Maersk layoffs and Tacoma waterfront restaurant closure among TNT top stories

Several major stories made headlines in The News Tribune on Tuesday, from restaurant and warehouse closures to a survey showing growing business unease in Washington. A Pierce County manslaughter case also concluded with a years-long prison sentence.

Here’s what to know:

• Johnny’s Dock Seafood and Grill has closed less than a year after reopening at Thea Foss Marina and Landing, with majority property owner Roy Kissler telling The News Tribune the tenant fell behind on rent and other payments, prompting landlords to break the lease. Johnny’s owner Gurinderjit “Gary” Purewal said the restaurant “had a good beginning” but sales tanked after the holidays, acknowledging late rent payments and saying he invested significant personal money in the business.
• Denmark-based Maersk filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications to close its Lakewood facility as of June 30, affecting 44 workers, with five additional layoffs planned at its Sumner site.
• A new Association of Washington Business survey shows 55% of Washington employers are considering moving their personal residence out of state, up from 44% earlier in the year. Nearly a quarter of employers, or 24%, now say they are looking to move their business out of state — nearly triple the figure logged 16 months prior — with 72% citing the state’s overall tax burden as a top challenge.
• Ioane Atonio was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after a jury found him guilty of first-degree manslaughter for stabbing Falealo Pulusila more than 30 times behind a Fife business strip on Jan. 31, 2025, in what prosecutors called a “prolonged, savage attack.”

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by senior editor Adam Lynn. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.