The News Tribune today offered 189 of its 350 full-time staffers voluntary buyout deals and imposed work-week reductions on all hourly workers in a bid to bring the Tacoma newspaper’s expenses in line with its reduced advertising income.

The company did not say how many buyout offers would be accepted. Today’s deals are the second round of staff reductions at the paper. Eighty-two News Tribune workers left the paper as a result of a reduction in mid-June.

“I know these are difficult, stressful times,” Publisher David Zeeck wrote in a memo to staffers. “But I also know that the work we do is important, and I want to reassure you that our overarching focus remains the same: to be the most trusted supplier of local news and advertising for the South Sound.”

The company is offering employees a buyout package of two weeks’ pay for every year of service up to 13 years and some health benefits.

Let's double-down for a grand, and perhaps it's time for nickels and dimes.

At its meeting later this week in Gig Harbor, the Washington Gambling Commission will consider several measures – including raising table-game limits at card rooms and allowing a game called “Mini-Baccarat.”

The meeting, open to the public, will be held Thursday and Friday at The Inn at Gig Harbor, 3211 56th St. N.W. Thursday’s session begins at 1:30 p.m., and Friday’s at 9:30 a.m.

Thursday’s meeting will consider several housekeeping matters. On Friday, commissioners will consider a proposal by the Recreational Gaming Association to increase the limit on house-banked cardroom wagers from $200 to $500.

The association has also proposed that the game “Mini-Baccarat” be allowed, and that nickels and dimes be allowed for use in paying the commissions required by the game. Such actual coins are not currently used in Washington gaming.

Another matter up for consideration, also proposed by the association, would increase the number of players – from seven the nine – who can play at any house-banked table, as in blackjack; and from 10 to 12 at a non-backed game, as in poker.

For further information, visit www.wsgc.wa.gov.

Microsoft is trying to make its Zune media player more attractive to consumers and lure them away from bigger sellers such as the iPod and SanDisk.

The company said today users will be able to download and buy music wirelessly from thousands of wireless hot spots around the country.

Customers also can flag songs they hear on Zune’s FM radio, and the next time they synchronize the players with their personal computers, the machines will download them, spokesman Adam Sohn said to Bloomberg News.

Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer also is introducing models with twice the storage of the old ones as he aims to shrink the gap with Apple’s iPod, the best-selling music player in the U.S.

Microsoft has fallen short of its goal of wresting the No. 2 spot from SanDisk, which makes the Sansa player.

“We need to get to a place where if you are thinking of buying an MP3 player and you ask three people should I buy a Zune, at least one of them recommends it,” Sohn said last week.

SeaTac's Horizon Air is adding new jet service from Santa Barbara, Calif. to that state's capital city, Sacramento, beginning Nov. 9.

Horizon is taking advantage of ExpressJet's dropping out of that market this month.

The regional airline, like Alaska Airlines owned by Alaska Air Group, hopes to optimize the profits on its existing flight from Santa Barbara to Portland by routing it through Sacramento.

Portland residents still will get one-plane service to Santa Barbara, and the airline will get added passengers on the Sacramento-Santa Barbara portion of the trip. The airline will fly the new route twice daily on weekdays and once daily on weekends.

Meanwhile, the regional airline is submitting a new proposal to the federal government for continuing service to Pendleton, Ore.

The government subsidizes that service under its Essential Air Service program for small cities. Horizon said the existing subsidy was insufficient because of rising fuel costs. It had proposed service from Pendleton to Seattle via Walla Walla with its 76-seat Q400 turboprops.

Cape Air of Massachusetts had proposed multiple flights a day from Pendleton to Portland using 9-seat Cessna 402 aircraft.

The Pendleton City Council had rejected both proposals. Now Horizon is proposing a new scheme that involves air service direct to Portland.

Here's an advance tip if you're looking for something beyond the ordinary community fest for next weekend.

Maritime Fest 2008 will give folks an inside look at Tacoma's waterfront activities including the busy port, its rail infrastructure and its pleasure-oriented waterside activities.

And it's a value. Take a harbor tour, a rail tour and watch Dragon boat races free.

Much of the activity is focused on Dock Street and the Thea Foss Waterway Saturday and Sunday.

Find out more specifics at the Martime Fest's Web site.

Continental Airlines has joined four other major legacy domestic airlines in imposing a $15 charge for the first checked bag.

Among major U.S. domestic carriers, that leaves only Delta without a charge for the first checked bag.

American Airlines began the trend early this summer, and United, US Airways and Northwest Airlines quickly followed.

The trend of charging for the first bag came after United began charging $25 for the second checked bag and other airlines joined in.

Continental's new fee is effective Oct. 7. There are exceptions for first and business-class fliers, high mileage frequent fliers, full-fare economy ticket holders and military personnel and their families traveling on orders.

Sea-Tac Airport's dominant airline, Alaska, hasn't yet joined the crowd charging for the first bag. Southwest Airlines hasn't imposed fees for either the first or second bags.

Continental flies non-stop from Sea-Tac to its hubs in Houston, Cleveland and Newark and to Anchorage.

The bag fees are another way airlines, hit by high fuel prices, are attempting to generate more income.