Isn’t this Salisbury, Maryland story interesting?

“In her final State of the City address, Salisbury Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman warned residents of what she sees as a great danger to the city: malicious bloggers.

Tilghman said in her address Thursday [March 12, 2009] that over the last five years, the presence of a small group of suspicious, mean-spirited people focused on the negative has grown, endangering the city’s vitality.

Tilghman says some people are avoiding serving their city because it’s not worth chancing the scorn of bloggers. But Tilghman says they need to stand up for the city,” quoting the AP from the Maryland Daily Record of March 13, 2009.

I am certain Yelm Mayor Ron Harding feels the same way about the Yelm Community Blog.

A sweet and caring official mentioned to me at the Nisqually Valley Home Show last Sunday,
“You don’t always have to sleuth looking for the bad things here.”

I have to ask,
Why are there so many things that are so glaring and just look bad here; appearance of conflict of interests, keeping City Hall news from the public and all?
One does not have to sleuth, as all of this is right before our eyes here for those that want to see!

If no one speaks up for change, then all of Yelm’s dirty little secrets will stay buried under a bulging carpet.
Is that what this community wants?
Perhaps the silence from the public is indicative of that.

When officials decry the bloggers, then I ask what are these officials hiding?
Our Mayor recently said that the city taking on debt here was because of “the economy, growth slowing and an ‘anti-growth environment.’

Anyone that has ever commented about what the Mayor calls the city’s stance during his tenure for growth to pay for growth, is called “anti-growth” and they are sidelined, berated or not considered.

What endangers a city is what is hidden from the taxpaying public who voted these officials into office.

Yelm Timberland Regional Library
Photo courtesy of Guustaaf Damave

Yelm’s Library Advisory Board gave their annual presentation to the Yelm City Council on Tuesday, April 28th. Board Chair Jeanette Burnham gave the report, backed up in audience by Librarian/Staff Representative Kristin Blalack, Agnes Bennick, Ronni Nutter and Rebecca Stillings. Roberta Stephenson was absent.
Mrs. Burnham talked about year-over-year increases in teen participation in borrowed items, attendance and special events.
Ms. Blalack said that TRL will be cutting staff hours beginning July 1st in Yelm to the levels she encountered upon being hired here in 1992: Closed Sunday & Monday and opening an hour earlier at 10am the other days.

Mayor Harding thanked the board for their fine service to the community and said, “Seems like you guys are doing good things and meeting the needs.” HMMM! While an attempt at affectionate slang, quite noticeable is the lack of even one “guy” on this Board.

Not mentioned was anything about the Yelm Library’s future, as the current facility’s lease expiration July, 2012.

The city’s own website says this about the about the duties and responsibilities of the Library Board,
“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; evaluates, advises and makes recommendations regarding the relationship between the City of Yelm and Timberland Regional Library District (TRL); evaluates legislative issues before the Washington State Legislature related to library matters, which may impact the City of Yelm, property owners within the City of Yelm, and/or patrons of the Timberland Regional Library District; serves as liaison between citizens and the Mayor and City Council on library-related issues; and reviews, advises and makes recommendations on rules and regulations governing the use of the library, its building(s) and grounds, and such equipment owned by the City of Yelm.”
CLICK HERE to see the city’s website on this, then click Citizen Committees, then click Library Board

There was nothing in this function description that was covered by this Board’s report last night to the City Council, nor were any questions along these lines asked by the Mayor or City Council. HMMM!

What do you have to say about that?
Do you want to know about the library’s future in Yelm?
Do you expect your Library Board representatives to handle the responsibilities as set forth by the city?

Here are two sites of note about Timberland Libraries in recent days:
– The Olympian reports, “25 libraries to cut back hours”
– Newsletter of the Timberland Regional Library District, Spring, 2009

CLICK HERE for the Washington State Swine Flu Info page.

April 25th-May 9th
All of our cans are 20% off!
Stock up on freeze dried meat…cans of Mountain House Chicken or Beef!
Or Dairy that stores perfectly… Mountain House Cottage Cheese!

