Happy Friday Newsletter 9.4.26

Neighborhood News

• West Tacoma Fred Meyer Set to Close
  • The Fred Meyer Marketplace at James Center, on South 19th Street near Mildred, is closing. UFCW 367 says the closure will directly affect 100 unionized employees and warns it could make groceries and pharmacy access harder for thousands of nearby residents in West Tacoma, where the store has also been an anchor for foot traffic to nearby businesses. It’s the second Fred Meyer to go in less than a year, following the closure of the 72nd and Pacific store last September that affected 226 workers. No closure date has been announced yet, but the union says it’s working to protect employees on transfers, wages, and accrued benefits.

• Point Defiance Prepares to Say Goodbye to Laerke
  • Laerke, the zoo’s 5-year-old polar bear, will move to an accredited zoo in the Midwest this fall on a breeding recommendation from the Polar Bear Population Alliance, part of a coordinated effort to keep the zoo population genetically diverse. She arrived at Point Defiance as a 2-year-old cub in 2023 with her twin sister Astra, who left on a similar recommendation in 2025. Laerke’s start in life was rough. A medical emergency shortly after birth at Detroit Zoo meant she was hand-raised by keepers, and staff have spent the past year tracking her hormone levels to confirm she’s ready to breed. “It has been incredibly special to watch Laerke grow from a young bear into the cautious, gentle, and powerful animal she is today,” said Malia Somerville, the zoo’s representative to the alliance. There’s still time to visit her before she goes, and her habitat has a second act lined up: In early 2027, the zoo’s penguins will move in temporarily while a new, larger penguin habitat is built nearby. pdza.org has the full story.

• Hive Provisions Finds a New Home on 11th Street
  • Hive Provisions + Refillery is back after a rocky year. The low-waste gift shop and refill bar closed in 2025 when lease issues forced it out of its South Tacoma Way spot, and now it’s reopened at 504 S. 11th St., Suite B. Same concept: books, local goods, and gifts up front, plus a refill station where you bring your own containers for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, and more. Owner Michele Jones is still digging out financially from that lease mess, compounded by a break-in during the move to the new location last month, and has a GoFundMe up for anyone who wants to help. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. hiveprovisions.com

• Maritime|253 Opens Port Career Pathways
  • Tacoma Public Schools has opened Maritime|253, a new career training center just south of the Murray Morgan Bridge. Starting this September, juniors, seniors, and some sophomores from across Pierce County can earn dual credit while training hands-on for maritime and port careers. A solid option for anystudent who’d rather learn on the water than in a lecture hall.

• Mary Bridge Completes New Pediatric Campus
  • Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital has quietly finished what it started: The newly expanded Outpatient Center just saw its first patients, completing the 250,000-square-foot pediatric hospital project. The build-out is substantial: 85 exam rooms, 10 infusion bays, three sedation rooms, two X-ray units, and an orthopedic imaging system that’s the first of its kind in Pierce County, cutting radiation dose for kids who need routine scans. Beyond imaging, the facility handles ongoing care for chronic illness, asthma, diabetes, and other conditions kids in the area have historically had to travel for. marybridge.org

• Youth Signature Campaign Earns National Recognition
  • Pierce County Elections just picked up the Election Center’s Independence Award for Outstanding Service and Accessibility, recognizing a scrappy fix for a real problem: After the 2024 presidential election, voters 18 to 26 cast just 12.6% of Pierce County ballots but racked up 51% of all signature-related challenges. The office’s response was a Gen Z-styled postcard campaign urging young voters to update their signatures on file, which produced 1,225 updated signatures in 60 days and helped push youth ballot-challenge rates down from 43% to 40% between the 2023 and 2025 primaries. It’s a small mechanical fix with a bigger payoff: Research shows voters who cast a ballot young are more likely to keep voting, and the county’s turned the campaign into a repeatable annual model rather than a one-off. The award was presented this month at the Election Center’s national conference in Kansas City.

