Happy Friday Newsletter March 14th, 2025

Arts & Entertainment

• Free Concert and Afternoon of Music from Ireland Sunday 3.16 at 2pm
  • Destiny City Music Collective presents an afternoon of music from Ireland (and Scotland). They are celebrating the rich diversity of Celtic music with jigs, reels, hornpipes and beloved songs. Free concert, donations appreciated. The concert will also be streaming at https://www.youtube.com/playlist… Sunday March 16, 2 PM Center for Spiritual Living Tacoma 201 J St , Tacoma

• Tacoma Arts Live: VIVID Fundraiser to Raise Funds for Arts in the South Sound
  • Tacoma Arts Live is hosting VIVID: A Fundraiser for the Arts on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Tacoma Armory. This event aims to raise funds for creative, meaningful, and accessible art experiences in the South Sound. The evening will feature an art-filled cocktail hour, dinner, a live auction, and live music by Tacoma’s Playtonics, with opportunities to directly support the organization’s mission. The event, running from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., will highlight the Tacoma Armory as a hub for arts, culture, and community. Tickets are available for $175, with table options for groups and VIP experiences. For tickets, visit TacomaArtsLive.org/vivid.

• Tacoma Historical Society Hosting Golden Gala at Rust Mansion April 5th
  • Join the Tacoma Historical Society on April 5th at 7 p.m. for their Golden Gala at the Rust Mansion. This elegant evening will feature live music, drinks, local foods, and a special talk by Peter Altmann about his great aunt, Adele Bloch-Bauer, the subject of Gustav Klimt’s famous Woman in Gold. Peter will share insights into the painting’s history, the artist, the movie adaptation, and his mother’s fight to reclaim the artwork from the Nazis. Guests are encouraged to wear formal attire, with thematic gold being admired but not required. The evening will also include a silent auction, with all proceeds supporting the Tacoma Historical Society’s mission to preserve and promote Tacoma’s history. Tickets are available at this link. For more information, contact [email protected] or call (253) 472-3738.

• Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at These Local Haunts
  • DOYLE’S PUBLIC HOUSE ▪ 208 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-7468 ▪ March 17 hours: 6 a.m.-2 a.m.▪ Standard hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-2 a.m., Saturday-Sunday 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Doyle’s has already raised the tent for the annual St. Patrick’s Day party. Doors open at 5:45am, yes, an ALL DAY PARTY! Along with it’s full menu of Irish fare, you can enjoy tailgating and bagpiper groups throughout the day.
  • O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB ▪ 2403 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-627-9403 ▪ March 17 hours: open at 9 a.m. ▪ Standard hours: noon-midnight Monday-Thursday, noon-1 a.m. Friday, Saturday 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-midnight. O’Malley’s Sixth Ave style party will have traditional food specials and plenty of Irish whiskey. Cover will start midday when the live music starts. Beer garden out back will have a bar set up through the evening.
  • ODDFELLAS PUB & EATERY ▪ 5741 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253-300-8966 ▪ Standard hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. This pub is family-friendly and encourages revelers to wear green! Their kitchen will be serving up Ms. Jane’s corned beef and bacon-friend cabbage, the kegs of Guinness are ready as well as their everyday menu.
  • TK IRISH PUB ▪ 109 S. Meridian, Puyallup, 253-604-4791 ▪ Standard hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-midnight, Friday 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-2 a.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-10 p.m. This downtown Puyallup throws a party all weekend with green beer, cider and of course Guinness. They always serve up Irish favorites so if you can’t make it this weekend, you can check out their regular Wednesday live music nights.
  • O’LOONEY’S IRISH PUB ▪ 3222 56th St., Gig Harbor, 253-313-0106 ▪ Standard hours: Tuesday-Thursday 4-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 12:30-11 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. O’Looney’s is a cozy Irish inn setting to enjoy all of it’s St. Patrick’s “Week.” They’ll be hosting trivia on Tuesday, open mic on Wednesday and ALL-DAY Happy Hour on Thursday. 5:30pm on Friday starts the live music with a and Irish group with bagpipers followed by a Celtic fiddle band and Saturday music starts at 2:30pm. Make other plans for St. Patrick’s Day itself because the restaurant is closed Sunday & Monday.
  • MCNAMARA’S PUB ▪ 1595 Wilmington Dr., DuPont, 253-964-9200 ▪ Standard hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-midnight, Saturday 8 a.m.-midnight, Sunday 8 a.m.-10 p.m. McNamara’s will be ready for a full four days of fun in DuPont, starting Friday, March 14. From the monthly burger special (Irish Pesto with white cheddar & cajun aioli) to music bingo on Saturday night. Weekends serves breakfast 8-11am and there will be raffles, festivities and giveaways throughout the weekend and into Monday.

