Lance's RR Pinocchio, originally uploaded by NineInchNachosII.

Our vote for today's Frost Park Chalk Challenge winner.

MATT DRISCOLL: THE KING OF KING’S BOOKS >>>

For a literary event, Pierce County Deputy Prosecutor and professional novelist Mark Lindquist usually expects 10 people. For a political event, he hopes for 50. So for a literary-political event, Lindquist was expecting 5 people, he joked last night at King’s Books.

Maybe it was the free beer from the Harmon Hub, or maybe it’s because it’s a good year to be a Democrat (as Pierce County Democratic Party Chair Nathe Lawver and Rep. Adam Smith pointed out near the start of the evening), but Lindquist must have been pleasantly surprised when he saw the line of check writing Democrats stretched out the door last night for the Democratic fund raiser he put together at King’s Books. The event was hotter than all hell and featured a who’s who of Pierce County Democrats, as well as Lindquist reading from his just released in trade paperback novel The King of Methlehem.

Baarsma. Strickland. Goings. The Ladenburgs. McCarthy. Horne. Walker. The list goes on. In all probably 125-150 democrats filled King’s Books, making finding a seat out of the question, and fears of a beer shortage seem legitimate.

Luckily, the beer never ran out, and as Lindquist read two chapters from the King of Methlehem, one about a cat shed and one about cooking meth, the full house sat happily entertained if not comfortably seated.

During a question and answer period near the end, Lindquist was quick to tout Pierce County’s accomplishments in reducing meth cooking. When Lindquist began writing The King of Methlehem, Pierce County was third in the country when it comes to number of meth labs. Thanks to the work of law enforcement, community involvement, aggressive prosecution and the legislature, Pierce County has been able to reduce the number of meth labs by 80 percent, Lindquist said and drove home with pride.

His work as deputy prosecutor has had a lot to do with it, after all. It’s the reason he has the street cred to draw every important democrat and their brother to King’s on a Thursday night for a literary reading, and the reason he can get two kegs flowing in a book store without a question asked. It’s certainly the reason he has the expertise to write a book like the King of Methlehem.

Highlights of the evening included when Lindquist told the crowd that, in his experience touring schools and talking about the dangers of meth, the thing that usually deters kids the most from the dangerous drug is the fact that it “makes you look ugly and ruins your teeth.” Aint that the truth.

Then there was Connie Ladenburg’s concluding question for Lindquist, asking the writer if, after “trashing” Pierce County and its meth problem in the beginning of his book, if he ever redeemed it in the end?

Lindquist answered the question politely, pointing once again to all of Pierce County’s impressive accomplishments since the book was written.

I would have just told her to read the 256 page book, but that’s just me. Lindquist has more class.

His Democratic fund raiser last night was a good example of that.

MATT DRISCOLL: REPORT FROM THE TOP >>>

Every Friday (or nearly every Friday) City Manager Eric Anderson sits down with media types from the City of Destiny and answers any questions they may have. While usually these journalist gatherings boil down to John Larson from the Tacoma Weekly, Jason Hagey from the Trib and myself â€" with the rough and tumble Rob McNair-Huff acting as referee â€" that’s not to say they aren’t exciting. And shit, I’m the new kid on the block. This afternoon marked only my second such meeting. Maybe one of these days the drugs and hookers will come out. That’s what government is all about, as I understand.

What you are reading is a new feature here on the Weekly Volcano Spew. Every Friday that Mr. Anderson meets with the press, we’ll report back with what he had to offer. He’s a very important fellow, after all.

Quick Hits

After an extended break from these press briefings, Anderson was back this afternoon and looking relaxed. He’d been on “vacation” the two weeks prior, and I started by asking how it was. While he avoided specifics, it doesn’t sound as though Anderson was sunning himself in Acapulco. “It wasn’t much a vacation,” he said.

Today being the 8th Frost Park Chalk Challenge, I thought it fair to ask whether the city was facing any extra cleanup burden because of the weekly chalk centered gatherings. Anderson had no problem with the events, asserting that the chalk being used comes off in the rain. To his knowledge no extra work was being put in to clean up.

