The much anticipated softball matchup between Narrows 3A preseason favorites Wilson and Timberline had everything that a fan could want to see. Despite a furious comeback by Wilson, the Blazers edged the Rams 7-6 on April 8 behind home runs from Ellie Jones and Aundrea Temple.

“We did not put the ball in play when we had to and it cost us in the end,” said Wilson head coach Ron Balmer, who saw his team fall to 3-1 in Narrows 3A play.

The Lady Blazers got on the board first in the first inning when Megan Porche singled in Jones with two outs to take a 1-0 lead. Wilson, meanwhile, would have a difficult time figuring out Timberline pitcher Becka Nelson. She tied the Lady Rams up with her assortment of breaking balls and fastballs for six innings, allowing only a bunt single by Maddisyn Scott in the second inning.

The Lady Blazers would extend their lead in the middle innings. With one on and one out in the fourth inning, Temple stroked a two-run home run over the right center field wall for a 3-0 Blazer lead. Jones would add to the Timberline lead in the fifth against Wilson starter Stephanie Granger with a two-run homer of her own to up the Blazers’ lead to 5-0. Just when the Lady Rams thought it could not get any worse, Madison Bernard singled in both Porche and Temple to make it 7-0.

The Rams finally began to solve Nelson in their half of the sixth when Alex Flynn singled in Kaysha Fox to cut the lead to 7-1. The Rams then began to furiously trim the deficit in the final inning. Kenzie Baynes got it started with a two-run home run to trim the lead to 7-3. With the score at 7-4 with one on, Darian Grimm drilled a two-run home run to right center field to cut the lead to 7-6. James would retire the last two hitters to preserve the win, but the late rally created a ray of hope for the Lady Rams.

“We are beginning to build our confidence gradually,” said Fox. “We’re getting more energy game-in and game-out, and my game is beginning to come together each and every game.”

Tacoma baseball fans, meet the future. When the Rainiers play their opening series at Cheney Stadium April 12-19, the roster will include four of the Mariners organization’s top prospects as ranked by Baseball America, along with some old favorites and many new players added to the team over the offseason.

Catcher Mike Zunino (No. 1 prospect,) pitchers Danny Hultzen (No. 3) and James Paxton (No. 4) and infielder Nick Franklin (No. 5) all began the season with Tacoma. Zunino, who was drafted in 2011, spent most of 2012 at Double A Jackson as did Paxton, drafted in 2010. Paxton’s record at Double A was 9-4 with a 3.05 ERA through 21 starts.

Hultzen made 12 starts for Tacoma in 2012 and Franklin played 64 games here as well. Hultzen was the winning pitcher of the Rainiers’ first game of the 2013 season in Fresno on April 4, striking out eight while giving up three hits and one run and walking two in six innings. Zunino hit his first home run, which travelled approximately 425 feet, in the 9-1 trouncing of Fresno.

Lefties Hultzen and Paxton are part of the team’s starting rotation, along with right handers Andrew Carraway and D.J. Mitchell and Major League veteran Jeremy Bonderman, who signed a minor league contract with the Mariners this offseason. The Pasco native has appeared in more than 200 MLB games over eight seasons with the Detroit Tigers, but has not pitched since the end of the 2010 season while recovering from elbow surgery.

Members of the bullpen who were in Tacoma last year include Danny Farquhar, Steven Hensley, Bobby LaFromboise, Yoervis Medina, Brian Moran and Brian Sweeney. Logan Bawcom and Jhonny Nunez were added over the winter. Alex Liddi, Scott Savastano and Carlos Triunfel will be rejoining the Rainiers’ infield. They will play alongside newcomers Rich Poythress and Nate Tenbrink. Veteran Carlos Peguero returns to the outfield, along with first-time Rainiers Denny Almonte, Endy Chavez and Eric Thames. Jesus Sucre, who was with Jackson in 2012, will back up Zunino behind the plate.

Daren Brown starts his seventh season as manager of the Rainiers, and his 13th overall in the Mariners’ minor league system. Brown’s regular-season record with the club is 416-419 plus one post-season victory from 2009. He became the Rainiers’ winningest manager on May 28, 2012, with 376 wins, surpassing Dan Rohn. Brown also served as the Mariners’ interim manager for 50 games in 2010. His record in Seattle was 19-31.

Pitching coach Dwight Bernard also is back for his seventh season with the Rainiers. After being with the Rainiers from 2006-2009, Bernard was the pitching coach with the Mariners’ Class A team in Clinton, Iowa in 2010, before returning to Tacoma last year. He’s starting his 10th season as a coach in the Mariners’ minor league system.

Howard Johnson replaces Jeff Pentland as the team’s hitting coach. Known as “Ho Jo," Johnson spent 14 Major League seasons playing third base with the Tigers, Mets, Rockies and Cubs. He also has 11 years of experience coaching and managing.

Other members of the coaching staff include trainer Tom Newberg, athletic trainer B.J. Downie, performance coach Rob Fumagelli and first base coach Brent Johnson.

The Rainiers open their home slate against the Salt Lake City Bees April 12-15. Opening night has a 7:05 p.m. start time, followed by games starting at 5:05 p.m. (April 13), 1:30 p.m. (April 14) and 6 p.m. (April 15.) Fresno comes in April 16-19. In this series all games start at 7:05 p.m. except for April 16, which starts at 6:05 p.m. There will be fireworks following the games on April 12 and April 19.

Tickets range from $7 (grass berm seats) to $25 (box seats). Reserved seat prices are $13 for adults and $12 for children 14 years old and younger, seniors 60 years old and older and military. All general admission seating is on the grass berm located at the end of the right field line. Fans sitting there can bring blankets to sit on but are not allowed to bring in folding chairs or other seating.

All Rainier games can be heard on KHHO 850 AM radio. Mike Curto begins his 15th year as the team’s play-by-play announcer. Once again legendary sportscaster Bob Robertson will join Curto on the air for every Monday home game. Robertson was the radio voice of Tacoma baseball from 1984 to 1998, and has broadcast Washington State University football games since 1964. He has been named Washington State sports broadcaster of the year 12 times.

So get out the Sharpies and oil the gloves. The 54th season of Triple A baseball in Tacoma is about to begin. With a great mix of outstanding prospects and seasoned performers it should be an amazing one for all involved. Even the Canadian geese will likely do an opening night fly-over to celebrate the occasion.

Contact the writer at missbaseball9@juno.com.

The Life Christian baseball team was eager to get back to work after spring break. Using a five-run second inning and scoring at least a run in each frame, the Eagles took a 12-2 nonleague win over Tacoma Baptist in a five-inning contest on April 9 at Cirque Park in University Place.

“We’ve had 12 days off,” said Life Christian head coach Gregg Leach. “We’re really thankful to get back because we have a really tough league, and it starts again tomorrow.”

Tacoma Baptist struck first in the top of the first inning when Tommie Brazile scored on a wild pitch after an earlier single, but Life Christian tied it in the bottom half on Sam Absten’s groundout to score Drex Davis. Matt Hallstrom gave the Crusaders a momentary 2-1 lead in the second with a double to score Isaiah Kazarovich, but the floodgates then opened for the Eagles. Hunter Haley led off with a walk and tied it by scoring on a wild pitch, and Davis gave the Crusaders the lead for good with a run-scoring double to plate Connor Kuykendall. Davis and Absten later scored on throwing errors, while Taylor Roeloffs scored on a wild pitch as the Eagles quickly held a 6-2 lead.

“We’re young and inexperienced,” said Tacoma Baptist head coach Kraig Gillman. “We’ve struggled playing defense. Our pitching has been decent, but we’ve struggled making the routine plays.”

Sam Veliz took the mound for Life Christian in the third and pitched three scoreless innings to pick up the win, including striking out the side in the fourth and tallying five total strikeouts.

