30 YEARS OF TACOMA'S POLITICAL HISTORY >>>

Downtown Tacoma Renaissance, Hilltop Tacoma crime, Commencement Bay Superfund site, Tacoma Dome, Sheraton Hotel, University of Washington-Tacoma and other major, and minor, Tacoma historical events and projects will be discussed on TV Tacoma over the next two weeks. The show Cityline will present a two-part special discussing the past 30 years of Tacoma's political history first-hand with Tacoma mayors. Doug Southerland (1982-1989), Karen Vialle (1990-1993), Harold Moss (1994-1995), Brian Ebersole (1996-2000), Mike Crowley (2001), Bill Baarsma (2002-2009) and Marilyn Strickland (current) shared their personal experiences, frustrations and triumphs.

Part one of the two-part program will air at the following times:

• Dec. 22: 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dec. 23: 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Dec. 24: 2 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dec. 25: 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.
• Dec. 26: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Dec. 27: 2 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dec. 28: 4 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Part two will air at the following times:

• Dec.  29: 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dec.  30: 1 a.m., 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Dec.  31: 2 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dec.  1: 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.
• Dec.  2: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Dec.  3: 2 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Dec.  4: 4 a.m. and 11a.m.

Small print: TV Tacoma is available on both the Click! and Comcast cable systems. On Click!, TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma city limits and in Pierce County, with the exception of University Place, where it can be found on Channel 21. On Comcast, TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma city limits and on Channel 21 in Pierce County. For programming information or program streaming, visit www.tvtacoma.com.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

T.C. Broadnax Is Tacoma's Next City Manager: The stars at night are big and bright (clap, clap, clap, clap), deep in the heart of Texas. (News Tribune)

Tacoma Regional Convention & Visitor Bureau CEO Tammy Blount Is Outta Here: All the leaves a brown and the sky is grey. I've been for a walk on a winter's day. (News Tribune)

Floatplane Dock Coming To The Foss Waterway?: You know you got to go through hell before you get to heaven. (News Tribune)

Yippee!: Food scraps soon will be accepted in the yard waste bin. (News Tribune)

Analysis: Playing payroll tax roulette. (CNN)

Roger Ebert: Best films of the year. (Sun Times)

Trent Reznor: Comes clean on Fresh Air. (NPR)

Hall & Oates Hotline: Are you having a tough day? Do you love Hall & Oates? Call: 719-26-OATES. (The Atlantic Wire)

Christmas Movies: The worst. (Time)

Best SNL Skits Of The Year? (Pajiba)

ON THE SET OF ROSE COLORED SHADES WITH RANDY SPARKS >>>

I creep up the creaky, flame-emblazoned steps as silently as I can, not sure whether the audio guy will detect my approach through his boom mic. Director Randy Sparks has pretty much the entire floor above Tacoma's Stonegate Pizza and Rum Bar to himself this Sunday afternoon, shooting a scene from his newest picture, Rose Colored Shades.

Known up to this point for sunny comedies, Sparks has opted for something darker in this tale of cold-blooded gangsters and hit men, which he wrote with Rod Long. Today's scene summed up what viewers can expect: the not-so-angelic character Gabriel (Don MacEllis) rubbing out his latest victim as she sleeps in bed.

Too brutal for the holidays, you think? Gabriel's gravelly rendition of "Silent Night" during his kill should put you in a festive mood! (Maybe if you're Alex from A Clockwork Orange.) 

Most of the small crew I don't recognize, except folks like photographer Gerry Collen, who seems a fixture on every Sparks production. He hurries around the confined space, made to look like a bedroom, snapping photos while Sparks slates each take himself. A director should never have to do this job, but then I realize Sparks' need for a minimum of onlookers here. Besides murder, Rose doesn't blush at the sight of nudity either; I couldn't enter the set until actress Crystal Canales was (semi-)decent.

Sparks began shooting Rose Colored Shades in late August of this year, and says he has only about twenty percent of the script in the proverbial can. Used to wrapping short films in a matter of weeks, Sparks realizes, "I have to be a little more patient (on features)."

Others have had to adapt to new experiences as well. Canales, a member of the local roller derby outfit Dockyard Derby Dames, finds herself in front of the camera for the first time. She tells me she agreed to join the cast before even reading the script. Then she discovered her character appears slightly in the buff.

Canales laughs. "It was nerve-wracking."

Fortunately the breathing exercises she learned in yoga keep her calm between take after take of thrashing in terror - while a nearly all-male crew looks on. Also at her side (and on top of her) is 48-year-old veteran actor MacEllis, who plays the attacker. He based the unstable Gabriel in part on a former boss he had years ago as a bouncer at a club in San Diego.

MacEllis describes the owner like a movie cliche: "sleazy, icky, gold chain, open shirt...he was that stereotype." And wouldn't you know it, this shady cat supposedly got in too deep with the Mob and met his end by some very un-natural causes...

