1. Soccer park project gets $290,000 boost
Pacific National Soccer Park, the state-of-the-art joint venture of multiple soccer entities in Washington state, has received its first infusion of funds for the project scheduled to break ground during the first half of 2006.
At a ceremony in Fife this month, Mayor Mike Kelley Sr. presented a $100,000 check to Pacific National representing $50,000 each from Fife and Pierce County (Real Estate Excise Tax – REET).
Dick Mohrmann, president of Washington State Youth Soccer Association, presented a $90,000 check from WSYSA. The association will be building its future headquarters on the Pac Nat grounds.
Tacoma Pierce County Junior Soccer Association board members and club representatives presented a $100,000 check on behalf of TPCJSA, which will also have its future home at Pac Nat.
“This is a very exciting day for all of us associated with Pac Nat,” said Doug Andreassen, Pac Nat project chairperson. “These funds will help us pay for the Master Plan and continue developing the many phases of this amazing park, one that will be a jewel in the local, state and national soccer community.”
Upon completion, Pacific National Soccer Park will feature a skill-building design, year-round programming and specialized TOPSoccer grounds. The Pac Nat slogan, “Bringing the field to the player rather than the player to the field,” embodies a mission to create a dynamic playing and educational experience unmatched anywhere else in the country.
2. 200th anniversary of County namesake’s birth
Since our county is named after Franklin Pierce, the 14th president, the Department of Communications thought you might be interested in knowing he was born 200 years ago today in Hillsborough (now Hlllsboro), N.H.
A Democrat who served in both the House and Senate and was a Mexican War veteran, he was elected president in 1852 (the year our county was created) and served from 1853 to 1857. He died Oct. 8, 1869 at age 64.
The Pierce Bicentennial is being commemorated with numerous political, historic, and social events at the Franklin Pierce Homestead and other locations in New Hampshire, including the Pierce Manse and Franklin Pierce Law Center, both in Concord, and Franklin Pierce College in Rindge.
According to the official Web site (www.franklinpierce.ws), Franklin Pierce’s life is often overlooked or misunderstood. Pierce was a compelling and often contradictory man. He has been described as a powerful orator, a faithful friend and a master politician. He is also described as a defender of slavery, a partisan politician, and an ineffective president.
3. Nevin promoted to brigadier general
Pierce County District Court Judge Jack Nevins promotion to brigadier general in the United States Army Reserve is official. A news release in August announced his selection for the promotion. The process, which included approval by President Bush and confirmation by the Senate, moved faster than anticipated and took effect Oct. 20.
My selection to general officer is an honor, and it is indeed humbling. However, I am most privileged to serve with the finest young men and women in America, our soldiers. Of the many great Americans, both civilian and military, I am convinced that these young people are indeed the best of us, said Nevin, who resides in University Place with his wife, Cheryl.
His position title is Chief Judge, U.S. Army Legal Services Agency. In this capacity he also is chief judge of the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals. The agency is responsible for all Army defense, prosecution, judicial and appellate issues. The soldiers assigned to the agency include all criminal defense lawyers, all judges both primary court and appellate, and all government appellate lawyers both prosecution and defense, he said.
Nevin said that while he may sit on a panel from time to time, his primary mission is as one of two general officers who lead the Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Together with another brigadier general, I lead the roughly four thousand officer and enlisted personnel.
His major project is helping develop a plan to restructure the Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps. The active Army is in transformation, and we must necessarily consider restructuring the active and reserve JAG Corps to better serve the transformed army, he said. He will be traveling around the United States, mostly on weekends, meeting with Reserve organizations, assisting them where possible, learning from them, and incorporating the newly acquired information into restructure ideas.
His duties also include advising the judge advocate general on all reserve issues. Currently there are more than 400 judge advocates representing both the active and reserve components around the world in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan).
