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.

It has come time when those monkeys and their rogues have been making and hiding their shines around town. This year is the year of the snake, so many of the shines will have this theme, but not all.

Don’t know what were talking about? The tradition of hiding "monkeyshines" in Tacoma dates back a couple decades and is a quirky piece of local folklore. It began as a playful, secretive practice where residents would hide small, unexpected items in public spaces—often to surprise, amuse, or bewilder others. The items typically ranged from small figurines or trinkets to more elaborate and creative objects, and the locations for hiding them were often public places like parks, alleyways, and under bridges. The idea was that someone who found a hidden item would be momentarily baffled and then delighted, adding an element of whimsy to everyday life in the city. It was also a form of mischief, reflecting the mischievous spirit of Tacoma's early residents, who were known for their "monkeyshines," or playful antics, that often defied conventional behavior.

This tradition became an informal game or scavenger hunt that was passed down through generations. It became something of a local secret—a way for people to express their creativity and humor. In the 1980s and 1990s, the tradition received renewed interest, particularly with the advent of community-driven arts and culture movements. It became a fun way to engage with Tacoma's history and sense of community, offering a tangible connection to the city's colorful past. Today, you can find the ‘traditional’ glass orb monkeyshines made by Ms. Monkey and her monkey friends, as well as many rogues who hide their own various items around the city.

Threocracy: Lots of space, nothing holy 

Elliott Turner (B3 organ) EJ Crocker (guitar) Brady McCowan (drums)

Hammond B3-based trios have long been the prime source for swinging soul-jazz that appeals across genres.

The debut album by Tacoma’s Threocracy provides all that and more.

All three players are multi-instrumentalists with wide-ranging musical influences, and their collaboration on this recording covers a lot of ground, gracefully.

“What’s It Like Outside?” is an easy Wes Montgomery-style stroll, and “Take The 705” is an Jimmy Smith-inspired wild drive through the city, while “Push, Don’t Shove” and “Not All Dissonance Is Deviance” play with time and sound, taking them to unexpected places.

 There’s much more to hear. “Lots of space, nothing holy” is available on Bandcamp, and the CD release party is scheduled for January 17 at Edison Square in Tacoma. RSVP Here.

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.

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.

There is $50,000 available to fund a project in the South Tacoma neighborhood – and your vote counts! The Neighborhood Planning Program is working with the South Tacoma community to help implement a shared vision for a vibrant neighborhood.

Some of the proposed projects are:

- Adding trees, signage and street furnishings to enhance South Tacoma Way Business District

- Festivals, pop ups and youth friendly events

- Programs and spaces for youth and seniors

- Interpretive signage

- Tree planting

Vote for your favorite here!

Who doesn’t love a comforting warm bowl of soup on a chilly winter day? By the Yelp ratings, we are guessing the answer is nobody!

With flavors ranging everywhere from classic tomato bisque or herby chicken noodle to hot and sour Tom Yum or cheesy broccoli and cheddar — or anywhere in between — there are endless possibilities to get your soup fix at this local favorite.

According to a list compiled by Yelp , the best soup in all of Washington can be found at Infinite Soups in Tacoma, with the site recommending the chicken parmesan broccoli soup. The menu at this popular spot changes daily, offering endless possibilities for hearty bowls of soup, including the popular chicken parmesan broccoli.

Infinite Soups , located at 445 Tacoma Avenue S., has a 4.8 star rating on Google and more than 550 reviews.

The fate of a popular town sponsored music festival hangs in the air as Steilacoom announced that it won’t be funding this year after 37 years.

Last year, the festival hosted nine concerts at Pioneer Park with more than 10,000 people enjoying the music from the park’s bandstand. To keep the festival going, $40,000 or so in private donations will need to be raised.

Historically, the money has come from the city’s “general fund” but due to a limit on property tax, it had to make a few cutbacks and adjustments to the budget.

If you are looking to help the continuation of this great series, online donations can be made here.

Kiara Daniels, an At-Large Council Member known for her extensive community advocacy has been tapped for the Deputy Mayor position. Daniels, who stepped into the role earlier this year, is a native of Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood, where she has a history of dedicated service.

In her tenure, Daniels has outlined a bold vision for the city, prioritizing issues from affordable housing to local economic development—all with an eye toward creating a stronger community for all. Particularly, she has led efforts to update the City’s Economic Development Strategic Plan, and she has taken the initiative to secure funding for a new Business Safety and Resilience Program set to launch later this year.

Deputy Mayor Daniels' work also touches the heart of Tacoma's cultural essence, overseeing the reauthorization of Tacoma Creates, a bid to advance access to cultural and scientific experiences city-wide, particularly for youth. Her role in supporting safe spaces for young people is evident in her collaboration with Mayor Victoria Woodards on the Summer Teen Late Nights program, which uses City resources to offer safe activities for teenagers after school. She doesn't shy away from getting her own hands dirty, as well—having taken part in community service events ranging from litter cleanup to preparing food at the Tacoma Rescue Mission.

Whitney Stevens announced her campaign for Mayor of Tacoma. Her campaign will focus on rebuilding trust with our public safety officers, building more housing, and continuing to invest in Tacoma’s kids, students and working families.

“It is time to double down on investing in our future.Our Tacoma can and must be a place where every kid can safely walk down the street. Where every family can afford housing and groceries — and still have fun. Where our small businesses are supported for being the backbone of our community. To get there, we must embrace what makes us special, because that is why folks choose to live here.” – Whitney Stevens.

