Olympia, WA
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TOP 7 STORIES

Lacey signs cooperation agreement with Nisqually Indian Tribe on 250-acre development into a resort and mixed use community

The Lacey City Council signed a cooperation agreement with the Nisqually Indian Tribe in support of the tribe’s plans to develop 250 acres of tribal land. “The Nisqually Tribe is in …
Thurston County Commissioners and the Budget Office collaborate to balance the 2024 General Fund.
The Budget Office has announced its intention to implement a reduction in work hours for government employees, transitioning to a 32-hour workweek, to have fiscal stability for the 2024 General Fund. …
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The BoCC received a briefing from Water Resources Manager Tim Wilson on the Roll of Rates and Charges for Offut Lake Management District No. 24.
Thurston County’s Public Works-Water Resources briefed the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) that there were no discrepancies on the Roll of Rates and Charges for Offut Lake Management …
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TRPC Senior Planner Michael Ambrogi presented a map showing the proposed additions to the Federal Highways urbanized area boundary.
The Thurston Regional Planning Council – Technical Advisory Committee (TRPC-TAC) approved the proposed adjustment to the urban area boundaries set by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) …
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A Haunting in Venice
Since 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh has drastically changed the air from Agatha Christie’s Books and not for the better. Adding the unwarranted scenes in Turkey for …
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OPD and Thurston County seized a sizeable quantity of illegal drugs and multiple firearms along with cash.
In a joint operation, Olympia Police Department (OPD) Detective Division and Thurston County Narcotics Task Force apprehended an alleged narcotics dealer operating within Olympia. The operation …
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Dr. Pamela Braff, Olympia Climate Programs director, says transportation, commercial, and residential energy are the top three contributors to GHG emissions in 2021.
Community-wide emissions in Olympia had decreased by 4.7% between 2019 and 2021, Climate Programs Director Dr. Pamela Braff announced on Tuesday, September 19, when she gave an overview of the …
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The Olympia Finance Committee met yesterday, September 20, 2023, to discuss Transportation Impact Fees.
Sophie Stimson, City of Olympia Public Works Transportation Director, briefed the Olympia Finance Committee on Transportation Impact Fees yesterday, September 20. Transportation …
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Salmon swimming upriver to spawn in Washington
On behalf of  Se’Si’Le , the public is invited to stand with Indigenous leaders and Tribal communities across the Northwest in support of a Snake River journey and the Indigenous-led …
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Life
Next Week’s Roundup

What’s happening around here-- Lula Fest, Nisqually Watershed Festival

The end of September is near, but the fun events just got started. 

Hispanic music, art, cuisine and more during Lula Fest

As part of its celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Olympia will host its first-ever Lula Fest this coming Saturday, September 23, from 3 to 9 p.m., downtown on Washington Street. This …

Washington Street to close twice for Lula Fest

A street and parking lot closure will be temporarily implemented in celebration of the upcoming Lula Fest on September 23, Saturday. Additionally, another street …

Olympia Family Theater presents Percy Jackson musical

Olympia Family Theater will open its production of “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” on Friday, October 6. Based on the popular young adult novel by Rick Riordan, the …

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Police Blotter

Police Blotter for Saturday, September 23, 2023

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office On 09/23/23 at 8:33 PM in the Big 5, Sheriff’s deputies arrested Blair Evan Nelson, 34, on suspicions of 1) 2 nd degree assault, 2) 2 nd degree …

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Opinions: Yours & our columnists
Critical news about integrity of nonpartisanship of nonprofits and funding cuts
Don’t worry, you are not forgetting what day it is, today is not Tuesday. There is just some critical news coming from the other Washington that is impacting nonprofits that I want you to know …
The coming election: We need candidates who will answer questions completely and thoroughly
Thomas Jefferson wrote that a well-informed electorate is a necessary precursor to a healthy democracy. One would think that today, with a proliferation of information “channels”, …
Novel home health care service uses artificial intelligence to schedule brief visits
I had an informative visit with Natalya Rubel a few days ago. Natalya is the CEO for ABOVE Home Health, located in Olympia and serving our surrounding counties. The acronym ‘ABOVE’ stands …
Back to school is also back to nonprofit volunteer season
The start of the school year often signals the start of the volunteer season as people return to their previous routines. However, due to the pandemic, some folks have not returned to their previous …
A Time for Reflection of a Different Kind
I find this time of year and the change of seasons one for reflection. It is particularly poignant for me as this is the time to celebrate and reflect on a year closing and a new one beginning in my …