The Eagles’ offense then added two runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings, as Kevin Breen forced the mercy rule in the fifth with a single to score Davis. Haley and Gage Roth had run-scoring singles in the third, and Jeremy Pallwitz added a booming run-scoring double in the fourth. The Eagles used just eight hits to tally their 12 runs, but drew five walks, were hit by a pitch three times and tallied 13 stolen bases.

“Right now we don’t have the big boppers that come up with the huge hits all the time, so we need to do the little things to move the runners along…playing little ball and being fundamentally sound,” Leach said.

The win puts the Eagles at 5-4 overall, with a 3-3 mark in the Nisqually 1A league, while Tacoma Baptist dropped to 4-6 overall with a 1-2 mark in the Sea-Tac 2B league.

The Crusaders were set for another nonleague affair at Charles Wright on April 11 before traveling to take on league foe Seattle Lutheran on April 17. The Eagles were scheduled to take on league-leading Cedar Park Christian on April 10, and will travel to Seattle Christian on April 12 at 4 p.m. They sat in sixth place in the league but were just one game out of a playoff spot with 10 league contests remaining.

“The boys are buying into the program,” Leach said. “We have options this year. We have a good nucleus of players. It’s been a real blessing.”

The Puget Sound softball team was looking for any sort of break to get them into the win column as they faced their crosstown rival and defending national champion Pacific Lutheran in the second half of two straight doubleheaders against the Lutes on April 2-3. But the end results would be more of the same for the Loggers at home on April 3, as they were shut out twice by PLU to remain winless this season.

The Lutes’ Leah Butters scattered five hits in a complete-game win in game one, and Kaaren Hatlen and Kelsey Robinson duplicated that feat in game two as PLU completed the four-game, two-day sweep by scores of 7-0 and 8-0. The Lutes improved to 12-6 in Northwest Conference play, but sat four games behind league-leading Linfield.

“We’ve been pretty inconsistent for most of the year and today was no exception,” said PLU coach Erin Van Nostrand, who was still looking for some consistency in her defending champs’ play. “We’ll have to play better than we did today if we hope to advance far in the playoffs this year.”

The Lutes would get all the runs they would need in the first inning of game one, as Hatlen drove in Melissa Harrelson with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. Glenelle Nitta would punctuate the opening-game win for the Lutes with a solo home run to right center field in the second inning. Hatlen later helped make it 5-0 with a two-run triple in the third to put the icing on the cake in game one.

Struggling to find any kind of consistent offense all day, the Loggers would manage to get only one runner – first baseman Shannon Reed – as far as second base.

The Lutes would coast in the nightcap, with Hatlen throwing five shutout innings and adding a first-inning solo home run to right field, as she finished with two runs batted in.

“I made up my mind to go after the hitters early, and I hit my spots for most of the five innings that I threw,” Haatlen said. “I’ve been swinging the bat really well too.”

Despite all the of the trials and tribulations they have experienced this year, the Loggers are not without bright spots. Third baseman Amy Schmeckpeper has been a real sparkplug for first-year coach Kellyn Tate. She provided much of the offense for UPS in game two, going 2-for-3 while getting little support from her teammates. While she hopes for better results in all facets of the game, Van Nostrand is hoping her squad can close with a rush and possibly repeat as Division III champs. “Linfield is really playing well right now, but if we can get some semblance of consistency we could make things interesting in the (league) tournament and beyond. We’ll see what happens.”

Paula Henry thought her nightmare was over when her husband’s killer was convicted of the murder, six years after the man shot her husband in the face with a shotgun. She was wrong. Now the killer is suing her and she's determined to change state law to defend grieving families against convicts seeking to sue their victims.

Her nightmare started on Sept. 11, 1995, when a masked man approached Henry’s husband Robert in the parking lot of the North Coast Electric Company and shot his car window before executing him with a shotgun blast to his head. Robert Henry was just 33. Witnesses in the parking lot saw the killing but could not identify the shooter, who fled on foot through a fence, and then drove away on a black motorcycle.

Paula Henry immediately fingered Larry Shandola as the likely killer. Shandola had been her husband’s business partner. Tacoma Police detectives spent five years gathering enough evidence for an arrest. Shandola and Henry worked at Tacoma Public Utilities during the span of the investigation, where Shandola, the prime suspect from the beginning, reportedly harassed Paula Henry with details of the murder of her husband. The investigation included parts of Canada, the Caribbean and surrounding Pacific Northwest states. Shandola was eventually convicted, six years to the day of the murder. He was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Paula Henry’s nightmare returned recently after Shandola was convicted when she heard a knock on her door. She was being served with legal papers that stated Shandola was suing her for violating his right to privacy and for causing him emotional distress for fighting to keep him from serving out his sentence in his native Canada rather than in Washington. He seeks $50,000 in damages from Henry and $50,000 from four other defendants.

Since the lawsuit filing a month and a half ago, Paula Henry has moved from her home out of fear that her husband’s killer knows where she lives and has contacted her. She is also fighting the lawsuit through John W. Ladenburg Sr., former Pierce County prosecutor and executive now in private practice. She is also seeking a legislative change that would make it illegal for convicts to sue their victims or their families. The proposed legal change would require court permission before convicts could file claims against their victims.

“You shouldn’t be able to kill someone and go to prison and then sue the victim’s widow and her friends for damages because they exercised their rights,” Ladenburg said. “He has cost thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees. There is a lot that goes into fighting one of these things.”

The lead investigator was Det. Robert Yerbury, who followed the leads wherever they went in what remains the most extensive investigation in the history of Tacoma law enforcement.

“Tacoma Police did a fantastic job,” Ladenburg said. “This guy was just really good at covering his tracks and it took a while to pull the investigation together.”

A judge is set to hear the case this week.

CLAIM YOUR SPOT EARLY FOR THE DAFFODIL PARADE

On April 13, the Daffodil Parade will be making its way through the South Sound in celebration of its 80th year. Be sure to claim your spot early along the parade route to get a good view of the more than 150 colorfully decorated floats, the marching bands, mounted units and everything else this family-friendly event has to offer. The parade kicks off from South 11th Street and Pacific Avenue in Tacoma at 10:15 a.m. then continues to Puyallup, where it will arrive at approximately 12:45 p.m., then to Sumner (2:30 p.m.) and Orting (5 p.m.). Find the complete parade route and all things going on over the Daffodil weekend at http://www.thedaffodilfestival.org.

I-5 EXIT TO TACOMA MALL TO CLOSE FOR THREE MONTHS

Drivers on southbound Interstate 5 heading to Tacoma Mall and surrounding businesses in Tacoma will find the South 38th Street exit (#132A) closed starting at 12:01 a.m. on April 20. The exit will remain closed through July.

During the extended closure, crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will demolish the existing ramp and connect a new ramp that will accommodate the eastbound State Route 16 viaduct currently under construction.

Preparatory work for the lengthy closure requires full closures of eastbound SR 16 and some area ramps. The closures are scheduled as follows:

11 p.m. on April 15 to 4 a.m. on April 16: Closing all eastbound SR 16 lanes at Union Avenue and closing Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.

11 p.m. on April 16 to 4 a.m. on April 17: Closing all eastbound SR 16 lanes at Union Avenue and closing Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.

10 p.m. on April 19 to 7:30 a.m. on April 20: Closing one southbound lane of I-5 between I-705 and SR 16. The southbound I-5 exit to westbound SR 16 will remain open.

12:01 a.m. on April 20: Closing southbound I-5 exit to South 38th Street (Exit #132A). The closure will remain in effect through July.

12:01 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. on April 20: Also closing southbound I-5 exit to westbound SR 16 (Exit #132B). Motorists will be detoured via the South 56th Street interchange.

10 p.m. on April 20 to 9 a.m. on April 21: Closing all eastbound SR 16 lanes at Union Avenue and closing Union Avenue on-ramp to eastbound SR 16.