Neighborhood News

• Environmental Protections for Commencement Bay Approved
  • Communities for a Healthy Bay (CHB) has reached an agreement with Husky Terminal & Stevedoring, LLC to improve environmental protections and water quality in Commencement Bay. This follows a lawsuit filed by CHB in August 2024, alleging that Husky Terminal violated the Clean Water Act by failing to monitor and control industrial stormwater discharges into local waterways. Under the agreement, Husky Terminal will enhance its stormwater management practices, including updating its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), installing additional catch basin inserts, increasing cleaning efforts, and monitoring previously unmonitored areas. Husky Terminal will also invest $150,000 in Puyallup Tribal Fisheries and $50,000 in the Rose Foundation to support water quality and aquatic habitat projects. CHB appreciates the collaborative approach and emphasizes that this agreement sets a positive example for other businesses. The organization will continue to work with Husky Terminal on future environmental planning and progress monitoring to ensure cleaner, healthier waters in Commencement Bay.

• As Some Bookstores Close, Invitation Book is Shop Headed for More Space in Downtown Gig Harbor
  • Invitation Bookshop is relocating to a larger space at 3119 Judson St. in downtown Gig Harbor, after outgrowing its previous location at 5125 Olympic Dr. The new space, set to open between April 12-17, will offer 1,000 more square feet, including a dedicated event area for book clubs, writing groups, and other community activities. The move will bring the store closer to two other independent bookstores in the area. The store, which opened in September 2020, has become a community hub, offering new books and events. Upcoming activities include a pre-launch party for local author Marie Bostwick’s book on April 17, a storytime with author Mary Boone on April 19, and the third annual South Sound Book Crawl from April 26 to May 4. Invitation Bookshop will also launch a “romantasy” book club this summer and host a writers’ group recruitment event. Owner Allyson Howard emphasized the importance of community engagement, and the store’s move aims to better serve Gig Harbor’s residents by offering more space for events and increasing foot traffic.

• Challenges of Aging in Place will be discussed by Tacoma’s Downtown On the Go next Friday
  • The Friday Forum panel on March 28th from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., hosted by Downtown On the Go, will address the challenges seniors face in aging in place due to rising housing costs. The event, held in person at the University of Washington Tacoma and virtually via Teams, will explore how tackling these issues can improve the overall livability of Tacoma. Panelists include Ryan Wheaton (Pierce Transit), Andrew Austin (Sound Transit), and Laura Svancarek (Downtown On the Go), moderated by Tanisha Jumper (Tacoma Public Schools). The forum is free, and attendees can register in advance at DowntownOnTheGo.org. A Q&A session will follow, and a recording will be available on the organization’s social media. The 2025 Friday Forum series will also cover broader topics, including housing, displacement, and the future of transit.

