LeMay car museum's opening, Elks Temple renovation await in '12

Gone is the rabbit and enter the Year of the Dragon, 2012, a year with 366 days, presidential and gubernatorial elections, and a flock of budgetary chickens that have come home to roost in the halls of the Legislature and City Hall.

It is going to be the year of the Summer Olympics, in London, and the state Republican convention, in Tacoma.

On June 2, the long-awaited LeMay-America’s Car Museum – featuring the collection and honoring the memory of Harold LeMay and designed by Los Angeles architect Alan Grant – will open near the Tacoma Dome.

Brown & Haley turns 100 years old in 2012, and the Tacoma candymaker will celebrate with centenary packaging and the introduction of Dark Roca, a signature almond buttercrunch enrobed by premium dark chocolate.

That taxes may rise and fees increase – whether at banks or for city services – is nearly a certainty.

But contrary to what the Mayans, Nostradamus and various sellers of ammunition and dehydrated food might prophesy, it’s likely the world will not end in December.

Other things, however, remain well within the realm of possibility.

GOVERNANCE AND JUSTICE

Tacoma will welcome a new city manager, T.C. Broadnax, most recently assistant city manager in San Antonio. New to the City Council is Anders Ibsen.

City residents can expect a variety of increases to fees and fines to help deal with a shortfall that reaches above $25 million – a shortfall that also will lead to the departure of scores of city employees and positions. Facing major reductions, police and fire unions are said to be developing lists of concessions.

There’s a good chance that garbage collection in the city will go from weekly to bimonthly.

The Legislature convenes a week from tomorrow and will be looking at cutting some $2 billion in spending. So far, lawmakers are up to $400 million. Or maybe they’ll raise taxes – in an election year. We’ll see.

In court, look for a verdict in the Camille Love case. She’s the young Tacoma woman randomly shot in 2010 in an alleged gang-retaliation attack.

The state Supremes could decide a landmark school-funding case.

Voters might get a chance to decide on taxes, gay marriage and marijuana.

Four new members join the seven-member Puyallup City Council.

POLITICS

Tacoma City Councilman Jake Fey looks to be rerunning for the Legislature, and outgoing colleague Spiro Manthou may join a growing cadre of hopefuls – including Tim Farrell – for the Pierce County assessor-treasurer chair. Besieged incumbent Dale Washam has not announced whether he will run again.

Add Corrigan Gommenginger to that list of candidates.

Lakewood voters might decide on a $40 streets fee.

The state Republican Party celebrates its convention May 31-June 2 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center.

We vote for a president on Nov. 6. Add a senator and several Superior Court judges.

Then there’s that new congressional district, the 10th. County Council members Dick Muri and Stan Flemming have announced their candidacies in the Republican primary.

Meanwhile, County Executive Pat McCarthy defends her position, as will incumbent Sheriff Paul Pastor.

Add three vacated County Council seats.

Depending on the results of the September primary election, Rob McKenna and Jay Inslee could contend for the key to the governor’s mansion.

ON SCREEN

It’s the year of “Didn’t I already see that?”

Look for “Beauty and the Beast 3-D,” “Men in Black III,” “G.I. Joe,” “Red Dawn” (this time with North Koreans as the aggressors), “Resident Evil,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” and “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.” Batman returns, as do Spider-Man, James Bond, all Three Stooges and Jason Bourne (although not played by Matt Damon).

Add “The Hobbit” and “The Great Gatsby.”

On TV, look for 10 new episodes of “Arrested Development” and the final season of “30 Rock.”

SCHOOLS

High schools in Spanaway’s Bethel School District become four-year institutions and welcome ninth-graders in the fall.

Following the eight-day strike by Tacoma teachers, a district-union committee likely will announce by spring a compromise on the subject of teacher assignments.

The new Baker Middle School opens Monday, coinciding with the presence of new Tacoma Public Schools acting chief Carla Santorno.

Tacoma’s new Geiger Montessori opens in the fall.

Puyallup will select a new superintendent.

Pacific Lutheran University welcomes a new president.

PROJECTS

The McMenamins Elks Temple, downtown Tacoma’s most anticipated project, will begin renovation in the spring, with a planned opening in spring 2013.

The new building planned for the city-owned site north of the temple is still a work in progress, and interim City Manager Rey Arellano says he has a meeting scheduled for later this week with developers Grace Pleasants and Rick Moses on their proposal.

Mike Hickey, principal at Neil Walter Co., says he has recently seen increased interest in the vacant former headquarters of Russell Investments. Several multi-floor prospects have viewed the property.

DaVita, a major downtown employer and national leader in kidney dialysis, is looking for more office space and also plans to open a primary clinic in March.

