Happy Friday News Briefs for October 23, 2026

Posted on by Keelin Everly-Lang

BY ANDE DUNN for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 10/23/2026

Neighborhood News

Uwajimaya Is Coming Home to Tacoma

  • Nearly a century after Fujimatsu and Sadako Moriguchi opened their first Japanese grocery in Tacoma’s Japantown, the Asian grocer is headed back. The new store will take over the former Hobby Lobby at Tacoma Central (3130 S. 23rd St.), a 61,484-square-foot space, with an $8 million build-out in the plans. The original Tacoma business ended when the family was forced into incarceration during World War II, and CEO Denise Moriguchi, their granddaughter, has called this one emotional. Tacoma and Issaquah are both slated for 2027, bringing the chain to six stores and an estimated 150 to 200 jobs. 

North Slope Playground Reopening @ North Slope Historic District Park | Saturday (Oct. 24), 10 a.m. to Noon

  • The tiny pocket park at N. 8th and N. K streets finally got new toys. For the first time since it opened in 2002, the playground was rebuilt, now with covered circular swings kids can crawl inside, two slides, a climbing structure, ADA-friendly surfacing and an accessible picnic table. More than 325 neighbors weighed in and asked for nature-based play that makes the most of 0.23 acres. Celebrate Saturday with a neighborhood planting party. It’s one of five bond-funded playgrounds Parks Tacoma is designing or building this year. Details: parkstacoma.gov/event/north-slope-work-party. 

Nearly 50,000 Lose Power After Pearl Substation Problem

  • An issue at Tacoma Power’s Pearl Street substation knocked out electricity to roughly 49,447 customers across Pierce County around noon Friday, Oct. 16. Tacoma Public Utilities customers in University Place and Ruston took the brunt, and about 36,000 Peninsula Light customers went dark too, since that utility feeds power across the water on TPU transmission lines. Most power came back about an hour later. The cause hadn’t been announced as of our press time. 

Arson Charge in Fire at Desmond Trufant’s Tacoma Event Rental

  • A fire Tuesday, Oct. 13, at The Sunset Estate, the North 10th Street event rental owned by former Husky and NFL cornerback Desmond Trufant, was intentionally set, according to Tacoma Fire. Sean Ross Demery, 50, is charged with first-degree arson after police said surveillance video showed a man piling patio furniture and lighting it. The fire damaged the patio, living room and attic. No one was home and no one was hurt. Sources: FOX 13 Seattle, KOMO, MyNorthwest.

Public Safety Roundup

  • A rough week on local blotters. A 17-year-old died after his motorcycle hit a vehicle in Tacoma Monday night, Oct. 12, per Tacoma police. Two armed carjackings happened across the street from the University of Puget Sound. And a woman was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault after a domestic violence shooting at a Pierce County apartment complex Wednesday, Oct. 14. 

Fort Nisqually Restores Four Historic Buildings

  • Parks Tacoma is shoring up the kitchen, sale shop and both bastions at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, buildings first reconstructed in the 1930s through Depression-era public works programs. The work strengthens aging structures and makes key spaces more accessible, so expect those four buildings to be closed during construction. Winter hours are in effect through April 30: Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets for Christmas Regale (Saturday, Dec. 5) go on sale Friday, Oct. 23. Info: fortnisqually.org. 

New Shinto Shrine Anchors Point Defiance’s Japanese Garden

  • A 5-foot wooden shrine, crafted in Japan, now stands in the Japanese Garden at Point Defiance Park. It replaces the original gifted to Tacoma in 1961 by sister city Kitakyushu. Parks Tacoma frames it as a symbol of connection to the Japanese American community and to a friendship that has outlasted six decades. Go see it before the leaves finish falling. 

Last Call to Say Goodbye to Laerke the Polar Bear @ Point Defiance Zoo | Saturday & Sunday (Oct. 31 and Nov. 1)

  • Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s polar bear Laerke is moving to the Saint Louis Zoo. Her farewell weekend is Halloween and the day after, so bring your best wave and maybe a tissue. Info: pdza.org.

Downtown Tacoma Trick or Treat @ Antique Row | Saturday (Oct. 31), 3 to 5 p.m.

  • More than a dozen shops along Broadway between 7th and 9th streets will hand out candy for this free, family Halloween afternoon, with a live DJ, The Corn Doggery food truck and photo ops. New this year: a pet costume contest. Check in outside Cafe Bostwick from 3-3:45 p.m., and judges pick winners at 4 p.m. for Best Overall, Best Pet/Human Duo and Most Creative, with treat prize packs from One Spoiled Dog. The street stays open to traffic, so hold small hands. 

