Columns

Ballots drop on Friday – get your recycle bin ready!

06

Oct

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City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers, This and That, Uncategorized

Ballots drop on Friday – get your recycle bin ready!

Ballots for the Nov. 3 general election will go in the mail on Oct. 8, followed shortly by dozens and dozens of expensive, colorful, glossy mailers, made of dead trees, extolling candidates’ virtues. The deluge, in fact, already has begun. A fund-raising letter from Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Chris Reykdal hit local mailboxes on September 28. A big postcard touting her record on education from 10th Congressional District candidate Marilyn Strickland was in the mailbox on Monday – lots of cute kids here, to be sure. Personal fave so far – a “photograph,” letter, and return postcard/envelope from Democratic…

A Simple Donation Can Save A Life This Winter

29

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers, This and That

A Simple Donation Can Save A Life This Winter

Socks! Tarps! Tents! Sleeping bags! Hygiene and First Aid supplies! The rainy season is upon us, and those living outside will face our cold, windy winter weather with fewer than ever options to get out of the elements. Local officials say fewer than half of last year’s 400 overnight shelter beds will be regularly available this winter. With the closure of the Community Care Center, people have few options for places to dry off and get warm during the day. You can help. Do you have a tent, tarp, sleeping bags, blankets, or other camping and survival supplies that…

28

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Columns, Contributors, Features, Mindy Chambers, This and That

DemoBurger Demolition Derby

Demise of the Demoburger? In a lengthy “discussion” on Facebook, now removed, debate raged among Thurston County Democrats earlier this month about the fate of the Demoburger Booth … you know, that purveyor of grease-laden, onion-covered gut bombs the Dems served at festivals and fairs … pre-pandemic. Turns out the old chuckwagon needs a massive and expensive overhaul in order to meet state safety regulations, including a new range hood (who could have guessed that?). The fight centered on why the information was posted on Facebook, what the Dems had voted to do (pull the plug on the booth or…

19

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Columns, Contributors, Mindy Chambers, This and That

This And That

Not making friends wherever he goes. C Davis, or CDavis Plover as he calls himself on Facebook, is a candidate for Thurston County Commissioner – at least his name will be on the ballot. Many things have gone terribly wrong with this campaign, including late filings of a state Public Disclosure Commission financial report (not that there was much to report he’s raised just $2,250 and spent less than that); lost the endorsement of the Thurston County Republican party; had his voter registration successfully challenged, and faced serious allegations regarding his past behavior with under-age young women. His latest social media…

Olympia City Council Passes Resolution Protecting BIPOC Transgender and Non-Binary People

18

Sep

By Tracey Carlos

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City of Olympia, Columns, Contributors, Tracey Carlos

Olympia City Council Passes Resolution Protecting BIPOC Transgender and Non-Binary People

At their Tuesday, September 15th business meeting, the Olympia City Council passed unanimously a Resolution to Address Injustice and Harm of BIPOC Transgender and Non-Binary People. Each council member read a section of the resolution, which includes several actions for the city to take. Read the full resolution here. The first item was simply that Black Transgender and Non-Binary Lives Matter. It seems simple, but the truth is, as mentioned in the top section of the resolution, that 10 Black Transgender Women were murdered in the United States between June and August 2020 alone. They are more likely to experience…

18

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Columns, Contributors, Mindy Chambers, This and That

This And That

A bit more on facemasks and campaign donations: The hot, new campaign look sparked by trend-setting candidate for Governor Loren Culp appears to have caught on locally. According to his report to the state Public Disclosure Commission, Thurston County Commission candidate Gary Edwards shelled out nearly $270 for facemasks. For the purchase, perhaps he used some of the $1,000 campaign contribution from a local marijuana retailer, which advertises some amazing events including "Munchie Monday is here again! Who doesn't love to kick back with some stoney snacks," and an upcoming Halloweed sale. That contribution is a bit of a surprise: In 1998,…

17

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Columns, Contributors, Mindy Chambers, This and That

This And That

Putting your money where your mouth is… literally. Back in June, Republican candidate for Governor Loren Culp left no doubt how he feels about the now ubiquitous facemask, the fashion statement of 2020. "I will not comply with Jay Inslee's unconstitutional and ridiculous mask requirement. We need a real leader in Olympia, not a dictator." So it's a bit of a puzzle why his campaign expenditures filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission show he's spent about $5,000 on facemasks of some kind. Here's one example of what $15 will get you. Despite masks' lack of popularity among the Culp…

14

Sep

By Guest Contributor

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Columns, Opinion

More Diverse Housing Please

By Janae Huber, Olympians for People-Oriented Places With pressures from our larger neighbors--looking at you King County--and the ability for more people to work from home and live farther from their job--thanks technology--Olympia is welcoming new neighbors and the vibrancy they bring. Unfortunately, the approximately 1,000 new people arriving each year put pressure on our housing market. It may seem like we are building a lot of housing, but it is still not enough for Olympia’s growth. Vacancy rates are currently lower than 5%, which means that purchase and rental prices are rising rapidly. To keep pace with the growth…

13

Sep

By Mel Wilde

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Columns, Contributors, Features, Mel Wilde

Mel Wilde

Hello! My name is Mel Wilde. I use she/her pronouns, and I am a white cis queer lesbian. I have lived in Olympia since I was ten years old, and I have watched Olympia grow and change as I have grown and changed. I love this town I am proud to call it home. Like any home, I hope that it gets remodeled every once in a while. I hope to shape this place into a more equitable home for us all; by writing, by protesting, and by being unwaveringly myself. I grew up working-class, raised by a single mother…

10

Sep

By Mindy Chambers

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Contributors, Mindy Chambers, This and That

This and That

Surprise! It's true but underreported that Thurston County will have at least one new commissioner next year. John "Hutch" Hutchings won't be serving a second term after capturing a mere 14 percent of the vote. Top two finishers in the County Commission District 1 race? Two political newcomers: Democrat Carolina Mejia and Republican C Davis. The latter just edged out former commissioner Bud Blake, who ran as an independent. Davis spent a mere $1,300 from a handful of donors, most of it on yard signs. Hutchings, the one-term incumbent, barely campaigned for the seat, but of the $23,000 he raised, much of it was…