The City of Tacoma delayed its plan to repair a sinking Pacific Avenue — from South 17th to South 25th streets — until after Tall Ships Tacoma 2008. The delay is a result of lobbying efforts by the New Tacoma Neighborhood Council and Downtown Merchants Group. A major downtown street demolition and thousands of visitors for Tall Ships are not like chocolate and peanut butter. They don’t mix well. The $2.6 million project will most likely begin July 14. PLUS 2



Current Bates Technical College President, David Borofsky, who has held the position for three years and has openly stated he wants to move on to a different school outside of the Northwest, was one of three finalist for a similar position at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, Ill. However, this week the college awarded the job to another candidate. Since Borofsky doesn’t want to be at Bates, this can be nothing but bad news for those who do want to be at Bates. MINUS 2



Transportation officials, students and local politicians celebrated the completion of a $72.9 million road project along Interstate 5 in Tacoma this week. The project has doubled the width of Interstate 5 through Tacoma, eliminated the Highway 16/I-5 weave, and a connection to the new westbound Nalley Valley Bridge. We’re thinking it will take people three months to figure out how to traverse the strange tangle of off ramps. We’re glad it’s finished. PLUS 3



Just as Lakewood officials voted to lift a two-year ban on mini-casinos, Tillicum-Woodbrook Neighborhood Association President David Anderson filed an initiative to ban them again. The initiative calls on city officials to ban casinos. If that doesn’t work, the initiative would ask for a citywide vote. For now, PLUS 2.



After being closed for a few months due to septic problems, the Firwood Roadhouse in Fife re-opened last Saturday to a crowd of more than 800 people throughout the night. It was an excellent night to commit a crime in the Fife area, seeing as how all five on-duty police vehicles were parked outside the Firwood all night, just waiting to hand out DUIs. Seriously guys, have anything better to do? EVEN



A fire Tuesday at the Chehalis Eagles Aerie building destroyed furniture that was headed to victims of December’s devastating flooding. Though officials hope the fire will only be a momentary setback in relief efforts, considering the difficulties victims of the flooding have had finding any relief, a setback of any kind is reason enough for a MINUS 4.



Total Pluses: 7       



Total Minuses: 6



This Week’s Total:  PLUS 1     



Last Week’s Total:  PLUS 1