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Wednesday, October 28, 2026
TOP STORIES

Regional Housing Council seeks state support for 2027 housing programs 

The Thurston County Regional Housing Council is going to consider a number of legislative priorities for the upcoming 2027 session of the Washington ...

2027 spending plan weighs in at $245.5 million for City of Lacey

Lacey residents and business owners who review the proposed spending plan for 2027 are going to find a slimmed down budget ...

Deal for 67.5 acres of mitigation land moves ahead in Tumwater 

The Tumwater City Council agreed to a $12 million purchase and sale agreement for 67.5 acres of property that's going to be part of the city’s habitat conservation ...

Feds allege over 400 noncitizens vote in Washington

The top federal prosecutor in Seattle claimed on Monday, Oct. 26, that more than 400 noncitizens have been voting in Washington, as the Trump ...

Lacey Historical Commission firms up plans to publish historic markers map 

The City of Lacey is getting closer to publishing its online historic markers map. However, limitations in the current version have prompted ...

Olympia School District looking at community schools model 

The idea of adopting a community schools model is being considered at the Olympia School District (OSD), as a means to transform it into a hub of ...

More than 700,000 voters have cast ballots in Washington

Washington state voters are getting the message: Don’t wait to turn in your ...

City council backs purchase of building to serve as new Tumwater City Hall

The Tumwater City Council unanimously voted to authorize Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff to complete the purchase of a property priced at $14,080,000 to ...

Legal representation sought for indigent defendants in Lacey 

The City of Lacey is seeking qualified attorneys to represent indigent defendants in misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor ...
Sports
A 90 percent site plan prepared by RWD Landscape Architects shows proposed pickleball courts, pingpong tables, spectator areas, pathway changes and ballfield safety netting at Rainier Vista Park in Lacey. 

Rainier Vista Park improvements reach 90 percent of planning stage 

The City of Lacey is preparing Rainier Vista Park’s recreation improvements for permitting after completing another planning ...

Swimmers ages 50 and over competde in the Washington State Senior Games in Lacey on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Swimmers take center stage at Washington State Senior Games

Dozens of swimmers competed in the annual Washington State Senior Games swim meet on ...

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Police Blotter

Police Blotter for Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office On 10/27/26 at 9:36 a.m. in the 200 block of Edwards Street SE, sheriff’s deputies arrested Bob Douglas Van Haelst, 36, on suspicion of 1) first-degree child …

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Gardening & outdoors

Rare birds at Nisqually

As I opined in a recent Thurston’s Birds column, the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is the premier ...

Chasing a rare longspur

From time to time a rare bird visits Thurston County. After learning of the sighting, serious birders generally commit to chase this initial ...

Fall birding is in full swing

With the shorter days and leaves turning color, it’s no mystery that autumn has arrived. And with the turning of the seasons, our Thurston County bird life has ...

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Arts & Entertainment
IN THE AUDIENCE
Rachel Benton

Review: 'Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery' by Olympia Little Theatre

When you think of Sherlock Holmes, what images come to mind? Perhaps you picture a film or television adaptation, a stage production, or ...

Rachel Benton

Sneak peek: Pug Bujeaud talks ‘A Spirited Manor’ by Theater Artists Olympia 

Just in time for the spooky season, Theater Artists Olympia (TAO) is opening its penny dreadful, "A Spirited Manor," this ...
"The Resistance: The HeART of the Matter" exhibit is open until Oct. 31, 2026.

Local organization holds free exhibit on American democracy

An art exhibition on a crisis in American democracy, "Resistance: The HeART of the Matter," is nearing an ...

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Opinions: Yours & our columnists
A guide to shopping fresh on a budget 
Eating fresh does not have to mean spending more. For older adults living on a fixed income, grocery shopping often requires careful planning, especially ...
When a noose is more than a Halloween decoration
Let’s look at this human skeleton I recently saw hanging outside a home in Thurston County. It might seem like an ordinary Halloween ...
A 'heckler's veto'
Free speech is canceled in Olympia, Washington. Brian Heywood, founder of Let’s Go Washington, was scheduled to attend ...
The gentle art of showing up
We come from the invisible, show up for a brief while, and return to the ...
Review: 'The Luna Sisters of Element' by Olympia Family Theater
What a privilege it was to be in the audience on Friday, Oct. 16, for the premiere of " The Luna Sisters of Element ," the new show based on ...

