Updates from Tacoma Weekly http://new.tacomaweekly.com One recent performance isn't as much of a guarantee of a team's sharpness as coaches might hope, but it is still generally a good sign. And if the Tacoma Tide's performance in its do-or-die game against Yakima July 19 is a fair indication, there is reason to be optimistic that the team's first playoff game of the season in Fresno July 26 won't be its last. Led by Spencer Schomaker's three goals, the Tide easily defeated the Reds, 6-2, July 19, winning the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues. This will be the Tide's second trip to the playoffs in two years. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2148 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2148 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTrwalter@tacomaweekly.com(Rick Walter) A half-marathon, unlike a half of almost any other sporting event, is a substantial enterprise in its own right. The process of defying gravity one leap at a time for more than 13 miles in little more than an hour is an accomplishment not to be taken lightly. The challenge of the half-marathon is clearly capable of culling a herd of runners of its less practiced or fit members. But even to finish such a race in, say, two or three hours is an indication of fitness and endurance and a satisfying achievement by all accounts. The half-marathon has become a very popular race for both serious and recreational runners because the recovery time is shorter than that of a full marathon and the training is more do-able. Tacoma is going to see its first half-marathon in several years on Aug. 2, when 1,000 runners start at the Gig Harbor side of the Narrows Bridges and take on the 2,097-meter route that continues across the bridge to the Scott Pierson Trail to Cheney Stadium, where the competitors will run the warning track of the baseball field, and then finishes in downtown Tacoma. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2149 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2149 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTrwalter@tacomaweekly.com(Rick Walter) What do Ken Griffey, Jr., Roger Salkeld, Marc Newfield, Ron Villone, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Varitek, Jose Cruz, Jr., Gil Meche, Ryan Anderson, Matt Thornton, Ryan Christianson, Michael Garciaparra, Adam Jones, and Jeff Clement have in common? All are Mariners' first-round draft picks who played with the Rainiers. Only Clement is still in the Mariners' system. The others have been lost to trades, injuries, or signed with other organizations when their Mariner contracts were up. All but Anderson, Christianson and Garciaparra played at least a few games at the major-league level. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2150 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2150 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTnews@tacomaweekly.com(Karen Westeen) Perhaps one of the most enjoyable and satisfying summertime festivals in Tacoma is Ethnic Fest, happening July 26 and 27 at Wright Park. Now in its 22nd year, Ethnic Fest is truly a community event in that it provides the perfect opportunity for the South Sound's many cultures and nationalities to come together for an afternoon of fun and unity within the oasis of Wright Park, which will be looking its finest after the recent completion of reconstruction projects that rejuvenated many parts of the park. Metro Parks' Lori Crace is coordinator for Ethnic Fest. "It's Tacoma's best giant block party," she said. "We all get together and celebrate our differences and what we have in common, and appreciate what is special and unique about other cultures." Involved in the planning of numerous festivals in Tacoma each year, Crace said Ethnic Fest is one of her favorites. "It has a really welcoming, easygoing vibe. People are just happy there." http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2151 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2151 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmattnagle@tacomaweekly.com(Matt Nagle) If you're out cruising through the 6th Avenue Farmers Market on some Tuesday afternoon this summer, check out the back wall of Schuck's Auto Parts. Tacoma artist Jennevieve Schlemmer will be there, working on a big mural commissioned by the 6th Avenue Business District Association in honor of the much-anticipated market's first season of business. Having just started the mural last week when the market had its grand opening, she's been working on it just a couple of days a week so passers-by can see the progress. Once complete, the image will be that of an old-fashioned vegetable truck with oversized veggies and a slogan urging viewers to "Eat your vegetables." Plans are to have the mural completed by Aug. 4. Given much creative license for the project, Schlemmer said she developed the final outline for the mural by turning to the event that sparked it. "I was inspired to do something that has to do with the market," she said from atop her ladder as she filled in areas within the lines she had sketched out on the wall. She said she also kept in mind that the mural would be associated with the auto parts store, so she incorporated the truck into the design as well. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2152 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2152 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmattnagle@tacomaweekly.com(Matt Nagle) Tressie Schindele is bringing cool, classic and fun downtown. Schindele, owner of Funkoma Vintage, teamed up with friend and antiques dealer Glen Ripple to take over the Rampart building on Broadway, left vacant after Rampart Gallery owner Steve Craig died in February. Schindele, a friend of Craig's who said she greatly misses the artist, said she plans to continue honoring him by repainting the Rampart name across the top of the building. Meanwhile, she says she's thrilled with the new location and her business associate. Previously Schindele's business was in the Dome District, but due to space constraints and a desire to expand her inventory, she began looking for a new space. