The Olympian
Developer proposes clearing forest to build 105 new homes
local developer aims to clear a heavily forested property near Tumwater to build 105 new homes. The 22-acre property is located at 1318 88th Ave. SW in rural Thurston County but within the Tumwater Urban Growth Area. Tenino Land Co. LLC is proposing...
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North Thurston school board pauses layoffs after outcry
North Thurston Public Schools board hit pause on layoffs Tuesday after public outcry during their meeting and new information that emerged during it. In a partial effort to address a $10 million hole in its budget, the district – the largest school...
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South Sound group seeks $70,000 to replace vandalized van
The question of who would vandalize a bookmobile remains unanswered, but the South Sound Reading Foundation has a fundraising plan after its Chevy cargo van was vandalnearly ized not once, but twice, the executive director recently told The...
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Busy Tumwater intersection closes for roundabout project
A Tumwater intersection will be closed for months starting Monday to allow for the construction of a new roundabout. The roundabout will be built at the intersection of Second and Linwood Avenues, which is near the Tumwater School District office and...
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Funding gap threatens Thurston County’s tiny home village
Thurston County will pay to help keep an Olympia tiny home village open this year, but the village’s long-term prospects remain uncertain. The Board of County Commissioners approved a $440,000 contract with the City of Olympia to continue operations...
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Chicory chef sets Gold Standard for new downtown restaurant
Fried chicken. It’s what’s for dinner — and lunch — at Gold Standard, the new venture from celebrated Chicory chef Elise Landry. The restaurant opened on April 15 at 302 Capitol Way N. in Olympia. Of course, there are other items on the menu, which...
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Lacey completes long-awaited $9.5M College Street extension
The long-awaited and longplanned extension of College Street Northeast in Lacey is finally complete, according to a check of the property and a city official at the scene. How long has the city been working toward this goal? Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder has...
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Tumwater school board members absent from joint meeting
The Tumwater City Council and Tumwater School District were scheduled to have a joint meeting on April 14. Three out of the five school board members were absent from the meeting. Board members Melissa Beard and Julie Watts were the only people from...
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Historical tugboat accrues $30K in fees, set for dismantling
The Sandman, a 60-foot wooden tugboat that was originally built in 1908, has racked up $30,000 in delinquent rent in the Port of Olympia’s boatyard. It may soon be taken off the historic register and dismantled, never to be active in the water...
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Olympia’s Japanese garden to close June 1 for relocation
The city of Olympia’s Yashiro Japanese Garden will close June 1, and despite plans to relocate the garden, a new site has yet to be identified. It may take several years for a new site to be open and available for the public to enjoy. The closure...
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Contaminated soil cleanup planned as part of $50M park project
grant agreement the City Council approved with the Department of Ecology to clean up contaminated soil at West Bay Park hints at a larger plan to develop the 17-acre property into an “estuarine garden” park with traversable islands and trails. Parks...
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Officials consider sales tax vote for regional aquatic center
Thurston County officials convened a meeting with staff from the City of Olympia, Evergreen State College and other local partners on Wednesday to discuss the community’s pleas to keep the college’s swimming pool open, and how to make a regional...
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Prairie Line Trail’s new phase crosses Nisqually River
If you’re looking to get outside this weekend and enjoy the good weather – temperatures are expected to be in the 60s – there’s a new trail to explore in Thurston County, either by bicycle or on foot, perhaps with a furry friend at your side. The new...
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Artemis II astronauts launch on historic moonbound mission
NASA on Wednesday sent four astronauts on the most powerful rocket to ever launch humans, flying the Artemis II mission that aims to send them past the moon. The Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft named Integrity lifted off from...
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Former state AG to spearhead lawsuit against ‘millionaires tax’
Just hours ahead of Gov. Bob Ferguson’s expected signing of the income tax on high earners, official plans for a lawsuit against Senate Bill 6346 were announced. The Citizen Action Defense Fund (CADF) said in a Monday morning news release that it’s...
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Traveling bullfrog hunter helps control invasive amphibian
On a gray and rainy Thursday morning, I traveled south to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. On a typical soggy March day in the Northwest, it seemed I wanted to find Washington’s soggiest place. The kind of place a bullfrog would...
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Israel kills Iranian naval commander; Trump raises pressure
An Israeli airstrike killed an Iranian naval commander who played a pivotal role in shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, Israel said Thursday, as President Donald Trump ratcheted up pressure on Iran to accept his proposal to end the war. Trump, in a...