Pierce County residents will start paying a higher sales tax in April to fund South Sound 911, a new emergency dispatching agency.

Fire districts and law enforcement agencies will be upgrading their radio systems to comply with a Jan. 1, 2013, deadline.

Sprinker Recreation Center reopens its ice rink.

FOOD AND DRINK

Barring court challenges, by midyear we won’t be buying our scotch from state liquor stores.

Nor will restaurants and bars.

“I’m predicting chaos,” says Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Restaurant Association.

Anton also says the firmest trends this year will focus on healthful food, local and organic food, and healthful entrees for children. Then there’s the increase in food costs that restaurateurs face, along with an increase in the state minimum wage.

At your grocery store, look for a Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Dinner Kit from Kraft, along with a new line of “water enhancers.”

Water enhancers?

EVENTS AND SUCH

Foss Waterway Seaport gets a new front wall, all glass, by June.

At Maritime Fest in late August, look for a performance by local hydrofoil hobbyists.

The Tacoma Marathon hits the pavement May 6.

CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE

Construction on state Route 16 continues in Nalley Valley.

Expect traffic once again on the Murray Morgan Bridge.

In Gig Harbor, workers will widen and reconstruct roadways in the Point Fosdick Drive and 56th Street nexus.

At Sea-Tac Airport, a new car-rental facility opens in April. All rental operations will move to a location along International Boulevard while shuttle buses will connect passengers. The airlines will continue playing musical terminals, with the biggest move seeing Alaska take up residence in the North Satellite. Air France will leave, giving its Paris flight to Delta.

Look for some resolution on the issuance of a permit to move the Camp Murray gate.

The Army has a $296 million construction budget at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Sound Transit’s D-to-M Street project is scheduled to finish late in the year.

The state will finish its environmental review of a proposed rerouting of Amtrak passenger trains through DuPont, Lakewood and industrial South Tacoma, thus shaving a few minutes from the journey to Los Angeles and eliminating beautiful views of the Tacoma Narrows, the islands and the southern waters of Puget Sound.

“Dear Doris,” the postcard will begin. “We took a train ride through Tacoma. Saw the Bradken-Atlas foundry and lots of strip malls and parking lots.”

And will farmland protection groups be able to shield any or all of the 182 acres at Orton Junction near Sumner? The city touts “a lifestyle center, creating a vibrant mix of living, shopping and recreational opportunities.”

After all, if your lifestyle doesn’t have a center, then what have you got? Stay tuned.

And enhance your water.

Will seaplanes call the Thea Foss home? Will repair and reconstruction of Old Town Dock be completed?

Will the Kalakala finally sink? Or find a new home?

THE ECONOMY

State regional economist Paul Turek says we’re looking at “more of the same” in 2012.

With November unemployment in Pierce County running at 8.8 percent, he expects the rate “to be just slightly lower” as the new year grows.

And where there will be “less military activity and a reduced level of civilian support staff” at JBLM, Turek portends, “We should get a boost in manufacturing, mostly as to where we have ties to the aerospace industry.”

AEROSPACE ITSELF

In Everett, Boeing looks to increase production of its Dreamliner. Bad news for Wichita could be good news for the Puget Sound area as the company decides where to finish its 767-esque military tankers. Renton takes on the 737 MAX.

WAR

JBLM’s 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division is in Afghanistan for a yearlong deployment.

Several base batteries are in place around the country, and the JBLM Army Ranger battalion expects deployment.

AND BESIDES THAT

Charles Dickens would have turned 200 in 2012, Jean-Jacques Rousseau 300 and Joan of Arc 600.

The University of Washington turns 150.

It’s been 100 years since the Titanic sank, and 100 since New Mexico and Arizona joined the Republic.

John Belushi and Ayn Rand died within hours of each other, 30 years ago.

It was 50 years ago that Seattle welcomed the world to Century 21 and the Space Needle, and 50 years ago that Krushchev and Kennedy took the world to the nuclear brink.

Crystal Mountain likewise turns 50.

The Calgary Stampede turns 100 this year, and the War of 1812 speaks for itself.

The Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man both turn 50, as does the term ”personal computer.”

The euro has been in circulation for 10 years. Let’s see how much longer that lasts.

ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSEUMS

Hilarious ballerina-fellas Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo come to the Pantages in February, following on the toes of the monster trucks in January and preceding Gaelic Storm, arriving at the Pantages in June.

The 7th Annual Tacoma Film Festival hits screens in early October.

“Beauty Beyond Nature” continues through June 17 at the Museum of Glass.

