Spun is helping Tacoma get dirty...and creative! If you aren’t paying attention, you might just miss it. Read More
Keeping any kind of animal in your home comes with a certain amount of work. For most of us, the payoff for that work is companionship and occasional entertainment. But for a few dedicated households around Tacoma, the relationship is somewhat more complex and, from some perspectives, more beneficial. Read More
When I walked into Victoria Woodards’ office on her 61st day on the job, she looked up sheepishly from her sandwich. She asked if I minded if she finished her lunch. I said no, and as she thanked me, she checked her phone, the back of which read in gold letters, “Glitter is my favorite color.” Read More
Photos by C. Ray Shea We’ve had a couple firefighters reach out to us this week about a message from... Read More
Last November, an electrical fire ripped through the center of the 90 year old building on 6th Ave. that had been the home of Northwest Costume since 1982. Most of the costumes were damaged or destroyed and the business has been closed since then. Read More
On first arrival to Tacoma, a new queer transplant might wonder what there is for them in a city not as well known as nearby Capitol Hill. How do you make new friends, find a safe space and support the community in this new city? Seattle has the hill, San Francisco the Castro, but is there a “gayborhood” in Tacoma? Read More
If you have lived in Washington state for a while you know about the stark differences between east and west. I spent the first half of my life on the East Side and I'm just starting the second half on the West Side, here in Tacoma. Read More
Like it or not, the nighttime look of Tacoma's city streets and suburbs is changing. Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) and the City of Tacoma are sweeping from south to north in 2018, replacing 75% of our aging streetlights with new, energy efficient LED fixtures. Read More
Tacoma is a beautiful city with many memorable sights but even if you’ve lived here your entire life, it’s unlikely that you’ve ever seen it quite like this. When viewed from above, our familiar city takes on a graphic quality, sometimes resembling abstract modern art more than historical architecture. Read More
Isolation is hard on the human psyche under the best of circumstances. When you’re working 12 hours at a time,... Read More
Tacoma is home to some of the oldest homes and buildings in Western Washington. It’s also a hotbed of real estate activity. It’s hard to drive anywhere in the city, especially in the North End, without seeing evidence of remodeling, house flipping, or demolition. Read More
In most major American cities, less than 20 percent of voters cast ballots for mayor, according to City Lab, and those who do vote often don’t represent the city completely. For example, City Lab also states that younger residents have lower voter turnout. Read More