Word from the News Tribune is that two officers have been shot somewhere in Pierce County around 9pm. A suspect is reported shot and potentially decease and the officers are in critical condition. Officers are still reporting to the scene which started as a domestic violence call.

More info as it becomes available.

My first thought upon waking up this morning was Plasmodium protozoan Malaria.  Why?  Because I have been studying Microbiology and recently read a fantastic book entitled Invisible Enemies: Stories of Infectious Disease by Jeanette Farrell.  The average person on the street shivers with fear when microbes are mentioned because the tiny microscopic bugs are associated with death and disease, despite scientific knowledge that disease-causing bacteria are a small fraction of the beneficial or non-harming microbes.

Without microbes, we would all be dead.  There might not even be any rain or snow since bacteria assist in their creation.  There definitely would be no plant or animal life, since scientists know that oxygen was originally produced by cyanobacteria.  Without beneficial bacteria hanging out on our skin and mucous membranes, we would have died long ago.  They help us digest our food, synthesize vitamins (E. coli synthesizes vitamin K, niacin, B12, etc.), and occupy niches otherwise empty for pathogenic microbes.  Probiotics, or good bacteria in our guts, help strengthen our immune system, reduce allergies, helps us digest food better, and in new research, probiotics may even be directly related to weight gain or weight loss, depending on one’s intestinal probiotic make-up.  Even more exciting is the new discovery that bacteria are passed on from mother to child and may be as much of a factor in obesity as genetics.

Our entire ecosystem depends on microbes — specifically, soil microbes that are responsible for decomposition of organic matter into reusable food sources.  Bacteria, fungi, and protozoa (all microbes) release enzymes that drive the life-giving carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles in soil that facilitates organic matter turnover into nutrient-rich soil for plants.  Microbes make or break healthy soil by affecting its structure or even soil’s ability to hold water for plants.

These microbes—bacteria, fungi, and protozoa—release enzymes that drive the important carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles in soil and facilitate turnover of organic matter, making nutrients available to plants.

Microbes affect soil structure by breaking down needed nutrients and retaining moisture for plants.  By monitoring microbes in the soil we can watch for early warning signs of nutrient and moisture depletion that affect plant growth.  Using pesticides and other chemicals to kill pathogenic microbes also kill beneficial microbes, causing a lose-lose situation for microbes, soil, and plants. Farming practices may disrupt the soil ecosystem and decrease the effectiveness of microbe communities, such as tilling the soil that disrupts their life cycle in soil.

Recently my soon-to-be-wedded-hubs smacked a bumper sticker on my car that stated “Admit it, Tacoma.  You are beautiful.”  This now sits above my “I Heart Tagro” bumper sticker.  Tagro, short for Tacoma Grow, has won three Environmental Protection Agency Awards and three sewage/biosolids awards since 1995.  We are nationally-known for our beautiful Tacoma sewage-turned-potting soil.  All-natural TAGRO products are made from pasteurized waste-water byproducts called biosolids, sawdust and other gardening elements.  Research at Washington State University and the University of Washington show that plants using TAGRO grow taller, greener, and produce more than plants grown in commercial or chemical products.  Since Pierce County has had septic waste issues in the not-so-distant past, TAGRO is a welcomed relief to unite friendly environment products with solid waste disposal.  Tacoma is on the forefront of the the recycling sewage movement into usable soil additives, and I can only hope that this venture spreads elsewhere in the country.

The cost of TAGRO is $8 per truckload (U-haul) if a Tacoma resident and $10 per truckload if a Pierce County resident.  Truly, those prices are unbeatable.  If you are looking for a small amount of potting soil, there is a free pile at the TAGRO facility or for a small fee, in individually-packed bags.

TAGRO builds up soil nutrients, fosters healthy microbial growth, and produces beautiful plants.  Soil microbes love good organic fertilizers.  Texas Scientists have discovered that microbes release nutrients from fertilizers at an impressive rate, unlocking those nutrients at the precise time strawberry plants need them the most.

When humans are long gone, microbes will still be around, accomplishing their important tasks.  We can be destroyed by them or choose to utilize them properly, replacing our foolish misconception that we are Nature’s Overlords to rather work in conjunction with the invisible world to unify humankind with our rightful place as a part (not the whole) of nature.

In the City of Tacoma Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, entitled “Food and Water”, it is the City of Tacoma’s policy that “citizens are advised to be prepared to be on their own for 7-10 days following a disaster.”  Who has enough food and water to last 7-10 days (besides the Mormons)?

