A Facebook page purporting to be associated with Orting Middle School and featuring what several online commenters described as offensive photos has been taken down, according to Orting Schools Superintendent Michelle Curry.

She said the page was brought to her attention Sunday, but that it was removed, apparently by Facebook. She said the page containing the photos was not affiliated with Orting schools and was not connected to Orting Middle School’s official website. The district was trying to contact Facebook on Monday, she added.

The Pierce County Planning Commission decided last night that it wants more time to consider a proposal that would pave the way for a mixed-used development in Sumner anchored by a YMCA.

It’s now slated to make its recommendation to the County Council in July, said senior planner Dan Cardwell.

The proposal calls for expanding the city’s urban growth area by 182 acres to the south. The Sumner-based Investco Financial Corp. owns most of the property there, and its chief executive officer has listed shops and medical and higher education facilities as possible tenants.

He’s also offered space …

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The Orting School District will help build a healthier environment for youth with the help of a grant from the state Department of Social and Health Services.
The school district is scheduled to receive $80,600 per year, beginning this July.
The grant will help fund initiatives that prevent substance abuse, reduce juvenile crime and improve academic performance. Members of the community are invited to become involved in helping to plan strategies.
To learn more, or to find out how you can become involved, contact Shelly Smith at smiths@orting.wednet.edu or Hae Man Song at hsong@co.pierce.wa.us.

Pierce County’s 17 outdoor lahar sirens in the Puyallup River Valley sounded at noon today in a successful test of the equipment and sound coverage, the county said.

The sirens warn of impending volcanic mudflow from Mount Rainier. Since October, the county has tested them once a month.

The sirens are meant to be heard by people who are outdoors, said Paul Shukovsky, a Pierce County Emergency Management spokesman. They’re part of a multi-layered warning system that would be employed in a real lahar event, he said.

There also would be warnings on TV and radio, and the Pierce County …

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The next test of Pierce County’s 17 outdoor lahar sirens is noon Monday.

The sirens, which warn of impending volcanic mudflow from Mount Rainier, will wail for up to one minute to test the siren equipment and sound coverage, according to a county news release. A handful of older, civil defense-era sirens that aren’t connected to the county’s system also will be tested at the same time.

For years, the patchwork of sirens in the Puyallup River Valley was unreliable, routinely failing to sound during tests. But 17 of them were upgraded and connected after the state Legislature provided a …

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At 10 a.m. today, Pierce County Emergency Management will test the Mount Rainier Lahar Outdoor Warning Sirens. They will wail for about one minute.

Sirens are in Puyallup, Orting, Sumner, Fife, McMillin, Riverside and Alderton.

Today’s test marks the beginning of monthly lahar tests. The tests will take place on the first Monday of every month.

If you have questions, call 253-798-7470.

Read The News Tribune’s complete story about the monthly lahar tests here.

County officials say they successfully tested a lahar warning siren in Sumner today one week after 17 sirens failed to sound during a system-wide test.

The Sumner siren emitted a minute-long wail at 10 a.m. Tuesday as planned, according to a county press release.

The siren system is designed to warn residents in Sumner, Puyallup, Fife, Orting, McMillin, Alderton and Riverside of an impending volcanic mudslide, or lahar, on its way from Mt. Rainier.

County officials upgraded the siren system last year using a $300,000 state grant. But none of the upgraded sirens went off during a test May 4. …

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The county will test its upgraded lahar warning system Tuesday at 10 a.m., which will cause 17 alarms to blare for about a minute.

The sirens are located in four cities and three unincorporated areas: Sumner, Fife, Puyallup, Orting, McMillin, Riverside and Alderton.

This will be the first time the county tests its upgraded, interconnected warning system. Older sirens not connected to the new system will not go off.

Some schools may coordinate evacuation drills in coordination with the siren testing. Read more in the county’s press release below.

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