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2153 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2153 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmerkkinen@tacomaweekly.com(Meghan Erkkinen) For those versed in the history of art, Paris of the early 20th century was the undisputed center of the artistic universe. Young, new painters with names like Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Andre Matisse and Marc Chagall were on the scene and creating work inspired by the generation of Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Cezanne. The nostalgic flavor of that Paris- that imperial Europe whose cultural zenith was soon to be eclipsed by the cataclysm of world war- is currently to be encountered in the cozy setting of Tacoma's own Two Vaults Gallery. The paintings of Karl Krogstad, which are currently on display in the gallery, exude the wonderful, antique essence of the Parisian avant-garde of a hundred years ago. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2154 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2154 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTdave@tacomaweekly.com(Dave R. Davison) Raised in Tacoma from the time she was six months old, Wanda Brunstetter may indeed be one of our city's best-kept "secrets." A prolific and award-winning author, Brunstetter has penned more than 30 books during the past 10 years or so, but you probably won't find them on the rack next to racy romances and cheap paperbacks. Rather, Brunstetter writes in response to a higher calling, focusing on people who live simple, wholesome lives with God and family being the most important things to hold onto in a world where careers, flashy cars and the latest in cell-phone technology are made the priorities. Calling Brunstetter a "secret" may be somewhat of a misnomer, but unless you're into her genre of literature you may not have yet heard of her. Many others have, though. A best-selling author of Amish fiction, Brunstetter has more than 3 million titles currently in print. Her three-volume series "Sisters of Holmes County" has been exceptionally well received, selling more than 350,000 copies since the initial installment was released a year ago. The second title published in 2007, "A Sister's Test," made a huge debut with upwards of 150,000 copies sold in the first quarter of 2008. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2155 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2155 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmattnagle@tacomaweekly.com(Matt Nagle) Spend an hour with Alex Duncan and one can hear him sing snippets of famous songs in a range of voices as well as philosophical observations on business, music and human nature. The local reggae singer satisfies his fan base with a steady schedule of gigs in clubs and outdoor festivals, while reaching out to new listeners with the sort of upbeat, socially- conscious mindset common to so many reggae musicians. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2156 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2156 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Many area residents enjoy attending the large festivals held around town, especially during the summer. Ensuring public safety is a matter of much planning. The number of problems that occur certainly varies based on the general atmosphere of an event, the day of the week, weather and other factors. Sgt. Rob Jepson from Tacoma Police Department (TPD) is the point person for the department when it comes to security planning for festivals. During the July 10 meeting of Tacoma City Council's Public Safety, Human Services and Education Committee, he gave a review of some of the recent big events in town. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2138 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2138 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Police wrote more tickets for violating Tacoma's fireworks ban this year compared to 2007 and they confiscated far more of the contraband. Tacoma Fire Department (TFD), which teamed up with Tacoma Police Department (TPD) on an extensive public relations campaign prior to the traditional fireworks season, feels such efforts are reducing injuries from fireworks. Tacoma City Council's Public Safety, Human Services and Education Committee heard an update during its July 10 meeting. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2139 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2139 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Many North End residents enjoy walking or bicycling along Mason Loop, a wide area with paths and landscaping that runs down the middle of Mason Street. Several sections will soon undergo improvements. Gary Foreman of Pierce County Master Gardeners gave a presentation on the topic during a board meeting of North End Neighborhood Council July 14. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2140 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2140 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) City Manager Eric Anderson received fairly high marks in his recent annual evaluation, exceeding the council's expectations in the numerical system they use to rate his performance. In testimony during the July 15 council meeting, Council member Spiro Manthou discussed the process used to rate Anderson. He noted his scores this year are slightly lower in some categories compared to previous years. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2141 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2141 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) On July 10 Washington State Supreme Court upheld the murder conviction of Brian Eggleston in the 1995 shooting death of Pierce County Sheriff's Department deputy John Bananola. The decision was the latest legal decision in a saga that began Oct. 16, 1995. On that morning what became arguably the most controversial and highly publicized drug raid in Tacoma history occurred. