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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conflict shut down Q&A for East Pierce mayoral candidates before the election
A mayoral race has generated heated discourse in East Pierce County. Milton, a city of nearly 9,000, is getting a new mayor for the first time since 2017. The current mayor, Shanna Styron-Sherrell, has elected not to run for re-election. 'It has been eight years, I feel I have accomplished everything I have set out to do for the city,' Styron-Sherrell told The News Tribune. 'I'm ready to move onto another chapter of my life.' Three candidates are vying for Styron-Sherrell's seat in the primary election on Aug. 5. The top two vote-getters will face each other in November's general election. The candidates are: Steve Whitaker, a council member and the current mayor pro tempore. Megan Sheridan, a former member of the Maple Valley City Council who moved to Milton in 2021. Bruce White, a council member who also served on the Kent City Council from 2002 to 2005. Heated discourse about the race prompted moderators to shut down a Facebook group recently that was meant to help residents get to know the candidates. Milton in the Middle Susan Johnson – a former council member who serves on the city's planning commission – got the idea to make a Facebook group, 'Milton in the Middle,' at the end of May. 'I did create Milton in the Middle for purposes of discussion to create a question-and-answer forum for the three candidates in Milton,' Johnson told The News Tribune. 'Milton is known for controversial mayoral elections – one of the events that caused an issue is: 'Do we want only Milton people to be participating in this or do we want to open it to everyone?'' Johnson said about the Facebook group. 'At first it was closed, you would be approved to come in – and then I talked about it with [one of the admins] and said, 'Let's just do it, let's just open it up.'' Afterward, Johnson said, posts about national politics started flooding the group. 'After it was opened up outside of Milton – Fife, Edgewood, anyone else – we started seeing the real politicization in a nonpartisan race occurring,' Johnson said. On June 8, Styron-Sherrell made a Facebook post encouraging people to keep partisan politics out of the race. 'Voters should be evaluating candidates based on their character, experience, community involvement, and ideas, not their presidential vote or party affiliation,' Styron-Sherrell wrote. 'Asking a local candidate who they voted for at the national level, especially after the last election, is both irrelevant and inappropriate.' Johnson paused the group on July 21. Posts within it are still visible, but no one can post or comment in the group. Sheridan's time in Maple Valley Conflict arose after Johnson posted minutes from 2018 meetings of the Maple Valley City Council in the group, including minutes about Sheridan leaving the council. Johnson said that while she posted Sheridan's minutes first, she also posted minutes from Whitaker and White's time on the Milton City Council as well. 'You need to know the history of your local government and who's done what and who's done well and who hasn't done well,' Johnson said. 'I posted something from Maple Valley and all of it was directly from their website and then from a conversation with their city clerk.' Sheridan told The News Tribune that after Johnson's post, she got slammed with calls and messages accusing her of abandoning the City of Maple Valley. She said she left the city in 2018 because her son, a young Black man, was the target of racial attacks. 'He no longer felt safe and my number one priority is going to be to protect my kid and others – obviously, as a mom, protecting him [comes] first. We made the decision to move out of Maple Valley,' Sheridan said. 'So I shared that I was resigning from my seat and it was due to family concerns and left it at that.' Sheridan moved to Milton in 2021. The News Tribune asked her what made her decide to run for office again. 'I was an empty nester and saw that there was a need in Milton for a leader who looks at things proactively and making sure that we as a city are implementing a proactive strategy that's really based on facts and data,' Sheridan said. When The News Tribune asked Whitaker about the social media discourse surrounding the race, he said he hasn't given it a lot of energy. 'It's been like that since we've lived here and that was before social media was a big deal,' Whitaker said. 'I've lived in Milton for 20 years and it's, like, the elections have always been like this. They're passionate.' When The News Tribune asked White about it, he laughed. 'I'm sharply aware of it — however, I have decided not to engage in it at all,' White said. 'I just decided that people that are engaging in the nastiness have already made up their minds and me injecting myself into it wasn't going to change anyone's mind.' 'Personal agendas, misinformation, and divisive behavior' Styron-Sherrell, who initially planned to stay out of the race, endorsed Whitaker the same day Milton in the Middle shut down. 'He is thoughtful, grounded, and committed to serving the entire community with transparency and respect,' Styron-Sherrell wrote. 'At a time when personal agendas, misinformation, and divisive behavior are far too common in our local politics, Steve stands out for his honesty, humility, and steady presence.' What are the candidates' visions for Milton? When The News Tribune asked the candidates what their priorities would be if elected, all of them mentioned traffic. 'Our leading indicators that we could directly focus on for our community is traffic – and taking our existing traffic data and making sure both are included in a traffic improvement plan and grants are directly tying into that data and using it effectively,' Sheridan said. Sheridan also mentioned that she would keep an eye on Milton's new 'megachurch' along Taylor Street, and monitor its impacts on traffic. 