Halloween safety, recycling changes and an update on the 136th/Valentine project

October 21, 2015 - Volume 7, Issue 44
Mayor's Update: Rhubarb May Fight Cancer?

Scientists at Emory University recently announced that they believe there's a pigment in rhubarb that may inhibit a protein required for tumors to grow.  Of course, many more tests are needed, but what an interesting concept, especially when Sumner is still one of the main areas in the U.S. growing rhubarb.  This far exceeds pie!  

Sometimes, the newest breakthroughs come, not from shiny high-tech stuff, but from more familiar places. We have a similar situation with Sumner itself.  More and more people, especially younger generations, want to live and work in walkable, compact communities with lots of services nearby and easy transit to larger cities.  Sound familiar?  When asked what the next hot social media network will be to replace Facebook and Twitter, one
intelligent
young man replied that it would be Main Street.  He might be right--in Sumner alone we have new stores and restaurants like Trackside Pizza, Craft.19, Finder's Market and Out of the Attic opening on or near Main Street.   

People are often amazed that in Sumner, cars still stop for pedestrians, strangers still wish each other good morning, and the entire community--of all ages--celebrates homecoming.  In many respects, Sumner held onto its traditions long enough that we're now coming around to being on the forefront of trends again. That's good to know because it means all those wonderful small-town things about Sumner won't change anytime soon.  In fact, they'll hopefully get reinforced by new generations who find these traditions "unique."  And, if on top of everything else, it does turn out that rhubarb can help cure cancer, then that's the best news yet.  Worthy of a celebration with a big slice of Sumner rhubarb pie. 
 
Mayor Dave Enslow
Have a Safe Halloween

This Saturday is Halloween, and it's going to be a busy day and evening in Sumner.  During the day, Sunset Festival of Bands is rocking Sunset Chev Stadium from 9 am to 7 pm.  Tickets are available at the door.  Festivities then get underway in downtown Sumner with Street of Treats, providing trick-or-treating from 5 to 7 pm and Sumner's famous Dancing Scarecrows every half hour.

Throughout the evening, Sumner's neighborhoods are very popular with trick-or-treaters and many churches and organizations are hosting parties.  If you are driving, please drive extra cautiously and be alert for pedestrians of all ages.  If you are walking, please wear light or reflective clothing and carry a flashlight to make your group visible.  Look both ways when crossing streets and try to keep excited pirates and princesses from darting into crosswalks.

Halloween is also an interesting holiday for pets.  Please be extra cautious with your pets when opening doors or walking on sidewalks. This holiday creates many opportunities for your pet to be startled by noise, making it a good time to make sure your pets' licenses are current with Metro Animal Services just in case.  Also, remember that chocolate and dogs do not go together-ever!  Watch where you set the bowl of candy.
 
136th/Valentine Update

Our contractor recently provided an update on progress for the 136th/Valentine improvements.  This project reconstructs 1.5 miles of 136th Avenue East/Valentine Avenue SE from 24th Street East in the City of Sumner to County Line/Division Road in the City of Pacific. In Sumner, to date, this has involved installing 
  • 3550 cubic yards of concrete for roadway
  • 5,113 lineal feet of concrete curb and gutters
  • 1,500+ square yards of new sidewalk on both the east and west side of the road
  • 30+ side sewers extended and refurbished from right of way to the main line
  • New signal equipment currently at the intersection of 24th and Valentine with possible turn on in early/ mid-November
Take a look at pictures of the work being done. Photos courtesy of KPG. 
Recycling Changes

As the City looks toward the future of the end of State Street with the newly expanded Wastewater Treatment Facility, the recycling center no longer fits well with that location.  This parking area will still provide the kiosk for picking up the Sumner Grow soil amendment, but its increasing use as parking for accessing the Sumner Link Trail is not the most compatible use of space with a recycling center. 

With a very similar recycling center already located only 1.5 miles away off East Main in Puyallup, by the Elks Club (see map below), we believe this decision will not negatively impact Sumner citizens in their recycling efforts but will improve the new uses of the State Street area/Sumner Link Trail. 


Information/Directions to Recycling Center:
From Sumner, follow Traffic Avenue as it becomes Puyallup's East Main.  Turn right on 27th Street NE, which is the very first right after the Shaw Road light.  Follow to its dead end in the parking lot at the Elks Club.  Turn left.  Recycling bins are located there, before Linden Golf Club.  There are bins for cardboard, newspaper and glass.