WSDOT will provide a signed detour directing motorists to exit I-5 at South 56th Street, re-enter northbound I-5 and to access South 38th Street from northbound I-5. With the exception of six hours early in the morning of April 20, the southbound I-5 exit to westbound SR 16 (#132B) will remain open.

“We know this long ramp closure is an inconvenience,” said Kevin Dayton, WSDOT Olympic Region administrator. “We have done all the work we can do while keeping the exit open to traffic. We appreciate everybody’s patience while we work as fast as possible to complete and reopen the new ramp.”

Drivers can expect congestion on I-5 in the vicinity of SR 16 during the closure, especially between 3 and 6 p.m. on weekdays. To keep traffic moving, WSDOT encourages motorists to alter their routes and travel times if possible. Up to 9,000 drivers use the South 38th Street exit each day.

The work is part of the $115 million SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project that is scheduled for completion in mid- 2014.

STATE SET TO CRACK DOWN ON ‘POT BARS’

The Washington State Liquor Control Board opened a rule-making talk on April 3 to address consumption of marijuana in liquor-licensed establishments, like the Stonegate in South Tacoma.

Section 21 of Initiative 502 states: It is unlawful to open a package containing marijuana, useable marijuana or a marijuana-infused product, or consume marijuana, useable marijuana or a marijuana-infused product, in view of the general public.

A person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 3 civil infraction with a $103 fine that would be imposed on the customer. However, the law does not address enforcement penalties for the licensee for allowing a prohibited practice, such as they do under state liquor laws.

The Stonegate and Frankie's Sports Bar in Olympia are allowing patrons to either smoke, vaporize or otherwise ingest marijuana on the premises after paying a nominal membership fee that does not, they argue, make the premise a "public place."

Stonegate owner Jeff Call said he has yet to be contacted about his establishment's Vape Club. For the last two months, Stonegate patrons have been allowed to buy memberships, for as little as $1, that allow them to enter the upstairs lounge and inhale the vapor from marijuana-infused oil.

No marijuana products are sold on premises at the Stonegate. But medical marijuana cardholders can obtain them from the Green Light Expo, a collective cannabis garden across the street.

"I don't think we're breaking any laws," Call said. "We're doing it in private, and there's no smoke."

“It is important that the board clarify now that consuming marijuana in a state liquor-licensed establishment is not acceptable,” said Board Chair Sharon Foster. “Public consumption of marijuana is clearly illegal under Washington’s new law.”

In addition to the prohibition on public consumption, the board is concerned there may be public safety considerations for mixing alcohol and marijuana in liquor-licensed locations such as over service and increased impaired driving.

Filing a CR 101, which formally opens the rule-making process, the board will begin taking public input on the topic of consumption of marijuana at licensed locations.

TACOMA MAN SENTENCED FOR TAX FRAUD

One of four people indicted for scheming to fraudulently claim more than $145,000 in tax refunds using the names and Social Security numbers of inmates at the Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla, was sentenced April 8 in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.

Richard Shane Wright, 43, was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to defraud the government. The alleged leader of the conspiracy, Kenneth Randle Door, is scheduled for trial later this year.

At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle ordered Wright to pay $71,885 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Treasury and remarked, “the United States Treasury is not the real victim” of this serious offense; rather, “the real victims are the millions of people who will be filing their tax returns later this month. . . . Our system relies upon folks who pay their taxes to fund the operation of what is still the greatest country on Earth, perhaps the greatest country that has ever existed.”

According to records filed in the case, in March 2009 Wright joined the scheme, which was responsible for filing at least 31 fraudulent tax returns for tax years 2007 and 2008. Door provided the names and Social Security numbers of his fellow inmates at the Washington State Penitentiary, which Wright and others used to create and file fake W-2 forms and federal income tax returns, all claiming tax refunds due. In order to fabricate employment and wage data, the conspirators identified companies that had declared bankruptcy and had recently closed. Wright created fake W-2 forms indicating wages paid and taxes withheld from the individuals whose identities they used. The refunds were typically directed to one of several bank accounts controlled by Wright or another associate. In all, the conspirators tried to obtain more than $145,000 in tax refunds, and nearly $72,000 was paid out. Co-schemers Lucy Anne Hyder, aka Lucy Bailey, 53, was sentenced in February to eight months in prison, and Ruth Louise Branstetter, aka Ruth Bishop, 48, was sentenced last month to almost seven months in prison.

“Stopping refund fraud remains a priority for IRS CI because when people steal from the U.S. Treasury the real victim is every honest taxpayer in America,” said Special Agent in Charge Kenneth J. Hines, of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, in Seattle. “These crimes are a threat to our nation’s ability to fund programs and services for our communities, and special agents of IRS CI will continue to work with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to detect these frauds, shut them down, and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Masada.

TRADE WATCHERS TO HOST EXPORT FORUM

With 95 percent of potential customers living outside the United States, exporting goods and services makes great sense and can add significantly to a firm’s bottom line.

The Pierce County Economic Development Department and the World Trade Center Tacoma are teaming up to host an export Forum this month to help businesses succeed.

Washington State Commerce Director Brian Bonlender will be the keynote speaker at this annual event. Participants will learn about exporting from private companies and federal, state and local experts.

The event is free, so join other business leaders for networking and meeting with professionals at hosted display tables. It happens on April 26 – registration/coffee 8:30 a.m., program 9 a.m. to noon – at Environmental Services Building, 9850 64th St. W. in University Place.

WANT TO BUY A POLICE SUBSTATION?

The City of Tacoma is soliciting proposals from persons or entities interested in purchasing the former Sector Four Police Substation, located at 3524 McKinley Ave.

A request for proposal has been published seeking proposals for the acquisition of the building.

This sale does not impact the operations of the current Sector Four Police Substation, located at Stewart Heights at 400 E. 56th St.

To be considered, proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements and no later than June 4.

For a copy of the RFP, go to: http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=19460.

FAA DELAYS CLOSURE OF CONTROL TOWER

The Federal Aviation Administration announced April 5 it will delay the closure of the contract control tower at the Tacoma Narrows Airport in Gig Harbor until June 15.

The tower is one of 149 contract control towers slated to close this spring as the FAA implements $637 million in budget cuts under sequestration. All 149 towers, which are located around the country, will remain open until June 15.

“We appreciate the closure delay, as it will allow Pierce County to ensure our pilot community is informed about the closure and prepared for the transition,” said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy. “We will also explore options to operate the tower as a non-federal control tower on a part-time basis, such as on busy summer weekends. We plan to look into sponsorship opportunities that would allow us to create a public-private partnership to cover the costs.”

The FAA had planned to start a four-week phased closure of the towers on April 7. The Tacoma Narrows Airport tower was scheduled to close at 8 p.m. on April 7.

Tacoma Narrows Airport will remain open after the FAA contract tower closes. Instead of having tower controllers directing air traffic, pilots would use well-defined procedures applicable at all airports without an operating control tower. These standard procedures are already in use between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. at the Tacoma Narrows Airport, and 24 hours a day at Pierce County Airport-Thun Field, which is also operated by Pierce County and has never had a control tower.

CITY SURVEY SEEKS INPUT ON WEBSITE USAGE, CONTENT

The City of Tacoma has been working to overhaul its external website to better serve the needs of Tacoma's residents, businesses and visitors.

As part of its efforts to fully integrate a more modern design with improved ease of navigation and citizen engagement, the city's Media and Communications Office invites everyone to provide additional input through a brief web usage survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cotwebcontent.