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Cost to preserve centuries-old oak tree exceeds budget
The City of Tumwater now has a plan to keep the 400year-old Davis Meeker Garry Oak tree standing, almost two years after former Mayor Debbie Sullivan called to cut the tree down after a large branch fell near Old Highway 99. The plan consists of a...
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SAVE Act would cost WA millions, secretary of state says
Washington’s top elections official on Thursday blasted a controversial federal bill that he said would disenfranchise voters and lead to millions in additional costs for the state. Democrats and critics have slammed the SAVE America Act, arguing...
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Army letter denies plans to shut its only West Coast museum
Last summer, U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland demanded answers from the Army secretary in a letter opposing the proposed closure of the only Army museum on the West Coast. On Friday the Washington Democrat heard back. In a response addressed to...
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United Way of Thurston County closing prompts local shift
United Way of Thurston County, which stunned the Olympia area earlier this month when it announced it was closing March 31, received some good news on Thursday, the executive director said. Chris Wells said the local United Way is in talks to have its...
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Washington lawmakers agree on supplemental operating budget
It was another session full of difficult budget decisions, Washington state lawmakers said Wednesday. House and Senate budget writers have unveiled a supplemental operating budget deal that relies on a hotly debated income tax on millionaires and...
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Thurston County prosecutor Tunheim to retire after 38 years
Long-time Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim will not seek reelection this year. Tunheim publicly shared his decision to retire on his campaign Facebook page Monday. Christy Peters, his current chief of staff, kicked off her campaign...
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Orca named for Olympia man who prevented relative’s capture
Karen Munro Ellick said it was an unusually warm spring day in Olympia on March 7, 1976, when she and her husband Ralph Munro went sailing with friends on South Puget Sound waters. The trip was cut short when the group noticed a barrage of marine...
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Fire destroys beloved 100-year-old Thurston County landmark
Terry Torrence learned a fire broke out at his long-standing antique store over a 6 a.m. phone call on Feb. 23. “I immediately went over there and saw fire trucks pouring water on the building,” the 73-year-old said. “(Firefighters) told me they...
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13 schools awaiting lead-in-water results after repairs
North Thurston Public Schools is waiting on new leadin-water test results from the state before it removes “hand wash only” signs from some water fixtures in its elementary schools, an assistant superintendent recently told the school board. The...
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Anniversary of 2001 ‘BIG quake’ brings out memories
earthquake struck as Deborah Ross listened to TVW from the fourth floor of an office building at the corner of Union Avenue Southeast and Plum Street in Olympia on Feb. 28, 2001. “It was clear right off that it was an earthquake and I scrambled under...
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Winners and losers of WA Democrats’ proposed budgets
State budgets are often referred to as “moral documents.” They’re where Washington puts its money, the idea goes, reflecting its values and priorities. Now, after House and Senate Democrats unveiled their respective operating budget proposals Sunday,...
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Tumwater to convert Lodge Building to Parks & Rec office
City of Tumwater has plans to purchase a piece of property tucked away in Tumwater Valley for permanent office space for the Parks and Recreation Department. The building at 4315 Tumwater Valley Drive, commonly known as the Lodge Building, has seen a...
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$1M lawsuit accuses teacher of excluding student from class
No one has said why Tumwater School Board President Casey Taylor allegedly filed a $1 million tort claim against the district, but public records suggest the claim accuses a nonbinary teacher of trying to exabout clude a student from their...
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Team effort rescues bald eagle hit on I-5
A bald eagle was rescued from southbound Interstate 5 in Tumwater Sunday evening, according to the Washington State Patrol. Sometime between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, the bird was hit by a passing vehicle and landed on the right shoulder of I-5...
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Principal says students afraid to come to school amid ICE actions
Capital High School Principal Condee Wood said there are students in the Olympia district who are afraid to come to school in the wake of federal immigration enforcement activity around the country. Her comment was in response to a question from...
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Lacey City Council asks about adding units at shelter
An effort to add higher income units at an Olympia housing development that will serve the homeless has prompted the Lacey City Council to ask if the same can be done at Maple Court. Maple Court is a former motel near Marvin Road Northeast and...
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Olympia man pleads guilty in connection to teen’s fatal overdose
An Olympia man pleaded guilty to two crimes Tuesday in connection to the 2024 overdose death of a local teen. Son Thien Nguyen, 34, enoutside tered guilty pleas for seconddegree manslaughter and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, ecstasy, in...
