Happy Friday Newsletter
January 3rd, 2025
Arts & Entertainment
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Tacoma Light Trail Still Keeping Tacoma Glowing Bright Well into the New Year
The Light and Sound Trail, running nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. through January 12th, features 50 installations, with an interactive map to ferry you from spot to spot. While the installations on the trail are provided by a number of contributors, three Pacific Northwest-based artists have been commissioned for spotlighted pieces: Anika Goyal has crafted translucent peaks meant to represent Mount Rainier and Mount Adams; Eileen Fits-Faulkner has made a giant octopus that transfixes with its programmed, color-changing patterns; and Steve LaBerge and his crew have created an immersive installation that draws inspiration from a sci-fi story set in Tacoma.
The Tacoma Light Trail got its start in the deeply dark days of 2020, in an effort to shine a little light for those who were craving something positive on the horizon, and to bring a community together. In the years since, it has powerfully grown in ambition and luminescence, effectively creating a new, beautiful Tacoma tradition. And, even though 2020 is blessedly off in the rearview mirror, there’s no shortage of trying times that could benefit from the warm glow that the Tacoma Light Trail provides.
Check out even more about this festival in the December issue of the Weekly Volcano.
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ZooLights Wraps Up Final Days of the Season
ZooLights at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is open for its final few day of the season, its last day January 5th. Catch the thousands of stringed lights wrapping trees, along walkways and shaped into lovely displays of wildlife and nature.
A little rain only makes the experience more magical with the light reflections dancing off the wet pathway and who doesn’t want to cozy up next to family and friends to stay warm. You can also warm up in the cafe and gift shop during your visit.
Timed entry tickets are available online (not at the gate) and dress warm. Waterproof layers keep you extra cozy even without rain. For an extra cost you can even meet the goats in a Groovy Goat encounter in the dome tent.
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The Pack Drumline Will Help You Feel The Beat
Feel the beat with America’s Got Talent stars, The Pack Drumline! From the explosive rhythms of the bass drums to the intricate patterns of the snare drums, this production will have you on the edge of your seat. Part of our Fun for the Whole Family series—bring the crew and make unforgettable memories.
Friday, January 17, 7:30 p.m.
Pantages Theater
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Ruby Bridges: A Civil Rights Journey
The year is 1960 and six-year-old Ruby is braving hate and racism as she becomes the first child to integrate into a public school. Follow Ruby’s journey as she develops a special bond with her teacher Mrs. Henry and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s grows in intensity from the experience of Ruby, to Rosa Parks, and lunch counter sit-ins.
Admission is free, but registration is required.
Saturday, January 25, 2025
3:00 pm
Mount Tahoma High School
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Tacoma Arts Live Presents: Take 6
Experience the Grammy-winning a cappella sensation that blends gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop into an unforgettable harmony-filled performance. With collaborations ranging from Stevie Wonder to Whitney Houston, their crystal-clear vocals and funky grooves are a must-see.
Friday, January 31, 7:30 p.m.
Pantages Theater
Neighborhood News
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Glass Recycling Has Returned
Glass recycling has resumed at five drop-off locations across Tacoma, effective immediately.
After a temporary pause since September due to changes in the international glass market, the Environmental Services team conducted an in-depth environmental and economic analysis to find a sustainable solution. Tacoma’s glass will now be sent to a processing facility in Portland, Oregon, where your glass will be responsibly recycled into new products.
Tacoma Environmental Services wants to thank you to their customers for their patience and to the dedicated staff for working quickly and efficiently to find a path forward for glass recycling. Learn more and find a glass recycling drop-off near you at tacomarecycles.org/glass.
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Record Breaking Capacity Crisis for Humane Society
The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County is in the midst of a record-breaking capacity crisis as the shelter cares for 264 dogs, the highest number in seven years.
Fueled by the intake of 60 dogs and cats from a Pierce County Animal Control cruelty investigation on December 16, the capacity crisis has stretched the shelter’s resources beyond its limits. At the time of the large-scale intake, the shelter was caring for 147 dogs in the facility plus nearly 100 more in foster homes. Now, just a week later, the number of dogs under the shelter’s care climbed to 264, further straining the shelter’s outdated facility and limited resources.
