April 2011 Archives

Yelm Timberland Regional Library

Ten years after the City of Yelm was given an exemption to operate the public library in a private, rented building by Timberland Regional Libraries (TRL) in a shared-lease concluding December 31, 2011, the city finally agreed Wednesday night to purchase a facility.

Mayor Ron Harding presented a plan to the TRL Board of Directors where the city would purchase the existing library space on the 2nd floor of the Prairie Park Building for $1 million dollars through a 20-year bond, with TRL paying the annual O & M expenses ($37,000 per year) through the bond's term. TRL has conditionally accepted the proposal.

Prior to the TRL Board meeting, the mayor presented to Board members his plan calling for Yelm and TRL to split the cost of a facility, which TRL was preparing to decline, citing the city's contractual responsibility to house a public library and TRL's bonding limitation.

TRL Director for Thurston County Emmett O'Connell sent an e-mail to those on his e-list on Tuesday, April 26, at 5:30pm, the day prior to Mayor Harding's presentation before the TRL Board saying:
"First, I absolutely think the Yelm Library should stay where it is. I also think the current location should be publicly owned and not leased from a private landlord. Where my views changes is how exactly we should get to a publicly owned Yelm library at the current location.

Unless something changes about the current proposal [Harding's $1.2 million to remain at Prairie Park with TRL paying half of the tab = $600,000], I will vote against it. I can't speak for the rest of the board, but I don't expect the proposal will be successful. The reason is that Timberland, like every other rural library district, can not bond for a period longer than six years. This means we would either need to take the entire cost proposed by the city off the top of our budget or bond it out over six years at a cost of more than $100,000 annually."

With TRL's Board member O'Connell saying the library should be in a public building provided by the city and the Mayor's Plan unable to be considered because of TRL's 6-year bonding maximum, Mayor Harding knew Tuesday evening his proposal for the city to split the $1.2 million cost with TRL to purchase the facility was "dead-in-the-water". Harding missed the Tuesday City Council meeting and with several library supporters present and commenting to the Council, Mayor Pro-tem Isom told those gathered there "WILL" be a library in Yelm, though he said the space may be smaller than the current one.

Thanks to Margaret Clapp lowering the price of the 2nd-floor by $200,000 (16.7%) to keep her building from being mostly vacant, the mayor presented a previously-unannounced proposal to TRL's Board Wednesday evening for the City of Yelm to finally purchase a public library facility, one that the city had a contractual agreement to provide for 10+ years.

In the end, the City of Yelm was obviously not "crippled" and finally DID "cover the costs of the current situation" (to buy the 2nd floor at Prairie Park).

TRL conditionally accepted the agreement where the city will pay approx. $16,000 over the annual budgeted $58,000 per year for the length of the 20-year bond. Financing the purchase means approx. $74,000 per year X 20 years = $1,480,000 expense.

There was a concern expressed during the Board meeting from an Olympia resident that public-process was omitted about the Yelm library developments. That echoes what has previously been stated on this blog.

Bottom line:
The community's support for a quality library here was strong.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR HARDING & THE YELM CITY COUNCIL IN FINALLY COMMITTING TO THEIR CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT (FROM OVER 10 YEARS AGO) TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITY FOR THE GREATER YELM COMMUNITY!

NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE YELM-LIBRARY COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR LIBRARY A JEWEL FOR OUR AREA - FOR THE FUTURE AND OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES!

[Editor’s note: This post was submitted by Yael Klein. Klein is the wife of this Blog's Host.]

For the first time in our area -
The Monroe Institute (TMI) Excursion Workshop Weekend
A RESULTS-ORIENTED PROGRAM
All you need is a sense of adventure and openness to explore

The workshop will be presented by TMI Outreach Facilitator for South Puget Sound, Yael Klein.

The workshop is scheduled in the Yelm area (Rainier) -
WHEN:
Saturday, April 30 through Sunday, May 1, 2011, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

WHERE:
Center for the Creative Arts
302 Binghampton St.
Rainier, WA.
Phone: 360-458-1311

COST:
Special Introduction Price only $150 (Reg price $250)
REGISTER HERE

Participants will be given a $200 discount on The Monroe Institute’s Gateway program and a free Hemi-Sync® CD.
Check-out the area's Monroe Institute site: Awareness-Now.com

Read more

Drug Take Back Day is April 30 (from Sen. Randi Becker)

"I wanted to let you know about the National Drug Take Back Day on April 30, 2011. It’s a program created by the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. The purpose of this National Take Back Day is to provide a venue for persons who wanted to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs.

Events will take place on Saturday, April 30, 2011, from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, and there are many places in both Pierce and Thurston counties participating in the program. Go to this website to find a site near you."

TRL Board member O'Connell states on his blog about last night's Board meeting:
"What happened most importantly was that the proposal from the city changed between when it was sent to us last week to tonight when we actually heard from the mayor:

The idea behind Timberland contributing towards O&M is that it would defray for the city the cost of paying back the bond."

CONGRATULATIONS TO MAYOR HARDING & THE YELM CITY COUNCIL IN FINALLY COMMITTING TO THEIR CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT (FROM OVER 10 YEARS AGO) TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITY FOR THE GREATER YELM COMMUNITY!

Save the date: Home, Garden and Trade Show April 30

"The annual Nisqually Valley Home, Garden and Trade Show is coming up April 30 and May 1 at Yelm High School.

The event will feature a performance by the Prairie Choir and a "Yelm's Got Talent" contest, among others.