All breakfast, lunch and dinners – including best sellers like sour cream filled Beef Stroganoff and rich Lasagna ‘n Meat Sauce are 20% off.

All cans are nitrogen sealed and have a shelf life of 25 years.
Take advantage of this sale.
Free delivery to your door in the Yelm/Olympia area.

5% of our profits go to the Children’s School of Excellence.

PS – Don’t forget Mountain House desserts and freeze dried fruits!

Contact Cheryl Nichols today!
Dried Food Storage
360.446.5726
www.DriedFoodStorage.net

It’s a Secondhand Safari!
Please join us in spreading the word about Thurston County Fair’s 1st Annual Community Garage Sale and Reuse Fair.

Saturday, May 2nd
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thurston County Fairgrounds
Admission – $2 early-bird from 8-9 a.m. and $1 after 9 a.m.

There will be community garage sale booths, educational booths, guest speakers, a free book and a magazine exchange, food, music and more!

Booth rental – $25 outdoor and $40 indoor.

Sign up now to clear out that clutter and tell your friends and family to do the same!
Space is also available for educational booths and presenters!

To reserve your space or for more information call 786-5453 or visit www.co.thurston.wa.us/fair.
Thank you for your help in making this great community event a success!

Amber Smith
Education and Outreach Specialist
Thurston County Solid Waste
Phone: (360) 754-3355 ext. 7669
www.co.thurston.wa.us/wwm

Did you get you edition of the County’s publication Talking Trash?

“Where Should I Take My?…

You’ll be amazed at how many items you can donate or recycle in Thurston County! Click on the links below to put your unwanted items to good use. Please call the organizations directly to verify fees (if any), hours of operation, and items accepted. Also consider posting your items on the following Web sites:

www.2good2toss.com — all items are $200 or less.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/ — has no price limits.

www.usedolympia.com — has no price limits.

www.freecycle.org — requires all items to be free,”
quoting Thurston County Water & Waste Management.

In Rep. Tom Campbell’s Press Release over the weekend about the close of the State Legislative Session, there was a list of the accomplishments.
One of the lines said,

“Support job growth at Yelm Longmire Park ($400,000)”

I wrote and asked Rep. Campbell what the job growth at Longmire Park is all about:
“The Longmire Park project are for restrooms at the Ballpark [located at 16820 Canal Road SE, Yelm].

Right now, the Longmire Parks restroom facilities are portable toilets. Potable water is no (sic) available on site, nor are there sewer system connections. This project is the final phase of the sports complex Yelm is building for the community,” quoting Liz Merrick, Senior Legislative Assistant to Rep. Campbell.

Previously, the Yelm City Council authorized $408,800 to install a water line to Longmire Park, as reported here July 23, 2008. While maybe a good idea a year ago, is this wise today?

Since then, we have been aware of a State Budget deficit of $9 billion, a major deficit in Thurston County that includes a massive hit to the Sheriff’s Staff and Yelm’s Mayor Harding telling the Yelm Chamber of Commerce recently, “We can no longer operate the [water] system allowing new growth” and that the city has taken on debt.

Now, with the $400,000 authorized by the State Legislature for new Longmire Park toilets added to the $408,800 previously appropriated by the city, do you think this is a good time to be spending almost $1,000,000 in taxpayer money for water and toilets at a ballpark that might get used 3 months out of a year?

While I applaud the efforts of Rep. Campbell and our State Legislature, is this REALLY a wise appropriation when we’re laying off state workers and cutting essential medical and elderly care programs, as an example?

How do you feel about all of the State, County & City budgets being trimmed, yet $808,800 is being authorized for ballpark toilets and water irrigation just to keep the dust down and grasses green in Summer?
And, can the city afford to irrigate the ball fields, what with their huge water rate increases and calls for businesses to conserve water?
I say that eliminating ball field irrigation should be the City of Yelm’s first step to conserve water here and show the town they will “bite the bullet” and lead the way to conserve, too!

Almost a million bucks for water to irrigate the ball fields in Summer and to have flush toilets instead of portable toilets in this economy? These are dollars that could go for jobs, a new Library or the Mayor’s dream of a Recreation Center, don’t you think? I know the city needs a place to recharge the aquifer with their reclaimed water and Longmire Park would be a good place to do that, however officials have not been up-front about their intentions in this regard. The public still has no access to the October, 2008 Water Mitigation Plan via the city’s website.

