Tacoma’s fire union has approved a package of concessions to help avoid layoffs to 44 firefighters proposed under a first-round of cuts amid the city’s ongoing budget crisis.<p/><a href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2012/01/27/tacoma-fire-union-agrees-to-defer-raises-make-other-concessions-to-avoid-layoffs/">Read more on Political Buzz</a>

Lakewood police have arrested a woman in connection with the death of her infant son earlier this month.<p/><a href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2012/01/27/lakewood-mother-arrested-in-death-of-infant-son/">Read more on Lights & Sirens</a>

Elbe business owners can stop holding their breath. And travelers passing through the small community 17 miles from the main entrance of Mount Rainier National Park can stop holding their bladders.</p> <p/>A long-planned state rest area has finally opened in Elbe, on a part-time basis for now. It should bring relief in more ways than one.</p>

If Jon Kitna’s vision is fulfilled, Lincoln High School – and Tacoma, too – will experience success that goes far beyond the football field.</p> <p/>At a news conference Thursday afternoon that introduced the 1991 Lincoln graduate and former NFL quarterback as the Abes head football coach, Kitna spoke about using sports to produce men and women of integrity and future leaders.</p>

Following the recent opening of Five Guys Burgers and Fries, TNT Diner's Sue Kidd visited her favorite homegrown burger stands.<p/><a href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/tntdiner/2012/01/27/my-top-five-south-sound-burger-stands-walk-ups-and-drive-ins/">Read more on TNT Diner</a>

Elbe business owners can stop holding their breath. And travelers passing through the small community 17 miles from the main entrance of Mount Rainier National Park can stop holding their bladders.</p> <p/>A long-planned state rest area has finally opened in Elbe, on a part-time basis for now. It should bring relief in more ways than one.</p>

To commemorate Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon – Tacoma-based Brown and Haley has invested in a high-profile advertising campaign that includes both Roca pink bus wraps and a TV commercial.<p/><a href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2012/01/27/roca-in-china-tacomas-brown-haley-marks-the-year-ofthe-dragon-with-a-hong-kong-ad-sweep/">Read more on the Business Buzz blog</a>

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is calling for a Stage 1 burn ban to start today in Pierce County.<p/><a href="http://blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2012/01/27/burn-ban-announced-for-pierce-county/">Read more</a>

U.S. ratings agency Fitch says it is downgrading the credit ratings for five European nations including leading economic heavyweights Italy and Spain.<p/>The agency on Friday lowered credit ratings for the five nations by one notch and placed a negative outlook on all of them, as well as on Ireland. Those nations downgraded included Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, Slovenia and Spain.

Demi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.<p/>The woman tells emergency operators that Moore, 49, had been "having issues lately."