Community | The JOLT News Organization, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

This shows a portion of the debris spread outside of the tents and other temporary shelters that are on private property along the west side of Deschutes Parkway across from Capitol Lake in Olympia. Image taken on April 5, 2021.

Olympia has contracted to clean homeless encampments on Deschutes Parkway

In a couple days, Advance Environmental will begin to clean the sprawling homeless encampments along Deschutes Parkway as a response to waste accumulation and environmental impacts at the camps on … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 4/5/21 | 1 comment

Tumwater Falls Park reopens as Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls

Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls re-opened to the public yesterday, with some new amenities and a new name -- but without new signs yet. The Olympia Tumwater Foundation closed the park last year so it … more

By Danny Stusser | 4/2/21

Shotweed, also known as hairy bittercress and other names including Cardamine hirsuta, plant in spring. Some think it's tasty.

Weeds? This is your moment

This is the moment: weed now or prepare for a breakdown of law and order in the garden. If you don’t mind lawlessness and disorder, fine. But weeding early in the spring makes weeding chores … more

By Jill Severn | 4/2/21

Kristy Woodford, CEO of Holistic Home Group

How to win when you’re buying a home in Thurston County in 2021

If there is anyone in your life in the process of buying a home right now, you probably know that it’s a tough market for buyers. Holistic Home Group has a few recommendations we encourage any … more

By Kristy Woodford | Holistic Home Group | 4/2/21

A view of north Olympia from Budd Bay. For a point of reference, not KGY and KAYO Radio's studios, shown to the right edge of the photo.

Child-care needs complicate classroom return for Head Start

OLYMPIA - Head Start employees here want more flexibility as kids return to the classroom.Sophia Rychener, a teacher who heads the Federation of Head Start Employees, said some of her union members … more

By Eric Tegethoff | Washington News Service | 4/1/21

This is the iconic sign+wall at the Thurston County Courthouse

Blake Decision’s effect on Superior Court largely unknown at this point, judge says

The Blake decision saddled both the Thurston County prosecutor’s office and office of public defense with a large workload, but it’s not known quite yet how the sweeping decision will … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 4/1/21

Auditor works with community to strike racially restrictive covenants

The Thurston County Auditor's Office is reaching out to hundreds of landowners whose properties contain antiquated unlawful racially restrictive covenants. A recent law allows the Auditor's Office to … more

3/30/21

2020 Community Leadership Award Honorees Recognized

Earlier this month, Leadership Thurston County (LTC) and the Thurston County Chamber Foundation recognized the following individuals and organizations for their outstanding initiative, inspiration to … more

3/26/21

The area at Beaver Creek considered for rezoning is highlighted in this image.

Rezoning effort to allow warehouses to be built near Beaver Creek receives 155 comments opposed

The Thurston County Commissioners voted unanimously to move a rezoning issue to the Official Docket of Comprehensive Plan amendments, after receiving 155 public comments against the rezoning. At … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 3/25/21 | 1 comment

Another example of trash strewn along the north side of Wheeler Ave. SE in Olympia on March 9, 2021

County program would clean tent encampments, provide on-site support

A program designed to clean tent encampments and provide intensive case management with people living in the camps is in the works. The “Scattered Site Management Pilot Project” was … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 3/25/21 | 1 comment

Gender-affirming medical treatments may not be denied under this bill

The Journal of Olympia, Lacey & Tumwater Presents The Daily Legislative Report, covering The 2021 Washington State Legislature. House lawmakers debated Second Substitute Senate Bill … more

By Troy Kirby | 3/25/21 | 1 comment

This home at 1304 Madrona Beach Rd NW in Olympia sold last week for $458,000. Holistic Home Group photo.

The JOLT Real Estate Report for March 14-20, 2021

CITY / Address Beds Baths Sq Ft $/sq ft Sale Price LACEY 1616 Brunswick St … more

3/22/21

Julia Brayshaw and Kevin Head at Priest Point Park in Olympia on March 13, 2021.

Kevin and Julia and the Curse of the Ivy

I met Kevin and Julia on Saturday morning, March 13, at 8:15. We sat at a picnic table near the playground the Southwest section of Priest Point Park. I would call them local heroes. Kind, caring … more

By Denny Hamilton | 3/19/21 | 1 comment

The front and reverse sides of Tenino's new scrip for 2021 are shown above.

Tenino does it again: Issues its own currency

The Tenino Area Chamber of Commerce announced it has created the $20=$21 Tenino COVID-19 2021 Small Business Recovery Program to benefit area businesses, residents and visitors. Residents and … more

3/17/21

This home at 1925 Vista Loop SW in Tumwater sold for $560,000 last week. Kristy Woodford/Holistic Home Group Photo.

The JOLT Real Estate Week in Review for March 7-13, 2021

This weekly report covers single-family home sales in Thurston County over the past week. There were 68 sales completed from Sunday, March 7 through Saturday, March 13, 2021. (The house … more

3/15/21

K-9 Arlo recovering at Oregon State University, accompanied by his handler, Deputy Tyler Turpin.

K-9 Arlo to retire from Thurston County Sheriff’s Office

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Arlo will retire, authorities from the department announced today, after vets revealed bones in his spine weren’t healing from a shooting that … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 3/12/21 | 1 comment

This safe was formerly owned by the City of Olympia.

Auction of little-known Kips Garage Museum includes antique toys, model trains, farm and transportation gear

Some boys never stop playing with toys, even when they grow into men and even when their toys become full-size rail locomotives. Craig Kinnaman of Tenino was such a boy, now a man, and he’s … more

By Danny Stusser | 3/12/21

The Washington Supreme Court struck down the law criminalizing drug possession in the state on February 25, 2021, which has set off a chain reaction in legal, policing, immigration and health care circles.

State Supreme Court’s drug possession ruling upends Washington’s criminal justice system

When Kelly Vomacka first read that the Washington Supreme Court had struck down the law criminalizing drug possession in the state, she was in disbelief. The Blake decision, named for the woman at … more

By David Kroman | Crosscut.com | 3/12/21

Heroin and cocaine are often packaged in small plastic bags such as this.

Robbery suspect accused of possessing drugs inside jail

A man accused of robbing a Lacey coffee stand at gunpoint is facing an additional charge of possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility, after Thurston County Corrections Officers … more

By Cody Neuenschwander | 3/10/21

This protest took place in November 2020, on World Diabetes Day, outside Novo Nordisk’s Seattle office in the 500 block of Fairview North in Seattle. The Danish drugmaker has come under fire by activists for charging too much for its drugs. In 2019 it announced it was making a cheaper generic version of Insulin Aspart, a man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children.

Climbing prescription prices have Washington state looking to get into the drug business

As surging pharmaceutical prices drain state coffers and empty Washingtonians’ pocketbooks, lawmakers may dramatically expand the state’s authority to buy, make and share lower-cost … more

By Levi Pulkkinen | InvestigateWest | 3/10/21