I had heard that there had been preliminary discussions about fencing off Frost Park, perhaps helping to inspire the Take Back the Park movement. Anderson revealed no such plan, and said that there’s no specific effort on the city’s part to cleanup the intersection where Frost Park is located â€" besides from the overall effort to cleanup the entire city. By cleaning up we’re talking about getting rid of hoodlums and troublemakers â€" and probably a few homeless, but those are my thoughts not Anderson’s.

Speaking of the homeless, Anderson discussed Tacoma’s ongoing search for a shelter provider to take over for the MLKHDA. As has been well reported the MLKHDA is looking to get out of the homeless shelter business, and while their operation isn’t a city controlled shelter, it is largely funded by Tacoma. This means the City of Destiny is playing a large roll in finding an organization to fill the MLKHDA shelter’s void once Felix Flannigan and Co. move on to other things. Tacoma will likely issue what’s known in the city government biz as an RFP (Request for Proposal) to find a new organization to run whatever shelter ends up materializing. According to Anderson, there has been interest expressed by a few possible providers, but all interest at this point is very preliminary. Still, he branded the search so far as “very productive,” and said it’s the end goal of the city to find a new provider, with no reduction in services for the homeless, no discontinuation of services or break in services, and perhaps in the end even improve things. Naturally, at this point the biggest hurdle is probably money, said Anderson.

“We’re trying to find a solution that provides consistent service, without an interruption in service, and allows Felix to withdraw when we have an adequate provider in place,” said Anderson.

As you may have heard Tall Ships is coming. The topic came up this afternoon, and there’s a good chance you’ll see police from a few different jurisdictions manning the waterfront during the Tall Ships Tacoma that coincides with the Freedom Fair along Ruston Way on the Fourth. Officers from Tacoma’s sister cities as well as the Washington State Patrol are expected to pitch in. “We’ll have adequate security,” promised Mr. Anderson.

There has been no talk, according to Anderson, of changing zoning codes to restrict where social service agencies or homeless shelters can build, or of consolidating or relocating shelters out of their current location. “I think there’s generally a pretty large consensus saying it isn’t a good idea to spread (services) around,” Anderson said.

Recently, the Tacoma City Council has been kicking around the idea of a Transportation Benefit District to improve Tacoma’s residential streets and transportation infrastructure. The way the state program is written, a Transportation Benefit District would allow the council to impose up to a $20 tax on vehicle registration without a public vote, or up to $100 tax with voter approval, and use the cash to improve the city’s transportation issues â€" possibly anything from fixing up residential streets to introducing streetcars. While Anderson said that a TBD is just one of many funding options, and that creating one is up to the City Council, he did identify several pressing transportation problems in need of addressing, and said that with or without a TBD the city is working to rectify them. The problems included improving residential streets (Anderson said were in “crying need” of help) and taking more than cars into consideration when designing and planning Tacoma’s transportation infrastructure of the future. He refers to the approach as “complete streets,” and the transportation corridors Anderson envisions include bike paths, pedestrian sidewalks, crossings, light rails, busses, and possibly even street cars. “It isn’t that we’re standing still,” Anderson said in regard to the city’s transportation plan. “We’re up and moving. We just haven’t hit our stride yet.” 

That’s all for this week. Check back next Friday for more of the inner most thoughts of City Manager Eric Anderson.

ROCK
Hell’s Belles
Hell’s Belles has been around for a while now. Their all-female tribute to AC/DC is nothing new. There’s a good chance you’ve seen them, and there’s a good chance you’ve read about them before in the Weekly Volcano.

Bobble Tiki doesn’t care. It’s true, Hell’s Belles has been doing the same thing (albeit with lineup fluctuations) since 2000 and true, AC/DC’s catalog of hits hasn’t really grown or diversified since then. But who cares? Not Bobble Tiki. Bobble Tiki knows Hell’s Belles is the prefect band to get blitzed to. And Bobble Tiki knows the sight of five smoking ladies strutting and rocking like Angus and Co. is enough to make his heart engorge with blood â€" among other organs. â€" Bobble Tiki
[Hell’s Kitchen, with Weight Of The World and The Coloroffs; 9 p.m., $12-$15, 3829 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.759. 6003]

