Tacoma

A police report concerning Puyallup City Councilman John Knutsen allegedly harassing a citizen has caused a bit of a stir in the city.

The incident occurred back in August, but I only just got a copy of the report late last month, as did Knutsen's fellow members of the City Council.

According to the police report, Knutsen, a first-term councilman, swore at a teenage son of a local business owner when the boy was leaving Puyallup City Hall.

Knutsen and his wife had recently bought something at the family business, and the boy apparently had mixed up his order.

According to the police report, Knutsen told the boy in front of a witness that if the mix-up happened again, “he would have Guido put his hand up his ass, reach up and shut (the victim's) heart.

A group known as the Bill of Rights Defense Committee has been fighting the expansion of the federal immigration lockup on the Tacoma Tideflats on several fronts.

Recently, they sent me correspondence they received from the state Department of Ecology that seems to indicate GeoGroup, the contractor that runs the Northwest Detention Center, may have been violating some pretty serious restrictions.

Here's an except from what the group received from Ecology:

However, for the recent INS Center expansion in 2008, the property owner did not contact Ecology with a request to approve additional site construction. Ecology became aware of this because your email triggered a file review and research into records.

A group known as the Bill of Rights Defense Committee has been fighting the expansion of the federal immigration lockup on the Tacoma Tideflats on several fronts.

Recently, they sent me correspondence they received from the state Department of Ecology that seems to indicate GeoGroup, the contractor that runs the Northwest Detention Center, may have been violating some pretty serious restrictions.

Here's an except from what the group received from Ecology:

However, for the recent INS Center expansion in 2008, the property owner did not contact Ecology with a request to approve additional site construction. Ecology became aware of this because your email triggered a file review and research into records.

Water rates will go up sooner rather than later for Tacoma Water customers.

The Tacoma City Council plans to move ahead tonight with the rate increase already approved by the Tacoma Public Utility board of directors, despite a last-minute plea from Metro Parks Tacoma officials for relief.

But that doesn't mean council members were not sympathetic to the plight of the parks.

Council members said they want the city to work with agency to find ways to slow the rate of future increases.

Finding something other than drinking water to irrigate parks is probably the best bet, they said.

Councilman Mike Lonergan noted that much of what's driving the last several years' worth of Tacoma Water rate increases is the need to comply with federal drinking water standards.

Tacoma firefighters are in line for the same raise that the city’s police officers just received – 6.2 percent this year, followed by two years of pay hikes tied to the Consumer Price Index.

A proposed three-year contract between the city and the Tacoma Firefighters Union Local 31 also gives members of the department’s specialized technical rescue team an extra 2.5 percent pay premium starting in 2010, and an additional 2.5 percent in 2011.

The union had previously sought premium pay for the rescue team members, but the independent arbitrator who decided the last contract denied the request.

Tad Jackson, the union’s new president, said the negotiations were “straightforward and professional,” and he praised the city team that City Manager Eric Anderson assembled.

I was talking yesterday to Rep. Judy Clibborn, D-Mercer Island, chairwoman of the House Transportation Committee, because I wanted to get her reaction to Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposed transportation budget for 2009-11.

More on this later, but suffice it to say, the budget adopted by the Legislature will be much different from what the governor is proposing, Clibborn said.

She also said she had thought of proposing a motor vehicle excise tax and a "tiny" increase in the gas tax to come up with enough money to pay for all the projects that were promised by the Legislature when they raised the gas tax by 5 cents in 2003 and approved another 9.

The Barack Obama Inauguration celebration won't be confined to D.C. We're starting to see announcements of local events, such as this one, sponsored by Pierce County Democrats and People for Peace, Justice, and Healing (isn't that an Elvis Costello song?)

Come Celebrate the Inauguration of Barack Obama.

Tuesday evening, January 20, 2009

6:00 pm – Midnight

The Swiss Tavern

1904 South Jefferson, Tacoma (South 19th & Jefferson, across from UWT at top of steps)

Live Music by The Disclaimers: 7:00 – 11:00

Free admission. No-host bar.

*Must be at least 21 years old to attend

*Tuxedos to T-shirts -- Tiaras to Tennis shoes

*Big Screen TV with feed from DC

Be there or be square!

If you hear of other open-to-the-public local events, let us know.

MetroParks Tacoma officials are blaming the destruction of the field at Portland Avenue Park (above) on joyriding vandals doing donuts in the snow. But what if there's another explanation?

If it was aliens, What are they trying to tell us? Post your answer in the comments section.

Members of the Tacoma City Council choose their own deputy mayor, and they generally tap the most senior council member who hasn't already had a turn.

Councilwoman Julie Anderson is expected to get the nod this year.

A resolution appointing Anderson to the position is on the council's Tuesday agenda. She will replace Spiro Manthou, whose term as deputy mayor expired at the end of last year (leaving a power vacuum of sorts -- the city has operated without a deputy mayor for several days now.)

The deputy mayor is largely a ceremonial role in Tacoma, where the appointed City Manager runs the day-to-day operations.

State Department of Transportation regional administrator Kevin Dayton refers to the Nalley Valley Viaduct as the "crown jewel" or ongoing work in Pierce County.

It may a pretty lonely jewel, too. Gov. Chris Gregoire's budget would delay parts of the viaduct project, as well as parts of the carpool lane project on Interstate 5 through the Tacoma to the point that they might not get done at all. At least, not without another source of money.

Stay tuned to see how much the governor and Seattle legislators decide to spend on their projects up north -- their viaduct (Alaskan Way) and their bridge (Highway 520).