Portraits with Your Pooch @ Weatherly Inn | Saturday (Oct. 24), 10 a.m.

  • Free fall portraits for you and your four-legged roommate, plus complimentary coffee. The first 50 dogs get a little gift. Beats another blurry couch selfie. 

Tacoma Sister Cities: A Decade with Boca del Río

  • Tacoma Sister Cities marked 10 years of partnership with Boca del Río, Mexico, on Oct. 1, with special recognition for Meeker Middle School’s Virtual Pen Pals program. The group also welcomed Annie Wright senior Kaitlyn Lee as intern; she founded Young Global Voices, which connected 60-plus Tacoma and Mannheim students last year. Committee chair Catherine Sarnat represented Tacoma at France’s Biot International Glass Festival, where nearly 200 glass artists gathered. The George, South Africa committee, now expanding district-wide, is looking for younger members. Visit tacomasistercities.org.

AI Fighter Jet Factory Coming to Des Moines

  • Shield AI picked Des Moines, just up I-5, to build its X-BAT, an AI-piloted fighter jet that takes off and lands vertically. The 420,000-square-foot plant is scheduled to open next spring, and the company projects 4,000 regional workers by the early 2030s, citing King County’s 45,000 aerospace workers as the draw. Flight testing happens in Kansas. Expect the jobs-versus-defense-tech debate to keep going. 

Local Governance

Ballots Are Out. Flip Yours Over.

  • Ballots are landing in Pierce County mailboxes, and the Auditor’s Office says you can return yours as soon as it arrives. There are 58 official drop boxes open 24/7 until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Mailing it? Send it at least a week early, or ask a postal clerk to hand-stamp the postmark for free. Two local measures to look for: Pierce Transit Proposition 1, on the back of the ballot, which would expand transit service, and Tacoma’s Measure 1, the Safe Homes for All renter-protection initiative. Measure 1 supporters at Tacoma For All say they’ve raised more than $200,000 from 567 donors, and report that two landlord PACs opposing it have raised over $425,000. Drop box map and info: piercecountywa.gov/elections. 

Tacoma Narrows Bridge: Two Westbound Lanes Close for Two Weeks

  • Brace yourself, Gig Harbor commuters. Starting 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, and running through Sunday, Nov. 8, WSDOT closes the two right lanes of the westbound Narrows Bridge around the clock for a partial expansion joint replacement. The Jackson Avenue on-ramp to westbound SR 16 also closes, and the HOV lane opens to all. WSDOT warns of delays up to an hour, especially afternoons, on a 76-year-old span that carries about 90,000 vehicles a day and has needed repeated emergency joint repairs. This is the warm-up: three of the four expansion joints get fully replaced next year. Leave early, carpool, or work from home if you can. Info: wsdot.wa.gov. 

Micro-Shelter Moving to South Tacoma; Community Meeting @ STAR Center | Thursday (Oct. 29), 6 to 7 p.m.

  • The City of Tacoma plans to move Tacoma Emergency Micro-Shelter (TEMS) 3 to 3860 S. 69th St., near S. 69th and Proctor, by Nov. 16. It’s leaving 602 N. Orchard, where it has operated since December 2021, because that property is being sold in January for a future cancer center. Run by the Low Income Housing Institute, the site has 40 micro-shelters serving about 60 people, mostly families, with 24/7 staff, case management, showers, laundry and meals. Some South Tacoma neighbors say issues from the shelter’s earlier time in the area went unresolved and want the city to spread sites more evenly. Questions: Caleb Carbone, ccarbone@tacoma.gov, 253-591-5015. 

Lawsuit Says Tacoma Dome Charges a ‘Disability Fee’

  • Jill McAuley, a Woodinville woman who is quadriplegic, has sued the City of Tacoma in federal court, arguing the city-run Tacoma Dome violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by making her buy a ticket for the caregiver she needs at shows. She says venues like Lumen Field and Climate Pledge Arena admit caregivers free. The suit asks the court to bar separate admission fees for necessary caregivers.

Port of Tacoma: Free Toll Passes, Budget Session and a Shiny Bond Rating

  • The new two-mile SR 167 expressway between I-5 and the Port of Tacoma is open, and WSDOT starts collecting tolls in December. Grab a free Good To Go! sticker pass (normally $5) while the offer lasts at mygoodtogo.com. The Port Commission holds a budget study session Thursday (Oct. 29) at 10 a.m.; agenda at portoftacoma.com and public comment goes to comment@portoftacoma.com. S&P also reaffirmed the Port’s AA+ bond rating with a stable outlook. 