A key measure is helping lost pets stay out of the shelter while helping reunite them with their families, within the communities in which they are found. Temporarily caring for lost pets near where they were found is often the fastest way to get them back home. Another vital strategy is our community members opening their hearts and homes to foster pets. Whether for just a few days or longer, fostering provides critical space in our shelter for animals who have no other options.
Where are all the dogs coming from?
As one of the few open-admission shelters in Washington, we do not refuse animals regardless of age, breed, medical condition, or behavior needs. However, the shelter’s outdated facility and limited resources make community support essential during this capacity crisis.
How can you help now? Temporarily care for lost and found pets: Check for ID tags, post signs in the neighborhood where the pet was found, and use local lost-and-found platforms to help reunite the pet with their family. The shelter can assist by scanning for a microchip, posting found pets on our website, and providing additional support to facilitate reunification. Additionally, the shelter can provide food, supplies, and crates (while supplies last). For more information and resources, visit thehumanesociety.org/lostpets.
Adopt: January 2-5, adoption fees will be waived for dogs 1 year and older. View available dogs.
Foster: Can’t adopt? The shelter provides all supplies and veterinary care while you offer a safe, temporary space for a dog in need. Sign up to foster.
Volunteer: Volunteers support the care of our dogs, cats, and critters. through dog walking, event support, laundry assistance, photography, animal enrichment, and more. Sign up to volunteer.
This record-breaking capacity crisis underscores the vital role our community plays in supporting the shelter’s work.
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Groundbreaking for the New Port of Tacoma Maritime 253 Center
The #PortofTacoma and Tacoma Public Schools invite you to attend the groundbreaking event for the new Port Maritime Center on Wednesday, January 8 at noon. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to portinfo@portoftacoma.com.
Tacoma Public Schools is partnering with the Port of Tacoma to build a Maritime Skills Center that will help prepare students for diverse jobs throughout the maritime industry. Maritime|253 will be located within the Port of Tacoma, and construction of the facility is slated to be completed in 2026. However, Tacoma Public Schools will begin offering some courses to students at satellite locations Fall of 2025. Maritime|253 will serve high school students from multiple school districts at no costs to students.
A skills center is not a high school - it is a regional career and technical education (CTE) center. Students take advanced preparation CTE courses at the skills center in addition to courses at their high school required for graduation. Through a skills center, students can be set up for direct career engagement and employment, apprenticeship, internship, a two-year college track, and four-year university tracks.
This transformational project will create a landmark campus on the Tacoma waterfront, home to a new Port business office building and Tacoma Public Schools' new Maritime|253 skills center (learn more at bit.ly/3XQy7fL).
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Kwabi to Host Tacoma's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
The City of Tacoma’s Events and Recognitions Committee (CREC) announced the return of their Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration taking place on Monday January 20th, 2025. The event will include presentations of the Lifetime Service Award and the Emerging Leader Award. The program begins at 1:00pm at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center.
The theme this year is Building Bridges, underscoring the importance of fostering unity and collaboration within the community.
Local organizations can apply to participate in the outreach fair at the event in the lobby starting at 11am. The applications are due by January 7th. For more information on the celebration, visit the CREC website.
Need recommendations for how to spend your weekend?
Our online community calendar has you covered!
Business & Opportunities
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Growth Accelerator Fund Competition
The SBA recently announced the upcoming launch of the 2025 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) for entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) focused on innovation-driven startups and entrepreneurs in underserved regions, industries, and communities to launch, grow, and scale. The competition strengthens ESO capacity, builds connections, and fosters collaboration – expanding access to the innovation economy and boosting entrepreneurial activity nationwide.
The 2025 competition offers $75,000 to $150,000 in awards to organizations to accelerate the growth and maturity of innovation ecosystems in two stages. The Stage One competition will open on January 8, 2025.
