Olympia, WA
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Only two weeks in, incoming North Thurston Public Schools superintendent backs out

Dr. Justin Ainsworth, the newly hired and incoming superintendent of North Thurston School District (NTSD), has announced his resignation, triggering a new round of interviews to fill the post. …
One of the possible locations of the community center is a site near Tumwater Boulevard and I-5.
Tumwater city staff is considering four locations for a proposed community center, Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Denney told the Parks and Recreation Commission on Wednesday, April 17. The …
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A hand picks up a book from a shelf in a library.
Thurston County Public Works has announced the temporary closure of book donation bins at its drop-box facilities in Rainier and Rochester and the Waste and Recovery Center (WARC) in Lacey. This …
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Chinook salmon swimming in a river
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the House Bill 2293, sponsored by Representative J.T. Wilcox, which aims to establish the Avian Salmon Predation Work Group. The workgroup, …
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Yellow radiation hazard sign due to Radon Gas
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has announced the 2024 Northwest Radon Poster Contest's young winners.  Aimed at nine to fourteen-year-old artists, the competition aims to …
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Teachers and paraeducators are crucial to a child's education. They are, however, sometimes unappreciated.
The Olympia School District Board declared May 6 to 10 as Teacher’s Appreciation Week through a proclamation signed on Thursday, April 11. The proclamation highlighted that teachers work …
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Corona Parker competing in the high jump in the PLU invite last March.
Graduate student-athlete Corona Parker broke school and personal records in track and field while representing Evergreen State College last Friday, April 19. This athletic feat was at the two-day …
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Kathleen Anderson portrait
I think the worst thing about any chronic disease is the unpredictability of the attacks. Never knowing when it will raise its nasty head means never being able to plan, to be able to commit. Still, …
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Eli Cole, Olympia Facility manager, spoke at the Finance Committee meeting on Monday, April 22, 2024, about the recent facility assessment, which uncovered 260 deficiencies in 16 municipal buildings.
Olympia Facility Manager Eli Cole presented findings of the recent facility assessment, which uncovered 260 deficiencies across the city's 16 municipal buildings over the past six years, with an …
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Water Resources Manager Tim Wilson (leftmost) met with the Board of County Commissioners yesterday, April 22, 2024, to discuss the Stormwater Utility Comprehensive Study.
For 2023, Thurston County’s stormwater facilities delivered 114.15 million gallons of potable water and treated 81.21 million gallons of wastewater, as stated in the agenda document . …
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The Olympia School District Board had a work session last Thursday, April 18, 2024, to discuss enrollment, staffing, and budget updates.
Olympia School District (OSD)’s Executive Director of Business & Finance, Kate Davis, discussed the current enrollment, staffing, and budget updates with the OSD Board at a Thursday …
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A bus pulling into the Intercity Transit bus stop in Olympia
Intercity Transit’s (IT) board of directors authorized General Manager Emily Bergkamp to purchase five 40-foot hydrogen fuel cell electric buses from New Flyer of America Inc. for $8,950,435 on …
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Real Estate Senior Manager Clarita Mattox briefs the Port of Olympia Commission about an amendment to the lease of the Olympia Marine Center.
The Olympia Marine Center LLC, owned by Austin Rognlin of Rognlin Motorsports and Marine, has been granted an option to remain a tenant of the Port of Olympia until 2054. The Port of Olympia …
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The Olympia Design Review Board met on April 4, 2024, and produced a Detail Design Review recommendation for a proposed one-story commercial space at 4336 Martin Way E Olympia.
The Olympia Design Review Board approved a Detail Design Review recommendation for the proposed Dickerson South Bay BBQ restaurant during its Thursday, April 11 meeting.
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The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) invites everyone to its inaugural Career & Transfer Fair on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.
The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) invites everyone to its inaugural Career & Transfer Fair on Wednesday, May 15. Interested community members may visit SPSCC's Olympia Campus …
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Life
A city staff presentation from February 2023 showed the impact of the fire on the Brewmaster’s house.

Restoration of Brewmaster’s House in Tumwater almost complete

The restoration and repair of the partially burnt Brewmaster’s House is nearing completion, pending further ceiling and wallpaper work, Parks and Facilities Manager Stan Osborn told the …

Operations Manager Jeremy Davis briefed the Board of County Commissioners about an ordinance restructuring the Fair Board.