Here's the full entertainment schedule:

Saturday
10am -11am Middle school
Noon -3pm Mike Wall Antique appraiser
Noon Kellie Peterson
2pm Prairie Choir

Sunday:
11am - Noon Eatonville Dance
Noon Mike Wall Antique appraiser
Noon - 3pm Yelm's Got Talent

Visit the event's website for more information and a list of vendors," quoting KOMO-TV 4 in Seattle.

Facebook's SAVE THE LIBRARY group has totally missed the point - their motto:
"The downsizing or total elimination of our library is not an option!"

If this motto of theirs is to ring true, their rallies should be in front of Yelm's City Hall and City Council meetings, in whose hands the downsizing of a library will fall, yet they are focused only on Timberland's Board tonight. They totally do not want to know & understand that the City of Yelm is under contractual responsibility to supply a public library building here. Why do they not want to acknowledge that nor tell the public that fact?

With a presentation by Mayor Harding to the Timberland Regional Library tonight for a plan he proposes to keep the library at the current location with TRL reportedly splitting the purchase price of $1.2 million, this annual report by the Mayor-appointed Library Advisory Board still applies today:

Letter from the Yelm Library Advisory Board to the Yelm City Council
March 25, 2008

My fellow Yelm Library Board members and I are here tonight to not only to give our annual Library report to the City, we are here to raise questions to you members of the City Council and the Greater Yelm Community about the future of a Library in Yelm beyond the current Yelm Timberland Library’s lease expiration date of July, 2012.

While John Thompson [City Council member & then Prairie Park Manager] raised this issue at a Fall 2007 Council Meeting and there was a discussion in one of your Study Sessions and recent Retreat, we are here tonight to bring this issue into the public forum. Further, Mr. McGowan is an employee of TRL, so two members of this Council have a vested interest in this discussion.

The Timberland Regional Library gave the city an exemption for 10 years in 2002 to operate in the Prairie Park (PP) complex and building owned by Margaret Clapp, whose corporate manager is John Thompson. Obviously, PP wants to know the city’s intention to continue the building lease for a library beyond 2012, as they want to look for a new tenant(s) if the library is not going to continue there. Further, they have notified their intent to substantially raise the payment of the monthly lease, in which they gave the city quite a favorable rate in 2002. As you know, the State recently notified the city regarding the city’s practice of collecting tax money for use of a public facility being housed in a private building as being improper, so continuing a lease in PP may not be an option considering the State’s notification, along with the likelihood of a substantial rate increase in the existing lease. Additionally, TRL would be hard pressed to grant Yelm another exemption to operate a library in a private facility, as the other 18 jurisdictions in the TRL five-county region are all required to be in public facilities. Some of these cities have expressed their concerns about the favoritism granted Yelm on this issue. The only other anomaly in Timberland is Montesano. The W.H. Abel Library in Montesano was a gift to the former Grays Harbor County Library. The title to the building was permanently transferred to TRL when the District was established.

With 4 years before a planned move needs to be in the final stages, the City of Yelm has no land and/or structure put forth in which to house a Library. Given the short lead-time to acquire land, plan, construct and move, TRL and your Yelm Library Board are letting you know we believe Yelm’s Library facility beyond 2012 should be recognized as a priority issue by the City Council and the residents of the Yelm area.

While TRL is a committed partner with the greater Yelm community by being willing to pay the full cost of financial/site analysis, a feasibility study, financial considerations, 50% of architectural services up to the point where the project is ready to go to bidders, interior design costs and TRL professional support for developing the new library (i.e. physical plan), they can only do so if and when the City has committed to funding the purchase of land for a public Library facility and set aside resources for its share of professional architectural services.

Once there is a commitment from the public and City Council to purchase land for a Library, the TRL Foundation (TRLF) can work with the city to provide data as to how much can the city employ from other financing sources, cost of project vs. dollars raised information and assistance in requesting donated/discounted land from developers or private individuals. TRL and the TRLF can also begin working with financial donors to solicit funds for construction, furnishings and equipment once there is a commitment from Yelm.

Bottom line: Your Yelm Library Board and TRL officials are standing before you tonight to raise the red flag about the future of the Yelm Timberland Library. We wish to work in partnership with the City to assure that this future includes this valuable community resource. A monumental project such as this requires the combined efforts of city officials, the resources of TRL and the citizens of the greater Yelm community. The Yelm Library Board and TRL are ready to start the process needed to create a permanent Library facility as soon as the City’s commitment has been demonstrated.

Thank you,

Yelm Library Advisory Board
Jeanette Burnham
Steve Klein, Chair
Annie McCandliss
Roberta Stephenson
Kristen Blalack, Librarian

Then Library Advisory Board member Ronni Nutter asked to have her name removed from the Board Letter saying she thought the Board's role was not to tell the city and council what to do about the Library.

This was the mandate on the city's website about the Library Board's function:
"The Yelm Library Advisory Board makes studies, reports, and recommendations and serves as an advisory body to the Mayor and City Council in all matters relative to the need for acquisition, utilization, care, maintenance and disposition of the library building or buildings and all property or equipment pertaining to or associated with library purposes which is or is intended to be owned by the City of Yelm."

Read more

From KOMO-TV 4 News:
A public hearing to allow the community to review proposed school district realignment is coming up on April 28.

State law requires every school district to redraw its board of director districts after each 10-year census.

The current and proposed districts for Yelm Community Schools are available to view online.

When: Thursday, April 28, 7 p.m.
Where: District Office Board Room, 107 First Street North, Yelm, WA 98597

Read More from Yelm Community Schools.

Yelm Public Safety Building & City Council Chambers

- Public Hearing on Marijuana Dispensaries
The Yelm City Council will hold a Public Hearing tomorrow night and then "Adopt Resolution 523 adopting findings of fact and conclusions of law supporting Ordinance 935 establishing a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries".
Read more from KOMO-TV 4 News.

