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Livable fair K EY P ENINSULA Congrats to the Non-Profit Org. U.S. round-up, Postage Paid Vaughn, Class of 2008 WA 98394 Permit No. 2 page 7 graduates BOX HOLDER Happy Father’s Day NEWSThe voice of the Key Peninsula June 15 www.keypennews.com Vol. 36 Issue 6 • Circulation 9,000 INSIDE June 2008 Last alarm for Ross Summer activites By Hugh McMillan, KP News near-by, Special he Last Alarm was sounded for Ross Bischoff, following section T the benediction from Pastor inside Heinz Malon, on May 17. Pagers sounded from the belts of Key Peninsula firefighters stationed around the sanctuary of the Key Author Peninsula Lutheran Church. Loud- writes about and-clear came the dispatcher’s voice, the dogs, “The Key Peninsula Fire Department page 32 calls for the last alarm for firefighter Ross Bischoff. May his spirit continue to watch over us.” The dispatcher’s microphone remained open for a few seconds, a routine procedure to allow for secondary instructions or a reply. When there was no reply, all pagers were clicked closed; the firefighters Photo by Karina Whitmarsh Ross Bischoff at his farm at last year’s Harvest Fest. (See ROSS, Page 30) More photos online at www.keypennews.com News Key Pen township proposed ...2 SR-302 funding reduced..........3 Livable fair wrap-up................7 Has recession Volunteer spotlight................21 Maritime-ready hit the Key Inside law enforcement ........24 KPFD initiates multi-agency water-rescue drill Fire stats ..............................28 The Genuine ARTicle ............34 By Rodika Tollefson, KP News and in case of USGS, a helicopter) Peninsula? Out & About ........................40 converged on the beach of Browns When embarrassing accidents Point for an eight-hour exercise An informal review of happen, most people would want to involving theory and practice. recession and the local economy Sections fling the mishap tale to the depths of “It (planning) started out small and the sea. Not rescuers with Fire District turned into this humongous event,” says By Danna Webster, KP News Peninsula Views . .4-5 16. After a boat collision during routine Guy Allen, division chief with FD-16, Business . .9 training last year, instead of forgetting who was one of the main organizers of The question of whether or not we are Schools . .17 about the moment, FD-16 decided to the exercise and watched it from the in a recession usually gets the old Community Works . .20 share the lesson learned with other shore. “This is the first time in Pierce standard answer, “Depends on who you districts. What started as an idea for a County where we had all those water ask.” When The News Tribune reporter Off the Key . .23 small-caliber “show and tell” instead rescue resources [together].” John Gillie asked the question last History . .26 turned into a drill involving 11 agencies, Those resources included Gig March, he concluded the answer Key Pen Authors . .32 including the U.S. Coast Guard. Harbor’s and Tacoma’s fire and police remained open and identified the “R” Arts & Recreation . .34 In May, these agencies’ rescue teams (and their personal watercrafts, boats, (See FIRE, Page 35) (See ECONOMY, Page 37 2 www.keypennews.com • Key Peninsula News Township idea proposed for Key Peninsula Tax revenues would be spent locally under the proposal By Jeanette Brown the township models found on the East park-and-ride that would help ease up Special to the KP News Coast. “We are in the early stages of congestion at the Purdy Bridge. He would researching the feasibility of a township also like to see outreach programs offered Chuck West is frustrated with his efforts The Key Peninsula does model that would allow KP residents to on the KP through the new Gig Harbor to get much-needed services and road have more local control with respect to Boys and Girls Club at the Vaughn Civic safety improvements funded and not have a voice at the the allocation of funds on the Key Center for local area youth. implemented on the Key Peninsula. Many county level or much local Peninsula in order to get the services West contacted State Rep. Larry residents on the KP know West as the “ they need and deserve and that they are Seaquist, who has embraced the idea with control over the tax division chief for Pierce already paying for,” he said. enthusiasm. Seaquist said in an interview County Fire District 16 revenue it generates. The Key Peninsula Township would start he would like to see the Key Peninsula and, recently, as the — Chuck West at Purdy and extend to the end of the “grow modern and stay rural.” “The 2008 recipient of the Peninsula at Longbranch. West recently township would build on the existing Citizen of the Year approached the Key Peninsula Business master community plan approved by the award. Now, West wears Association