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2142 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2142 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) A group of government officials and business representatives have been working on plans to improve the infrastructure on the peninsula between Thea Foss Waterway and the Puyallup River. The price tag for their wish list could be in the range of $23 million, according to a report made to Tacoma City Council during its July 15 study session. The council commissioned a study, in cooperation with the Port of Tacoma and key businesses on the Tideflats, to develop a transportation corridor plan for the area. This led to the formation of a steering committee. One of its members, Dana Brown from the Public Works Department, presented the report to the council. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2143 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2143 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Fed up with his antics and testimony laced with references to sexual acts, Tacoma City Council is exploring the possibility of banning Robert "The Traveler" Hill from its meetings. At the end of a recent meeting, Councilmember Mike Lonergan asked City Attorney Elizabeth Pauli to look into the possibility of banning Hill, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the council last year, from attending meetings. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2144 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2144 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Due to the often-negative impact upon children forced to move repeatedly because their parents are on active duty in the military, the state is looking at whether or not to join in on a national compact to make it easier on young students transferring to new schools. The interstate compact, which includes 10 states to date, will start meeting in January to begin working toward creating uniform transferring rules from state to state in order to keep students on track throughout their educational career. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2145 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2145 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTnews@tacomaweekly.com(Capt. John Keizer) The 6th Avenue Farmers Market had its grand opening June 15, and crowds turned out in full force to enjoy the hot summer afternoon strolling among the two dozen vendor booths set up on North Pine Street between 6th and 7th avenues. Volunteer Laura Edwards said people were lined up at the entrance waiting to get in half an hour before opening time. "It's as if the market has been going for years," she said. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2146 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2146 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmattnagle@tacomaweekly.com(Matt Nagle) A group of Tacoma residents are on a mission: to bring fresh, healthy, quality food options to the city, and to do so in a democratic way. Right now, the Tacoma Food Cooperative is little more than a name and a dream, but soon the steering committee - made up of about a half dozen members of the Tacoma community - will get to work on finalizing a business plan. They are working to get the word out to generate a list of interested people, and to find out what sort of things people would want in their food co-op. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2147 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2147 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmerkkinen@tacomaweekly.com(Meghan Erkkinen) You can see for miles. You can see islands in the distance, fishing vessels large and small on the waters of Puget Sound, the ferry to Vashon Island, the Olympic mountain range. You have this view from the deck of your home and you never tire of it, and can predict the first two words to come out of the mouth of anyone walking into your home for the first time. Nice view. But on July 15, you are about 800 miles away from your home in Tacoma. You are at a ceremony, standing in the middle of a softball diamond in Salt Lake City, Utah, looking out at your wife, your kids, your grandchildren, becoming the first senior softball player from Pierce County to be inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2127 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2127 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTrwalter@tacomaweekly.com(Rick Walter) One of the Nike commercials broadcast during European coverage of the 2008 soccer season showed the residents of the city of Liverpool adopting all kinds of Spanish d and eacute;cor and trappings in honor of Fernando Torres. Houses were painted in red and yellow, Spain's flag flew on Mersey ferries, soccer fans were shown taking language lessons and then talking to Torres himself as he wandered through a park. Over the past week or so, a little closer to home, there's been some debate over soccer's legitimacy in the United States, in general, and Washington state, in particular, by anti-soccer commentary in the Seattle Weekly. Well don't expect all the houses, or even the doors, along the 40th Street heading down to Curtis High School in University Place to be painted yellow and blue in homage to the Tacoma Tide (10-4-1), as it wraps up its regular season schedule against the Yakima Reds (9-5-1). But when the two sides line up to play July 19 at 7 p.m., there will be two skilled teams facing each other for a playoff spot, with emotionally-invested fans rooting them on, and a physically-invested sense of urgency by the players on the soccer field. In other words: a real sporting event. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2128 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2128 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTrwalter@tacomaweekly.com(Rick Walter) Just back from Neah Bay. Family, friends, campfires, fireworks and tons of fishing, who can ask for a better vacation? http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2129 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2129 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTnews@tacomaweekly.com(Capt. John Keizer) Shawn Garrett knows his way around a baseball diamond. The Rainiers' infielder/outfielder was drafted out of high school in 1997. Since then he has played every position (with the possible exception of catcher). He has been with nine different organizations (Padres, Pirates, Rockies, Athletics, Phillies, Cardinals, Yankees, White Sox and Mariners), and played on 15 different teams, all at Triple A and below. After signing on with the Mariners as a minor league free agent last December, Garrett started this season with Double A West Tennessee. He was called up to Tacoma May 2. In 58 games with the Rainiers he is batting .276 with five home runs and 29 RBI. He is currently the only switch hitter on the Rainiers' roster. This quality coupled with his ability to play darn near every position on the team makes him very valuable. As of July 14 he has played 19 games at infield positions (mostly first base) and 33 games in the outfield. