Explore
Boredom and Lacey, Wash., should never be said in the same sentence. For a town with a modest population of about 39,000, there are a plethora of things to do.To start with, consider the outdoor fun you can create at one of the 19 city parks. Lacey also boasts three
Focus
“9/11.”That was Sgt. Daniel Fortune’s simple and direct answer when asked why he joined the Army.“I saw what happened to our country that day, and I wanted to do my part to bring America back,” added the California native.Enlisting in the Army after graduating from high school, Fortune serves as
Business News
The screen saver on Michael Zahringer’s computer read: “Smile … and customers will leave smiling.”The general manager of the post’s Firestone Tire & Auto Center, Zahringer is committed to making sure his customers — most of whom are soldiers, their dependents and retirees — are well served.And with fall and
Focus
It is not a stretch to say that noncommissioned officers are the bonding element that holds the Army — and its family members — together.Just ask Sgt. 1st Class Victoria Lischalk, the soldier who oversees the Remote Warrior Care Program for the Warrior Transition Battalion, or WTB.“This mission is 24/7
Visual Edge
There are two art exhibits running in Tacoma that end this weekend, one very serious and high-minded and the other cute enough to make you want to puke. I’m talking kitsch cute that’s so bad it’s good. The shows are Flux at Gallery Madera and Rabbitual at Two Vaults. Both
Explore
I start to think, “I was the last generation to know it as it was. I rode the final wave.” But then it dawns on me: That’s probably how everyone from the “sleepy farm town close to Seattle and Tacoma” feels about Puyallup. Then it also dawns on
Kids
While searching MySpace for local music — as I do from time to time — I stumbled across Roman Holiday and was promptly knocked for a loop. Theirs is a slick indie rock sound so pristine, so flawless, that it quite frankly made me upset. Making matters worse is the
Jobs
It’s time to take a fresh look at art in Tacoma. As the economy continues its downward spiral, artists, gallery owners and other institutions dedicated to aesthetic engagement are falling apart. Not just here — everywhere. Well, except for India, for some reason, where art sales are skyrocketing.
News Articles
It’s the bottom of the ninth inning of a tied game with two outs and the winning run at third.“I’m a coach with a whole bunch of blue chip players,” said Col. Jerome (Jerry) Penner, commander, Madigan Army Medical Center.The outcome of the game is assured; Penner’s team will score.“My
Focus
Sgt. Kenny De La Fuente exudes confidence.Then again, as a soldier assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Battalion, he is one of America’s elite soldiers. His sense of being the best defines his role as a noncommissioned officer.“A good NCO should have a clear sense of competence toward whatever
Operation Family Support
Jeannie Sweezer knows how a spouse new to the military with little resources feels when a loved one deploys.“I know what it is like to be the one who has no resources,” said Sweezer, a family readiness support assistant with the new Raider Family Center. “We’re here to assist families
Stage
The regular season for most theaters in the South Sound starts this week, so prepare yourself for a steady stream of theater now that the summer slump is over. Cue the sound of rejoicing. Also in the works is host of short-run shows at some of the smaller theater
Visual Edge
Painter Jethaniel Peterka shows a deft touch and a fertile mind in his paintings and assemblages at Fulcrum Gallery. The show is called Losses and Longings, and it presents a record of how Peterka’s work is evolving and how individual works come into being. Paintings over a period of time
Arts Feature
Oh Tacoma. We know you’re probably broke. If you’re not, go buy some art. If you are — like most of us — without funds to fuel a tour of local fine arts offerings, there is still hope. If there’s one thing we know how to do around
Veterans
A new Veterans’ Court pilot project could be a lifeline for a growing number of troubled veterans.It was launched July 22 in Thurston County District Court, and the court will convene every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at 2000 Lake Ridge Dr. S.W., Building 3, in Olympia.“Thurston County already has a
Veterans
Established in 1977, the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee, or VAAC, provides advice to Gov. Christine Gregoire and the director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs on issues important to the state’s veterans. “The committee gives veterans a voice and acts as a conduit for them,” wrote April Harris,
Veterans
Often times, we pass by a flag flown at half-staff and have no idea why, if it isn’t a national holiday, the flag is being displayed in such a manner. For many of us, this question is quickly forgotten as we continue on with our daily lives. For Kevin Freitas,
Explore
There are many advantages to living in this part of the country. For example it seldom gets too hot or too cold here yet we have all four seasons of weather and fashion. The moisture in the air is very good for the complexion. We have lush green plants and
Operation Family Support
One parent has been deployed to Afghanistan for a year, during which time the other parent has to play the role of mother and father. Though it’s tough they make it work. But then halfway through the one year deployment, the parent returns home for two weeks, and finds a
Health
SAVI DAY SPAI expected Savi Day Spa inside Hotel Murano to be elegant, soothing and decadent. I was right on all counts. What I didn’t expect was the sensation of the amazing Vichy shower. I was lying on a cushioned table in a tile room. Jessica Glaser had just massaged
