Neighborhood News
- Tacoma Sister Cities Names New President
- The Tacoma Sister Cities board has handed the gavel to Drena Sellers, a nearly four-year member who’s served on the El Jadida, Morocco committee and as the group’s VP. Outgoing president Ria Johnson gets a well-earned thank-you for steering the ship. Programming and partnerships continue without a hiccup, per the group. This is a leadership swap, not a shake-up.
- Mary Bridge Welcomes Two New Facility Dogs
- Langley and Filmore, a pair of 2-year-old black Labs from Canine Companions, officially joined the workforce at MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s this month. The two spent a year and a half with volunteer puppy raisers plus six months of health care-specific training before learning more than 40 cues to support hospitalized kids. They join 10-year-old veteran Olaf, who’s logged time with roughly 5,000 patients since 2019. Tacoma’s most decorated four-legged staff.
- Mary Bridge Opens Major Pediatric Outpatient Expansion
- Mary Bridge Children’s cut the ribbon on an expanded Outpatient Center this month, adding 85 exam rooms, 10 infusion bays, three sedation rooms, and two X-ray units to its six-story, 250,000-square-foot pediatric hospital. It’s one of the bigger local health care investments in recent memory. Fewer trips to Seattle for South Sound families, in other words.
- Lowell Elementary Reopens for the Sixth Time in 157 Years
- Tacoma’s oldest school, open since 1869, just wrapped its sixth makeover, surviving a fire, an earthquake, and every era of the city since incorporation in 1875. Lowell Elementary in the North End is back in session with a fresh look. That’s a lot of chalk dust under the floorboards.
- Fred Meyer’s Second Tacoma Closure Draws Mayor’s Rebuke
- Fred Meyer is closing its James Center store when the lease ends January 30, the second Tacoma Fred Meyer to shut in about a year, leaving roughly 100 workers affected. Mayor Anders Ibsen called it “a gut punch” for the community, and the union is warning of a West Tacoma food desert. That leaves the Stevens Street Fred Meyer, the University Place location, and two QFCs to pick up the slack.
- My Sister’s Pantry Relocating to Hilltop
- The downtown food pantry that’s fed about 4,000 Tacomans a month for more than two decades is leaving First United Methodist Church for a new home in Hilltop. The nonprofit plans to expand its hours and eventually operate more like a full-time grocery-style pantry to keep pace with demand. Watch for details on the move as they firm up.
- Humane Society Caring for More Than 500 Cats After Seizure
- Tacoma’s Humane Society is stretched thin after 101 cats and kittens were seized from a single home on the 6100 block of 29th Street Northeast, with one found dead and many needing medical care. The shelter is now caring for more than 500 cats total and is asking for fosters and basic supply donations. If you’ve got room on the couch and a bag of kibble to spare, now’s the time.
- Puyallup Tribe TERO Director Honored Nationally
- Puyallup Tribal TERO Director Lisa Melendez was nominated for and received an award at the Council for Tribal Employment Rights National Conference in Tulsa. It’s a nod to the Tribe’s ongoing work connecting members with job opportunities and protections. Congrats all around.
- Three University Place Deputies Recognized for 2025 Actions
- The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office honored three University Place Police Department deputies, including Deputy Tyler Reid, for their actions during 2025. Details on the specific incidents weren’t widely shared, but the recognition speaks for itself. A quiet thank-you for a not-always-quiet job.
- Foss High School Renovations Wrapping Up This Month
- Major upgrades at Foss High School, led by contractor WA Patriot Construction, are set to finish up this September after a summer of work. Tacoma Public Schools has been keeping tabs on progress through the build. Students should walk into a noticeably fresher building this fall.
- South Tacoma Glass Recycling Drop-Off Closes for Good
- The city’s glass recycling container at 56th Street and Tacoma Mall Boulevard is gone, removed by the Environmental Services Department after nearly three years of service. If that’s where you’ve been hauling your pickle jars, you’ll need a new spot. Check the city’s site for the nearest remaining drop-off location.
