WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

When Prison Officers Lose It: A state correctional officer went berserk yesterday. (News Tribune)

Pierce County Salary Commission: They will fight for truth, justice and the American way. (News Tribune)

GOP Presidential Race: Fifty delegates are up for grabs in today's primary. (CNN)

Not Good: The Western-Arab push for a UN resolution on Syria could put the country on a "path to civil war." (BBC)

David Letterman's 30th Anniversary Show: Howard Stern will be the guest. (New York Daily News)

You Wanna Fight?: The most classic fights to ever come out of Asia. (IGN)

Awesome: Entire Arrested Development cast confirmed for Netflix series with original writers. (Huffington Post)

Where Are They Now?: 20 years after the alternative revolution. (Spinner)

Wanna Turn Yourself Into A Magic Unicorn?: There's an app for that! (Who Killed Bambi?)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Snow: Yup, the threat lingers. (Seattle Times)

Tacoma's Finances Outside Review: Not good. Like $31 million general fund shortfall not good. (News Tribune)

Pierce County Council: Leadership vote went Republican electing Joyce McDonald of Puyallup as its new chairwoman. (News Tribune)

Republican Race: Romney won a convincing victory, but none of the contenders plans to drop out before South Carolina's Jan. 21 primary. (CNN)

Hostess: Unlike its Twinkies, it doesn't look like it will last forever. (The Wall Street Journal)

Goodfellas On TV?: AMC thinks so. (Deadline)

Wish You A Very Logical Day: Crochet Spock ear. (Craftzine)

John Lennon: He was crazy about cats. (Mental floss)

Warm Fuzzy of the Day: Woman manages agoraphobia by meeting her 325 Facebook friends. (Jezebel)

WTF?

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Mount Rainier Ranger Killer: Dead. (News Tribune)

East Tacoma Murder Suspect: Dead. (News Tribune)

Darth Vader: Dead. (ESPN)

Pierce County Councilman Tim Farrell: Eyeing the dead Russell Investments building. (News Tribune)

Iran Puffs Up Chest: Tehran said last week it had photographed a U.S. carrier patrolling the area where Iran was holding military drills. The country doesn't think that's cool. (CNN)

Afghanistan's Taliban: They have "an initial understanding" to set up an office overseas, possibly in Qatar - a move some see as key to future peace talks. (BBC)

E.N.G.A.G.E.D.: Aretha Franklin. (People)

Portlandia Stars: Why we tease the cool kids. (Salon)

The Price Is Right: Snoop Dogg hosted it. (Idolator)

Too Much Free Time

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Starting Over: Pierce County Council takes another look at taxing to pay for flood control. (News Tribune)

Tacoma School District Community Forum: Tacoma Education Association wants to chat with you about the budget. (News Tribune)

Hurricane Irene: Photo of shark swimming in street was fake. (Washington Post)

MTV Video Music Awards: Photos (NPR)

Debbie Harry: Music, clothes and Panic of Girls interview (New York Times)

Scare The Kids: David Bowie's "Space Oddity" has been re-imagined as a disturbing children's book. (Buzz Feed)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

June will be A Barn Burner: Healthcare's next stop is the U.S. Supreme Court (The Atlantic Wire)

Complaint Dogpile: Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Dale Washam faces some new shit. (News Tribune)

Get Off Our Lawn Too: Pierce County Council looks to protect kids and ban jumping from the Spanaway Lake bridge. Next on the Council's agenda: Banning kids from running sticks across picket fences. (News Tribune)

Dumb And Dumber: Dickheads who crashed racing over the Narrows Bridge causing injury are charged. We say their punishment should be mandatory Sunday driving along North Narrows Drive. (News Tribune)

Just How Close Are They?: Chicago man says it's time Bert and Ernie marry. Yeah, right. Dude, have you seen the way they dress? Have you checked out their apartment? They would have antiqued that long ago. (USA Today)

Speaking Of Roommates: Salon has put together a collection of TV's greatest roommates (Salon)

It's dumb to fight a boxing kangeroo

COUNTY CHARTER UP FOR DEBATE >>>

Granted, I'm relatively new to Tacoma and where I grew up we didn't have counties, but before last week I didn't know what the Pierce County Charter. I didn't know the details of why - all of a sudden - it may change.

So, I did a little research, chatted with Super Best of Tacoma "Best Activist" Justin Leighton, and now I have the facts.

