Earlier than a calendar might indicate, only six weeks remain until summer arrives in Federal Way.

That’s because six weeks remain until Wild Waves opens.

And the theme park needs workers to staff the 2011 season.

So it’s time for a job fair.

“As we ramp up for the upcoming season, this is where we hire so many positions such as lifeguards, admissions, food service, ride operators and more,” said Mary Bigham, Wild Waves director of human resources, in a release this week.

If you’d like to apply for a job – and there re hundreds of jobs available – …

Read more »

Attention 168,000 Tacoma Power customers: Your rates are about to go up.

The utility announced today that for the first time in six years “customers will see an increase in the amount they pay for their electric service. Starting April 11, customers’ bills will go up by about a $5 per month. Customers’ bills also will increase by about $5 per month on April 1, 2012.”

The blame goes to “government requirements, low wholesale power prices and higher costs for purchased power from the Bonneville Power Administration.”

“We worked hard to reduce our operating costs to help minimize the rate …

Read more »

If you’re familiar with downtown Tacoma and the demographics of Pierce County; and if you’re familiar with business practices; and you have a grasp of transportation and land-use issues; and should yo also you have oral, written and interpersonal skills – then there’s a job you might consider seeking.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber is looking for a metropolitan development director.

The primary functions include management at a senior level within the chamber; advocacy of issues important to chamber members; event planning; budgeting and fundraising; and communication and outreach, which includes maintaining blogs and websites.

Fifty percent of your time will …

Read more »

Here’s an update on a story earlier this week concerning sewer construction at Point Ruston.

According to City of Tacoma spokesman Rob McNair-Huff, the City Council at it’s Tuesday meeting approved Resolution 38229, “which will result in the payment of $3 million for portions of the ongoing Local Improvement District work that have already been finished within the Point Ruston development.”

The vote was 9-0.

Specifically, the approved resolution was a second amendment to the Agreement for Improvements with Point Ruston LLC, for the reimbursement of certain improvements within the ASARCO Tacoma Smelter Superfund Site.

The reimbursement would occur through …

Read more »

Boeing officials expect employees will be able to return to work Wednesday at its Auburn plant. Multiple transformers failed at the plant Saturday, and the aerospace giant canceled some work Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Employees are asked to check the company hot line tonight after 7 p.m. for confirmation: 1-800-899-6431. Information also is available online at www.boeing.com/emergency.

Boeing is asking employees at its Auburn plant to check in with the company before heading off to work Tuesday.

Multiple transformers failed at the plant Saturday, and the aerospace giant canceled some work Sunday and Monday. Some employees were told to report to the Frederickson plant, south of Tacoma. Some office employees worked from home.

The company’s work hot line is 1-800-899-6431. Information also is available online at www.boeing.com/emergency.

They’re really sorry. They take full responsibility. They’ll do their best to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

So said a letter that went out today to some two million Alaska Airlines mileage club members.

Signed by Alaska President Brad Tilden and Horizon Air President Glenn Johnson, the letter recalled “a computer system outage this past weekend that disrupted our operation.”

The executives offered their “profound apologies to the thousands of customers who were affected.”

A team, they said, is in place to respond.

“A similar letter will go out to anyone we know was affected,” said spokesman Paul McElroy earlier …

Read more »

For those of you keeping score on the goings-on at Point Ruston, then here’s a look at an action proposed for Tuesday’s meeting of the Tacoma City Council.

It’s a second amendment to the Agreement for Improvements with Point Ruston, LLC, for the reimbursement of certain improvements within the ASARCO Tacoma Smelter Superfund Site. This second amendment will allow earlier reimbursement to Point Ruston for the construction of the public sanitary sewer main and the public stormwater main constructed with associated design and inspection costs not to exceed $3 million. The reimbursement would occur through the issuance of warrants which …

Read more »