This is a chance for the public including the trail’s neighbors to see what Portland-based Place has come up with for the city’s sections of the historic Prairie Line trail.

The open house will be held at the Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Avenue, between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The museum is directly across Hood Street from the most-significant and perhaps controversial segment. That is the 80-foot right of way between Pacific Avenue and S. 15th Street and between Hood Street and the United Way (Sprague) Building.

The Tacoma city council last week accepted a deal with BNSF that …

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Sound Transit will host two open house events this week seeking public comment and review of alternatives for expanding the Tacoma Link system.

The Link currently operates on a 1.6-mile route between the Tacoma Dome and Theater District stations.

Open house events are scheduled for:

• 4-7 p.m. Tuesday Feb. 12, Tacoma Dome Station Plaza, 424 E. 25th St.

• 4-7 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 13, University of Washington Tacoma, William Philip Hall, 1918 Pacific Ave.

Citizens unable to attend either open house can complete an online comment survey here.

The survey is open through Feb. 28.

I took a walk across the newly reopened Murray Morgan Bridge today with a few dozen other folks (but not very many cars).

I’m not sure what was more impressive, the views of the bridge or the views from the bridge. The network of black trusses stood out against the blue sky. The vistas into the Foss Waterway and out toward Commence Bay are the best in the city.

Call this a soft opening. The formal ceremony is set for next Friday, the 100th anniversary of the initial opening of what was then called the Lincoln Bridge (it opened around …

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Water damage forced the downtown Tacoma Center YMCA to close today, but the doors should reopen Thursday morning, spokeswoman Michelle LaRue said.

Racquetball and squash courts will remain closed for the time being due to the damage.

They are still trying to figure out what caused the damage. LaRue said a repair schedule will be drawn up by next week.

All members can use any YMCA in Pierce and Kitsap counties. The closest location is the Morgan Family YMCA, 1002 Pearl St.

In honor of the rare atmospherics that displayed the shadow of Mount Rainier on the clouds over Western Washington, I am reprinting a 2004 column I wrote about its role in Puyallup tribal legend. (And by rare, I mean a clear enough day to see the Mountain and a high cloud cover to provide a canvas for the shadow).

The city council did preserve the view of the bridge and mountain from the Fireman’s Park viewpoint.

Historians plead case for Tacoma’s ‘little Stonehenge’

You can’t see
forever on a clear day when standing in Fireman’s Park in downtown

…

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LeMay – America’s Car Museum started a month-long food drive today to support Northwest Harvest, Washington’s only statewide nonprofit food bank distributor.

The museum will collect non-perishable food items in its lobby between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily through Nov. 30.

Anyone who donates two or more items will get $2 off admission to the museum. Kids 12 and under will get free admission with two or more canned goods.

UPDATED 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday to reflect corrections from the UWT:

The University of Washington Tacoma will welcome students back to campus this Friday with a convocation, but it will not be a traditional ceremony with academics in long robes.

Instead, school organizers plan a parade through downtown, ending in a campus-wide community reception and business fair. The public is invited to participate in the processions, which will proceed along six five routes downtown starting at around 1:45 p.m.

“Our convocation reflects UWT’s mission to work in concert with our community in all things, including welcoming our new students,” chancellor …

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They call it the Tioga Library Building, I guess because it is connected to the historic – but still not renovated – Tioga Building (1890).

It is across the street from the Swiss Tavern and the skybridge that connects it to the University of Washington Tacoma’s existing library crosses over the Prairie Line. The official opening is Oct. 3. Fall quarter begins Sept. 24 and it looks like finishing touches and the final move in will be completed by then. It cost $24 million.
One benefit of completion is the fencing that prevented use of the Prairie …

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