• Tacoma 360 would combine two existing efforts. The Harvard Group are educators and community members who attended a seminar at Harvard University on the achievement gap, a term used to describe students with limited resources and opportunities who lag behind their peers in grades and test scores
• Tacoma 360 will be a citywide system of support services that will link service providers to students.
• The city, Metro Parks, Tacoma Public Schools and the business community would be primary stakeholders.

1 more annotation...

• Tourism bureau unveils plans to boost visitors
• The organization has a new mission statement: “To executive initiatives that deliver tourism to Pierce County.” It also has a new vision: “To be the recognized leader in effective destination marketing.”
• It hopes to see hotel room bookings increase from 15,000 in 2009 to 25,000 in 2010, while the economic impact of tourism will increase from $4.7 million to $7.9 million.
• Executive Director Tammy Blount wants to see a tourism promotion area created in Pierce County.
• Regionalism is another key factor.
• The U.S. Open, scheduled to take place at Chambers Creek in University Place in 2015, as well as the U.S. Amateur Open in 2010, are other big events on the horizon. “There are awesome opportunities. The world is looking at us right now,” Blount commented.

4 more annotations...

• Consultant selected for downtown parking plan
• On Aug. 19 Tacoma City Council approved a $98,000 contract with Barney & Worth, Inc. for the Tacoma Downtown Parking Implementation Program.
• Marty Campbell, chair of the Cross District Association, serves as chair of the parking committee Anderson assembled.
• Validated parking is a key concern for merchants, he added.
• The firm will begin work in September and issue their final report at the end of November.
• Larson said some business owners and representatives of the University of Washington-Tacoma have requested a plan for pay stations be available by late September.

4 more annotations...

• City explores options for Murray Morgan rehab
• “It isn’t about the bridge,” said state Rep. Dennis Flannigan, who spoke at a recent Tacoma City Council study session about the subject. “It’s about the access to the future on the other side that the bridge provides… This bridge is of value to both the port and to the city and to the future.”
• The major issue now standing in the way of rehabilitation is money. A tangible plan goes a long way toward convincing those at the state and federal levels to fork over cash, but city officials also recognize that it isn’t realistic to expect $80 million all at once.
• If the project were to be divided into phases, the first objective would be to replace the bridge’s 64 cables and repair the pedestrian stairs. A decision on whether to move forward with replacing the cables would need to be made by early 2009.

2 more annotations...

• Improvements underway at McKinley Park
• The 2005 Park Improvement Bond provided $1,665,000 for design and construction, initiating the first phase of the master plan developed with input from area residents in 2004.

• It’s not all gold stars for WASL test results
• reading and math stall on statewide test
•  Reading and math scores appear to have “stalled out” in most grades.
• Part of the reason for the stagnation may lie in schools spreading their efforts to bring more students up to standard, as the number of grades tested has expanded the past couple of years.
• some schools are making healthy gains in test scores, yet still wind up labeled as “needing improvement” under the “one-size-fits-all” requirements of the federal accountability system, Bergeson said.
• “My hypothesis is people are worn out and discouraged,” Bergeson said.
• Reading pass rates remained within 1 percentage point of last year’s scores in four grade levels, and dropped by more than 4 percentage points in fourth and seventh grades. Fifth-graders were the only youngsters to significantly advance their pass rate.
• The state has developed new math standards, is reviewing math textbooks and will develop new math tests. Bergeson is confident that the changes will result in higher math performance.
• She warned that many more schools will not meet achievement targets because this year’s goals are higher than last year’s.
• Rich Wood, spokesman for the Washington Education Association, said, “Educators still have concerns about the way the WASL is being used as a high-stakes test. We may be proposing additional changes during the legislative season to the way the WASL is used.”
• Tacoma’s scores, for example, show that about 14 of Stadium High School 10th-graders failed to make the standard in writing.
• Debby Abe: 253-597-8694

10 more annotations...

