Weekly news digest

Downtown parking debate continues: Puyallup City Council voted 4-3 May 5 to approve $572,000 for the West Meeker parking lot project, expected to add 14 spaces as critics urged funding for roads and housing -- see the parking vote details.

Help shape local transit: Tacoma City Council is expanding its Transportation Commission and seeking applicants. Members will advise on planning and help implement Transportation and Mobility and Vision Zero updates shaping safer streets -- learn how to apply.

A cultural welcome takes shape: The Puyallup Tribe is carving custom wooden paddles and other gifts to welcome 2026 World Cup delegates, blending ancient traditions with modern tools. Coordinator and carver Muh-huh-spawn, or Muck, guides -- read how they’re preparing.

Expanded pediatric care hub: Mary Bridge Children’s new 6-story hospital opened this week in Tacoma, adding 82 beds, an ER with 29 exam rooms, and western Washington’s only Level II pediatric trauma center -- see the new hospital.

A sweet new venture: Gig Harbor’s Couple of Scoops will open June 6, serving classic scoops plus dairy-free and gluten-free options while creating meaningful jobs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities -- meet the scoop shop.

Revving up the season: South Sound’s car show season will kick off with the Fife Community Car Show, then Goodguys’ Pacific Northwest Nationals, Sumner’s Classy Chassis, and the free‑admission, 1,000‑plus‑car LeMay Annual Show -- see the full lineup.

5/27 - Late-night sweets and play: Tacoma’s family-owned Locus Café is open late, serving crepes, waffles, and other sweets with games for guests. Inspired by a family trip to Iraq, more savory options are coming soon -- see the late-night menu.

5/27 - Retail sites get new directions: Lakewood will regain a Grocery Outlet at a former Big Lots site, targeting January 2027. Tacoma’s Discount World property is headed for industrial use, with Cannon Construction eyed as tenant -- check the store changes.

5/27 - Travel plans for match days: To ease World Cup crowds, WSDOT will scale back construction and limit overnight closures from noon before each match to noon after. Consider Link, Sounder, or Pierce Transit from Tacoma -- see what changes are planned.

5/26 - A changing civic backdrop: In 1967, Tacoma City Council created a Commission on Human Relations after an 8-1 vote. Mayor Harold Tollefson and David Rowlands appointed members, renamed the Human Rights Commission in 2002 -- see the 1967 council vote.

5/26 - Mariners struggle in matchup: Rookie Colt Emerson, called up from Tacoma on May 17, went 4-for-4, but the Mariners lost 8-6 to the Royals on Sunday, slipping to 1-5 this season against Kansas City -- read the full game recap.

5/26 - A new global chapter: Alaska Airlines is expanding beyond North America from Seattle‑Tacoma International, planning nonstops to London and Reykjavík after starting Seattle to Rome this spring, introducing upgraded long haul cabins and service -- explore Alaska's new routes.

5/25 - Resources for veterans available: The 13th Annual Tacoma Veterans Resource Fair will be at the Tacoma Dome on May 30, hosted by NineLine Veteran Services with sponsors including Tacoma Public Utilities and the VA -- see the veteran fair details.

5/25 - Transportation spending decisions ahead: Tacoma City Council will hold a June 2 hearing on the Six-Year Comprehensive Transportation Improvement Program, shaping roads, bridges and sidewalk investments for 2026–2032 in hybrid format with public comment -- see how to comment.

5/25 - Mall dining gets a boost: Renton favorite Clove Indian Cuisine will open a 4,000-square-foot spot at Tacoma Mall as part of the mall’s dining refresh. The third location is coming soon, but no date yet -- check out the mall refresh.

5/24 - Terminal gets a major upgrade: Alaska Airlines unveiled a modernized North Main Terminal at SEA with a double-height check-in hall, automated bag drop and consolidated entries to ease crowds as international travel grows -- explore SEA’s terminal upgrades.

5/24 - Campus core gets a refresh: UW Tacoma’s Campus Master Plan moves student life to the center, with approved 500-bed housing, first traditional dining hall opening in late 2029, and renovations to Tioga and Swiss Hall -- read the full plan details.

5/24 - New home for kids’ care: Mary Bridge Children’s freestanding hospital opened Monday in Tacoma, home to Western Washington’s only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, with a pediatric ER, playrooms, and its first therapy gym -- read the full story.

5/23 - A community-focused development: Bridge Meadows broke ground on a Tacoma affordable housing community with 60 units, serving low-income adults 55-plus and families with adopted or kinship-care children, backed by city and state funding -- see the housing plans.

5/23 - Holiday travel hits new highs: AAA expects record Memorial Day travel, with about 970,000 passing through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from May 21 to May 26 and heavy traffic likely on I-5, I-90 and Highway 2 -- see the full forecast.

5/23 - Community support in motion: JBLM hosted the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Washington on May 21, a 1.5-mile event with military, police and athletes, torch carried by Lt. Col. Abby Lanni -- see the torch run.