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Dog waste that isn’t picked up and disposed of by owners is a source of pollution for stormwater runoff, says Shauna Hansen, public education and outreach coordinator for the Surface Water Management division for the city of Tacoma.
“We’ve promoted this message for a long time,” said Hansen. “No matter the size of the deposit, it will pollute local waterways because pet waste has harmful bacteria in it that contributes to water-quality problems when it washes into storm drains.”
The city’s dog waste law, which was passed in 2007, states, “It is a violation for any person to fail to immediately remove fecal matter deposited by a dog or other animal in his or her possession on public property such as park property, school grounds, public rights-of-way, or public easements or on private property that does not belong to the animal’s owner or custodian.” Violators are subject to a fine of $250.
One effort to help pet owners be responsible and meet the law by scooping their pet’s poop is Tacoma’s Neighborhood Dog Waste Station program. The city is piloting this program with a goal of installing 20 bag stations throughout the city by the end of the year.
Each station has a sign depicting a friendly pooch with a call to “Do your doody” and provides dog owners with bags to scoop their pet’s waste and dispose of it properly in the trash.
“Pierce County started this program a few years ago, and we are just starting it in Tacoma this year,” said Hansen.
The program relies on individual homeowners who are encouraged to sponsor a station in their neighborhood.
“The sponsor applies for a bag station free of charge, and we install it in a publicly accessible location in their neighborhood where pet waste is a problem,” Hansen said. “Then they are responsible for monitoring the station and restocking the bags when the initial rolls of bags run out. The sponsors can reuse any type of extra plastic bags they collect at home, and that’s one of the reasons we like this station design.”
Neighborhoods that would like to sponsor a bag station in their area can call Hansen at 253-502-2284 or get more information and an application form at www.cityoftacoma.org/scoopywatch.
Scoopy Doo, a dog-costumed mascot who loves Puget Sound, attends community events and encourages pet owners to be responsible with their dog’s waste. The events are fun for kids, especially the poop toss game where kids can win a prize by tossing baggies into a tin can.
“I think it’s most effective to keep a sense of humor when talking to folks about this topic,” said Hansen.
Joey Furuto, community and neighborhood parks manager for Metro Parks Tacoma, said all dog parks in Tacoma have dog bags available, as well as signs alerting dog owners to be sure to be responsible with their pet’s waste.
“We train our staff, and they have cards that they pass out to dog owners who aren’t going by the rules. The cards have a few facts about picking up waste or putting dogs back on the leash,” he said.
Furuto noted that when people don’t follow the poop-and-scoop rules, it affects all parkgoers and maintenance staff. Officials encourage visitors to scoop up the poop and dispose of it in the garbage (in plastic bags) or flush it down the toilet.
Stressing that 90 percent of dog owners follow the rules, Furuto said Metro Parks likes to say that park staffs educate and Tacoma Police Department does the enforcement.
Furuto said waste on the ground is unsightly, pollutes the water and poses a health risk for pets and people, especially children.
Metro Parks has partially fenced off-leash areas and fully fenced dog parks. More information about the dog parks is at http://www.metroparkstacoma.org/dogs/.

Pet waste stations like this one encourage Tacoma residents to clean up after their dogs. (City of Tacoma/courtesy photo)
Pet waste stations like this one encourage Tacoma residents to clean up after their dogs. (City of Tacoma/courtesy photo)
Joan Cronk by — November 18, 2015 in Spotlight

If you live in Pierce County or the south King County area and are worried about the cost of repairs for your home, Rebuilding Together South Sound has the solution.
The local non-profit organization uses skilled volunteers to provide free repairs and modifications of homes to low-income homeowners. The group serves seniors, people with disabilities, or families with children.
In addition to projects throughout the year that increase the accessibility of homes or address emergency repairs, Rebuilding Day is held each year on the last Saturday in April, involving hundreds of volunteers in critical, larger-scale home projects . The projects can range from plumbing, electrical and carpentry work to replacing leaking roofs, broken flooring, windows and doors.
Applications for Rebuilding Day 2016 are being accepted 253-238-0977 and www.rebuildingtogetherss.org. The deadline is Dec. 1, 2015. To qualify, applicants must:
• Own their home.
• Meet income guidelines.
• Live in Pierce County, Federal Way or Auburn.
In 12 years of service, Rebuilding Together South Sound has helped hundreds of homeowners stay safe and healthy in their homes, a spokeswoman said. “Please help us achieve our vision of a safe and healthy home for every person by spreading the word about our services to those in need,” she said.

