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

Olympia Community Engagement Program Specialist Margo Morales presented a proposed toolkit of community engagement methods during a city council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.

Olympia City Council votes to end 3 advisory bodies, plans new approaches to community engagement

A trio of advisory bodies are going to sunset, while another one is going be restructured, after a year-long evaluation of the groups in ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/21/26 | 1 comment

Local residents showed up at Madison Elementary School for an Olympia School District Board of Directors (left) public hearing on the proposed closure of the school. Madison Principal Domenico Spatola-Knoll  addressed the crowd.

Last public hearing on school closures held at Madison Elementary School

Madison Elementary School students and parents had strong feelings about the proposed closure of the school at a public hearing in ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 10/21/26 | 2 comments

Local residents attended a public hearing about the possible closure of LP Brown Elementary School in Olympia gathered on Oct. 15, 2026.

Local residents sound off at public hearing on proposed closure of LP Brown

A proposal to shutter LP Brown Elementary School in Olympia was questioned by a number of people who attended a recent public hearing on the ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 10/20/26 | 5 comments

Washington Center for the Performing Arts Executive Director Jill Barnes updated the Olympia Finance Committee on facility improvements, including new carpeting and stair nosing intended to address concerns about the stairs. She made her remarks at a meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, 2026.

Washington Center reports on finances, outlines priorities for coming year

The Washington Center for the Performing Arts reported a clean audit, and outlined plans for facility improvements and community programming ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/20/26

Shaded areas on a state map show seven Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater neighborhoods that qualify for federal Opportunity Zones, four of which have been nominated.

Four Thurston County areas under consideration for federal economic program

From the Capital Mall area in Olympia to central Tumwater and Midtown Lacey, four Thurston County areas have been nominated for designations as ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 10/20/26 | 3 comments

The Olympia City Council and Mayor Dontae Payne. Top row: Robert Vanderpool, left, Clark Gilman, Yến Huỳnh and Kelly Green. Bottom row: Dani Madrone, Payne and Paul Berendt.

Legislative agenda targets funding for housing, road improvements in Olympia

State funding for environmental and transportation projects, as well as housing and homelessness services, have emerged as legislative priorities ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/19/26 | 5 comments

An alternate driving route around the Fones Road Corridor Project in Olympia.

Daytime closures in store for Fones Road in Olympia

Partial daytime closures of Fones Road are going to take place next week, as work crews march toward completion of the multimillion-dollar street improvement ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 10/16/26 | 3 comments

Parents, students and residents attended a public hearing at McKenny Elementary School to comment on the proposed school closure at a meeting on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.

Parents, students weigh in on proposed closure of McKenny Elementary School in Olympia

Local residents sounded off on the proposed closure of McKenny Elementary School at a public hearing in Olympia, with some people asking for it to stay ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 10/15/26 | 8 comments

Housing Director Ashley Chambers shared regional HMIS data showing 7,350 people in the system over the past year. Chambers presented the One Community Plan update during Olympia City Council’s study session on Oct. 13, 2026.

Homelessness response program reviewed amid funding uncertainty in Olympia

The Olympia City Council is considering how to adapt the city’s homelessness response plan as demand grows and funding uncertainty ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/14/26 | 17 comments

Thousands of people gathered at the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia on Saturday, June 14, 2025, as part of the "No Kings" protests held across the country.

'No Kings' IV coming to Olympia on Oct. 17

In what is being billed as a “Nationwide Day of Action,” local organizers are encouraging people to join in an effort to promote early voting ahead of ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 10/14/26 | 19 comments

Intercity Transit’s Walk N Roll representative Ali Fuller shared photos of McKenny Elementary School students participating in the Walk N Roll program. The Olympia City Council proclaimed October 2026 as Walk to School Month at a meeting on Oct. 6, 2026.

Olympia proclaims October as Walk to School Month

It's Walk to School Month in the City of ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/13/26 | 3 comments

Olympia City Hall is located at 601 4th Ave. E in downtown Olympia.

Olympia City Council to review One Community Plan progress

The Olympia City Council will review an update on the One Community Plan at a meeting on Tuesday ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/13/26

City of Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne sponsored a referral to support the development of a student visitation program at the OlyAHA Museum in partnership with the Olympia School District. The city council approved $12,500 in funding for the program at a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026.

City council approves $12,500 for school program at Olympia AHA Museum

The Olympia City Council approved $12,500 to help develop a student visitation program and curriculum at Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/12/26 | 2 comments

OSD Superintendent Patrick Murphy answered questions on the proposed school closures at an OSD Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 8, 2026.

OSD superintendent answers questions about proposed school closures

The Olympia School District (OSD) is in the process of engaging with parents, students and residents ahead of a vote on whether to close three ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 10/12/26 | 4 comments

An aerial view of "The Jungle" homeless encampment in Olympia, as seen in January 2026.

Suspect wanted on felony warrants arrested in 'The Jungle'

A person wanted on felony warrants was arrested in "The Jungle" homeless encampment in Olympia after trying to hide ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 10/12/26 | 5 comments

An unidentified woman, as seen on Sept. 3, 2026, expressed concern about the City of Olympia’s plans to close "The Jungle."

Timing, housing and 'The Jungle'

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to finding housing for homeless individuals living in "The ... more

By JM Simpson | 10/9/26 | 18 comments

The site of Jolene Unsoeld Community Park in Olympia.

$17.7M contract approved for construction of Jolene Unsoeld Park in Olympia

The Olympia City Council approved a $17.7 million contract for the first phase of Jolene Unsoeld Community Park on Yelm .... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/8/26 | 7 comments

Olympia City Council members celebrated with representatives of the Indigenous community after proclaiming Oct. 12, 2026, as Indigenous Peoples Day.

Olympia designates Oct. 12 as Indigenous Peoples Day

In recognition of a longstanding relationship with the Squaxin Island Tribe, the Olympia City Council endorsed a proclamation designating ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/8/26 | 6 comments

A 2027 utility rate proposal summary for the City of Olympia.

Across-the-board utility rate hikes proposed in Olympia for 2027

A package of proposed utility rate hikes would lead to a roughly 5.5 percent overall rise to the average bi-monthly utility bill in the ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 10/7/26 | 9 comments

A map of the multimillion-dollar Fones Road Corridor Project in Olympia.

Utilities, striping work to close a stretch of Fones Road

A portion of Fones Road will be closed for a couple of nights, as crews continue raising utilities and striping a shared use ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 10/7/26 | 3 comments