POTHOLES ARE ON HIS AGENDA >>>

Earlier this week the Volcano published and interview with Tacoma City Councilmember Ryan Mellow conducted by our own Zach Powers. From the Spaceworks Tacoma to the need to get away from auto-centric city planning, Mello covered a lot of ground.

Here's a little bit more from Mello that we saved for a special occasion, as well as a link below to the full interview.

WEEKLY VOLCANO: What will you personally be focused on in 2011? 

RYAN MELLO:One thing I'll be working hard on in 2011 is recruiting some clean energy and clean water technology businesses to be leveraged off of Urban Waters. [The Center for Urban Waters is a brand new 51,000 square-foot office and laboratory building, completed in spring 2010, that houses Tacoma's Environmental Services analytical labs and engineering offices, University of Washington Tacoma research labs, and offices for the Puget Sound Partnership.] I'll be working to recruit businesses to make sure we have the right people and systems in place so that when a business wants to locate and be leveraged off of this investment they know where to go and they can quickly come to market. I think it's important to work on creating jobs with a focus on clean energy and clean technology.

I'll also be working on the discount rates for Tacoma Public Utilities. For the poorest of the poor in our community, as well as the people on the edge, we can't keep having these huge escalations in utility rates. We have folks who absolutely cannot afford it. We have to figure out a discount strategy that allows those folks, who literally have been choosing between heating their home or buying their prescription medication for their blood pressure, or heating their home or paying their mortgage bill, to not have to choose. It's unconscionable to not.

I'll also be working on full implementation of the climate plan, which means full implementation of the Urban Forest Program and more implementation of the Mobility Master Plan. I'll also be continuing to look at our infrastructure. I talk to folks all the time about how horrible our roads are, so I think we need to talk to the community about a possible package on the ballot. Find out if people will invest if they see something in return, to fix the residential roads and the quality of the infrastructure in our neighborhoods and in our business districts.  

LINK: Read the full interview here.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SUMMER >>>

Here we are, clamped firmly in winter's dismal, rime-curdled armpit, and I'm in full-on hibernation mode. Fortunately, my projected schedule for the next two months includes plenty of worshipping the space heater, taking hot showers and slaughtering my friends at Scrabble; but even triple-word-score beatdowns eventually get old. So I'm thrilled to hear every second Saturday I can still visit my friends at the Proctor Farmers Market. Here's the press release:

With the beginning of its Winter Market Season, the Proctor Farmers' Market becomes the first year-round farmers' market in Pierce County. The Proctor Farmers' Market will be open once monthly on every Second Saturday during December, January, February, and March.

Read more...

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BEER DRINKING - NOW WITH MORE SCIENCE! >>>

Whoever says Tacoma's Center of Urban Waters consists solely of environmental freaks and engineering geeks who hole up inside their kick ass 51,000 square-foot office and laboratory building on Thea Foss Waterway shying from public contact as they play with their test tubes and mentally compute the velocity of their own pee is a big fat liar. Believe it or not, these scientists and engineers adore the public, and will prove it Thursday night when the Pacific Science Center launches the Tacoma version of its awesome Science Café at The Harmon Brewery and Restaurant.

The third monthly science café launched by PSC - Queen Anne hill in Seattle and Kirkland have a hold on the first two - the Tacoma Science Café will kick off its monthly science chat, over beers, with University of Washington Tacoma research scientist Julie Masura, who hangs with the Center of Urban Waters folks after the class bell rings. Masura - huge into microplastics studies - will discuss how these teeny tiny particles are destroying our oceans.

You might want to pull back from your normal beer consumption Thursday, as Masura will also host a Q-and-A session.

Tacoma Science Café

Thursday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m., all ages, no cover
Harmon Brewery and Eatery
1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma
(253) 383-2739

THIS IS SOMETHING TO KNOW >>>

The City of Tacoma sent us this ditty:

The Sustainable Tacoma Grant offers up to $5,000 through the City of Tacoma's Office of Sustainability to any non-profit or educational institution planning a project related to sustainable development and climate change mitigation.