Volunteers do home repairs and improvements in Pierce and King counties through Rebuilding Together Puget Sound.
Volunteers do home repairs and improvements in Pierce and King counties through Rebuilding Together Puget Sound.
srmedia by — October 27, 2015 in Spotlight

When flu season hits, it can affect anyone and everyone. Catching the flu can cause you to miss out on life’s most memorable events, such as a vacation, family gatherings and get-togethers with friends. With cold and flu season right around the corner, it’s now more important than ever to take precautions to remain healthy throughout the fall and winter, especially if you’re over the age of 65, as seniors are at greater risk of developing severe flu-related illnesses.
Here are some flu prevention tips for seniors to help stay healthy throughout the entire flu season:
• Get an annual flu shot.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone six months and older get a flu shot as soon as the vaccine is available. According to a recent CVS/pharmacy study, over three-fourths of seniors (76 percent) get the flu vaccine every year and/or plan on getting the flu shot this year. Getting an annual flu vaccination is the best protection available against catching or spreading the flu.
• Educate yourself on flu vaccine options, costs and availability.
Seniors (those 65-plus) can receive the “Fluzone High Dose” vaccine, which contains four times the antigens of the regular flu vaccine and is designed to create a stronger immune response. Vaccines are available at your local drug store, and for most, the costs are completely covered by insurance, including Medicare Part B. With more than 7,800 CVS/pharmacy stores and 900 MinuteClinic locations across the U.S., offering flu shots with no appointment necessary, it is easier than ever to get vaccinated whenever it is convenient.
• Frequently wash hands throughout the day.
Touching everyday items like door handles and other surfaces can be difficult to avoid. To help combat germs, wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds and avoid touching your mouth and eyes.
• Practice good health habits.
Ninety-five percent of senior Americans (ages 65-plus) report they would take actions, including regularly washing hands, drinking more water, and taking vitamins to protect themselves from catching the flu. Getting plenty of sleep, being physically active, managing stress, drinking adequate fluids, and eating nutritious food are all healthy habits that can help to keep your immune system in top condition during flu season.
• Make sure your grandkids are safe.
Children younger than age 5 are at high risk for flu-related complications. For school-age grandchildren, remind them of the importance of hand washing and using tissues when they sneeze. Please note the influenza vaccine is not approved for children younger than six months of age, making it all the more important that family members who will be around young children throughout the fall and winter get flu shots – not only to protect themselves, but to protect their loved ones, as well.
If you experience flu-like symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately. If you have the flu, your doctor can prescribe antiviral medications that can make your symptoms less severe and make you feel better faster.
It’s not too early to get your flu shot. The sooner you get a vaccine, the better, as it does take two weeks for antibodies to develop in your body after receiving the vaccine. According to a study from the U.S. Naval Health Research Center, “getting flu shots early in the fall, before the flu season begins, may prevent the greatest number of flu cases.”
Get ahead of the illness as early as possible to avoid missing out on some of life’s most memorable moments, especially during the holidays.

Tom Davis, who wrote this article, is a registered pharmacist and

According to studies, an annual flu shot is one of the ways about 75 percent of seniors try toward off the flu.
According to studies, an annual flu shot is one of the ways about 75 percent of seniors try toward off the flu.

vice president of pharmacy professional practices at CVS/pharmacy.

Contributing Author by — October 6, 2015 in Spotlight

Some of the Elmwood Mobile Manor residents who formed a cooperative and became owners of the Puyallup-area community.
Some of the Elmwood Mobile Manor residents who formed a cooperative and became owners of the Puyallup-area community.

