Washington state Senate leader explains dim outlook for a new tax on big businesses
A year ago, Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, signed onto legislation to create a statewide version of a Seattle tax on the payrolls of Washington's largest employers. But it ...
Gunshots reported near Stafford Elementary in Tacoma; four teens arrested
Four juveniles were arrested over the weekend after gunshots were reported near Stafford Elementary School, the Tacoma Police Department confirmed. The department initially received calls from people who heard gunshots Saturday. When officers arrived at the scene, they found and arrested four juveniles. Officers also...
Pierce County court to decide if controversial retirement community can expand
The dispute over Kensington Gardens, a luxury retirement community outside of Gig Harbor, has moved to Pierce County Superior Court. Once an event and wedding venue, the resort-style property featuring manicured hedges, European-style architecture and rooms filled with natural light has been at the center of a...
Senate bill addresses grocery closures in food deserts
When the Fred Meyer in Tacoma’s South End neighborhood closed in September 2025, local resident Steven Bock said he considered leaving the area. “Our store was a primary food source of our district for almost 50 years, half a century,” Bock said. “My neighborhood is now without its last source of food within a one to...
He carried through on threats to kill ex-wife. Pierce County man now sentenced
The 55-year-old man who admitted to fatally strangling his ex-wife in her Bonney Lake area home was sentenced Friday to nearly 29 years in prison. The murder came after years of threats against the woman’s life while she sought legal intervention, court records show. Ronald Eugene Krier pleaded guilty to domestic...
Pierce Co. couple scrambling as animal control plans to take their 20+ cats this...
A Pierce County couple says they have been given one week by animal control to remove more than 20 cats from their home to comply with local ordinances.
In surprise move, downtown Tacoma pizzeria has changed its name, concept
Late Saturday night, Michael Goronkin, the local owner of Zeeks Pizza in downtown Tacoma, removed the existing signage and replaced it with a sign of his own. Though the decor hasn’t much changed, and the pizza oven remains a core element of the kitchen, Mikey’s Public House and Frog Bar officially debuted at 1702...
The Donut Chain That Offers 40 Different Varieties Daily
Coffee and donuts are quick and popular to grab for breakfast on the run. There are many donut chains, but there is one that has more than 40 different kinds.
Cat boarding hotel Whiskers Lodge to open soon in Fremont
A new cat-only boarding hotel called Whiskers Lounge (4250 Aurora Ave N) will soon open in Fremont. Owner Kip Brookbank is opening Whiskers Lounge after a decade working at Amazon, Microsoft, and Xbox. He and his husband, John Hall, are running the lodge together. “We wanted to invest locally and build something...
Eviction levels hit an all-time high in Washington state
Washington state and King County recorded more evictions in 2025 than ever before — a sign that the affordability crisis is deepening. The number of eviction cases filed in Washington courts rose to 23,965 in 2025, a 3% increase from 2024. The increase was significantly greater in the Seattle area.
