If you want to start an argument among gardeners, ask what they think about growing native vs. non-native plants. This is a topic that elicits strong opinions ...
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With a multitude of festivities taking place in Thurston County this weekend, there is something for ...
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By Rachel Benton
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7/10/25
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After enjoying the concerts suggested in “Recommended itinerary for Thurston County (part one)”, I invite you to join me in the audience on Sunday for two free ...
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By Rachel Benton
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7/10/25
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The nesting season is finished for most of our Thurston County birds. The exception is the osprey, which has an exceptionally long 90-day nesting ...
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Trish’s brother Jim lives on his boat part time at Pleasant Harbor Marina in Brinnon, and he suggested we write an article about pets on boats. It is the start of boating season, so we …
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“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!” Margie Wyllie quipped. Margie is the newsletter editor for the Lacey Historical Society ...
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It’s been a strange week. On Tuesday, Trump closed the state library, home to the largest collection of Pacific Northwest books in the world. Just days earlier, we celebrated the …
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Summer is here, and my brain is fried. As a teacher, my “year” followed the school calendar, not the Gregorian staple everyone else ...
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By Shannon Sankstone
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7/3/25
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As the national news gets worse, I have become reliant on the arts to not only cheer me up but remind me of the power and influence we can still have in ...
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Miss Manners, you forgot something. It’s not enough to use the correct fork at a dinner party and to mail a thank you note when you get home. People need a guide to good ...
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From the announcement of the new season at the Washington Center of the Performing Arts to Ballet Northwest’s Young Choreographers Showcase ...
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By Rachel Benton
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6/25/25
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If you Google “squirrel damage,” AI delivers an instant list of all the ways those furry little creatures create mayhem in plumbing, wiring, insulation, attics and roofs, while also …
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Last month, after extensive research for my article about Olympia parks, I wrote, “No one knows anything about the life of Harry Fain.” I initially meant this literally ...
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Entering this week, I carry a sense of resounding hope. This hope is inspired by the many ways our community is partnering together to lift up important causes and ...
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By Rachel Benton
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6/18/25
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Dear Advocate,
I just got my child’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP) progress report, and I’m honestly confused. For most of the goals, it has no data, and then has …
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By Shannon Sankstone
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6/16/25
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June is the peak month for weeding. Seeds have been germinating all spring — so many, so much and so fast you’d think it would make noise. Now, as the days are ...
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Once upon a decade ago, I stood on the stage of the James Koval Center at North Thurston High School (NTHS) and performed with all three of NTHS ...
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By Rachel Benton
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6/12/25
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Last month, I mentioned I was paying attention to the avian dawn chorus in my yard. I’d go outside with my smartphone in the early morning, which for me is ...
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No one physically influenced Olympia more than Edmund Sylvester. After taking his dead partner’s land grant, he platted the city and named the ...
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We have all seen it, you can’t drive down any main arterial in Thurston County without seeing trees, trees and more trees cut down in the name of ...
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