• Pre-approved DADU (Detached Additional Dwelling Units) Plans for Use Within City of Tacoma
  • Planning and Development Services now offers pre-approved detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) plans for use within the City of Tacoma! There are four base models with different roof types, siding styles, and ground floor dwellings meeting visitability design standards. These units were intended to fit adopted Home in Tacoma zoning standards as backyard detached accessory dwelling units. Layouts are compact with smaller footprints to encourage density and more affordable housing options. Find additional information and the below tip sheets at tacomapermits.org

• Tacoma Streets Initiative Holding Information Sessions Through March and April
  • The City’s Public Works Department is holding Tacoma Streets Initiative II information sessions scheduled for March and April. This initiative focuses on enhancing Tacoma’s arterial streets, sidewalks, and multimodal infrastructure through improvements, maintenance, and repairs. Community information sessions will be held at various locations: March 17 at the Center at Norpoint, 4818 Nassau Ave NE, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM March 19 at Center for Urban Waters, 326 E D St., from 5:30 to 6:30 PM March 26 at South Tacoma Library Branch, 3411 S 56th St., from 5:00 to 6:00 PM March 26 at Swasey Library Branch, 7001 6th Ave., from 6:30 to 7:30 PM April 2 at Fern Hill Library Branch, 765 S 84th St., from 5:00 to 6:00 PM April 3 at Moore Library Branch, 215 S 56th St., from 4:30 to 5:30 PM For more details on Streets Initiative II, please visit cityoftacoma.org/SI2.

• New Community Wellness Center Opened at Tacoma Community House
  • Wellpoint Washington opened a new Community Wellness Center at Tacoma Community House on Friday, aimed at providing health services to both Medicaid recipients and the wider community. The center focuses on addressing physical, behavioral, economic, social, and environmental factors affecting health. Wellpoint partnered with Tacoma Community House, which offers services for immigrants, refugees, and the broader South Sound community. The center, which operates with a budget of under $50,000, will provide a range of services including assistance with transportation, food insecurity, and access to healthcare information. It will also host events like baby showers and food banks to address social determinants of health. While the center’s core programs are for Medicaid recipients, it is open to all community members seeking help or information. Wellpoint President and CEO Lisa Bogard emphasized the importance of sustaining the center’s work amidst potential federal budget cuts. The center is part of Wellpoint’s ongoing commitment to improving community health, building on previous success in opening similar wellness centers in Nevada.

Local Governance

• Meet Tacoma’s Interim Fire Chief March 17th and 20th
  • The City of Tacoma is hosting two community events – one in-person and one virtual – in March to offer Tacoma community members opportunities to meet Interim Fire Chief Sionna Stallings-Ala’ilima. Interim Fire Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima is under consideration for a permanent appointment as Fire Chief and will present her leadership vision and goals for the Tacoma Fire Department. These will be moderated events, and community members are encouraged to email questions in advance to [email protected] by 10 AM on March 17. 
    In-Person Community Event March 17th from 4 – 5 PM at Tacoma Municipal Building Council Chambers (747 Market Street, 1^st Floor) and Virtual Community Event March 20 from Noon – 1 PM. Click here to join this event. (Dial-in option: (253) 215-8782; Meeting ID – 945 3086 8613; Passcode 799727) At the conclusion of each event, attendees will have an opportunity to provide feedback on Interim Chief Stallings-Ala’ilima through a survey. Attendance is required to participate in the survey.  The feedback will be provided to the City Manager for her consideration during the appointment process.

• Tacoma Police Report 64% Drop in Violent Crime, But Is It Real?
  • Tacoma police officials have been touting a 64% drop in violent crime at recent community meetings, crediting their targeted enforcement strategies. However, the accuracy of those numbers is now under scrutiny following the resignation of former Police Chief Avery Moore, who was accused of manipulating crime data to make the city appear safer.
    Moore stepped down on February 3, 2025, after the Tacoma Police Union alleged that under his leadership, the department reclassified drive-by shootings as vandalism if no one was inside the targeted home or vehicle. This alleged statistical manipulation could have artificially reduced the city’s reported violent crime rate.
    While city officials acknowledged concerns about Moore’s personal use of city funds and the reclassification of crimes, they declined to take disciplinary action beyond verbal counseling before he resigned.
    With Tacoma’s leadership now in transition, the question remains: Has violent crime truly decreased, or has it been underreported? Community members and local leaders are pushing for greater transparency in how crime statistics are collected and reported. Ensuring stability and progress for the Tacoma Police Patti Jackson serves as the Interim Police Chief of Tacoma.

