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This building on Capitol Way N in downtown Olympia has been the location of Rhythm & Rye since 2014.

Rhythm & Rye in downtown Oly searching for new location

Rhythm & Rye, a popular music venue and bar in downtown Olympia, has been temporarily closed since March. Now, its owner is on the hunt for a new location. Owner Andy Geertsen, in an email to … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 12/2/20

Police Blotter for Tue., Dec. 1, 2020

Olympia Police Department At 12:23 a.m. Tuesday in the 2800 block of Martin Way East, police arrested Margaret G. Dan, 27, on an out-of-town warrant. At 10:24 a.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of … more

12/2/20

Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek, the Thurston County Health Officer.

Health officer provides recipe and resources for maintaining mental health

Hello Thurston County, I can’t believe it’s already December! As winter really begins to set in, this week I want to take a moment to address mental health. When I was caring for … more

12/2/20

Two large "adult" statues welcome visitors to the ad hoc social justice park on East Bay Drive in Olympia on Nov. 25, 2020.

Mystery sculptures appear on East Bay Drive

Quietly last summer, when social justice protests were daily events following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, an anonymous person or group produced an informal public display … more

By Danny Stusser | 12/1/20 | 3 comments

Suspect in nonfatal shooting held on $100,000 bail

A 19-year-old Tumwater man is being held on $100,000 bail after being accused of shooting a 19-year-old Olympia man multiple times during a fight last month. Thomas M. Brown was charged with … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 12/1/20

Spectators watch a "Fitter Families Contest" at the 1920 Kansas Free Fair. American Eugenics is rooted in these Kansas contests and exhibitions, which tried to evaluate family gene pools and attempted to link heredity traits with what constituted a desirable type of family.

U.S. mishandling of COVID echoes the 20th century eugenics movement

Over the past nine months, I have written about some of the parallels between the 1918-20 influenza pandemic and today’s coronavirus outbreak: opposition to masks, premature elimination of … more

By Knute Berger | Crosscut | 12/1/20

Police Blotter for Mon., Nov. 30, 2020

Olympia Police Department At 1:19 a.m. Monday in the 400 block of Cooper Point Road Southwest, police arrested. Norman A. Shawe, 35, on suspicion of failure to comply. At 4:52 a.m. Monday in … more

12/1/20

This suspect is sought in connection to the armed robbery of the 7-Eleven store on Sat., Nov. 28, 2020.

Police seek help finding armed robbery suspect

A man wielding a handgun robbed a Tumwater 7-Eleven convenience store in the early morning hours Saturday. The Tumwater Police Department is now seeking any information the public might have on … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 11/30/20

Police Blotter for Fri. - Sun., Nov. 27-29, 2020

Olympia Police Department At 12:38 a.m. Friday in the 500 block of Fourth Avenue West, police arrested Conrad H. Zier, 22, on suspicion of driving under the influence. At 5:27 a.m. Friday in … more

11/30/20

Fentanyl has joined heroin as one of the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl is blamed for the deaths of celebrities Michael Jackson, Tom Petty and Prince.

Woman charged in October overdose death

A Lacey woman was arrested after she was accused of selling a man fentanyl pills that resulted in his overdose death. Michele Hylton, 50, was charged with homicide by controlled substance. She was … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 11/30/20

The grinch who stole the shellfish -- an artist's interpretation of the marine biotoxin that causes diarrhetic shellfish poison (DSP), now detected at unsafe levels in shellfish within Budd Inlet in Thurston County.

Biotoxin shuts down shellfish harvesting in Budd Inlet

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) Department have closed Budd Inlet to recreational shellfishing, from … more

11/30/20

In this Wednesday, June 24, 2020 file photo, a volunteer receives an injection at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg, as part of Africa's first participation in a COVID-19 vaccine trial developed at the University of Oxford in Britain in conjunction with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca says late-stage trials of its COVID-19 vaccine were "highly effective'' in preventing disease. A vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford prevented 70% of people from developing the coronavirus in late-stage trials, the team reported Monday Nov. 23, 2020.

A COVID vaccine is coming. Here’s how WA is preparing

That medical experts have warned of a winter surge of the coronavirus since the early days of the now year-old pandemic doesn’t make the lived reality of it any less sobering. Cases … more

by Hannah Weinberger | Crosscut | 11/27/20

Police Blotter for Wed. & Thu., Nov. 25-26, 2020

Olympia Police Department At 8:25 p.m. Wednesday in the 3200 block of Harrison Avenue Northwest, police arrested Matthew J. Davis, on suspicion of assault. At 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 900 … more

11/27/20

Third arrest in shooting of teen

Thurston County sheriff deputies arrested a third suspect in the nonfatal shooting of a 19-year-old Olympia man earlier this month. The 19-year-old suspect was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 11/27/20

The new tradition at Nikki McCoy's house is for each family member to label a leaf each year, describing what each is thankful for.

Seven sweet and wonderful brief stories to brighten your Thanksgiving

Each of us who work on The JOLT come from different backgrounds and traditions. Here are a few wonderful and sweet stories with which we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Reflection 2020 Thanksgiving is finally upon us! I feel for many, 2020 has been a year full of challenges for which we may not have been thankful! Yet … more

By The JOLT Writers | 11/26/20 | 1 comment

Kathleen Anderson, Columnist

Kathleen Anderson – kathleen@theJOLTnews.com – began writing The Sage Connection column (most Wednesdays) in November 2020. She has written essays and columns for … more

11/25/20

North Thurston High School's block-and-mortar front entrance. Most students now are entering via Zoom.

Local and state resources help families with remote learning

Ups and downs of reported COVID-19 cases in Thurston County has largely determined whether students would learn in classrooms or remotely, using home internet or WiFi connections to access … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 11/25/20

Hello, and welcome to my world.

What comes next? Do you join Senior Services for the South Sound, the “senior center”? Become a proud member of AARP? Renovate your kids rooms into man caves and sewing parlors? … more

By Kathleen Anderson | 11/25/20 | 1 comment

Police Blotter for Tue., Nov. 24, 2020

Olympia Police Department At 1:35 a.m. Tuesday in the 2300 block of Fourth Avenue East, police arrested Curtis M. Sword, 42, on suspicion of theft, criminal trespass and obstructing a police … more

11/25/20

Children in Matsakha, Kenya are returning to school. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic which is accelerating in Kenya, the schools do not have soap for the children to wash their hands.

Friendly Water for the World has a new story to tell this Friday at 4:30 pm

OLYMPIA - For its 10th Anniversary, the folks at Olympia-based Friendly Water for the World had dreamed of having a huge dinner, featuring exotic foods from Africa, serving hundreds of participants … more

By Danny Stusser | 11/25/20