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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Add plastic jars, tubs and buckets to Pierce County’s list of recyclables.

They can now be dropped into curbside recycling carts. Examples include yogurt and sour cream containers, plastic salsa jars and kitty litter buckets.

The change is for residents that are part of Pierce County’s solid waste management system, which includes all of Pierce County except for Tacoma, Ruston and Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Here’s the news release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2012

More plastic recycling options for Pierce County residents

Pierce County residents can now recycle additional plastic items. Plastic jars, tubs and buckets can be

…

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This event could be the most talked-about news at a South Tacoma shopping center since Lowe’s closed its store in the middle of the night.

Tacoma’s Hustler Hollywood will host adult film stars Ron Jeremy and Dylan Ryder this Thursday for a two-hour appearance, according to a news release.

Listen, I like my job, so I’m not going to enter those names into a search engine.

But according to the news release announcing their appearance, one of Ryder’s DVD film titles is “This Ain’t Two and a Half Men XXX” (I sense Charlie Sheen would approve). The other can’t …

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Pierce County has received a new federal flood rating, which will lower flood insurance premiums for some residents effective May 1.

The new rating will reduce rates for unincorporated Pierce County residents living in a mapped floodplain. They will receive an increased discount on flood insurance, from the current 35 percent to 40 percent.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency changed Pierce County’s flood ranking from Class 3 to Class 2 under the community rating system. It reduces flood insurance premium rates for property owners in communities that carry out floodplain programs beyond the basic requirements of the National Flood Insurance …

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The Pierce County Council will hold several meetings in local districts in the coming weeks, starting with a session Tuesday in Lakebay on the Key Peninsula.

The council will meet May 15 in the Puyallup area and May 22 in the Spanaway area. The council holds one meeting a year in each of the seven council districts.

Here’s the news release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2012

Council schedules district meetings in 3 communities

The Pierce County Council will hold upcoming meetings in Lakebay, Puyallup and Spanaway as part of its practice of taking government on the

…

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Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place will go gas-free Sunday for Earth Day.

Instead of gas-powered equipment, crews will use electric mowers, greens rollers, bunker rakes and utility vehicles for one day.

Equipment manufacturer Jacobsen and golf supply company RMT Equipment will provide the electric-powered equipment. Chambers Bay Superintendent David Wienecke has invited golf course superintendents from the region to test the equipment on the course, site of the 2015 U.S. Open.

Here’s the news release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2012

Chambers Bay goes gas-free for a day to celebrate Earth Day

It takes a lot

…

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Two Pierce County-owned parks are among the sites for volunteer cleanups Saturday.

The two county sites are the Central Meadow at Chambers Creek Regional Park and Ashford County Park.

More than 2,000 volunteers are expected to work at 43 sites from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday for Parks Appreciation Day.

Work will include spreading bark, pulling weeds and pruning and planting trees. For a list of all the sites for 16 jurisdictions and organizations, visit www.parksappreciationday.net.

Here’s the county’s news release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2012

Pierce County to host Parks Appreciation Day events at

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Boating restrictions for Fairweather Cove on north Lake Tapps aimed at curbing drinking, loud music and other unruly behavior will become permanent, the Pierce County Council decided today.

The prohibition against boats anchoring, drifting and tying together in the cove has been in place for three years and was due to expire on Aug. 31. But the council decided to remove the sunset date because the limits have worked well.

Addressing a separate issue on Lake Tapps, the County Council also voted today to ban parking along a quarter-mile stretch of 214th Avenue East on the east side of …

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