Explore
I'm not a birder. In theory I should be. I mean, I love nature, animals, seeing animals in their world, any reason to get outside and any excuse to travel. Being a birder would facilitate all of these things, but nothing seems more boring to me. Looking through binoculars at
Music
In the late 90s and early 2000s, I worked for the Tacoma Facts newspaper. The Facts is the oldest, longest running African-American newspaper in the Pacific Northwest and they still publish in Seattle. I was given the job because owner/editor Dennis Beaver liked my spoken word/poetry. Beaver let me write
Critics' Picks
[INDIE ROCK] + FRI, MAY 3 It's been a pleasure over the past while to watch as RowHouse grew and changed and inevitably found its feet. Fronted by Alex Tapia - previously of Bayonet - RowHouse has finally settled itself into a comfortable groove as a two-piece. Manning the drums are
Music
Forming in Bellingham, Wash. in 1998, Federation X has brought a generation of rockers a release from the daily grind with their raw brand of high-energy, low-fi, heavy rock. With a sound that leans toward tumultuous, this band has been compared to Black Sabbath and the Melvins. Thursday, May 2, Fed
Arts
Fracking isn't magic. What the Frack? is. Friday, magic takes the form of music, dance and thought-provoking performance when Tacoma School of Arts Theater (SOTA) stages What the Frack? - a social commentary about fracking, which is the controversial use of hydraulic fracturing to release natural gas from the earth.
Stage
Exhibiting works by Northwest glass artists alongside selected works from their personal art collections is an intriguing concept for an art exhibition. This is what you can find in the Northwest Artists Collect exhibition at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. Seven favorite regional glass artists are shown with works
Liquid
First, I must thank you for being there when I needed you. Honestly, you came as a surprise. At the beginning of the night I couldn't have predicted we'd run into each other. You really stepped up and I thank you. You see, Bloody Mary, the reason why this column has
Reviews
With loyal regulars and a rich history since opening in 1959, the remodel and menu update of Harbor Lights has been an embattled topic of conversation amongst locals after its six-week renovation and reopening debut April 19. The restaurant has undergone small changes in the past. Purchased by Anthony's Restaurants in
People Rule
A citizen-soldier, who cares, leads and loves his fellow Servicemembers and pets. A veteran of the Afghanistan War, Maj. Brian Nelson is assigned to the Washington National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters and has rendered two decades of military service to our nation. Maj. Nelson is the deputy director for Joint Services Support
People Rule
Narine Towle was born in the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Soviet Union. She immigrated to the United States in 1991, became a US Citizen and had a daughter. One of the things Narine is most proud of is being a native Russian language speaker. Narine joined the Washington Army National Guard in
People Rule
"In the Guard, you can end up doing 24 hour guard duty, marching until you can't feel your feet, filling sandbags, or doing any number of other odious or grueling tasks," says Washington National Guardsmen, Staff Sgt Adam Rice. "If you are dedicated to the idea of being the shield
News Front
Here's one hero who believes in the power of simplicity. "If I keep things simple in a panic situation, the answers come," Staff Sgt. Brian Guzman said during a telephone interview on Monday afternoon. "I am calm; people understand simplicity." Assigned to 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Guzman was recognized as the Army's
Recreation
"Fitness overall is important for any branch of service and just because we are traditional Guardsmen doesn't mean we shouldn't get out on a Saturday and stay in shape while competing in a fun environment," said NGAW 5K winner CPT Dalrymple of the Western Air Defense Sector. A group of volunteers
Heroes & Awards
The Washington Veterans Home, located outside of Port Orchard, recently held an event to recognize its astounding number of volunteers. For the past year, volunteers at the home collectively logged 4,973 hours. This number was up more than 1,000 hours from last year. The Washington Veterans Home caters to 240 residents
Military Policy
When The Invisible War came out last summer, it called rape "a silent epidemic ... and the most shameful and best kept secret in the U.S. military." The documentary showcased multiple Servicemembers suffering from military sexual trauma, and claimed that 20 percent of females are sexually assaulted while serving and
Health
The Military Pathways website is worth a look. The Department of Defense has partnered with Screening for Mental Health, a non-profit organization, to create Military Pathways. The program is available online, over the telephone and at events held at military installations worldwide. Free and anonymous, Pathways provides mental health and alcohol self-assessments for
News
Saturday, April 20, past and present histories intersected with precision. During World War II, Lois Auchterlonie volunteered to serve this country as a Women's Airforce Service Pilot, or WASP. "I just wanted to fly," the former captain said in a 2008 interview, "and if I could I would go back and do
News Front
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - The Expert Infantryman Badge was awarded to 159 infantrymen from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, for successfully completing the brigade's week-long EIB testing, during a ceremony April 26, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. "It's for infantry and special operators. It trains and tests
Food Matters
ART + WINE You know what's better than sipping Abeja 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon with its flavors of plums, blackberries and umami mushroom/soy nuances? Sipping it while looking at awesome art. Morso Wine Bar (9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor) will host a reception and meet and greet for featured artist Christina Hella
We Recommend
"You might say that we are classic elegant swing meets surf guitar," says Jessica Blinn, vocalist and violinist for The Jessica Blinn Quintet that will play Olympia's Urban Onion Friday. The event kicks off a new jazz series for the venue. "We are excited to be playing at a new