ROCK
Spike and the Impalers
The Emerald Queen’s showroom is sure to be hopping when Spike and the Impalers run through their gauntlet of well known classic rock tunes, with KZOK 102.5 FM radio personalities Spike O’Neill behind the mic and Bob Rivers manning the boards. They’ll be joined on stage, as always, by drummer Jeff Kathan, bassist Lynn Sorenson, guitarist Joe Shikany â€" all three of the Paul Rodgers Band. Rounding out the Impalers, guitarists Dudley Taft (formerly of Sweetwater) and Mark Russell will make things whole. Straight off his performance at Jazzbones, special guest Hendrix impersonator Randy Hansen will only crank things up to eleven. â€" Matt Driscoll
[Emerald Queen Casino, 8:30 p.m., $25-$45 at Ticketmaster, 2024 E. 29th St., Tacoma, 888.831.7655]

ROCK
RxEvolution Recordings
Tonight marks the second record release party for new Olympia Rawk label RxEvolution Recordings. The label was started by the ferocious bass player of Bacchus, Sean McCoy and his brother Brion as a pseudo New Year's resolution to stop talking and start doing. Lining up more heavyweights than a hotdog eating contest at a strong man competition, RxEvolution has pledged to bring the signature sludge of Northwest stoner rock back to the forefront.

The celebration at McCoy's this weekend is in reverence for The Valley's dual release of a 10-inch and CD of their self-titled EP. With Bacchus in the wings for support, as well as 3D Witchhunt and With A Bullet, tonight's party will be one not to miss in Olympia for anyone who is a die hard lover of the Northwest sound. â€" Owen Taylor
[McCoy’s Tavern, 9 p.m., $3, 418 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia, 360.352.0696]

LINK: Alkaline Trio and others in the clubs tonight.
LINK: We have the movie starting times here.
LINK: Let’s eat steak tonight.

BOBBLE TIKI: LUNCH WITH BOBBLE TIKI >>>

THE DAILY WORD

Patina \PAT-n-uh; puh-TEEN-uh\, noun:
1. The color or incrustation which age gives to works of art; especially, the green rust which covers ancient bronzes, coins, and medals.
2. The sheen on any surface, produced by age and use.
3. An appearance or aura produced by habit, practice, or use.
4. A superficial layer or exterior.

USAGE EXAMPLE:  As the 62-year-old Sylvester Stallone began to toss and turn, waking for another day of shooting on the movie Rambo: First Nursing Home Blood II he couldn’t help but notice his muscle bound body was covered with a patina of Metamucil powder.

MORNING NEWS

TACOMA: Elks Lodge could be new Pierce Transit hub

OLYMPIA: Mobile home rights

SEATTLE: Quite a crackdown

UNITED STATES:Clinton's delegate fight 

JUST BIZARRE: The biggest racist flag in the world

MORE STRANGE NEWS: Cocaine Jesus

THINGS TO DO TODAY
FILM LISTINGS: Look here
MUSIC LISTINGS: Here’s what’s happening
SHOOT THE SHIT: Weekly Volcano forums
FRIDAYS WITH ERIC: The Weekly Volcano’s new Spew feature

STEVE DUNKELBERGER: ANOTHER LOOK AT MUSIC >>>

Most folks know the name J.S. Bach as some dead white guy who knew how to play the piano. Few know that some of his children, all two dozen of them, did some composing as well. P.D.Q. Bach was the last, oddest and least among them. Hear his work Sunday afternoon when the Broadway Center hosts All Things Bright and Baroque featuring Peter Schickele with the Vivace! Choirs and Orchestra conducted by Andrea S. Klouse.

The afternoon’s repertoire will include favorite selections from Vivaldi’s Gloria and The Seasonings by P.D.Q. Bach.

Professor Schickele will wax the obscure P.D.Q.

There will be a special dinner reception at Tacoma’s Museum of Glass with the maestro himself at 6 p.m. today. Tickets are $100 a plate at this fund raising event. A no-host bar will also be available.

The concert will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Pantages Theater.

Tickets are $30 to $80 and are available at  www.broadwaycenter.org or by calling 253.591.5890.

BRAD ALLEN: GOTTA EAT >>>

I don't know anything about water works or public utilities. I do know what looks to be the last place I would eat Puget Sound Pizza.

This dude was chowing down one foot away from loud, angry steam rising from a manhole at Ninth and Broadway last night around 8:45 p.m.