Peter Callaghan and friends: Perspectives on what's happening in Olympia.
Moderator: Peter Callaghan, The News Tribune. State Senator Debbie Reggala, State Rep. Marianne Mitchell, & lobbyist Bill Stauffacher. Moderator: Peter Callaghan, The News Tribune. State Senator Debbie Reggala, State Rep. Marianne Mitchell, & lobbyist Bill Stauffacher.  

County Executive John Ladenburg:  Update on Pierce County
Mr. Ladenburg gave us his perspective on current issues facing the county, along with a progress report on his goals and campaign promises.

Baseball in Tacoma - Past, Present and Future.
Mayor Bill Baarsma; Mike Combs, Director of Public Assembly Facilities for the City of Tacoma; John McGrath, baseball writer for the News Tribune; and Marc Blau, baseball historian discussed the rich history of baseball in Tacoma through personal reminiscences and gave us a brief look at plans for the future of Chaney Stadium in these times of severe budget constraints.

Downtown Rotary Chapter 8 and the Food Emergency Network:  As a way of introducing and highlighting the vital community services these groups provide, representatives discussed their organizations' missions and visions.  

The Politics of Technology
Mike Egan, native of Pierce County and current Manager of External Affairs for Microsoft Corporation,  gave a delightfully upbeat presentation about his experiences working in Congressman Dicks' office, how he came to be employed by Microsoft, and what lies ahead for our favorite local corporation. 

Honoring Tacoma Club's Past Presidents     Please join us in honoring the contributions and dedication of the past presidents of our club.  This august group will be seated at a special table for the luncheon.

Making a Difference for Women:  The Soroptimists and Women in Networking will present their groups' goals and projects.  This is a continuation in the series of programs highlighting community service organizations.

Presentation of City Club's Research Study - Youth at Risk - Improving the Odds.  The Community Studies Committee, chaired by Jim Reardon, will present a summary of their comprehensive study of one of Pierce County's most valuable resources - its young people.  Three professionals deeply involved in the daily struggle of working with troubled youth will give their reaction to the study and its recommendations.  Panelists will be: Daniel Erker, Administrator for Juvenile Court Services; Dr. Federico Cruz-Uribe, Director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department; and Judge Thomas P. Larkin, Chair of the Pierce County Juvenile Court Executive Committee.

Youth development - What is it and what does it mean for Tacoma's teens and our City?  Metro Parks Tacoma, in partnership with the Tacoma School District, is leading the way in this innovative, comprehensive program targeting middle-school youth.  Come hear Roxanne Miles, Metro Parks Tacoma, and Terry Meisenburg, Assistant Superintendent for Middle Schools, talk about the movement nationally, the program locally, and plans for the future.

DC Insider, Ted Van Dyk, Comes Home . . . AND TELLS ALL!! This native of Bellingham and longtime Beltway insider gave us his take on what's happening in a world gone seemingly mad.  And his prediction on the Mariners - they won't make it to the Series!  Let's hope Ted is wrong.

Youth Service Providers Forum - Come hear the challenges, the rewards, and the struggles faced by professionals dedicated to meeting the needs of our young folks.  Learn how you can help!

It's All Happening at the Zoo  The Director of MetroParks' Zoological and Environmental Education Department, Gary Geddes, along with the Chief of Veterinary Medicine offered a PowerPoint presentation of what's going on with the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and how the new funding is being spent. 

Military in Pierce County - A Vital Element Pierce County has a long and proud partnership with the military.  Tom Karwaki coordinates presentation of this topic.

Dome Development - Good or Bad? Michael Sullivan facilitated a panel discussion of the proposed Cosmos development in the Dome neighborhood.  Representatives of both the pro- and con- sides took the opportunity to present their views.  This well-attended function was most enlightening.  Co-sponsored by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.

Tacoma Reads Together - To Kill A Mockingbird   City Club is proud to take an active part in this program sponsored by the Mayor's Office, Tacoma Public Library, Associated Ministries, Friends of the Library, Tacoma School District #10, and the TNT.  Lively discussion, facilitated by Barb Hiatt explored the relevance of Harper Lee's classic novel to life in contemporary Tacoma.

Welcome Returning Sister City Artists  Area artists Diane Novak and Lynn DiNino, Jim Robbins and Janice Wagner, along with Sister Cities Coordinator Debra King gave a presentation about the recent exchange program with Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Criminal Justice Center Update    Tom Karwaki coordinates presentation of this topic.