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Olympia to fix emergency road flooding in ‘Lake 28’
The Olympia City Council declared an emergency in order to address flooding on 28th Avenue on the city’s northwest side. Some residents in the area have said the problem has exwest isted for a decade and have even named the low point in the roadway...
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Privacy limits on license plate cameras pass state Senate
Washington state is one step closer to limiting the use of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras. ALPR technology from comDemocrat, panies including Flock Safety gathers data and images for use by government agencies. Many law enforcement...
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Medics use onboard ultrasounds to bring ‘inside care outside’
Ultrasound devices onboard Thurston County ambulances are helping paramedics more efficiently diagnose and treat patients in life-or-death situations. The county’s Medic One program is an early adopter of onboard ultrasound devices, Thurston County...
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14,000 WA families could lose child care under proposed budget, advocates say
Child care subsidies have helped Tacoma mom of four Alexis Cortes be able to stay in the workforce and attend school. Now, cuts proposed in the governor’s supplemental budget have Washington parents like Cortes worried about the future. About 40% of...
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River Ridge High School demolition and renovation update
A resident has reached out to The Olympian, wanting to know more about current construction at River Ridge High School in Lacey, and the demolition underway this week on campus. Here’s what we know. The eye-grabbing work is part of a multiyear effort...
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What’s going on with Olympia’s historic space age building?
Questions have been raised on social media about what’s happening to the distinctive and historic building in downtown Olympia that was once home to a bank and then a string of popular nightclubs. Now we have some answers. Jennica Machado, the city’s...
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Auditor draws ‘hard line’ on sharing Al security camera plan
Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall will not share specific details about her plans for AI-enabled security cameras, she said in a Wednesday news release. Hall said she believes in being an “open book” when it comes to how she runs county elections, but...
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Port of Olympia commission largely supports waterfront hotel
The Port of Olympia commission on Tuesday was briefed on a waterfront hotel proposal, an idea that largely received their support and resulted in them asking port staff to continue looking into it. There was one exception: “I’m less enthusiastic,”...
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Thurston detectives seek help solving mother’s cold case homicide
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is renewing its call for information about the homicide of Karen Bodine as the 19th anniversary of her death approaches. Bodine, a mother of three, was found at dead at the entrance of an old gravel quarry located...
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Budget, affordabilty likely to dominate legislative session
The Washington state Legislature is back in session. Monday marked the first day of 2026’s 60-day legislative session. The hallways beneath the Capitol dome buzzed with activity as lawmakers returned to Olympia for opening day ceremonies at noon. In...
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Olympia aims to boost food access, security in times of crisis
The Olympia City Council unanimously approved a referral from council member Dani Madrone to develop a food system plan during its Jan. 6 meeting, in an effort to ensure residents have access to local food in times of crisis. Madrone’s referral states...
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Major Capitol Lake project could cost $416M
The Washington State Department of Ecology took over the efforts to restore Capitol Lake to an estuary over the summer, with several new objectives and a goal of completing 60% design of the restored Deschutes Estuary by the end of 2025. Ecology’s...
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What’s happening at downtown hotel; new restaurant coming
The Governor Hotel in downtown Olympia on Capitol Way across from Sylvester Park appears to have closed for a forthcoming renovation, according to a check of the property on Wednesday. A parking entrance on Capitol Way was fenced off, the automatic...
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Can city cut down beloved 400-year-old tree? Judge rules
A Thurston County Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Tumwater can’t cut down the historic Davis Meeker Oak tree without prior approval from its Historic Preservation Commission. The 400-year-old oak tree has been the subject of debate in...
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Olympia eyes terminating major development agreement
Olympia’s Land Use & Environment Committee unanimously approved plans to terminate the Briggs urban village development agreement to be forwarded to the City Council for review. Terminating the plan would ultimately allow more homes to be built in the...
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Work begins on The Gibson project; Providence to keep Lacey AIC open
A downtown Olympia project known as The Gibson, which will turn a former office building into 64 units of affordable housing, is underway, accordinto ing to a check of the property. The building is owned by developer Ken Brogan, who turned a former...
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WA secretary of state, a D&D fan, promotes tabletop gaming
When Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs was growing up, he got hooked on what would become a lifelong hobby: Dungeons & Dragons. As a person of color and nerd who’d been picked on as a kid, he said the fantasy role-playing game was a chance for...