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2130 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2130 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTnews@tacomaweekly.com(Karen Westeen) On July 19 and 20, McChord Air Force Base will open its gates free to the public for Air Expo 2008. Encompassing all four branches of the U.S. military, the expo is a truly world-class event featuring many civilian and military flying acts along with numerous aircraft to tour, all of it topped off with performances by the Air Force's internationally renowned aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds. "This is our way of saying thank you to the community," said Staff Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson. "This year's event is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, ever. There'll be a lot going on." http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2131 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2131 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTmattnagle@tacomaweekly.com(Matt Nagle) Eight floors of Tacoma Municipal Building and two at the headquarters of Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) are currently serving as art gallery space, displaying the creativity of city and TPU employees, retirees and family members. This is the third year the two buildings have displayed artwork during the summer. It is sponsored by National Arts Program, which provides opportunities for artists of all ages and skill levels to display their work in public. They are split into categories of amateur, intermediate, professional, youth under 12, and youth 12 to 18. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2132 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2132 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Hear that throaty V-8 rumble off in the distance? It is the sound of 2,000 hot rods and customized cars headed to Puyallup. The 21st edition of the Goodguys Pacific Northwest Nationals car show presented by Tacoma's Griot's Garage takes over the Puyallup Fair and amp; Expo Center July 25-27, turning the grounds into a scene from "American Graffiti." The event features the car show, an automotive swap meet, a vendor exhibit midway, the pin stripers "brush bash," Friday night drag races at Pacific Raceways in Kent, and a host of other automotive-themed activities. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2133 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2133 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTnews@tacomaweekly.com(Tacoma Weekly) If you think that you know all about the 1972 Broadway musical "Grease" because you saw the 1978 movie version starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, think again. Tacoma Musical Playhouse (TMP) is currently running a production of "Grease" that features a flawless and talented cast that is guaranteed to rekindle one's appreciation of the original musical. The musical tribute to the 50s is set in the year 1959 at a fictional school called Rydell High. The musical is a love story between Danny (Matt Posner) and Sandy (Haley Meier). The two met during the summer at the beach - a magical place where the two were free of the constraints of high school identity and peer pressure. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2134 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2134 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTdave@tacomaweekly.com(Dave R. Davison) How charming is that? I love Gilbert and Sullivan's works; some are more successful than others. The current production of "The Mikado," at Bagley Wright Theatre at Seattle Center, is totally successful, charming and funny. I recognized many of the songs and felt encouraged to sing along (only in my mind, of course.) When I was in fourth grade, I was introduced to G and amp;S as my fifth-grade sister came home with "HMS Pinafore." I was fascinated by the Admiral of the Navy who had never sailed on a ship. Then when I was a junior in high school, I saw a Bellarmine and St. Leo's production of "The Pirates of Penzance." The gorgeous blond Frederic sealed my fate as a serious G and amp;S aficionado. Perhaps the highlight of this amble down memory lane was when my mother and I took the train to Seattle to see Jim Belushi as the Pirate King and Peter Noone as Frederic at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Marvelous. This was before Belushi had such a belly and a lot more hair! http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2135 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2135 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTnews@tacomaweekly.com(Peg Doman) Like many Americans his age, North End resident Rod Koon first got excited about rock 'n roll as a child when he saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Two years later he had his first guitar. His musical endeavors flourished as a teenager while attending high school at Bellarmine Prep. "Everybody had a garage band in high school," he recalled. He was no exception. He played in a rock group that played a few gigs. http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2136 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2136 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTjlarson@tacomaweekly.com(John Larson) Seattle-based band The Classic Crime may have good reason to be on your iPod's most wanted list. Their sound is diverse, solid and it rocks. They have dabbled in dark and heavy, as well as introspective acoustic sets, which has not always kept their fans happy, but since when is that a crime? http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2137 http://new.tacomaweekly.com/article/2137 Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 PDTcjensen@tacomaweekly.com(Clare Jensen)