WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Helicopter Crash Last Night At JBLM: Four Army aviators were killed. (News Tribune)

Tacoma City Manager Survivor: One drops out. (News Tribune)

Tacoma Budget Check: Tacoma City Councilmembers Spiro Manthou, Ryan Mello and Victoria Woodards propose a resolution to delay 100 layoffs to the city's police and fire departments. (News Tribune)

Jerry Sandusky Situation: Waived his right to a preliminary hearing. (CNN)

South Sound Cities Didn't Make The List: Top 10 cities with the hottest people. (Time)

End Of Year List: Top 50 albums of 2011. (Spin)

Holiday Songs: Here are 11 that never really took off. (Mental Floss)

Here's Something: Best cover songs of 2011. (Cover Me)

It's Real: Motorhead Vodka. (Dangerous Minds)

Game of Thrones Season 2 Trailer!

GO LOCAL  >>>

After reading the Weekly Volcano's Holiday Guide Three: Geek Greetings Edition, you were inspired to shop the Internets hard. Uncle Jim will receive chocolate vitamins from a dude in Chicago. Cousin Willy will score a talking reindeer sold from a neighborhood in Orlando. Sister Sue will sure to be thrilled with a Hanson Singing Toothbrush sold from an attic in Wichita.

Not what we really had in mind.

Sure, sister Sue might be a bit bummed. You don't care. You completed your holiday shopping in one afternoon on your fat ass in front of the computer. And you saved money by avoiding retail sales taxes.

That's right. In a 1992 decision, Quill v. North Dakota, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that retailers are exempt from collecting sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence, such as a store, office, or warehouse. Businesses with a physical presence in a state are therefore put at a disadvantage by having to collect an additional 5 to 9 percent in taxes on purchases, depending on the state.

Sen. Debbie Regala (D-Tacoma) will have none of it. She's calling on Washington to create a level playing field by enforcing the collection of sales and use tax on remote or online sales.  

"By not collecting this tax, Washington retailers are put at a competitive disadvantage," says the state senator in a released statement. "This hurts our local businesses and it erodes the revenues that fund our public services."

Sen. Regala is sponsoring Senate Joint Memorial 8009, a resolution asking Congress to authorize enforcement of the collection of the retail sales tax by out-of-state sellers that have no physical presence in Washington.  In the released statement, Sen. Regala states, "As of now, the collection of that tax is only voluntary; without action by Congress, in state businesses are losing sales to online purchases through out-of-state merchants who do not collect state sales taxes."

Read the rest of Sen. Regala's press release after the jump:

Read more...

COMMUNITY MATTERS >>>

As the Weekly Volcano reported this week, the City of Tacoma is facing up to a $31 million budget shortfall in 2012. To balance the municipal budget, Tacoma officials asked various department heads to craft a plan that involves juggling and rerouting various elements of departmental budgets; eliminating services; adjusting wages of city employees; eliminating programs and services; and laying off more than 160 city employees.

The police and fire departments appear likely to bear the brunt of layoffs.

Trident Athletics on South Tacoma Way feels the pain of those likely to lose their jobs. In a show of support, the fitness club extends a special offer to ALL members of the Tacoma police and fire departments.

In an email to the Weekly Volcano, Trident Athletics writes,

We are offering a month free starting next Monday, December 12 through January 12 to any Tacoma police and fire team member. The free month membership includes our popular 3x a week CrossFit class.

We know how important it is to stay mentally and physically sharp during such stressful situations. Our owner and coach Jeff Serven is a former Navy SEAL and very passionate about helping. Additionally, several of our students are current members of the Tacoma police department or firefighters living in Tacoma but working for other cities.

Coaches and athletes are also planning a fundraiser for a few of the families. We will let you know as these details are solidified. However, any help letting the police and fire departments know they are welcome to workout for free from December 12 through January 12th would be greatly appreciated. We are available for phone interviews throughout this weekend or on Monday and could include our current police and fire students to comment if appropriate. We hoped this would work for an online brief or short story next week.

Thank you for all you do.

To take advantage of the special offer, call 253.777.9714

LINK: Weekly Volcano's report on Tacoma's budget issues

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Budget Shortfall: Tacoma faces some tough decisions about funding the arts. (Weekly Volcano)

For Safety's Sake: Tacoma City Councilman Jake Fey says he will propose a motion next week calling to postpone by 30 days implementation of City Manager Rey Arellano's proposed layoffs in the city's public safety departments. (News Tribune)

Budget Cuts Q&A: What the Tacoma police and fire officials have to say. (News Tribune)

This Is It: European leaders are meeting in Belgium to shore up the euro, the currency of 17 nations. (CNN)

Mustache Gallery: Try it on. (Spaceworks Tacoma)

Bella Swan: A romanticized archetype of a helpless heroine with absolutely no agency whatsoever. (Refinery 29)

Alec Baldwin's Booted Brethren: 10 celebrities who have been kicked off planes. (Time)

Ho Ho Oh No: The 12 all-time ugliest Christmas sweaters. (Collectors Weekly)

Got To See This: Sketch eye glasses. (Design Boom)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma Budget Cut Victims: Interim City Manager Rey Arellano cut two fire stations, four neighborhood engine companies, the gang unit, the school resources officers program, most community liaison cops, building inspectors, municipal court clerks, office assistants, accountants and others. (News Tribune)