• Fair Express Buses Roll Out With Route Changes
  • Pierce Transit rolled out its twice-yearly schedule overhaul on Aug. 30, tightening connections at busy transfer stops, syncing better with school start times, and adjusting Route 400 to line up with Sounder trains. More useful for fairgoers: Pierce Transit is running dedicated Fair Express service to the Washington State Fair from Sept. 4–27, excluding Tuesdays and Sept. 9, with buses every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. six days a week. The Lakewood Station Route runs daily, connecting Lakewood Station, the SR 512 and South Hill Mall park-and-rides, and the fair’s Blue Gate. The South Hill Circulator runs on weekends only between South Hill Park & Ride and the Blue Gate. Regular fares apply: $2 adult, $1 reduced fare, and free for riders 18 and under. All major payment methods are accepted.

Local Governance

• Tacoma Takes Fire Truck Makers to Court
  • The city has joined a federal antitrust fight against REV Group and Oshkosh’s Pierce Manufacturing, alleging that consolidation among fire truck makers has driven up prices and delivery times for the vehicles cities depend on. The case has been folded into a broader nationwide antitrust proceeding.

• Health Assessment Maps Pierce County’s Strengths and Barriers
  • The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has released its 2025 Community Health Assessment, the deep-dive report it publishes roughly every five years by combining community input, health data, and partner organization capacity. On the strengths side: Residents point to strong social connections, cultural and community resources, access to nature, and trusted local organizations as what’s keeping them well. On the concerns side, the list is long and structural: housing, transportation, economic stability, health care and behavioral health access, digital access, environmental conditions, and structural racism, which the data backs up with lower life expectancy, elevated chronic disease and STI rates, and youth mental health and substance use trends worth watching. The assessment pulled from more than 200 people through interviews and focus groups and more than 100 people across 83 partner organizations, and it now feeds directly into the 2025–2030 Community Health Improvement Plan, where the county sets shared priorities for what to actually do about it. The full report and upcoming data dashboards are at tpchd.org.

• State Grant Adds 12 Tacoma Police Officers
  • Tacoma landed a $4.6 million state grant to hire a dozen police officers, but the money only runs through June 2027, and the city is staring down a $40 million budget deficit. Worth watching what happens when the grant runs out.

• Tacoma Invites Residents Into Public Safety Partnership
  • Police Chief Patti Jackson is recruiting community members for a new Tacoma Public Safety Partnership, an 18-month pilot where applicants learn department operations and advise on training and accountability. A real seat at the table for anyone who wants one.

• Ecology Starts Tracking Pollution Along South Tacoma Truck Route
  • The state Department of Ecology has switched on a new air monitoring station at South 35th Street, tracking diesel-linked pollution, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, and black carbon along the primary truck route that will feed the incoming 2.5-million-square-foot Bridge Point warehouse. It’s the third monitor funded by Bridge Point’s $8.95 million settlement with the state, part of a package that also includes home weatherization, portable air cleaners, and tree planting along the corridor. South and East Tacoma made the state’s list of 16 “overburdened communities” for air pollution, and this stretch sees higher asthma rates and lower life expectancy than the city average, so Ecology says it’s monitoring ahead of the trucks rather than after the fact this time. Data updates hourly and is public at airqualitymap.ecology.wa.gov or via the Air Quality Washington app.

Arts & Entertainment

• True Crime Takes Center Stage at the Spanish Ballroom
  • Retired Tacoma PD detective and author Lindsey Wade hosts an evening of Pacific Northwest true crime Thursday, Oct. 29, at the Spanish Ballroom in McMenamins Tacoma Elks Temple, joined by authors Caroline Fraser and Edna Cowell Martin, with Chris Staudinger of Pretty Gritty Tours emceeing. Wade, author of In My DNA: My Career Investigating Your Worst Nightmares, will present a local cold case and dig into the larger issue of convicted offenders missing from DNA databases, the same advocacy that helped identify the man who murdered UW student Hallie Seaman in 1975. Ten percent of ticket sales bene!t Rebuilding Hope, the Sexual Assault Center of Pierce County.

