Tacoma Reads Together Author here on Sunday!
William Kamkwamba, author of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, will be in Tacoma Sunday at 2:00 at the downtown Tacoma library to speak about his story. More information here at the Tacoma Reads Together page. If you haven't read it yet, don't worry! You can still listen to the author, then read it, then participate in one of the other many events taking place over the next month.
OK. Here are some facts from the Times article. Better headline? “Tacoma not as hard hit by recession as most cities”
And yet for some reason the article is framed as a hard-luck story for Tacoma. I dunno, but these seem like pretty great things going on, despite some challenges (ie, Russell and MorphoTrak leaving). Before the recession, retail taxable sales increased at a faster annual rate than in Seattle. The value of construction activity in Tacoma jumped 38 percent last year. Pierce County also has logged more consistent growth over the past 30 years than economically volatile King County. Tacoma has stable high-paying employers: heavy industry, such as the Port of Tacoma, as well as Joint Base Lewis-McChord. A new Read more…
Looking for something to read?
This is the Tacoma Reads book! I was looking back and I can't believe I haven't mentioned it here. It's a non-fiction book by William Kamkwamba, a teenager in Malawi. After a devastating famine, he taught himself electrical theory from a library book, and built a windmill on his family farm. It powered a lightbulb, then two lightbulbs, and eventually a water pump, that allowed extra growing seasons, ending a cycle of poverty. The author of the book will be here on April 10 to share his story. It's a great read! More here at the Library's website.
Be the Spark! Youth Against Violence Project at City Club next Wednesday
I want to encourage you to come to next week's City Club lunch on March 16. It will feature three youth speakers who are involved in the Youth Philanthropy Board and the Youth Against Violence initiative sponsored by the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. I've been a volunteer with GTCF for three years now and I really love their work. And I was the facilitator for a recent retreat of the Youth Philanthropy Board and was just blown away by the work they are doing. And with the upcoming Be the Spark day with Desmond Tutu (May 13!) … well, I'm all about Read more…
More consolidation?
Like the UP and Lakewood Fire District vote, this is worth watching: The City of Puyallup – which operates one of only three independent municipal libraries in Pierce County – may explore joining the Pierce County Library System. The City Council is expected to discuss the idea at a study session later this month. Nothing is final; city leaders stress that the only decision for now is whether to officially launch an exploration of the idea. Puyallup residents would have to approve annexation into the library system through a public vote. I think we'll continue to see more and more Read more…
Tuesday’s gray
So I'm still feeling sunny about the week, even if the weather's not matching my mood today. One thing I've neglected to mention here is that Friday is the South Sound Technology Conference. I've been on the Steering Committee for the conference for the last couple years and I'm excited to go again this year. It's from 9:00 to 2:15 at UWT. Here's the registration link if you're interested in what's going on in the South Sound tech world. It's $15, which includes a lunch. Hope to see you there!
Swan Creek Park
via exit133.com Swan Creek is a massive park, and it’s potential for Tacoma is huge. If you live near it, or have ideas on what it could be, there will be many opportunities for talking about it’s future. This will be the first: Environmental Education Programming Workshop Wednesday, March 2, 2011 1:00 p.m – 4:00 p.m. Family Investment Center, Room 101 1724 E 44th Street, Tacoma WA 98404
Merging fire departments in UP and Lakewood
Lakewood residents were voting overwhelmingly to dissolve their 70-year-old fire district and merge with the University Place Fire Department, according to preliminary returns tonight. If approved, West Pierce Fire & Rescue would become operational March 1. via blog.thenewstribune.com I’m disappointed about the Pierce Transit results tonight, but I do like these vote results. This is a great example of how cross-municipal governments can often do better working regionally than working alone. There are often real difficulties in getting these things to happen. But here it looks like the plan was well thought out and with each municipality already having the Read more…
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