- Downtown Well Construction
"The City of Yelm has started a construction project that involves the installation of a large watermain along Second Street and Mosman. This project will require road closures of 2nd Street and Mosman at various points in the project cycle. Note that local access will be provided to property owners along the corridor, however there will be no through traffic. Please click the headline to see the traffic control plan for further details," quoting the city's website.


- Former Saars Marketplace to get new tenant
In what city planners say they call the "Saars Demise" [Tenant demising], the City of Yelm has received an application from Goodwill to divide the Saars Marketplace building into three spaces; one for Goodwill and 2 future retail sites, according to Community Development Dept. Associate Planner Tami Merriman in a presentation to the Yelm Planning Commission on April 18. Merriman said a new third entrance will be required in addition to the current two, to provide access to all three spaces.
Ed. Note: In passing-by last Saturday indeed work was very noticeably underway to up a new wall inside.
See More from the Planning Commission video.

Traveling hazardous waste collection station in Yelm Saturday
"The county is bring (sic)its traveling collection station for household hazardous waste to Yelm Middle School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

It's a chance to clear your garage of thinners, glues, adhesives and other toxic household products.

Learn more about the program at the county's website," quoting KOMO TV 4 News.

Read more

From Rolf Boone in The Olympian:
"McDonald’s restaurants throughout South Sound were busier than usual Tuesday [April 19], serving food and interviewing prospective job candidates as part of an employment effort to hire 50,000 people throughout the country in one day.

McDonald’s restaurants participating in Tuesday’s [April 19] hiring day included six restaurants in Thurston County owned by longtime franchise owner Laurie Berryman...

Berryman is a true believer in the value of a job with McDonald’s.

She started when she was 16 and never looked back, having now spent nearly 34 years with the company. Berryman today owns McDonald’s franchises in Olympia, Tumwater, west Olympia, Yelm, Lacey and at the Pilot Travel Center on 93rd avenue.

'This is not a dead-end job,' Berryman said, adding that for new hires there is plenty of opportunity for training and advancement. 'I’ve learned more from McDonald’s than I did in high school.'

Although Berryman’s restaurants are hiring, the turnover rate at her restaurants has fallen, likely because of the slower economy, she said."

From the official Earth Day, 2011 Web site:

Earth Day 2011: A Billion Acts of Green®

Earth Day is here! This year, Earth Day's theme is themed after A Billion Acts of Green: our people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy before Rio +20. Check out the cool new Billion Acts of Green Facebook app on http://apps.facebook.com/billionactsofgreen

Ready to take part in Earth Day 2011?
Here is how you can get involved:

While Yelm has no activities planned, here are other options to participate nearby:
- Saturday, April 23, Booths and information sharing all day on Solar energy, the Chehalis River Council, Fellowship of Reconcilation, Lewis County emergency preparedness, local organic garedeners, Shaklee cleaning products,etc. Call 740-0492 to participate.

- Saturday, April 23, at 4pm : Gail Tremblay, faculty at The Evergreen State College, poet and artist exhibiting at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, will share her work and thoughts in response to the effects of uranium mining on native peoples. John Martens of Centralia College and Dr. Armando Herbelin of Lower Columbia College will then present followed by a panel discussion on nuclear energy

- Saturday, April 23, 8pm- The Walking Willows present an evening of music and devotion to honor the planet we share.
$8 charge for this event to sustain the musicians and the venue.

Mayor Ron Harding

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AT 9:51PM ON APRIL 20, 2011:
Yelm Mayor Ron Harding wrote a letter posted on Timberland Regional Library (TRL) Board member Emmett O'Connell's Twitter site 9 hours ago [titled "Mayor Ron Harding's response to TRL re: Yelm Library"] that clearly draws a line in the sand and gives TRL only one option:
- to back the Mayor's plan to buy the current facility in a condo-type arrangement or
"that if they walk away from this offer, as their Director has indicated they will, it could go down in Timberland Regional Library history as being the most incompetent decision they have or ever will make."

Harding has yet to place all of the alternatives for a city-owned facility against each other in a prospectus for the public, library patrons, TRL Board, Mayor-appointed Yelm Library Board and taxpayers in the public's interest in this endeavor, only touting his one option, which the public has yet to see in writing:

- buying the 2nd floor of Prairie Park as a condo agreement, with TRL kicking in more than $600,000 in outright costs. The Mayor said in his State of the City Address last February to the Yelm Chamber of Commerce financing would be required, meaning the taxpayers would be responsible for that, as well.

WOULD YOU BUY A CAR WITHOUT COMPARISON SHOPPING & SEEING THE INVOICE?
THEN WHY SHOULD ANYONE SUPPORT A PLAN THE PUBLIC HAS NOT SEEN AND HAS NOT BEEN PRESENTED AGAINST OTHER ALTERNATIVES?

As Readerlady so simply and eloquently stated on the Nisqually Valley News Web site Apr 20, 2011 7:39 AM:

"I love the library and I want it to stay just where it is but I am going to side with TRL on this one. They have rules they need to follow to protect themselves and all their patrons. Yelm has known for many years that they needed to step up to the plate and find a permanent solution to the building issue. We got lucky with the lease at Prairie Park and should have been making plans and taking action years ago to fix this upcoming problem. Its been in the media for a very long time so for our Mayor to say the 10 year mark was just a time-line to reevaluate rental property cost is ridiculous. WE in Yelm are responsible for the building, TRL for the staffing. That is just the way it is."