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Calendar of events
Olympia headlines
Members of the Hindu community joined Olympia City Council members in proclaiming October as Hindu Heritage Month at a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. 
The Olympia City Council endorsed a proclamation designating October as Hindu Heritage ...
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.  
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 ...
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.
Madison Elementary School students and parents had strong feelings about the proposed closure of the school at a public hearing in ...
Local residents attended a public hearing about the possible closure of LP Brown Elementary School in Olympia gathered on Oct. 15, 2026.
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 ...
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.
The Washington Center for the Performing Arts reported a clean audit, and outlined plans for facility improvements and community programming ...

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Tumwater headlines
Arborist Christine Johnson from Todd Prager and Associates said out of 10 possible defects for the Davis Meeker Garry oak tree, she identified 5 high-risk defects at a meeting of the Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission meeting on Oct. 15, 2026.
The Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission unanimously agreed to expedite treatment of the Davis Meeker Garry oak tree after ...
A preliminary rendering of the new city hall in Tumwater by architecture firm Artisan's Group.
The City of Tumwater is one step away from locking down a new location for city ...
Tumwater Police Department Chief Carlos Quiles, center, and TPD Records Supervisor Ashleigh Clark, bottom left, met with the Tumwater Public Health and Safety Committee on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026.
Requests for public records are on the rise and taking longer to process at the Tumwater Police Department, largely because of ...

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Thurston County
A conceptual rendering of the 5th Avenue Bridge, looking north toward Budd Inlet.
A sweeping environmental project received the backing of the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners, as regional partners continue to ...
A number of Halloween-themed events are on tap this weekend, including Boo Bash! and Haunted Hustle 5K Fun Run in ...
A man was arrested in connection with the death of his 5-year-old child. The arrest occurred during a traffic stop in the Yelm area on Oct. 18, 2026.
A man wanted in connection with the death of his 5-year-old child was arrested after a traffic stop in the Yelm ...

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Lacey headlines
City Attorney Dave Schneider administered the oath of office to newly appointed Lacey City Council member Kim Sauer during a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. 
The City of Lacey has a new council member. The Lacey City Council appointed Kim Sauer, a state government employee with more than 25 years of public ...
A cost-cutting request from the Nisqually Indian Tribe has resulted in changes to its animal control agreement with Joint Animal Services ...
The Lacey City Council considers a resolution supporting the Timberland Regional Library levy during a work session on Oct. 13, 2026.
The Lacey City Council endorsed a proposed levy lid lift measure from Timberland Regional Library that would generate millions of dollars in ...
The Joint Animal Services Commission discussed a proposed ASPCA mutual aid agreement during a meeting on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. 
Joint Animal Services (JAS) will have a new avenue for requesting national assistance during major disasters and large-scale animal cruelty ...
Lacey City Hall is located at 420 College St. in Lacey. 
The City of Lacey is seeking a consultant to study the next phase of its food truck plaza. The search follows several years of a pilot program to foster ...

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More local news
 House Speaker makes case for unseating Gluesenkamp Perez in heated congressional race
House Speaker Mike Johnson returned to Washington state on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to campaign alongside Republican John Braun, a sign of how ...
Spending tops $20M in hottest congressional race in the state: Gluesenkamp Perez vs. Braun
Candidates in Washington state’s most closely watched congressional race have spent more than $10 million entering the final weeks of the ...
Food inspection results in Thurston County — Oct. 21, 2026
Restaurant inspection reports focus on two types of violations: red and ...
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 ...
Residents encouraged to prepare for flood season in Thurston County
Thurston County Emergency Management is urging residents to prepare for the upcoming flood season, know the risks involved and be ...
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 ...
At Washington State Capitol Campus, 'No Kings' rally is all about voting early
A smiling Judy Caron sat on a metal bench on the grounds of the Washington State Capitol campus, her face partially shielded from Saturday’s bright ...
Commissioners eye transfer of Yelm-Rainier-Tenino Trail
The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners is proposing to transfer ownership of a section of the 14.5-mile Yelm-Rainier-Tenino Trail to ...
TRPC looks to crash data, public input as guide for Regional Safety Action Plan
The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) is developing a plan to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries in the ...
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 ...

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