Sumner hosts two-day university

Sumner University is unlike any other university in Washington. Classes are held for only two days, students get free text books, tuition is free, and there are no tests.

Over 25 Sumner residents graduated from Sumner University City Hall March 12 and received T-shirts and diplomas. The two day university was held March 5 and 12 at City Hall.

Sumner University is a chance for citizens to learn more about their city.

“We go into depth in topics like traffic or planning or public works.” Carmen Palmer, communications director, said. “These are things they sort of know, but don’t entirely know.”

The first lecture, the history of Sumner, was led by Randy Strozyk, regional CEO of American Medical Response and Ryan Windish, planning manager. Strozyk recalled his childhood growing up in Sumner.

Growing up, Strozyk owned the world. “My dad owned Valley Variety, and I could get free candy whenever I wanted.”

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, “you could walk Main Street and everything you needed was there,” Strozyk said.

Windish covered the history of Sumner.

The city was originally named Stuck Junction. Later it was renamed Franklin. Once the city had a post office, it needed an official name. Several names, including Sumner, were put in a hat and pulled at random.

The next session was split. Students had the option of going to two classes that were held at the same time.

Sumner University students didn't need to worry about registering for classes – they just walked into the class they were interested in. Students had the opportunity to learn about this history of policing or animal control.

Brad Moericke, chief of police, opening the history of policing class by offering everyone donuts.

“Help yourself to some donuts and immerse yourself in police culture,” Moericke said. He then discussed the history of policing and the Sumner police department.

The Sumner Police Department made 615 arrests in 2012. They also had 2 formal complaints that year.

After those the split sessions, the University got together for a session about community development and public works.

The following week, the class came back together to learn about city government, how communication has changed and how it affects the city, and what the city does to increase quality of life.

The last session of Sumner University was to teach the city staff members and the city council. Students broke into four groups and discussed why Sumner is great, and what it can improve on.

The students at Sumner University said they liked the events the city hosts, that Sumner in a “walk-able” city and the accessibility of city officials.

All four groups said traffic needs to be improved. One group said there should be more lighting around the schools, another complained about congestion in town. Other groups wanted more parking in town.

Paul Rogerson, community development director, said, “Sally [Abrams] is the heart and soul of Sumner University.”

Sally Abrams, administrative specialist, does most of the behind-the-scene work. She makes sure all the speakers are available and works with scheduling.

“It’s fun to do, people get a lot out of Sumner University,” Abrams said.

The next Sumner University will be held in 2015. 

Students explore career options, meet CEO of Alaska AirlinesS

SEATTLE - Career Connections hosted its first On-The-Road Experience for students Feb. 22. Students had the choice of touring Alaska Airlines or World Vision. Afterward, they attended an alumni networking event.

Three van loads of students toured Alaska Airlines where they were greeted by two alumni, including CEO, Brad Tilden '83. When Tilden entered the lobby, he greeted all of his employees by name. Tilden, who lived in Pflueger, Hinderlie and Tinglestad, said he received a fantastic education at Pacific Lutheran University and loved its approach on vocation and education.

 Vocation is exactly the reason Phil McKinney’ 13, psychology major, went to Alaska Airlines.

“I’m looking for a direction to take when I look for a job,” McKinney said.

Like McKinney, nearly every other student there was a senior looking for their next step in life.

Tilden promised that PLU prepares its students for this step. Don't expect to be the CEO of a company coming out of college, but PLU students are prepped to take the next step, he said. “Then, you will put your education to work.”

The purpose of touring Alaska Airlines and World Vision was “to expose students to different career opportunities and paths,”said Bobbi Hughes, executive director of Career Connections.

“This was very successful in terms of interest,” Hughes said. “I would anticipate more of these in the future.”

More students were interested in going than Career Connections could accommodate.

At Alaska Airlines, there are many job opportunities in many different fields, including human resources, computer science, marketing, and communication.

Gary Peterson, maintenance supervisor, led the students on a tour of the Alaska Airlines hangar. Students explored the ins and outs of a plane. They sat in the cockpit, looked in the engines and checked out the area where animals are kept during flight.

Peterson then led the students to various other rooms and workshops, telling some humorous tales of Alaska Airlines.

“As far as I know, we are the only airline to report a fish in the engine,” Peterson said. A bald eagle dropped a fish in the engine while escaping death.

When the tour was over, Keith Dussell, diversity and inclusion and PLU alumnus, told of internship opportunities at Alaska Airlines.

The internships varied in fields. Many students could find a good fitting internship at Alaska Airlines. The benefits that go along with these internships were one of Dussell’s selling points. He told of a trip to Europe and back that cost just over $200. The other selling point was the people that work there. Tilden asked several employees why they like working there, and most of them said, “The people.”

Alaska Airlines is offering 38 internships this summer and is accepting applications online for the first few weeks of March, depending on each position.

Being a Lute can have its advantages; Dussell gave every student his business card.

“Those people at University of Puget Sound didn’t even get my business card,” Dussell said. “We hardly let them in the front door.”

Resolution omitted from Sumner agenda

Sumner - The Sumner City Council postponed the adoption of Resolution no. 1377 regarding increased rail traffic at its Feb. 18 meeting for further discussion.

It was not the same resolution that Council Member Nancy Dumas had submitted.

“In my absence, my resolution went away,” Dumas said. “It is [now] watered down and does not protect our citizens,”

Dumas was in Washington DC during the previous study session.

