RON SWARNER: TODAY IN TEMPEST LOUNGE >>>

The liquor board sent Denise Tempest and Michelle Douglas the official letter. Their Tempest Lounge has been given the green light to be an all-ages spot â€" as soon as the two owners build the barrier in front of the bar.

In other Tempest news, their benefit Sunday for Ref. 71 raised $7,773. Not bad. They built a stage for the occasion for the musical stylings of Evan Purcell and The Kim Archer Band. A bigger stage is in the works next summer.

Here are a couple of pics from the benefit show:

By the way, it’s iPod Tuesday at the Tempest.

[Tempest Lounge, 913 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253.272.4904]