(17. March 2010, 08:53 by Derek Young) Community Garden Summit - Saturday

The community garden discussion in Tacoma continues this Saturday with a Community Gardener’s Summit sponsored by the Cascade Land Conservancy. Join fellow gardeners, experts, and community members to discuss and learn more about gardens in Tacoma.

Highlights

• Keynote speakers:* Marilyn Strickland, Mayor of Tacoma; Carrie Little & Terry Carkner, Pierce County farmers
• Expert panel: “How to start a new community garden” (Andrew Mordhorst, founder of Dan Mulholland Memorial Garden; Randy Hynek, Sumner City Councilman and Community Garden Advocate)
• Hands-on Workshop: “Creating a spiral garden in a small space” (with Michele Dryden-Pratt of Heart & Soil)

Details
Saturday March 20, 2010 –...

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(16. March 2010, 08:51 by Derek Young) No City Council Coverage This Week

Most of our fine City Councilmembers are in Washington DC this week for the National League of Cities conference and to meet with our local congressional representatives in Washington. A few may still be in town, but there is no quorum. Today’s meetings are cancelled. Most of this week’s committee meetings are cancelled. Everything will be back to normal next week.

If you were talking Tacoma with our representatives in DC, or with anybody else that would listen, what would you be talking about?

(15. March 2010, 13:14 by Derek Young) Elks Building Plans Continue to Shift

A story in The News Tribune this weekend described some little changes to the project that would transform our beloved Elks Building. According to the piece, the McMenamins brothers may now be looking to put the hotel portion of their project in the Pleasants/Moses building on the north lot. This would increase the height of the garage/apartment/grocery project by two stories. At the same time, it would preserve the grand spaces in the Elks Building and potentially increase their chances of a 20% federal historic tax credit. This change comes less than a week after the City Council approved...

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(12. March 2010, 12:04 by Derek Young) Healthy, Local, Fresh: Farmers Markets & Community Wellness

As many of you know, we’ve had a long interest in local food and local eating. With that in mind we were excited to see this video sponsored by the Tacoma Farmers Market and Triniti Media. It depicts the rising health concerns in Pierce County due to poor nutrition, the people that help enable local food, and how the Tacoma Farmers Markets make healthy and locally-grown food accessible to local residents.

You’ll recognize many of the faces from Charlie McManus to Mayor Strickland to Terry Carkner from...

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(12. March 2010, 09:23 by Derek Young) The Great Leprechaun Hunt - Tomorrow

Tacoma seems to be increasing its output of groups that combine exercise and drinking:

THE GREAT LEPRECHAUN HUNT
Bicycle Booze Cruz
Saturday, March 13th at 7:30 pm
Meet at:
The Acme Grub Cage – 1310 Tacoma Ave. South

This is the group’s 4th ride. They usually travel to 4 bars/pubs with an average distance of 1.5 miles (or so) between each stop. They’ve averaged 30 riders with bikes of all kinds – vintage cruisers, road bikes, mountain bikes, fixies, and even some old banana seat bikes. It’s all about having fun.

If running’s more...

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(12. March 2010, 09:06 by Derek Young) RAGS Wearable Art Sale is Now!

The RAGS Wearable Art Sale and Gallery to benefit YWCA Pierce County’s domestic violence prevention and intervention programs is this weekend. The event takes place at Larson’s Mercedes Benz of Tacoma in Fife. Hours are 10 am to 6 pm today and tomorrow, and from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

The juried show features many local and regional artists, plus works from artists from around the country. Clothing, accessories, jewelry, handbags and more are for sale and the artists give 33% of their profits to the YWCA Pierce County. The event is further underwritten through...

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(10. March 2010, 16:42 by Derek Young) New Tacoma Awards 2010 - Nominations Due!

Every year the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber’s New Tacoma Awards recognize businesses and individuals that make outstanding contributions to downtown Tacoma. This year the Chamber will recognize 2010 New Tacoma Awards winners at the City Center Luncheon on April 16th, 2010. Nominations are due March 15th.

Please consider nominating an individual or organization or pass the nomination form on to a friend or colleague.

The Award categories include:

Ghillarducci Award – recognizing successful new development, renovation or beautification.

Union Station Award – recognizing leading organizations, companies or individuals that have built or sustained momentum for revitalization.

Popham Award – in honor...

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(10. March 2010, 16:33 by Derek Young) New Contribution Limits for Local Elections?

We know that the campaign season is just getting started, but there’s a story in the Seattle Times that got us thinking. State lawmakers have approved new contribution limits for local elections. The governor is expected to sign it. Contributions would now be capped at $800. Seattle has had limits set at $700. While in Tacoma … from the story:

The 2009 mayoral races in Tacoma and Vancouver also saw a lot of money pushed around. Contributions of $1,500 to $5,000 from police unions and the building industry were not uncommon.

We’ll pull the numbers over the next few days (unless you...

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( 9. March 2010, 19:14 by Derek Young) Tacoma City Council Meeting for March 9th, 2010

Tonight’s Tacoma City Council meeting actually had some debate. Two big items on the agenda included the Cheney Stadium remodel and a resolution that continues to move the Elks project forward. There was, for the first time, a fair amount of talk this evening. Here are our notes:

C O N S E N T A G E N D A

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 37992 setting Thursday, April 1, 2010, at 1:30 p.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner for Local Improvement District No. 3967, for the relocation and construction of sanitary sewer mains to serve...

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( 9. March 2010, 14:10 by Derek Young) Tacoma’s Stormwater Management Program Updates - Public Comment

Tacoma’s Stormwater Management Program is being updated for 2010, and the City is seeking public comment on the changes. We have been amazed how much this topic has come up in random conversations in the last few weeks. Seriously. So, you must have an opinion too.

The Stormwater Management Program is the planning document that guides storm drainage system operations of the City through 2010 to protect our local surface waters from the pollutants carried by stormwater. The Stormwater Management Program is a permit requirement under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Stormwater Permit. This permit, a...

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