MILITARY GET IN FREE AT SPRING FAIR

The Spring Fair in Puyallup is a great place for members of the military community to share time together, either as a family or with friends. Making it even more enjoyable is free gate admission to all active, reserve and retired military and National Guard and their dependents, plus disabled veterans with valid military identification at any Spring Fair gate on April 19, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Members of the military and their families find the Fair is a great chance to reconnect and create lasting memories. This year’s Spring Fair offers a new exhibit, Aussie Kingdom, a show offered several times a day featuring marsupials (animals with pouches). The Swifty Swine Racing Pigs are always a big hit with military families, as well as Auto Alley, where dragsters, funny cars and more will be shown. Monster truck rides are only $7 on Friday from 2-6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Three separate ticketed events are the monster truck show on Friday night at 7:30 p.m., and two Slamfest demolition derbies. One is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. featuring sport utility vehicles and trucks, and another on Sunday at 4 p.m., featuring big cars. Advance tickets include Fair gate admission, if desired, at http://www.thefair.com.

Military Appreciation Day is an annual event, with media partnership made possible by 94.1 KMPS and 102.5 KZOK, home of The Danny Bonaduce Show. Bonaduce will be at the KZOK tent thanking military members between 5:30-6:30 p.m.

In addition to purchasing discount tickets in advance online, gate tickets can be purchased at participating Fred Meyer stores, Safeway stores, and South Hill Mall for $7.50 (adults), and $5.50 (students 6-18 years).

Adult gate tickets are $10 at the gate, and students (6-18 years) are $7 at the gate. Children 5 years and under are free. Parking is free. The event runs from April 18-21. Hours are: Thursday 2-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit www.thefair.com for updated activities and times.

Parading down Antique Row on the weekends with a group of friends in tow has become a bit of a hobby of mine. Though I rarely buy anything, and scarcely have enough money to spend, the simple joy of looking through the various antiques stores that line the street is one that can hardly be put into words.

This weekend I found myself in the company of two close friends and a classic case of Saturday evening boredom. After a quick meal at The Harmon we were weaving in and out of the shops, eyeing various pieces of literature and old clothes that caught our attention, before quickly moving onto the next store. Nearing the end of the street we found ourselves on the verge of turning back and finding something else to do when we came face to face with a long stretch of various pieces of old furniture that beckoned us to see how long the trail they created ran for.

Curious, we found that the long line of furniture was actually in an ascending angle that led straight up into a mysterious and alien store that I had never seen before. I hardly needed to consult my companions on the idea of venturing forward and in the silence; the three of us began our trip up the ramp.

The store, Rampizi, was a head spin just to be in. To picture its atmosphere and its surroundings, one would need to imagine a delusional dream-like state that could be conjured up by both Lewis Carroll and David Lynch in an improbably shared acid trip, or as my photographer said, “It is kind of like Salvador Dali walked in here and then exploded.”

Spread across its 6,000 square feet, decapitated mannequin body pieces line the walls and are scattered amongst the large pieces of furniture that stand stacked on top of one another. The extreme amount of exotic furniture towered over us, and overwhelmed us. They create walkways and transform the massive space into a maze-like layout that stretches outward in every which way for what seems like miles. My friends and I took a left turn as soon as we entered, and found ourselves among other amazed shoppers, who were in awe of such a lucid, dreamlike place. From the ceilings other pieces of furniture are hung by carefully tied rope. Looking up, one can see everything from the likes of chairs of Asian design, to old Russian baby carriages, to enough dangling blazers and jackets to fit an entire army. In another nook of the store, the walls of a small, cluttered room are hung high with various, and at times conflicting, works of art.

Above where I sat, a Pacific Northwestern depiction of a bald Eagle hangs next to a shaded drawing of a golden lamp. An ornate mirror that would feel at home in a haunted house created by Edgar Allen Poe stood out among the objects. A hand-stitched blanket displaying a smiling John F. Kennedy lay across the back of a leather chair. In my hand I held the mutilated arm of a mannequin with a missing hand and an inverted cross etched across its forearm. To top it all off, to my right stood a towering fake palm tree covered in Christmas lights.

“It's like every time you look around, you find something new, something you didn't see before,” said one of my fellow ramp adventurers.

Entranced, the three of us continued our journey, realizing that we had only seen about half of the store. Amongst the sights we saw while making our way through the remaining areas of Rampizi were: a massive afghan created in the image of “Gone With The Wind,” pieces of mismatched furniture (some dating back to the late 1800s), dismembered, pale mannequin arms reaching from open boxes and descending from the ceilings, clocks warped and bent to fit the very same image that Dali is known for, and dangling portraits of distant landscapes. The landscapes by themselves might capture one's eye, but they all seem so uninteresting when compared to the rest of the store.

An interesting store calls for an interesting owner, and few are more interesting than David Norton. Our final stop on this tour led us to the door of his office. There he stood, in a doorframe, banging away at drums that dangled in the air strung up by rope and delicately placed to form a flying makeshift drum set.

To antique store frequenters, the name David Norton may ring a bell. Norton has made a name for himself moving from shop to shop since the 90s, and though his primary home seems to be antique row or various warehouses downtown, he has worked on Sixth Avenue and other areas around Tacoma and Washington. Up The Ramp is his latest creation, and according to Norton’s previous customers, it bears its owner's wild and creative style.

“I'm very pleased when people say that this store is nothing like they've ever been in before,” said Norton. “I don't like being compared to someone or something, I don't like when someone walks in and is like, ‘Oh, this is like so and so's store.’ I enjoy being one of kind…like you," he said breaking conversation and pointing at me.

At this point in the conversation I was sitting on the ramp in a chair from a tea table, slanted and looking up at David who sat in an old English couch that looked to be from the early 30s. “In your journalism, don't you want to have an identifying style of writing? Don't you want someone to read your piece and say, ‘This is a Sean Contris piece!’ He shrugged and continued. “You see, I enjoy this store because it gives me so much freedom to explore. I enjoy looking at things that look like someone put a lot of time into them. Look above you. Nearly everything in this store tells a story, or at least I think it does, and I try to make it seem that way. Do you see the dangling mannequin above you, dressed in boy's clothes? Next to the picture of the older man? Or do you see this man in a large hand basket carrying a camera from the 1800s? I spend a lot of time on this stuff, you see. Sometimes I'm up until 2 in the morning just designing and making this store what you see. I like to imagine myself as a painter, and this store as my canvas, with each piece of furniture or each piece of clothing being the colors with which I paint. I want to make sure that for everyone who comes into my store, it isn't the same or it's a different experience.”

As I returned to the store just a few days prior to the writing of this article, I brought my photographer along, and I expressed my concern that I could not possibly describe the store through my writing to which he replied, “I don't even think my pictures can. Like you said, it truly is an experience to be in here.” Rampizi is a landmark, an extraordinary store and place, and it seems that Norton has achieved what he has always wanted to be: truly, 100 percent original.

Rampizi is open from 4:30-7:30 p.m. and is located on Tacoma's famous Antique Row. Sean Cortis is a student at Wilson High School.

For 19 years, Pierce County AIDS Foundation (PCAF) has held a major annual fundraiser where giving is as easy as pie. In fact, you get to eat pie! How hard is that?

It is called Dining Out for Life, and all you have to do to participate is go out to eat. Across three counties – Pierce, Thurston and Kitsap – nearly 70 restaurants on April 25 will donate 25 percent of your food bill (minus alcoholic beverages) to support PCAF’s HIV/AIDS prevention, care and advocacy services. This is a great opportunity to plan a breakfast outing, or to gather up your work mates for lunch hour, or to invite family and friends for a nice dinner out together, while at the same time doing a kindness for people who really need it.

According to statistics from Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department, Washington State Department of Health and PCAF, not only does Pierce County have the second highest incidence of AIDS in the state, AIDS in Pierce County is distinguished from the state as a whole by a constituency that is poorer, has a lower average educational level and contains a higher percentage of women, people of color, injection drug users, teenagers and children.