• Options for the Murray Morgan Bridge in Tacoma
• Ten months after the abrupt closure of the Murray Morgan Bridge, the City of Tacoma has a plan to renovate the iconic span.
• The bridge was closed to vehicles in October. The state Legislature set aside $40 million in February for renovations to the bridge, but only under the guidelines that the city takes ownership of the bridge from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
• The study session brought together the various stakeholders in the future of the bridge: the City Council, the Public Works Department, state Rep. Dennis Flannigan, and officials from the WSDOT, including Secretary Paula Hammond.
• U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, has also expressed interest in the future of the bridge, Baarsma said. “He told me, ‘Get a plan and let me see what I can do,’” he said.
• Public works’ Jim Parvey said the section-by-section restoration could target the worst problems first and would allow the city to lock in the price of services before inflation increases the cost.
• And the city might not need to lock the bridge in the upright position. State officials said in June that locking the span in that position could take weight off the counterbalances, which would relieve tension from the cables.
• DOT regional administrator Kevin Dayton said Tuesday that a plan of restringing the cables could keep the bridge in its current position – and open to pedestrians and bicyclists
• The $80 million renovation – which Baarsma calls “a very conservative estimate” – would remove the cantilever sidewalks, replace the four-lane roadway deck with a two-lane road with room for pedestrians and bicyclists, replace the electrical and lifting cables, and renovate the approaches on both sides of the bridge.
• The projected sufficiency rating after such work is 71 out of 100. The bridge’s current score is a dismal 2. A rating of 50 or higher is needed to receive federal funding.
• Baarsma believes renovations to the bridge could help economic growth on the east side of the Foss Waterway.
• “It isn’t about the bridge,” Flannigan said. “It’s about access to the other side that the bridge can provide.”
• But the city must take control of the bridge at the time of expenditure if it wants to spend the $40 million the state has earmarked for the project, something Councilman Jake Fey called a “bargaining chip” for WSDOT that lawmakers added to the bill.

11 more annotations...

• Tall Ships is an amazing event, but it's important to note that this year's event was brought to us by approximately 25 paid employees (compared to five in 2005) as well as many volunteers. Did any of those employees go without their salaries, or is it only local vendors who are expected to go without payment?
• recently, the Daffodil Festival announced they were cutting back on activities and soliciting the public's assistance to keep the annual floral parades going; and not too long ago, First Night suspended activities until they could raise enough money to pay vendors from a previous event.
• Finally, there are many events in our community which operate in the black -- because they are financially prudent, and work hard not to spend more money than they can/do raise. If the money isn't there, they cut back -- something that becomes more and more necessary in the face of the economy. Many of those events felt the pinch this year in the face of Tall Ships fundraising, and still managed to remain within their budgets.

1 more annotation...

• Port engages young citizens in the classroom
• The textbook is written and supplied by the Port of Tacoma. The book, called “Gateway to the World,” is geared toward third graders and describes what the port does, how cargo moves and where the students get everything from their clothes to their computers.
• The Port of Tacoma became involved in area schools about five years ago so that children could better understand the workings of the port. They approached several school districts, beginning with the Tacoma School District, to determine the needs of the educators.
• Several school districts in the county, and some private schools and home-school co-ops, use the book as part of their curriculum. Port staff members in the External Affairs Department then work with the school districts to arrange classroom visits and port field trips. This year, port staff members have done classroom presentations for 365 students and tours for 240 students from around the county.

2 more annotations...

• Growth at UWT key part in state’s degree goals
• University of Washington-Tacoma (UWT) is slated to double their enrollment over the next decade.
• In the 2007-08 school year there were just over 2,150 students taking classes at the growing institution with 2,409 a target projection for next fall.
• The plan for the UW is to award 2,000 more degrees over the next decade in high-demand fields, such as science and engineering. The university’s proposal comes from a recent directive by the HEC board for Washington’s public colleges to grant 48 percent more degrees statewide over the next ten years.

2 more annotations...

• 40 Under Forty

•  

   

  Aug. 22, 2008 at 11:04am

   

  Morgan bridge focus of study session
• update on the status of the proposed closure of the Murray Morgan Bridge from the Washington State Department of Transportation at the regular noon study session on Aug. 26.

• a new joint by Bates Technical College, Tacoma Public Schools, and Communities in Schools of Tacoma
• Tacoma Business Academy
• students will complete their high school requirement and take business, marketing or information technology classes with the opportunity to explore other technical training programs.
• Anita Jinks, director of the TPS Career and Technical Education program

2 more annotations...

