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

Heat advisory, red flag warning issued for Thurston County

A heat advisory and red flag warning are in effect for Thurston County, amid a backdrop of hot, dry and unstable weather conditions. The National Weather Service Office in Seattle issued the … more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 7/15/25

The Bike Rescue collection container is open at Thurston County’s recovery site in Lacey. Donated bikes are refurbished by volunteers and redistributed for free by Intercity Transit.

Bike Rescue Project debuts in Thurston County

Intercity Transit and Thurston County Solid Waste launched the Bike Rescue Project on July 1, opening a daily bike donation site for residents to drop off used adult ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 7/14/25 | 2 comments

Observer training session offered for upcoming primary election

Observer training is being offered for the Aug. 5 primary election in Thurston County. The training will take place via Zoom on Tuesday ... more

The JOLT News Staff | 7/14/25 | 2 comments

Thurston County man arrested for alleged rape

A 38-year-old man was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of second-degree rape following an incident involving his landlady at her residence in ... more

By Darlanne Cruz | 7/10/25 | 5 comments

The WET Science Center’s schedule for July includes free boat-building workshops and science education activities for families in downtown Olympia.

WET Science Center brings back free summer pop-ups and themed Saturdays

Families in Olympia can chart a course through water-themed science this month without leaving downtown, as the WET Science Center launches ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 7/10/25 | 1 comment

A motorist allegedly tried to escape from Thurston County Sheriff's Office deputies after two precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuvers, but ended up hitting a power pole and destroying a vehicle on Tuesday morning, July 9, 2025.

Alleged cannabis shop burglary leads to pursuit

A 26-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday morning, July 8, after an alleged burglary at a cannabis business resulted in a pursuit that ended with a ... more

By Darlanne Cruz | 7/9/25 | 4 comments

Thurston Regional Planning Council to review new vision for expansion of high-capacity transportation options

The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is set to review a new vision for expanding high-capacity transportation options throughout ... more

Lorilyn Lirio | 7/9/25 | 5 comments

Thurston County is under a temporary burn ban from Wednesday, July 9, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2025. The restriction blocks yard waste and land clearing fires in unincorporated areas due to elevated wildfire risk.

Thurston County enacts burn ban, as fire risk hits ‘high’

A temporary ban on residential yard waste burning and all land clearing burns is in effect for unincorporated areas of Thurston County from Wednesday, July 9, to ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 7/9/25

The Veterans Conservation Corps internship is open with placements in Thurston and Lewis counties.  Interns will work at the Early Blue conservation site in Tenino and the Southwest Washington Food Hub in Centralia.

Veterans program opens in Thurston County

Full-time paid internships for military veterans are available in Thurston and Lewis counties. The internships are coordinated through a program by the ... more

By Kameko Marquez | 7/9/25

Man resting along roadway arrested on felony warrant

A man found resting in a grassy area near the intersection of 148th Avenue SE and Champion Estates Drive SE in Thurston County is ... more

By Darlanne Cruz | 7/8/25 | 2 comments

Intercity Transit Development Director Peter Stackpole briefed the agency’s board of directors about the need for a new forecasting tool at a meeting on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

Intercity Transit developing a better forecasting tool

Intercity Transit is working to upgrade a planning tool to help forecast its long-term finances and level of ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 7/8/25

Stolen truck recovered after arrest of woman at grocery store

A 31-year-old woman was arrested on Monday, June 23, after Thurston County Sheriff's Office deputies discovered she was in possession of a stolen ... more

By Darlanne Cruz | 7/8/25 | 1 comment

Thurston Regional Planning Council Transportation Manager Katrina Van Every presented a map showing the proposed extension of Log Cabin Road (green dashed lines) in Olympia. She made the presentation at a meeting of the Intercity Transit Authority on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. The project has been a long-standing consideration, as it could provide an alternate east-west connection to relieve traffic on Yelm Highway.

Intercity Transit Authority takes stance against Log Cabin Road extension project

The Intercity Transit Authority unanimously voted to remove the Log Cabin Road extension project in Thurston County's Regional ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 7/7/25 | 3 comments

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders met with the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners on June 30, 2025, to extend the Memorandum of Agreement regarding the handing out ofdouble overtime pay for corrections deputies.

Thurston County extends deal giving corrections facility employees double pay for overtime

In a bid to aid staffing challenges, the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners extended an agreement with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office for ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 7/4/25 | 1 comment

Two Oregon men arrested in alleged coin redemption scam in Thurston County

Two men from Oregon were arrested in connection with an alleged scheme involving fraudulent Coinstar redemption tickets at a WinCo Foods location at ... more

By Darlanne Cruz | 7/4/25 | 2 comments

Transportation Policy Board to address Log Cabin Road extension

The Transportation Policy Board is set to make recommendations on the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, a comprehensive update to Thurston County's ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 7/2/25 | 5 comments

Driver arrested after crash seriously injures motorcyclist

Authorities arrested a pickup truck driver following a collision in Thurston County that left a motorcyclist ... more

By Darlanne Cruz | 6/30/25

'We are more than our fears'

Interfaith Works is joining with many in our community to express relief and gratitude to authorities that apprehended Levi Austin Frakes and Charles Ethan Fields on ... more

By Interfaith Works | For The JOLT News | 6/30/25 | 8 comments

Intercity Transit Chief Financial Officer Jana Brown presented plans to open 31 full-time equivalent positions, 20 of which will be bus drivers, at the agency's board of directors meeting on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Intercity Transit allocates money to implement new union contract, hire new personnel

Intercity Transit has appropriated funds to hire 31 full-time equivalent positions and implement its new contract with ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/27/25 | 6 comments

A vest outfitted with an Axon body camera, as seen in this undated photo.

Thurston County Sheriff's Office deputies outfitted with Axon body cameras

New high-tech equipment is up and running at the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, as deputies have been issued new Axon body ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/27/25 | 3 comments