Stonegate has of late served as a resource for other filmmakers. Tacoma producer-director Rick Walters not only held a screening of his short Scamp at Stonegate in 2011, early last month he used the space to host a fundraiser for his upcoming horror flick, The Resolution. (Posters of both works still hang on the walls upstairs.)

Before leaving the Rose set I bump into Stonegate owner Jeff Call. What does he think about the rising cred of his place as a haven for film artists?

"I'm all about local. I'm a Tacoma boy," he says. "I just want to support these (artists) ... whatever I can do to help the community, and hopefully it helps me out."           

THE PIANO GUY COMING TO YOUR BEDROOM >>>

Scott Houston, the Public Television personality, piano teacher, educator and professional speaker will teach piano lessons on TV Tacoma beginning Jan. 1, 2012.

Here is the schedule:

• Mondays - 1:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
• Tuesdays - 9:30 a.m.
• Wednesdays - 10:30 p.m.
• Thursdays - 12:30 p.m.
• Fridays - 12:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
• Saturdays - 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Sundays -12:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

For programming information or program streaming, visit www.tvtacoma.com.

Good luck.

SUNDAY, DEC. 18, 2011 >>>

1. You're either old or you play Pokémon. Deal with it. Or drive the point home today at The Game Matrix on South Tacoma Way when Lakewood's installment of the 2011 Pokémon City Championships goes down - starting at 11 a.m. According to promotional hype, this officially sanctioned event is free to play and intended for Pokémon players of all ages and skill levels (Note: Anyone born after 1996 *gulp* qualifies for the "Masters Division). "Players will compete in exciting one-on-one battles as they vie for the prestigious title of Pokémon City Champions," according to the release. "Players at this weekend's Play! Pokémon City Championships will also be playing for Championship Points, which are awarded to top finishers at al Pokémon Championship Series events. Championship Points are a new addition t the Play! Pokémon season, giving Pokémon TCG players more chances to reach their ultimate goal - earning an invitation to the Pokémon World Championship in Hawaii next August." Did you even realize there was a Pokémon World Championship, Oldie McOlderson? Of course not. Now you do.

2. What's better than celebrating the birthday of a good friend? What about celebrating the birthday of a good friend that consistently provides you with drinks and a place to play shuffleboard? OK, OK ... what if we throw in some aerialists from Tallhouse Arts Consortium, free pizza and "lots of love," according to an esteemed member of the BroHo's staff (who may or may not be Nikki Talotta)? If you astutely observed that absolutely nothing is better than the aforementioned scenario you're a lot smarter than your parents give you credit for. Help The Brotherhood celebrate its anniversary in style tonight.

3. You have the tree picked out, every box of yard decorations categorized, and the yuletide music at full blast. Now all you need are some choice movies to fully embrace the reason for the season. At this time of year, more than any other (with Halloween as a possible exception), we use films as a way of connecting to that elusive holiday spirit. And The Grand Cinema in Tacoma continues this tradition this week with multiples screenings of the 1947 holiday classic, Miracle on 34^th Street, including today at 2:05 p.m. If this film doesn't get you in the holiday spirit we don't know what will.

4. Jazz guitarist Michael Powers headines the Christmas Jazz show tonight at Marine View Presbyterian Church in Tacoma. The show is all ages and starts at 5 p.m.

5. Join the Sunday Blues Jam Night at Uncle Sam's American Bar & Grill in Spanaway tonight, hosted by Shelly Ely. The good times run from 7 - 10 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Occupy Olympia: Many remain even after judge told them to scat. (News Tribune)

Race To The Top: Washington among nine states winning grants for Obama administration's cornerstone education initiative focusing on K-12 education. (News Tribune)

Burglaries: On the rise in Pierce County, University Pace and Edgewood according to reports. (News Tribune)

Intermission: What 7 billion people looks like. (Good Design)

Wikinews: Wikileak suspect wants recusal. (CNN)

Wha-What?: Will Amazon soon spy on you through tour kindle? (Gizmodo)

Late-Night Comedy Series: Russell Brand has inked a deal with FX to host one. (New York Post)

Cool: Radiohead will play Austin City Limits TV. (Consequence Of Sound)

230 Movies Of 2011 In 5 Minutes

WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE >>>

When I was a wee one, my heroes were not Roger Staubach, James Bond or even H. R. Puffinstuff. No, I looked up to Ted Simmons, a science professor from Orlando, Florida, and Milly Cornwall, a "stewardess" from Wichita, Kansas. I knew little about them; Ted had a beloved coin collection, and Milly was an avid tennis player. But I absorbed their essence.

They were the few, the proud, the contestants on Match Game. RIP Gene Rayburn!

I'm told other kids frolicked outside on swings, swam in pools and jumped their bikes over their friends. I even think I saw a few of them from my window while I was immersing myself in $20,000 Pyramid, Break the Bank, Password, Joker's Wild and my beloved Family Feud.

This was showbiz: microphones, funny banter, flashing lights and lovely parting gifts.

