Mother Earth News Fair at the Puyallup Fair Ground June 2-3.

About the FAIR
MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIRS are fun-filled, family-oriented sustainable lifestyle events. The Puyallup FAIR features practical, hands-on demos and workshops:

Renewable energy
Small-scale agriculture
Gardening
Green building and more

We hand-select local and national exhibitors to bring you the best in:

Organic food and drink
Books and magazines
Tools and seeds
Clothing and more

The Puyallup Fairgrounds is the site of Washingtons largest single attraction: the Puyallup Fair. The Fairgrounds are located 35 miles south of Seattle and 10 miles east of Tacoma in the shadow of Mount Rainier.
Read more

– “2nd Annual Mother Earth News Fair coming to area”
” In testament to the green power of the Pacific Northwest, the Mother Earth News is hosting their second annual fair at the Puyallup Fair Grounds, June 2-3, next Saturday and Sunday.

Last years festivities featured dozens of speakers and vendors of back-to-the-land skills and supplies, and drew over 10,000 visitors. Mother Earth News Fair official, Brandy Ernzen, hopes for more this year,” quoting Bruce Smith in The Mountain News.
Read more

UPDATE: June 6, 2012
Bruce Smith in The Mountain News filed this report on the 2012 Fair:
“Huge crowds highlight the 2nd Annual Mother Earth News Fair”
Read more

Thurston County Fire Protection District 17 Logo
Mark Gregory, Fire Chief,
Steve Slater, Deputy Fire Chief

From the newspaper ad:
“MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY”
“NOW RECRUITING FOR VOLUNTEERS”

– All training provided
– Must be 18 or older

Contact us today!
360-894-2517

Bald Hills Fire Dept.
PO Box 783
16306 Bald Hills Rd. SE
Yelm, WA. 98597

Yelm’s Cochrane Park, outflow of the reclaimed water system

Megan Hansen reported in the March 16th edition of the Nisqually Valley News (NVN):
City aims to reclaim Class A water production, raising several questions.

Hansen said in her title,
“City of Yelm is hiring a consultant to help provide an hands-on approach to solving the city’s reclaimed water issues.”

She wrote that the city has had “issues balancing its reclaimed water” for a few years, resulting in Yelm closing their free RV dump site, thinking that may be a contributing factor. The situation did not get resolved and Yelm is still not providing Class A reclaimed water.

The story was updated in the newspaper’s May 25th edition, where Hansen said:
“City of Yelm is back to producing Class A water, but is still working out some kinks.”
Hanson reported the RV dump will remain closed while the contamination source is still undetermined.
The city authorized $60,000 to get engineering to help get the system back up to standards.

Harding was quoted, “We need to control our environment while we get it under control.”

Editor’s Note:
Since when has Harding ever demonstrated ANY interest in the environment around here, unless to cover the city’s backside, as in this case?
For example:
– more traffic from doubling the city’s growth in ten years and wanting even more expansion?
– ground water run-off pollution from more paved parking lots?
– requesting of DOE to draw double the amount of water from the aquifer than at present, to again double the size of the city?

1. While the city is now producing Class A water, production has been inconsistent. “The city does not know the source of the previous year’s contaminants.”
Hansen said, “All unused reclaimed water that does not meet standards is discharged to (sic) Centralia Power Canal.”
That means then to the Nisqually River & Puget Sound.
How does Mayor Harding feel about unused reclaimed water that does not meet standards being discharged into local canals, rivers & Puget Sound?

2. The Yelm reclamation facility was heralded then for the 1994 state-of-the-art treatment plant, which now has a “black-eye”.
Yelm has applied to Ecology to double their water rights, which is currently on appeal by the public.
If Yelm can’t locate the source of contamination to their reclaimed water system, what makes anyone think they can handle the increased growth-caused water demands on their entire water system?

2. The City of Yelm imposed on their residents 8+% annual water rate increases over a 6 year period PLUS a sewer rate increase. They imposed mandatory 50% water irrigation cutbacks on businesses in the summers of 2010 & 2011 and now this summer, too.

How much more expense from the city’s growth goals will Yelm citizens carry on their backs?

If the City of Yelm can not currently handle their reclaimed water issues and have not done so for over a year, what makes them think that they can handle this after doubling their water allocation and growth here?

Klein and his wife own property within the Yelm city limits for which they pay taxes, sewer & water fees.

