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Daily Show's Larry Wilmore at TCC Tomorrow (14. October 2008, 10:15 by Nick) ~ DO NOT MISS

A few of us at Exit133 attend the University of Puget Sound. Our big comedy event this year? Two washed-up schlubs from Whose Line is it Anyway hacking it up for a few hours. Meanwhile, Tacoma Community College is showing us up with a freakin’ Daily Show contributor. I guess 40 grand doesn’t go as far as it used to.

Jealousy aside, Larry Wilmore, The Daily Show’s “Senior Black Correspondent,” will speak at TCC’s student center at 11:30am tomorrow, Oct. 15. Even cooler, the event is free and open to the public. You’ll definitely want to take a long lunch for this one. In addition to his work with Stewart & Co., Wilmore is developing a show for HBO and has a book coming out this fall. He could be the next Stephen Colbert.

Here’s Wilmore’s latest segment on The Daily Show.

Details
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 11:30am
Tacoma Community College
Student Center

Link to Tacoma Community College

County Exec Candidate Forum Tomorrow (13. October 2008, 15:03 by Derek Young) ~ Listen Carefully

Tomorrow night, the Asian Forum / League of Women Voters will host a County Executive candidate forum at the Korean Women’s Association’s facility on East 96th Street.

If you haven’t heard Mike Lonergan, Shawn Bunney, Pat McCarthy, and Calvin Goings in person, come check it out. Hear the candidates answer questions related to our increasingly diverse county population. Listen as their answers are simultaneously translated into four languages. This won’t be like the other candidate events.

Plus, I’ll be moderating. It’ll be fun.

Details
Asian Forum & League of Women Voters-Tacoma/Pierce County
Candidates Forum for Pierce County Executive
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Korean Women’s Association
125 East 96th Street, Tacoma

MoG Show Hits Smithsonian (13. October 2008, 12:00 by Whitney) ~ Ooh! Shiny!

The Museum of Glass had a spectacular show earlier this year called Lino Tagliapietra in Retrospect: A Modern Renaissance in Italian Glass. The exhibition was organized by the Museum of Glass and went on the road to museums all over the country. It opened at the Smithsonian Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery on October 3, 2008. It will remain on view at the Renwick until January 1, 2009 before traveling to three additional museums.

The exhibit was curated by Susanne K. Frantz, former curator of twentieth-century glass at The Corning Museum of Glass, it is the first exhibition to look at Tagliapietra’s art and forty years of his career—from his years working in the glassmaking industry on the island of Murano, to his historical 1979 trip to Pilchuck Glass School to teach Italian glassmaking techniques to American glassmakers hungry to expand their technical knowledge and skills, to his legacy as the world’s greatest living glassblower and designer. Now age 74, Tagliapietra’s artistic mastery and vision continue to influence Studio Glass artists around the world. We were lucky enough to meet the artist and he was unassuming and gracious.

Congrats to the Museum of Glass on making to the national stage.

Previously on Exit133

Columbia Bank To Leave 11th and MLK (13. October 2008, 10:29 by Derek Young) ~ Hmmm...

I realize that we’re all a bit sensitive about bank news these days. This doesn’t seem to be related to any of that. It seems, to us, more like a retail location decision. With that said …

The word on the street (since confirmed) is that Columbia Bank will be closing their 11th and MLK branch in January. When the branch opened in October 2001, it was noted as a significant step in the revitalization of Hilltop and MLK. The neighborhood has changed a lot since then, but we never like to see a location go vacant.

Anybody looking for a turn-key bank location?

The Washington Post on Tacoma's Prop 1 (12. October 2008, 10:41 by Derek Young) ~ Enough Yet?

First the New York Times had something to say about Tacoma’s Proposition 1 that removes term limits … Now the Washington Post weighs in on the debate. The Post’s George Will offers this on our very own Connie Ladenburg:

… Disregard the dubious idea that “visionary” legislatures are desirable, and disregard the fact that term limits always allow legislators to serve for “years” — usually at least six and often eight or more. But consider the Times’ supposedly alarming example of Tacoma Councilwoman Connie Ladenburg.

Now in her second four-year term, she advocates something that the Times presumably considers visionary and not a bit small-bore — a $2 million pedestrian and bike trail. Ladenburg lamented to the Times that she thinks “this is crazy” because “If I go away, and it’s not completed, what will happen?” Well, either the trail will be completed or it won’t. Presumably, if the good people of Tacoma want it, it will be, in which case she will not have been indispensable, which will also be true if they do not want it completed.

So … what do you think the “good people of Tacoma” will do when November 4th comes around? Do our city representatives need more time?

Link to The Washington Post

Shakabrah Java Closing Its Doors (12. October 2008, 10:37 by Caitlin) ~ Fix the Economy Now, Please

We heard it through the grape vine early Saturday that Shakabrah Java was closing, but couldn’t quite believe it.

The rumor was confirmed Saturday evening at the Kusikia album release party. The show, free of cover charge, asked for donations to pay for the opening bands’ travel costs and the remainder would go to the venue. Staff was available to serve food and coffee, but they were volunteering their time and would only be taking home tips.

When asked if the reason for closing was higher rent, a staff member answered that rent, cost of supplies – everything – was rising, and it was just too expensive to keep up.

The current owner of Shakabrah has run the restaurant for eleven years. A great breakfast spot and hangout at 6th Ave, Shakabrah Java will be missed. The doors close November 2nd. Get your huge plate of blueberry pancakes and bottomless brewed coffee while it lasts.