Pierce County Library Faces an Unbalanced 2027 Budget

  • Pierce County Library trustees took up a preliminary, unbalanced 2027 budget at their Oct. 14 meeting, along with emerging federal funding risks and a board vacancy coming as Trustee Pat Jenkins finishes his second and final term. On the brighter side, the board proclaimed Oct. 18-24 Friends of Libraries Week, honoring the 13 Friends groups that volunteer and fundraise for the system’s branches. Board packets and recordings: mypcls.org. 

Still Time to Weigh In on South Tacoma Way

  • The city’s South Tacoma Way Vision Zero project is sketching safety redesign options for the corridor. The open house has passed, but design options and upcoming engagement opportunities are posted at tacoma.gov/stw-vision-zero. You know that street better than anyone. 

Arts & Entertainment

Tacoma City Ballet’s Dracula @ Pantages Theater | Saturday (Oct. 31) & Sunday (Nov. 1), 2 p.m.

  • Tacoma City Ballet’s original “Dracula ~ The Romantic Ballet” is back for Halloween weekend, with a live orchestra conducted by Maestro Bernard Kwiram, lush scenery and extravagant costumes in the gothic-perfect Pantages. It’s suitable for all ages, and costumes are encouraged. Everyone needs a ticket, infants included, and the venue is cashless. Buy only from tacomacityballet.org or tacomacitytheaters.org. 

Thomas Dambo’s Trolls Move In @ Northwest Trek & Point Defiance Zoo | Through Jan. 24

  • Twelve giant trolls built from reclaimed wood, pallets and fallen branches are hiding out in the South Sound: eight at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and four at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. “Trolls: A Field Study” has them quietly observing the humans wandering through their woods. Included with general admission or membership. Go find all twelve. 

Tacoma Film Festival Shorts: ‘There’s Room For Two In Here’ | Saturda)

  • Fresh off premieres at Beyond Fest in L.A. and Baltimore’s New/Next, this 12-minute sci-fi horror short from Washington-raised filmmakers screens in the festival’s “Beautiful, Bloodthirsty, Broken” shorts block. It follows a telepath who roams the city using strangers as puppets. Director Henry Chastain made his first feature around Washington for about $1,500 after leaving high school at 17. Schedule: tacomafilmfestival.com.

Aki Matsuri Fall Festival @ Eastside Community Center | Sunday (Oct. 25), 1 p.m.

  • A Japanese-inspired fall festival with cultural performances and seasonal treats. Whether you can explain mochi vs. manju, or just want a good autumn afternoon, this one’s for you. 

Autumn Flower Show @ W.W. Seymour Conservatory | Through Nov. 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

  • Step inside the historic glass conservatory in Wright Park for a display built around fall’s colors and textures. It’s warm, it’s free-flowing, and it smells good. Info: parkstacoma.gov. 

Opportunities

Back from the Dead @ 11th & Broadway | Thursday (Oct. 29)

  • Before the Tacoma Mall opened in 1964, 11th and Broadway was the place to be. Tacoma Rising’s “Vacancy to Activation” series wants it back. Go inside the LeRoy Jewelers building with Pretty Gritty Tours, walk the Woolworth, the Merit and Broadway Plaza, hear JCR Collective’s ideas, then vote on what comes next. In April, 10 colleges get the challenge, and in June, contractors and the trades price it out, a built-in chance to introduce young people to the trades. Hosted by UrbanWork. Details: facebook.com/TAC.Rising. 

Auditions: Nihonjin Face, Tacoma Arts Live | Deadline Oct. 25

  • Tacoma Arts Live seeks Asian actors 18+ in Seattle and Tacoma for its Civil Rights Legacy Tour production of Nihonjin Face, written by Janet Hayakawa and Tere Martinez and directed by Lia Lee. Send an unlisted YouTube link with a slate and a 2-minute family-friendly monologue, plus a quick word on why you want in, to 
  • Education@tacomaartslive.org. Roles and synopsis: tacomaartslive.org/education/touring-shows. 

Industry Nights by Above The Record | Saturday (Oct. 24), Doors 4 p.m.

  • Above The Record and its foundation, with Diamond Tracks Northwest and Davis Studios 206, are gathering artists, producers, engineers, bookers, marketers and business folks to build the region’s creative workforce. Come to network, swap knowledge and find collaborators. Registration: eventbrite.com/e/industry-nights-tickets-1997913994540. 