Business & Opportunities

• The 2025 Washington State Nonprofit Conference is coming to Tacoma, May 20th
  • The Washington State Nonprofit Conference (WSNC) is the largest gathering of nonprofits in the state bringing together nonprofit leaders to learn, connect, and inspire. This year’s Washington State Nonprofit Conference will be online May 13-14 with in-person regional WSNC locations in Spokane (Friday, May 16) and Tacoma (Tuesday, May 20). Powerful keynote speakers, memorable workshops, and invaluable connections await! Come be a part of an active Conference community and connect with nonprofit peers from across Washington. At the 2025 Conference, we will explore the theme “Ready for Action” through online and in-person opportunities for learning, connection, and celebration. Actions are engaging, and can spark movements, excite donors, and lead to positive change. Actions can be small or large, visible to many or meant for oneself, taken on by an individual, team, or community. You will generate new ideas and discover resources that will help you leave Ready for Action!

• Writers Wanted for anthology series by Creative Colloquy
  • Creative Colloquy is now accepting submissions for Volume Ten of their print anthology series. Save that short story from your dusty drawer, revisit that creative nonfiction piece you’ve been sitting with, write that poem that’s been swimming around in your grey matter…then send it their way! Anticipated to launch in Fall of 2025 Creative Colloquy Volume Ten will follow the format of our first 9 collections. We present a diverse selection of prose, essays, poetry, and literary works, each paired with original collage, paintings, line art, photography, and other visual arts inspired by the words. Deadline: Submissions will be accepted to March 17, 2025. See full details and submit at https://creativecolloquy.submittable.com/submit. You can see the rest of the titles at https://www.creativecolloquy.com/shop-all. For any questions regarding publications and guidelines please email Jackie Casella at [email protected].

• Mural Artists Wanted for Pierce County Projects
  • Pierce County invites portfolio submissions to be considered for the creation of murals throughout the County. The murals will serve as neighborhood landmarks, places of community pride and graffiti deterrents.  Murals are to be located on unincorporated Pierce County-owned property in areas incurring blight, vandalism, and graffiti. The purpose of this RFP is to solicit qualified artists or teams of artists to submit a portfolio for consideration. This County-funded mural program aims to creatively reduce vandalism and graffiti by transforming frequently targeted areas into vibrant works of public art. Through community engagement and the involvement of artists, the program seeks to beautify public spaces, promote civic pride, and foster a sense of ownership and respect for shared environments. By addressing graffiti-prone areas with intentional, meaningful artwork, the initiative contributes to safer, more welcoming neighborhoods while supporting cultural expression. This program is primarily funded by a current one-time Pierce County Mural Project fund provided for the duration of the 2024/25 fiscal biennium. Watch a recording of the info session and submit your portfolio here!

• Today is the deadline to sign up to vend at South Sound Sustainability Expo
  • The deadline to register as a vendor at the South Sound Sustainability Expo is Friday, March 14, 2025. To participate, vendors must have a clear mission or body of work that contributes to improving the environmental sustainability and/or resiliency of our region. Learn more and register today FOR FREE at southsoundsustainabilityexpo.org.

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Recreation & Wellness

• The Official Lucky’s St Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl in Tacoma
  • Get ready to experience the ultimate St. Paddy’s Day celebration! On March 15th, join an unforgettable bar crawl filled with green drinks, shamrocks, and non-stop fun! Hop between the best bars in Tacoma, enjoy exclusive drink specials, festive giveaways, and all the lively energy of St. Patrick’s Day. Gather your crew, don your green, and get ready for a day packed with good times and great company. Whether you’re sipping on Irish whiskey, clinking glasses of green beer, or dancing to festive tunes, this crawl is the perfect way to make the most of St. Paddy’s Day. From the first pint to the last toast, it’s going to be a day of good cheer, new friends, and unforgettable memories. Don’t miss out on Tacoma’s best St. Patrick’s Day event of the year!  For all the latest venue information, special offers, event details, and ticket purchases, be sure to visit our website! It’s your one-stop shop for everything you need to know.  www.crawlwith.us/tacoma/stpattys CHECK IN 4PM – 6PM  CRAWL LOCATIONS 4PM – 10PM  MID PARTY 7PM-9PM  AFTER PARTY 10PM – 12AM 

