In August, Matthew performed at Brew Five Three: Tacoma’s Beer & Music Festival. When we were chatting after the performance, I was delighted to find out that Tacoma’s own Kingpin X was once an enthusiastic participant of Tacoma Arts Live’s world drumming program back in the day. I reached out to Matthew for an interview to celebrate his journey as a musician, and his birthday!

Anne Howard (AH): Tell us a little about yourself.

Matthew Etienne (ME): I am Matthew Etienne aka Kingpin X aka DJ Blue Suede with an E at the end. I am an Artist, Producer, Audio Engineer, DJ, Son, Brother, Christian and creative ( Also a boyfriend). I am from the east side of Tacoma, and I bleed Tacoma. I derive my style from the arrogance of Rick James, the smoothness of Michael Jackson imitating James Brown, the Ebony magic in my melanin, and the groove of every Dr Dre and J Dilla beat. 

AH: What is your perspective of the performing arts and music scene in Tacoma?

ME: The arts and music scene in Tacoma is alluring. There are a lot of us up and coming artists out of Tacoma that have a lot of creativity and a lot to say. We do as much as we can to curate together and since we do such a good job, we kind of created our own sound of who we are… that’s fed into us from a lot of different parts of the world whether it’s the UK, Cali, or even the South. We syndicate a lot of our own style with others to create what no one else does. TACOMA HAS A VOICE. 

AH: What was your experience with arts programs growing up?

ME: Growing up, I had a lot of talent and a lot of energy and as a young kid. I only needed to be groomed and there was a [Tacoma Arts Live] program that helped with that a lot in terms of my creativity. They brought through a lot of people to help us showcase our talents and skills after school and also in the summer.  

AH: Oh, OK yes - this was the World Drumming Program at First Creek Middle School! What do you remember about the program?

ME: I remember someone come through by the name of Tony. He taught me the right way to play different pieces of percussion such as the djembe, and I would always be the first one to run to the drums to play.

AH: How did your exposure and experience with music and arts education shape your current career path?

ME: In my path as a musician in music and in my artistry, I was very fortunate to see the vision of where I wanted to be but never knew how to get there. So, I decided to put myself in as many classes and meet as many people as I could as a kid to make my own way. Then I was able to find people like Mrs. Fahren Johnson, Michael “MI” Cole and also Derek “DC” Clark. I was able to be in programs like Tacoma Arts Live’s, and it really showed me that there’s so many possibilities and I never have to put a cap on my dreams. Since I decided to join these programs and meet these community leaders, I was in places that made me a trailblazer in the community, and I continued to keep going and make the people that I look up to proud. 

AH: Thank you for sharing that experience! What's on the horizon for you as a performing artist? What can audiences look forward to?

ME: Well I’m glad you asked! So throughout the last summer I performed at least once every week. In October I was on a slight hiatus. But this month is my 22nd birthday on November 13 and I’m throwing a big 70s themed Players Ball concert to end my birthday week since my birthday is on a Monday (which sucks).

The Players Ball is on Friday, November 17 everyone is invited. The day after the show  (November 18) I’m also releasing an EP titled “The Care Package.” It will be an abundance of records that I’ve been working on for some time that needs the attention from the public. Also has a couple of new styles there as well that I’m a little nervous about but it’ll definitely be ear candy.

AH: Happy Birthday, Matthew!! Anything else you want to share?

ME: I want people to know that we were only put on this earth to love, and life is short so do good for someone else other than yourself. 

If you receive housing subsidies, you could earn up to $8,500 by participating in the Family Self-Sufficiency program from Tacoma Housing Authority.

Learn more at the next virtual orientation on Thursday, November 16th at 3 PM:

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

When City of Tacoma decided to sell Click! Network to local internet provider Rainier Connect they put our locally owned infrastructure which was once a point of pride back into the private sector so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when Rainier Connect turned around and sold it. Will it solve all the recent internet outages? Will customer service be worse or better? Only time will tell.

Here is the press release:

Palisade Infrastructure has completed the acquisition of 100% of the equity interests in Mashell, Inc., the parent company of Rainier Connect (the "Transaction"). Palisade will take on both the ownership and operations of Rainier Connect.

Rainier Connect – a high-speed internet, Stream TV and voice provider in Washington State for over 110 years, currently serving Tacoma, Eatonville, Centralia, Chehalis and Graham – also announced today that it has changed its name to Lightcurve.