PCAF Executive Director Duane Wilkerson said that between PCAF’s Tacoma and Olympia offices, the foundation served a total of 688 clients in case management in 2012 – 552 in Tacoma and 136 in Olympia. This amounts to somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,900 face-to-face contacts, he said, or about 257 such contacts each month. Last year alone PCAF took on 74 new clients, illustrating that needs are increasing and particularly during these difficult financial times for so many people. Among its services, PCAF offers its clients transportation, rental and housing assistance, vouchers for medical and mental health services, emergency grants, chemical dependency and counseling services, support groups and an essential needs bank for toiletries, cleaning and household supplies that food stamps do not cover.

Like PCAF’s annual AIDS Walk, Dining Out for Life not only brings in vital dollars to help people with HIV/AIDS in the South Sound, it offers PCAF an avenue to spread word of what the foundation does and why the fight against HIV/AIDS continues to be of great importance. Spread among each participating restaurant on the day of the event, 100-150 volunteer ambassadors for PCAF welcome customers and engage in discussions about what PCAF is all about.

“It’s a huge event each year to educate the community on who we are and what we do,” said Wilkerson. “There are definitely people who’ve been contributing to Dining Out for many years but who don’t necessarily attend the AIDS Walk, so this is one of the geniuses about his event – people like to go do dinner.”

Wilkerson said PCAF’s work is tantamount to keeping communities safe by advancing public health. “What we really do is help keep our communities healthy by providing medical and prevention education. We’re helping people learn how to not infect other people when we provide services, help them stay on their meds and keep their viral load down. It’s really a public health service we provide.”

The complete list of participating Dining Out for Life restaurants accompanies this article. Many of them have been steadfast participants for a lot of years, and three in Tacoma have been so since 1996: Antique Sandwich Company, La Fondita Mexican Restaurant and Marzano’s Italian Restaurant. New this year to participate are Art House Café, Boathouse 19, Carr’s Restaurant and Catering, The Eleven Eleven, Maxwell’s Restaurant and Lounge, Tides Tavern, Oly Rockfish Grill, Jonz Catering and 7 Seas Brewing, which is also a sponsor for Dining Out.

As an especially enticing treat, 7 Seas is teaming up with Jonz Catering for a Dining Out for Life special: Reserve your spot at the 7 Seas Brewing Tap Room for dinner on April 25 and enjoy a customized four-course beer pairing menu. This exclusive event goes from 7-9 p.m., with a cost of $50 per-person plus tax. They are serving up the perfect Ultimate Proper Pint paired with a great taste experience. This is a reservation only dinner, with 100 percent of the proceeds being donated back to Dining Out for Life. Space is limited. Reservations are to be made in-person, at 7 Seas Tap Room (3006 Judson St. in Gig Harbor), and paid in advance. Call (253) 514-8129 for more information.

No matter which participating restaurant diners choose, those who contribute $25 or more to Dining Out for Life will receive a “20% Off Tuesday” card in the mail as PCAF’s way of saying thank you. The card will be good for 20 percent off your table's food bill at 13 participating restaurants on Tuesday evenings throughout the coming year (excluding holidays and other promotions).

Wilkerson expressed much gratitude for restaurants that give to help people, and for the broader community as well for sustaining PCAF ever since its establishment in 1987.

“I want them to know that we are aware that PCAF’s success for these 26 years has been dependent all this time on community support in terms of volunteers and finances that have allowed us to do the work we do. It’s never taken for granted. We appreciate very much the community support we’ve had and our intention is to honor that and use the funds wisely.”

To learn more about PCAF and Dining Out for Life, visit http://www.piercecountyaids.org.

Next week: Tacoma Weekly talks with two Dining Out for Life celebrity spokespersons – film and TV star Pam Grier and “Project Runway” alum Mondo Guerra.

Dining Out for Life Participating Restaurants B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