County commissioners restructure Fair Board

On Tuesday, April 16, the Board of County Commissioners approved an ordinance amending the county code to restructure the Fair Board, a citizen-led group that helps coordinate the county fairgrounds …
Eli Sterling, organizer of Procession of the Species, attended the Thurston Board of County Commissioners meeting on April 16, 2024 to receive the Earth Day proclamation.

Earth Day: County commissioners urge engagement in activities

The Thurston Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) officially proclaimed April 22 as Earth Day, urging residents to participate in various events to foster environmental awareness and sustainability. …
Mountain Chickadee

East Slope Birding

Introduction – In 2023 Liam Hutcheson located and documented 378 bird species in Washington, a new state record. I have asked Liam to tell write accounts of some of Washington birding places …

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Police Blotter

Police Blotter for Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office On 4/23/24 at 1:21 PM in the Chevron on Plum Street, Sheriff’s deputies arrested Jessica Rose Chance, 35, on suspicion of tampering with a witness. …

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Opinions: Yours & our columnists
BURNOUT: Significance for healthcare and society
There has been much in the news about healthcare worker burnout. Burnout has resulted in crisis-level losses of staff and expertise since before COVID-19, which the pandemic exacerbated. Addressing …
Paul R. Webb – Lacey Historian of the Year 2024
The Lacey Historical Society has announced that one of its members, retired firefighter Paul R. Webb, has been selected as Ken Balsley Lacey Historian of the Year for 2024. Trustee Margie Worden …
Is it time to plant tomatoes?
We had a run of soil-warming sun this week, and now we’re in the high season of spring. Shovels and rakes are getting a workout, seed and plant sales are booming, and gardeners are waking up …
After both parents are gone
It is always a difficult time in one’s life when you lose a parent. You look to them to be there for you and expect them to be around forever. But when the surviving parent dies, you begin …
What do you say to those who are left behind?
When one reaches a certain age, losses occur with a frequency that cannot be ignored. The Olympia Host Lions Club, of which I am a member, has lost four valued members in the past six months. …

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Calendar of events
Olympia headlines
At the city council meeting on April 16, 2024, Olympia Parking Services Program specialist Chelsea Baker explained the challenges of maintaining an 85% occupancy rate on a downtown block with 29 parking stalls home to 22 businesses and 107 apartment units.
Olympia's Parking Service Program specialist, Chelsea Baker, presented the city's plan to improve downtown parking, outlining strategy aims to serve drivers, pedestrians, and local businesses. …
Olympia is installing signs similar to this on all city vehicles.
The Olympia City Council recognized an initiative to display veteran suicide prevention vehicle emblems on all city vehicles as the city's way of supporting and raising awareness of suicide …
Duncan Green of Intercity Transit invites the Olympia community to participate in the 37th annual Bicycle Community Challenge (BCC) hosted by Intercity Transit in May.
At the Tuesday, April 16, city council meeting, Mayor Dontae Payne signed a proclamation designating May 2024 as Olympia Bicycle Month. The proclamation highlighted the health, environmental and …
Anastasia Everett, CDBG Program manager for Olympia, shows a graph of CDBG funds allocated to the city, which has dwindled over the years.
In light of the proposed cuts to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) fund in the Fiscal Year 2025 national budget, the Olympia City Council urged federal lawmakers to advocate for increasing …
In proposing a new tax audit program, Olympia's Tax and License analyst Brandie Andrews says its establishment would cost around $500,000 but the city would see a potential revenue increase through this program.
The Olympia City Council, on Tuesday, approved continued work on establishing a new tax audit program, which aims to improve business tax compliance for local establishments operating in the city. …

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Tumwater headlines
Tumwater City Council authorized the contracts of EXP US Services Inc. and Fehr & Peers to work on separate components of the city’s 2025 comprehensive plan.
Tumwater City Council approved the contract of two consultants to develop the climate element and the transportation plan of the 2025 comprehensive plan. The contracts were approved as part of the …
This image, taken from the northbound side of Old Highway 99, shows the Meeker Oak's proximity to the historic airplane hangar at Olympia Regional Airport.
The Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission unanimously voted on Thursday, April 18, to recommend keeping the Davis-Meeker Oak on the city’s historical register. City staff is currently …
The suspect's vehicle.
Three law enforcement agencies collaborated to collar a felon crossing into Thurston County for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and other charges. Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) …