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Puyallup Tribe Charity Trust Board & Tribal Council Pour Money Back into the Community
The Puyallup Tribe Charity Trust Board and Puyallup Tribal Council have awarded 47 local organizations a combined $645,163.
Representatives of the nonprofit and charitable organizations were greeted and thanked by members of the Puyallup Tribal Council as they arrived for the Dec. 19 celebration at the Emerald Queen Casino Ballroom in Fife. Tribal Council delivered remarks recognizing recipients and invited them up to take a photo.
The donations are funded from 2023 Emerald Queen Casino revenue as part of an agreement with the state of Washington that includes additional contributions for smoking cessation and problem gambling programs, and for impact costs paid to local governments for such things as fire and police services.
The Puyallup Tribe has donated more than $9 million to hundreds of local organizations through its Charity Trust Board since 2020. The Puyallup Tribal Council has donated millions more out of its own budget to help community organizations that don’t qualify for Charity Trust Board funding, such as Maui United Way, which received $30,000 in 2023 to assist with wildfire relief efforts.
Casino operations are also the single biggest revenue source for the Puyallup Tribe’s government. They pay for comprehensive services to the Tribe’s Membership, including children’s services, housing, educational support, emergency assistance and funeral services. In the past two years, the Tribe has embarked on an ambitious economic diversification program that will not only strengthen its economic base to bring security for future generations but bring more jobs to the region.
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Start Your Own Business in Candle Making
Looking for a way to start your own business and earn extra income? Or Just want to learn something new in a fun and supportinve environment? After 2 years, this life-changing event returns, bigger and better than ever, to show you how a candle-making business can transform your life.
Learn from Jazmin Elon, founder of the 7-figure Blk Sunflower, as seen in PEOPLE, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, and more. Jazmin's journey from passion to profit has inspired over 2.6 million viewers in her viral video. Now, she’s ready to share the candle-making secrets and business strategies that turned her dreams into a thriving reality.
Don’t miss this day of creativity, connection, and opportunity!
Saturday, January 18
12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m Doors at 11:30 a.m.
Tacoma Armory
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TCC Foundation Scholarships Online Application is Now Open
The online application for TCC Foundation scholarships is now open, and everyone who plans to study at Tacoma Community College during the 2025-26 academic year (fall quarter 2025 – spring quarter 2026) is welcome to apply. This includes current high school seniors, current TCC students, and adult learners considering going back to school in the fall. Unlike loans, scholarships don’t have to be paid back.
The scholarship application, along with answers to frequently asked questions, can be found at tacomacc.edu/scholarships.
Film & TV Reviews
The world of Frank Herbert’s Dune is about to expand from Dennis Villineuve acclaimed adaptation, with Dune: Prophecy. Taking place over 10,000 years before Paul Attradies, we follow two Harkonen sisters' attempt to establish what will eventually be known as the Bene Gesserit, in the imperium. However, their plans fail due to a new unforseen threat that may end the sisterhood. With so much riding on the series after the success for Villineuve adaptation, the series had big shoes to fill. Sadly, the series stumbles throughout its entire first season.The series does itself no favors with its brief six-episode run. This limited number of episodes is tasked with establishing a substantial amount of story, introducing numerous characters, and navigating intricate layers of politics. Unfortunately, it's far too much for the series to handle effectively in such a constrained timeframe. There’s easily enough material here to fill ten episodes, but instead, it’s squeezed into just six, creating a pacing issue that becomes impossible to ignore.The narrative juggles multiple threads, including the complex politics of the imperial court, the inner workings of the sisterhood, the personal struggles of the characters, and how all these conflicts are meant to set up the trajectory for future seasons. Sadly, the show falters under the weight of these demands. You can sense its ambition and understand what it’s aiming to achieve, but it consistently stumbles in its execution. To keep the story moving in a specific direction, the series often resorts to narrative shortcuts, contrived developments, and baffling character decisions that undermine its more compelling moments.That said, there are times, particularly in the latter half of the season, when the show manages to hit its stride. During these moments, the narrative flows smoothly, capturing the intrigue and