A caisson entering Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington, DC
Photo from Arlington National Cemetery website,
Courtesy of Andrew V. McMaster, May 2006

This story reprinted from first publishing here May 28, 2007:
This weekend is our Memorial Day holiday when America pauses to honor those that have given their lives in service to their country. The Yelm Community Blog host & Kleiners Korner editor/publisher appreciates and honors all of those who have served to defend, protect, and preserve our country from outside invaders. Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action, quoting Wikipedia.

The wars have left their mark on this area, as we are reminded of Rainier’s Justin Norton:

Rainier’s fallen son, Justin Norton

Justin Norton Scholarship Fund
honoring Rainier, Washington’s fallen soldier in Iraq.
About Sgt. Norton

Donations can be mailed to:
Justin Norton Scholarship Fund
c/o Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 444
Yelm, Wa 98597

________________________________________________________________________________

2012 –

– “Memorial Day event planned in Rainier”
Read more form KOMO-TV 4 News.

– “On Memorial Day Weekend, America Reckons With Torture”
By Bill Moyers and Michael Winship, Moyers & Co.
Read more

– “Healing soldiers with horses in Yelm”
Click here for the video from KING 5 News in Seattle.

– These videos are very touching this holiday, as well:
1. “VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945”
Amazing video footage:
CLICK HERE

2. See this fabulous slide show “Women in Uniform” from 1778 – today.
From TODAY on NBC.

– And last:
From YouTube:
“Remember them……”

“This belongs in the email Hall of Fame”
” This puts to shame the output of a number of Hollywood producers and/or directors.
All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!
This film was made by a 15 year old girl. It is the hottest thing on the internet and on Fox News today. Lizzie Palmer who put this YouTube program together, is 15 years old. There have been over 3,000,000 hits as of this morning. In case you missed it, here it is. Watch all of it……..and, pass it on!!”
Click here

UPDATE: June 4, 2012
“JBLM spouse starts Memorial Day walk in Yelm”
“Bringing remembrance to her community”

By Heather Short on northwest Military.com
Read more

Two stories last week about area home values continued slide:

1. “Nearly 40 percent of Puget Sound homeowners underwater”
“Nearly 40 percent of homeowners in the Puget Sound area owe are underwater on their mortgage, according to Seattle-based real estate website Zillow. About nine percent of those owe more than double what their home is actually worth.

The findings are part of a nationwide first quarter 2012 negative equity report. It found 49.2 percent of Pierce County homeowners are underwater, followed by Snohomish County at 47.2 percent and King County at 32.7 percent,” quoting Travis Pittman for KING 5 TV News.
Read more

Editor’s Note:
While Thurston County was not included in this report, there are enough statistics from previous blog entries to demonstrate Thurston home-owners are experiencing the same. See next story below.

2. “Home values climb nationally, fall in South Sound”
“However, home values in the South Sound declined. Values in Olympia and Tacoma were lower both month to month and year to year at $208,800 and $148,500, respectively,” quoting the Puget Sound Business Examiner.

Editor’s note:
What does this all mean locally?
A continual decline in tax revenues for municipal and county governments’ coffers.

– Glenn Farley of KING 5 TV News in Seattle reported earlier this week:
“Beachcomber warning: Mother lode of tsunami debris to come”
“The Japanese government officially estimates 5 million tons of debris went into the ocean in the March 2011 tsunami which hit northeastern Japan. Even though the government estimates most of it sank, there could be 1.5 million tons still afloat.

We’ve already seen confirmed tsunami debris hitting the Washington coast.”

“The sessions are put on by the Coastal Watershed Institute of Port Angeles and the Surfrider Foundation.

The organizations are trying to raise awareness with the public to the environmental and even direct personal threat tsunami debris poses.”
Read more

– MIDWAY – a film by Chris Jordan
“Chris Jordan and the team work to remove a length of fishing line from an adult Albatross and her chick on Midway Island. Later it was discovered that it looked more like dental floss.”

Click here to view the devastation to our marine life.
Note: This is not an easy film to watch. Expect to squirm in your seat, though this is a “must-watch”!

Read more from the blog, Journey to Midway.

– “Study: Plastic in ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ increases 100-fold”
“The amount of plastic trash in the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” has increased 100-fold during the past 40 years, causing “profound” changes to the marine environment, according to a new study.

Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego found that insects called “sea skaters” or “water striders” were using the trash as a place to lay their eggs in greater numbers than before,” quoting Ian Johnston, msnbc.com.
Read more

Yelm’s Farmer’s Market May 28 – October 8

The Yelm Farmers Market is Coming!

