Tacoma News Tribune

I always thought it was kind of odd that we allow residents of other states to skip paying our sales tax when they shop for stuff in Washington. It was some sort of benefit to merchants in border areas who had to compete with cross-border competitors who didn’t have to charge sales tax. Full Story »

Editor’s note: Here are recent posts from The News Tribune’s Political Buzz blog. For the inside scoop on government and politics go online to blog.thenewstribune.com/politics . The Pierce County Council has asked Gov. Chris Gregoire not to fill the Superior Court seat recently vacated by Judge Michael Hecht. Full Story »

Forty-four people have applied to be considered for two vacancies on the Tacoma City Council, according to a list provided Monday by the city. Full Story »

A Puyallup councilman who sued his own city over access to public records has agreed to drop his claim as part of a settlement agreement. Full Story »

Madigan Army Medical Center has received a shipment of 9,000 doses of the swine flu vaccine and will distribute it today and Thursday. Full Story »

The neighboring cities of Milton and Edgewood are exploring the formation of a single police department to cover both communities. Full Story »

Tuesday’s massive memorial service for four Lakewood police officers was a highly ritualized ceremony. It was part religious service, part celebration and part sheer spectacle. Full Story »

A new scholarship fund will benefit the nine children of four fallen Lakewood police officers who died Nov. 29 in a coffee shop shooting. Full Story »

A Pierce County judge on Monday ordered Maurice Clemmons’ sister held in lieu of $1.5 million bail while detectives continue to investigate her role in the aftermath of Clemmons’ fatal shooting of four Lakewood police officers. Full Story »

Jan. 4, 1967 - Nov. 29, 2009 Not many people could describe their lives with this much variety, joie de vivre and heroism: Full Story »

Jan. 28, 1969 - Nov. 29, 2009 Even in high school, Tina Griswold was a peacemaker. Full Story »

Aug. 13, 1970 - Nov. 29, 2009 It’s an immediately affecting photograph. Full Story »

The man found dead near where a train hit a vehicle in the Sumner area over the weekend has been identified as Gary Stark, 55, of Pacific. Full Story »

A proposal to allow certain kinds of gambling in unincorporated Pierce County apparently died Monday in a County Council committee. Full Story »

Puyallup police were searching for a man who robbed a South Hill bank branch Friday afternoon. Full Story »

Today ’s procession and memorial for the four fallen Lakewood police officers will be a reverent honoring of the four’s service, and a massive collection of law enforcement and fire personnel from across the continent. Full Story »

A woman fired a shot to scare off an intruder in her Hilltop home early Monday, Tacoma police reported. The intruder wasn’t injured and fled out the back door. He hasn’t been found, police said. Full Story »

A Fort Lewis officer pleaded guilty Monday to stealing more than $690,000 meant to pay for security and reconstruction efforts in Iraq . Full Story »

They were loved by spouses, children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends. Full Story »

Not many people could describe their lives with this much variety, joie de vivre and heroism: Full Story »

Even in high school, Tina Griswold was a peacemaker. Full Story »

Think All-American Boy and you’d come up with Ronnie Owens. Think All-American Man and you’d come up with Ronnie Owens too. Full Story »

It’s an immediately affecting photograph. The big cop, uniform bristling with badge and other accouterments of his job, left hand at his belt and not far from his weapon, right arm cradling small son, Nicholas. Full Story »

A couple found dead Saturday in an apparent homicide-suicide in Summit have been identified as 26-year-old Darrell Street and 29-year-old Rosa Duran. Full Story »

Question: Whatever happened to the red-light cameras proposed for unincorporated Pierce County? Full Story »