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

The Lodge Building is located at 4315 Tumwater Valley Drive in Tumwater.

Tumwater City Council advances $1.85M budget amendment to buy Lodge Building

The Tumwater City Council advanced a $1.85 million budget amendment for the purchase of the Lodge Building to house the Parks & Recreation ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 7/9/26 | 1 comment

Tumwater City Hall is located at 555 Israel Road in Tumwater.

Tumwater Planning Commission endorses update to demolition code

The Tumwater Planning Commission recommended the adoption of an updated demolition code to address regulatory gaps in building ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/29/26

Friends of the Falls presents "Evenings at the Falls" starting on Saturday, July 11, 2026.

Free summer concert series at Tumwater Falls opens in July

A free summer event series will bring live music, local food and a beer garden to Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls on July ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 6/29/26 | 1 comment

Jeff Query, a Project Manager from the Tumwater Water Resources and Sustainability Department, showed a site map of a planned 3 million gallon water reservoir tank to the Public Works Committee on June 4, 2026.

Tumwater City Council approves additional spending to redesign components of 3 million gallon water tank

The Tumwater City Council authorized extra funding to redesign components of a 3 million gallon water reservoir tank off 93rd Avenue ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/23/26 | 2 comments

Tumwater Engineering and Transportation Department Senior Engineer Joseph Norman discussed the X Street and Capitol Boulevard roundabout project at a Tumwater Public Works Committee meeting on June 4, 2026.

Tumwater dealing with issues to acquire right-of-way for X Street roundabout

The Tumwater City Council authorized additional spending to resolve outstanding issues related to the acquisition of right-of-way ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/22/26 | 5 comments

'The three ring circus'

In the back half of the 1980s, Washington state was experiencing robust growth. Businesses were expanding and new housing was being built ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/19/26 | 3 comments

Tumwater Police Chief Carlos Quiles, together with his mother and wife, at his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

Quiles sworn in as Tumwater Police Department Chief

Carlos Quiles was sworn in as the new chief of the Tumwater Police Department in a ceremony held ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/19/26 | 1 comment

A vanpool at Timberland Regional Library in Tumwater.

Tumwater extends operating agreement with Timberland Regional Library

The Tumwater City Council extended an agreement with the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) through the end of the year, while negotiations ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/19/26

'The three ring circus'

It was 2016 and Tumwater had a problem: too many vehicles were trying to pass through the intersection at Capitol Boulevard SE and ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/18/26 | 2 comments

Pedestrian refuge at a three ring circus roundabout in Tumwater.

'The three ring circus'

In yesterday’s segment, the reality of how local government planning activities are dominated by adherence to the requirements of the state’s Growth Management Act was described. In today’s … more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/17/26 | 6 comments

Website page for the City of Tumwater's Comprehensive Plan

'The three ring circus'

A strict state law passed three decades ago was designed to contain high density growth in Washington state, altering the fabric of our ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/16/26 | 11 comments

The roundabout at the intersection of Capitol Boulevard and Trosper Road in the City of Tumwater.

'The three ring circus'

In 2024, Tumwater officially opened three closely linked roundabouts at and near the intersection of Capitol Boulevard SE and ... more

By Ted Wham | For The JOLT | 6/15/26 | 11 comments

A slide presented by Port of Olympia Environmental Director Shawn Gilbertson shows four species a  joint habitat conservation plan would protect. Gilbertson presented the slide at a meeting on May 26, 2026.

USFWS reviewing Tumwater, Port of Olympia habitat plan

The City of Tumwater and Port of Olympia’s joint habitat conservation plan is under review by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/11/26 | 7 comments

The City of Tumwater’s 2027-32 transportation improvement program outlines a total of 23 projects, including three items that are new to the annually updated document.

Transportation improvement program outlines three new projects in Tumwater

The City of Tumwater’s new transportation improvement program identifies three road projects to pursue within the next ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/9/26 | 5 comments

Tumwater Planning Commission recommends development of regulatory framework for battery energy storage systems

The Tumwater Planning Commission has backed the idea of developing a regulatory framework for battery energy storage ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/8/26 | 3 comments

Carlos Quiles confirmed as chief of Tumwater Police Department

The Tumwater City Council confirmed the appointment of Carlos Quiles as the new chief of the Tumwater Police ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/5/26 | 1 comment

The facade of the 310 Israel Road building in Tumwater. The city is considering purchasing the property to turn into its new city hall.

Tumwater moves forward with potential purchase of building for new city hall

The Tumwater City Council agreed to make a $100,000 down payment toward the potential purchase of a building that could serve as the new ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 6/3/26 | 5 comments

Olympia Regional airport runway located in a middle of a large wide open grass area.

Port steps back from Olympia Regional Airport’s updated master plan process

The Port of Olympia has decided not to continue the process for adopting the Olympia Regional Airport’s updated master plan ... more

By Jerome Tuaño | 5/27/26 | 12 comments

Members of the Tumwater School District Board selected representatives to the Thurston County Regional Planning Council at a meeting on May 21, 2026.

Tumwater School District appoints representatives to Thurston Regional Planning Council

Tumwater School District Director of Capital Projects and Facilities Alec Burkheimer is the new primary representative to the ... more

By P. Jade Asumbrado | 5/26/26

Tumwater council to weigh city hall space planning options

Space limitations at Tumwater City Hall have local officials looking for ways to create some elbow space at the ... more

By The JOLT Staff | 5/26/26 | 1 comment