Pierce County firefighters saved me from an accident. Thank you | Opinion

Thanks to our firefighters

I want to sincerely thank the Pierce County Fire Department for the care they gave me during a recent emergency.

On Aug. 30, I went hiking on the Carbon River Rim Trail near Tehaleh with my dogs. A slip on loose gravel left me with a badly broken ankle, alone on the trail. I called 911, and from that moment, the professionalism and compassion I received was extraordinary.The emergency communicator kept me calm and reassured until paramedics arrived nearly 45 minutes later. When they did, they not only stabilized my injury with skill and confidence but also handled my two large dogs with such kindness that I immediately felt safe and cared for.

Thanks to their teamwork, I made it safely to the hospital and am now on the road to recovery. I’m deeply grateful for their service.

Karole Johnson, Bremerton

Tacoma must recognize the initiative

The City of Tacoma says residents have no constitutional right to petition for a local initiative. That claim directly contradicts the First Amendment, which has protected the right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” since 1791.

It is all the more shocking that Tacoma is challenging rights the City Charter specifically guarantees to its voters under “Powers of the People.” The initiative provisions are clearly laid out in Article II—The Legislative Branch, the same section that gives law‑making authority to the Mayor and City Council.

By picking and choosing which Charter provisions and Constitutional principles to honor, the City Manager and Council are telling the people that the law is whatever they say it is; such autocracy is what we have seen play out in Washington, D.C., with much horror and dismay.

Chris Karnes, Tacoma

Thanks for column on Swank

Thank you for Laura Hautala’s recent opinion article drawing attention to Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank’s online rage baiting behavior.

As the leader of the police force tasked with protecting ALL people residing in Pierce County, this behavior is completely inappropriate. He is setting the tone for what is acceptable to others in our community.

Clearly, we have a “conflict entrepreneur” (“an individual or group who exploits or intentionally creates conflict for personal gain, power, profit or attention”) in charge of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

Maybe the Sheriff should review the core values (Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Courage and Compassion) of Pierce County Sheriff’s Office figured prominently under his own welcome message on the agency’s website.

If he wants to troll people for personal gain, he shouldn’t be doing it on our dime. Especially now, we need law enforcement leaders who treat all in our community with dignity and respect. Temperament matters. If he cannot or will not stop stirring the pot, he needs to get off of it!

Melissa Ford, Tacoma

Return on the J-pod

Like many South Sound residents, I am delighted to see the return of J-pod to our waters. Their visit reflects the success of restoration efforts, like those led by the Nisqually Land Trust, which have improved salmon runs. But Southern Resident orcas remain endangered, and their survival depends on the abundance of salmon. To save these whales, we must restore the creeks where salmon begin their lives.

Clover Creek and Sequalitchew Creek were once thriving salmon streams, flowing into Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. Decades of pollution, habitat loss, and development have left them severely degraded. Restoration—through improving flows, filtering runoff, replanting native vegetation, and removing barriers—would bring salmon back to these historic spawning grounds, providing food for orcas throughout the Sound.

Unfortunately, these streams face new threats. The CalPortland Gravel Mine proposes draining the Vashon Aquifer and much of Sequalitchew Creek. Meanwhile, Clover Creek remains vulnerable to unchecked warehouse development and groundwater withdrawals.

By investing in local creek restoration, we can bring salmon back to our South Sound watershed and give orcas a fighting chance.

Join us October 11, 11–4 at Clover Park Technical College’s Flett Creek property for the first Clover-Chambers Watershed Festival to learn more.

Sean Arent, Tacoma