Tie-ins with Tacoma's Climate Action Plan, found here, are encouraged. Key strategies in that plan include transportation/fuel reduction, energy conservation, waste reduction/recycling, and smart land use/ livable neighborhoods.

Applications must be emailed or post-marked by Oct. 29, 2010.

Some possible projects might include developing a walking schoolbus program, school and urban agriculture projects, installing a passive thermal solar water heater, planting example street trees with informational signage, creating a YouTube video to educate citizens on recycling in Tacoma, conducting a tap water vs. bottled water taste-off, and installing recycling stations at a local middle school.

To find out more about the Sustainable Tacoma Grant Program, for tips, or information on how to apply, click here. 

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

The horror! Smell the screams of mowed grass.

A RETURN TO JOB CARR DAYS >>>

Strolling through Old Town Tacoma late afternoon yesterday, we came upon this scene at Carr and Tacoma Avenue. We tried to snap a closer shot but were charged by the chicken on the left. We were too chicken to try again.

We posted a story on urban chicken farming last month. You may read it here.

THURSDAY, AUG. 5, 2010 >>>

1. Come Out And Play Open Mic with hosts Kim Archer and Nick Sandy runs at the Tempest Lounge from 7-10 p.m.

2. Children have taken over The Gallery at TCC. It's cool. They didn't kiss the walls with Kool-Aid stained mouths or anything of the sort. Instead the tykes - ages 6-9 - have covered the walls with their artwork during their Early Learning Center summer program stay. Drop by for a looksy from 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. 

3. Once a month the environmental community group Tacoma Green Drinks gets together to just have fun and meet new people. They don't try to solve any problems, sign you up to testify for anything or ask you for money. They just want to have fun ... and drink. Tonight they'll gather from 5:30-8 p.m. at Wildside Wine. While they say they won't try to solve and problems, we'd like to see what happens if you throw your napkin in the wrong bin.

4. Good news about a depressing thing: South Puget Sound Community College Drama Department will revisit The Laramie Project - the story of the death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard - as they did eight years ago. This time, the play returns in a new form as The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, revisiting the community and its ongoing struggle to cope with what happened that night. See it at 8 p.m. inside the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts.

5. Go Hard Or Go Home MC Battle, hosted by SP, with DJ Travisty, begins at 11 p.m. inside The Royal Lounge in Olympia.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

SUSTAINABLE MARKET/SWAP IN PARKLAND >>>

Parkland's not typically one of the first "neighborhoods" that comes to mind when you hear the term "cutting edge." That said, you'll find a sustainable swap meet every Friday on Garfield Street. Titled "Fresh Fridays," from 3-6 p.m. every Friday, you may sell, buy, trade or barter fresh produce, plants and flowers on a small grassy spot with a picnic table in front of the gravel parking area on the south side of the street. Can you picture the spot? It's more toward the Pacific Lutheran University end of Garfield Street.

People are welcome to come and set up a spot. There isn't a fee – just folks sharing their bounties.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Ian McKellen is mistaken for a wizard.

Apparently, Heinz ketchup is about to change its recipe

The really bad oil spill may actually be really (infinite) bad.

In a poll of 1,600 Russians, more than half think bribing officials is the best way to "solve problems."

Devil Inside: Beck's new Record Club cover album is out.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

In his commencement address at Hampton University (where?) yesterday, President Obama went grandpa when he blamed "iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations" for the downfall of democracy.

The giant dome didn't work out to stop the gushing Gulf of Mexico oil leak, so the new plan is to stuffing the leak with trash - "shredded tires, golf balls" - in what they're calling a "junk shot."

The world's biggest beaver dam was spotted by satellite.

Lena Horne died.

It's Sid Vicious' birthday.