• Venardos Circus Makes Its Final Tacoma Bow
  • The Venardos Circus pitches its custom red-and-white tent at Dune Peninsula in Point Defiance Park through Sept. 7, bringing a Broadway-style, animal-free circus built by former Ringling Bros. ringmaster Kevin Venardos. Think golden-age big-top energy with a musical-theater polish: aerialists, acrobats, jugglers, hand-balancers, comedic performers, daredevils, and magicians across a roughly 90-minute show with a brief intermission. Doors open an hour early with preshow entertainment and photo ops, plus popcorn, cotton candy, and house-made pink lemonade. Parking is free on-site. Get tickets only through the official site, venardoscircus.com.

• Glass Pumpkin Patch Brings Fall Color to Proctor
  • The NW Glass Pumpkin Patch touches down in Proctor from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, filling Tacoma Glass Gallery & Fusing Studio, 2621 N. Proctor St., with a hand-blown harvest: pumpkins, gourds, and other autumn pieces, no two alike since each one comes off an individual artist’s pipe. It’s one stop on a multivenue circuit running across the South Sound and beyond, and some locations sweeten the deal with discounted “seconds” (small cosmetic flaws, full charm), plus early winter-themed glass for anyone who likes to get a jump on holiday gifting. Browse and buy through Oct. 31, while supplies last.

• Cosmic Bingo Returns to the Armory
  • Spaceworks’ bingo, trivia, and dance-party mashup returns from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Armory, with a live DJ, music trivia rounds themed around yacht rock, grunge, and ‘80s throwbacks, and stage competitions like air guitar battles for the winners. Volunteers are needed if you’d rather work the room than play the cards.

• Can Beer Save Democracy?
  • Professor Michael Goldsby makes the case that beer, and the face-to-face conversation that comes with it, might be the last good tool for finding common ground Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Washington State History Museum. The event is free with registration. Because yelling in the comments never fixed a pothole.

• Globe Awards Celebrate Tacoma’s Global Business Connections
  • The World Trade Center Tacoma throws its annual Globe Awards gala from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at World Trade Center Tacoma, honoring organizations that have grown by playing the international game well through trade partnerships, talent, investment, technology, or supply chains, with the community benefit built in. This year’s eligibility widens to include both small/medium enterprises and large enterprises, so the nominee pool gets bigger and more interesting. Expect networking, hors d’oeuvres, prizes, and the award presentation itself, with discounted early-bird tickets available now through the chamber’s event page.

Opportunities

• Tacoma Artists Invited to Connect at Night Market
  • Tacoma-area artists have a standing invitation Friday, Sept. 4, to The Mothership, better known as the Tacoma Night Market, at 5407 S. Washington St., for a low-key roundtable built around connection over competition. Bring a work in progress, an idea you’re chewing on, or just yourself; there’s mural space to add a splash of color to the Tacoma map, fellow artists to talk shop with, karaoke, a little dancing, and plenty of art on the walls for inspiration. No RSVP pressure. Come and go as it suits you.

• Hilltop Artists Seeks Outreach Coordinator
  • The glass arts nonprofit is hiring for this role connecting young people from diverse backgrounds to its programs. Full job description and application at hilltopartists.org/get-involved/work-with-us.

• Tacoma Musical Playhouse Seeks House Manager
  • TMP needs a new part-time house manager to keep performances running smoothly and make sure patrons and volunteers have a good night from the moment they walk in. It’s the kind of job that suits someone who likes theater, likes people, and doesn’t rattle easily when the unexpected happens midshow. Full job description and application at tmp.org, under Get Involved, then Careers.

• Spaceworks Opens Fall Business Incubator Applications
  • Applications for the Fall Business Plan Cohort opened Sept. 1 for anyone sitting on a business idea and looking for mentorship and technical support to make it real. Spaceworks has helped hundreds of Tacoma businesses go from dream to reality.

