GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 6.6.14 >>>

Hero student tackle gunman, saves Seattle Pacific University students.

Department of Defense observes the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Veterans from the 29th Infantry Division returned to the shores of Omaha Beach at dawn today after 70 years - this time the storms replaced by a bright sun and their mission of war giving way to a desire to remember their fallen comrades.

Congress appears poised to adopt new legislation making it easier for veterans to get private medical care and harder for underperforming administrators to keep their jobs.

North Korea said it had detained an American tourist for violating its laws after entering the secretive state in April, bringing the number of U.S. citizens held by Pyongyang to three.

A small team of American military advisers will soon head to Ukraine to assess that embattled nation's "mid- and long-term needs for defense reform."

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers wants French President François Hollande to halt the sale of two warships to Moscow, warning the vessels could be used to invade other European nations.

The Pentagon released its annual assessment of Chinese military power, and the 96-page report paints a picture of China's broad-based efforts to modernize and expand its military forces.

War's elite tough guys, hesitant to seek healing.

Why turbulence happens, and why it's not so scary after all.

Yes, it's a chocolate drone.

Top Gun is actually dumb.

Coca-Cola has created 16 caps that turn its bottles into useful objects.

Watch the Afghan Whigs perform on Letterman after an 18-year gap.

Courtney Love wants her own breed of roses.

Watch the trailer for You Are Here, which stars Zach Galifianakis, Amy Poehler and Owen Wilson.

More live than you'll ever be ...

LINK: Original photo by Staff Sgt. Malcolm McClendon

THURSDAY, JUNE 5 2014 >>>

1. Portland band Ages and Ages, without getting all touchy-feely, has eschewed apathy in favor of forthright optimism. Like the Arcade Fire did a decade ago, Ages and Ages recruit their entire band to sing at once, less for the sensation of catharsis, and more for the feeling of togetherness. Isn't it still sort of remarkable that all of these people have gathered together for a united experience of musical revelry? This magic seems to have gotten left behind, long ago, and now we all sit in cynical judgment of an art form that chiefly means to enrich. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's features on Ages and Ages in the Music & Culture section, then catch them with Stephen Steinbrink and French Quarter and Oh Rose! at 8 p.m. in Northern.

2. Tacoma Green Drinks provides a social and networking opportunity for Tacoma-Pierce County residents interested in sustainability, conservation, environmental issues and booze! Join them at 6 p.m. when they hang at Chamber Bay Grill to learn about the awesome happenings of the Tacoma Audubon ... over drinks.

3. Think running and drinking don't mix unless there's a K-9 unit involved? Not true. The Tacoma Runners - a group of T-Town pavement pounders - meet every Thursday for a 3-mile loop at a "social pace" at one of Tacoma's favorite watering holes. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. the starting and finishing line will be the Narrows Brewing Co.

4. Amazon employee Tom Nissley ended an eight-episode Jeopardy winning streak in December 2010 when he answered a question about American landmarks incorrectly. Alex Trebek asked: "Finding the spot for this memorial caused its creator to say, ‘America will march along that skyline.'" All three contestants wagered the correct answer was the Lincoln Memorial. "Oh, I'm sorry. The correct answer is Mount Rushmore." (Audience moans.) Don't feel too bad for Nissley. He won more than $250,000, making him the game show's third biggest winner. This personable, bookworm specimen from the next phase of human evolution will be at University Place Pierce County Library at 7 p.m., signing his book, A Reader's Book of Days, and generally reminding you what a moron you are by comparison.

5. Want to watch bands exchange CDs then listen to a band that melds reggae, hip-hop metal and funk? Good news!  Ted Brown Music presents the North & South CD Swap Meet Networking Party from 7-9 p.m. at Louie G's Pizza, followed by a live performance by The Approach.

LINK: Thursday, June 5 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Farrelli's Wood Fire Pizza is all about family, and the popular local restaurant chain is doing its part to help military families living at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fisher House feel a little more at home.

In the next few weeks, volunteers from Farrelli's will install a new play set in the backyard of the home, which is located just down the street from the Madigan Army Medical Center on JBLM.

