Paying Last Respects for the Unclaimed Dead of Pierce County
September 15, 2018On a remarkably clear day at the end of August I watched the cremated remains of 40 people drift into the waters of Puget Sound. The cremains belonged to people who had died in Pierce County over the previous two years and whose bodies were left unclaimed. The ceremony was organized by the Pierce County…
Lawns Aren’t Just for Day Drinking Anymore
September 11, 2018Ever wonder what’s up with that square of manicured lawn at Wright Park with the fancy wrought iron fence around it? I’ll give you a clue; it requires a fair amount of hand-eye coordination, a desire for good old-fashioned outside fun, and a set of big, heavy balls. This is the home of the Tacoma…
Here’s What It Took to Be Named the Perfect Mrs. Tacoma Housewife in 1955
September 6, 2018From the ‘you can’t make this stuff up files’ comes a look back at the 1955 Tacoma Home Show, where there was plenty for guests to see at the College of Puget Sound’s field house (now the University of Puget Sound).
We’ve Got Your Tacoma Labor Day Staycation Plans Sorted
August 31, 2018Labor Day traffic sucks. Avoid the RVs, regular congestion, and I-5 chaos (screw I-90 too, while we’re at it) by taking the side streets and staying local. Here’s our guide to skirting the inevitable traffic nightmare and doing your long Tacoma weekend good and proper. Friday: GTFO of work, middle fingers blazing. Screw those…
This Is What It Looks Like When Nature Reclaims a Piece of Tacoma
August 28, 2018Have you ever wondered how long it would take nature to reclaim a neighborhood if everyone just got up and left? It’s hard to say how long an average house would last, but if you wiped the neighborhood off the map and left the ground bare, 67 years is, evidently, more than enough time to…
Business Geeks: Write a Business Proposal, Win a Self-service Dog Wash
August 22, 2018If you’ve ever wanted to run a small business but didn’t know exactly where to start, this could be a great opportunity. William Manzanares, local business owner and co-founder of Grit City Magazine, is giving away a K9000 Dog Wash to the person with the best business proposal. If professional dog washing isn’t your…
The Cremains of 50 Pierce County Residents Remain Unclaimed in Tacoma
August 20, 2018When someone in Pierce County passes away and no one claims their body the Medical Examiner’s office arranges for them to be cremated. It is hoped a friend or family member will be found to pass the cremains on to, but it’s not always easy to track people down and in some cases family members…
(NSFW) Our Most Popular Story of All Time Is a Minivan Covered in Dicks
August 15, 2018The worst part is, it wasn’t even a story. It was just a 20 word Instagram post that auto-shared to our Facebook page. It was originally posted Saturday, August 4th and within a week it had earned 692 likes, 710 comments, over 2,000 shares, and had been seen by more than 426,000 people. But because…
Insider Tips for the Brew Five Three Beer and Music Festival
August 7, 2018Brew Five Three knows the magic recipe for the perfect Pacific Northwest afternoon: beer, music, food, and fun. Some of you out there may be seasoned festival veterans and already have your Saturday all planned out, but for those who will be new to the scene this weekend we’ve got your insider info right here.…
The Lesser-Known History of Stadium Bowl
August 3, 2018When Stadium Bowl first opened in 1910 it was a pretty big deal. Theodore Roosevelt visited a year later and had this to say about it: “I have visited, I think, most of the cities of the world, and there is not one of them which has such a stadium as this, situated with such…
89 Years Ago Tacomans Were Obsessed With Flying to Tokyo
July 30, 2018Look up Harold Bromley in the history books and you’ll find photos of a man ready to take off for Tokyo from Tacoma Field. There are shots of the crowd of thousands, which began gathering at 2 a.m. on July 28 of 1929 to see the pilot off on the historic 4,762 mile flight. There are…
There’s a Trick to Getting Your Hands on Gari of Sushi’s Edible Art
July 20, 2018There are three main things people have to say about dining at Gari of Sushi on S 38th St: don’t judge a restaurant by its exterior, reasonable prices, and the BEST sushi in town! Kazu Kamada, who owns and runs the establishment with his wife, began training as a sushi chef in Japan at just…