Pierce County has what is referred to as "home rule," meaning our County Charter supersedes the rules of state law. Our home rule charter is essentially the County's constitution. Every 10 years citizens are elected to a committee that looks at the charter and recommends amendments. Between reviews the Pierce County Council can, by way of a two-thirds vote, directly send possible amendments to the voters of the County.

Over the past two weeks three possible amendments have been proposed: an amendment to make all County Council seats non-partisan; an amendment to make the County Executive position non-partisan; and an amendment to reduce the County Council from 7 to 5. If approved, all three would be on this November's ballot.

Debate has raged throughout the week about all three issues, with the final voting on all of them as been postponed until the second week of August.

To read up on Laurie Jinkin, TV Tacoma and the rest, click here.

In search of some local political scensterism I stopped by Tacoma City Councilman David Boe's campaign kick-off party at the Maritime Museum Wednesday evening. Listening to the night's speeches made two things clear: apparently urban-focused architects make fantastic city council members (makes sense), and David Boe is an alternative brand of local politician. Since being appointed in 2010 it had been unclear until recently if Boe would run for Position 7 once the time came. A visual artist, thespian and musician, Boe is a pleasant, albeit quirky, break from the political norm.

Fellow council members Woodards, Fey, Campbell, Walker and Mello all addressed the crowd, in addition to Boe. Walker also read a praise-laden statement from Mayor Strickland, calling Boe's appointment "one of the smartest decisions we've (the council) ever made."

To read the full Tacoma Week in Review column, click here.

BANDITO BETTY LOU WHO LEAP OF THE DAY >>>

"Out of the chair Mayor Marilyn Strickland! I'm the mutha elfing Foursquare Holiday Mayor of Tacoma now!" screamed Bandito Betty Lou Who – our very happy friend who leaps for us on Spew. "OK, my first executive order ... wishing you, Tacoma and the entire South Sound a very happy holidays!"

Check out all 26 leaps here.

Read more...

NEWS TEAM: GOOD MORNING SOUTH SOUND >>>

Military budget: $416 million OK'd for state bases.

Sign Of The Times: Pierce County leaders will attack advertisements.

Open That Rucksack!: Ban on tobacco urged in military.

Ghana: Obama preaches tough love.

This Is Ridiculous: Tight mortgage rules exclude even good risks.

Monkeys Say: Permanent diet may equal longer life.

Swim Club Head: We're not racists.

Those Crazy Scandinavians

MATT DRISCOLL: SHAWN BUNNEY’S PISSED, BUT ED TROYER DOESN’T CARE >>>

If ever you need some direction when it comes to spending your own money, it seems the Pierce County Council is probably up for it.

Earlier this week, in reaction to a recent announcement by elected Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor that he plans to reduce marine patrols in an act of budget trimming, councilmember Shawn Bunney sent a letter to Pastor’s office letting it be known just why, and how adamantly, he objects to such an idea.

Not surprisingly, Bunney cited the yearly deaths on Pierce County waters and noted that the dangers alcohol poses on the roadways also apply on our area’s many lakes. Anyone that’s ever boated on Lake Tapps knows this to be true. It’s like a shirtless drunk fest most weekends of the summer. Bunney says such risks are just too serious to ignore.

Especially, Bunney notes, considering the Sheriff’s office fared better than most when it came to the last round of county budget cuts. At the moment, Bunney is quick to point out and use to his advantage, the Sheriff’s office is slated to see a five percent increase in budget from 2008 to ’09. Pierce County Sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer calls that math “smoke and mirrors,” pointing out that any increase will go toward overtime and already-negotiated salary benefits.

“These are extremely difficult times. Even so, the Council and Executive worked very hard to keep the Sheriff’s Department funding intact,” writes Bunney.

“Why target an important first responder force like Marine Services for substantial reductions while leaving other non-first-responder portions of your budget completely intact?”

Troyer calls BS.

“That’s Mr. Bunney’s district,” says Troyer of Lake Tapps. “It’s a bigger county than that.”

“It’s another tough decision. Our main objective is keeping people in Pierce County safe. (Marine Patrols) was just the first to go, determined by priority,” says Troyer, pointing out that the Sheriff’s Department has no plans of telling victims of rape or assault that they can’t investigate their cases because the money is being spent on patrolling waterways.

“The sheriff is an elected official. The county doesn’t get to micromanage his budget,” says Troyer. “They’re not law enforcement experts.