News and notes for this week

A few items of news and note for this coming week:

• In case you haven't noticed, oil trains pass directly adjacent to The Esplanade on a daily basis. The safety, environmental, and financial risks of this are significant. Learn more at a presentation on Tuesday, October 13 at the UW Tacoma, at 7:00 p.m. Learn more HERE.

• There will be a formal dedication of the new artwork, Floating Life Forms, on Thursday, October 15 from 5 - 6 p.m. Esplanade residents are encouraged to attend the dedication, which will be outside on the esplanade, or in our community room if the weather is inclement. The invitation to residents reads:
  
  "Join us for the dedication of Floating Life Forms by local artist Ed Kroupa. The artwork is a series of 6 bronze spheres nestled along the Thea Foss Esplanade, each depicting stylized, intertwined lifeforms native to the Puget Sound, including octopus, harbor seals, and sea stars. Come learn about the work, meet the artist, and help us celebrate the newest public artwork in Tacoma! Refreshments will be served."
  
  And remember, if your thirst for art is not quenched during the dedication, this Thursday is also Tacoma Art Walk, so you can visit the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Washington State History Museum for free in the evening.

• A building fire drill will be held on Saturday, October 24. A time for the drill will be announced. The drill will include audio public address announcements and a building evacuation. Residents who would like assistance navigating the stairwells may contact Safety Committee members Pat Pound or Lynette Chandler, or Building Manager Karen DeGraw.