Read more from TRL Board member Emmett O'Connell's Blog titled
"Historic material for the Yelm discussion" from April 19.

Read more from O'Connell's blog posted today "Misunderstanding of levy capacity of libraries behind Yelm situation."

Ed. Note: As I stated last week, the "full-court-press" is on and pressuring TRL ahead of Mayor Harding's April 27 presentation to the TRL Board to buy into only one option - that of splitting the costs of purchasing the 2nd floor of Prairie Park.

If this city put the same passion into obtaining a public library building for the last 10 years as they did to obtain/spend over a 3-year period almost $1 million for 8 flushing-ballpark toilets, Mayor Harding would be officiating proudly for the ribbon-cutting on a library jewel this fall!

Yet, the library building issue sat on the "back-burner" until the 11th hour and now the Mayor and his minions conveniently place the blame at TRL's doorstep.

Yelm Cinemas Saturday morning Special Screenings announced.
All screenings are OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Click here for Yelm Cinemas showtime information.

Yelm Cinemas at Prairie Park
Photo courtesy of Yelm Cinemas

The screenings are as follows:

1. Saturday, April 23
HOP - The Movie
A viewing of the film “Hop” for family's and friends of children with special needs.
"Come and bring the entire family to a sensory friendly movie. Dress up in costume or leave your p.j.’s on and enjoy the movie!!"
Doors open at 8 a.m., and the film will begin at 9 a.m.
Tickets are $6.25 for kids and $6.75 for adults.
From: South Sound Parent to Parent

2. Saturday, May 14
I AM - The Documentary
"I AM is an utterly engaging and entertaining non-fiction film that poses two practical and provocative questions: what’s wrong with our world, and what can we do to make it better?"
Doors open at 8:15a.m., and the film will begin at 9 a.m.
Tickets are $6.25 for all seats.

3. Saturday, May 28
GasHole - The Movie
“GAS HOLE is an eye-opening documentary about the history of oil prices and sheds light on a secret that the big oil companies don't want you to know."
Doors open at 8:15a.m., and the film will begin at 9 a.m.
Tickets are $6.25 for all seats.

Special one-session screenings
Yelm Cinemas
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Elie Designs, Yelm

"Founded in 1991, Elie Design has gone from the quiet beginnings of a dream to being national renowned for sophisticated custom jewelry design.

... Margarette Elie received awards for three designs submitted to the prestigious worldwide “Tahitian Pearl Trophy” contest. Elie won first place in the National ‘Perles de Tahiti’ in 2005, and, in 2006, won third place in the Pacific Northwest Jeweler’s Design Contest.

In addition to award-winning design, Margarette Elie personal custom jewelry design and restores family heirloom pieces.

Elie Design carries designer jewelry by

Calgaro,
A. Jaffe,
Gadi,

and also Seiko Special Edition Watches, Tom Cotterill Frog sculptures and fine gift collectibles.

Elie Design's focus is on custom design and strong, unique creations. Elie Design is renowned for having one of the finest collections of Black Tahitian Pearls in Washington state. Obviously Black Pearls have a special meaning to Margarette -- 'The pearls are a symbol for me of all things possible', quoting Elie Design's Web site.

Elie Design
210 East Yelm Avenue
Yelm WA 98597
(360) 458-5758
www.ElieDesign.com

TELL ELIE JEWELRY YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE COMMUNITY BLOG!

Nisqually Valley News essay contest to highlight mothers

Published:on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 in the Nisqually Valley News (NVN):

"Readers will have a chance to honor their mothers and win them a hanging basket during the NVN’s Mother’s Day Essay Contest.

The essay question is “Why does your mom deserve flowers for Mother’s Day?” with a word limit of 250-350 words.

The contest is broken up into three age groups;
7-10,
11-15
and 16-18.
The winner from each age group will win a hanging basket donated by Jason’s Greenhouse for their mom.

Essays must be submitted by 11 a.m Monday, April 25.

Submissions may be sent to
P.O. Box 597,
Yelm WA 98597,
submitted in person to the NVN office at 106 Plaza Dr. N.E. in Yelm
or to
yelmnews@yelmonline.com"

TELL THE NVN YOU READ ABOUT THEIR CONTEST ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

General Manager Juan Martinez writes on their Facebook page:

Tacos Don Juan makes everything fresh-to-order, daily.
"We take pride in our quality of food.
We don't freeze anything or use canned products.
Our one of a kind salsas are made fresh daily."

Tacos Don Juan
207 Binghampton St.
Rainier, WA 98576

Hours:
Mon - Sun: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Phone: (360) 446-1002

PLEASE TELL TACOS DON JUAN YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

Rolf Boone of The Olympian reported last month on our areas Indian Tribes:

"A year from now, American Indian tribes from throughout the Puget Sound area will converge on Budd Inlet in Olympia for the culmination of the canoe journey, a weeklong event in which regional tribes assemble to celebrate American Indian culture.

They will find ample reasons to celebrate in South Sound, which is home to three growing tribes: the Squaxin Island Tribe of Mason County, which will host the 2012 canoe journey, and two Thurston County tribes, the Nisqually and the Chehalis.

All three have transformed themselves in recent years by emphasizing long-term economic development goals – propelled by high-profile casino operations and other business interests. As a result, the tribes are now among the largest employers of tribal members and nonmembers in the two counties."

Read more

Sandra Romero

Commissioner Sandra Romero Hosts Monthly Coffees with Area Residents

Monday, April 18, 2011.

FROM COMMISSIONER ROMERO'S E-MAILER:
Please join Thurston County Commissioner Sandra Romero, as she hosts her monthly informal coffee hours in Rainier & Yelm on Monday, April 18th.