Since Fisher House families reside at the house while an ill or injured servicemember undergoes treatment at Madigan, it is understandably a very stressful time in their lives. They stay at the home from a few days to several months, and staff and volunteers do what they can to help make it a "home away from home."

There is a cozy living room complete with a TV, toys and books as well as a spacious kitchen, laundry facilities and backyard grill and gazebo area. There is also a beautifully landscaped garden and a fenced play area so the littlest residents can burn off some steam.

A few weeks ago, several members of the Farrell family and its management team visited the home to formalize a fundraising partnership with Harmon Brewing Company. While on a tour with Manager Jodi Land, they noticed that the play area in the backyard was in desperate need of new equipment.

The company - which in 2010 won the National Restaurant Association's National Neighbor Award - knew what it needed to do. "We saw an opportunity to lend a hand," said Clayton Krueger, Farrelli's director of marketing and communications.  So Margaret "Mama" Farrell went out and purchased a large new playground, which staff will install and assemble in the coming weeks.

"This new playground will give children staying at the Fisher House an outlet and an opportunity to get outside in a safe, secure environment," said Land. "The new equipment was badly needed, and we are thankful that the Farrell family not only donated the materials, but also that they are going to install and assemble it for us."

The family owned and operated restaurant chain, which started in Lacey in 1995 and caters to families, has always supported and honored its military neighbors. "The military is the glue that holds our community together," Krueger said. As a show of the company's appreciation to its military neighbors, service members returning from deployment get a free meal at both of the family's Farrelli's and MacNamara's restaurants.

To learn more about Farrelli's, visit farrellispizza.com. For more information about Fisher House, visit fisherhouse-jblm.org, call 253.964.9283 or stop by the home, located at 9999 Wilson Ave. on JBLM.

PHOTO CAPTION:

Jodi Land (Fisher House), Jesse Holder (Harmon Brewing Co.), Clayton Krueger (director of Marketing & Communications), Jacque Farrell (founder & COO), James Mickelson (director of Project Management & IT), Rob Rasmussen (director of Design & Promotion), Margaret Farrell (founder), Lizz Farrell-Lewis (director of Guest Satisfaction) and on the bottom row — John Farrell (founder)

TUESDAY, JUNE 3 2014 >>>

1. Earth is 70 percent covered in water. The atmosphere is so thick with water vapor that water periodically rains from the sky. All life on this planet requires water - directly or indirectly - in order to survive. Lastly and perhaps most importantly: Super Soakers. Is it any wonder we have such an affinity for H2O? In Watermark, Canadian directors Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky explore humanity's history and current relationship with water around the world. This goes far beyond our simple physical necessity for water in order to sustain life, but also the various roles that water plays in sustaining our way of life. Read Jared Lovrak's review of Watermark, then catch the film at 2 and 6:45 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

2. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the city of Lakewood launches its thris annual farmers market season. Running each week through September 16, the Lakewood Farmers Market will provide the community with locally sourced fresh produce, baked and canned goodies, handmade gifts and entertainment at City Hall.

3. Olympia's Westside is happening, but that's not news to those who live up on the hill. If you want proof, drop by the West Olympia Farmers Market from 4-7 p.m. In addition to an awesome selection of local vendors, this season features live music, raffles and special events. Drop by for fresh produce, baked goods, pastured poultry and meats, flowers, veggie starts and crafts.

4. Ron Bates has performed '40s tunes since the '80s. He knows Sinatra's songbook inside and out. Catch him at 6:30 p.m. for a Supper with Sinatra show at the Red Wind Casino.

5. Chico, Calif. Band The Americas will bring their singular, frenetic brand of twisting songs-within-songs-upon-songs to Olympia's Le Voyeur for a 10 p.m. show with Ghostnote.

LINK: Tuesday, June 3 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

GRAB A CUP AND READ THE MORNING REPORT FOR 5.31.14 >>>

Soldier dies in aircraft accident in Afghanistan.