What would happen if our grocery stores ran out of food and we were cut off from Sysco’s delivery system?  What would the city of Tacoma do if, due to natural or man-made disasters, we could no longer obtain enough food or clean water for our area?  Ding Dongs and Ho Hos may last millennia, but there are only so many to go around in Tacoma circles.

Our system hangs on thin threads if such an event were to occur.  We depend on our grocery stores for our food, not on our gardens.  Adding to the problem is that each state specializes in certain commodities, thereby limiting the critical nature of diversifying produce.  In our region, we could find blueberries and other fruits in the Skagit valley, rhubarb, corn, beets, and a few other veggies in Puyallup, apples in Olympia, Wilcox chickens from the Graham area, but seriously, there is just not enough local food to take care of our local people, and in the event of a serious disaster, we would have no way to obtain those goods anyway.

What would happen if a disaster happened in our region?  A tsunami, earthquake, or Rainier rupturing?  While the City of Tacoma may have a plan, have they ever put the full plan to use to see if the Chain of Command holds up and works smoothly?

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the urgency to find family members became a frantic cat-and-mouse game for many people as evacuation and subsequent relocation efforts took place.  Children ended up in different cities from their parents.  Not only finding lost loved ones, but basic survival needs were left out of the picture, and people died because of inept plans by the city, county, State, and nation.  Is Tacoma ready for such an event?  I hope so.  Are you?

Tacoma’s Emergency Plan encourages people to make a family disaster kit that is ready to grab and go in the event of a disaster.  Above all, the essentials should include water, food, medications, and a journal that lists contact information, meet-up location, and out of state relatives’ information.

Disaster Kit Checklist

Tacoma’s Emergency Disaster Guide encourages each person to have a kit containing these items available for use (and provides a  more detailed list than what I post below):

Water: Store a minimum of one gallon per person per day (for drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene).  Store enough for one week.

Food and Food Preparation: Store non-perishable foods, avoiding foods that will make you thirsty. Store enough for one week.  Include all food preparation items, such as can openers, cooking camp stove, utensils, etc.

First Aid: Purchase a commercial first aid kit or assemble your own, and ensure that medications, bandages, neosporin for cuts, alcohol swabs, and sanitation towelettes are included.

Sanitation and Personal Hygiene: include such things as bleach, personal toothbrushes, toilet paper, covered container to use as a toilet, trash bags, etc.

Sleeping and Clothing Supplies: complete change of clothes for each person, warm blankets and sleeping pads, etc.

Shelter, Communication, Tools and Other Supplies: small fire extinguisher, wrench to turn off all gas and other utilities in house, NOAA “all hazards” radio; batteries, utility knife, whistle, rope, broom, and of course, the all-inclusive high quality duct tape.

Essential Family Identification and Documentation: Store in a waterproof, portable container.  (Much of this should be part of your Family Communication Plan.) Include traveler’s checks or cash, etc. and copies of personal identification: birth, marriage, and passport IDs work well.

Disaster preparedness for people with special needs can be found on page 14 of the Disaster Guide.

If you are notified that an event is imminent within 24 hours, it is time to put your preparedness plans into action — make sure your disaster kit is handy, move animals to high ground, fill your car’s gas tank, be prepared to evacuate, check for family and neighbors with special needs to see if they need assistance; if evaculation is required, pick two places to  meet if your family is separated, preferably a location a safe distance outside your neighborhood, and ensure all members have a check-in person to call outside the area in case of separation, and leave a note in the house of your location and contact information.

If time permits, turn off all utilities at the main power switch and close off the main gas valve.  Move all valuables to upper floors or higher elevation, fill bathtubs, sinks, and plastic soda bottles with clean water after first disinfecting containers; bring outdoor possessions such as grills, inside.

In Pierce County, there are approximately 4,000 locations identified as potential emergency shelters which will be announced on the radio and by City Personnel.

In Pierce County, neighbors have formed Neighborhood Emergency Teams with the help of Pierce County Emergency Management.  Pierce County Neighborhood Emergency Teams, or PC-NET, offers training for communication, first aid, damage assessment, safety and security, light search and rescue, shelter and special needs, and crime prevention, plus overall coordination of these teams.

