I guess she’s not as powerful as we thought.

For the second time a city commission has rejected a request to place the updated version of a long-lost statue in a prominent city locale.

This time it was the roof of the Carlton Building across Pacific Avenue from the Tacoma Art Museum. I’ll let Todd Matthews of the Daily Index tell that story.

Earlier it was the Art Commission that rebuffed a gift of the statue to be placed near Theater on the Square.

I told that tale in an earlier column.

New Goddess sculpture gets no respect

By Peter Callaghan

Friday,November 13, 2009
Edition: SOUTH SOUND, Section: Front Page, Page A01
I guess it’s impossible for one person to understand the obsessions of others.

So I’m not troubled that I didn’t get my former co-worker’s thing for a long-departed flame. A goddess she was, at least to hear onetime News Tribune business columnist Dan Voelpel describe her. Statuesque even, with a proclivity for Roman helmets, holding the world in the palm of one hand and a spear in the other.

Not a woman to be messed with.

It was bad enough when he first heard about her from retail consultant Paula Rees. But when he sleuthed out the truth – that the Goddess of Commerce had been melted down, the scrap fees going toward a jug of whiskey for the men who did her in, he was like a man possessed.

Or obsessed. Read more »

The Swiss Pub will provide all the food for the memorial Saturday at the downtown tavern for co-owner Gayl Bertagni who died last Friday, family and friends said today.

In an e-mail, they said there was some confusion earlier in the week about bringing food to the memorial. There will be no potluck, they said, and apologized for the confusion.

“The best way to show your love for Gayl is to make a donation in her name to the Emergency Food Network and to support your local farmers,” they said in the e-mail.

The memorial begins at

Read more »

A memorial for Gayl Bertagni, the co-owner of The Swiss Pub who died Friday night in an accident, is planned for Saturday at the pub. The public is invited.

A funeral Mass was held today at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Renton. The following e-mail was forwarded to The News Tribune by family friend and fellow business owner Marty Campbell:

A celebration of Gayl Bertagni’s life will continue on Saturday, May

30th beginning at 3:00 pm at The Swiss Pub, 1904 South Jefferson,

Tacoma, WA 98402. The Swiss

Read more »

Kim Varian of Paranormal Washington has agreed to share a little of what she found Monday night at The Pantages Theater.

In reviewing the voice recorders set up in the darkened theater she said she found "audio clips of the same female voice that was speaking in a language I believe is Italian. The voice is heard at two different times in the evening in the same location."

She forwarded to The News Tribune a clip of the recording of the woman’s voice. (Paranormal Washington retains full copyright for use of the audio clip.)

On the clip, Varian is heard saying "that’s interesting" and then a female voice apparently singing something that sounds like "Mia Mi" can be heard.

Read more »

While most area farmer’s markets are closed already or are shutting down after this weekend, the Proctor Farmers’ Market is extending its season into November.

For the first time in its 15 years, the market will continue to operate through Nov. 22, according to co-market manager Jessica Troy. The decision to extend was made a while ago but she wanted to make sure the word got out. "We’ve talked about it for years," she said but finally vendors, customers and supporters decided it was time.

Along with vegetables, fruit and flowers, Troy said they have a few new

Read more »

Zelma Zalit has been driving from Federal Way the past eight years to attend the Greek Festival at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Tacoma.

"I’m here for the cheeses, the pastries, all of it," the retiree said. "It’s just all so good."

She also enjoys the celebration of other cultures, she said as she ate a gyro and listened to Greek music.

"It’s the ambiance of a different culture," she said. "That’s what keeps me coming back."

Meanwhile, patrolling the booths of the tent like a seasoned beat cop

Read more »

I sat down with Rabbi Zalman Heber of Chabad of Pierce County last week to discuss the plans for a synagogue in Tacoma’s West End. Heber lives in the house directly west of the site, upon which sits a five-car garage.

The synagogue plans have received some opposition from some of the neighbors. But Heber said it’s not unusual for a such a house of worship – the first traditional synagogue to be built in Pierce County – to be in a residential area because the traditional form of Judaism prohibits driving on the Sabbath.

The synagogue has an agreement with the city to use the parking lot at nearby Skyline Elementary School on the weekends and after 7:30 p.m. on weekdays.

"As far as conflicting with neighborhood traffic – which, understandably, is a big concern – it’s a non-issue," he said. "We’re never doing things at the same hours as the school. And there’s adequate parking.

So neighbors shouldn’t have a concern about increased traffic. And ideally, it wouldn’t be a factor at all.

"Ideally, it should be empty," he said. "Everyone should walk. If you ask for my endgoal, it should be empty. But realistically, there’s more than enough parking."

Read more »

I’m at a special joint meeting of Tacoma and Pierce County public safety and human services committees. There are two topics on the agenda: an update on homeless encampments and the county’s incarcerated veterans reintegration program.

I’ll have an update when it’s done.