The United States and China squared off at an Asian security forum, with the U.S. defense secretary accusing Beijing of destabilizing the region and a top Chinese general retorting that his comments were "threat and intimidation".

Ukraine's government vowed on Friday to press ahead with a military offensive against separatists.

Just three months after being named Veterans Affairs deputy secretary, Sloan Gibson is taking the helm - albeit temporarily - of an embattled Cabinet department.

For many in military, Shinseki remains an American hero.

More than 60 percent of Veterans Affairs health facilities surveyed in an audit directed by senior VA leadership were found to have toyed with appointment dates and, in some cases, schedulers were pressured to game wait times to make them appear more favorable.

It's one of the more disturbing revelations to arise from an investigation into fatal delays in care at Veterans Affairs medical centers: Employee bonuses appear to be one factor behind the manipulation of patient wait times in at least one hospital.    

The Associated Press reached out to veterans in Arizona and several other states to recount their experiences with VA care.

One U.S. cybersecurity expert is arguing that world nations should jointly pledge they will spare civil nuclear facilities from computer attacks for humanitarian reasons.

With no sign that the sequestration-imposed budget cuts are going away, the Air Force is going to have to change how it handles its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance architecture.

Land Power: A personal theory of power.

Man stuck in South Korea after his kid doodled all over his passport.

iOS8 Wish List: What we want (and what we'll get).

Skin Deep app points out harmful ingredients in the beauty products we use every day.

The story of the largest T-Rex fossil ever discovered is certainly worthy of the documentary treatment.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Flavor Creme Oreos go on sale June 9 nationwide.

You don’t see this everyday …

LINK: Original photo by Sgt. Aaron Rooks

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 2014 >>>

1. Come gather ‘round, people, wherever you roam. Like many writers and critics who prophesize with our pens, we keep our eyes open for new books about Robert Zimmerman, better known as the one and only Mr. Bob Dylan. But The Dylanologists: Adventures in the Land of Bob isn't, strictly speaking, a tome about the Bard of Minneapolis, it's an insider's look at geeks like us who adore him. Author David Kinney will stop by the downtown Olympia library at 7:30 p.m. to promote it. And don't think twice, it's all right: he will have copies available for purchase.

2. Learn how artists have responded to the mountains, valleys, and vast plains of the western United States over time, influencing perceptions of the West, when Tacoma Art Museum Curator Laura Fry discusses "The Western Landscape in Art" at 11 a.m., as part of Tacoma Art Museum's Lunch & Learn series. The lecture is in conjunction with TAM's exhibit, "Northwest in the West: Exploring Our Roots."

3. It's Wednesday, which means Pour at Four pours complimentary tastes of its favorite wines. From 5:30-8 p.m., The Proctor District wine bar will showcase wines from Foris Vineyards and Winery in Southern Oregon. Expect Alsacean style whites and Pinot Noirs.

4. The Telephone Projects is Brennon Gage, of San Diego, a band that seems to mostly revolve around Gage and his Casiotone, churning out vaguely miserablist indie pop with a tongue-in-cheek attitude of carefree defiance. Catch the band with Gage's other band, the gothy Witch Prayer, plus Apollo Ried Sygmund, and Follies and Vices at 7 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

5. As the cliché goes, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." And such is the case with Margaret Cho, who somehow parlayed the poignant failures of her early career - namely, the cancellation of '90s sitcom All American Girl, a gig that, literally, almost killed her - into one of the most successful standup careers. At 8 p.m., Cho will bring her raunchy comedic stylings to The Evergreen State College's Recreation Center.

LINK: Wednesday, May 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

TUESDAY, MAY 27 2014 >>>

1. Ever since the Westside Tavern won the Tournament of Burgers, the real estate agents representing Olympia's Westside have been inundated with inquiries. The Westside is happening, but that's not news to those who live up on the hill. If you want proof, drop by the West Olympia Farmers Market from 4-7 p.m. In addition to an awesome selection of local vendors, this season features live music, raffles and special events. Drop by for fresh produce, baked goods, pastured poultry and meats, flowers, veggie starts and crafts.