For more information call Pierce County Emergency Management at 253-798-6595, or go online to www.piercecountywa.org/prepare; and also print off these two pdf checklists (press ctrl and click on the link to open):

72 Hour Kit Checklist
Disaster Supplies List

To get additional copies of Pierce County’s Disaster Guide, call 253-798-2725 or print a copy from the website: www.piercecountywa.org/flood

Water Storage Tips:
www.pep-c.org/storagetips/

This past October was the first ever Pierce County Emergency Preparedness Day, and sadly, I never heard about it in time to attend.  Worse, the next training session isn’t until October 9, 2010, so a full year from now!  I believe it is the duty of Tacoma and Pierce County to host trainings every few months and raise more public awareness about disaster preparedness.

In the meantime, check out the links, and think about preparing yourself in the event of a disaster.

Nearly 30 years ago, a group of freeholders were elected by the people of Pierce County to craft a new form of county government. Larry Faulk was one of those elected freeholders and a member of the three person drafting committee.

The vehicle for accomplishing that goal was a new document called the Pierce County Charter. In the process of drafting the charter there were 52 public meetings where people listened to experts; questionnaires were sent out, the answers considered and the group studied other charters.  The Freeholders met twice a week for six months, and on many occasions, considering so much testimony, meetings often lasted past midnight.

The issue of term limits became a cornerstone provision of the Pierce County Charter because Pierce County had a powerful and entrenched board of three commissioners, who executed power over both the legislative and executive responsibilities of government.  Freeholders sought to correct that undue concentration of political influence by creating an elected county council for the legislative functions and an elected county executive for the executive branch.

The issue of term limits was never controversial because of input stating that Freeholders needed to create a county government truly of the people, by the people and for the people of Pierce County – rather than a government of political insiders and entrenched politicians.

That charter, approved by the people, limited the executive and county council to two consecutive terms in office.  It was that resolve, to make government more open and inclusive for all, that made Pierce County the first county in the nation to establish term limits for its elected officials.

Today, it is the current Pierce County Council that has proposed 12 charter changes in the past three years.  That brings the total of proposed amendments to 39 since our charter was voted into existence in 1980. The Constitution of The United States has only been amended 26 times in 222 years. The Pierce County Charter is a governing document and should be changed infrequently and only after much consideration and public debate. That has not happened since the council began proposing changes to the charter in 2007.

Now the Pierce County Council wants the voters to extend their own term limits. This is bad public policy and self serving.  Extending term limits will return this county to a concentrated power of political insiders and entrenched politicians.

In crafting the Pierce County Charter, the Freeholders, established a limit of two terms for policy makers including the council and executive. It was a good balance. It was enough time then and it is enough time today, 29 years later.

Proposed Charter Amendment 1 also wants to change the election of council members and the county executive to odd numbered years. Again, the Freeholders considered that alternative and decided that elected official should be elected in even numbered years when statewide elected officials are on the ballot as well as candidates for Congress and the President. Election results over the years prove that more people turn out to vote in even year elections. By continuing to elect county council and county executive during even year elections, the charter provision ensures more voters elect those to powerful positions.

Beyond having more people vote, changing to odd year elections will cost Pierce County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars extra. Currently, with the even year elections, the Federal Government pays for county wide elections. If elections are moved to odd years, the county taxpayers will have to foot the entire cost of the election which is estimated to cost $600,000. This is not a wise use of tax dollars in this time of budget cuts.

In 1980, the entrenched county commissioners were Democrats. In 2009, the Republicans are the entrenched majority on the county council. Clearly it does not matter which party it is, both Democrats and the Republicans are subject to the old adage about power corrupting – no reason to return to the tyranny of long-term incumbents who serve special interests over the public’s interest.

The Pierce County Charter named, “We the People” is a charter created by citizens not by elected officials. Extending terms to three terms distorts the checks and balances of our system and concentrates undue political influence in the hands of a few elected officials for way too long. Eight years is plenty to get the job done.

In summary, a representative government works best because of transparency, access, diversity and discussion. A limit of two consecutive terms in office provides for a balance of interests in office. It also opens up the system to greater participation by a more diverse group of people who represent different perspectives on county public policy making.

For these reasons, vote before November 3 and reject Charter Amendment 1.

Larry Faulk is one of the three people appointed by the Pierce County Council to the all volunteer Reject Amendment 1 committee.