A sweet and caring official mentioned to me at the Nisqually Valley Home Show yesterday and said, “You don’t always have to sleuth looking for the bad things here.”
What does that mean? Just shove all of that I learn and observe under the carpet and turn the other way?
Why are there so many things that just look bad here; appearance of conflict of interests, keeping City Hall news from the public and all? That has gone on here long enough and now the city is in a “pretty pickle.”
One does not have to sleuth, as all of this is right before our eyes, for those that want to see!

If no one speaks up for change, then all of Yelm’s dirty little secrets will stay buried under a bulging carpet.
Is that what this community wants?
Perhaps the silence from the public is indicative of that.

While maybe not occurring in Yelm as of yet, how would you like to be employed by the city and told that your job is to be cut, yet we’re going to spend a million bucks to have flush toilets at the Ball Park? That is where this is heading, and sooner rather than later!

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

UPDATE: 3PM April 27
We’re going to spend almost $1 million dollars to have flush toilets and ball park lawns watered, when KING-5 reports,
“The spending cuts [from the State Budget] could lead to 8,000 government worker layoffs, strip 40,000 people from the state-subsidized Basic Health Plan, and leave 9,000 college enrollment slots without state financing. Community and technical college students will pay up to 7 percent more in tuition; four-year students face a 14 percent hike.

Teachers won’t get their voter-approved cost-of-living raises, K-12 schools will get less money to hire staff, and hospitals and nursing homes will be paid less to care for the poor.”

EXPLAIN THAT!

“Lawmakers sent Gov. Chris Gregoire a $7.5 billion transportation budget Sunday that contains money for several South Sound projects…

And the first phase of the Yelm bypass highway gets $11.05 million in 2009-11, which lets contracts go to bid later this year.

At the request of Rep. Brendan Williams, D-Olympia, there also is a provision to keep Washington State Patrol troopers investigating vehicle crashes on Thurston County roads through June 2011, making Thurston the lone Washington county that still has that service. Sheriff Dan Kimball says it could save,” quoting The Olympian.

CLICK HERE for information on the Yelm Bypass from Protect Yelm.org that brings up several good points this writer has previously stated; in particular a 1 mile Bypass funded to nowhere that will get no further funding consideration to complete the Loop until 2021-2023.

How would you like to live on Cullen (where the Bypass will end) and have the Bypass traffic coming down your neighborhood residential street, for 15 years +, where your children play? And this is a road not engineered nor designed to handle truck, heavy vehicular and Bypass traffic. Why there is not even a traffic light at Cullen & Yelm Ave. West!

THINK ABOUT THAT!

“The purpose of my email is to ask your help in spreading the word about a new kids juggling troupe.

My children and I are starting a kids juggling troupe in Yelm. It has a pirate theme and is called the Royal James Buccaneer Juggling Troupe. It is for girls and boys ages 6 to 18 years. All skill levels are invited…even if one doesn’t know how to juggle. It is the ultimate focus…and it is amazing to see how fast the children learn. We presently meet at Yelm City Park on Tuesdays from 4-5:15pm. (Rain or shine)

My eldest son Jamison (16 years) will be teaching anyone who doesn’t know how to juggle. He is an excellent juggler and teacher and trained at Circus Juventas in St. Paul, Mn for 4 years (circusjuventas.com) prior to moving to this area in 2005 to be close to RSE.

We are charging $15.00 for membership (which includes a set of juggling balls-made by Jamison – it is his part of our family business) a Royal James Buccaneer Juggling Troupe pin and membership papers which includes their own “pirate name”.

Our hope is to get a great group of kids together who can juggle together, excel together, and eventually perform together,” quoting this letter from Vienne Cordet & Jamison Hardy Cordet.