Our next guest speaker will be TOGETHER!’s Executive Director.
TOGETHER! has prevented youth substance abuse and violence through awareness, advocacy and action to support youth and families for the last 21 years in Thurston County.

Commissioner Romero stated, “TOGETHER! plays a vital role in our community and covers important topics like the dangers of prescription drugs and necessity of education and action around securing, monitoring and disposal. Prescription overdose has surpassed automobile accidents as the number one cause of accidental death in Washington State.”

Commissioner Romero provides coffee to participants. She is the representative of District 2, which includes Yelm, Lacey, and Rainier.

What: Citizen meeting with second district County Commissioner Sandra Romero

When: Monday, April 18, 2011

Where:
Rainier: 9:30am – 10:30am - Rainier City Hall – 102 Rochester St. W.

Yelm: 11:00am – Noon – Yelm Public Safety Building, 206 McKenzie Ave SE.

Lisa Paribello
Commissioner Staff
paribel@co.thurston.wa.us

From the ecobuilding.org website:

Join us for the 2nd Annual Green Tour in Olympia, WA!

Come learn about the latest money-saving, eco-friendly ways to build, landscape, and design your community! Builders, architects, designers, craftsman with a deep green focus will showcase their sustainable design and construction projects on this free, public tour.

Plan your participation in the 2011 South Sound Green Tour
April 16 & 17, 2001 - Open 10 am - 4pm Daily

ALL-NEW 20 Inspiring Sites: Residential, Commercial and More
Real-Life Workshops, Going All Weekend
Green Tour EcoExpo - Register to Exhibit
Opening Ceremony at 10am, Saturday April 16.

Read more on Green Tour Sites

"Women Selling Stuff" - BAZAAR
- Join Us at the old Historic Wolf Building in Yelm (Old Drew Harvey Theatre)
102 Yelm Ave.
Yelm, WA.

THEIR 8TH SALE!
From their Release:

Thursday, April 14th 10 am - 6 pm

Friday, April 15th 10 am - 6 pm

Saturday, April 16th 10 am - 4 pm

Organic Gourmet Dog Treats, Cowhide Pillows & Handbags, Homemade Soaps, Scents, Fused Art Glass from Ocean Shores, Easter Baskets, Artisan Jewelry, Old Stuff Collectibles, Glass Art Jewelry, Pictures, Resale Designer Clothing for Women & Children, Coldwater Creek Clothing, Rhinestone Clothing, Massage, Tastefully Simple, Healing Arts Center, Ink Arm bands, Avon, Lia Sophia, Cookie Lee, Quilting, Crystal Jewelry, Alpaca Sweaters & Hats, CD's, Lotions, Body Shaping Garments, Rugs, Chandeliers & More....Lots More!

**Raffle to benefit Breast Cancer Awareness $1.00 per entry / 8 for $5.00 / 20 for $10.00
**Food Bank Donations
**Want to be a Vendor? (We have a few spaces left).
Call first for reservation Norean Warren 360-878-2467
Please call for more info – quickly.

We will have professionally made signs posted by www.decalguy.com

Browns Car Care And The Yelm Auto Mall

From the Web site:

"We are the one stop for all your Auto,Truck and Motor Home Repair. We do all makes and models diesel, gas or hybrid. We now have 180 days same As Cash and Car Care One Financing available for Repairs

WE SERVICE ALL MAKES AND MODELS, WE WILL HELP YOU KEEP YOUR WARRANTY FROM LAPSING BECAUSE OF LACK OF MAINTENANCE. WE ARE ALSO YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ANY AND ALL EXTENDED WARRANTIES AND AFTER MARKET WARRANTIES YOU PURCHASED FOR YOUR NEW OR USED CAR, TRUCK OR MOTOR HOME."

Brown's Yelm Auto Mall
16510 106th Avenue SE
Yelm, WA 98597

Phone: (360)-458-1421
Fax: (360)-458-1440
OPEN 7 Days A Week 8:00am TO 6:00pm

Yelm Timberland Regional Library

Following-up on the newspaper's rhetoric last week on the library, the facts remain simple:

1. No one has seen a written proposal for the library's future:
that includes the newspaper, Friends of the Library, Timberland Regional Library (TRL) officials, citizens of Yelm, nor the library's taxing district taxpayers. To counter the NVN's Graves, I did not "blast' the proposal, as I have not seen it. I merely asked:
HOW CAN ANYONE ENDORSE A PROPOSAL THEY HAVE NOT SEEN?

2. Why was a volunteer Yelm TRL Board member not present last week in the meeting with the Mayor and TRL Director Crose? I appreciate that Cindy Teixeira is a Friends of the Library volunteer, however why was a representative of that fund-raising group present and no one from our own Mayor-appointed citizen representative Board?
WHY DID WE NOT HEAR ABOUT THE PROPOSAL FROM MAYOR HARDING OR A YELM TRL BOARD MEMBER; HARDING DEFERRING COMMENTS TO A FUND RAISING VOLUNTEER, TEIXEIRA?

3. Mayor Harding said in his February 8th State of the City address to the Yelm Chamber of Commerce that outside financing will be required to purchase the current 2nd floor facility. Why are monthly maintenance costs & interest expenses never mentioned?
WHERE ARE THE DETAILS OF THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL FOR THE PUBLIC?
WE'RE WELL OVER 2 MONTHS SINCE HE ANNOUNCED THIS PROPOSAL AT HIS STATE OF THE CITY?