• U.P. Historical Society Seeks First Executive Director
  • The U.P. Historical Society is looking for a part-time executive director to help stand up its new U.P. History Museum from the ground floor, handling strategic planning, financial oversight, and collections and exhibitions. Hours and salary are negotiable, and while University Place residents (or those nearby) get preference, the society says it’ll consider candidates from elsewhere too. It’s a rare shot at shaping a museum’s identity from scratch rather than inheriting someone else’s. Apply by emailing manageruphistoricalsociety@gmail.com or calling 253-301-7336. More information is available at uphistoricalsociety.org.

• Tacoma Seeks District 3 Planning Commissioner
  • The city is filling a District 3 seat on the Planning Commission, the body that shapes and updates Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan and weighs in on zoning reclassifications, historic district designations, urban design, and transportation and capital facilities planning. It’s real influence over how the city actually grows, not a ceremonial seat: The commission meets twice monthly, on the first and third Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and appointees complete state Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act training within 90 days. Applicants must live in District 3, and the city is explicitly encouraging BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, senior, youth, immigrant, and refugee residents to apply. Applications are due to the City Clerk’s Office by noon Sept. 14 at tacoma.gov/cbcapplication; questions go to Elizabeth Wing at servetacoma@tacoma.gov or 253-591-5178.

• Workshop Helps Businesses Navigate OMWBE Certification
  • The City of Tacoma’s Equity in Contracting Program teams up with the state Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises for a virtual workshop from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, walking minority-, women-, and disadvantaged-owned businesses through the certification process, the kind of paperwork that unlocks city and state contracting opportunities. Expect a rundown of the EIC Program itself, federal and state certification tracks, application tips, required documentation, and direct lines to city and OMWBE staff. It’s part one of a two-parter; a hybrid OMWBE Certification 201 follow-up runs Sept. 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. Details at makeittacoma.com/events; questions or alternate-format requests go to Linda Cerna at lcerna@tacoma.gov or 253-453-9488.

• Center for Dialog & Resolution Hiring and Offering Free Training
  • CDR is looking for a Mediation Services Manager to lead its mediation programs, a role suited to anyone with a background in facilitation, nonprofit programs, or community-centered work. Separately, the nonprofit offers a free Turn Conflict into Connection workshop Oct. 15, with three sessions to choose from at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., or 6 p.m. via Zoom, teaching skills like self-regulation and deep listening for staying grounded in hard conversations. CDR’s next Basic Mediation Training runs Sept. 24 through 26 and Oct. 9 and 10, and its ZAZZ cocktail fundraiser hits the Marriott Tacoma Downtown on Oct. 16. Registration is required and space is limited at centerforresolution.org.

• Real Art Tacoma Wants Your Community Flyers
  • A local organizer is collecting information on free community gatherings, knitting groups, book clubs, farmers markets, cleanup crews, and whatever brings people together to share at a show Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Real Art Tacoma. Bring a flyer or a business card, and you’ll walk away with a Kill Nothing sticker. Old- fashioned networking, no app required.

• U.P. Business Resource Expo Connects Owners With Help
  • Local and regional small business owners are invited to University Place’s Business Resource Expo from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the City Hall Atrium for practical tools, guidance, and insight from a handful of local partners. Expect research help from the University Place Library, permitting guidance for tenant improvements from the city’s Planning and Development Services Department, business-focused programs from the U.P. Community Outreach Team, and Resources from Pierce County Economic Development, among others. The Economic Development Office also works with established businesses looking to grow, not just startups. Contact Wesley Nguyen at 253-460-5442 to learn more.

• H-Barn Restoration Gets a $12 Million Push
  • Partners for Parks just landed a 15-year partnership agreement from the Lakewood City Council, clearing the eligibility hurdle to compete for up to $2.8 million from the state’s 2027–2029 Building for the Arts and Culture grant program. The money would help close the gap on a $12 million restoration of Fort Steilacoom Park’s historic H-Barn into a multiuse community space for education, arts, wellness, and events. Lakewood has already put in more than $4 million, and Partners for Parks has raised nearly $3 million toward its own $3.5 million share, boosted by a $200,000 anonymous donation earmarked to match new contributions through a fundraising push that runs through October. Visit partnersforparks.net if you want in on the match.

