Photos ~ Weekend photos from around town

It's easy to let the simple things pass by when there's bigger fish out there to deal with. Sarah and I had a great weekend at home with our friend Clara visiting. She's a photographer from the Portland area and we were helping kick start her legit business with a shiny new website from me and some contract and finance help from Sarah. Of course, however, on a beautiful weekend in town we couldn't avoid showing Clara around a bit. I apologize, however, for not joining them on their six hour night out at Chopstix -- I'm sure I would've got some interesting pics from there! ;)

Anyway, here's a couple photos from what I did enjoy with them. Gotta make the most of 'em since the mornings grow darker and there's now a little bite in the breeze.

Tue. September 12, 2006, 07:10am PDT

Possible delay in Winthrop financing vote

Tonight's Winthrop financing vote might be postponed according to a Jason Hagey article in today's News Tribune. Looks like local businessman Tim Quigg might be chatting it up with the tarnished A.F. Evans. From the article:

[Quigg] said Monday that he’s been talking with Evans about working together. His group could do a four-star hotel, he said. Evans, the experts in affordable housing, could work on creating more low-income housing. He hopes the council will hold off on any decisions until the parties can learn more.

Possible good news for the city if this works out. Plus, it would mean I could avoid what could be a really biz-noring City Council meeting tonight. ;) Stay tuned...

See recent Winthrop discussion and poll results
More Winthrop discussion over at Exit133

Tue. September 12, 2006, 01:43pm PDT

Bates video takedown and back story

Just got a call from someone at Bates requesting I take a video I recently linked to down because it's copyrighted material (and they "wouldn't want anyone getting in trouble for that"). Apparently, sounds like it was indeed an indie film shoot with all the proper permits shooting a robbery scene that actually had a real security guard or two on-site since weapons were present. They had been filming the same scene for an hour or so (making it highly unlikely to be a real robbery since they were there for so long) and someone still called the police. The gentleman even said they had signs around saying it was a film shoot.

I think the big brew haha comes since it was obviously a pretty embarassing incident for Bates (not the mention the TPD who neglected to cross-check the call against the filed permits) plus it happened back in 2002 yet folks got the impression this happened last Saturday when I posted the entry. I'm more than happy to take it down and wanted the gentleman who called to know the video is hosted on Google Video not YouTube like I thought.

I guess I couldn't ask for a more cordial request considering this is my first "cease and desist". Cheers!

Tue. September 12, 2006, 10:46pm PDT

Delay in Winthrop financing vote

Tonight's City Council meeting was packed full of people most of whom wanted to talk about the Winthrop. Not only were local business owners present but current Winthrop residents voiced their concerns. Bottom line: everyone agrees about restoring the hotel as long as current residents are treated with respect and given real viable options and help in relocating to other affordable housing. Although a stigma certainly arose in my own comments and elsewhere online generalizing about the dodgy nature of the Winthrop's tennants everyone at the meeting came together in a mature fashion and realized we all want the same thing.

As for the postponment, I'm happy the council has allowed more time for A.F. Evans and Quigg to work out some more details about how the property may changes hands toward becoming a grand, restored hotel. Although both developers and tentative "rivals", I fail to see the surprise that A.F. Evans would be willing to entertain the idea. Makes sense to be because I can't imagine any business wanting to be present among so many other businesses that completely oppose the idea of maintaining affordable housing in the Winthrop. That's not a fun spot to be in and, in light of the tarnished rep A.F. Evans' properties in and around Seattle have I can't blame local business owners for wanting nothing to do with A.F. Evans.

Anyway, glad to see so many now-familiar faces and meet a couple new ones. I really love what I think us local bloggers are contributing to here in Tacoma and I'm excited to see what kind of force for positive change we'll be here in the months and years to come.

Previously here and here
In the Trib here
More discussion on Exit133

Update (2006-09-13 @ 6:35am)
And in the Trib today here