Whitney is endorsed by Marty Campbell, Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer and former Pierce County Council Member. “I trust Whitney’s dedication to Tacoma’s working families to shine through in all of her policies. I know that she’ll not only talk the talk but will walk the walk when Mayor, helping create good jobs and supporting workers.” – Marty Campbell

Whitney Stevens is a small business owner, former city and county worker, and community volunteer. Throughout her career she has served as the president of the Downtown Merchants Association, on advisory boards for Sound Transit and Pierce Transit projects, and served as chair of the 27th Legislative District Democrats.

Whitney’s love of Tacoma started when she attended UWT. After graduating she worked on various community projects before eventually working in various roles in County government. Most recently, Whitney founded The Viability Project, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to helping women and underrepresented candidates navigate the complexities of running for political office.

Learn more about Whitney’s campaign at www.WhitneyForTacoma.com

Former Tacoma City Council Member Anders Ibsen has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Tacoma. Ibsen, a lifelong Tacoma resident, previously served two terms on the City Council, representing District 1 from 2011 to 2019. During his tenure, he was known for his progressive policies and commitment to transparency and citizen involvement.

Background and Experience:

City Council Service: Elected at age 25, Ibsen became one of the youngest council members in Tacoma's history. He focused on issues such as participatory budgeting, environmental protections, and economic development.

Professional Career: After his council tenure, Ibsen became the Managing Broker and owner of a high-volume real estate team at Windermere, assisting military families and local residents with housing needs.

Community Involvement: Ibsen has been active in various community organizations, including serving on the board of the Pierce County Conservation District, where he helped expand neighborhood community gardens.

Mayoral Campaign Focus:
Ibsen's campaign emphasizes key issues such as affordability, safety, and opportunity for Tacoma residents.

Safety and Opportunity: Ibsen is committed to implementing innovative, science-based strategies to tackle crime and homelessness, ensuring that Tacoma families feel safe in their neighborhoods. He advocates for a bold new economic development plan to grow small businesses and ensure success for everyone in the city.

Ibsen's campaign is built on his track record of accessibility and results, with a focus on making Tacoma an even better place for all families. His leadership on the City Council included passing groundbreaking landlord-tenant policies, launching local economic development initiatives, and standing up to polluters.

For more information on Anders Ibsen's mayoral campaign, https://www.andersibsen.com/

The location of the upcoming second of Tacoma Mission Thrift, the thrift store that helps fund the Tacoma Rescue Mission’s programs assisting people experiencing homelessness, is taking over a previous thrift store. Previously, the spot on 6th Avenue, near Tower Lanes, was run by Life Center to help fund their benevolence work for the church. This will allow you to still help in serving the community while saving a buck yourself.

The store, slated to open in March, will keep the previous store’s hours 9am - 7pm Tuesday - Friday; 9am - 6pm on Saturday; 11am - 6pm on Sundays.

The location of Tacoma Mission Thrift at 6331 6th Ave, will take donations of clothing, housewares, shoes, furniture and other goods at a future date.

All 17 positions with the City of Tacoma include a benefits package with medical. dental and vision coverage, paid holidays and leave, and participation in a retirement program.

Some of the open jobs include:

- Engineering Technician II

- Police Officer Recruit

- Cybersecurity Operations Manager

You can check these and all of the other jobs out of the city’s website.

The Pierce County Arts Commission supports arts activities in Pierce County through its Art Grant program. The Commission works with a limited budget to assist projects that provide arts education, art programming, or art experiences to lower-income youth or underserved individuals who reside in Pierce County outside the City limits of Tacoma.

The application period for the Art Grant 2025 Funding Cycle opens December 2, 2024, and will close January 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. PST. 

Ward’s Lake Park will be closing until November 2025 for upgrades and improvements. The Lakewood City Council approved a $3.2 million contract that will include a couple phases.

Phase I includes a new pump track, dog park, trail improvements and a bridge spanning the lake.

Phase II will have a new neighborhood park with playground, expanded parking, existing upgrades for current bathrooms and play structures.

In January 2025, Washington state residents will have the chance to witness a rare planetary conjunction involving four planets: Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. This "planetary parade" will be most visible starting January 10, with January 21 being the optimal date for viewing in the evening. Although the planets will appear close together in the sky, they are millions of miles apart. Venus and Saturn will be visible in the southwest, Jupiter will be overhead, and Mars will be seen in the east.

While the alignment will be visible to the naked eye, Uranus and Neptune are also part of the conjunction, but they require a telescope to be seen due to their distance. Stargazers in Washington can find the best viewing spots by using tools like light pollution maps and websites that show unobstructed areas, such as Alder Lake Park.

Weather conditions in Washington during January are typically cloudy, especially on the western side of the state, which could impact visibility. However, clearing skies are possible, making it worth checking the weather throughout the date window.

Recent regulatory changes are set to remove medical debt from Americans' credit reports. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has finalized a rule that prohibits credit reporting agencies from including medical debt in credit reports and bars lenders from considering such debt when evaluating borrowers. This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden of medical debt on consumers and improve access to credit.The rule is scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2025.

The CFPB estimates that this change will eliminate approximately $49 billion in medical bills from credit reports, potentially increasing credit scores by an average of 20 points for about 15 million Americans. This improvement could lead to the approval of an estimated 22,000 additional mortgages annually.

It's important to note that while unpaid medical bills will no longer appear on credit reports, the debts themselves remain valid and are still owed. Credit card debts used for medical expenses will also continue to be reported. The rule is scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2025.

This development is part of broader efforts by the Biden administration to address the impact of medical debt on consumers' financial well-being. However, the rule may face potential legal challenges and could be subject to changes depending on future administrative decisions. As of now, former President Donald Trump has not provided specific comments regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) recent rule to remove medical debt from credit reports.