6/26: T’wina Nobles, Tacoma Urban League President & CEO

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T’wina Nobles introduces us to Tacoma Urban League and the Black Futures Fund, explains the value of mentorship and education, gives practical advice for community leaders of color, and invites all of Tacoma to “stick around” for continuing to improve our community for the long haul, after the energy of the summer’s protests wanes.

Interview begins at 9:22.

STATE

  • The new statewide order requiring face coverings in most indoor or outdoor public settings went into effect today, June 26th.
    • The order applies to almost all individuals inside of or in line to enter an indoor public space, anyone waiting for or riding public transportation, and anyone outdoors and unable to keep six feet away from others not in their households.
    • Face masks should cover one’s nose and mouth, and can range from bandanas, scarves, or sewn masks with ties or straps that go around the head or behind the ears, made from layers of fabric like cotton, fleece, or linen.
    • Individuals are asked not to use N95 respirators or surgical masks because they are needed by health care workers, first responders, and other workers operating in contaminated environments.
    • Cloth face coverings are meant to reduce the release of virus particles into the air when a person with COVID-19 speaks, coughs, or sneezes.
    • Exceptions from the order include children under two years of age, people who have certain disabilities that prevent communication or removal of the mask, and individuals who have been told by a medical, legal, or behavioral health professional not to wear face covering.
    • The state Department of Emergency Management notes that a business or government agency is not forced to allow unmasked individuals inside. Instead, they can legally make reasonable accommodations, including allowing someone to wear a full-face shield instead of a face mask, allowing customers to order online or by phone with curbside pick-up or no contact delivery, and offer video or telephone appointments.
    • The Health Department advises that cloth face coverings should be washed after each use or at least once per day with a soap or detergent.
  • State public health officials continue to stress that avoiding public spaces by staying home is still the safest option for reducing the risk of contracting or spreading the coronavirus.
  • The State has launched a program to provide two free, reusable cloth face coverings for low-income Washingtonians below 200% of the federal poverty level.
    • Qualifying individuals seeking to obtain masks should contact the county emergency manager.
    • King County residents can call 206-296-3830 or visit kingcounty.gov and follow links to the Emergency Management department.
    • Pierce County residents can call 253-798-6595 or visit co.pierce.wa.us.

PIERCE

  • Today would have been the earliest possible day for Pierce County to apply to enter phase 3, but the the Health Department has no intention of moving forward due to steady increase in reported COVID-19 cases.
    • Additionally, Health Department Director Anthony Chen is warning residents that the county was in danger of losing Phase 2 status
    • The local health department has also introduced a new Safe Start dashboard on its website, where the county’s progress toward metrics for each phase is displayed.

TACOMA

  • MetroParks, Tacoma Public Schools, Greentrike, The Boys and Girls Club, and the YMCA are offering a variety of in-person and virtual day camps for children in Pierce County July 6th through August 21, five days a week from 9 am to 4 pm, with extended hours available at no extra cost.
    • Cost per child is $175 a week, fees reduced to as little as $10 for children who qualify for free or reduced lunch.
    • Camps for ages 3 through 16 are available at a variety of locations throughout the city.
    • Weeks have different themes including, robotics, visual arts, theater, coding, dance, pioneer history, nature, babysitter training, sports and martial arts.
    • Camps will meet or exceed the Governor’s recommended safety measures, including physical distancing, classroom size limits, and daily camper and staff screening.
    • For more information, including specific locations and registration, visit MetroParksTacoma.com and click on “Sign up for summer camps.”
  • Tacoma Public Schools announced at its board meeting yesterday what school will look like in the fall.
    • Different options for elementary, middle, and high school levels will give families the choice to participate in full online schooling or hybrid schooling, where students attend classes in-person for part of the week and participate remotely for the rest of the week.
    • The District is not planning to reopen schools for full-time in-person learning.
    • All staff, students and visitors will be required to wear masks on campus in the fall, and the district must have a 6-foot social distancing plan for every learning space, excluding hallways or transportation.
    • The document outlining Tacoma Public Schools’ plan is available through links at TacomaSchools.org, or on our website as well at daily.ktqa.org.
  • Tacoma Public Utilities has been notified of an active scam where individuals arriving in-person at local businesses, claim to be from Tacoma Power, demand payment, and threaten to disconnect power.
    • These are scammers, and are not representatives of Tacoma Power.
    • Tacoma Public Utilities will never call, email, or make a home visit demanding an immediate payment or request payment on a prepaid card.
    • The department will never shut off service without providing written notice at least 7 days in advance.
    • Because of the pandemic, the department has extended power bill due dates from 15 days to 12 weeks, and late fees can be waived upon request.
    • Those with questions about possible scams or extended payment plans can call Customer Service at 253-502-8600 or 800-752-6745 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

TESTING SITES

  • There are numerous free testing sites in our region:
  • For Pierce County locations, visit TPCHD.org/covidtest.
  • The Sprinker Rec Center in Spanaway will be hosting a drive-through COVID-19 testing site this weekend. Call (253) 798-4000 for more information.
  • The Tacoma Dome will offer free drive-thru testing Monday and Tuesday next week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is required by calling 1-888-852-2567 or by visiting TheLittleClinic.com.
  • Patients can also call their health providers for tests.
  • In general, patients should arrive at testing sites wearing face coverings and expect the process to take about 15 minutes.
  • Some of the testing sites offer rapid test results, while others have a 48-hr turnaround time.