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

The Olympia City Council approved funding for development of local food system plan at a meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.

Olympia City Council serves up $245K for food systems plan

The Olympia City Council approved $245,000 in funding to develop a comprehensive local food systems plan aimed at strengthening food ... more

By Lorily Lirio | 8/17/26 | 11 comments

The Port of Olympia netted $103,011 in the first half of 2026 after general and administrative costs and depreciation.

Olympia Regional Airport’s non-aviation segments key to profit margin

Olympia Regional Airport’s portion of the business that deals with real estate properties helped keep it profitable in the first half of ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 8/17/26 | 3 comments

A demolition excavator prepares to finish leveling the last standing part of the old General Administration Building on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.

General Administration Building on Capitol Campus gets demolished

The mechanical Tyrannosaurus rex swung its massive head around and bit into the side of what once was the General Administration Building in ... more

By JM Simpson | 8/17/26 | 5 comments

Rear door bus pad improvements for Intercity Transit is going to impact traffic in downtown Olympia through Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.

Bus pad improvement work to impact traffic in downtown Olympia

Rear door bus pad improvements for Intercity Transit are going to impact traffic in downtown Olympia through the end of next ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 8/17/26

Artist Andrea Wilbur Sigo of the Squaxin Island Tribe presented a concept plan for public art at Marj Yung Park during the Olympia City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.

Olympia City Council approves Squaxin-inspired public art for Marj Yung Park

The Olympia City Council approved a public art concept for Marj Yung Park featuring five carved panels and youth-led cultural storytelling along the ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/14/26 | 10 comments

The headquarters of the Washington State Department of Transportation, as seen on July 30, 2026.

Seismic worries fuel exodus from state transportation agency’s headquarters in Olympia

The Washington State Department of Transportation is relocating employees and scaling back access to its aging headquarters on the ... more

By Jerry Cornfield | Washington State Standard | 8/13/26 | 8 comments

School closure talks are back at Olympia School District after Superintendent Patrick Murphy presented the School Consolidation Timeline on Aug. 6, 2026.

Olympia School District superintendent presents timeline for school consolidation

A continued decline in enrollment has the Olympia School District looking at the possibility of school consolidation as a means to address funding ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 8/12/26 | 13 comments

Hillory Flowers spoke at an Olympia City Council meeting after the announcement of her appointment as Olympia Fire Department Chief on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.

Hillory Flowers named Olympia’s first female fire chief

Hillory Flowers has been appointed Chief of the Olympia Fire Department (OFD), becoming the first woman to lead the public service ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/12/26 | 3 comments

Olympia conducted its 2026 Community Engagement & Public Opinion Survey from April 17-28 through Embold Research.

Survey finds housing, homelessness top priorities for Olympia residents

Housing and homelessness remain top priorities for residents, even as Olympia's latest community survey shows a growing number of ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/11/26 | 8 comments

Olympia Federal Savings is located on the corner of Capitol Way South and 5th Avenue SW in downtown Olympia.

Olympia Federal Savings reports Q1 financial results

Olympia Federal Savings reported total assets of more than $1 billion at the end of the first quarter, as the financial institution continued to ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 8/11/26 | 3 comments

Land use approval granted for Briggs Professional Suites project in Olympia

The City of Olympia granted land use approval for Briggs Professional Suites, clearing another step toward construction of a ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/10/26 | 5 comments

Work on the Washington State Capitol Campus pedestrian bridge is scheduled to begin next week.

Capitol pedestrian bridge work to begin next week in Olympia

Work on the removal of segments and rebuild of the Washington State Capitol Campus pedestrian bridge is scheduled to begin ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 8/6/26 | 3 comments

A presentation to the Port of Olympia Commission on Dec. 12, 2022, showed a potential site plan for a manufacturing site by Swire, a bottling company for Coca-Cola.

Swire terminates lease with Port of Olympia

Swire, a Coca-Cola bottling company, has terminated its lease with the Port of Olympia for a 95-acre property at Olympia Regional ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 8/5/26 | 10 comments

LMTAAA Executive Director Nicole Kiddoo, second from left, and Case Management Director Emily MacFarland, center, accepted LMTAAA’s 2026 USAging achievement award during an annual conference in San Diego, California, on July 18, 2026.

LMTAAA receives national recognition at 2026 USAging conference

The Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging was honored for its workforce development efforts at the 2026 USAging annual conference in ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/5/26

Olympia’s Site Plan Review Committee held a presubmission meeting on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, for RootedHearts Global’s proposal to convert a vacant veterinary clinic at 901 Union Ave. SE into a homeless recovery community.

Olympia committee reviews proposal for transitional housing facility

The Olympia Site Plan Review Committee held a presubmission conference on a nonprofit’s proposal to potentially convert a vacant veterinary clinic ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/4/26 | 4 comments

The City of Olympia launched a new grant program that will award up to $5,000 for youth-led environmental projects.

Application period opens for youth-led climate action grants in Olympia

The City of Olympia launched a new grant program that will award up to $5,000 for youth-led environmental ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/4/26

During the Friday, July 31, 2026, canoe journey to Sequalitchew Landing, pullers traveled in 83 degree heat. Support boats contained new pullers to switch with other pullers on canoes every four hours if needed.

'Canoe Journey' gets underway with ceremonial landing

The 2026 Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch Canoe Journey got underway with a ceremonial landing at the beaches along the ... more

By Keyan Gregoire-James | 8/3/26

Olympia’s Grass Lake Nature Park Trail was recognized with the Washington State Recreation & Park Association’s 2026 Trail Award.

Grass Lake trail project earns statewide recognition

Olympia Parks Planning and Maintenance Director Laura Keehan announced two major achievements for the city’s parks system, including statewide ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 8/3/26 | 7 comments

Dozens of people attended an event to mark the start of the first phase of turning the Olympia Armory into an arts center. The event was held on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.

Construction to impact area around Daley Arts Center in Olympia

Sidewalk and utility work at the Daley Arts Center is going to make it tougher for pedestrians and motorists to navigate the area over the ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 8/3/26 | 3 comments

Ashley Chambers was appointed as the City of Olympia’s Housing Director. Her appointment was announced during a city council meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

Olympia names Ashley Chambers as Housing Director

Olympia hired Ashley Chambers as its new housing director, a position that will oversee the city’s housing division and take the lead on its ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 7/31/26 | 1 comment