Film & TV Reviews

• Series Review: Daredevil: Born Again – By Elizabeth Mulloy
  • It is needless to say that the best project to ever come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was Netflix’s Daredevil. Focusing on the everyday folks of the MCU, Daredevil was met with critical and audience acclaim for its gritty and grounded approach that felt more in line with a modern crime-drama than a superhero show. This acclaimed, ended up making it one of Netflix’s most successful shows ever.
  • However, after three seasons, the series was abruptly cancelled after the announcements of Disney’s own streaming service, Disney+. Sadly leaving the character, and the cast and crew in limbo. But, it wouldn’t take long for the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen to appear in the MCU. Charlie Cox reprised his role in Spider-Man: No Way Home for a brief cameo, as well as appearing in series such as She-Hulk and Echo.
  • Now, nearly seven years after the cancellation of the Netflix series, Daredevil has returned with his new show Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+. Yet, questions stirred around the show on whether it would abandon its gritty and grounded approach in favor of something more family friendly. Thankfully, by some act of God, Daredevil: Born Again is a return to form for the character, for the most part.
  • Daredevil: Born Again initially appears to pick up where the original series left off, but it quickly becomes clear that this is not a direct sequel. Instead, the show serves as a soft reboot for the character. It opens with a brutal and heartbreaking clash between Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), setting the stage for a new chapter in Matt Murdock’s journey.
  • Following the death of a beloved character, Matt steps away from his Daredevil persona, choosing instead to fight crime through the justice system. With a new law firm, new relationships, and a seemingly ordinary life, he tries to leave his past behind. However, his peace is short-lived when his longtime nemesis, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), emerges from the shadows—this time as a candidate for Mayor of New York. As Fisk’s power grows, Matt faces an impossible choice: continue his fight through the legal system or embrace his inner demons and don the red suit once more.
  • Aside from some questionable CGI—particularly in the opening fight and scattered throughout various scenes—Daredevil: Born Again largely feels like a triumphant return to form for the character. Much like its predecessor, the series stands apart from the larger MCU, operating as a self-contained story. Major events like the Blip from Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, or the multiversal rift over New York in Spider-Man: No Way Home, are conspicuously absent from the narrative, as if they never happened.
  • However, the true return to form comes in Disney’s decision to abandon a family-friendly approach. The original Daredevil thrived on its grounded, brutal, and noir-inspired storytelling, setting it apart from typical superhero fare. Thankfully, Born Again preserves that essence, leaning more into the crime-drama aesthetic of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and The Wire than the glossy spectacle of the MCU. This commitment to a grittier tone is arguably the show’s saving grace—rather than focusing on stopping a world-ending supervillain, Born Again zeroes in on street-level justice, exploring the fight against drug lords, crime syndicates, and corrupt politicians. It’s a series about the struggles of the everyday man, dissecting the moral lines one must cross to protect the innocent.
  • Performance-wise, the cast slips back into their roles seamlessly, as if no time has passed. Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, and the rest of the ensemble bring the same intensity and nuance that made their portrayals so compelling in the original series.
  • Overall, Daredevil: Born Again gets off to a strong start—though its impact is slightly undercut by inconsistent CGI and occasionally messy cinematography. Whether it can maintain this momentum remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Daredevil is the only MCU property that truly matters right now. And if they mess it up, there will be riots.