1022 South: D

1022 S. ‘J’ St., Tacoma

(253) 627-8588

7 Seas Brewing Tap Room & Jonz Catering: D

3006 Judson St #110, Gig Harbor

(253) 514-8129

Adriatic Grill: L, D

4201 S. Steele St., Tacoma

(253) 475-6000

Alfred’s Café: B, L, D

402 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma

(253) 627-5491

Antique Sandwich Company: B, L, D

5102 N. Pearl St., Tacoma

(253) 752-4069

Art House Café: B, L, D

111 N. Tacoma Ave., Tacoma

(253) 212-2011

Asado Cucina Argentina: L, D

2810 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 272-7770

Boathouse 19: L, D

9001 S. 19th St., Tacoma

(253) 565-1919

Carr's Restaurant & Catering: B, L, D

11006 Bridgeport Way S.W., Lakewood

(253) 584-4622

Chambers Bay Grill: B, L, D

6320 Grandview Dr. W., University Place

(253) 552-4868

Corina Bakery: L, D

510 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 627-5070

Crown Bar: D

2705 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 272-4177

Darby's Café: B, L, D

211 5th Ave. S.E., Olympia

(360) 357-6229

Dirty Dave's Pizza Parlor: L, D

3939 Martin Way E., Olympia

(360) 456-1560

Dirty Oscar's Annex: D

2309 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 572-0588

Doyle’s Public House: L, D

208 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

(253) 272-7468

East West Proctor: L, D

2514 N. Proctor St., Tacoma

(253) 756-5092

El Toro: L, D

1128 Broadway, Tacoma

(253) 722-5196

The Eleven Eleven: L, D

1111 S. 11th St., Tacoma

(253) 284-1111

Europa Bistro: L, D

1128 Broadway, Tacoma

(253) 761-5660

Farrelli's Pizza: L, D

3518 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 759-1999

Fife City Grill & Catering: L, D

3025 Pacific Hwy. E., Fife

(253) 922-9555

The Funky Iguana: L, D

3802 S. Cedar, Ste. B, Tacoma

(253) 474-7879

Gateway To India: L, D

2603 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 552-5022

Gateway To India: L, D

6565 Kimball Dr., Gig Harbor

(253) 851-2688

Harmon Brewery & Eatery: L, D

1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

(253) 383-2739

hello, cupcake: D

1740 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

(253) 383-7772

The Heritage Restaurant: B, L, D

3211 56th St. N.W., Tacoma

(253) 853-6000

The Hub: L, D

203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma

(253) 683-4606

Il Lucano Ristoranté Italiano: L, D

3119 Judson St. #B, Gig Harbor

(253) 514-8945

Indochine Asian Dining Lounge: L, D

1924 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma

(253) 272-8200

Infinite Soups: L, D

445 Tacoma Ave., Tacoma

(253) 274-0232

Joeseppi's Italian Ristorante: L, D

2207 N. Pearl St., Tacoma

(253) 761-5555

Josefina's Mexican Restaurant: L, D

4816 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

(253) 474-7374

JW: D

4107 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor

(253) 858-3529

La Créme Brûlée: L, D

1606 Lafayette St., Steilacoom

(253) 589-3001

La Fondita Mexican Restaurant: L, D

2620 N. Proctor St., Tacoma

(253) 752-2878

Marcia's Silver Spoon Café: B, L, D

2601 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma

(253) 472-0157

Marzano Italian Restaurant: L, D

516 Garfield St. S., Tacoma

(253) 537-4191

MASA: L, D

2811 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 254-0560

Massimo Italian Bar & Grill: L, D

4020 Bridgeport Way, University Place

(253) 514-6237

Maxwell's Restaurant & Lounge: D

454 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

(253) 683-4115

Meconi's Italian Subs: L, D

1018 Capitol Way S. Ste. 101, Olympia

(360) 534-0240

Meconi's Italian Subs: L, D

111 Tumwater Blvd. S.E., Tumwater

(360) 528-3292

Mercato Ristorante: L, D

111 Market St. N.W., Olympia

(360) 528-3663

Morso: D

9014 Peacock Hill Ave., Gig Harbor

(253) 530-3463

The Office Bar & Grill: L, D

813 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

(253) 572-3222

Old Milwaukee Café: B, L

3102 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 761-2602

Old School Pizzeria: L, D

108 Franklin St., Olympia

(360) 786-9640

Oly Rockfish Grill: B, L, D

700 4th Ave. E., Olympia

(360) 753-5700

The Parkway Tavern: L, D

313 N. ‘I’ St., Tacoma

(253) 383-8748

Pomodoro Restaurant: L, D

3819 N. 26th St., Tacoma

(253) 752-1111

Pour At Four – A Wine Bar: D

3814 N. 26th St., Tacoma

(253) 761-8015

Primo Grill: L, D

601 S. Pine St., Tacoma

(253) 383-7000

Puget Sound Pizza: L, D

317 S. 7th St., Tacoma

(253) 383-4777

Ramblin Jack’s: L, D

520 E. 4th Ave., Olympia

(360) 754-8909

Rosewood Café: L, D

3323 N. 26th St., Tacoma

(253) 752-7999

The Schooner Pub & Galley: L, D

5429 100th St. S.W., Lakewood

(253) 584-1919

Shakabrah Java: B, L

2618 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 572-2787

The Social Bar & Grill: L, D

1715 Dock St., Tacoma

(253) 301-3835

Southern Kitchen: B, L, D

1716 6th Ave., Tacoma

(253) 627-4282

The Spar: B, L, D

2121 N. 30th St., Tacoma

(253) 627-8215

STINK Cheese-Meat: L, D

628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma

(253) 426-1347

The Swiss: L, D

1904 S. Jefferson St., Tacoma

(253) 572-2821

Tides Tavern: L, D

2925 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor

(253) 858-7030

Toscanos Café & Wine Bar: L, D

437 29th St. N.E. #C, Puyallup

(253) 864-8600

Traditions Cafe & World Folk Art: B, L, D

300 5th Ave. S.W., Olympia

(360) 705-2819

The Urban Onion Restaurant & Lounge: L, D

116 Legion Way, Olympia

(360) 943-9242

Remakes, particularly musical remakes, are often dicey gambles. People always compare the retooled version with the successful original under the concept that the lightning bolt of success can’t strike twice. It often doesn’t.

“Legally Blonde” bucks that trend with this musical retelling of the MGM film of the same name. It is true to the tale but adds a stock of high-energy, albeit largely forgettable, musical numbers and some tight choreography.

As the movie, the musical version has Elle Woods heading to Harvard Law to win back her man, who has dumped her because, although she was a fun “college girlfriend,” he needed to find a “society” girlfriend as he climbed the ladder of his political career. He had fun with his “Marilyn Monroe” and now needed a “Jackie Kennedy” type.

Woods, played by Leah Wickstrom, seeks to prove him wrong by following him to law school and schooling him in the art of the makeover. Toss in the side stories of a murder trial of a fitness hottie, Brooke Wyndham played by Julia Stockton, charged with offing her aged husband and a love interest found in a down-to-earth teacher’s assistant, and the story has a serving of interesting touches.

But what makes this show fun was Wickstrom’s performance. Not only is she a dead ringer for movie star Reese Witherspoon, who played the role in the movie, but her power pipes and energy drive the show. Much like the storyline of the play where her role is the center of attention, Wickstrom’s performance holds court even if she is just standing around while other actors forward the story. And Wickstrom’s performance seemingly draws from her own life, where she finds herself quickly dismissed as another pretty face. But she is, actually, a bit of a brainiac as a project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she uses her Industrial Systems Engineering degree. But that is a story for another time.

The supporting cast held its own to lift Wickstrom to excellence with standout performances by Steve Barnett as Warner Huntington III and from Bruce Haasl as Emmett. Of course, the appearances of two dogs, Baby as Bruiser and Chopper as Rufus, got their share of claps and aahs.

What failed in this show could easily be fixed. The microphone quality and balance was simply off. Barnett often sounded like he was singing through a tin can, which made his tricky lyrics all the more distracting.

“Legally Blonde” runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through April 28, with extra Saturday matinee performances at 2 p.m. on April 20 and 27. Performances take place at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, 7116 6th Avenue in Tacoma. Ticket prices are $29 for adults; $27 for seniors, students and military; and $20 for children 12 and under. Due to mature content, parental guidance is suggested for those considering bringing children to this show. For tickets or more information, please visit http://www.tmp.org or call the TMP Box Office at (253) 565-6867.

EMERALD QUEEN: Nite Crew (Top 40) 9 p.m., NC

C.I. SHENANIGAN’S: Collaborative Works Jazz, 8 p.m.

DAWSON’S: High Rollers (Classic rock) 9 p.m., NC

EAGLES LOUNGE: Darrell Data (Vocals/guitar) 6 p.m.

GREAT AMERICAN CASINO: Notorious 253 (Top 40) 9 p.m., NC

JAZZBONES: Tin Man Band, Hitch Kick, 8 p.m.

MAXWELL’S: Lance Buller Trio (Jazz) 7 p.m., NC

NEW FRONTIER: Cottonwood Cutups, Buffalo Stagecoach, Vito and the One-Eyed Jacks, 8 p.m.

PARADISE BOWL: Just Dirt (Rock covers) 9:30 p.m.

STONEGATE: Three Skinny White Samoans, 9 p.m.

SWISS: The Hipsters, 9 p.m.

UNCLE THURM’S: Gary Cook (Jazz guitarist) 5:30 p.m., NC, AA

VARSITY GRILL: Rock-Bot live band karaoke, 8 p.m., NC

EMERALD QUEEN: Jerry Lewis, 8:30 p.m., $30-65

C.I. SHENANIGAN’S: Collaborative Works Jazz, 8 p.m.

CUTTER’S POINT COFFEE: Malcolm Clark, Alyx Phippen (Blues) 12:30 p.m., NC, AA

DAWSON’S: High Rollers (Classic rock) 9 p.m., NC

EMERALD QUEEN: Nite Crew (Top 40) 9 p.m., NC

GREAT AMERICAN CASINO: Notorious 253 (Top 40) 9 p.m., NC

HARMON: Mary McPage and the Assassins, Chase Walker Band, Crazy Texas Gypsies, Alice Stuart & the Formerlys (Blues) Noon, NC

JAZZBONES: Anuhea, Justin Young, guest, 8 p.m., $16

SIX OLIVES: Kareem Kandi Band (Jazz) 9 p.m.

SPAR: Payday Daddies, 8 p.m., NC

STONEGATE: Blues Redemption, 8:30 p.m.

STONEGATE: Jumpin’ Josh Violette (Blues jam) 8:30 p.m., AA

SWISS: Paul Green & Straight Shot, Maia Santell & House Blend, Nolan Garrett, Franco Paletta & the Stingers (Blues) 1 p.m.

SWISS: Space Band (Top 40) 9 p.m.

UNCLE SAM’S: Negative Inside, 8 p.m.

VARSITY GRILL: Rock-Bot live band karaoke, 8 p.m., NC

DAWSONS: Tim Hall Band (Blues jam) 8 p.m., NC

ANTHEM: Taxi Driver (Jazz) 7 p.m.

CLIFF HOUSE: Chris Hyde, Leah Tussing (Jazz) 6:30 p.m.

IMMANUEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: Leanne Trevalyan, Phil Madeira (Blues) 5 p.m.

NEW FRONTIER: (Bluegrass jam) 3 p.m.

STONEGATE: Bobby Hoffman & All-Star Band, 8 p.m.

SPAR: Little Bill & Blue Notes (Blues) 7 p.m.

SWISS: Puget Sound Music For Youth Association, 2 p.m., AA

UNCLE SAM’S: Remedy (Rock jam) 7 p.m.

UNCLE THURM’S: Kareem Kandi Band (Jazz) 3 p.m.