depth it strives for. But these successes are too often undercut by a rushed and uneven execution, as though the series is attempting to sprint through a marathon with its hands tied behind its back. While there are glimpses of what the series could be, its potential is ultimately overshadowed by its struggle to balance scope and pacing.If not for the stellar performances of seasoned actors like Emily Watson, Mark Strong, Travis Fimmel, Olivia Williams, and Jodhi May, this series might have been consumed entirely by Shai-Hulud. These veterans bring gravitas and nuance to the screen, consistently elevating even the most pedestrian material into something akin to Shakespearean drama. Emily Watson is magnetic as the power-hungry Mother Superior, a woman fiercely clinging to the remnants of a fading past. Travis Fimmel, on the other hand, delivers a chaotic and unsettling performance as a soldier unraveling under the influence of Shai-Hulud. Mark Strong captures the fragility of a weak-willed king burdened by his self-esteem issues, while Jodhi May shines as his domineering and commanding queen. Olivia Williams rounds out this impressive ensemble with a soft yet impactful presence, bringing warmth and depth to the character of Tula.However, when these veteran performers step off the screen, their absence becomes glaringly obvious. The younger ensemble, apart from standouts Chloe Lea, Jessica Barden, and EmmaCanning, struggles to hold their own. Their performances lack the confidence and magnetism of their seasoned counterparts, and their often-questionable acting choices make even the simplest scenes feel awkward and forced. This disparity in talent creates a jarring contrast, leaving the audience longing for the veterans’ return to salvage the narrative.Overall, there isn’t much more to say about Dune: Prophecy. It’s entertaining enough and clearly brimming with potential, but it ultimately sabotages itself. With a longer episode count and more polished performances from its younger ensemble, the series could have been something truly exceptional. One can only hope that the next season provides the much-needed breathing room for the story to unfold properly, giving it the time and space it deserves to reach its full potential.My Rating: B-TV & Film Reviews: Dune Prophecy
By: Elizabeth Malloy
TV & Film Reviews: Squid Game Season 2
By: Elizabeth Malloy
After more than three years, the global sensation Squid Game makes its long-awaited return with a second season. While the first season was undeniably well-crafted and deserving of much of the acclaim it received, I wasn’t as swept up in the hype as many others. To me, it was a solidly made series, but not the groundbreaking masterpiece it was often hailed to be. Much of the fervor surrounding it felt like the reaction of younger audiences encountering polished storytelling and competent writing for the first time. With that in mind, I approached the second season with measured expectations, unsure of what it might deliver. Unfortunately, what I ended up experiencing fell short of even those tempered hopes, leaving me underwhelmed and disappointed.
We follow Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) three years after he won the infamous Squid Games. He is haunted by the games and is now doing everything in his power to bring them down. He works with his previous loan shark, Choi Woo-seak (Jeon Seok-ho) and police investigator Hwang Hun-ho (Wi Ha-joon) to investigate the games by finding The Salesman (Gong Yoo) who recruits players into the games. However, one event after another leads Gi-hun back to the games where the stakes are higher than ever.
The first two episodes of this season mark a bold and dramatic shift from the tone and structure of the first season. These episodes unfold like a high-stakes spy-espionage thriller, following Gi-hun as he delves deeper into the mysterious and sinister world of the games. The opening is electrifying, powered by a sharp, well-crafted script and adrenaline-pumping sequences that push the series to thrilling new heights. Among the standout moments are the intense Russian Roulette and Rock, Paper, Scissors games hosted by The Salesman. These scenes are masterfully executed, blending tension, unpredictability, and psychological depth, making them some of the most memorable and impactful sequences the show has ever produced. This compelling introduction set a high bar, leaving me eagerly anticipating a season that would continue to build on this gripping spy-thriller atmosphere, with Gi-hun at the helm of the investigation. Unfortunately, the promise of this exciting new direction is short-lived. By the third episode, the series reverts back to the familiar territory of the games, abandoning much of the intrigue and momentum established in the opening. The investigation subplot, which had so much potential to expand the narrative and add depth to Gi-hun’s character, is almost entirely sidelined by the fourth episode. This abrupt shift feels like a missed opportunity, as the series reverts to its established formula, leaving the innovative and captivating start as little more than a fleeting glimpse of what could have been.