State Budget Cut Vicitms: Nearly a third of Washington's year-round state parks staffers are being notified this week that they likely will be laid off. (News Tribune)

What You Might Want After The First Two News Items: Pine Street Landing Restaurant's happy hour is one right now. (Weekly Volcano)

Stadium Tully's Was Busy: Nearly 100 Stadium High School students walked off campus Tuesday to protest state cuts to education. (News Tribune)

Putin On The Fritz: Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, today called for new parliamentary elections over concerns about vote fraud. (CNN)

The End Of Steampunk: Thanks a lot Justin Bieber. (Gawker)

Who Knew?: Austrian-born movie actress Hedy Lamarr invented a device that would eventually lead to the development of GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology. (Techland)

Scott Baio And Pamela Anderson ...: 25 celebrity couples you never knew existed. (Buzz Feed)

Enough Is Enough: Let's get to work.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

City of Tacoma Budget Woes: Department heads notified 166 city workers yesterday that their jobs are officially at risk. (News Tribune)

Republicans Answer To The $2 Billion State Budget Shortfall: cherry-cherry-cherry (News Tribune)

Afghanistan Blast: A suicide bomber killed 54 people at a Shiite shrine in Kabul. (CNN)

Cain Train: Accuser says candidate's exit "bittersweet." (CNN)

Another Year-End List: Best music videos of 2011 (Paste Magazine)

The Best Architecture Of 2011: Jonathan Glancey's choice. (The Guardian)

Today's Helpful Tip: when getting a lap dance, don't sit in a plastic chair. (Dumb As A Blog)

Discovery: Beer can actually save lives. (The Daily What)

Wood Ear: Wooden smartphone with app blocks (Super Punch)

Cat Ruffian

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Yikes: A state audit has found the city of Tacoma potentially overbilled city utilities by more than $1 million. (News Tribune)

Tacoma City Council Vs. The Arts: Ticket prices might go up. (News Tribune)

Back To The Drawing Board: European leaders are meeting this week to discuss ways to solve the deepening debt crisis, and this time they are talking about rewriting European Union treaties. (CNN)

Madonna: She'll play the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVI with help from Cirque du Soleil. (Rolling Stone)

iPhone Not Loud Enough?: You need the Crazy Megaphone. (DVice)

Most Expensive Car Crash of the Day: At least eight Ferraris, two Mercedes, and a Lamborghini were among 14 cars involved. (The Daily What)

Video: Psycho captain crashes into yacht. (Dumb As A Blog)

Creepy

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Better Remove Your "WSDOT Sucks" Bumpersticker: The Washington State Department of Transportation announced it will begin photo tolling on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Saturday. (News Tribune)

Happy Friday News: Nearly a third of all Tacoma-area homeowners with a mortgage owe more than their property is worth. (News Tribune)

Unemployment Rate: It fell to 8.6 percent after employers added 120,000 jobs in November, the Labor Department reports. The jobless rate in October had been 9 percent. (CNN)

Lacey City Council: Not huge with pot smokers. (News Tribune)

For Those Who Don't Drink Beer: Forza now the official coffee of the Tacoma Rainiers. (News Tribune)

Not So Christmasy: Don't wear a Frosty mask. (WCTI12)

Freaky: Daniel Day Lewis IS Abraham Lincoln. (The Superficial)

Just In Time For Christmas: There's an Angry Bids cookbook. (walyou)

Cookie Cottages Have Come A Long Way: Lights, camera, gingerbread (Flavorwire)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

City Of Tacoma Manager Job Update: Five candidates remain. (News Tribune)

Thank A First Responder: Do it today. (News Tribune)

Just In Time For Christmas: Puyallup School District employees have to give back money. (News Tribune)

Global Financial System: The U.S. Federal Reserve, acting with other nations' central banks, to make it cheaper for banks around the world to borrow U.S. dollars. (CNN)

Well, It's Really Laughable Ha, Ha, Ha ...: Morrissey is on a U.S. stamp. (What Would Tyler Durden Do?)

Here They Come: Uncut's to 50 Albums of 2011. (Stereogum)

Pull Up! Pull Up!: Pan Am isn't doing so well. (E)

Fans Should Set Their DVRs To Play: Star Trek documentary airing tomorrow on the Science Channel. (USA Today)

Smart: The lampshade of silence. (Core77)

Stanley!

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

City Of Tacoma Budget Woes: Tacoma City Council has five ideas. You better be certain you're being robbed or it will cost you. (News Tribune)

Tacoma's Future: An alternative view of Tacoma in the 21st century. (News Tribune)

Um, Not Guilty To DUI: Fife's mayor pro tem spins the wheel. (News Tribune)

Your Turkey PiñataOutside Is Going To See Hell: High winds forecasted for Thanksgiving. (Kitsap Sun)

GOP Debate: The latest GOP presidential debate exposed deep fault lines among the candidates on how to grapple with the nation's security challenges. (CNN)

U Can't Haz Sadz: The hushed dangers of startup depression. (Beta Beat)

Trippy: The magic of Hollywood's green screen. (Flavorwire)

Thanksgiving Hand Turkeys: 12 dumb ones. (TruTV)

Time To Face The Day