Rocky Creek Preserve Expands by 150 Acres “We’Re Anticipating That the Staff That Is the Land Trust Adds to Its Portfolio of Protection
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Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 1 POSTAL CUSTOMER www.keypennews.org THE AWARD-WINNING VOICE OF THE KEY PENINSULA December 2020 Vol. 47 No. 12 Key Medical Center Plans for New Owner Dr. Roes isn’t going anywhere, but after nearly 30 years he is handing over the reins. TED OLINGER, KP NEWS The doctor’s office on the hill above Key Center, where generations of Key Peninsula families have received medical care, is about to have new management. Dr. William Roes opened Key Medical Center in 1993. Community Health Care, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit medical provider based in Tacoma, is preparing to buy the practice and take charge. “We are on target to purchase the clinic and be ready to go by Jan. 1,” said Corey Hatfield, the CHC assistant medical director. “That’s still kind of up in the air a little bit. We’re going to be doing some improvements.” The new name will be Community Looking SW toward Rocky Bay and Case Inlet. Anthony Gibbons Health Care Key Medical Clinic. The current employees will all be invited to apply for the same jobs at the new clinic. Rocky Creek Preserve Expands by 150 Acres “We’re anticipating that the staff that is The land trust adds to its portfolio of protection. there will be the existing staff when we MATTHEW DEAN, KP NEWS through the property, with a focus on giving “Steelhead trout and chinook have been take it over,” Hatfield said. “Our inten- underserved populations a chance to expe- recorded in Rocky Creek by the Washington tion is to continue along the same lines The Great Peninsula Conservancy has rience nature. Department of Fish and Wildlife. That just of the good work that Dr. Roes and Dean acquired 150 acres of land in the Rocky The 150 acres were purchased from makes it all the more important. There’s (Shriner) have been doing all this time, Creek area for long-term protection and an out-of-state property owner for very few individuals of those species left, and to partner up with the other folks conservation, one of the largest acquisi- $900,000. GPC began negotiating and and so in order to protect them, we really that are out there.” tions in its history. securing funding about three years ago. have to protect their habitat,” Daniel said. William Roes, M.D., and Dean Shriner, The new acreage will expand the existing The conservancy The larger A.R.N.P., F.N.P. have been familiar fixtures 34-acre Rocky Creek Preserve downstream received roughly “STEELHEAD TROUT AND CHINOOK contiguous space on the KP for more than 40 years. and around the adjacent estuary. half the funding HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN supports wild- “Dean has been here since 1978,” Roes GPC plans to develop a system of from Pierce ROCKY CREEK BY THE WASHINGTON life in a different said. “I came in ’79 as a resident in training walking trails on the property to aid moni- County Conser- DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND way than smaller CONTINUED PAGE 3 toring and make the property accessible vation Futures, WILDLIFE. THAT JUST MAKES IT parcels. Daniel Dr. Roes at work. Lisa Bryan, KP News for recreation. Public access will likely be a program that ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT.” noted the tendency possible by the summer of 2022. The prop- offers grants to of unwanted erty will mostly be left as-is, although some groups doing conservation work within species to occupy “edge” spaces such as non-native forest sections will be cleared the bounds of the county. property boundaries and cleared areas near and replaced, according to GPC Executive According to Daniel, the taxpay- roads and power lines. Director Nathan Daniel. er-funded financial incentives encour- “You have a lot more edge on a smaller “It’s good for us to go in there and do aged GPC to prioritize acquisitions inside parcel as compared to interior space. From some selective harvesting of the timber,” Pierce County. The remaining balance a management perspective, it’s really nice he said. “The money that we’ll receive off was supplied by the state Recreation and to have a healthy, mature forest that’s that will go right back into the property to Conservation Board and private donors shaded and has a lot of diversity in the buy new, different species that are native to Max and Janet Laudeman. interior,” he said. this area. You can really do a lot to improve The Rocky Creek area was a priority for Once initial restoration and trail construc- the quality of the habitat by using good GPC because of the creek’s importance tion is complete, GPC intends to allow forest