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Fireworks crackling overhead, food sizzling on the grill, and ice-cold beer to cool you off in the summer heat. Most people would agree that no 4th of July celebration is complete without all of these ingredients. And most beer enthusiasts will agree that you can't drink just any beer under
News
Who says fireworks are a waste of money? This 4th of July, they're anything but, as Washington state-based veteran outreach organization The Fallen Outdoors (TFO) raises money to support servicemembers through fireworks sales in Battle Ground, Washington. "We're constantly trying to find creative ways to raise money," said TFO president, Eric
Features
Long hours, physically demanding work and high-stakes decision-making are regular parts of a servicemember's work day. It's no wonder, then, that something as simple as a lunch break can lighten the mood while providing a much-needed energy boost. Servicemembers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) know all about that work-rest balance,
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The first 4th of July celebration in the Pacific Northwest occurred Monday, July 5, 1841, at Sequalitchew Lake. As per the custom of the time, holidays were not celebrated on Sundays. The land that now comprises Washington, Idaho, Oregon and parts of Montana was known as the "Oregon Country." In accordance with
Archives
Junior Bizarre The lovely ladies from Junior Bizarre are having a party Friday. Yay, party, yay! Wait, what is Junior Bizarre? Well, since you asked, it’s a sweet little clothing shop on Antique Row next to Sanford and Son Antiques that sells “hand-picked thrift” with an emphasis on vintage. The Junior
Reviews
ANNOUNCER: You are going to need a nap after a full, calorie-laden meal at Spanky Burger and Brew on Tacoma's 6th Avenue, but when you need a grease-fix, the kind that hits the spot and drives your worries away, then Spanky is your man. JASON: Go early, the lunch crowd usually
Music
Music makes us do different things, depending on what is playing. Sometimes it makes us laugh, sometimes it makes us cry. However, nine times out of 10, music inspires us to dance. Olympia knows this about music, and embraces that desire to dance - especially when it is time to produce
Travel
The seemingly elusive dream of free travel can be attained through the increasingly popular travel trend of housesitting, which usually includes care of animals, plants or both. Housesitting allows both the owner and sitter to travel on a budget by providing free pet care and free board, respectively, both of
Outdoors
The great outdoors is closer than you think, right here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). There are many fun, low-cost facilities and things to do, some even free. Freedom Park. Located on the Fort Lewis side of the base. Freedom Park has a seasonal, splash park for the little ones and
Arts
A decade ago, military doctors didn't prescribe yoga, massage therapy, chiropractic work or art therapy to servicemembers in pain, whether it was physical or psychological. Times have changed, though, and military doctors nowadays not only acknowledge the value of nontraditional treatment methods, but prescribe them, as well. Servicemembers at Joint
Music
The regions where you're born and grow up color every aspect of your life, with every nuance of the area resulting in people leading very different lives from each other. It should come as no surprise, then that these regions develop their own unique pockets of musical output. Even restricting
Arts
I must confess that I've never been a huge fan of sumi art. But I'm getting there. The more of it I see, the more I like it. There are 21 works of art in the show "Bamboo: The Summer Gentleman," and 19 of them are pictures of bamboo. One exception is
Stage
Harlequin Productions' First Date is a romantic comedy in the tradition of Tracy and Hepburn, Rock Hudson and Doris Day, Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, updated for the digital age. Updated how? For starters the search engine Google appears in the guise of a woman, and there's a decidedly 21st
Arts
On Thursday, July 6, Tacoma's own Museum of Glass (MOG) will mark 15 years of creating and promoting glass as an art form in the South Sound. The celebration will feature "cake and beverages during the day," said Jana Marcelia, MOG's director of communications, adding that the museum will be offering
Attractions
This summer, five downtown Tacoma museums are participating in the Blue Star Museums Program, which offers free admission to active-duty military and their families. All the museums are within walking distance of each other and it makes a great day trip to Tacoma, especially on a rainy summer day. "Tacoma museums
Military Life
There might not be another place on this planet that evokes more pride of country and a wealth of American History than Washington, D.C. A group of military youth received free flights, hotel stays and a five-day tour of Washington, D.C. during a pilot program under USO Northwest 15 to 1:
Outdoors
For decades, the Evergreen Fleet Cruise has been an annual tradition hosted by the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce and the Tacoma Yacht Club. With a goal of fostering networking and community links between civilian and military leaders, more than 200 attendees and 18 yachts participated in this year's event, which
