The cleaning of the Tacoma Dome roof has been finished.

A six-man crew from Pioneer Masonry finished the work ahead of schedule and within budget, the City of Tacoma reported today.

An anonymous donor provided up to $103,835 to clean the grime off the roof. The donor’s condition, however, was the work needed to be done by May 8.

The six-man crew rappelled down the landmark roof with scrub brushes and power washers. They retrieved tennis balls and cleaned foul-smelling sludge from the gutters.

“Again, we would like to thank the anonymous donor who …

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The Sound Transit board on Thursday approved a proposal to preserve a commuter bus route between Bonney Lake and Sumner.

Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy and Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow, both members of the board, announced the proposal earlier this week.

The new route, ST Express Route 596, will replace a Pierce Transit route between the Bonney Lake Park and Ride and the Sumner Sounder station that’s set to go away in June.

Here’s Sound Transit’s news release:

The Sound Transit Board of Directors

…

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Puyallup’s next police chief is a familiar face.

Deputy Chief Bryan Jeter  will take over Puyallup’s department when Chief Jim Collyer retires at the end of May. The city just announced the choice.

Here’s the city’s news release:

Puyallup City Manager Ralph Dannenberg this morning announced the appointment of Deputy Chief Bryan Jeter as Puyallup’s newest police chief effective May 30, 2012.He will replace retiring police chief, Jim Collyer.

Dannenberg said he talked with several police chiefs in the area, the executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs as well as numerous Puyallup Police Department employees. ”Each person

…

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With little emotion or discussion, Presbyterian leaders have voted to dismiss four churches that decided to leave the denomination after it started allowing noncelibate gay ministers.

Like the end of an amicable divorce, the regional body Wednesday night approved the departure of each congregation, ending nearly a year of study and negotiation.

After some speakers praised aspects of the negotiation process, the Rev. David Alger spoke up.

Alger, who was a member of the committee negotiating with First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma, called that church a “major institution in our city.”

“I think we should shed some tears,” Alger …

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The state Department of Health took the following actions regarding Pierce County health care providers, according to a news release.

According to the release:

The Nursing Commission in March charged registered nurse Andrea M. McGonigle with unprofessional conduct. She allegedly failed to follow protocol when administering medications to patients, and failed to check a patient for an allergic reaction to a medication.

The Massage Program in March granted the application of Gillian Doreen Meyer and placed conditions against her license. She was found guilty of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine.

The Nursing Assistant Program in March denied the …

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Phone service is out today (Wednesday) in the Bethel School District. Century Link is working to resolve the problem, which has affected calls both to and from Bethel Schools, school officials said.

The fate of Puyallup’s red-light cameras isn’t settled, but at least one City Council member who had doubts about the program now says he’s been won over.

“I wanted to study (the program) to find out wherein lies the myths, fact and fiction,” Councilman Steve Vermillion said during a council study session Tuesday night.

Vermillion’s own research into photo enforcement and information provided by the Puyallup Police Department eased his concerns, and “I’m a supporter now,” he said.

Some other council members also said during and after the session that they support …

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The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will hold a free vaccination clinic Saturday to help protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases. Vaccinations to prevent Tetanus- Diphtheria-Pertussis (Tdap) will be available at the Health Department from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Children’s immunizations (Dtap) will also be available. The health department is at 3629 S. “D” St. in Tacoma.

The state Department of Health reports that whooping cough (pertussis) is at epidemic levels in Washington and that cases are continuing to rise. The total number of cases – 1,008 as of April 21 – is more than was reported …

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