Lightcurve's dedicated team, supported by Palisade Infrastructure, will invest in high-speed, reliable fiber optic networks, earning trust in our communities and providing fast, dependable internet." - Anand Vadapalli, President & CEO of Lightcurve

Changing the name to Lightcurve represents the next chapter of the journey and marks the beginning of significant investments in the fiber optic internet infrastructure.

Lightcurve is committed to delivering the best internet experience at home and at work. The company will combine the latest and most reliable fiber optic technology with transparency and trusted service from people who live and work in the communities we serve.

Over the coming months, customers can expect to see this commitment in action as the current network is upgraded and investments are made in expansion markets across several counties including Pierce, King, Lewis, Snohomish, and Thurston.

"The Transaction represents our first step in the creation of a regional platform for fiber and high-speed broadband connectivity. We also recently announced a transaction to acquire the Washington properties of Consolidated Communications, furthering our commitment to Lightcurve as the trusted regional provider of broadband," said Mike Reynolds, Managing Director, Americas of Palisade Infrastructure.

"Lightcurve has a team of terrific people passionate about delighting our customers. Having a long-term investor like Palisade Infrastructure provides the foundation to make significant investments in fiber optic networks and offer our customers and communities fast reliable internet from people they can trust," added Anand Vadapalli, who acted as an advisor to Palisade for the transaction and is now the President & CEO of Lightcurve.

"Our commitment to the community and customers will not only continue but will be stronger than ever. There's a huge hole in the rural and under-resourced communities that needs to be filled with broadband and we are committed to closing the digital divide. We are dedicated to helping connect as many Americans to high-speed internet as possible and create new opportunities in the communities we serve," said Reynolds.

This represents the completion of Palisade's second transaction this year in North America following the closing of its investment in the PureSky Energy community solar platform in June 2023, as well as the recently signed agreement to acquire Consolidated Communications, Inc.'s assets in Washington. Palisade is planning to launch a new North American diversified infrastructure fund with an initial focus on digital connectivity and energy transition in the coming months.

Houlihan Lokey acted as financial advisor and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP acted as legal advisor to Palisade. Bank Street served as the exclusive financial advisor to Rainier Connect on the transaction.

About Palisade: Palisade Infrastructure is part of the Palisade Group, a global independent, specialist infrastructure and real assets manager. Palisade Group has 30 active investments in its portfolio covering a broad range of sectors. Palisade Infrastructure's North American capability focuses on the energy transition, digitization, and transport infrastructure sectors. Palisade Infrastructure has a partnership-focused approach with a long-term investment horizon.

About Lightcurve, formerly Rainier Connect: Lightcurve is a privately held broadband infrastructure provider, based in Tacoma WA. Lightcurve has served Washington for more than 110 years and offers high-speed internet, Stream TV, voice, and other business connectivity solutions.

For more information, visit us online:

palisadegroup.com

rainierconnect.com

Last week, the Washington State Department of Commerce announced that both our McKinley Neighborhood Plan and Green Economic Development Strategy have been recognized with Smart Communities Awards. These awards honor communities that are making significant progress in creating sustainable, livable, and equitable places to live.

The McKinley Neighborhood Plan is a comprehensive plan that will guide the future development of Tacoma's McKinley neighborhood. The plan focuses on creating a more walkable, bikeable, and transit-oriented community that is safe and welcoming for all residents. The Green Economic Development Strategy is a plan that will help Tacoma become a more sustainable and prosperous city. The strategy focuses on creating jobs in the green economy, reducing our environmental impact, and making Tacoma a more livable place for all residents.

To learn more about the McKinley Neighborhood Plan recognition, CLICK HERE

To learn more about the Green Economic Development Strategy recognition, CLICK HERE

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Join the movement and give – each Tuesday and every day – whether it’s some of your time, a donation, or the power of your voice in your local community.

It’s a simple idea: whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts and everyone has something to contribute toward building the better world we all want to live in.

GivingTuesday, November 28th is just around the corner! Get ready to make a difference and give from the heart. CLICK HERE

To find a Tacoma non-profit to donate to, check out THIS LIST

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

This weekend Nov. 10-12th savor the flavors of the weekend at Puyallup Tribe's Food Truck Village. Indulge in Frybread, Rez Burgers, Ndn Tacos, Carne Asada, Elotes, and more.

Join the fun at 3509 72nd St E, Tacoma, 98443, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for a culinary journey you won't want to miss!