This past Sunday Historic Tacoma, a private non-profit organization, dedicated to Tacoma’s architectural legacy through education and advocacy, hosted a tour entitled “Sacred Spaces” of Tacoma’s churches and temples.  These architectural melange represents a colossal torrent of faith and resources within our neighborhoods.

St. Luke’s Memorial Episcopal Church, modeled after an English country church, was my first stop, where I learned that due to increasing land values and growing congregations, many churches were forced to develop in the outskirts of downtown, or even move their original church site to a new location, which is what St. Luke’s did.  Originally built on 602 Broadway with funds from Charles Wright, our Northern Pacific Railroad magnate, the church was under utilized and underfunded in the 1920s, and by 1934 destruction plans were underway to use the site for new homes.  The potential demolition of St. Luke’s vitalized Tacomans to accomplish the city’s first preservation effort to save St. Luke.  Each stone was carefully marked, then moved, one block at a time, to North Grove Street, surrounded by tranquil houses and a quiet neighborhood.  A Portland Oregon Architect, Joseph Sherwin, was responsible for the church’s design, as well as our first Pierce County Courthouse and the original Central School.

At the door Chris Van Vechten and I were greeted and directed to the transept where two teenagers greeted us and described the traditional Gothic style and history of St. Luke’s.  Most Gothic churches are in the cruciform plan, a Latin cross, with a long nave marking the long slender body (the aisle with seats on either side) and a transverse arm called the transept and beyond that, an extension that houses the altar and choir.  In St. Luke’s, the nave houses beautiful clerestory windows, stained glass depicting different aspects of Christ’s life.

Secretly, I have always wanted to gong a church bell — to swing like Tarzan and make the Old Lady’s head turn with distaste at my frantic upswing.  St. Luke’s provided me with a chance to half-way meet the mark, and while nobody was looking, I quietly pulled a rope and a loud sound erupted from the bell, lighting Van Vechten’s wild eyes up.  I was unceremoniously and loudly shushed by him and the Elder below, due to the choir solemnly singing their liturgies.  Gleefully I turned away, and as I slowly climbed down the stairs I looked longingly at that bell tower.

Our next stop was Northwest Baptist Seminary which was originally the home of John and Anna Weyerhaeuser, built in 1923 in the Tudor revival estate design.  The seminary has spectacular views of Brown’s Point, Vashon Island, the Olympic Peninsula, Mount Rainier, and even SeaTac’s control tower.  After the Weyerhaeuser’s death, the Dominican sisters of Marymount acquired the buildings and turned it into a Catholic junior College for women.  Of course, reading the Seminary’s “history” section of their website says nothing about the building history, but rather why they moved from Southern California to Tacoma: “Northwest Baptist Seminary was established at a time when modernism had overtaken many Baptist theological schools where pastors were trained.  Bible-believing Baptists were protesting, but as  long as they were dependent upon institutions whose faculty members did not believe the Word of God to produce their pastoral leadership, the spiritual darkness would only get worse.”

While I do not know the in’s and out’s of Christians pulling the wool over other Christians like common heathens do, I do know the Tudor house is astoundingly beautiful.  Secret doors, in plain sight, are disguised by blending in with the panel wooden walls.  Heavy chimneys and decorative timbering gives this mini-mansion a Medieval flavor.  The name Tudor suggests it was built in the 1500s during the Tudor Dynasty in England, but of course this Weyerhaeuser re-invention was not, but rather features beautifully patterned brick and is combined with striking decorative timbers.

My next stop was First Church of Christ, Scientist on Division Avenue.  Knowing nothing of their faith but thinking they must indeed be uniquely crazy, I was enthralled with every aspect of the structure, the people, and their ideas.  After listening in on a mini-history of the place, I picked up a free copy of “The Christian Science Journal” which loudly booms “100th Anniversary of The Christian Science Monitor” on its front cover.   The Church of Christ, Scientist headquarter website says that a Mary Baker Eddy first “discovered” Christian Science, and that they are  a “universal, practical system of spiritual, prayer-based Christian healing, available and accessible to everyone.”

The land on which the current edifice stands was donated by Hugh Ferguson, who gave it in gratitude for the healing of his wife by the Christian Scientists.  In 1911 the current church was built at a cost of $45,000. The Christian Scientists have a fascinating history of constructing interesting and revolutionary ecclesiastical designs, built to engage and entice people inside. The cream-colored building was built on a pyramidal plot, which forced the design to be built in the Greek Revival style, declared “one of Tacoma’s finest showplaces.”  The cream-colored building with its ionic capitals atop fluted pillars at the entrance and blue-green copper dome is a well-known Tacoma landmark, and owes its design to Frederick Heath, one of Tacoma’s most prominent architects.

