10/21: Wednesday Briefing

By rebecca No comments

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STATE

  • Due to the pandemic, the Department of Licensing is temporarily allowing even residents over age 70 to renew their driver license or ID card online at dol.wa.gov.
  • The governor issued further rules relating to institutions of higher education to address significant increases in COVID-19 infections occurring on or near college campuses in places like fraternity and sorority houses, dorms, and student parties.
    • Sleeping porches where multiple residents spend the night are not allowed, and no more than two residents are allowed to share the same sleeping area
    • All people in common areas must wear masks and remain socially distanced.
    • Visitors are limited to five people from outside the same household, and common areas can have no more than five people in them at any given time.
    • Meals on campus must be served grab-and-go or at single tables.
    • Colleges and universities must also provide isolation and quarantine facilities to fraternity, sorority or other group houses, to students who live in shared housing in close proximity to campus, to students living in dorms, and to personnel if they don’t have a place to go.
  • The last day to register online to vote in Washington is October 26th–one week away.
    • Register, update your registration, find the status of your ballot, and more at https://votewa.gov.
    • Local election information is available online at piercecountyelections.org or by calling 253-798-VOTE (253-798-8683)
    • General information is also available online at betterknowaballot.com/wa
    • Call or look online if you haven’t received your ballot in the mail yet!

REGIONAL

  • The Greater Gig Harbor Foundation is offering 500 free meal kits weekly to any resident of the greater Gig Harbor area or Key Peninsula.
    • The kits contain five pounds of cooked animal-based protein, seven to 10 pounds of fresh produce, a five-pound box of dairy products, including shredded cheese, liquid egg and butter, and a gallon jug of milk.
    • Go to tinyurl.com/kpmealkits to register
  • Curtis High School will host a free drive-through flu vaccine clinic tomorrow, Thursday Oct 22 from 2:30 to 5:30pm. Visit findyourflushot.com for more info.
  • Nourish Pierce County’s mobile food bank will be at the Salishan Family Investment Center (FIC) at 1724 E 44th St on Friday, Oct 23rd, 1-4pm

TACOMA

  • Grants of up to $10,000 are available for Tacoma’s microbusinesses through the city’s COVID-19 Resiliency Grant Program, but the deadline to apply is Friday, October 23 at 5 p.m.
  • Heal the Heart of Tacoma is a new community-led effort to transform Tacoma into an anti-racist city
    • Heal the Heart is now accepting applications for the Core Coordinating Team
    • Applications are due by Nov. 9. For more information and to apply, visit https://cityoftacoma.org/healtheheart.

TESTING SITES

  • There are numerous free COVID-19 testing sites in our region:
  • This week’s free pop-up testing events in Pierce County include:
    • Thursday, Oct 22: Church For All Nations in South Tacoma, Salvation Army Puyallup, and Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood
    • Friday, Oct 23: City of Bonney Lake
    • No ID is required and tests are free and open to anyone.
  • Many testing events run all day from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, but check TPCHD.org/covidtest for times.
  • Community Health Care, with locations in Tacoma, Spanaway, and Lakewood, is offering testing for COVID-19, even if you are not a Community Health Care patient.
    • Call (253) 722-2161 for a Tele-Health Screening Appointment