TELL THE CORDETS YOU READ ABOUT THEIR JUGGLING CLASS ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

Freedom School of the Pacific Northwest

Join a question and answer meeting Sunday, April 26th
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

We are a democratic school based on the 41 year old Sudbury model, with schools world wide. Students ages 4 19 are welcomed, and being a community school, adults are also welcomed to start and join many inspiring classes.

Learning is as unlimited as your imagination, and is self-directed and initiated by our students. There are no tests, homework, required-organized curriculum, classrooms, or grades. Yes, graduation is possible and we will have one or two grads present to answer your questions.

Students and staff vote as equals on rules that govern the school. Play of all kinds is encouraged.

We hope to have piqued your interest and made you want to explore the education that gives wings to the mind.

Meet us at George and Sheris home: 10905 138th Ave SE in Rainier.

Call Sheri Greenstreet, 360-915-3097 or George Sands, 915-3242 for information and directions.
From their flier.

Welcome to the Freedom School of the Pacific Northwest
Now forming in Rainier, WA

Everything that is really great and inspiring was created
by the individual who can labor in FREEDOM. Albert Einstein

The Freedom School of the Pacific Northwest is a democratic school for students ages 4-19.

This school is based on a philosophy of education pioneered by the Sudbury Valley School in existence since 1968.

Sudbury Schools take a radically different approach to education, based on FREEDOM, TRUST and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

We believe that

– All people have individual interests, passions and talents generated from their unique mind and the freedom to choose those interests is essential to the development of personal responsibility.

– There is equal value placed on acquiring and expressing any skill whether academic, physical, social, artistic, or self directed play.

– The most efficient, long-lasting and profound learning takes place when initiated and pursued by the learner.

– Age-mixing among students promotes growth in all members of the group.

So weve created a place where.

– Students are allowed to explore, activate and pursue their unique interests and talents.

– Students experience a self-directed educational freedom in a safe and supportive environment.

– The students, in addition to being responsible for their own learning, have a significant role in governing the school. Every student, regardless of age, is considered an equal and has a voice in decision-making, thus demonstrates ownership of their experience and environment.

– A focus on personal responsibility and respectful behavior ensures the maintenance of a healthy learning environment.

– Based on the educational philosophy of self-initiated learning in a democratic way, students are given the freedom to choose their activities in school, their choice of curriculum, how they want to spend their time and are trusted to design their own course of learning.

– Using the principles of play, talk, freedom, empowerment, responsibility and age-mixing in its daily routine promotes growth in all members of the group.”

TELL FREEDOM SCHOOL OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST YOU READ ABOUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

LEARN HOW EASY MAKING CHEESE YOU WILL ENJOY CAN BE!

“Mark your calendar for Sunday, April 26, 2009 when the Graham Kapowsin Community Council/ Learning Center will host Udderly Simple Cheese Making with Diane Dondero.

This is a hands-on workshop where you will experience making sour cream, cottage cheese and cream cheese all from one pot! Discover the taste and versatility of Panir cheese, a staple of many Middle Eastern lands. We will also make Panir cheese and discuss its many uses.

Recipes from Diane’s book “Udderly Simple Dairy Foods” will be used. Participants will learn the simplicity of home cheese making, which incorporates a complete understanding of tools, ingredients and a simple process for successful cheese making.

Location: Elk Plain Grange, 21817 Mountain Hwy E. Spanaway WA. The Grange is a beige colored building set back off the road with parking out front. A wonderful facility less than a mile east (right turn) from the Roy Y on Highway 7 going toward Mt. Rainier. The Grange will be on your left just before the post office.

If you live in the Graham area travel west on 224th to Highway 7, turn right. The Grange is less than half a mile on the right just past the post office.

Time: 11 AM to 3-4 PM Cost: $35 – Couples $50

Bring a notebook and pen April 26th,” quoting Babes in Belts flier.

“Diane Dondero is the author of Udderly Simple Dairy Foods, a self-reliance cookbook. She has trained and worked as a disaster reservist for Washington State Emergency Management for over four years. As the Founding Director of Babes in Belts International and Babes in Belts, Inc. she has hosted seminars and workshops to inform and train hundreds of men and women in the construction of emergency shelters,” quoting Babes in Belts.
Ms. Dondero resides in Rainier.