This blog is designed to give readers a glimpse of our editorial-page operation and how we make our decisions. We’ll let you know who we’re meeting with, what they’re telling us, what events and issues we’re looking at. We’ll also pass on information and observations that may not make our print editions. In addition to the editorial board members who post on this blog, the board includes Publisher David Zeeck, Executive Editor Karen Peterson and Managing Editor Dale Phelps.
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Editorial page editor Patrick O’Callahan oversees the online and printed opinion sections of The News Tribune. He came to The News Tribune in 1987 and has worked at Washington newspapers since 1979. E-mail him at patrick.ocallahan@thenewstribune.com
Editorial writer Cheryl Tucker, in addition to writing commentary, manages the daily production of the editorial and op-ed pages and edits letters to the editor. She began her journalism career in 1974 at a Virginia newspaper and came to The News Tribune in 1978. E-mail her at cheryl.tucker@thenewstribune.com.
Editorial writer Kim Bradford manages the online opinion section of The News Tribune and writes commentary. She joined The News Tribune in 2005 after working 11 years at newspapers in Washington and Maryland. E-mail her at kim.bradford@thenewstribune.com.
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Editor emeritus David Seago retired from The News Tribune in 2008 after 41 years at The News Tribune. E-mail him at sds99@harbornet.com.
Richard Davis’ column on state politics frequently runs in the print edition of The News Tribune. He was president of the Washington Research Council, a statewide think tank, from 1986 through 2006. Currently, as a principal with The Simeon Partnership, Inc. he coordinates the activities of the Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy, a business coalition founded by the Research Council, the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable.
Karen Irwin of University Place, a mother of four, has been a frequent contributor to The News Tribune's print editions. She has also written for Seattle's Child, Puget Sound Parent, the Tacoma Weekly, the Fayetteville Observer Times and the political blog Right Meets Left. She graduated from California Lutheran University with a degree in English literature and is currently working toward a history degree.
Michael Allen, professor of history at the University of Washington Tacoma, was born and raised in Ellensburg. He served with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam from 1969-70. He has written five books, including the prize-winning "Patriot's History of the United States: From Columbus' Great Discovery to the War on Terror," "Rodeo Cowboys in the North American Imagination" and "Western Rivermen, 1763-1861: Ohio and Mississippi Boatmen and the Myth of the Alligator Horse." Allen lives in Tacoma and Ellensburg and has three children.
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Local officials' dreams of remaking the Cheney Stadium area in Tacoma can look to some impressive projects in other communities.

The minor league baseball stadiums in Frisco, Texas, (pictured right) and Dayton, Ohio, have been mentioned as inspirations.
In Dayton, the baseball team's owner is trying to come to terms with the city for a $230 million Ballpark Village that would include retail, housing and entertainment. Sounds a whole lot like what Pierce County officials are eyeing.
But there is one significant difference: Dayton's Ballpark Village would be built in the city's dying downtown. If you check out this run-down of recent and coming changes to minor league baseball parks, you'll notice there's a common thread: Nearly all these minor league stadiums are located in downtowns.
Maybe "pika" who posted this comment on Jason Hagey's story is on to something (not about tearing down the Tacoma Dome, but about rethinking the location of the Rainiers stadium).
I'd like to see the Tacoma Dome torn down and a nice new minor league ballpark for the Rainiers built in its place. Maybe it could be combined with some transit-friendly condos or apts. and retail. Downtown stadiums are great for a city, and the T-Dome seems to be on the verge of becoming a liability rather than an asset if it isn't already. This would allow Cheney to be torn down and that land could be redeveloped for parks, retail, housing, playfields, whatever.
COMMENTS:
Being fairly new to town, I am curious about how much of an asset or liability the Dome is and is projected to be for Tacoma in the future. Seattle sports and events have thrived without the Kingdome ... does it makes sense for Tacoma to follow their lead, or does the Puget Sound still need one big indoor facility like that? If it's only for monster truck shows, it's just not worth the upkeep!
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