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

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

Public hearing set for building and development permit review process in Thurston County

Local residents and business owners are invited to review and weigh in on proposed changes to Thurston County’s building and development permit review process ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/27/25

Olympia City Manager Jay Burney, left, briefly discussed funding uncertainty for Quince Street Village during the city council study session on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

Encampment program funding gaps threaten Quince Street Village's future

Olympia City Manager Jay Burney sounded the alarm over a major funding setback that could threaten the future of Quince Street Village, one of the city's supportive ... more

By Lorilyn Lirio | 6/26/25 | 14 comments

Grappler snags alleged hit-and-run suspect's vehicle

A vehicle driven by an alleged hit-and-run suspect was snagged and stopped by a Thurston County Sheriff’s Office unit using a Grappler in Lewis County on ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/26/25 | 2 comments

An unidentified individual was injured after crashing a motorcycle at a high rate of speed while trying to allegedly elude a Thurston County Sheriff's Office deputy in the Rainier area on Saturday, June 21, 2025.

Motorcyclist fails to get away from sheriff's deputy, crashes in the Rainier area

An unidentified individual was hospitalized after crashing a motorcycle at a high rate of speed while allegedly trying to elude a Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputy in ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/25/25 | 1 comment

A rendering of Intercity Transit’s base at Pattison Street in Olympia.

Intercity Transit awards $4.6 million contract for hydrogen fueling station at Pattison Street base

Intercity Transit awarded a $4.6 million contract for the installation of a hydrogen fueling station at its Pattison Street base in ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/24/25 | 3 comments

Median home price, sales climbed last month in Thurston County

The spring home buying season heated up in May with more than 300 residential properties exchanging hands in Thurston County despite inventory levels ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/24/25 | 1 comment

An alleged drunken driver destroyed a vehicle when it collided with a power pole in a high-speed crash on Monday, June 23, 2025.

High-speed crash destroys vehicle and power pole on Maytown Road in Thurston County

A motorist destroyed a vehicle when it collided with a power pole in a high-speed crash on Maytown Road in Thurston County on Monday ... more

By Wyatt Haupt Jr. | 6/23/25 | 1 comment

Marriage license fee to increase in Thurston County

It is going to cost more money to get hitched in Thurston County. Marriage licenses will increase by $100 on Sunday ... more

By Maven Navarro | 6/23/25 | 3 comments