- DuPont Celebrates Center Drive Project Completion
- DuPont marked the finish of its Center Drive project with a ribbon-cutting on September 1, chilly weather and all. Engineers, contractors, transportation staff, council members, and residents turned out for the milestone. One less orange cone in the neighborhood.
Local Governance
- Pierce County Invests $3 Million in More Than 100 Behavioral Health Beds
- Pierce County is putting $3 million toward creating more than 100 behavioral health beds at the Trouvé property in Tacoma, aimed at housing people with complex behavioral health needs. It’s one of the larger local investments in this kind of care in recent memory. More beds, fewer people falling through the cracks: that’s the idea, anyway.
- Pierce County Council Votes to Deprioritize Entheogens
- Pierce County’s council voted this week to deprioritize enforcement around personal use of entheogens (think psilocybin and similar substances), following a resolution pushed by the Key Peninsula Psychedelic Society. It’s a policy shift rather than a legalization: enforcement priorities, not the underlying law, are what changed. Worth watching if you follow the state’s slow drift on psychedelic policy.
- Pierce County Launches $300,000 Job-Training Push
- Pierce County’s executive signed off on the Building Together Initiative, a new $300,000 investment in Clover Park Technical College job-training programs. The goal is expanding apprenticeship opportunities, cutting contracting barriers, and creating more pathways into skilled trades. A modest number with an outsized aim.
- Tacoma Council Adopts Regional Homelessness Resolution
- The Tacoma City Council adopted a resolution of intent to pursue a unified regional approach to reducing homelessness, brought forward by District 2’s Sarah Rumbaugh with Mayor Anders Ibsen and District 4’s council member co-sponsoring. It’s a statement of direction rather than a funded program; the specifics are still to come. Still, a rare moment of council unity on the topic.
- Tacoma Council Moves September Meeting to STAR Center
- The Tacoma City Council relocated its September 30 meeting (originally set for 5 p.m. on the 29th in council chambers) to the STAR Center. Same council, different room. Check the city’s calendar before you show up at the usual spot.
- Tacoma’s Budget Tool Lets You Try Balancing the Books Yourself
- The city of Tacoma is again facing a budget deficit, and Assistant Finance Director Teresa Green’s office has an online tool that lets residents try their hand at closing the gap themselves. It’s a genuinely useful way to see the trade-offs city staff wrestle with every cycle. Give it a spin before you complain about the next round of cuts.
- State Grant Funds 12 New Tacoma Police Positions
- Tacoma received a $4.6 million state grant to hire 12 police officers and support staff, though the funding only runs through June 2027 (extension possible). It arrives alongside a $40 million citywide budget deficit, so the timing is notable. Chief Patti Jackson has also launched an 18-month Tacoma Public Safety Partnership pilot inviting residents to learn department operations and weigh in on training and accountability; applications are open now for community participants.
- New 121-Foot Cell Tower Proposed on Taylor Way
- American Towers LLC wants to build a 121-foot cell tower at 2102 Taylor Way and is asking Tacoma residents to weigh in on possible environmental or historic impacts. Comments are due by September 30, separate from any city zoning process, by email or mail. If the neighborhood skyline is about to change, this is your chance to say something about it.
- West Tacoma Tenant Lawsuit Spotlights Landlord Fairness Code
- Renter Melody Frazier is suing her North Pearl Street landlord over alleged illegal rent hikes, hazardous conditions, and retaliation at Westside Estates, where she’s lived since 2017. Tenant advocacy group Tacoma For All is pointing to her case as reason to back a new SAFE Homes For All ballot measure strengthening enforcement of Tacoma’s Landlord Fairness Code. It’s the kind of case that tends to move policy, one way or another.
- Court Fight Over Pierce County Sheriff’s Office Heats Up
- Three Pierce County voters filed suit in Thurston County Superior Court to void Charter Amendment 53, which would let the county appoint rather than elect its sheriff starting January 1, 2027, a first-in-state move. A Washington judge has separately allowed the underlying vote to proceed. Expect this one to keep making headlines through the fall.