Heath was appointed to the position of school architect in 1902 and is responsible for redesigning the luxurious hotel that was burned to the ground in 1898, which was then turned into Stadium High School in 1906.  He is the “Father of the Stadium” as he also designed the bowl next to the high school.  His architectural firm was responsible for over 600 projects in the Northwest and in Tacoma, and include sites such as St. Patrick’s, First Lutheran, First Baptist, and of course First Church of Christian Scientist.

My last stop was at Urban Grace (originally First Baptist Church), 902 Market Street, also designed by Frederick Heath and finished around 1923.  While my favorite structure was St. Luke’s Episcopal, my favorite person was Sugar Ray, who was my tour guide at Urban Grace.  Ray, a member since the early inception of the church, showed me his cradle roll picture of 1925’s class.  A cute baby and now a fun young-in-heart man, he guided me by my elbow around the three stories of Urban Grace’s past history and current future, recalling the time his young son blurted out a funny prayer in one room, and his father conducting Elder meetings in another, and the story of the church splintering into factions, with one group tromping off to Fircrest to start their own Baptist branch.  The church’s Financiers thought it wouldn’t last long in downtown Tacoma, so as part of the loan deal, the church was required to be built for a backup plan: a theatre.  Born in the same era as the Rialto and Pantages theatres just down the street, Urban Grace has an auditorium that seats 1,250 and a banquet hall with a stage.  The seating in the sanctuary has Opera chairs rather than pews, and a double layer-seating for better viewing.  The subdued Gothic Revival-styled structure has glazed terracotta facing over the typical Gothic Revival cut stone on the outside.

Urban Grace serves not only as a church, but as a building dedicated to nonprofit work.  I met a young woman who was a graduate of the Palmer Scholarship fund, which helps send low-income minority students to school and also provide mentorships and counseling where needed.  I also met a representative of MLK Ballet, also housed in Urban Grace’s facility, which is a tuition-free dance program committed to quality education, dance facilities, and professional instructors.

As Historic Tacoma points out, Tacoma’s religious  buildings represent a substantial investment by the community and for the community.  The $550,000 spent to build First Presbyterian in 1924 would be more than 83 million dollars in 2009’s currency.  These churches are a significant landmark of the past.  While many, such as the 6th Avenue Baptist Church, are closing doors and shutting down, many still continue strong and have learned to cope with our culture’s current contempt of religion, such as Urban Grace’s partnerships with multiple nonprofits that work well with Urban Grace’s mission.  since 1968 protestant memberships have declined by 22% and yet the same needs for food, clothing banks, pre-schools, daycare, and meeting spaces have continued into our time, with churches learning to take whatever they can get to work within their communities.

Touring four of Tacoma’s churches gave me a sense of pride in the place I call home, and a deeper sense of the people who live here.  At St. Luke’s I viewed the crypt, filled with the ashes of previous church members, and wondered at their histories, tied indefinitely with the church’s stones, pews, and potluck halls.  Pat Harrington, a local fictional author, explained the significance of the crypt’s dove carving, and I couldn’t help but ponder the people of Tacoma, both dead and alive.

I suppose that was the point of the tour — to appreciate the past and to grasp the significance of the people through the work they left behind.

Joining Historic Tacoma is currently on my to-do list. Memberships are $30, and I am positive it will be worth every cent spent.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/1784586023/

We were pleased to hear that we would have the opportunity to sit down with three fantastic authorities on voting reform.

• Paul Jacob, former President of U.S. Term Limits and current President of Citizens in Charge
• Krist Novoselic, former bassist from Nirvana (yeah, that Nirvana), current voting reform advocate and Chair of FairVote
• Kelly Haughton, President of Citizens for a Better Ballot

Huddled in The Melon’s studio, what followed was a riveting discussion on Ranked Choice Voting, democracy, and three big amendments in Pierce County’s upcoming election.

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Download mp3

protectvoterchoice.com – Official No on Amendment 3, RCV website

noriggingthesystem.com – Official No on All 3 website

rankedchoice.blogspot.com – Kelly Haughton’s personal blog on RCV

fairvote.org – National election reform organization

Special thanks to Erik Connell for making this interview possible