Recreation

• WSDOT Urges Labor Day Travelers to Plan Ahead
  • WSDOT is bracing for Labor Day weekend congestion Sept. 4–7, and the stretch that matters most to us is I-5 between Lacey and Tacoma, one of four highway segments the agency flags as worst for holiday backups. Most construction pauses starting Friday to help traffic move, though the Revive I-5 work zone over the Ship Canal Bridge stays active, and fire danger statewide means no tossing cigarettes or parking on dry grass. If you’re ferry-bound, expect the heaviest vehicle lines westbound Thursday and Friday and eastbound Sunday and Monday. Walk-ons skip the line entirely, and weekend toll rates on SR 520, the SR 99 tunnel, and SR 509 kick back in Monday, Sept. 7, with I-405 and SR 167 express lanes free that day. Real-time conditions, travel-time charts, and rest area maps are at wsdot.wa.gov.

• SoulFULL Festival Brings Black Culture, Food, and Music Downtown
  • The Black Night Market brings back its third annual SoulFULL Festival at noon Saturday, Sept. 5, at 917 Broadway. The free, family-friendly block party is built around Black culture, food, and community. More than 30 food trucks and vendors cover serious ground, from Jamaican and Trinidadian plates to Southern soul food, Polynesian dishes, vegan options, and dessert, while the day’s lineup runs soul and jazz, spoken word, dance crews, comedy, and DJs, plus games for the kids. The festival also spotlights the Soul Food Access Initiative, which helps Black and other BIPOC food entrepreneurs cut through the red tape of permits and resources to get their businesses visible. Admission is free.

• End of Summer Car Show Benefits Down Syndrome Resource Center
  • 321 Buddy teams up with Griot’s Garage for the second annual End of Summer Car Show at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, at 3333 S. 38th St., a day of polished rides, fellow gearheads, and a raffle to close out the season. Registering a car to show runs $20; watching is free. Every dollar raised goes to 321 Buddy’s free resource center, A Place for Me, which supports individuals with Down syndrome and their families in Pierce County through age-specific connections, literacy support, parent groups, and community partnerships. Come for the cars, stick around for a cause.

• Thirsty Dog Run Ends Summer With Root Beer Floats
  • This dog-friendly run or walk begins at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Titlow Park and finishes with root beer floats for anyone who grabs one of 72 souvenir cups at registration, while supplies last, or brings a cup from a past Thirsty Dog race. Presented by Proliance Puget Sound Orthopaedics. Sign up at parkstacoma.org.

• Youth Soccer and Volleyball Registration Open
  • Parks Tacoma is taking sign-ups through Sept. 19 for recreational and competitive leagues in both sports, plus coaching openings for anyone who’d rather run the practice than play in it.

• Zoo Sends Summer Out With a Splash
  • The End of Summer Blast runs Sept. 5–7 at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Watch the animals cool o$ with icy treats and summery enrichment activities all weekend. Free with zoo admission or membership.

• Northwest Trek Serves Up a Feeding Frenzy
  • Feeding Frenzy runs Sept. 5–7 at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Golden eagles get meatballs, the wolf gets steak, and the barn owls get mice. Catch keeper chats throughout the event as the animals dig into their favorite meals.

• Minecraft Summer Bash Gives Kids One Last Night of Fun
  • The Minecraft Summer Bash runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Owen Beach Pavilion. Drop the kids off for Minecraft-themed LEGO building challenges, games, and pizza while the grown-ups get a well-earned night off. A solid way to close out summer.

• Harvest Home Brings Fall Traditions to Fort Nisqually
  • Harvest Home runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum. Press cider from apples grown in the museum’s own orchard, help decorate the hock cart for the final harvest, and crown a Harvest King and Queen from the crowd. Tickets are on sale now.

• Last Chance for Summer Swimming
  • Kandle Pool and Stewart Heights Pool stay open through Sunday, Sept. 6, and Tacoma’s free spraygrounds run daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Labor Day. Swim lesson registration for the Sept. 8 through Oct. 3 session opens Sept. 2 at 9 a.m.

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