'We're probably a year or two out from really understanding the impact there,' Sheridan said. White said traffic is a big deal because people speed through Milton and put residents at risk. 'The number one complaint that I get at people's doors is that Milton is used as a pass-through town – people are speeding,' White said. 'I want to be transparent and listen to residents.' Whitaker talked about both traffic and infrastructure. He said he would address speeding with stoplight and school zone cameras, then use the money from those cameras to fund sidewalks. 'Once we pay their fees and we pay the vendor for their portion, the money that's left over is going to be used for a fund in public safety which would also include sidewalks,' Whitaker said. Whitaker also said he would make it a priority to keep up with the city's growth by keeping up with infrastructure, including for affordable housing and for the city's water supply. 'There's a deep well that's being drilled,' Whitaker said. 'It's going through testing and it should be up and running by next summer, so that will help fill that gap a little bit.' White also supported 'fixing our water quality issues' and said he wants to focus on building infrastructure. 'People are asking for us to connect the sidewalks we have and to make the city walkable,' White said. 'And there are streets in our town that haven't been paved in decades and they're full of potholes and people would like us to do something about that.' Sheridan said another priority for her would be economic development. 'I owned a brick-and-mortar business, so I understand how local businesses are impacted by what their cities do,' Sheridan said. 'With economic development, we can take retail reports and use it to proactively attract and partner with businesses so we know the data's available.' Sheridan said this would drive economic development and allow the city to 'diversify our tax burden on our residents and businesses.' All of the candidates did agree on one thing: their love for Milton. 'It's just that common love for the City of Milton,' Whitaker said. 'Everybody wants the best for Milton and I think when you have that in common focus, then that's powerful.' White said that extends to the candidates at the heart of the heated race. 'I can call Steve and I can call Megan and we can have a great conversation,' White said. 'We have our disagreements, but we will come out of this, whoever wins, as friends.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Four trapped by high tide near viewpoint at Point Defiance Park. Rescue underway
A technical rescue is underway after four people were trapped by high tide near a viewpoint along Five Mile Drive at Point Defiance Park. 'Some folks were caught on the beach when the tide came in, and it's sounding like they've climbed to safety. They're just stuck there now,' Tacoma Fire Department spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd told The News Tribune. The fire department received a call at 4:36 p.m. and sent both ground crews and a fire boat to the area. The four people were near Dalco Passage Viewpoint and walking on the beach below the cliffs when they were trapped by the high tide, Shepherd told The News Tribune. 'The tide comes in pretty fast, and it comes all the way up to the cliff,' she said. Shepherd said that a technical rescue can take hours and involve ropes, pulleys and other assists. The boat is assisting from the water side and ground crews on Five Mile Drive might either rappel down the cliff or assist with pulling the four people up, she said. The rescue is ongoing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Growth, parking and small-town charm are at the heart of this Pierce County race
Ballots for the 2025 primary election are out, and Sumner is getting a new mayor. Mayor Kathy Hayden is not running for re-election. Hayden has been the town's mayor since 2022, serving a four-year term. Three candidates are now vying to follow in her footsteps – including the city's current deputy mayor and Hayden's predecessor who is fighting to reclaim his seat. This mayoral race has sparked conversations about growth, affordable housing, taxes, Sumner's historic downtown and more. Residents have until Aug. 5 to vote in the primary election. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election in November. Who are the candidates? There are three people running for Sumner mayor: deputy mayor Carla Bowman, former mayor Bill Pugh and attorney David Shelvey. Bowman serves on the Sumner City Council and has also served as a board member of the Tacoma/Pierce County Economic Development Board. She has worked in the aerospace manufacturing field for 28 years. 'I decided to run for mayor because I love our city, but I also feel it needs a strong, forward-thinking leader,' Bowman told The News Tribune. Pugh served as the city's mayor from 2018 to 2021. When The News Tribune asked him why he didn't run re-election after his last term ended, he said he needed a break – but that he is now itching to return. 'I was a little worn out – it was a tough time with the pandemic, we had an urban fire, we had flooding, we had snowstorms. So at the end of that, I said, 'OK, time for a break,'' Pugh said. 'But then I discovered that, 'No, [being mayor], that's my calling. That's what I want to do.'' Pugh served as the assistant city manager and public works director for the City of Tacoma from 1974 to 2008. Then, when he moved to Sumner, he served as the city's public works and public services director from 2008 to 2017. He has a master's degree in engineering from Pennsylvania State University. The News Tribune reached out to Shelvey, but did not get a response by deadline. According to the Pierce County Voters' Pamphlet, Shelvey is an attorney, tax advisor and volunteer president of the Tacoma Eagles Club. 