Chief David Brame, Newly Appointed Head of Tacoma Police - Chief Brame will present his goals and vision for city law enforcement.  

Tacoma Commons - What Went Wrong?  Just as Malcolm Russell's grass roots effort to seek approval for a downtown park was gaining momentum, City Council signed its death warrant.  What was Malcolm's vision and what success (or failure) did democracy have in this process?  For more information about the Tacoma Commons plan, please see Malcolm's website by clicking here.

Envisioning the Future of Tacoma with 20/20 Foresight - Alexander Wu, Director of Research and Special Projects for the architectural firm Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz; and Herbert McLaughlin, KMD Chairman and Director of Design; along with our very own Michael Sullivan; passionately discussed the vision for downtown Tacoma and provided some insight as to why the rest of the world is finally waking up to the Promise of Tacoma!  

Late Night Clubs and Public Safety - Senior police officers and club owners discussed recent incidents of violence and what can be done to better manage the problem without detracting from the allure of Tacoma's nightlife.

The Elements of Leadership - Jason Edward, Mountaineering Expedition Leader, provided the keynote address to this year's presentation of our Emerging Leader Awards.

Downtown Living - What's the quality of life like in downtown Tacoma?  Developers of the newest options for downtown living talked about the life style and benefits of urban living in Tacoma.  They also discussed the challenges they face in investing in Tacoma and the high expectations they have for her future.  

Special program featuring Senator Maria Cantwell - The Senator addressed her key issues - availability of education and retraining to lower income and laid off workers, cleanup of the Asarco area, and campaign reform.

"Peace-ing It Together - One Year Later" 

A program in Pierce County to honor victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks began on the Fourth of July with the goal of signing up 50,000 people to donate their time and money. A simple concept drives the project: The best way to remember those who died in the attacks is to do something positive in their name. The program is called "9-11: A Day of Memory, Hope and Action." It is sponsored by Associated Ministries of Tacoma-Pierce County, a Christian ecumenical organization with interfaith partners. Pierce County is a co-sponsor with support from mayors of a number of cities, including Tacoma, Lakewood, Sumner and Puyallup. Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg is helping to lead the effort, which will culminate in a public event at Cheney Stadium on Sept. 11.  

Public Input to City Decision Making - Fact or Fiction?  A panel of experts, led by Ted Johnson, discussed the process by which city projects are planned, approved, and implemented. Panel included Peter Callaghan, The News Tribune, representing media's role in facilitating the exchange of information; Alex Wu, KMD Architects, representing future projects; Malcolm Russell representing voters seeking information;  JJ McCament and Charlie Solverson from the City presented their perspective of project planning and execution; and Blaine Johnson, as developer and historic preservationist added his comments.  Lively discussion took place both during and after the program.  

Municipal League and League of Women Voters How do the Municipal League and League of Women Voters inform and enrich our community? Presidents of both organizations will share their insights and views about how voters can become more involved in the political process.

Summer Family Outing - on the grounds of the LeMay home, the former Marymount Academy turned museum.  Oh, for those of you who didn't have a chance to take part in this, you really missed a remarkable evening.  Eric LeMay enthralled us with his anecdotes about his granddad, stories about some of the more notable cars in the collection, and witticisms about everything from cultural development to naming a child.

Emergence of Leadership - One of  this year's Emerging Leaders, Lamont Loo, provided an in depth look at his profession.

Presentation of Judicial Nominees - This was an outstanding program coordinated by Roger McLennan.  Following an introduction by Judge Karen Seinfeld, seven candidates for the bench discussed their qualifications, their ideals, and their goals in four minute presentations - and then they tried to answer your very tough questions.

Referendum 51: Debate of Transportation Issues - this program is being coordinated by Bev Holland and Bob Krabill.  This promises to be another City Club "pot stirrer" with representatives from both the pro and con sides of the issues.

Queen Anne Thriftway presented a Wine and Cheese Tasting - Have you stared at all those exotic cheeses at Queen Anne's, wondering what they taste like and reluctant to buy something you know nothing about?  Ditto with the wines?  Come learn from the experts as they present some of the finest their market has to offer.  And just in time to plan your holiday entertaining!  Program coordinator - Dave McKeever.   Special entertainment was provided by The Bridge Club.

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