Join the Tacoma Parks Foundation Board

  • The foundation that funds Parks Tacoma’s summer camps, senior programs, summer meals, youth and inclusive sports is recruiting board members. You don’t have to personally fundraise, but you’ll be asked to tap your networks for the cause. Fill out the application form and email a resume or bio to beth@tacomaparksfoundation.org. The governance committee will call within four weeks. Visit tacomaparksfoundation.org. 

Serve on a Parks Tacoma Advisory Council

  • Parks Tacoma is recruiting volunteers for two councils that advise staff and the Park Board: Arts & Heritage (historic preservation, special events, arts programming) and Active Lifestyles & Community Wellness (adult sports, aquatics, youth programs). Apply online at parkstacoma.gov. Fort Nisqually volunteer applications are open too: fortnisqually.org. 

Double Your Gift to L’Arche Tahoma Hope | Match Through Oct. 31

  • L’Arche Tahoma Hope is launching School of the Heart to honor longtime member David Rothrock, deepening its immersion program where 400-plus students a year build real relationships with core members who have intellectual disabilities, and where those core members help lead. The goal is $100,000 in startup funds, and a donor will match gifts dollar for dollar up to $50,000 through Oct. 31. Visit larchetahomahope.org. 

Trunk or Treat @ Traction Space Needs Cars (Oct. 24), 2 p.m.

  • Community and Veteran Events, Traction Space and Above the Record are hosting a free Trunk or Treat from noon to 5 p.m., with movie snacks for the community, and they need 4 or 5 more vehicles. Space is free and candy is provided. Sign up: eventbrite.com/e/trunk-or-treat-at-tractionspace-tickets-2002294121618. 

Lacey Wants Artists for Utility Box Wraps

  • The City of Lacey will pay $300 per design to wrap utility control boxes with art that celebrates Lacey’s history and the people, places and groups who shaped it. Pick from the city’s featured profiles or pitch your own. Requirements and submissions: CityofLacey.org/Utility-Box-Art-Wraps. 

Recreation

Pickleboo Pickleball Tournament @ People’s Center | Saturday (Oct. 24), 10 a.m.

  • A spooky indoor pickleball showdown: 12 teams, pooled round robin into single elimination, with the top three from each pool of six advancing. Teams don’t need to be mixed, and costumes are strongly encouraged. Only a few spots left. Not tournament-ready? Drop-in open play runs at five Tacoma locations, $10 or free for Grit City Gherkins members. Visit parkstacoma.gov. 

Hoot ‘n’ Howl @ Northwest Trek | Friday-Saturday (Oct. 23-24) and Friday (Oct. 30), 5 to 9 p.m.

  • Costume up and explore the wildlife park at twilight: lights, animals, games in the picnic pavilion, pumpkin checkers and candy. Bring your camera for the spooky photo ops. Check out the Dambo trolls while you’re there: nwtrek.org. 

Halloween Bird Walk @ Point Defiance Lodge | Saturday (Oct. 31), 9 to 11 a.m.

  • Join a Park Guide to meet the birds of Point Defiance and the folklore and superstitions that follow them around. Costumes welcome. Bring binoculars or borrow a pair, and be ready for up to two miles of uneven trail. The next morning (Sunday, Nov. 1, 9 to 11 a.m.), Coffee with the Birds at Titlow covers geese; coffee’s free, bring your own thermos. Register at parkstacoma.gov. 

Youth Mushroom Hike @ Point Defiance Park | Saturday (Nov. 7), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Kids 10 and up explore the old-growth forest with a Park Guide, learning mushroom ID, fungi science and responsible harvesting. Registration required: parkstacoma.gov. 

Kids Night Out: Oogie Boogie Night @ STAR Center | Friday (Oct. 30)

  • Ages 5 to 12 get themed games, crafts and the 5,000-square-foot Treetops playground while you get a night off. Parent sign-in at drop-off and ID at pickup. November and December dates are open too: parkstacoma.gov. 

Fort Nisqually Heritage Workshops: Cider & Oysters

  • Learn fermentation and leave with your own cyser (apple mead) at the Cider Making workshop, Saturday, Nov. 7, 1 to 4 p.m., $90. Or learn to shuck oysters one bite at a time, Saturday (11/14), 1 to 3 PM, $55. Register at fortnisqually.org. 

Golf Deals at Meadow Park

  • Championship 18 punch cards are on sale through Sunday, Oct. 25: 10 rounds for $339, or $214 for 9-hole rounds. Use code AERIFICATION online for 15% off green fees through the same date. Starting Monday, Oct. 26, the Williams 9 card drops to $139 for 10 rounds, through Nov. 8. Cards never expire. Short-game Scoring Clinics run Nov. 7 and Dec. 5. meadowparkgolf.com. 

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