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best of Tacoma 2012
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TACOMAWEEKLY 24 YE A R S O F SE R V I C E BE C A U S E CO M M U N I T Y MAT T E R S
Chalking, chatting, chortling Frost Park draws weekly collection of artists
Cantwell touts Martinac for veteran hiring for ship building By Steve Dunkelberger stevedunkel@tacomaweekly.com
U
.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) stopped by Tacoma’s J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding last week during the Congressional break to promote the idea of extending tax incentives for businesses that hire unemployed veterans and wounded warriors. Veterans fill about 40 percent of the payroll at Martinac, which expects to hire 50 more employees in the next months to build a new fishing vessel that marks a new age in commercial fishing as well as busy times at the shipyard. Company President Joe Martinac said that on days when elected officials do not stop by, radios blast the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and classic rock standards. But no ships to build means no music in the bays. “It’s not much fun when the music stops around here,” he said, noting that the current vessel under construction is the first fishing boat built at the facility in 20 years. “This is truly going to be a landmark vessel for the industry.” The visit came after Cantwell helped to advance a bipartisan bill that would extend the Returning Heroes and Wounded Heroes Work Opportunity Tax Credits through 2013. These credits allow businesses to obtain a tax credit of up to $9,600 for each qualified veteran – those who have been unemployed or have a serviceconnected disability – they hire to fill job openings. The credits are set to expire at the end of the year if not renewed. “Last month, 31,000 veterans returned here to Washington state, looking for employment,” Cantwell said. “That’s a challenge that we know very well here in Pierce County particularly because it has one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the country.” Employers can earn tax credits of up to $5,600 when they hire unemployed veterans and up to $9,600 when they hire veterans with service-related disabilities. The umbrella legislation, Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act, passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance by a 19-5 vote and is currently pending consideration by the full Senate. In addition to the tax credits for hiring veterans, the legislation would also extend key tax credits, including deductions for state and local sales taxes, building low-income housing, producing clean energy and investing in research and development. Without an extension, Washington residents would no longer be able to deduct the sales taxes they pay from their federal income tax returns. For 2009, the most recent year of published Internal Revenue
See MARTINAC / page A8
John’s advice A5
SAX APPEAL: Local jazz band releases new album. PAGE B5
PHOTOS BY STEVE DUNKELBERGER
FRIDAY FUN. Artists of all sorts and
ages gather at Frost Park at noon every Friday to show off their chalking skills. By Steve Dunkelberger stevedunkel@tacomaweekly.com
Gone are the days when teachers used chalk to teach their lessons at schools, now that those dark green or black chalkboards have been largely replaced by dry erase boards or even computerized “smart boards.” But the glory of chalk lives on at Tacoma’s Frost Park at noon every Friday from April to October. Last Friday’s Frost Park Chalk Off, Season Five, Episode 20, drew about a dozen artists under the burning sun as they vied for bragging rights of the “top chalker” of the day. The effort started five years ago with the simple idea that stemmed from a Go Local meeting of having people come downtown, organizer and Feed Tacoma blogger turned activist Kevin Freitas said. People just agreed to spend their lunch
See CHALK ART / page A8
Pierce Transit signs deal with drivers By Steve Dunkelberger stevedunkel@tacomaweekly.com
PHOTOS BY STEVE DUNKELBERGER
AHOY. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) stopped by Tacoma’s
J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding last week to promote legislation to aid returning veterans. Company President Joe Martinac and the Puyallup Tribe’s military and tribal affairs liaison Chris Winters said the legislation means employment and job training for the area.
Dog training A7
Local News ..............A2 City Briefs................A3
A tentative deal has been approved by Pierce Transit and Amalgamated Transit Union Local #758 negotiators that has no wage increases for the bus drivers and redesigns medical and dental benefit plans over a three-year labor contract that is meant to control health care costs. See CONTRACT / page A8
Youth football A9
Sports ......................A9 A&E ....................... ..B1
Boat challenge B4 Make A Scene ........B5 Calendar .................B6
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