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How does transfer pact between SPSCC and Evergreen work?
application fee, no essay, no recommendation letters and guaranteed admission. It almost sounds too good to be true, but it’s all part of a new agreement announced by The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College to streamline...
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$14M plan will bring protected bike lanes to Capitol Way
The City of Olympia has plans to reconfigure the Capitol Way Corridor to reduce speeding in the area and make the neighborhood more accessible to all modes of transportation. Senior Engineer Joey Jones provided more details on the city’s plans during...
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‘Shocked’: Thurston County passes $1B budget with 3-2 vote
Thurston County commissioners narrowly adopted a new biennial budget with substantial spending cuts Tuesday. The $1 billion budget for 2026-2027 passed with a contentious 3-2 vote at The Atrium, the county’s administrative headquarters in...
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Want to manage a ditch in Thurston County for $15K a year?
This week is candidate filing week. But it’s not for county commissioner, or the port, or any of the councils in Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, or any school district for that matter. Instead, it’s for commissioner seats at some of the lowestprofile...
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$7.6M to revamp Tumwater fire station that opened in 1995
Tumwater’s T2, also known as the North End Fire Station, is set to undergo a $7.6 million renovation project to turn what was originally a volunteer fire house into a more fully-functioning facility for the growing city. Fire Chief Brian Hurley...
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Tree-seed bank in South Sound is crucial as wildfires worsen
smelled like Christmas inside the Silvaseed extractory Tuesday morning, Dec. 2, as machines whirred meticulously to remove millions of conifer seeds from cones and sort them into large barrels. Hidden inside an unassuming complex in the small...
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WA revamps push to require high school financial education
Financial education could soon be a requirement to graduate high school thanks to a renewed legislative push heading into the 2026 session. State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti is requesting agency legislation and is teaming up with state Sen. Adrian...
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Lawmaker warns of rising blackout risk amid clean energy push
2026 approaches, a Republican state lawmaker is raising alarm bells about possible energy shortfalls amid extreme conditions — with potential reliability problems hitting as early as next year. State Sen. Matt Boehnke is calling for action in the...
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48th annual Toy Run expected to bring large crowd to Olympia
The 48th annual Olympia Toy Run is this Saturday, and this year’s event is expected to bring 1,500 people on motorcycles to downtown. According to a news release from the Department of Enterprise Services, Deschutes Parkway will be closed to normal...
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Traffic congestion expected at downtown Olympia intersection
Work crews plan to demolish a sidewalk at Fourth Avenue and Plum Street in Olympia this week to make way for major safety improvements. The demolition will start on Dec. 1, weather permitting, on the southeast corner of the intersection, according to...
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Tacoma Zoolights opens; dogs are allowed for first time
Zoolights, the annual outdoor light display at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, opens Friday. For the first time, the zoo will allow visitors to bring their dogs on five select nights in December and January. Remember that a section of Five...
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WA stocking 65,000 jumbo rainbow trout in these lakes
Washington anglers: Start your boat engines. Ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife is loading more than two dozen lakes with nearly 65,000 jumbo rainbow trout, according to a recent WDFW news release. The goal: to...
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Gov. Ferguson unveils first appointment to WA Supreme Court
There’s a new Washington state Supreme Court justice in town. Gov. Bob Ferguson revealed his first appointment to the state’s highest court at a Monday morning news conference at the Temple of Justice in Olympia. His pick: Colleen Melody, who serves...
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Olympia resident sells 10 acres to city for future park
The City of Olympia has partnered with a local conservation organization to purchase a nearly 10-acre property of undeveloped land awash in mature, native trees to become a future public park. Parks Planning and Design Manager Laura Keehan said the...
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Tractor appears, then disappears at Grand Mound roundabout
A weathered tractor and rake appeared in the middle of a Grand Mound roundabout in late October. The unsanctioned centerpiece quickly drew local admiration as well as a threat of removal from the Washington State Department of Transtery...
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Port of Olympia race neck and neck after third ballot count
The Port of Olympia District 2 race between incumbent Bob Iyall and challenger Jerry Toompas moved into the spotlight on Thursday as Toompas inched ahead of Iyall in what has become a neck and neck contest. The two candidates were separated by about...
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Olympia’s $20 minimum wage measure failing in early results
Proposition 1, the initiative to raise Olympia’s minimum wage to $20 and adopt a Workers’ Bill of Rights, is poised to fail, according to preliminary results. Wednesday’s tally showed 55.9% of voters voting “no,” and 44% voting “yes.” The vote tallies...
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