2. As far as menopausal-crisis road-trip semi-dramas go, On My Way's hormonal launch into the provinces has several advantages, including Emmanuelle Bercot's fluid nonstop traveling camera. But primarily the film has Catherine Deneuve, who is her classically resonant self as a small-town ex-beauty queen and grandmother shattered again by romantic disappointment and who leaves her failing restaurant one day and falls off the grid. Catch the film at 2 and 6:10 p.m. at The Grand Cinema.

3. Thought-provoking reading doesn't have to come from classic authors such as Dickens and Steinbeck. Young adult literature, which continues to grow in popularity, has been producing intriguing works about society that appeal to a wide audience - a fact that King's Books hasn't missed. The Tacoma Stadium District bookstore hosts a Young Adult Book Club at 7 p.m. The group will discuss Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko. The story is about Moose Flannagan who moves with his family to Alcatraz so his dad can work as a prison guard and his sister, Natalie, can attend a special school. But Natalie has autism, and when she's denied admittance to the school, the stark setting of Alcatraz begins to unravel the tenuous coping mechanisms Moose's family has used for dealing with her disorder. 

4. Nashville recording artist Sam Hunt will perform a free show at 7:30 p.m. in the Steel Creek American Whiskey Co. in downtown Tacoma. He's penned songs for some of the biggest names in country music, such as "Cop Car" by Keith Urban, "We are Tonight" by Billy Currington and "Come Over" for Kenny Chesney. 

5. Nominated for Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards, Egyptian-American documentarian Jehane Noujaim's The Square takes you inside the Egyptian revolution centered around Cairo's Tahrir Square. Catch the film at 9 p.m. in the Capitol Theater.

LINK: Tuesday, May 27 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2014 >>>

1. Beginning in 1981, front man Regan Lane, along with keyboardist Robert Richholt, guitarist Jesse Seales and bassist Bob D'Angelo (now of Mechanism) brought a certain power-pop, boy-band charm (complete with '80s hair) and danceable, relatable stories and music to their hometown of Tacoma, and then to the world. Fans in Japan, Korea, Philippines and Guam witnessed the new wave glory of Strypes, and L.A. welcomed them many times over. After a successful run, in 1990, the band members went their separate ways. Now, the band will re-visit the good side of things, and what the band has at its core - great chemistry, and, of course, great music. At 8 p.m., Strypes, (with Strangely Alright's Preston Darvill on drums) will reunite to play one powerful night at Jazzbones. Read Nikki McCoy's full feature on Strypes in the Music & Culture Section.

2. The Gig Harbor Street Scramble is a treasure hunt that leads participants to 30 checkpoints throughout the community. The checkpoints are circled on a map, and each has a description such as "sculpture" or "road bend." They can be visited in any order, on foot or bike. Participants cannot use a motorized vehicle. Participants must return to the finish line before their time is up. It kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at Skansie Brothers Park.

3. Several weeks ago Weekly Volcano food critic Jackie Fender gushed over Maxwell's Restaurant & Lounge's head chef, Hudson Slater. Deservedly so - the man is on culinary fire. Today, The Grand Cinema hugs Slater. The Grand announced it has invited the chef to host a post-film discussion after the 3:10 p.m. screening of Chef. 

4. A bevy of vinylists will dig through the crates and study album covers, remixes and the oh-so-sought-after UK 12-inch mix from 5-9 p.m. at the Olympia Record Show in the Olympia Elks Lodge. The show is a bargain hunter's heaven, a record show full of classics.

5. A certain rush is felt when listening to the Wheelies' garage pop, invoking a sense of wanting to be at their parties, relating to the angst, the desire to try something on one wheel instead of two, and then riding it as long as you can. Easily moving from breezy, low-fi, shoegazey to rough and raw and fast and punchy, Wheelies are must listen. Catch the band with Watermelon Sugar, People Under the Sun and Deep Kink at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

LINK: Saturday, May 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Last August, Lifelong friends and Olympia business partners Clint Morgan and Rob Hill threw a little shindig. OK, it wasn't little. Those who attended their DB Cooper Music Festival last August demanded the duo bring it back. And so it will be. The festival - which is named after our favorite regional outlaw who in 1971 hijacked a Boeing 747 in the airspace between Portland and Seattle and parachuted into history with $200,000 - will land at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in Centralia Aug. 2, 2014, for a day of world class music on three stages, plus drinkies.

