Calling all South Sound techies

South Sound techies now have a new award to strive for! SiteCrafting, a local website design and web application development company, recently developed the the SHIFT Awards, an event which will recognize and honor technology application and innovation in the South Sound. Award winners may be nominated by the public and will be chosen by an advisory panel of South Sound professionals. Winners will create and share a brief presentation about their company and/or technology related innovation. For more information, visit www.theshiftawards.com.

Dock Street Marina named 2009 Marina of the Year

Congratulations to Tacoma's own Dock Street Marina - the winner of Marina Dock Age magazine’s Marina of the Year award in the small category. Each year, Marina Dock Age honors two marinas for their spectacular facilities and dedication to customer service, as well as a continued commitment in areas such as environmental responsibility, advertising and marketing, industry and community involvement and facility improvements. Located in the heart of Puget Sound, the award winning Dock Street marina opened as an integral part of Tacoma’s economic revitalization project.

Traylor Bros. pre-cast plant to open in Tacoma

Old plant, gets new life. Traylor Bros. which is headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, recently selected a former pre-cast site to open operations here in Tacoma at 6801 South Adams. Traylor Bros., is a family-owned construction company that builds tunnels, bridges, dams, wharfs, ports and more. The plant in Tacoma will be providing the tunnel liners for the UW to downtown Seattle light rail link. Traylor expects to hire 25-30 employees to start with potential to grow up to 40.

Tacoma's Goodwill garden gets good press

The Tacoma Goodwill-Milgard Work Opportunity Center's vertical gardens were recently highlighted in The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Section. The new center was unveiled in September and the lush garden graces the entrance of an imposing new building designed by BCRA Architects, and is large enough to be clearly visible from busy Tacoma Avenue. Read more...

Satellite Coffee, Smooth and Juicey take up residence on Market St.

Espresso drinks. French-press coffee. Whole beans.... smoothies and juices now available at Satellite Coffee and Smooth and Juicey's newly renovated space on the Market Street side of the Embellish Salon building next to the downtown YMCA, 1122 Market St. This is the 3rd Tacoma location (Division and 6th and Pine are the other 2) for Satellite.

Novelties, assorted oddities and a precious pup

The St. Helens neighborhood has a new neighbor! The Brownie Morrison boutique just moved in at 711 St. Helens #104. If you're looking for that perfect gift or something sassy for yourself, check it out and be sure to say hello to April - the mastiff rescue.

Tacoma Arts Commission keeps community art alive

The Tacoma Arts Commission recently awarded $45,000 in 2010 Arts Projects funding to 19 different Tacoma organizations in support of public outreach projects in the fields of music, dance, film, theater, literary and visual arts. The awards range in value from $1,000 to $4,000 and serve a cross-section of Tacoma’s community. For a complete listing of funding programs, publicly accessible funded projects and information about the Tacoma Arts Commission, visit www.tacomaculture.org.

McMenamins sets tentative opening date

The countdown can begin! McMenamins, the Oregon-based hotel and entertainment company, has tentatively set an opening date of St. Patrick's Day 2012 for its new restaurant and entertainment venue in the old Elks Temple. McMenamins plans restaurants, a brew pub, an entertainment venue and hotel rooms in the 93-year-old temple. Read more...

Local bizz is finalist for Inner City 100 list

SiteCrafting, a website design and web application development company with 24 employees, is a finalist for the Inner City 100 list of fastest growing inner city companies in America. The growing company has been headquartered in the Tacoma since 1998 and operating in Spokane since July 2009.

The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is a national not-for-profit organization founded. ICIC's mission is to promote economic prosperity in America's inner cities through private sector engagement that leads to job, income and wealth creation for local residents.

Out with the old, in with the new with Tacoma’s First Night

Roar! Meet the New Year like a tiger, with dance, sculpture, music, drums, theater, nonsense, fire, and a tiger named Komandu at Tacoma’s First Night. First Night – Tacoma’s New Year’s Eve celebration – is an opportunity for friends and families to say farewell to the old year and hello to the new. For more information, visit the First Night Web site at http://www.firstnighttacoma.org/.

Save the date: City's MLK Day celebration, Jan. 18

Be sure to mark your calendar for the City of Tacoma’s 2010 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration! The annual event is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 18, 2010, at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall. This year’s theme is “Unity in the Community.” For more information, contact the Human Rights and Human Services Department at (253) 591-5151 or www.cityoftacoma.org/hrhs.

A unique boutique has a new home on 6th Ave

Annette B., which started in 2003, recently moved to a new space at 2611 6th Ave. This unique boutique offers apparel, home, accessories and maternity clothes. The staff are dedicated to featuring designers who use their creativity to make beautiful and one-of-a-kind items. For store hours, more information or to shop, visit Annette B online at www.annetteb.com.

All a buzz… Vanilla Bean Cafe now open

Muffins, pastries, coffee and more are now available at the Vanilla Bean Café, 743 St Helens Ave. Making a move from 64th Street and Waller, the owner is excited to have a bigger, better space to serve customers on St. Helens across from City Hall. This is a “soft” open for the café a grand opening is scheduled for the first of the year. Hours of operation are Monday thru Saturday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Lecture on sustainability, economics and historic preservation, Dec. 7

You won’t want to miss a free presentation, Dec. 7, by Donovan Rypkema – a leading national figure in the field of historic preservation, economic revitalization and real estate market analysis. As a part of the City’s Historic Preservation Plan and Policy update project, Rypkema will discuss sustainability, economics and historic preservation, focusing on the importance of linking preservation strategies with community-wide goals for sustainability and economic development. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. at the Carwein Auditorium, University of Washington Tacoma, Keystone Building Room 102.

Tacoma's Everest College branch grows

Everest College, a branch of Corinthian Colleges, expanded into approximately 29,000 square feet in two buildings, 2112 Pacific Ave. and the adjacent 2106-2108 Pacific Ave. Move-in is expected to be completed by January 1. The leases expands the college into 8,400-square-feet and 20,700-square-feet on Pacific Avenue.

All signs point to Tacoma

A local business is benefiting from our neighbors to the north. Canada's provincial government is paying Zumar Industries here in Tacoma to make road signs with Canadian stimulus spending. Zumar Industries has received more than $1 million in work from the B.C. government in the last four years. Read more...

Learn the nuts and bolts of art

A free, two-day arts symposium for artists and arts organizations is scheduled Nov. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Nov.15 from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on the University of Puget Sound campus. Sessions will include information on copyrights, marketing, fundraising, financial management, using the internet for promotion, public art and portfolio building. An arts legal clinic, offered by Washington Lawyers for the Arts, will offer artists and arts organizations low-cost, private legal consultations with a lawyer. Pre-registration for all sessions is required, as space is limited. To register, contact Naomi Strom-Avila at (253) 591-5191 or nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org.

It's official!

As of Friday, McMenamins now owns the Elks Temple, and the City owns the adjoining vacant land to the north. Ownership of the downtown Elks Temple and the adjacent property has officially changed hands. Read more from The News Tribune.

Take a studio tour

Get a look inside the working studios of 75 local artists and collaborative studios this coming weekend. This free, self-guided tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8. The tour covers 39 locations throughout Tacoma. Attendees can meet the artists at work in their studios, see how art is created, purchase one-of-a-kind items and even create their own masterpiece. Visit www.ArtAtWorkTacoma.com for a complete list of studio locations and a map.

The Cinderella story

Read two refreshing blog posts on Tacoma...

• Tacoma: A weekend of glass appreciation and great cuisine
  by Suzanne Wright
• Destination: Tacoma, A West Coast diamond in the not-so-rough
  by Craig S. Bower