- Parents Sue Pierce County Over Fatal Crisis Shooting
- Jonathan Luksan’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Pierce County and two sheriff’s deputies, alleging deputies failed to properly respond during a fatal crisis intervention. The suit was filed August 17. It’s the latest in a string of local cases raising questions about how crisis calls get handled.
- Frederickson South Plans 28 Affordable Homes by 2029
- Pierce County is converting a parcel of former state trust land in Frederickson into 28 affordable homes, aiming for completion by 2029. It’s a small but concrete step toward homeownership access in a corner of the county that doesn’t always get the spotlight. Twenty-eight families, one parcel at a time.
- SR 167 Expressway Tolling Coming Late 2026
- The new SR 167 Expressway between I-5 and SR 509 near the Port of Tacoma is set to open soon and will run toll-free for its first few months before tolls kick in as early as late 2026. Worth knowing before you get used to a free commute. Enjoy the honeymoon period while it lasts.
- Pierce County Judge Frees Man After 17 Years, Citing Wildfire Firefighting
- Judge Rumbaugh freed James Ellis after 17 years in a reopened Lakewood murder case, citing his rehabilitation, including time spent fighting wildfires while incarcerated. The case was reopened following Washington’s 2020 drug-possession ruling. It’s a striking example of how that ruling keeps rippling through old cases.
- Steilacoom Library Closing for Two Weeks of Maintenance
- The Steilacoom branch of the Pierce County Library System will close September 28 through October 13 for scheduled building work; Gig Harbor’s branch closes September 14–26 for the same reason. Plan your holds accordingly. Both reopen in time for fall reading season.
- Outstanding Service to Veterans Awards: Nominations Close Sept. 11
- The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs is taking last-chance nominations for its 2026 Outstanding Service to Veterans Awards. Fair warning: the deadline lands the same day this paper hits newsstands, so anyone hoping to nominate someone needs to move fast. Included here mostly so you know it existed.
Arts & Entertainment
- Tacoma Holiday Festival Returns for 44th Year @ Tacoma Dome | October 15–18
- The Tacoma Holiday Festival, presented by Puyallup Chocolates, transforms the Tacoma Dome into its annual wonderland for a 44th year, with local artisans, hands-on workshops, live piano, performer Kristin Fletcher, and dog-adoption opportunities. Kids under 13 get in free. Advance tickets are on sale now, and this is the earliest the holidays have ever felt legitimately close.
- The Prince by Abigail Thorn @ Dukesbay Theater | September 10–27
- Screaming Butterflies Theatre brings the West Coast premiere of Abigail Thorn’s The Prince to Dukesbay Theater, a queer reimagining of Shakespeare’s Henry IV plays, complete with sword fights and royal rebellion, directed by Jen Tidwell. General admission runs $25, with $20 tickets for students, seniors, and veterans. Thorn’s script centers trans-feminine actors and actors of color, so this is Shakespeare with genuinely new teeth.
- Anya Gallaccio Artist Residency @ Museum of Glass | September 9–13
- Visiting artist Anya Gallaccio takes over the Hot Shop at Museum of Glass for a week-long residency, known for site-specific, minimalist installations built from organic materials like chocolate, sugar, and ice. It’s a rare chance to watch process as much as product. The museum’s main galleries remain under construction ahead of a December reopening, so catch this one in the meantime.
- Grit City After Dark @ Spanish Ballroom, McMenamins Tacoma Elks Temple | October 29
- Retired Tacoma police detective and author Lindsey Wade hosts an evening of Pacific Northwest true crime with fellow authors Caroline Fraser and Edna Cowell Martin, emceed by Pretty Gritty Tours’ Chris Staudinger. Wade will present a local cold case and discuss her advocacy work, which helped lead to identifying the man who murdered UW student Hallie Seaman in 1975. Ten percent of ticket sales benefit Rebuilding Hope, Sexual Assault Center of Pierce County.