'I am running for mayor of Sumner because I am committed to our community's future,' Shelvey wrote in the voters' pamphlet. 'Since becoming president of the Tacoma Eagles, I helped turn the struggling club around. With the support of officers and members, we have become one of the top ten Eagles' clubs in Washington for member growth.' Shelvey has a law degree and master's degrees in project management, intellectual property, taxes and antitrust law. Sumner's growth and affordable housing Bowman and Pugh both told The News Tribune that they would tackle growth, affordable housing and revitalizing downtown. 'I love the town, so I really want to see the city maintain its heritage and core values and not lose that while we grow,' Bowman told The News Tribune. Bowman said that while growth and development are inevitable – especially since Sumner has to meet certain growth targets from the state – she would prioritize projects that make sense for Sumner. 'I know that the state has mandated a certain number of housing units by a certain year,' Bowman said. 'It doesn't mean that we have to develop, it means that we have to have the capability to develop. I would make sure the development aligns with our community's character.' She said she would also work on ways to engage with the community on future projects, such as hosting forums at the senior center. '[I want to] pull people in and listen to residents and business owners and give them a seat at the table in shaping how our city grows, instead of just an open house where people can come in and put comments on a Post-It board,' Bowman said. Bowman also said she would fight for more affordable housing by pursuing grants at the federal, state and county levels, and standardizing housing plans so that it is cheaper to build affordable housing. She also said she would go after tax reductions and exemptions for seniors and other vulnerable groups. 'I walk the city a lot with my husband and I have actually talked with people that are out front, gardening in their homes, and they are selling their family home that they grew up in because they can't afford the property taxes,' Bowman said. 'These are people on a fixed income, they're seniors, and they just can't continue to live there because of the rising costs.' Pugh also said that he would embrace growth, meet the state's growth targets and be strategic about keeping Sumner's charm and small town feel. 'We have a plan to increase densities with higher buildings in the downtown area near city hall and also near the YMCA,' Pugh said. 'And we did that so we can preserve the quality of our neighborhoods, which are truly unique, and so we've continued to do to that to make sure housing gets built.' During Pugh's first term, the city participated in the South Sound Housing Affordability Partners. He said Sumner contributed to a fund that developed affordable housing in Pierce County, and he would continue to do that if re-elected as mayor. Visions for downtown Sumner Bowman and Pugh both said they would prioritize bringing growth and sustainability to Sumner's Main Street. Pugh called downtown Sumner 'a treasure.' 'It's one of the things that drew me to Sumner,' Pugh said. Pugh said one of the biggest issues facing downtown is parking. 'An issue that I heard from a lot of the merchants has to do with parking … if you don't have parking then there's no cars and you don't have customers,' Pugh said. 'But at a certain point, if you have an overabundance of parking, that can restrict your customers from getting into downtown.' Pugh said parking would be something the city is 'really going to have to watch,' and that he would work with merchants, the Main Street Association and Sound Transit to evaluate the parking situation. He also said he would monitor the new Sumner station once it's built and see if it improves parking. He also said he supports current projects underway to revitalize Heritage Park and Hops Alley. Pugh said he is proud of many accomplishments from his first term, including replacing the Cannery Bridge and upgrading the Traffic Ave interchange. He also said he would support establishing a transportation benefit district, which would collect taxes for local infrastructure projects. 'Some priorities that we need to work on [include] maintaining our local streets,' Pugh said. 'The council is considering a transportation benefit district and I think that's a good approach.' Bowman said she would prioritize bringing more people to downtown. 'We have adorable shops and I know that we don't always get enough people in the town for these shops to make a lot of revenue,' Bowman said. She said she would look into putting billboards on freeways to lure people into downtown, and she also wants to bring a big business to Sumner for the economic boost. 'We could put stores like a Trader Joe's or a Northwest Market – something that will pull people in,' Bowman said. 'Our citizens drive up the hill to shop in Bonney Lake, or up the hill to shop in Puyallup.' 'There is a strong sense of community' Both candidates said the community is their favorite part of living in Sumner. 'Not everybody agrees on everything, but there is a strong sense of community in Sumner and I want to see the community thrive and I want to support people in the town that they live in,' Bowman said. Bowman said she wants to be a strong, forward-thinking leader for Sumner, while Pugh said his best quality is making partnerships that bring change. 'I don't want to see us go backwards, and I want things improved and the only way you can do that sometimes … is through partnerships,' Pugh said. 'There's partnerships with the school district, or the library, or the YMCA, or other nonprofits. That's what I'm good at, is partnering, and in fact, I believe that's the only way you really move a community ahead.' Residents can learn more about both campaigns at and the 'Vote Carla Bowman for Sumner Mayor' Facebook page. For information on registering to vote, drop boxes and more, visit the Pierce County Elections page at Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Alert asks Pierce County residents to follow watering schedule, skip Fridays
