June 10, 2026
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ISSUE 24
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Eatonville Athletes Zoning Changes Clear the Way for Earn SPSL 2A Spring More Child Care Options Pierce County updates rules for home-based and commercial providers All-League Honors
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strong spring sports season for Eatonville High School produced a lengthy list of South Puget Sound League 2A all-league honorees, with student-athletes earning recognition across track and field, girls tennis, baseball and fastpitch softball. Eatonville placed 16 athletes on all-league teams across the four sports, a reflection of the depth and competitiveness the Cruisers brought to the league throughout the spring slate. Track and field led the way in terms of total honorees, with Eatonville placing seven athletes across first and second team selections. Jarrin Ragazzo, Austin Connor and Ava Tatro each earned first-team honors in the javelin, pole vault and pole vault, respectively. The Cruisers’ second-team contingent was equally impressive, with Jacob Simons earning recognition in the 100 meters, Gabe Kolsrud in the 3,200 meters, David McClain in the high jump and Mason Kinley in the shot put. The program’s success this spring did not go unnoticed at the league level. Track and field coach Geoff Olson was named the SPSL 2A Coach of the Year, an acknowledgment of the work he and his staff put into developing one of the more wellrounded rosters in the classification. Eatonville qualified 27 athletes for the district championships earlier this spring, and the program produced a state champion in Taylor Johnson, who captured four titles in the ambulatory division at the WIAA State Championships. In girl’s tennis, the doubles tandem of Jessie Zumwalt and Isabel Volk continued to build on a strong season by landing on the first team. Rilynne Johnson, Emma Abston and Charlotte Stumph each earned second-team honors to round out the Cruisers’ representation in the sport. On the baseball diamond, outfielder Ryder Herbrand was the lone Eatonville player to crack the first team, capping a standout individual season with one of the program’s more prestigious individual honors. Pitcher Ben Smith and catcher Santiago Ruvalcaba each earned second-team recognition, giving the Cruisers three total selections in the sport. The Lady Cruisers fastpitch program had arguably the strongest showing of any Eatonville team when it came to all-league recognition. Four players earned first-team honors, with Amy Tozier and Ryleigh Chopic both named at infield, Kaitlyn Kenney recognized in the outfield and Lilah Chapman honored as a designated player. The quartet helped anchor an Eatonville squad that competed deep into the postseason before falling to North Mason in the district playoffs. Three additional Lady Cruisers landed on the second team. Josie Lavergne earned recognition as a pitcher, Aubree Mills was honored in the outfield and Morgan Laird picked up a nod at infield, giving Eatonville seven total selections in fastpitch and 16 across all spring sports.
The Pierce County Council unanimously approved the changes June 2. The new rules take effect July 1. The update allows home-based day cares as an accessory use in all zones countywide, reduces zoning barriers for commercial child care facilities in most urban zones, and updates the county code to provide clearer guidance for prospective child care operators.
Staff Report
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ust in time for summer break, Pierce County has approved zoning changes intended to make it easier for child care providers to open or expand facilities across the county. For working parents, the change is aimed at a familiar problem: finding safe, reliable child care close enough to make a workday possible.
County officials say the goal is to remove local barriers that have made it harder for providers to open, expand or stay in business. While the change will not create new child care openings overnight, it could make it easier for providers to add capacity in the places families already live and work. That can matter for parents balancing school schedules, commutes, shift work and summer care. A child care option closer to home or work can affect whether a parent can take a job, keep a job, pick up an extra shift or get to work on time. Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello said the county heard from working families that finding child care is one of their greatest stressors. “One major barrier has been zoning that restricts where childcare facilities can be located,” Mello said in the county announcement. “These updated zoning regulations now allow childcare countywide and pave the way for hundreds more families to find close affordable options they can afford.”
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Eatonville’s Wolfe, Mohler Win Washington High School Bass Fishing Tournament at Alder Lake By Skip Smith
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aston Wolfe and Callie Mohler have made a habit of winning. The Eatonville High School bass fishing duo, last year’s state champions, topped a field of 20 teams to claim first place at the Washington State High School Bass Fishing tournament last Saturday, May 30th at Alder Lake. Wolfe, a freshman, added to the team’s banner day by claiming Big Bass honors, landing the largest individual fish of the tournament. The win capped a strong showing for the Cruiser tandem, who credited patience, teamwork and a willingness to adapt as the keys to their success on the water. “The key to our success was being patient, working together as a team and staying positive throughout the day,” Wolfe said. “We kept fishing hard and hoped for the best.” Mohler, a junior, put it more simply. “I’d say the key to my success was probably just keeping my line in the water the entire time and just not giving up,” she said. The pair spent the day experimenting with different presentations to find what the fish wanted, adjusting
CHELSEY ROMINES
By Skip Smith
© FIZKES | DREAMSTIME.COM
to expand child care access
Eatonville anglers Easton Wolfe (left) and Callie Mohler (right) display their firstplace plaques alongside boat captain Jaiden Sobczyk after topping a 20-team field at the Washington High School Bass Fishing tournament at Alder Lake on Saturday. Wolfe also took home Big Bass honors. their approach as conditions evolved. “We worked well together by trying different baits and techniques to figure out what the fish were biting,” Wolfe said. The turning point of the tournament came when Wolfe landed his biggest fish of the day, a 3.32-pound bass that proved to be both the team’s anchor fish and the largest of the entire field. “That fish gave us a lot of confidence and made us feel like we had a real chance to win,” Wolfe said. Mohler’s biggest fish of the day weighed 2.6 pounds. She said she wasn’t convinced the pair had done enough to
win until late in the day. “I honestly didn’t think we’d win until we saw the other teams at weigh in,” she said. Wolfe and Mohler were guided throughout the tournament by boat captain Jaiden Sobczyk, an Eatonville High School alum and 2023 Washington State High School Bass Fishing champion. Sobczyk described conditions on Alder Lake as favorable, with a comfortable mix of sun and overcast skies and very little wind allowing the team to move around efficiently. “We focused primarily on the west
BASS FISHING, 3