4. I met with Mayor Harding on the library options and he told me three other alternatives were considered, as I named two I knew were available. He told me they all came in at similar pricing to buying the second floor of the Fay Fuller Building, though there was not a moving expense to remain in the current facility.
WHY HAS THE PUBLIC NOT SEEN THE FAY FULLER BUILDING PROPOSAL NEXT TO THE COSTS OF THE OTHER THREE ALTERNATIVES?

BOTTOM LINE:
The public has seen no proposals and we have the Yelm Cabal tripping all over themselves in our newspaper to endorse a proposal no one has seen in writing, omitting inclusion from the Yelm TRL Board and leaving out facts from TRL themselves!

Photo courtesy: Yelm Community Blog

Rolf Boone of The Olympian reports:

"Yelm celebrates medical facility"
"Growth: Ribbon cut on $9 million, 36,000-square-foot building"

"The Yelm area has a new destination for medical care, a $9 million, 36,000-square-foot building that should accommodate the area's rapid growth for years to come.

The facility is the Yelm Medical Plaza Building, and its completion was celebrated Saturday afternoon with an open house, including food and a gathering of South Sound business and community leaders. After the ceremonial ribbon was cut, about 400 people poured into the building, at state Route 510 and Tahoma Boulevard, to get a look.

The building has three owners: Yelm Family Medicine, a longtime medical practice; Providence Health & Services Southwest Washington; and former business owner and developer Scott Ritter through his company, RDS1 LLC. Yelm Family Medicine and Providence also are tenants in the building, as are PacLab, Apple Physical Therapy and Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates."

Read more

"Yelm History Project website taking off"

Tyler Huey of the Nisqually Valley News penned this story published March 18, 2011:

"For more than 10 years, Yelm High School teacher Ed Bergh has been compiling articles and photos for the Yelm History Project. He just needed a little help to get a professional website up and running.

The Yelm History Project is exactly what it sounds like. It is the story of Yelm’s history that includes hundreds of articles and photos about the prairie, surrounding forests and Nisqually River....

Now enter Ryan Leisinger, a 1992 Yelm graduate. Leisinger has been working pro bono with Bergh since January 2010 to help get the information online once again.

Leisinger has owned and operated Titan West, a web design and development company out of Olympia, for the past decade. He said a friend told him about what Bergh was trying to accomplish and couldn’t resist helping.

'I grew up in Yelm and have a soft spot for it,' Leisinger said.

Bergh provides all of the content while Leisinger created/manages the website. One thing Leisinger offers Bergh is a system he can add to.

'That’s what Ryan is able to do for me,' Bergh said. 'I can add pics, text and (receive) questions. That’s really nice.'"

TELL THE YELM HISTORY PROJECT YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG, AND THOUGH HUEY CHOSE TO OMIT FROM HIS REPORT, THIS BLOG IS PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF BRINGING THE HISTORY PROJECT & TITAN WEST TOGETHER FOR THE PUBLIC'S INTEREST ON THIS PROJECT.

Read more about the Yelm History Project.

At 11:35am this morning, Nisqually Valley News Publisher/Editor Keven Graves posted on his newspaper's First Report Web site an e-mail I sent at his Op-Ed's suggestion [the Op-Ed was published in today's editions] to Emmett O'Connell, Timberland Regional Library (TRL) Trustee for Thurston County.

Read more of my Letter to Mr. O'Connell, and copied to TRL Director Crose and Mr. Graves. Mr. Graves' response is also listed here and titled:
JZ Knight spokesman blasts NVN, city's library proposal

Let's be very clear:
I wrote as a private individual and property owner/library taxpayer in both the City of Yelm and the County library taxing district and not as a spokesman for JZ Knight.

Unfortunately, Mr Graves has chosen at this time (3:30pm) to not update his Web site with my response, that of Mr. O'Connell's, nor that of Mayor Harding.
Read more - my response of FULL DISCLOSURE and this closing letter to Graves:

Now that we have full disclosure from the Kleins and making us the focus might make good newspaper copy,
Yael & I are not the issue here.

I certainly hope for the sake of our valuable library's future, we can put the focus back on the cause at hand -
actually seeing the Mayor's plan for a Yelm public library building, then "kicking the tires"
and evaluating that proposal.

While we can have a healthy discussion on our different views, we're all neighbors and in this together for the betterment of our area.

Friends of the Library volunteer Cindy Teixeira posted this on the newspaper's Facebook page:
"if Mr. Klein really cared about Timberland, Yelm area patrons and Yelm library staff, he would also endorse this deal."

Why would I endorse "a deal" that has never been presented to the public?
Shouldn't the taxpayers see "the deal" first prior to endorsing it?

She continues: "I cannot explain why nothing the city does ever makes him happy"
There is a whole host of items posted here for 5 years on how this city's administrators have not had the public's interest as their priority. Further, the Yelm City Council, a council with most of the same people that received the egregious Jefferson Muzzle Award in 2006 for their moratorium on subverting the public in due process, even garnered the attention of the ACLU.

Ms. Teixeira, if the library plan is so wonderful, why did you speak on behalf of Mayor Harding, instead of the Mayor himself and why have the public still not seen the plan in writing?

THERE ARE OVER 1,052 WHO HAVE ALREADY 'LIKED' THE NVN POST ON FACEBOOK. THIS DISCUSSION IS SO WONDERFUL FOR ALL IN OUR AREA TO SEE!

"MOMS Offering Moms Support"

From The MOMS Club® of Yelm, Washington website:
"Welcome to The MOMS Club® of Yelm, Washington! We are a local chapter that is part of an international non-profit support group specifically aimed at supporting moms who choose to stay at home with their children, including those who work out of their homes, as well as those who work part-time. We provide an opportunity for you to meet new moms, get and share advice, learn about your community, enjoy fun activities for your children, and for yourself. MOMS Club is about you, and what fits into your life. We are unique in that we welcome children at all our activities. Most activities are held during the day.