- Indonesian Day @ Asia Pacific Cultural Center | Saturday (9/12), 11 AM
- APCC’s free, family-friendly Indonesian Day brings authentic food, dance, music, and vendors to the cultural center for the day. Kids can craft, adults can sample satay, and there’s a raffle if you’re feeling lucky. Skip the yard work and go make a memory instead.
- Meet the Artists @ Proctor Art Gallery | Sunday (9/13), 12 PM
- Proctor Art Gallery’s Meet the Artists gives visitors a chance to ask about the ceramics, sculpture, and Pacific Northwest landscapes on display, plus hear from a guest artist. It’s the rare gallery event where you’re actually encouraged to interrupt with questions. Trade your errands for eye candy this once.
- Harvest Home @ Fort Nisqually Living History Museum | Saturday (9/12), 11 AM–5 PM
- Fort Nisqually celebrates the harvest Victorian-style, with cider pressing from the museum’s own orchard, fall-themed crafts, and samples from the period kitchen. Guests help decorate the hock cart and can watch the crowning of the Harvest King and Queen. History, but make it a county fair.
Opportunities
- TCC Indigenous Art Exhibition Entry Deadline Extended to Sept. 14
- Tacoma Community College pushed back the entry deadline for its Indigenous Art Exhibition, running November 17 through December 18 in The Gallery at TCC, to September 14. Artists can find the entry form and full details at tacomacc.edu/thegallery. A few extra days to get your submission together.
- OMWBE Certification 201 Workshop (Hybrid): Sept. 24
- Tacoma’s Equity in Contracting Program follows up its OMWBE Certification 101 session with a hybrid 201 workshop on September 24 for businesses working toward state minority-, women-, or veteran-owned certification. It’s aimed at contractors and vendors looking to compete for public contracts. Worth a look if you’ve been putting off the paperwork.
- Spaceworks Fall 2026 Creative Enterprise Program: Apply by Sept. 27
- Spaceworks Tacoma’s 12-week Creative Enterprise Program incubator is accepting applications for Tacoma-based creative entrepreneurs ready to grow an already-tested product or service. Participants get business mentorship, a $1,200 professional services stipend, professional photos, and a year of Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber membership, a package worth more than $17,000. Applications are due September 27, with the program starting October 27 at spaceworkstacoma.com/incubator.
- ALF Fellows Nominations Open Through Oct. 1
- The American Leadership Forum Tacoma-Pierce County is accepting nominations, and self-nominations, for its next Fellows class, joining a network of 700-plus regional leaders. If you know someone doing meaningful community work, or you are that someone, now’s the time to say so. Nominations close October 1.
- Tacoma Public Library Board of Trustees Seeking Applicants
- The Tacoma City Council is looking to fill two open positions on the Library Board of Trustees. It’s a hands-on way to shape how the city’s libraries run, from programming to policy. Applications are open now.
- UP Business Resource Expo: Sept. 24, 3–5 p.m.
- University Place’s Business Resource Expo invites local and regional small business owners to City Hall Atrium to connect with resources and each other. Free to attend, and a solid networking afternoon if you run a small operation nearby. RSVP isn’t required, but showing up is.
- DuPont Emergency Services Resource Fair: Sept. 18, 3–7 p.m.
- DuPont’s Police, Fire, Events, Recreation & Tourism departments are teaming up for a Community Resource Fair at Clocktower Park. Expect a mix of public safety info booths and family-friendly activities. Free and open to everyone in the area, not just DuPont residents.
- Backyard Benefit & Silent Auction at TACID: Saturday (Sept. 12), 12 p.m.
- TACID’s laid-back outdoor fundraiser features live music, games, food trucks, and a silent auction where impulse bidding counts as philanthropy. Proceeds support the organization’s work. Come for the tunes, stay to outbid your neighbor for a good cause.
- Habitat Stewardship Work Party at Adriana Hess Wetland Park: Saturday (Sept. 12), 10 a.m.–noon
- Tahoma Bird Alliance’s monthly habitat work party tackles invasive species removal, mulching, and light native planting at the University Place wetland park. Gloves, tools, water, and snacks are provided; just dress for the dirt. Register through Pierce Conservation District.