The resolution, as presented at the meeting, would have the Council find the impact of increased rail traffic, including coal trains.

The City of Sumner would then ask to meet with representatives from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad to find ways to address local concerns of increased rail traffic. The Council would then ask the railroad keeps environmental and economic impacts as low as possible.

The rails are near residential neighborhoods, the public library and schools. The Mayor and Council are not only concerned about increased emissions, including coal dust, from trains and stopped traffic waiting to cross the rail, but are also concerned about the economic effects of the trains.

“The resolution I submitted is very different from this,” Dumas said. Dumas had submitted a resolution used in Edmunds, but crossed out “Edmunds” and wrote “Sumner”.

Other members of the council thought this was an example of a possible resolution for Sumner, not an actual resolution.

Council Member Randy Hynek said that it is common policy to call for clarification if someone is unsure. 

“Why wasn’t she called?” Hynek asked. “My concern is that Dumas followed procedures and the resolution is not here today.”

Hynek mentioned that the Council had followed the same procedures for eight years.

“This Council is uninformed, and that’s a shame, because it’s at the expense of our citizens,” Hynek said.

Deputy Mayor, Mike LaMaster, said that picking up the phone goes both ways.  

The 150 plus page packets are published on the City of Sumner website Friday before each meeting. Had Dumas looked for her resolution she could have called and had it fixed.

Council Member Cindi Hochstatter told Dumas, “Just because you bring something up, that doesn't mean that it will be passed.”

After much debate, Mayor Dave Enslow suggested passing the resolution as is, and passing another if needed.

Instead, after 45 minutes, the Council postponed further discussion of the resolution until the Study Session on Feb. 25. 

Bonney Lake bank and Lions Club recognized for blood drive

Bob Grant, Phlebotomist, finishes drawing blood from
Bonney Lake resident Annette LaPlante
 inside the Bloodmobile.

Bonney Lake - Cascade Regional Blood Services recognized the Bonney Lake branch of Columbia Bank and Lions Club for their continued support of the organization.

“We thank the staff at bank for hosting us and for marketing support, location, facility use,” Cari Dixon, assistant director of donor resources, said.  

The Bonney Lanke community blood drive at Columbia Bank held every Friday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is one of four CRBS weekly blood drives.

“The community rallies around this program every Friday,” Dixon said.

Since the start of the blood drive in early 2007, over 4400 people have donated blood. Last year alone, 772 people donated at the bank.

While Columbia Bank supplies a location for the Bloodmobile, a vehicle that allows the organization to collect blood anywhere, the Lions Club helps by spreading the word and recruiting donors.

Rita Wells, community relations specialist at CRBS, said, “When a group supports our efforts and spreads the word, it can make for a successful partnership.”

Bonney Lake resident Annette LaPlant donates blood whenever she can, which happens to be every eight to ten weeks.

“If I can help save a life, then I would love to do that,” LaPlant said. “It’s not difficult; it’s very easy.”

The process is very short and only takes a few minutes. First the donor registers to donate and fills out a confidential history. Then they have their vitals checked. After that, the donors blood is drawn, which takes up to 10 minutes. Finally, donors are given refreshments like juice, chocolate milk or cookies.

CRBS has provided blood to hospitals in South King and Pierce County for over 65 years and is the exclusive supplier to MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital.

Christine Swinehart, CRBS president and CEO, said, “We rely upon community sponsors, like Columbia Bank and the Bonney Lake Lions Club, and volunteer blood donors to keep a constant and safe supply of blood and blood products for the hospitals we serve.”

Jim Read, Columbia Bank branch manager, said “We love helping the blood drive and giving them the support they need. It’s been a great marriage.”

"Chocolate: aphrodisiac and food of the gods"

Using memes, Justin Lytle, assistant professor of chemistry, shows that
not even Success Kid or  Morgan Freeman would eat bad chocolate.

Roughly 40 chocolate lovers gathered in Leraas Lecture Hall the day before Valentine’s Day for the lecture “For the love of chocolate, aphrodisiac and food of the gods.”

“When there’s free chocolate, you get a larger crowd,” Justin Lytle, assistant professor of chemistry, said as he showed the group the four chocolates they would later eat.

A reoccurring theme throughout the lecture was the best foods are rotten. This includes cheese, yogurt, wine, and best of all, chocolate.

“Chocolate is like wine, something many [students] don’t know legally about,” Lytle said. The flavor or chocolate depends on where the cacao plant is grown and how it is processed.

There may be health benefits from the rotten delicacy. Dark chocolate has more antioxidants than apples per 100 grams. But, when the calories of chocolate are taken into consideration, apples are probably the better way to go.

Another health benefit proven by research funded by Mars, a candy company that earns $30 billion annually, showed that chocolate actually lowers cholesterol.

Despite these claims that chocolates are healthy, they are not the reason we eat chocolate – It’s delicious. At least the real chocolates are delicious.

There are three types of chocolate according to Lytle: dark chocolate, milk chocolate and mockolate. Dark chocolate has ground cacao, sugar and cacao butter and vanilla. Add powdered milk and it becomes milk chocolate. Lytle said that the cheap chocolates like Hershey’s and Nestlé’s are mockolate.

“I really, really love chocolate,” Lytle said. “I like the chocolate that when I eat it, I say ‘wow.’”