Nationally, the MOMS Club has over 2,000 chapters and 100,000 members. Please take a few minutes to check out our website.

MOMS Club of Yelm, WA. began in June, 2008 by a small group of motivated moms all looking for the same thing, socialization and friendship! Thanks to their hard work, our chapter of MOMS Club is growing and more members join every month. We have children ranging in age from newborn to teen age. The Yelm, WA. chapter covers the following areas: Yelm, Roy, McKenna, and Rainier. To find chapters in other areas, contact the International MOMS Club at: MOMSClub@aol.com"

For more info: momsclubofyelm@gmail.com

Yelm resident Vanda Boone's murderer Bernard Howell III was sentenced to 26 years in prison, according to KIRO-TV 7 in Seattle.

Read more on Vanda Boone.

"Consumer confidence fell 15 points during the first quarter of 2011, compared to the fourth quarter of 2010, according to the latest Thurston Economic Vitality Index report. However, the composite Leading Economic Indicators Index continues to rise and currently stands at 91.4.

Consumer confidence now stands at 84, down from 99 during Q4 of 2010 and also less than 89 during Q3 of 2010...

Thirty-two percent of households were fearful that labor conditions would still be bad in six months. And while 44 percent said current economic conditions are bad, 35 percent felt that there would be improvement in six months," quoting the Business Examiner.

Read more of the Economic Vitality Index (EVI) First Quarter Results from the Thurston County Economic Development Council.

Leilani Macmillan's letter to Olympia Sen. Becker used with permission:

Dear Senator Randi Becker,

I have read your email, and this one thing caught my eye.

"enact government reforms such as privatizing some state services"

This raises red flags for me. "Privatizing some state services" is just as corrupt as "fraud and abuse in taxpayer-paid social programs and services". How can there be room for profit in services that now are struggling monetarily?

Privatizing prisons is an example. "Privatizing" means making it a business which must make a profit. This means there is corruption to fill the prisons to make the biggest profit, including the corruption of some judges to help out. It matters not if this means incarcerating as many juveniles as possible without fair representation at court, just as long as prisons are full and there is profit. And who pays for the prisons that are now packed? Taxpayers? Then, there is "slave labor" in the prisons.... I'm sure this is why the United States has more percentage of people in prison than any other country on this earth! For Profit, obviously!

Privatizing services of our government is going to cost us MORE, if not in money, then in human life. It will not be more "efficiently run". The service will be trimmed for profit with more corruption in providing the service. How else can a business make a profit?

I seriously disagree with this very "Republican" way of running government. With all due respect, Senator, those who want to "OUTSOURCE" our government and privatize its services, are admitting they are not capable of running government. The intent of privatizing government services is revealed when Grover Norquist said, "Our goal is to shrink government to the size where we can drown it in a bathtub". Those who dislike government so much should not be in government.

Reagan started a hatred of government that has become a real misconception. If we don't have a strong, capable government that respects the people, there is NOTHING standing between the common people and the power-hungry, multi-national corporations that seem bent on crashing our economy, destroying our environment, and do not care about the people! The people will never be 'served' if a corporation wants its profit first. And no one can get a "redress of grievances" from a CEO! Forget it! So, this is in direct conflict with our Constitution of the United States.

So, please, I beg of you, Senator Becker, do not vote to dismantle our government. Privatizing parts of our government is NOT what people want especially when we understand what it means. I am sure this in not what Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin had in mind designing our Republic. Please vote "NO" to privatizing services of our government.

Thank you for sending emails!

Most sincerely,

Leilani Macmillan
Yelm, WA

[Editor’s note: This post was submitted by Yael Klein. Klein is the wife of this Blog's Host.]

For the first time in our area -
The Monroe Institute (TMI) Excursion Workshop Weekend
A RESULTS-ORIENTED PROGRAM
All you need is a sense of adventure and openness to explore

The workshop will be presented by TMI Outreach Facilitator for South Puget Sound, Yael Klein.


Yael Klein
Photo Copyright © 2011 Yael Klein
Used with permission

- About Robert Monroe:
"Robert Monroe was a successful and distinguished business executive, dedicated family man, and noted pioneer in the investigation of human consciousness. He also invented Hemi-Sync® and founded The Monroe Institute®, a worldwide organization dedicated to expanding human potential."

- About Monroe's Excursion Workshop:
The Excursion Workshop is an introductory program for anyone interested in the Hemi-Sync® experience and its effects. Hemi-Sync® technology has been used to achieve peak performance, clear focus, pain management, palliative relief for cancer treatments and other diseases, relieve depression, calm and focus autistic children and adults, stimulate and unleash creativity for artists, writers, and many others. The applications are limitless. The primary goal of this workshop is to assist in enhancing consciousness and expanded awareness so that the participant may better know and understand "The Total Self." Personal revelations are commonplace during an Excursion.

Researchers in the 1970s and 1980s discovered that when mapping the brain waves of highly successful people, they tended to be able to reach whole brain states more easily than the average person. Longtime meditators also seem to be able to reach and maintain a balanced brain, although not for extended periods of time.

- From YAEL KLEIN'S Press Release of March 29th:
"The experience of what Monroe called a Focus Level in this first workshop is described as “Body Asleep, Mind Awake.” In other words, your body is completely relaxed and your brain/mind is activated and fully aware. “The Excursion training is experiential, including a brief history and explanation of the Monroe system and what the participants can expect. Participants use their headphones to listen to the guided imagery and the sound patterns. Together we share and explore their experiences in our discussions between each discipline. The majority of the time is spent learning to identify what a whole brain state feels like. We learn to relax and let the frequencies create right- and left-brain coherence for us.”