• Film Review: Mickey 17 – By Elizabeth Mulloy
  • Five years have passed since Bong Joon-ho stunned the world with Parasite, his groundbreaking Oscar triumph that secured four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, marking it as the first international film to claim the honor. Soon after, he set his sights on Mickey 17, adapted from Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel Mickey7. However, despite wrapping production in late 2022, the film faced multiple delays, reportedly due to creative conflicts between Bong and Warner Bros. over the final cut. Now, after more than a year of postponements and rescheduled releases, Mickey 17 has finally arrived, and it is safe to say, it won’t be for everyone.
  • We follow Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) who signed up to be an expendable on a colony ship heading to the planet of Niflheim, after being unable to pay off a murderous loan shark. He thought it would be an easy way to escape his mundane life, but soon he realizes the job was more than what he bargained for. An expendable is someone who dies, for the sake of the mission. After their death they are reborn only for them to go through the cycle all over again. Mickey is essentially their guinea pig and is forced to go through one tortuous death after another after another. After 17 iterations, Mickey is done dying, but he can’t find a way out. However, after being presumed dead, they print out Mickey 18, which has ended up creating multiple Mickey’s and if they are found out, death will be permanent this time around.
  • Mickey 17 marks the third English language film in Bong filmography, which means that it will be divisive and it is hard not to see why, and this is coming from someone who really enjoyed this film. The film is easily the most “self-indulgent” of Bong’s filmography. The film has a bombastic energy as the film tackles themes such as colonialism, authoritarianism, mortality, late-stage capitalism, classism and the self-destructive nature of humanity all wrapped up in a package of dark, satirical humor. From Tlfa’s obsession with sauces to a hilariously grim montage of Mickey’s repeated deaths, the film inundated its audience with bold ideas as Mickey slowly discovers what it means to be alive. For those attuned to Bong’s maximalist tendencies this unrestrained approach is exhilarating, and I found myself completely swept up in the experience.
  • Robert Pattinson is a tour-de-force in Mickey 17, firing on all cylinders in a role that demands both versatility and nuance. Portraying multiple iterations of the same character, he effortlessly distinguishes each Mickey, making it easy to forget that they are all played by the same actor. In scenes where Mickey 17 and 18 clash in heated arguments, Pattinson’s seamless transitions and subtle shifts in personality make their interactions feel entirely natural, as if two distinct individuals are on screen. It’s a remarkable showcase of his talent, particularly in a year defined by actors taking on dual roles.
  • However, as Bong’s most unabashedly self-indulgent film, Mickey 17 features a brand of humor that won’t resonate with everyone—particularly given its overt, often exaggerated satire. While I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette lean into their roles as the film’s antagonists, Kenneth and Ylfa Marshall, their performances at times veer into cartoonish territory, occasionally feeling out of place within the film’s broader thematic ambitions. Additionally, as political satire continues to draw from the ever-familiar caricature of Donald Trump, this particular angle is beginning to feel increasingly overused and tiresome.
  • Finally, Mickey 17 struggles with pacing in a way that makes it difficult to determine whether the film is 20 minutes too long or 20 minutes too short. Several plot threads introduced in the first half are abruptly abandoned in the second, leaving the narrative feeling somewhat disjointed. One notable example is a subplot involving a crew member coercing Mickey and Nasha (Naomi Ackie) into an unwanted arrangement—an intriguing setup that is inexplicably dropped without resolution. Additionally, the film seems to gloss over key moments in Mickey’s cycle of deaths, raising the question of why Bong chose 17 iterations rather than a smaller number that could have been explored more meaningfully. Instead of relegating these experiences to a montage, spending more time with each version of Mickey and their journey across the stars could have made for a richer, more immersive experience.
  • Ultimately, Mickey 17 is a film that will heavily depend on personal taste. While it is far from perfect, those who connect with Bong Joon-ho’s bold, maximalist style will likely find it an exhilarating and thought-provoking experience. However, even for those who may not find it entirely to their liking, the film remains a fascinating cinematic endeavor—one that is worth seeing simply to support the work of visionary filmmakers who continue to push the boundaries of storytelling.
  • My Rating: B+

Screenshots – We Scrolled So You Don’t Have To…