New Doc Makes Tacoma Relive Its Frugal Gourmet Scandal
A new five-part documentary is dragging Tacoma back into the uncomfortable spotlight of the Jeff Smith era, revisiting the double life of the man who rose to national fame as the Frugal Gourmet. Survivors and former staff describe years of mentorship in kitchens and classrooms that, according to their accounts, ran...
Letter to the Editor | Remember Zoya Shablykina for her life, not how she...
On behalf of the Shablykina and Knowles families, we are issuing this statement to honor our beloved Zoya Shablykina and to address the tragedy that has devastated our household, the Gig Harbor community, and the surrounding Puget Sound area. We speak today to ensure Zoya is remembered for the life...
Washington State Fair’s Newest Concert Additions Are Wildly Good
This year brings a fresh range of wildly good concerts, featuring New Orleans jazz to country and hip hop, as well as comedy performances.
Seattle’s Best French Fries
The Washington Middle School cafeteria, circa 1997, served the best french fries in the world. I’ve been chasing that exact medium-thin, fresh-from-the-fryer, extra-salty high for almost three decades. Since my time machine never quite works right, and I have, in the intervening years, expanded to other sizes and...
Tacoma council names new city manager, capping off series of leadership changes
Hyun Kim is set to serve as Tacoma’s new city manager, a position that plays a critical role in the city’s council-manager form of government. The Tacoma City Council in a unanimous vote at its March 3 meeting selected Kim, who has since last year served as Tacoma’s interim city manager, after he participated in a...
Pierce County Signs Off on Safety Tax Set to Rake In $30 Million a...
Pierce County shoppers are in for a small bump at the register after the County Council voted 5–2 on Tuesday to approve a one-tenth of 1% sales tax dedicated to public safety, a new stream projected to raise about $30 million a year. Roughly 80% of that money is slated to keep the county court system and the...
Wreckage washed ashore in Tacoma. Was it a plane or something else?
Daniel Hardebeck, a retired school teacher, was out for a jog Tuesday morning on Ruston Way when he came across what appeared to be plane wreckage washed up on the shore of Commencement Bay. The crumpled metal debris, approximately the size of a queen-sized mattress, showed a bold vertical number and remnants of...
LeMay Reveals New Specialty License Plate
LeMay — America’s Car Museum has officially unveiled its long-awaited specialty license plate, which is now available through the Washington State Department of Licensing. The new plate directly supports the museum’s mission as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with proceeds going toward the preservation and...
Local response to potential sleeper cells from Iran conflict
Tuesday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked about monitoring for “sleeper cells” after the military conflict in Iran.
Pierce County I-5 Rollover Turns Surreal As Injured Driver Allegedly Pulls Gun On Rescuer
An early morning rollover on southbound Interstate 5 in Pierce County left a driver ejected from his vehicle, then took a startling turn when a passerby who stopped to help said the man pointed a gun at him. The crash happened just south of the King County line, and the Good Samaritan was not hurt.

