The City of Tacoma Goes Tweet Tweet (10. October 2008, 16:04 by Derek Young) ~ Tweet?

For all you twitterers out there, the City of Tacoma is venturing out into the world of social media and Twitter. It’s an experiment, from what we hear. So, if you’re so inclined, follow the City of Tacoma!

Link to Twitter

The Whole Truth in Downtown Next Week (10. October 2008, 15:45 by Derek Young) ~ Could Be Interesting

We just received word that the City has issued a film permit to allow a movie company to use the old courthouse above the Post Office on A Street from October 13th through the 22nd. The movie is called The Whole Truth and … that’s about all we know about it.

They are already moving in props, but on Monday the trucks, gondolas (with lights), and generators will be parked ‘permanently’ around the Post Office. All filming will be inside the building, but Court A will be closed to traffic.

If you happen to be leaning out your living room window with a camera … accidentally taking pictures … tell us what you see.

Local Commenter Goes National ... (10. October 2008, 15:32 by Derek Young) ~ Just So You Know

We often say that we’re always amazed by the reach and relevance of many of our commenters. One in particular, seems to have been quiet for a while. Now, we discover, he’s been busy …

We wondered why he’s been so quiet lately.

Jump To It

Tacoma Fire Hosts Open Houses Saturday (10. October 2008, 15:24 by Caitlin) ~ See The Big Red Truck

Tacoma and Fircrest residents can celebrate Fire Prevention Week by visiting six neighborhood fire stations tomorrow.

This year’s theme, and probably an ongoing theme, is Prevent Home Fires. Six stations will be open, equipment will be on display, and firefighters will answer questions about escape planning, fire safety, and disaster preparedness.

Maybe they’ll even turn on the siren?

Details
Saturday, October 11, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

The following stations will host open houses:

Station 3 – 206 Browns Point Blvd., NE Tacoma
Station 4 – 1453 S. 12th, Hilltop
Station 11 – 3802 McKinley Ave., McKinley Hill
Station 13 – 3825 N. 25th, Proctor
Station 16 – 7217 6th Ave., Skyline/West End District
Station 17 – 302 Regents Blvd., Fircrest

Refreshments will be served.
For more information on the activities hosted at each station, call the Tacoma Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau at 253.591.5740.

UWT Gets A New Space ( 9. October 2008, 14:07 by Whitney) ~ Ooohhh... Pretty

UWT grew a little more this year. Not just in record enrollment numbers but also in physical space. Philip Hall was recently completed and it filled in one of the remaining vacant storefronts on Pacific Ave. We took a peek inside and liked what we saw.

The new William W. Philip Hall, accommodates 300 to 500 and provides a venue for lectures, concerts, banquets and student activities, and will also be available for community events. The modern building pays homage to its location with sweeping views of Pacific Ave and the historical campus. The brick walls have been refinished and their signs from the past preserved. The Pacific Ave side proudly bears the name “UW Tacoma”.

The storefront on Pacific has already been rented by a used book store that will focus on first editions and other harder to find books. The next construction project on campus will be the Joy building, the last vacant building on Pacific in between Grassi’s and BKB.

A FEW PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP

(Continued)

"Observations & Perceptions" ( 9. October 2008, 14:02 by Caitlin) ~ Looking & Seeing

On October 16th (Third Thursday!), Observations & Perceptions will open at The Fulcrum Gallery.

This group show will include five artists, all exploring the transition between the act of looking and seeing through different mediums. The show will feature the socially poignant commentary of Jeremy Gregory, the optical mechanics of Oliver Doriss’s voids, Galen McCarty-Turner’s collective piece about his Tacoma environments, Elise Richman’s exploration in contrast and the three dimensions, and Conor McClellan’s Snow Globes, a mix of found object and cultural icons.

Details
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 16th, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Artist Talk: Sunday, October 26th, 6:00 p.m.
For more information, visit Fulcrum.OliverDoriss.com

Observations & Perceptions will run October 16th – November 16th

Fulcrum Gallery
1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Open 7 days a week by appointment
Saturdays and Sundays 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Thursdays 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Playdate with The Children's Museum of Tacoma ( 9. October 2008, 09:13 by Caitlin) ~ Are You 5? Invite Your Parents!

The Children’s Museum of Tacoma offering a new and free program for kids, 5 and younger, and their parents. And you all know how much we love free.

Play to Learn Pierce County
Sessions include fun play and learning activities for kids and information for adults. Come play and help the kids get ready for school.

Details
For children 5 years and younger and their parents.
October 19 – December 19, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Tuesdays at People’s Neighborhood Resource Center, 1602 S MLK Jr Way
Wednesdays at Graham Library, 9202 224th St E, Graham
Thursdays at Lakewood Library, 6300 Wildaire Rd SW, Lakewood
Fridays at Parkland/Spanaway Library, 13718 Pacific Ave S

This is a drop-in program. Call 253.627.6031 ext. 232 for more information.

Drink and Pledge Drive at Doyle's ( 8. October 2008, 14:25 by Caitlin) ~ Guinness for the Greater Good

Doyle’s is once again helping out KUOW 94.9 by donating $1 from every pint of Guinness sold from October 6th through the 16th. Doyles is looking to break the 1,000 pint mark this year, so get to it and raise a pint for public radio.

And yes, we know KUOW is in Seattle, but they do have KXOT in the South Sound.

Details
October 6 – 16
Raise a Pint For Public Radio
Doyle’s Public House
208 Saint Helens Avenue
For more information, visit DoylesPublicHouse.com