STONEGATE: Rafael Tranquilino (Blues jam)

JAZZBONES: Rockaraoke, 9 p.m.

SWISS: Crazy Texas Gypsies (Blues) 8 p.m.

UNCLE SAM’S: Bill Pease, Paul Buck, Chris Gartland (Blues) 8 p.m.

STONEGATE: Leanne Trevalyan (Acoustic open mic) 8 p.m.

ANTIQUE SANDWICH SHOP: Open mic, 6:30 p.m., $3

DAWSONS: Jho Blenis, Shelly Ely (Blues jam) 8 p.m.

LOUIE G’S: (Acoustic open mic) 6 p.m.

NEW FRONTIER: (Open jam), 9 p.m., NC

BACKSTAGE: (Rock jam) 9 p.m.

CLIFF HOUSE: Nikko Olajoyegbe & 2+2 (Jazz) 6:30 p.m.

DAVE’S OF MILTON: Rubber Band (Jam session) 8 p.m.

DAWSONS: Crazy Texas Gypsies (Jam session) 8 p.m.

GIBSON’S (STADIUM DISTRICT): Ephraim Richardson (Open mic) 7 p.m.

STONEGATE: N.M.W.P. (Rock jam) 8:30 p.m., NC

SWISS: NWRSL, 7 p.m.

OLIVE BRANCH CAFÉ: Michelle Beaudry (Jazz guitarist) 4 p.m., NC, AA

DAVE’S OF MILTON: Powercell (Jam session) 8 p.m.

DAWSON’S: Billy Shew Band (Jam session) 8 p.m., NC

EAGLES LOUNGE: Biff Moss (Ukelele/guitar) 6 p.m.

JAZZBONES: Kry (Rock covers) 11 p.m., $7

PARADISE BOWL: Just Dirt (Rock jam) 9:30 p.m.

STONEGATE: Billy Stoops (Jam) 9 p.m.

SWISS: Twang Junkies, 8 p.m.

UNCLE SAM’S: Jerry Miller (Blues) 7 p.m.

We love our bikes in the Pacific Northwest like nowhere else in the country. 

Just ask the staff of Bicycling magazine, which last year declared Portland America's most bike friendly city. Seattle isn’t far behind with the second most pedal powered commuters. And, as National Bike Month approaches, local cycling enthusiasts contemplate a time, in the not too distant future, when Tacoma could be part of the discussion.   

“The city of Portland is certainly a leader in bikeways and the number of people who utilize them,” said Diane Waitr, the city's active transportation coordinator. “Seattle is also a leader, and then we have these sort of small, shining examples, like Olympia and Bellingham. These jurisdictions really started implementing their bikeways 20 years ago or more.”

Wiatr points to 2010 as the year that Tacoma really got serious about cycling with its Master Mobility Plan. It's a blueprint for developing a comprehensive network of bikeways and pedestrian walkways to make it safer and easier to get across town without a car.   

Related progress reports and construction maps can be found online at http://www.cityoftacoma.org. Among the priorities outlined there are the Stadium Way Arterial Project, which will include the addition of bike lanes; design of the Prairie Line Trail, which will connect downtown Tacoma with Thea Foss Waterway; and improving the Water Ditch Trail, a 110-year-old trail system that once crossed the city and extended all the way to Mount Rainier.

“There’s a great deal of momentum,” Wiatr said. “This year is going to be really big for us putting down a lot of new bikeways.”

Along with the big projects, the city has secured grant money for some of the little things that make Tacoma more bike friendly. For example, local business owners can request a bike rack installation by calling Wiatr’s office at (253) 591-5380 or by e-mailing dwiatr@cityoftacoma.org. 

“We've put well over a hundred bike racks out there,” Wiatr said, “and we want there to be bike racks wherever they are needed.”

It’s all much needed infrastructure as more and more cyclists flood Tacoma’s streets, their pastime popularized locally by a growing number of bike shops and co-ops and clubs like the Skid Kings, Tacoma Mob Riders and the Tacoma Wheelmen’s Bicycle Club. 

The Wheelmen is Tacoma’s oldest cycling club; its earliest incarnation dates back to 1888. Bob Myrick has been a member since 1985, and he’s noticed a slow, steady climb in biking popularity locally, followed by a more pronounced spike in recent years. “Now it seems to be coming out a little more than it was in the past, just from watching the streets and seeing what people are doing,” he said.

Twenty-six cyclists embarked on Tacoma's inaugural “booze cruise” in 2009. That's what Tacoma Mob Riders call their monthly, pedal-powered pub crawls. And these days, it's more common to see 50 to 100 Mob Riders taking over the Red Hot or the Parkway Tavern, according to Ranell Nystrom, who founded the club with her husband Kris.

“In Tacoma, biking is on the rise, and our group definitely has a lot to do with it as well as the visibility of Second Cycle,” Nystrom said, referring to a biking co-op that offers work space, maintenance classes and other activities at 1312 Martin Luther King Way. “People see people bicycling, and they’re more apt to get out and do it,” she said. 

Cyclist are sure to be out in full force with loads of local activities lined up for National Bike Month and the two weeks leading up to it. Below are a few highlights. Check our events calendar at http://www.tacomaweekly.com for a more comprehensive list:  

The 38th annual Daffodil Classic (registration 7 a.m. to noon April 14, Orting Middle School, 111 Whitehawk Blvd. NW, Orting): This ride, organized by the Tacoma Wheelmen, winds through the scenic Orting Valley and surrounding hills, with a well marked course, fully stocked rest stops and strawberry shortcake at the finish line. There are paved, family-friendly routes or 40-, 60- and 100-mile loops for the hardcore roadies. Registration is $30 to $35 for other adults the day of the event; http://www.twbc.org for further details. 

Tacoma Mob Riders’ Cabin Fever Grind Out (starts at 7 p.m. April 19 at Broken Spoke, 1014 S. Martin Luther King Way, Tacoma): If you're 21 or older, you can drink beer and work it off at the same time. Typically, Mob Riders booze cruises cover 10 to 15 miles in an evening - taking the flattest routes possible, of course – with stops at four or five Tacoma dives.“We change our locations every time, and we try to make it fun and exciting to get around to a lot of different neighborhoods,” Nystrom said. It's follow the leader, and destinations are secret until you get there. E-mail private-idaho@comcast.net or follow Tacoma Mob Riders on Facebook to learn more. 

Fifth annual Tacoma Bike Swap (10 a.m. April 27, University of Puget Sound Memorial Fieldhouse, N. 11th and Union avenues, Tacoma): This massive meet-up is for locals who want to buy, sell or trade used bikes. Sellers can register and lock up their cycles in the free bike corral. “It’s Craig’s List, but four hours and in public space,” explains organizer Hannah Miner." Nobody comes to your house. You don’t have to go anywhere.”For more info or to register as a vendor, visit http://tacomabikeswap2013.eventbrite.com or email hminer@cityoftacoma.org.

Bike Month Commuter Challenge (May 1-31): Log your biking trips all month for a chance to win prizes, which include an overnight getaway to Portland and a team pizza party. Sign up as a team or individual at http://www.piercetrips.com.

Kidical Mass (2 p.m. May 4, Proctor Farmers Market, 2702 N. Proctor St., Tacoma): The kid-friendly family ride kicks off a monthly summer series with a short loop from the Proctor Farmers Market to Jefferson Park. Helmets are required. 

TRH Pint Pedaler party (11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 18, The Red Hot, 2914 Sixth Ave., Tacoma): This new map, designed by Mob Rider Kris Nystrom, reveals the best bike routes to Tacoma's craft brew houses. The launch party will feature raffles, limited edition spoke cards, bike tuneup help and more. You must be 21 or older to attend. 

