and Rescue.

Read more »

The Swiss Pub will provide all the food for the memorial Saturday at the downtown tavern for co-owner Gayl Bertagni who died last Friday, family and friends said today.

In an e-mail, they said there was some confusion earlier in the week about bringing food to the memorial. There will be no potluck, they said, and apologized for the confusion.

“The best way to show your love for Gayl is to make a donation in her name to the Emergency Food Network and to support your local farmers,” they said in the e-mail.

The memorial begins at

Read more »

A trio of city officials from Orting, Sumner and Puyallup are the backbone of a new task force designed to address flooding concerns throughout Pierce County.

They’re calling their new task force the Pierce County River Revitalization Task Force.

At least two of the council members involved — John Knutsen of Puyallup and Sam Colorossi of Orting — have expressed support for removing sediment from the Puyallup River in the past. (Sediment removal used to be called “dredging,” but no one seems to call it that anymore).

I’m still waiting to hear back from Sumner Councilman Matt Richardson, who is to be the chair of the task force.

Knutsen told me today that unlike the existing Lower Puyallup Executive Task Force, the new river task force will focus on all the rivers and creeks in the Puyallup River basin, including the Carbon and White Rivers.

You can read the task force’s mission statement below. This is what I received in a press release from Richardson on Friday. I’ll be following up with a story in the next few days about what the task force hopes to accomplish and what Pierce County officials think.

Read more »

The St. Leo Food Connection folks have come up with a novel fundraiser:

Art That Feeds.

They’ve asked local artists to donate works, and to put a fair price on them. Instead of bidding in an auction, guests at the event will be able to choose what they like and take it home for the artist’s price. That will give them the time and leisure to enjoy wine, appetizers, desserts, live music, and good company.

Tickets are a bargain at $5 each, and the event runs from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 30, at St. Leo’s,

Read more »

The controversial Lipoma Communities plat application will go before the Pierce County Hearings Examiner tomorrow at 9 a.m.

The 1,700-unit development would build over the Lipoma Firs Golf Course in Graham.

Residents of nearby housing communities plan to show up in force to oppose the development, I’m told. They don’t want to lose their golf course views.

The county is planning for a big crowd. When I was at the county Planning and Land Services office last week, officials were debating whether they’d need three rooms for Thursday’s hearing instead of one, which is customary.

Read more »

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is sponsoring a “walking audit” of downtown Puyallup and South Hill tomorrow to help evaluate how pedestrian-friendly the areas are.

The exercise, which begins at 1 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Puyallup City Hall, will take citizens on a bus tour of downtown Puyallup and South Hill to get the conversation going.

According to a county press release, the walking audit is supposed to “identify opportunities to improve the walkability and safety of two Puyallup centers.”



The person leading the tour will be Dan Burden, an urban planner

Read more »

Gault Middle School grads, teachers and neighbors will have one last chance to visit the landmark East Side School.

Gault, like McIlvaigh Middle School, will close at the end of this school year. Next fall, kids who would have gone to the two schools will attend the new First Creek Middle School that’s under construction off of Portland Avenue next to McIlvaigh.

That’s a summer away.

Now’s the time for nostalgia.

This Friday, May 29, from 5 to 8 p.m., Gault will host an end-of-an-era celebration for anyone with a history with, or an affection for,

Read more »

Erika and Shawna Hettick recalled how their cousin was a superhero, literally and figuratively.

The sisters from Gig Harbor would visit Jaxon at his house in South Kitsap County to have fun. The three would play games, watch movies and, of course, laugh uncontrollably when he’d dress up as Spiderman or the Blue Power Ranger.

He was full of energy. He was a regular kid.

But after awhile, Jaxon couldn’t swing from buildings or fight monsters the way he once did, a result of Subacute Sclerosing Panencephaliti. The rare and chronic neurological disorder is caused by the measles virus. It results in death for most children who have it, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Last October, Jaxon died at only 8 years old. (Pictured right)

It was especially hard on Erika, 12, and Shawna, 10, who both attend Minter Creek Elementary.

"When Jaxon died, it was hard to forget about him," Shawna said. "It would be hard to forget about him because he was a big part of my life. I was really hoping to find a cure before he died."

Read more »