Many Artondale residents should avoid watering their lawns or gardens on certain days to conserve water this summer, according to an alert Monday to customers of Washington Water Service. 'As the weather warms up and water use tends to increase, Washington Water is asking our Artondale customers to conserve water throughout the summer so that we can continue providing the appropriate water supply for health, safety, and firefighting capabilities,' the alert said. Customers who live in the area highlighted on a map Washington Water posted on its website should avoid outdoor irrigation from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. and on Fridays, per the alert. Washington Water Service also asks customers to adhere to a watering schedule as follows: ▪ Water on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday if your address ends in an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9). ▪ Water on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday if your address ends in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8). The water district will inform customers when they can return to normal water use, the alert said. Those with questions or concerns can reach the Customer Service Center by calling (877) 408-4060, or emailing customerservice@ The News Tribune was not immediately able to reach a Washington Water Service representative Monday afternoon.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shop local Tacoma artists at newly opened ‘Grit City Made' in Old Town
Tucked away a block from the Ruston Way waterfront in Old Town is a new business selling Tacoma artwork, from ceramic baby-head bolo ties to stickers, jewelry, magnets, glass planters and whimsical paintings. Grit City Made had its grand opening earlier this month at 2209 N. 30th St. The owners (who are Tacoma artists) describe the retail space as 'a treasure trove of eclectic creations' and each item 'an enchanting reflection of our community's uniqueness.' On Thursday, owners Krystal Jimenez, Mary Patton and Natalie Haywood told The News Tribune they were lucky to find a brick-and-mortar shop that checked their boxes. All owners still sell their work at local markets (find them at next week's Art on the Ave festival), but they wanted to have a permanent space where artists could sell their wares with less volatility. Jimenez, who uses they/them and she/her pronouns, said the choice to open the shop was an opportunity to 'reinvest into ourselves and our community.' Market sales can vary depending on the day, crowd or placement of an artist's booth, and sometimes artists make no sales despite investing time and money to sell at a market, they said. At Grit City Made, artists receive 65% of the sales from their work, with the remaining 35% going to support the business, Haywood said. 'Typically it would be a 50/50, and we know that that can be really difficult to survive on,' she said. 'We really just want to create a space where artists can thrive.' Patton said some shoppers have anxiety that prevents them from attending big markets, which can also have limited parking and hours. Grit City Made is accessible, intends to offer sensory-friendly and mask-wearing hours in the future, and will be open four days a week, she said. In the future Grit City Made hopes to offer classes and private events, possibly moving to a larger space with a studio, Patton said. Currently in the works is a 'Labubu and Me' workshop for people to create charm necklaces for themselves and their viral keychain plushie. Follow Grit City Made's Instagram or check out its website for a calendar of events. On the shelves are the owners' own creations. Jimenez (of Yo Its Cake) specializes in ceramics and is known colloquially as the 'baby head lady,' they said. Patton (of Patton Glass) makes hand-blown glass work, and Haywood (of Nat Haywood Vibes) is a multi-disciplinary artist who makes resin sculptures and paintings 'that border between mysticism and reality and how the natural world plays with us in that realm,' she said. Other artists featured now include Outer Rim Art, Jess Drew That, Lovesome Dove, Plastino Arts, Sketchboard Joy, Maxwell Woodworking, Change Face and Mythic Wick. Jimenez said all the artists made at least one sale the first day the shop was open. Haywood said as a single mom she wants to show her daughter she, too, can follow her dreams. 'No one, quite frankly, ever told me I could be an artist. No one told me I could be a small business owner. In fact, it's just been met with criticism and worries and projections,' she said. 'And I just want her to know, like, if something is your passion, you can make a living off of it. You can, you really can. And it helps doing it with your friends.' Although 'it's just really hard to exist right now,' Patton said, they're using the shop as 'an anchor or a stronghold for us.' 'We've kind of described this as, like, our soft rebellion,' Patton said. 'We're here, supporting our community, putting money back into it. A lot of our artists are disabled or BIPOC. A lot of them are full-time artists. Some of them do other jobs, like teach or work in the schools. So it's just really important to uplift our community directly.' ▪ Grit City Made is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. ▪ Any artists interested in selling their wares at the shop can contact hello@
