More on Knapp's closure, World Cup parade, city budget deficit among top stories

The closure of an 88-year-old Proctor District institution, a ballooning city budget deficit, a fatal teen crash near Gig Harbor and World Cup parade street closures rounded out the top Pierce County headlines on Thursday.

Here are key takeaways:

• Knapp’s Restaurant & Lounge, a Proctor District fixture since 1938, is closing after just nine months under owner Billy Brewer, who said the restaurant never reached profitability despite menu updates and expanded happy-hour specials. The Knapp’s lounge will open briefly for a final goodbye from 4-7 p.m. through Saturday, June 13, with the dining room serving coffee only from 7-10 a.m. that morning, giving longtime customers a chance to say farewell.
• Several Tacoma streets will close Friday from about 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ World Cup 2026 Kick Off Parade. Drivers headed across Portland Avenue should use Roosevelt Avenue and East 44th Street as detour routes during the parade closure, with the city recommending residents leave before 2:30 p.m. to avoid long delays.
• A 16-year-old boy was killed Wednesday around 7:30 p.m. when his vehicle veered off an embankment near Gig Harbor in the 5600 block of 98th Avenue Northwest while traveling at high speed. The teen was a former Gig Harbor High School student who had withdrawn from the school, and the Peninsula School District has provided extra counselors for students and staff processing the loss.
• Tacoma’s budget deficit for 2027-2028 has grown to $40 million, up from a previously estimated $27 million, driven by higher insurance costs for healthcare and fuel. Over the next six years, city revenues will increase by 2.9% while expenses will rise by 4.8%, and voters in August will decide on a streets levy that could raise millions for street safety.

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.