and the Key Peninsula Pierce County Council last year,” he said, a new hat as he lobbies Community Council with his proposal to adding that if the citizens want to proceed for more local keep tax revenue locally; his idea has been in that direction, he would be happy to representation and WEST incorporated areas of Pierce County that well received by both organizations. sponsor the legislation necessary at the recognition on the Key meet urban growth area criteria.” “KP business owners and residents state level. “It is really all about what the Peninsula by the Pierce County Council “The Key Peninsula does not have a would like to see their tax dollars put to residents of the KP want,” he said. and the Washington State Legislature in voice at the county level or much” local use locally in order to fund road According to West, a township would order to bring new services and keep control over the tax revenue it generates,” improvements and fix dangerous create revenue to support services for an existing basic services and their funding West said. “I would like to see more Key intersections,” he said. In addition, he area identified as a geographically isolated local to the Key Peninsula area. Peninsula Community Council members believes if the tax revenue stays local, it region or belt. He believes the Key After West realized the Key Peninsula attending Pierce County Council meetings could be used to build new schools, a new Peninsula meets this criteria and would was generating enough tax revenue to to promote local funding and provide local library near Lake Kathryn, and to create a like the community’s input. make the needed safety improvements to representation.” KP highways and congested intersections, He noted the county council is ignoring he addressed county council members and the basic safety needs of Key Peninsula tried to influence them to allocate the residents while approving a new $6.5 necessary funding. West said, “[I] got very million expansion of the Cushman Trail little attention from the county regarding in Gig Harbor and allocating funding for my safety concerns and found that council a new golf course at University Place. “I members were reluctant to deliver.” can’t even get them to fund a crosswalk at Once an area has been designated as an Key Center,” he said, and asserts that the urban growth area, it can incorporate into main intersection at Key Center needs a a city. He explained that, “because the Key traffic signal too. Peninsula is not a designated urban Realizing that most residents on the growth area under the Washington State Key Peninsula would like to keep the KP Growth Management Act, the Pierce rural and don’t want to incorporate as a County Council can allocate funds city or become part of an UGA, West generated from the KP’s assessed tax started to research the possibility of evaluation of $2 billion to other creating a new type of entity based on To subscribe, please write, Executive editor: Rodika Tollefson McMillan, Colleen Slater, Frank Slater, K EY P ENINSULA call or fax: Assistant editor: Danna Webster Irene Torres, Mindi LaRose, Kristen Key Peninsula News Ad sales: Charleen Day, Debra Pierce, Karina Whitmarsh, Sharon 17010 S. Vaughn Rd. McElroy, September Hyde Hicks, Lori Colbo, Donna Smeall Community pages editor: Distribution: Phil Bauer P.O. Box 3, Vaughn, WA 98394 Connie Renz Web master: Bret Nebel Phone (253) 884-4699 Production: September Hyde, Misha NEWSwww.keypennews.com Contributors: Jeanette Brown, Jerry Fax: (253) 884-4053 Gallinger Libstaff, Kevin Reed, Rick Sorrels, Unsolicited submissions deadline including press releases: Email [email protected] Staff: William C. Dietz, Hugh Jud Morris 17th of each month Key Peninsula News is published monthly by the Key Peninsula Civic Center Association at the Key Peninsula Civic Center in Vaughn, Washington. Copyright 2008 with all rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic contents in any manner without permission is prohibited. Annual subscriptions (12 issues) are available for $25.00 and are mailed first class. Copies are mailed presort standard to residents and post office box holders of the Key Peninsula. Single copies are available at the newspaper office in the basement of the Civic Center annex and at various distribution points located on the Key Peninsula. Approximately 18,000 people live in the distribution area. STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, AND OPERATION OF THE KEY PENINSULA NEWS 1. THE KEY PENINSULA NEWS is a community newspaper, owned and published by the KEY PENINSULA CIVIC CENTER ASSOCIATION, a nonprofit, 501-C3, corporation with main offices in Vaughn, Washington. The name, goodwill and any copyright assets that may exist pertaining to the NEWS are among the financial assets of the KEY PENINSULA CIVIC CENTER ASSOCIATION.