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Wednesday, November 11, 2026
TOP STORIES

Houselessness emergency declaration renewed in Olympia  

The Olympia City Council unanimously approved a resolution extending a public health emergency on houselessness for ...

Joint Animal Services reports fewer adoptions, higher cat count

Fewer animals have gone home with new families from Joint Animal Services (JAS) this year, even though the shelter's intake level ...

Tumwater Fire Department Chief Brian Hurley to retire in March 

Tumwater Fire Department Chief Brian Hurley announced he will retire after 32 years with the ...

Regional transportation projects secure $16 million in federal funding 

The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) approved recommendations to award $16 million in federal transportation funding to ...

Deschutes Estuary dam removal alternative explored in new book 

It’s running over old ground, but better late than never, say advocates with an alternative to the removal of the 5th Avenue dam in downtown ...

Sanders sails to win in Thurston County sheriff's contest, Clouse zeroing in on second term

With roughly 10,000 ballots left to be counted from the Nov. 3 General Election, a couple of races for partisan offices have been decided ...

LFD3 Chief Schmidt vows responsible bond spending after strong voter backing 

Amid a backdrop of a successful bond measure, Lacey Fire District 3 Chief Jennifer Schmidt has vowed to maintain transparency and accountability ...

Olympia School District leadership presents transition plan for school consolidations 

The Olympia School District (OSD) superintendent has outlined initial transition plans for the district ahead of a vote on school ...

Lacey opens application window for voters’ pamphlet committees on transportation measure 

In preparation for the February election, the City of Lacey is seeking community members to serve on committees supporting and opposing a ...
Sports
A 90 percent site plan prepared by RWD Landscape Architects shows proposed pickleball courts, pingpong tables, spectator areas, pathway changes and ballfield safety netting at Rainier Vista Park in Lacey. 

Rainier Vista Park improvements reach 90 percent of planning stage 

The City of Lacey is preparing Rainier Vista Park’s recreation improvements for permitting after completing another planning ...

Swimmers ages 50 and over competde in the Washington State Senior Games in Lacey on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Swimmers take center stage at Washington State Senior Games

Dozens of swimmers competed in the annual Washington State Senior Games swim meet on ...

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Police Blotter

Police Blotter for Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026

Lacey Police Department On 11/10/26 at 11:04 a.m. in the 5700 block of Lacey Boulevard SE, police arrested Melissa Marie Edwards, 47, on suspicion of out-of-town misdemeanor warrant. On …

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Gardening & outdoors

November notes

We are bird watchers, ever curious. But have you ever wondered whether birds are also curious about we humans and engage, from time to ...

Bird watching in late October

As we reach the end of October, cooler weather, shorter days and frequent rainfall have entirely changed bird ...

Rare birds at Nisqually

As I opined in a recent Thurston’s Birds column, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is the premier ...

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Arts & Entertainment
IN THE AUDIENCE
Rachel Benton

Review: Ballet Victoria brings ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to town 

Last week, I gave JOLT readers a sneak peek at what was coming to the Washington Center for the Performing Arts stage: Ballet Northwest’s ...

Rachel Benton

Review: Olympia Symphony Orchestra partners with Aaron Lamb for ‘Evolve’ concert 

Coming together once again for a legendary performance, the Olympia Symphony Orchestra (OSO) partnered with Aaron Lamb of Harlequin ...
Rachel Benton

Phones and performances 

Today, I’m breaking from my usual pattern to discuss something important to our performing arts scene — an issue that comes up at ...

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Opinions: Yours & our columnists
Thurston County’s biggest local charity drive is underway
Give Local, the annual campaign by the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound, that matches donors to nonprofit ...
The heart of the holidays
There is something special about November. The beautiful shades of orange, gold, and brown covering the trees, the crisp Washington ...
Fresh eyes 
If life on Earth could be said to have a purpose, it may be creation’s way of experiencing itself. From the first animalcules, through ...
A conversation with Kevin Mason and Mary Miller of Capitol City Caramels 
Raise your hand if you were feeling tense about the election. Me too, so I wanted to offer us something extra sweet, buttery, and warm to ...
Timberline High School students discuss 'Come From Away'
A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Adam Jones and the cast of Timberline High School’s “Come From Away” let me join them for a conversation ...