From the Yelm Food Coop/Yelm Farmer’s Market:
The Yelm Farmers Market is a reality! We will be opening on May 27th in conjunction with Memorial Day.

This is an exciting development in Yelm and we want to make it a roaring success.

This is what we want to do:

create a place for local farmers and artisans to build relationships with their community and open up new outlets for their products
provide a support for new small farmers to develop the skills of direct marketing to their customers
provide a place for the community to become directly involved in local food and the farmers who grow it
create an atmosphere that builds community spirit and excitement about seasonal and sustainable food practices
encourage an atmosphere of giving through donations of excess product to local charities
cultivate an atmosphere of learning to the public by providing customers with cooking demonstrations, how-to information on farming, and advice on storing fresh foods

If you want to be a part of this exciting new venture, check out our website at

http://yelmfarmersmarket.yelmfood.coop and pick up a vendor application.

We also need volunteers to help with stand set up, parking and lots more.

For more details, email Geana at: yelmfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

Click here for location information.

Published in Thurston Talk, August, 2011:
“The arrival of the Simply Organic Caf has been part of a long-awaited positive food trend in Yelm. Just five years ago Yelm was a culinary backwater with a scant few good restaurants of any kind. Fast-forward, and in this past year the number of new and delicious restaurants have grown steadily along Yelm Avenue. All to the absolute delight of native patrons who couldnt quite embrace the idea of constantly driving almost an hour to Lacey or Olympia for good fresh food. Now we have a caf that has great food, inspiring values, and a growing following that I hope will spur on more growth in the food-scene in this town.

Simply Organic (105 East Yelm Ave. Yelm, WA 98597) opened up just over a month ago [July, 2011] smack in the middle of downtown Yelm. In a town dominated by Mexican food and coffee huts, it wouldnt seem that a small organic sit-down would find much success. In fact, most would imagine the Simply Organic Caf as something that would be much more at home in downtown Olympia than five minutes from cattle farms. Yet, its first month of business has gone without a hitch. Mainly due to the fact that their food is downright delicious and refreshingly affordable.”
Read more

Editor’s note:
Simply Organic is fantastic!
A definite “must-stop” for one of their great sandwiches or salads. Be sure to order the sweet potato fries!
Nice to see city hall employees patronize Simply Organic, too.

TELL SIMPLY ORGANIC CAFE YOU READ ABUT THEM ON THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG!

12th Annual Survivor Summer Camp
The Yelm Police Department is hosting the 12th annual Survivor Summer Camp July 30th to August 3rd.
Read more

Yelm’s traffic camera is located the intersection of Hwys 510 & 507
The Wolf Building is in the background

Regarding the DOT camera installed at the main traffic light in Yelm and Mayor Harding’s pronouncement last week in his newspaper column that this camera is “a temporary remedy to a broken sensor in order to keep the flow of traffic moving”, Devin Coldewey of MSNBC asks a great question for consideration:

DEA proposes tracking all cars on Utah highway – is your street next?

“Law enforcement officials have been systematically tracking license plates for a long time at the border, for instance. But a DEA project in Utah may be overstepping the bounds of good governance, tracking every vehicle on a major highway and sharing the data with thousands of other agencies.

“Using official or hidden cameras to snap pictures of license plates isn’t a new technology by any means, though it is proliferating rather quickly. In fact, this writer got a ticket from one just last week. But they are usually restricted to monitoring traffic or borders. Recently, however, police have begun centralizing records in a number of places: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. So now a state would not only know when you crossed the border, but when you entered a city, when you turned at various intersections and which way, and it is holding all that data for up to three years.

The DEA is proposing such a system for the Utah portion of the Interstate 15 highway, citing installations in California and Texas “drug trafficking corridors” and border use. The ACLU and Utah’s legislators are skeptical that such a measure is lawful or well-advised.”

Editor’s Note:
With the mayor’s comments on so many subjects shifting like sands on a beach, can his comments about the only purpose of the traffic camera hold-up to scrutiny in 1, 2, or even 5 years from now?
Only time will tell.
We’ll see what alphabet soup state or federal agency comes in here and orders Yelm’s traffic camera(s) to monitor our movements, like in Utah.

Are drones here next on the agenda?
“Local Governments Have the Power to Restrict Drone Surveillance in the US”
Let’s see what Yelm does on this issue!
Read more