Weekly Volcano looking to add someone to the team with a very specific skill set. It will probably be someone from the festival community or a background doing large non-profit fundraising. We are looking for a sponsorship manager. The right candidate probably won’t need much more context that that but if there are questions please send me a PM. Referrals appreciated. Email Angela.Jossy@weekly-volcano.com for more information.

Thanksgiving Tacoma Dome Drive Through Turkey Giveaway!

Providing 500 families in need with free turkeys this holiday season

Who: Tacoma Venues & Events in partnership with Commencement Bank and the Tacoma Police Department present Tacoma Dome Turkey Giveaway

When: Wednesday, November 15, 2024, from 12pm to 3pm (or while supplies last)

Where: Tacoma Dome Parking Lot G

What: The Tacoma Venues & Events team have partnered with Tacoma Police Department and generous Tacoma Dome-sponsor Commencement Bank to provide 500 Thanksgiving turkeys for area residents in need. “Now more than ever, it is important for us to come together as a community to support those in need. That is why Commencement Bank is honored to partner with the Tacoma Dome and Tacoma Police Department to help put food on the table for our residents this Thanksgiving,” said Nigel English, President & Chief Operating Officer at Commencement Bank.

Leading the effort to distribute turkeys, The Tacoma Police Department and Tacoma Ministerial Alliance are partnering with the Eastside Community Center (November 18), Salishan (November 18), and People’s Community Center (November 20) for additional turkey giveaways. Hundreds of turkeys will be distributed in advance of this holiday season.

Participants are invited to drive through Tacoma Dome Parking Lot G to pick up one turkey per family, while supplies last. Vehicles will enter the Lot from Wiley Avenue at the east side of the Dome.

Attn: Pre-Retirees and Retirees! We invite you & a guest to join us for a NO COST Retirement Education Workshop at Tacoma Community College (TCC) on Wednesday, November 15th at 6:30pm.

At this educational event you will learn about: Medicare, Social Security Benefits, Tax Free Retirement Strategies and Options, Free Long-Term Care like Riders, Safe Money Strategies and we are also going to review Medicare IRMMA Surcharges and how to avoid them!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

APCC and TwinStar Credit Union are excited to share another Financial Wellness Workshop that's happening on November 30th from 6:00pm-8:00pm! We will only be accepting RSVPs this time around, with 40 spots open to the public. Those who RSVP and attend the workshop will receive a $50 gift card and dinner, so please register as soon as possible!

Please RSVP to financialwellness@twinstarcu.com to save your seat at our workshop. We hope to see you there!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Real Estate Investors Association of Washington Class: Getting & Structuring Deals! LIVE EVENT!

It is an interesting time to find deals right now, especially if you aren't structuring your offers to work for both you and your seller. There are plenty of deals to be had as many of REIA's Members are proving with a little work and ingenuity!

We have chosen two deal approaches that are working now, paired them with some legalese on the deal structuring side and created a class day that can help you move deals along!

Our class day is comprised of three speakers on multiple topics. Details are below for the following topics:

Seller Financing including what it is, what the advantages are to the buyer and seller, when and how to use seller financing. how it can be negotiated to customize terms, what associated costs may be and more! High interest rates, rehabs of all levels and houses sitting vacant all spell opportunities for seller financing! Seller financing can be a phenomenal tool for wholesalers, flippers, buy and hold and multi-family investors.

Hoarder Houses, Mold, Fire & Water. We'll cover what our speaker specializes in: cleanup of hoarder houses, mold problems, fire and water damage and more. Some of his cleanups of “exotic cases” have been featured in episodes of the A&E TV show Hoarders.

Negotiating a purchase with a hoarder requires a different sort of finesse that isn't run of the mill for most investors. Our speaker will cover the related psychology, what it takes to get to the finish line to take possession, with or without the contents of the house, and what it takes to clean up these properties!

Structuring the deal with the right legalese The legalese portion of our class day includes education on the Dodd-Frank Act and its impact on Seller Financing from both Buyer and Seller perspectives.

We'll also include contractual deal structuring of both Seller Financing contracts and Purchase and Sale Agreements used when buying Hoarder Houses to keep related risks at a dull roar!

No Hype!

REIA Continuing Education Classes are typically taught by REIA Business Members, local professionals who are experts in their fields, governmental agencies and local, active real estate investors. No products or services will be sold.

