Expired

Tacoma Tall Ships organizers announced last week that they are about $500,000 in the hole. Tall Ships organizers have said they’ll make it up somehow and don’t plan to declare bankruptcy. This year’s Tall Ships drew an estimated 300,000 people — about 400,000 fewer than people had hoped. This does not bode well for Tall Ships in the future. On the bright side — at 300,000 people, with a $500,000 bill, we threw a gigantic free party for only $1.50 a head. MINUS 2

Plans have been unveiled for renovations of legendary eyesore the Luzon Building. Design will apparently involve scraping off all that paint and restoring the original brick facade. The building will get a nice buffing, and will be returned to its former glory by Tacoma’s own Jon Graves architects. Jon Graves knows what he’s doing, and should be expected to make the new Luzon fit nicely into the area. PLUS 2

The organizers of the Glass Roots Arts Festival held Sunday in downtown Tacoma had to chain off and sleep in their cars at their South 11th and Market Street festival area the night before due to a ruckus outside the Juno nightclub down the street. Panicked after seeing the street flooded with police cars and nightclubers after the club closed around 1:30 a.m., the organizers felt they needed to protect their freshly laid sod from fornicators. MINUS 2

Pierce County Council voted not to approve funding for workforce training programs, including $250,000 for a proposed workforce development training program, $500,000 for business retention and expansion efforts, an additional $500,000, for a total of $1 million, to purchase land near McChord Air Force Base, which could conceivably help protect the base from encroachment, and $25,000 for proposed education programs. Apparently the 4-3 “no” vote came after a budget retreat that indicated that the county budget is not doing very well. The items are not cuts of already approved budget items, but denial of requests for additional funding for programs proposed by committee. MINUS 2

Even The Man seems to be opening its eyes to Tacoma’s local music scene. Corporate big-wigs are hiring local bands to play “Grand Opening” days in area remodeled Safeway stores. The gig pays $500 and all the deli meat you can fit in your guitar case. PLUS 1

Pedestrians in the Sixth Avenue vicinity of Tacoma witnessed the power of Tacoma’s finest. One law enforcement vehicle used its power to go wherever it wanted by parking in front of the Sixth and Pine Starbucks, directly on the corner curb. The vehicle was propped right up on the door front curb while it’s driver hopped out in order to go in and pick up his 130 degree nonfat extra shot sugar-free vanilla latté. MINUS 1

Total Pluses: 3            

Total Minuses: 7

This Weeks Total: MINUS 4         

 Last Weeks Total: PLUS 7