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Olympia headlines
Seven robbery suspects were arrested by authorities after being linked to a robbery that transpired last month at a local gym in Olympia. “The victim reported that his car keys were stolen …
Olympia Community members backed the sidewalk projects outlined in the preliminary Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) and offered to work with the city in establishing priorities should the city council …
This is a story without words. Click the photo to see the photo caption.
On Wednesday, September 13, the Olympia Site Plan Review Committee held a presubmission conference on a proposal to construct two triplexes on the 1.60-acre Taylor Short Plat subdivision along Cooper …
The two recent gun incidents in Olympia’s Capital High School urged the Olympia School District (OSD) to hold the second reading and adoption of two threat and security-related policies. …

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Tumwater headlines
Tumwater has hired Michelle Sutherland as its new administrative services director. Tumwater City Council authorized the signing of Sutherland’s employment contract during a meeting on …
Tumwater is warning motorists of traffic delays tomorrow, Thursday, September 21, along Kirsop Road SW from 54th Avenue SW to 70th Avenue SW, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. New pavement marking will be …
Tumwater is hosting a clean-up and donation drive on October 7, Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Tumwater City Hall. “Safely discard unused prescriptions and expired medications; …

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Thurston County
Representatives from Thurston County Public Works proposed lower speed limits for seven roads and a higher speed limit for one route, to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) yesterday, September …
Some residents of Thurston County came forward during the Tuesday, September 19 public hearing to weigh in on the proposed rezoning of some areas under the Grand Mound Subarea Plan Update. …
To boost country-wide efforts to raise awareness of voter registration, the Thurston Board of County Commissioners proclaimed September 19 as National Voter Registration Day. “We're pretty …

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Lacey headlines
Lacey’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) reviewed the 2024 lodging tax fund applications at a meeting yesterday, September 13, which included requests aimed at promoting the city. In …
Next week has a lot of fun in store for you. Join these local events with your family and friends. 2023 Zonta of Olympia- Hotel Olympian Gala Extravaganza, Saturday, September 16 Jenny Greenlee …
Note to Reader:  You are about to read one homeless man’s account of why he is homeless.  This individual consented to the interview and could refuse to answer any questions. This is …
A suspect is now in custody for 1st-degree arson after a structure on the 6800 block of Martin Way E caught fire late Friday night. Firefighters from Lacey Fire District 3 , multiple other fire …
Lacey has officially proclaimed September 19 of this year as National Voter Registration Day. The Lacey City Council said it encourages all eligible community members to register to vote , to …

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More local news
 Port Director Sam Gibboney officially resigns
The Port of Olympia Commission announced that it has accepted Executive Director Sam Gibboney’s separation of service during a meeting on Tuesday, September 19. “The commission …
County to invest $2 million in new state-of-the-art camera system for detention facilities
The County Budget Office plans to install a new high-definition camera system in Thurston County's Detention Facilities, worth $2,000,000.   The old cameras will be replaced with those from …
County faces budget balancing challenge in 2024 due to inflation and stagnant sales tax revenue
The Thurston County Budget Office reported a financial adjustment aimed at aligning expenses with revenue, preventing them from exceeding funds and maintaining a budget, due to the loss of income …
Revising the project for the Voter's Registration Service Center saved over a million dollars, county reports
Capital Projects Planning Manager Rick Thomas reported that a total of $1.4 million was reduced from the original budget of $4.1 million for building the Voter’s Registration Service Center. …
Tumwater recycled a third of its solid waste in 2022, report says
According to Tumwater's latest sustainability report, the percentage of solid waste from the city’s operations that was recycled has increased to 33% in 2022. The report shows an improvement …

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