• Don’t let debt eclipse future, Tall Ships says
• The Tacoma Tall Ships Organization is considering several ways to pay off its $500,000 deficit from last month’s festival and is also looking for ideas, festival co-chairwoman Clare Petrich said Saturday.
• The event, which ran July 3-7 along the Thea Foss Waterway, attracted about 300,000 people, a much lower number than expected. Organizers said last week that it ran at a $500,000 deficit because of several factors.
• “In our minds, the festival was a success because of the overwhelming community support it received, the positive reception the crews received, and the hundreds of thousands of visitors who attended and had a great time,” one of the e-mails read. “We provided an extraordinary event for hundreds of thousands of people.”

2 more annotations...

•  

   

  Aug. 18, 2008 at 11:48am

   

  Free parking Tacoma could go away
• For the first time in decades, downtown Tacoma visitors next year might have to pay for street parking.
• The recommendation comes from a 50-member downtown panel appointed by City Manager Eric Anderson and will be presented to the Tacoma City Council later this month.
• electronic kiosks that spit out parking receipts to place in car windows

2 more annotations...

•  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Parking report released
• Ellis, metropolitan development director for Tacoma/Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, has been involved with the chamber's Transit and Parking Advisory Committee since it was formed in 2006. Last week it released a 10-page report detailing what he considers some simple strategies.
• A recommendation calls for parking meters in specific areas if on-street parking is at 85-percent of capacity on a consistent basis.
• A key recommendation is to get more companies to participate in commute trip reduction programs. Often the person who coordinates this at a business can't devote enough time. "It ought to be at the highest level of priorities," Ellis said.
• Using mass transit
• Ellis noted there is an emergency cab ride program, which reimburses downtown workers for such expenses.
• City Manager Eric Anderson will discuss findings from his series of meetings on this topic at city hall at noon Aug. 7.

5 more annotations...

•  

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Tight time frame for ambitious proposal at Lincoln
• extended days and services at Lincoln High School
• Erwin, who has been principal at Lincoln since 2004, said he sees his incoming freshmen entering high school ill prepared to succeed.
• There is no one thing, except they have to work longer, they have to work harder,” and they need more structure and support, “to catch up with other kids in the district,” Erwin said during the first formal proposal of the program to the school board June 12.
• “My only concern is that we have one shot at it,” said board member Kurt Miller. “This is too important… I want to make sure it’s done right the first time.”
• The students who participate in Lincoln Center will receive an additional 540 hours of class time over their peers. They will be in class from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, and spend three to five hours at least every other Saturday involved in a fun learning experience or field trip.
• “We (the school board) moved from skeptical to consensus support,” said board member Jim Dugan on June 26
• The cost for Eisnaugle to switch from Mount Tahoma to a co-principal at Lincoln will be the difference between a principal’s and assistant principal’s salary, not the price of adding an entire administrator.
• For more information on the Lincoln Center project, contact Pat Erwin (253) 571-6664 or Greg Eisnaugle (253) 571-6663.

7 more annotations...

• In an office on the second floor of Felony Entertainment’s South Fawcett location, a production team is hard at work pulling together Tacoma’s next hip-hop music video.
• they are all under 17.
• “Say No to Guns and Gangs and Yes to the Arts.”
• local rapper Skirt Digla
• well versed with the workings of the professional world through the program’s “Real-Life Curriculum.”
• Felony Entertainment CEO Jesse Miller, commonly referred to as Miss Jessy.

4 more annotations...

• Plans for food co-opmove forward
• to bring fresh, healthy, quality food options to the city, and to do so in a democratic way.
• little more than a name and a dream
• Shoppers would have the option of buying a share in the co-op at a one-time cost of between $75 and $125 (with discounts for low-income, disabled or elderly residents).
• Dan Hulse, a member of the steering committee.
• Amber Englund, also on the committee, agreed.

4 more annotations...

• Tacoma Dome will undergo remodeling to concession stands and some underutilized areas that will serve as luxury suites
•  

    DOME SWEET DOME. This rendering shows what an existing space in Tacoma Dome might look like after being remodeled for use as a VIP lounge area.

   

   

  Upgrades for Tacoma Dome