Tacoma's Downtown Merchants Group will introduce a new map of businesses at its meeting next week.

The map highlights 575 Tacoma businesses and enlarges the downtown footprint to include parts of the Stadium and Dome districts.

The Downtown Merchants Group has produced 160,000 of these maps, which will be available various stores and restaurants.

The merchants group will celebrate the map and unveil its new logo at its meeting from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday at the Pantages Theater.

The Foss Waterway Seaport has received a $50,000 grant from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Foundation and $25,000 from KeyBank in support of the Seaport’s waterfront education, cultural and activity center.

These grants kick off the second phase of the Seaport’s capital campaign that has a goal of raising $5 million in cash and pledges by the end of 2008. This follows a first phase effort that raised $3.7 million.

KeyBank’s contribution is the first major support for the Seaport from a major financial institution. The bank’s gift will be used to support the Seaport’s Balfour Boatworks, a boatbuilding shop that will feature a workforce development program.

The contribution from BNSF is especially notable given that the centerpiece of the Seaport project is the Balfour Dock Building constructed nearly a century ago by the Northern Pacific Railroad, a predecessor to the BNSF.

By now Century Tel's free Wi-Fi network in Steilacoom is officially open for business. Some of you may even be reading this blog over that network.

The Steilacoom network's ceremonial debut was scheduled for 11 a.m. today, though most of the network had been unofficially available for weeks.

The free wireless Internet cloud over the town is an experiment to test the technical and marketing possibilities of digital communication that eventually could expand to cover much of Pierce County.

The 60-day trial will offer residents and visitors a taste of wireless Internet access throughout the town. After that, the system will move to a subscription model. Prices have not yet been set. Next expansion site: Orting.

Sonja Hall, director of communications for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, will leave her job May 15 and begin anew a week later in the communications department at Tacoma Public Utilities.

Meanwhile, the chamber is looking for someone to fill Hall’s position. The specific job description is being revised. Pay is negotiable and comes in somewhere in the 40’s, Hall said.

Resumes, applications and expressions of interest should be addressed to Chamber President David Graybill, 950 Pacific Ave., Suite 300,
Tacoma, WA 98402.

The totals are now in, and the past week, which began so auspiciously for Boeing with news of a big order for 787 Dreamliners from Air Canada, has lived up to it's promise.

Orders at list prices for the week total $7.8 billion for 56 planes.

The customers range from leasing companies to an emerging African airline.

The customers and their orders:

• Air Canada: 23 787s.
• Arik Air of Nigeria: three 787-9s, two 777-200LRs, two 777-300ERs.
• Oak Hill Capital Partners: six 777 freighters.
• S7 Group of Russia: 10 737-800s.
• SpiceJet of India: 10 737-800s.

You need a license to give customers a shave, but not to prepare their taxes. That may change.

On Wednesday, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced a bill (S. 1219) that would require the Treasury Department to set standards for commercial tax-return preparers and obligate professional preparers to pass a competency exam and take continuing education classes.

The National Association of Enrolled Agents (enrolled agents are licensed by the Treasury to represent taxpayers) supports the bill. Asks NAEA Immediate Past President Frank Degen, “When you assume your barber is licensed, you are probably right, but when you assume your tax preparer is licensed, you’re probably wrong. Given that the ramifications of a bad haircut pale in comparison to the ramifications of a poorly or fraudulently prepared return, shouldn’t preparers be required to earn a license?”

In the same food group, the IRS is looking for new members for its Advisory Council (IRSAC). Applications will be accepted from May 1, 2007, through June 15, 2007. The group’s purpose is to provide an organized public forum for IRS officials and representatives of the public to discuss relevant tax administration issues. The committee presents an annual report to the IRS Commissioner.

Membership is balanced to include representation from the tax professional community, including, but not limited to, tax attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries and appraisers, as well as large and small business representatives and other tax practitioners.

Nominations are currently being accepted for five to seven appointments that will begin January 2008. Interested parties may nominate themselves and/or one other qualified person for membership. For information, visit http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/index.html .

From the Book of We-Told-You-So: Congratulations to those South Sound drivers who filled their tanks yesterday, when regular gasoline reached an all-time record of $3.209 per gallon.

Today, there’s a new record: $3.247. That’s up almost four cents per gallon in one day, or 80 cents per tank, or collectively enough to buy every driver in Pierce County a bus ticket to Spokane, where the state’s lowest price hit a mere $3.039. (Just be glad you’re not in Bellingham, where a gallon this morning goes for $3.289.)

And remember, these are average prices as compiled by AAA. You may find stations where prices are higher or lower.

In fact, let us know. If you find a South Sound station where gas is cheap, post a comment. Thanks. Happy driving!