Tacoma Art Museum features a “Northwest Native Canoe” installation Jan. 15-29. “Hide/Seek,” the controversial GBLT exhibit from the Smithsonian, arrives in the spring.

The Children’s Museum of Tacoma celebrates its rebirth a week from Thursday.

The Washington State History Museum offers the ongoing (through the end of November) “Mason and the Mummy” exhibition. Longtime Tacomans will recall visiting, and marveling at, the Egyptian mummy Ankh-Wennefer, donated by businessman Allen C. Mason.

In February, the museum opens “Hope in Hard Times: Washington During the Great Depression,” featuring artifacts and everyday items from those difficult days.

Northwest Sinfonietta presents Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto at the Rialto in March, and Tacoma Opera offers Puccini’s “La Boheme” in late March and early April.

Peter Frampton comes to the Pantages in March, followed a month later by Arlo Guthrie, whose late father, Woody, would have turned 100 in 2012.

BUSINESS

Carlisle Construction Materials breaks ground in Frederickson.

The Port of Tacoma should hear of a decision whether shipper NYK Line will move south from Seattle.

The Disney Cruise Line changes its Alaska-bound point of embarkation from Vancouver, B.C., to Seattle.

The 167-unit Jackson Building apartments at 2358 S. Yakima Ave. in Tacoma will open for business after a lengthy bout with the economy.

In Ruston, the stillborn Commencement luxury condo project will breathe again as it welcomes upscale renters.

Look (well, maybe) for two hotel projects in Tacoma, one in the Brewery District and the other along the Thea Foss Waterway.

AND BESIDES THAT

The Puyallup Fair runs from Sept. 9-23.

The 79th Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival blooms in April with the theme “Don’t Stop Believing.”

Forget green. Chevy introduces the Camaro ZL1, at 580 horsepower. Ford counters with the 2013 Shelby GT500 at 650 horsepower.

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Magic the Gathering enthusiasts convene at the convention center, as do players of Yu-Gi-Oh.

The Dive and Travel Expo arrives in April, and the Pacific West Quilt Show comes in August.

In June, expect the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers.

Regional meeting planners plan to meet in Tacoma in March. In April, it’s the state chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association.

SPORTS

The Tacoma Rainiers begin a 72-game home schedule, opening against the Salt Lake City Bees on April 5. The team, celebrating its second year at a refurbished Cheney Stadium, will look for a fourth consecutive year of record attendance.

The Huskies play their 2012 football season at CenturyLink Field, home of the Seahawks, a team that will not be advancing into the playoffs this month. The Washington State University Cougars welcome new head football coach Mike Leach.

Husky hoopsters, last season’s Pac-10 champs, will be looking to make their fourth consecutive visit to the Big Dance. Gonzaga, of course, counts a dozen descents into the Madness, and with frosh-bygosh Kevin Pangos, this could be the Zags’ first real shot at the Final Four.

And could this be the year the Sounders compete in the MLS Finals?

In preps, grappler Drew Templeman of Orting goes for his fourth consecutive state title, while Annie Wright student and speed skater Clare Jeong travels to the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games, beginning later this month in Innsbruck, Austria.

After two seasons in the American League West cellar, the Mariners open their season in Tokyo against the Oakland Athletics in late March.

The Seahawks end the 2011 season today with a 1:15 p.m. kickoff.

Super Bowl XLVI comes to Indianapolis on Feb 5.

Final score: San Francisco 27, New England 20.

AND BESIDES ALL THAT

Queen Elizabeth marks 60 years of wearing her crown.

The Mars rover Curiosity, now on its way, is scheduled to land in August.

It’s been 50 years since the Columbus Day windstorm.

Fifty years, too, since Marilyn Monroe died, and 50 since a band we know as the Beatles released its first single, “Love Me Do.”

It was in October 50 years ago that the Russians launched their “Mars 1962 A Flyby,” which failed to leave Earth orbit.

Fifty years later, their latest Mars probe, “Phobos-Ground,” was launched in November. At 13 tons, it also failed to leave Earth orbit.

Experts expect that it will fall to earth within the next several days.

But don’t worry.

It’s not the end of the world.

C.R. Roberts: 253-597-8535
c.r.roberts@thenewstribune.com

Staff writers Craig Hill, Adam Ashton, Debbie Cafazzo, Kathleen Cooper, John Gillie, Stacia Glenn, Christian Hill, Lewis Kamb, Adam Lynn, Steve Maynard, Jeffrey P. Mayor, Stacey Mulick, Jonathan Nesvig, Rosemary Ponnekanti, Sean Robinson, Sara Schilling, Kim Bradford, Darrin Beene, Dusti Demarest, Debbie Cockrell and Jordan Schrader contributed to this report.