I wanted so bad to be on one of those shows. To be that young boy from Enumclaw whom could one day grow up and stand next to Bert Convy.

Ah, but life is such a cruel bitch.

Now I hear Family Feud will be in the area in January looking for contestants. And the dream is once again sparked. Could I get the chance to trade witty banter with host Steve Harvey and win $100,000 in cold hard cash?

Then I remember I have to bring family members.

I'm out.

[South Hill Mall, Family Feud auditions, Saturday, Jan. 14-Sunday, Jan. 15, need five family members, call for an appointment at 323.762.8467, or email seattle@familytryouts.com for complete information and available times]

THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 2011 >>>

1. There's a delightful dustiness that seems to adorn Eliot Lipp's electronic music; he embraces an old-school approach to arranging beats and synths and samples to create the kind of mélange that would find itself perfectly comfortable in a DJ's box of go-to vinyl. Whether tackling ambient soundscapes or club-bumping jams, Lipp manages to leave his own identifiable imprint on whatever he creates. Tonight Lipp plays the New Frontier Lounge.

2. Get a closer look at, and deeper understanding of, the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine by hitting the Capitol Theater in Olympia tonight for a screening of Swedish filmmaker Terje Carlsson's Israel vs. Israel, a documentary "about the current status of the Israeli peace movement includes both sensitive family discussion as well as secret testimony from former combat soldiers," according to promotions. Tonight's event will be a one-time screening, featuring a panel discussion led members of the Rachel Corrie Foundation and Carlsson via Skype.

3. Last year Weekly Volcano Publisher Pappi Swarner pounded some syrup, transformed into Buddy the Elf, and infamously acted as the tour guide for the Dec. 2010 installment of the Tacoma Third Thursday Art Walk Art Bus. Hilarity and art bus history ensued. Well guess what? Buddy is back, bitches! Tonight! Also returning will be musicians Doug Mackey and Evan Purcell who will perform Christmas music on the bus. Find more information about how to get involved in the art bus by going to creator Angela Jossy's website.

4. If there's nothing else that can be said about Tacoma's School of the Arts, it's a darn fine factory for churning out young and talented songwriters. To see each wave of SOTA musicians emerge from the school is an inspiring and fascinating thing to watch. To celebrate the end of the semester, tonight at The Space the students in SOTA's songwriting program will host a performance to showcase the wide array of voices and styles born out of the class. The action starts at 7:30 p.m. with a suggested $5 donation.

5. Peter Serko's photography exhibition at the Museum of Glass artistically documents the brief history of the museum since 2006. It also shows different aspects of the building, and of the adjacent Chihuly Bridge of Glass, taken during different times of day throughout the seasons. Serko, who will be on hand tonight to talk about the exhibit during Third Thursday Art Walk, says he hopes his show will prove to be an acknowledgement that art really has changed the city, and that the people, such as former Tacoma mayor Karen Vialle and longtime local artist Dayton (Karen) Knipher, who stuck their necks out for MOG and the arts in Tacoma were right. Serko says he hopes the exhibit will show that "this has been a wonderful thing for Tacoma. The Museum District has changed Tacoma for the good and in time I am certain it will be a thriving area for artists of all levels."

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Just Like The Movies: Washington State Patrol troopers and law enforcement officers from three counties chased two suspected burglars from Tumwater to DuPont early today but ended the pursuit after it got too dangerous. (News Tribune)

Oh So Special: The Legislature adjourned a 17-day special session after voting to close $480 million of the state's $2 billion budget gap. (News Tribune)

Encouraging: About 366,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week, the smallest number since May 2008. The news was better than analysts expected and sent stocks higher. (CNN)

Best Reality TV Series of 2011: Republican presidential debates. (CNN)

Ten weird holiday albums: Including Scott Weiland's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. (Flavorwire)

The Best Celebrity Tweets of 2011: Note: several are NSFW. (BuzzFeed)

Cheerios Site Posts Graphic Honey Bee Comic: We're talking honey bee sex. (Cinemablend)

TCM Remembers: Celebrities we lost this year. (TCM)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma Budget Ax: Police and firefighters set to be laid off get reprieve. (News Tribune)

Tacoma City Manager Hunt: Tacoma Interim City Manager Rey Arellano, San Antonio Assistant City Manager T.C. Broadnax and Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz have put their holiday end-of-the-year letters on hold. (News Tribune)

Pierce County Air Quality: It sucks even more. (News Tribune)

Freed: An Afghan woman whose plight gained international attention when she was imprisoned for adultery after a relative raped her has been freed. (CNN)

Music List: Pitchfork names its top 100 tracks of the year. (Pitchfork)

TV List: The 10 freakiest commercials of the year. (Warming Glow)

Why?: Hear 10 seconds from every hit song on the '80s. (WFMU)

Action Figures: MTV names the best of the year. (MTV)

Louis C.K.: Dude has feelings. (Fresh Air)

Mean!