- CPR Sunday Classes Open for October Registration
- CPR Sunday is opening registration for another round of classes October 3 (10 a.m. and noon) at Eastside Community Center and October 4 (8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.) at a second location. It’s a couple of hours that could genuinely save someone’s life. Sign up before the slots fill.
- Steilacoom Offers Free Financial Fraud Awareness Presentation: Sept. 18
- The FBI is partnering with the Steilacoom Department of Public Safety for a community presentation on financial fraud awareness and prevention. These scams are on the rise, and the impact on victims is real. Free and open to the public; bring the relative who keeps almost falling for the gift-card scam.
- Parks Tacoma Volunteer Work Parties Continue Through September
- Parks Tacoma has volunteer workdays scheduled nearly every weekend this month, including Browns Point Playfield (Sept. 11), Titlow Park and Senator Rosa Franklin Park (Sept. 12), and Oak Tree, McKinley, and Dickman Mill parks (Sept. 19). It’s an easy way to put in a couple of hours and actually see the results. Sign up for whichever park is closest to you.
Recreation
- Fee-Free Day at Mount Rainier National Park: Thursday (Sept. 17)
- In honor of Constitution Day, Mount Rainier National Park waives its entrance fee for the day, along with other national parks nationwide. It’s a solid excuse to hit the trails before fall weather sets in for good. Expect bigger crowds than usual, so plan accordingly.
- Parks Tacoma Sets New Rates for Point Defiance Marina
- Parks Tacoma announced new on-water moorage rates ahead of taking over full management of what was Breakwater Marina on October 1, folding it into the Point Defiance Marina complex. Existing tenants have until September 30 to apply for new lease agreements; after October 1, open slips go to the general public. Rates are now standardized by slip size, and a mix of current tenants will see their rent go up, others down.
- Washington Heart and Stroke Walk at Cheney Stadium: Saturday (Sept. 19)
- The American Heart Association’s Heart and Stroke Walk returns to Cheney Stadium with a pre-walk health festival, hands-only CPR training, and an untimed walk open to all paces. Nine out of ten people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital don’t survive, often because no one nearby knew CPR. Register at WashingtonHeartWalk.org.
- DuPont Fall Cleanup: Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 a.m.
- The city of DuPont, working with LeMay Pierce County Refuse, is hosting its 2026 Fall Cleanup with curbside pickup for extra waste. It’s the kind of once-a-year event that finally gets the garage cleaned out. Check with the city for exactly what qualifies before you drag it to the curb.
- Community Workday at South Sound Wildlife Area, Lakewood: Saturday (Sept. 19), 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
- Local Rotary clubs are hosting a Fall Prairie Planting workday to help restore Lakewood’s oak savanna habitat. No experience necessary, just a willingness to get your hands dirty for a good cause. Bring gloves if you’ve got them.
- Fall Youth Soccer and Volleyball Registration: Deadline Sept. 19
- Parks Tacoma’s fall youth leagues offer recreational and competitive divisions for soccer and volleyball, with games running October 3 through November 21. Practices start September 28, and financial assistance is available through the Tacoma Parks Foundation for anyone who needs it. Sign up through MyImpact before the deadline.
- Connecting Tacoma with Tacoma On the Go: Oct. 8, 6–9 p.m.
- Tacoma On the Go’s annual fundraiser lands at William Philip Hall on the UW Tacoma campus, marking the transportation advocacy group’s first full year under its new name. Expect food, raffles, and updates on the org’s push for safer streets and on-schedule Sound Transit projects. Early bird tickets are available through September 11.
- DuPont Youth Recreational Basketball Registration Open
- DuPont Parks & Recreation opened registration for its 2026–2027 youth basketball season, covering grades K through 9. It’s one of the city’s most popular youth programs, so don’t sleep on signing up. Details and forms are available through the city.
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