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🍔All Youth Can Eat Campaign Launches July 1 in Tacoma

🐶Tacoma Humane Society Shares July Fourth Pet Safety Tips

🚘AAA Urges Drivers to Plan Ahead for a Busy Holiday Week

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A new summer food campaign is giving Tacoma youth another place to turn for a free meal.

Starting July 1, the All Youth Can Eat campaign will offer free meals on different days of the week at participating restaurants in and around Tacoma. Depending on the location, the program is open either to kids 18 and under or to college students ages 18 to 24 with a valid college ID.

The campaign is organized around a simple idea: no young person should have to go hungry. Organizers note that millions of Americans experience hunger, including millions of children and young people, and this effort gives local restaurants a direct way to help. Instead of one central meal site, the program spreads opportunities throughout the week at different neighborhood businesses.

Families and students should check the full schedule before going, since each restaurant has its own day, time window, and eligibility rules. But the bigger takeaway is encouraging: Tacoma-area restaurants are stepping up this summer to make sure more young people have access to a meal when they need one.

For a list of locations check out this page.

The Fourth of July can be fun for people, but it can be one of the most stressful nights of the year for pets.

The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County says more pets go missing around the Fourth of July than at any other time of year, with fireworks often causing scared animals to bolt. Pet owners are encouraged to prepare ahead of time by checking collars and ID tags, making sure microchip information is current, and talking with a veterinarian if a pet has serious anxiety around loud noises.

Before fireworks begin, pets should get exercise earlier in the day and then be kept indoors for the evening. Once the noise starts, close windows and curtains and use fans, TV, radio, or white noise to help cover the sound. During gatherings, be especially careful with doors, gates, and windows so pets do not slip out unnoticed.

If you find a lost pet over the holiday, the Humane Society recommends checking with neighbors, posting on local lost-pet pages, and having the animal scanned for a microchip before taking it to a shelter. Many lost pets are found close to home, so keeping them near the area where they were found can help reunite them with their families faster.

For more tips visit the Tacoma Human Society.

If you’re planning to drive for the Fourth of July holiday, timing could make a big difference.

AAA expects 72.2 million Americans to travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, July 5, including 61.4 million people traveling by car. Seattle is also listed as AAA’s top domestic destination for the holiday week, which means travelers in Western Washington may see extra pressure on highways, ferries, airports, and local roads.

For drivers trying to avoid the worst traffic, AAA and INRIX say the best strategy is to leave early. The heaviest traffic windows are expected Wednesday, July 1 from noon to 9 p.m.; Thursday, July 2 from 2 to 6 p.m.; Friday, July 3 from noon to 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Sunday, July 5 from noon to 6 p.m. The best times are generally before late morning or midday, with July 4 being better after 3 p.m.

AAA is also reminding drivers to make safety part of the holiday plan. That means checking tires, batteries, and oil before a road trip, slowing down and moving over for emergency crews or stranded motorists, and arranging a sober ride before drinking or using any impairing substances. AAA says nearly one in three summertime traffic deaths involves an impaired driver, so planning ahead matters.

More information here.

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