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Calendar of events
Olympia headlines
A conceptual site plan shows the proposed Western Trails development at 607 and 709 Sleater Kinney Road NE in Olympia. Design Review Board recommended approval of the proposal at a meeting on Nov. 5, 2026.  
The Olympia Design Review Board recommended approval of the conceptual design for Western Trails, a proposed 228-unit multifamily ...
SeaPort Airlines announced a new air service between Spokane and the state capital. Flights start Jan. 8, 2027.
Traveling from Eastern Washington to Olympia for the state’s legislative session just got ...
After seven years of absence, the Jinglebell Parade is coming back to downtown Olympia, complete with holiday floats, lights and marching ...
Olympia City Hall is located at 601 4th Ave. E in downtown Olympia.
The City of Olympia is looking for residents who would like to serve on advisory bodies that help shape local policies, preserve historic ...
Olympia Planning Director Nicole Floyd presented AI-generated illustrations of a single-family home with two adult dwelling unitss, showing attached and detached configurations, during an Olympia Planning Commission meeting on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026.  
The City of Olympia allows four to six homes per lot in designated low-density residential zones, plus up to two accessory dwelling units ...

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Tumwater headlines
The proposed Costco development on Tumwater Boulevard west of Interstate 5 includes a new warehouse, fueling station, car wash and several commercial out-lots, as well as land for a future multi-family residential project. 
The Tumwater City Council authorized Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff to sign a development agreement with Costco Wholesale Corporation for a ...
A map of the Tumwater Brewery District, which covers the area surrounding the former Olympia Brewery properties, as well as the area surrounded by Custer Way, Cleveland Avenue and Capitol Boulevard. 
The Tumwater City Council approved a $290,000 contract with BERK Consulting to complete a planned action environmental impact ...
The Tumwater School District Board of Directors adopted revisions of three policies related to student health and wellness at a meeting on Oct. 26, 2026.
The Tumwater School District Board of Directors (TSD) adopted three revised policies related to student health and wellness to align with state ...

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Thurston County
The ballot intake and scanning area at the Ballot Processing Center in Tumwater on Monday afternoon, Nov. 9, 2026.
Thurston County District No. 5 Commissioner Emily Clouse widened her lead to nearly 7,000 votes over Nicolas Martinez-Dunning in the ...
The Thurston Regional Housing Council (RHC) is recruiting Thurston County residents to serve on the Homeless Services Advisory ...
Restaurant inspection reports focus on two types of violations: red and ...

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Lacey headlines
Lacey Transportation Benefit District funding has supported road rehabilitation, street overlays and sidewalk improvements across the city since 2017. 
The City of Lacey is going to ask voters in February to renew a sales tax that has funded more than $28 million in transportation improvements ...
Two covered bins store regular salt, left, and salt containing magnesium chloride, right, in Lacey. The site holds up to 160 tons of salt. 
The City of Lacey has expanded its snowplow routes and increased on-call staffing for the 2026-27 winter ...
Gibson’s Custom Meats “Pay It Forward” program will be held on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A butcher shop in Lacey will celebrate its first year of operations by matching every single purchase of a meat pack to help combat holiday ...
Lacey Fire District 3 shared a message of appreciation in the aftermath of the Nov. 3 General Election.
Support for the Lacey Fire District 3 (LFD3) bond measure is running strong, based on unofficial returns from the Nov. 3 General ...
Deputy Mayor Malcolm Miller, left, presented the Veterans Appreciation Month proclamation to Hire Heroes USA Program Manager Dave Martinez during a Lacey City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. 
Veterans and military families are at the center of a citywide recognition in ...

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More local news
 Updated Nov. 3 General Elections results for Thurston County
The path to a second term in office remained on track for Thurston County Commissioner Emily Clouse, who upped her lead over rival Nicolas Martinez-Dunning ...
Updated November General Election results for Thurston County
A second term in office remained within the grasp of Thurston County Commissioner Emily Clouse, who has maintained a consistent margin ...
Updated Nov. 3 General Election results in Thurston County
Thurston County Commissioner Emily Clouse padded her lead over challenger Nicolas Martinez-Dunning in a battle for the District No. 5 seat in ...
Gluesenkamp Perez cruising toward win over Braun in 3rd Congressional District
Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez enjoyed a comfortable lead over Republican state Sen. John Braun on Tuesday, Nov. 3, as she pursues ...
Locals weigh in on Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project at public hearing
A handful of community members gave their input at a public hearing held on Wednesday evening, Oct. 28, in downtown Olympia on new ...
Election Night in Thurston County
Incumbent Emily Clouse held a nearly 5,000 vote advantage over challenger Nicolas Martinez-Dunning in the race ...
TRPC to mull transportation grant awards for a number of proposals 
The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is going to consider approving $16 million in federal transportation grant awards at a meeting ...
New member sought for Lacey Commission on Equity
The City of Lacey is accepting applications for a vacant position on the Commission on ...
Olympia residents invited to share priorities at forum  
The Council of Neighborhood Associations (CNA) is inviting Olympia residents to a community forum to discuss neighborhood needs and ...
LOTT proposes $18M upgrade to Martin Way wastewater system 
The LOTT Clean Water Alliance is preparing a major wastewater infrastructure upgrade in the City of ...

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