Main stage performers include 2013 Blues Musician of the Year Curtis Salgado, six-time Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur, The Voice finalist Vicci Martinez, Tacoma funk masters Bump Kitchen, blues pioneer Alice Stuart and 2013 Independent Music Award winners the Brown Edition. Also in the house will be SweetKiss Momma, Mudcat, Pine Hearts, Sour Owl, Brittany Kingery and others.

Yes, we said "drinkies." And where there are drinkies, there are no kids. It's a 21 and older festival.

For those who buy tickets before May 31 can get inside for $25.

To receive a $5 per ticket discount, click on the promo tab and type in "volcano". You can save yet another buck by sharing your purchase in social media.

DB COOPER MUSIC FESTIVAL, 11 a.m. gates, Saturday, Aug. 2, Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, 2555 N. National Ave., Centralia, $25-$40, dbcoopermusicfest.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21 2014 >>>

1. A Portlander by way of Ohio and Boston, Brock Ginther share's Robert Pollard's desire for playful experimentation. On his most recent release, The Breakfast Cowboy, Ginther has populated the album with 22 songs that frequently come across as more than sketches. The concepts are left-field and verging on the surreal, and the melodies are as airtight as a minute-long song can be. The Breakfast Cowboy covers a dizzying amount of ground over its 22 tracks. Though everything is couched in a similarly wry, lo-fi aesthetic, Ginther takes excursions through Moldy Peaches-esque, conversational singer-songwriter fare ("The Tallest Hamburger"); '60s Latin music appropriation ("Litter"); Ween-esque trips down weird rabbit holes ("Lizard Defender"); and stop-start grunge ("Exotic Cop Lingo"). Read Rev. Adam McKinney's interview with Brock Ginther in the Music & Culture section, then catch Ginther with opener Super Brown at 10 p.m. in Le Voyeur.

2. Historian Alan Archambault will discuss black soldiers in the Civil War and their ties to the Pacific Northwest at noon in the Washington State History Museum. Archambault, who was the head curator at the Fort Lewis Military Museum for 21 years, will reference "Civil War Pathways in the Northwest," an exhibit at the museum through July 6, and in particular Fort Steilacoom Commander Gen. Silas Casey, who was instrumental in the recruitment of black troops in the Union Army in 1863.

3. Nothing says "spring into summer" like rosé. If you are not familiar with this pink wine, STINK: Cheese and Meat hosts Rosé-A-Palooza from 5-8 p.m. The Tacoma uber deli will pour pink wines from all over the world: France, Spain, Italy, Africa, South America and some from our backyards - Washington and Oregon)! For $10, you'll receive 10 tastes and some light snacks.

4. Folk, jazz, to late night and sultry blues- Carolyn Cruso has a varied resume. Hailing from the Hudson River Valley of New York State, she now calls the misty shores of Orcas Island home, so the jaunt to Tacoma's A Rhapsody in Bloom for a 7 p.m.  show will be a shorter commute. Her music is largely inspired by her travels both in the U.S. and Europe, as well as her long connection to nature, and keen interest in the stories of people she meets out on the road. Wielding two guitars, a flute, a hammered dulcimer and her voice Cruso will channel the traveling minstrels and divine misfits she has met on the back roads of life in the floral and espresso shop on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue. 

5. Born in France in the early '60s, Claude Bourbon grew up in Switzerland, where he was classically trained for many years. This finger picking guitarist has performed and studied all over the world; he has crafted an unbelievable fusion of classical and jazz, with ethereal Eastern influences, Spanish and Latin elements with strains of Western folk. Catch the Medieval and Spanish blue guitarist at 7 p.m. in the Olympic Room at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch in downtown Tacoma.

LINK: Wednesday, May 21 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area