Pricing for Saturday classes

Class fees are $99 for REIA Members / $119 for REIA Guests. Registration is required at www.REIAwa.com. Sorry, walk-ins who have not registered and/or prepaid will not be able to attend the class as seating is limited. Registrations through social media, including Meetup, will not be accepted. All registrants will receive a Square payment link by email.

Active Duty and Honorably Discharged US Veterans! Before we celebrate Veterans Day on this class day, take a minute to review our Military / Veterans webpage on our website. Active (unexpired) REIA Members who have provided their Proof of Service (DD214 for Veterans get done complimentary class every year on Veterans Day. If your Membership is completed before the class, including your Proof of Service, you can attend this class free of charge! Thank you for service.

Visit www.REIAwa.com to register and save your spot, pay the invoice when it arrives by email to prepay your class fee, bring your laptop or lots of paper for notes, be there early and start networking! The class will begin promptly at 9 AM.

Not a REIA Member yet?

What are you waiting for? Join REIA Today!

All experience levels are welcome at REIA.

We'll see you there!

To your success!

Fox and Shirley Henderson, REIA Founders

REIA - Real Estate Investors Association of Washington www.REIAwa.com info@REIAwa.com 425.454.1922 or 1.877.454.REIA

LEARN MORE HERE

Meanwhile, we can keep checking our favorite races HERE.

From Washington State Office of the Attorney General:

SEATTLE - On Thursday, October 26, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson called a press conference to make a historic announcement - Washington State’s backlog of over 10,000 untested sexual assault kits has effectively been eliminated.

The backlog is a nationwide crisis dating back to the 1980s. In response to the growing problem, in 2014 President Obama’s budget proposal included dedicated funding for a grant program called the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) to provide much-needed support for communities as they work to end their backlogs, bring support to survivors, and improve processes for evidence collection and investigations moving forward.

The following year, the Washington State Legislature established the Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFE) Task Force with a mission of reducing the State’s number of untested sexual assault kits. Original members of the Task Force represented survivors, law enforcement, forensics, prosecution, criminal defense, hospitals, and more.

In 2017, Ferguson applied for and was awarded a $3 million SAKI Grant, dedicating more than $1 million of those funds to private lab testing. Within a year, the Attorney General’s Initiative completed a statewide survey of law enforcement, determining that an excess of 10,000 sexual assault kits were waiting to be submitted for crime lab testing. The following year, testing began.

In subsequent years, Ferguson’s Initiative worked closely with the SAFE Task Force to reduce the number of untested sexual assault kits in Washington. Today, all 10,134 backlogged sexual assault kits found in the office's inventory have been tested or submitted to a private lab for testing, with at least 21 sexual assault cases already being solved as a result — a number that will most certainly continue to grow over time. Testing has also resulted in more than 2,100 matches in the national DNA database, known as CODIS.

In 2023, new legislation went into affect mandating that two of the SAFE voting seats be assigned to community-based sexual assault advocacy programs. Shortly thereafter, Carlyn Sampson, Executive Director of Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center, was selected to serve as one of those voting members. Sampson had the privilege of joining Ferguson onstage at last month’s press conference, stating that, “...it was an honor to stand alongside so many partners who have fought long and hard to end the backlog. Washington State has sent a message to victim-survivors that they are seen, that they matter, and that we will continue to collaborate statewide to do better by them.”

Rebuilding Hope’s service model offers 24/7 in-person Advocate responses to local hospitals when survivors come in seeking a sexual assault forensic exam and treatment for injuries following an assault in Pierce and Kitsap counties. Since January 2022, Rebuilding Hope has received and responded to 581 calls for a hospital response to provide critical immediate and ongoing support to survivors and their loved ones.

In order to prevent future backlogs, Washington’s Legislature also passed a new law in 2015 requiring law enforcement agencies to submit all sexual assault kits for testing within 30 days of their receipt. Once the lab receives those kits, they must be tested within 45 days. The following year, the State went one step further, passing a first-in-the-nation system that enables survivors to track their kits as they move through the process, from collection to CODIS entry.

If you’re a survivor, or a loved one of a survivor, it’s never too late to reach out for support. To learn more about what resources are available in Pierce and Kitsap counties, visit Rebuilding Hope’s website at www.sexualassaultcenter.com.

About Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center:

Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center is a confidential, community-based agency committed to advocating for victim-survivors, their families, and friends. Through a wide range of programs including Therapy, Advocacy, Education, and the Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Program (STEP), Rebuilding Hope offers holistic support, education, and collaboration aimed at healing and preventing sexual assault and abuse.

SOURCE