This meter item is actually a long time in the making, but it’s been official now for a week or more. The Trib’s witty, satirical and — as of the last three months — rarely updated blog, Grit City, is officially dead. Of course, this still leaves the Trib with something like 27 other blogs (here’s looking at you, Fly Fishing blog!), but still — it’s sad to see Grit City go. It’s yet to be determined where Tacomans will now get the scoop on arcade hunting games — and, perhaps more depressing, it’s yet to be seen how copy editor Cole Cosgrove (our personal favorite of the Grit City bunch, which has nothing to do with the fact that Matt Driscoll was his neighbor until a few weeks ago) will use his mad photo-shopping skills. He’ll probably be forced to do his real job now, which will probably suck. RIP Grit City. The Blogosphere will miss you. MINUS 2
City officials have announced plans to hire additional parking enforcers, who will target abled people parking in disabled parking spots. Reports indicate three additional parking patrol officers will be added to the roster of yellow-and-orange-vested officers, and that they’re expected to be hired as soon as possible. Current enforcers have been charged with placing special emphasis on unauthorized occupation of disabled parking spots. PLUS 1
Apparently America has evolved, or devolved, depending on how you look at it. Despite a downward-spiraling economy and record unemployment, post-Thanksgiving retail sales managed to grow significantly. The National Retail Federation reports that the average shopper spent 7 percent more on gifts this year, compared to last, when the economy was relatively rosy. Die-hard shoppers spent an average of $372.57 during the big shopping push that occurs annually after Thanksgiving. Still, some of our favorite businesses are probably creeping toward the black thanks to their bravery. PLUS 1
Two Sundays out of every year the Children’s Museum of Tacoma hosts a family fun fund-raiser known as Gingerbread Jamboree. This year, for the first time in many, many years, Gingerbread Jamboree was sold out in a flash. Thank you, Tacoma, for standing behind a program, which will bring educational play to neighborhoods in need. PLUS 1
The Academy Times, the student newspaper at Charles Wright Academy, was inducted into the National Scholastic Press Association’s Hall of Fame after earning 10 All-American ratings from the press association within an 11-year span, according to a Charles Wright press release. The Weekly Volcano congratulates the students behind the Academy Times and encourages them to stay in the biz. Newspapers are more relevant and vital than ever, because the public’s appetite for media is at an all-time high. We’d dive deeper into this topic except we must download tiny Nelly Furtado music videos on our Nokia for four bucks a pop. PLUS 1
After discussing a possible six month moratorium at the insistence of Tim Farrell and Calvin Goings, the Pierce County Council’s Rules Committee decided it doesn’t actually care all that much about folks being forced to move out of their mobile homes because mobile home park owners in our county are selling their land to strip mall makers with hard-ons for erecting Home Depots. Monday the Rules Committee decided, by a vote of 2-1, that a six month moratorium was no good — siding with mobile home park owners who keenly point out they make more money by selling their land to strip mall makers. Hard to argue with capitalism. It’s never let us down before. MINUS 2
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