management techniques.” as a salmon habitat, and the chance to put the property to develop naturally. GPC After the trail system is complete, GPC a large amount of ecologically significant members will visit periodically to make also intends to run tours and nature walks shoreline into conservancy. CONTINUED PAGE 3 2 www.keypennews.org December 2020 BE KIND. BE PATIENT. BE SAFE. Here’s What I Think About That LISA BRYAN, (D) by about 1.5%. A stronger showing temptation and spending Thanksgiving EXECUTIVE EDITOR statewide for Reykdal resulted in his gatherings and the coming holidays reelection by nearly 10 points. Espi- indoors with people we love. The 2020 election was a mixed bag noza won on the KP It helps to know for Key Peninsula voters of all persua- by 104 votes out of we are not alone. I 253-884-4699 sions. We all got something but none 6,064 cast. am intimately familiar www.keypennews.org of us got everything we wanted. Referendum 90 with the descent into www.facebook.com/KeyPenNews Nationwide, over 80 million eligible asked voters to seasonal depression, [email protected] voters cast their votes for Joseph R. approve or reject no matter how hard I PO Box 3, Vaughn, WA 98394 Biden Jr. to become the 46th Presi- Senate Bill 5395, try to capture a piece dent of the United States and Kamala requiring school of the joyful spirit the : Lisa Bryan EXECUTIVE EDITOR D. Harris to become the first woman districts to adopt or holidays appear to ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ted Olinger elected Vice President in the nation’s develop age-appro- give everyone else. history, in this 100-year anniversary of priate comprehensive The very best gift STAFF CONTRIBUTORS: Krisa Bruemmer, Matthew Dean, Caleb Galbreath, women’s suffrage. sexual health educa- you can deliver people Joseph Pentheroudakis, Chris Rurik, Had the decision been left to us, out tion in K-12 public this season is a simple of 6,956 ballots from the KP, Donald J. Dave Stave, Sara Thompson schools. Of the 6,849 votes cast in KP phone call or card. Trust me here, few Trump and Michael R. Pence would have precincts, we rejected the referendum by things feel as good as hearing or reading STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Richard Miller won a second term by a slim margin of 52.16%. Pierce County voters approved the words “You matter. You make a differ- CONTRIBUTORS: Meredith Browand, 62 votes. the referendum by 52.85%, which grew ence in my life and here’s how…” Dan Clouse, Lynn Larson, Dan The incumbent presidential ticket did to a 57.82% approval rate statewide. Thank you, each and every one of Whitmarsh, Carolyn Wiley not fare as well in the rest of Pierce (See “Ref. 90 To Repeal Sex Education you who support the work of the Key County, earning only 42.61% of votes on Nov. Ballot,” KP News, Oct. 2020.) Peninsula News. Your emails, words of CALENDAR EDITOR: Stefanie Warren to Biden’s 53.76%. Statewide, Wash- In a clean sweep across all six precincts, encouragement and critical feedback [email protected] ington voters pushed the Biden-Harris KP voters helped deliver decisive wins give us all the strength to carry on in SOCIAL MEDIA: Joseph Pentheroudakis win to 57.97% with only 38.77% going for local Republican incumbents. Pierce the worst of times. to Trump-Pence. WEB EDITOR: Caleb Galbreath County Executive Bruce Dammeier won The coming holidays will be very If votes from the Key Peninsula alone a second term. In the 26th Legislative different for everyone. Be kind. Be OPERATIONS MANAGER /DESIGN EDITOR: decided Washington’s gubernatorial District, State Rep. Michelle Caldier patient. Be safe. Be together in spirit. Tim Heitzman race, newcomer Loren Culp would and Rep. Jesse Young will both return Celebrate people this year with words BOOKKEEPER: Linda Grubaugh become governor of Washington state. to Olympia to serve another two-year that make a difference. KP voters chose Culp across all six voting term in the House of Representatives. AD SALES: Deanna Hunter precincts, capturing 54% of our votes. Final election results were certified by [email protected] Goodness, Gracious. The majority in Pierce County voted counties in Washington Nov. 24. Wash- DISTRIBUTION: James Allyn, Phil Bauer, otherwise, which helped give Gov. Jay ington Secretary of State Kim Wyman (R), Mother said it wasn't polite Anna Brones, Norm Brones, Inslee a rare third term. Inslee won the who also won re-election, will certify the to brag, but we are so Bill Dietz, Bruce Macdonald, Jay county vote with a modest victory of state’s 2020 election results Dec. 3. The proud of your support: Stewart, Bob Wilkins 51.68% over Culp, who received 47.95%, results are due before the Dec. 14 meeting PUBLISHING BOARD: Sara Thompson, with write-ins splitting the remains.