“We’re more of a community than ever before, and that’s a really good thing,” said Del Vecchio, who has lived in Elmwood for eight years. “It’s a big deal to have a place we can own and can project what our rent’s going to be for about 10 years.”
The homeowners in the now resident-owned community, located on a quiet road near Puyallup in what once was a mostly agricultural area, formed Elmwood Homeowners Cooperative and purchased the land and infrastructure for $2.16 million. Financing was provided by ROC USA Capital, Mercy Loan Fund, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, and JP Morgan Chase.
Many of the residents in Elmwood moved there to retire and have significant personal equity invested in their homes, said Michael Sloss, managing director for ROC USA. If not for the purchase by the residents, he said, the land would be subject to redevelopment, as has happened with much of the surrounding farmland. Instead, it will be preserved for all time as affordable housing — with a reserve fund for capital improvements over the years.
Sloss said Elmwood is the sixth resident-owned community financed by ROC USA Capital in Washington. The arrangements have permanently preserved a combined 230 homes as affordable housing.
“We’re thrilled to meet the community acquisition needs with our unique financing,” said Sloss, pointing to the involvement of the lending partners. “The preservation of the homes in Puyallup through affordable, fixed-rate community financing so close to Seattle and Tacoma will have lasting impact here.”
He said ROC Northwest of Olympia will continue to provide technical assistance to the co-op for the length of the mortgage — at least 10 years.
Ben Dryfoos-Guss, manager of ROC Northwest’s manufactured housing program, said many of Elmwood’s residents have lived there “for decades and were quite concerned about the security of the land under their homes. By establishing the co-op to purchase their community, they were able to safeguard their homes. He said the residents showed “incredibly strong leadership and inspiring initiative.”
In a resident-owned community, homeowners each buy one low-cost share and become members of the co-op, with one vote per household on matters of the community. They elect a board of directors to act on day-to-day issues and vote on larger matters like the annual budget, bylaws and community rules.
That empowerment is important to Washington State Housing Finance Commission, which helped ensure an affordable interest rate. In 2014, the commission’s partnership with ROC USA and ROC Northwest to preserve manufactured-home communities won an award from the National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies.
“We are proud to be a part of helping these diverse communities become self-owning, self-determining cooperatives, and to be recognized with our partners for an innovative and highly successful partnership,” said Karen Miller, the finance commission’s chairwoman.
The ROC USA and Mercy Loan Fund financing was made available in part through a $4 million grant from the JPMorgan Chase. The latter has a program to improve access to capital for small businesses, affordable housing and healthy-food networks.
Representatives of JP Morgan Chase and Mercy Loan Fund expressed the need to help communities meet housing challenges.
“Manufactured housing is too often overlooked as an affordable route to successful home ownership,” said Jason Battista, president of Mercy Loan Fund, a subsidiary of the national affordable housing organization Mercy Housing, which provides financing to local non-profit organizations to help preserve affordable housing.
More about the financing partners:
• ROC USA (www.rocusa.org) is a non-profit national network of eight organizations (such as ROC Northwest) and a national financing source for resident corporations. It’s sponsored by the Ford Foundation, NeighborWorks America, Capital Impact Partners, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, and the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund. Nationally, ROC USA has helped 76 communities preserve 4,882 homes in 14 states.
• ROC Northwest (www.rocnorthwest.com), located in Olympia, is a subsidiary of Northwest Cooperative Development Center, a non-profit organization for new and existing cooperatives in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Hawaii.
• Mercy Loan Fund (www.mercyloanfund.org) formed in1985 and has made 473 loans in 39 states for $269 million, resulting in 20,700 affordable homes for over 55,300 residents. Mercy Loan Fund is certified by the U.S. Treasury Department as a Community Development Financial Institution.
• Washington State Housing Finance Commission (www.wshfc.org) receives no regular state funding for its operations, but works on public investments with lenders, investors, developers, non-profit organizations, first-time homebuyers, beginning farmers and ranchers and energy companies.
• JPMorgan Chase is a financial services firm with assets of $2.6 trillion and operations worldwide in investment banking, consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management.

srmedia by — September 22, 2015 in Spotlight