Bike to a Better Tacoma (6 p.m. May 22, The Hub Event Space, 203 Tacoma Ave. S., Tacoma): Join with fellow bicyclists and City staff members to learn more about hopes, visions and plans for a more bike-able Tacoma. Tacoma’s only valet bike parking will be staffed by 2nd Cycle. 

Bridge to Beer ride (noon May 27, Defiance Bicycles, 411 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma): This ride is open to all ages, and will cross the majestic Tacoma Narrows Bridge en route to Gig Harbor’s 7 Seas Brewery.

FREE FAMILY MOVIE

Click! presents free family films on selected Saturdays at The Grand Cinema. Next up is “Despicable Me” on April 20. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., movie starts at 10. This film is being presented in partnership with the Washington State History Museum and their “Let it Ride” motorcycle exhibit going on now through June 23. Next up: “Raiders of the Lost Ark” on May 18. The Grand is located at 606 S. Fawcett. Info: (253) 593-4474 and http://www.GrandCinema.com.

TRIPOD SLIDE SHOWS

The popular Tripod Slide Show series is back April 19 with three short presentations called “Mosaic Art: Whole Stories from Hard Fragments,” 7-8:30 p.m. Kim Sparks-Wilmer shares Jennifer Albright's photos of the New Zealand Josie Martin's “Giant's House,” Kelley Knickerbocker  presents “Reconciling Precision and Passion” and Lynn Di Nino explores “Nek Chand's Rock Garden in India” and a bonus: the work of Anna Fornachon at Pt. Ruston. $5 donation at the door. Madera Furniture Company, 2210 Court A, right off Pacific and S. 24th in downtown Tacoma, within a couple of blocks from El Gaucho.

LIVE JAZZ

The Jazz LIVE at Marine View series continues this month with the Northwest debut of Tucson-based saxophonist Neamen Lyles. Get ready for a “kicking” evening of smooth jazz with this hot, young player. Lyles’ debut CD “So Free” has made him a nationwide hit. He’ll be joined onstage by Osama Afifi on bass, Eugene Bien on keyboards, Frank Seeberger on guitar and Dave Austin on drums.  Admission is free to all ages. Donations gratefully accepted for the church’s mission team that’s working to improve the air quality for villagers in Guatemala. April 14, 5 p.m. at Marine View Church, 8469 Eastside Dr. N.E. Info: http://www.marineviewpc.org or (253) 229-9206.

JERRY LEWIS

Legendary comedian, actor and singer Jerry Lewis is headed to Tacoma. The 87-year-old icon will headline a concert that's scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. start on Saturday, April 13, at the Emerald Queen Casino's I-5 showroom, 2024 E. 29th St., in Tacoma. Lewis will have support from popular Tacoma jazz band Rich Wetzel's Groovin' Higher Jazz Orchestra. Tickets are $30 to $65, plus applicable service charges; http://www.ticketmaster.com for further details.   

PAUL MCARTNEY

Paul McCartney will rock Seattle this summer. On Monday, Sir Paul announced a July 19 stop at Safeco Field to his highly anticipated Out There tour. It will be the first major rock show to take over the Mariners’ home field and the ex-Beatle’s first visit to Jet City since 2005. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 12. Prices will range from $39.50 to $253, plus service charges, according to Ticketmaster. 

Gia Casto jokes that she can nag a full Charlie’s Dinosaur backpack out of colleagues in the Blackwell Building. She has her collection backpack up, and she is directing attention to it.

“We have a builder who has clients coming in. We have a financial advisor who has clients coming in,” she said. “We kind of boss everyone around.”

“Someone’s got to do it,” said Melissa Root, her colleague at Arrow Worldwide International Relocations.

They can move anyone anywhere. They have no respect for obstacles. That is why, when Casto moved to Tacoma and joined the Pacific Avenue Business District, she was not much interested in the lessons of the past.

“We were too dumb to know we couldn’t succeed, so we succeeded,” she said of the transformation that included planters (the tulips are up), banners, a street fair and car shows.

Everybody gives a little and, together, they make life better, she said of her system. It works the same way with children, especially foster children. Everybody has a helpful word. Everybody buys a pair of jeans on sale. Even a 6-year-old knows that.

Casto and a few friends buy new bikes for children each Christmas, and last year her great-granddaughter, Mia, 6, asked her to hold one aside.

“I know someone who needs one,” Mia said.

She brings a quarter for that friend on popcorn day at school, and she feels sad when she has a bike to ride, and her friend does not.

Casto will take care of the bike issue for that child this summer, she said. In the meantime, she is collecting necessities for kids going into foster care.

“My goal when I retire is to work with foster kids,” she said. “My mom was an orphan. She came out on an orphan train to Nebraska. No matter how poor we were, growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, my mom always had a dollar to send to the orphanages at Christmas.”

It is a story she can share with folks in the building, for the good of foster kids today.

Most Wanted New Items:

Backpacks

Rolling luggage

Pajamas (no nightgowns or shorties)

Hair dryers

Jeans and tops

Zip-front hoodies

Coats

Jeans and tops

Hair Dryers

Toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and body wash

Combs and brushes

Art supplies and books

Now would be a fine time to visit Biot, Tacoma's sister city on the Riviera.

On our first official visit, members of Tacoma's delegation charmed, and were charmed by, our hosts.

Sarah Gilbert and Ben Cobb blew glass all over town. Deputy Mayor Lauren Walker and Mayor Emeritus Bill Baarsma and his wife, Carol, talked urban policy with Biot's Mayor Jean-Pierre Dermit. Agnes Jensen found her inner Knight Templar and joined nobles Cathy Sarnat and Chris and Gwen Porter in the annual Biot et les Templiers torchlight parade. Twice.

Before we left for France, I promised to keep you abreast of the fun on http://www.Glasssisters.tumblr.com. Unlike the delegates, who met all their responsibilities, I failed in that duty. I had a good excuse, better even than jet lag and lousy blogging skills. We were all having too much fun. We were nearly drowning in it.

The people of Biot love their town for its history, art, glass, food, sport, schools, technology, fashion and its place on the planet. They wanted to show it all to us, and who could blame them? They drew up a schedule that, in four long days, showcased the best of Biot. It looked fabulous on paper, until they checked into the realities of road time and herding guests fascinated by everything they saw. The organizers cut the original schedule in half before we got there. Even with that, we were booked from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. or later, every day. It was wonderful, too wonderful to miss while peering at a screen instead of a person, or a sword fight, or 100-plus teens eager to show off their English skills.

We chose good manners, attentive reporting and, yep, fun, over feeding the blog a diet of refined reporting and photography. Instead, the Porters stepped up to postcard duty. They showed you what we were seeing and doing, and dropped quick lines with their photos.

Admit it. You like pictures better than words anyway. That's the secret of blogs: Lots of pix.

Our hotel, Les Arcades, dates back to the 15th century and has Internet access in the public areas, which happened to be full of paying customers when we were around. On one of the busiest weekends of the year, it would have been gauche to hog a table for typing.

I could write a better, but later, story at 3 a.m., sitting on my room's balcony overlooking the square where the Templiers had set up their tents. (I was on the fifth floor, high enough to see the town cats duck under and out of the tent flaps, but too high to hear knights snoring.)

We've had an ocean and a continent between our happy days in Biot. We've had time to sleep, and to think before we write. That will make for better reading for you.

Ben and Sarah will write about maintaining collegiality and inspiration in the world of glass across time zones.

Lauren and the Baarsmas will share their insights on how national policy affects local governments.

We'll collect the most luscious of our food pictures, and tell you how to make some of the dishes at home, or in a hot shop.

We'll get the facts on the Knights Templar, including the hot guy in the poster and video in an earlier post.

We will navigate the wildest staircase this side of Hogwarts, and Gwen will tell you the story behind Les Arcades' hidden art gallery.

http://www.Glasssisters.tumblr.com is getting hot.