The games themselves remain an intriguing blend of entertainment and psychological intensity, showcasing the same twisted, high-stakes nature that initially captivated audiences. Yet, they fall short of recapturing the magic that made the first season so compelling. This is largely due to their reliance on a formulaic structure that mirrors the original season—only stretched thinner, with a tedious and lackluster execution that drains much of the excitement. The narrative plods along a predictable path, cycling through the familiar elements of deadly games, chaotic voting sessions, and ruthless politicking. Rather than building tension or exploring new dynamics, the storyline becomes trapped in a loop, spinning its wheels without offering fresh insights or meaningful progression. The result is a series that stagnates, failing to evolve or deepen its impact as it repeatedly revisits themes and plot devices that feel all too familiar. Leaving all plot threads to be resolved in season three rather than developing the story for season two. Then during the climax, which should serve as the dramatic payoff for the season's buildup, instead lands with a disappointing thud. The so-called finale feels more akin to a mid-season turning point, leaving viewers with an unearned and frustrating cliffhanger that feels less like a deliberate narrative choice and more like an insult to the audience’s investment. This lack of resolution and payoff diminishes the overall impact of the season, leaving an aftertaste of missed opportunities and unfulfilled potential.
Another critical misstep of the second season lies in its handling of characters. The sheer number of new faces introduced creates an overcrowded cast, leaving little room for meaningful development or depth. As a result, none of the characters are given the opportunity to truly resonate with the audience. What little we do see of them paints a picture of entitled, greedy, and self-serving individuals who display little to no empathy for their fellow competitors. This makes them morally indistinguishable from the very creators of the games they are trapped in.
At several points, I found myself actively rooting for certain characters to meet their demise, not because the narrative built suspense around their fates, but because their selfishness and foolishness made them so unlikable. This stark contrast to the first season’s roster of sympathetic, multifaceted characters is a glaring flaw. It was the humanity and relatability of those earlier characters that gave the show its emotional core and made it truly special. Without that essential foundation, the second season feels hollow and lacks the same emotional impact.
One shining element that carried over into the second season is the stellar performance from Lee Jung-jae. Returning as Seong Gi-hun, Lee delivers another masterful turn, continuing the journey that earned him an Emmy in the first season. The timid, unassuming man we first met has now evolved into someone fueled by an unrelenting determination to avenge his fellow players. Yet, beneath the simmering rage, Lee captures glimpses of the compassionate, deeply empathetic individual who remains at Gi-hun’s core. It’s a nuanced portrayal that solidifies Lee as a standout once again—it would be surprising if he doesn’t emerge as a frontrunner in this year’s Emmy race. As for the supporting ensemble, the cast does commendable work with the material they’re given. Each actor makes the most of their limited screen time, imbuing their roles with as much emotion and authenticity as the writing allows. However, it’s evident that the lack of depth in the script constrains their performances, preventing them from achieving the same level of impact as Lee. While the ensemble is strong, the absence of well-rounded, richly developed characters makes their efforts feel like a missed opportunity.
Overall, the second season of Squid Game is a letdown. While it remains entertaining and showcases impressive production quality, it lacks the vitality and originality that made the first season so captivating. The season feels overly preoccupied with laying the groundwork for a third installment, neglecting to fully develop a compelling and cohesive narrative for its own storyline. This focus on future plotlines results in a rehashed, lackluster version of the first season, unable to recapture the unique magic that initially set the show apart. The second season ultimately feels like a missed opportunity, offering glimpses of potential that are overshadowed by its failure to stand on its own. With the third season already on the horizon,the pressure is mounting. The next chapter will undoubtedly be the moment of truth, determining whether Squid Game can reclaim its status as a cultural phenomenon or fade into mediocrity.
My Rating: B-
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