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Thurston County
Payments must be submitted by Tuesday, April 30, to avoid late fees mandated by Washington State law.
Thurston County reminds residents that the deadline to pay their 2024 first-half-of-the-year property taxes is Tuesday, April 30. Payments must be submitted by Tuesday, April 30, to avoid late …
Beware of phone scammers.
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) is warning the public about a surge in scams in which individuals impersonate TCSO staff. These schemes involve perpetrators falsely claiming to …
Senior Planner Andrew Deffobis informed the Board of County Commissioners about the purchase of a 5-acre property to be used for conservation.
The Board of County Commissioners approved on Tuesday, April 16, the purchase of a five-acre property for $149,500 so it could use the land for generating mitigation credits. The property, …

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Lacey headlines
Destiny Conerly (#5), one of the seniors honored on SMU Seniors’ Day, catches a Nighthawks player out.
The Saint Martin's University softball team paid tribute to the seniors in their final playing year for the Saints with a hard-fought battle against Northwest Nazarene, to which they won once in a …
The scales of Justice represent the idea of decisions reached fairly and objectively by a weighing of evidence.
A man involved in a shooting incident was arrested after he attempted to flee law enforcement by following a high-speed chase that eventually led to the collision with a civilian vehicle on April 7. …
Kayleese Dorfner for Timberline slides home
Timberline High School has always been a tough team to beat, with only one loss.   It was a nice sunny day,  April 15th  Monday at the North Thurston High School, softball …
Chelsea Yarwood, Lacey’s Accounting Manager, explained the city’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program from the Government Finance Officers during the Lacey City Council meeting on April 16, 2024.
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) honored the City of Lacey with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program for its 2022 budget report. During …
Roger Jones, the Community Engagement Director for Family Education Support Services (FES) distributed blue pinwheels to the Lacey Council on April 16, 2024, symbolizing national solidarity in preventing child abuse.
The City of Lacey joined the nation in dedicating April to the prevention of child abuse during its council meeting on April 16. Mayor Andy Ryder, on behalf of the city council, officially …

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More local news
 Ports seeks additional funding to continue investigation of Budd Inlet
The Port of Olympia is seeking $6.6 million to complete the investigation into Budd Inlet's contamination, according to Environmental Planning and Programs Director Shawn Gilbertson, who spoke to the …
County joins with Family Support Center to apply for violence against women grant
Thurston’s Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the county and the Family Support Center (FSC) in applying for the Department of …
Olympia Family Theater to run The Wonderful Wizard of Oz starting May 10
The Olympia Family Theater (OFT) invites you to follow the yellow brick road as it proudly presents The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from May 10 to June 2 . Collaborating with String and Shadow Puppet …
Olympia Planning Commission recommending Capital Mall Triangle plan, with amendments
On Monday, April 15, the Olympia Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the Capital Mall Triangle subarea plan to the Land Use and Environment Committee, with some amendments around …
Three finalists line up for Griffin School District Superintendent position
Griffin School District announced three finalists for its Superintendent position after preliminary interviews witnessed by approximately 30 people online. From 12 applicants, the board picked …
11 million tourists visited Thurston County last year, says report
Experience Olympia & Beyond Chief Executive Officer Annette Pitts shared in her report that an estimated 11,081,763 tourists visited Thurston County from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. …
South Puget Sound Clippers to return for NWAC Golf action, hires new assistant coach
After a six-month winter break, the South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Men’s and Women’s Golf Teams are set to return to the golf course to compete in various meets as they vie …
Veterans’ group airs concerns on neighborhood disturbances from nearby supportive housing
Representatives of the Martin Way Veterans of Foreign Wars post shared their concerns regarding the disturbances they are experiencing caused by residents at the nearby Unity Commons shelter.  …
State warns against increasing syphilis cases in Thurston County
A representative from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) raised concern about the increasing number of cases of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), particularly syphilis, in the …
Joint Animal Services partners with Nisqually Indian Tribe
In a move aimed at bolstering animal welfare services, Thurston’s Joint Animal Services Commission (JASCOM) has entered into a service contract with the Nisqually Indian Tribe.

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