The workshop is scheduled in the Yelm area (Rainier) -
WHEN:
Saturday, April 30 through Sunday, May 1, 2011, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

WHERE:
Center for the Creative Arts
302 Binghampton St.
Rainier, WA.
Phone: 360-458-1311

COST:
Special Introduction Price only $150 (Reg price $250)
Pay in full prior to beginning of class.
Please make payment by Cash
or
Check payable to
Yael Klein
POB 1971
Yelm, WA 98597
REGISTER HERE

Participants will be given a $200 discount on The Monroe Institute’s Gateway program and a free Hemi-Sync® CD.
Check my new site: Awareness-Now.com

TELL AWARENESS-NOW YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

Mayor Harding's Proclamation of March 22, 2011 recognizes April as Arbor Month in Yelm.

Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care.

Founded by J. Sterling Morton in Nebraska in 1872, National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in April.

Washington State's Arbor Day is the second Wednesday in April.

"The National Arbor Day Foundation has published a new hardiness zone map, based on climate data from the past 15 years, that clearly shows the warming trend across the country," quoting the National Arbor Day Foundation website.

Won't you donate a tree to our town by sending a check to Yelm City Hall for Yelm's Tree Fund!

Logo of The Mountain News
Photo Copyright © 2011 The Mountain News.
Used with permission

This excellent article by Judy Spiers titled The Seven Tasks of Self-Reliance is an excellent summary, especially in-light of what has been learned from the Japan crisis.

Read more

Thanks to Mountain News, WA. publisher Bruce Smith for sharing this important story with Yelm Community Blog readers.

Neighborhood Preparedness Training

Tuesday, April 5 - 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Thurston County Emergency Management offers MAP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD (MYN) train-the-trainer courses for residents who want to organize their neighborhoods for emergency preparedness.

The next course is scheduled for Tuesday, April 5, 2011 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Thurston Co. Emergency Management - 2703 Pacific Ave SE in Olympia. Contact Vivian Eason at 360-786-5243 or easonv@co.thurston.wa.us or visit http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/em/MYN/MYN.htm for more information.

From the Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) website:
Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) is a program designed to help neighborhoods prepare for disasters.

MYN will help you to:

Learn the 9 Steps to take immediately following a disaster to secure your home and protect your neighborhood.

Create a neighborhood map identifying locations of natural gas and propane tanks.

Create a contact list that helps identify those with specific needs such as elderly, disabled or children who may be home alone during certain hours of the day.

Identify the skills and equipment each neighbor has that would be useful in effective disaster response.

Work together as a team to evaluate your neighborhood during the first hour following a disaster and take the necessary actions.

Mead track star Baylee Mires leans on the boys track coach, her father, John Mires, for the mental side of running.
Photo by Colin Mulvany
Published on March 31, 2011
Copyright © 2009, The Spokesman-Review. All rights reserved.

"John Mires was a state-placing hurdler at Mead and then competed for Jerry Martin at Eastern Washington. But he isn’t about to take any more credit than exposing his middle child to track and letting her passion develop naturally...

It’s not that Mires grew up a track nerd. There was soccer, ballet, gymnastics and basketball, which she continued into high school.

But track was always there, even though there was a time John thought his main focus would be coaching basketball. He taught five years at Kahlotus where he made his basketball players turn out for his track team and jump hurdles.

Then it was on to Yelm because, his wife, Amy, said, “we just wanted pizza delivery.”

That’s where the one-time Ferris cheerleader pushed Baylee’s stroller through all sorts of weather with a stride that impressed the track coach in the family.

But after five years John basically quit so the girls could attend Mead schools [in Spokane]. That was 1998 and John got lucky to find part-time employment in the Mead district, where he was an assistant under Gary Baskett for two seasons before taking over the track team.

While John was rebuilding Mead into a track power after Mt. Spokane opened to split the district, Baylee steadily got better, advancing a little further during summer track while doing other sports. Her real confidence started in junior high when she went to the high school to run with her sister during cross country workouts," quoting the Spokane Spokesman-Review on March 31st.

Roseanne Barr, JZ Knight, Linda Evans
Photo Copyright © 2011 JZ Knight.
Used with permission

REPRINTED HERE FROM JZ KNIGHT.COM:
"Roseanne Barr Speaks at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment: Students in 25 Countries Worldwide Tuned in Via Live Steam on the Internet
Actor and New York Times best-selling author Roseanne Barr was a special guest lecturer during the Primary Retreat at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment (RSE) in Yelm, WA, on Saturday, March 26, where she discussed the spiritual aspects of her new book Roseannearchy: Dispatches from the Nut Farm. Her speech followed a lecture from RSE founder JZ Knight (http://www.Ramtha.com) who gave an insightful talk on impending Earth changes...

When Ms. Barr arrived, Ms. Knight welcomed her into her home for dinner with longtime RSE students including actress Linda Evans and Miceal Ledwith, former President of Maynooth College in Ireland and former advisor to Pope John Paul II. After dinner, Roseanne spoke to a live audience of more than 700 students and additional students in 25 countries who joined via live stream on the Internet.," quoting the Levine Communications Office Press Release.

Read more from the Levine Communications Office Press Release.

Copyright © 2011 JZ Knight. All Rights Reserved
Ramtha's School of Enlightenment | A Division of JZK, Inc.
Ramtha® is a trademark of JZ Knight and is used with permission.