By Susan Gordon, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. Dec. 28--Land-clearing fires would be prohibited in rural areas of Pierce, King and Snohomish counties starting in July under a new proposal from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

By Brent Champaco, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. Nov. 12--On the Key Peninsula, the dead spots stretch along the beaches and slopes of the eastern shore. In Gig Harbor, they're inside the new stores in the city's busy north end. And the Park & Ride at Purdy offers little or no signal.

By Susan Gordon, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. Jun. 1--The fourth-generation descendants of a Key Peninsula pioneer are keen to offset increasing property taxes by leasing their tidelands to grow valuable geoduck clams.

By Susan Gordon, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. May 8--Shellfish growers and the waterfront-area residents who oppose geoduck farms are again facing off. This time, instead of at the Legislature in Olympia, the focus is the Pierce County Council.

By Brent Champaco, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash. Dec. 16--Key Peninsula resident Shane Plummer filled nine gas containers for family and friends as a line of drivers waited their turn at the pump.