Photo: Elise Amendola/AP

“The invitation from Harvard University caught Oprah Winfrey at a low point. Her new TV network was struggling, branded a flop in the media, when Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust called last year to ask Winfrey to address 2013 graduates.

The request came ‘in the very moment when I had stopped succeeding,’ Winfrey recalled.

She headed for a long shower to think (‘It was either that or a bag of Oreos,’ she joked) and emerged resolved to change her story by the time her speech rolled around.

A year later, Winfrey said, her Oprah Winfrey Network has found its footing and her approach to facing setbacks had been validated. Stumbles are inevitable but not permanent, Winfrey told graduates Thursday [May 30].

‘I want you to remember this: There is no such thing as failure,’ she said. ‘Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.’

Winfrey spoke during the afternoon session of Harvard’s 362nd commencement before a packed Harvard Yard.”

“Her own calling, she said, was to use television to show people ‘that what unites us is ultimately far more redeeming and compelling than anything that separates (us).'”
Read more from Wonderwall on MSN.

Editor’s note:
Mayor Harding, Pastor Adams and the Yelm City Council could take heed to this talk –
to be inclusive of all here, rather than so divisive and exclusive!

In follow-up to the Non-GMO “March Against Monsanto” held in Yelm, Olympia and 50 other countries on May 24, 2013:
“Japan has suspended certain wheat imports from the United States after a genetically-modified crop was found growing in an Oregon field.

Japan, the second-biggest importer of U.S. wheat behind Mexico, canceled some orders while the U.S. tries to figure how the illegal Monsanto wheat got to the Eastern Oregon farm.

Other top Asian importers, like South Korea, China and the Philippines are closely monitoring the situation. Many countries won’t accept imports of genetically-modified foods.

The European Union announced it’s preparing to test incoming wheat shipments after the discovery.

Roughly 90 percent of Oregon wheat is shipped overseas, generating a half-billion dollars in revenue every year, said Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Director Katy Coba,,” quoting KGW in Portland.
Read more

“A Yelm man is under arrest after Fife police said he left his two daughters, ages 4 and 5, alone in a parked semi-truck while he gambled at the Emerald Queen Casino for more than five hours.

The girls were found in the cab of the truck parked in a gravel parking lot at the Royal Coachman Inn across the street from the casino on Highway 99.”

“Fife police responded, and as officers investigated, the girls father, 34-year-old Terry Jonason, came running from the Emerald Queen Casino directly across the street.

“Jonason was arrested and booked on charges of two counts of misdemeanor reckless endangerment. He pleaded not guilty during an appearance in Fife Municipal Court Thursday afternoon and was ordered held on $5,000 bail.”

“The girls were in good condition, but showed signs they had been left alone and unattended for several hours, according to Fife police Lt. Tom Thompson,” quoting Richard Thompson, KIRO- TV 7 News in Seattle
Read more

Ed. Note:
This is the 2nd child endangerment case this week from someone in the Yelm Community Blog coverage area: “This area in national news for crime, AGAIN! – Roy man accused of extreme behavior”
Read more

VERY SPECIAL EVENT!

The Triad Theater is proud to present the Phoenix Rising School’s student production entitled Grease Lightning!

Students in 3rd 6th grade classes will be highlighting songs and dances from the “fantabulous” high life in the 1950s in this abridged performance of the musical GREASE. The middle school students are the ones that have made it happen, says Sophie Sykes, theatrical director. They came up and asked me if they could do it.

Great cast of performers:
Sandy – Airies Hygaard
Danny – Austin Carroll
Frenchy -Lilly Faye Ramon
Rizzo – Chatalain Olson
Marty – Astroleah Kadow
Jan – Azura Losa
Sonny – Andrew Fernandez
Putzie – Tahsis Fairly
Doody – Vincent Criscitello
Kenickie – William Rae
Narrator – Noah Medrud
Patty – Daniela Julio-Cano
Cheerleaders – Akasha Burgess, Alliondra Jones, Charlotte Garcia Ruffo
with some VERY special guest performers 🙂

Proceeds go directly to help further the school’s Arts program.

DATES: May 30 – June 1

SHOWTIMES: 7pm May 30-31, Matinee 2pm June 1

TICKET PRICE: Doors open half-hour before the show begins.
$10 per person, children $5.
Strongly suggested to purchase tickets in advance as this event is sure to sell out!
Purchase tickets in advance here

WHERE:
The Triad Theater
Yelm’s home for Arts/Entertainment/Nightlife
102 Yelm Ave. SE
Yelm, WA 98597
(360) 458-3140
The Triad Theater.com

Deputy Thurston County Auditor
&
Yelm Mayor Ron Harding

I submitted this Letter to the Editor to The Olympian in response to their editorial:

Dear Editor:

Thurston County Auditor Gary Alexander may have more baggage in running for Auditor than stating his intentions whether he will resign or not seek re-election to his legislative seat if he wins the auditors job.

Last January, the day before Thurston County Commissioners were to chose a replacement for Kim Wyman after her election as secretary of state, Yelm Mayor Ron Harding dropped out of consideration for Auditor, the next day Gary Alexander was chosen, then Alexander chose Harding as Deputy Auditor.
[Harding said, “leaving my responsibilities as mayor at such a critical time would not be honorable.” ]
That raised many questions.

Two-term Mayor Ron Harding, who filed for a 3rd term and is considered elected in running unopposed, earns a $30,000 a year part-time salary, added to his current full-time Thurston County Deputy Auditor day job, a $70.000 a year position plus benefits.

With a combined salary and benefits package, Harding’s annual take at the public trough is valued at approx. $125,000+.

Harding holding onto these two posts may be more problematic for Rep. Alexander in his election bid than his own two public jobs.

As a caution to the City of Yelm voters:
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”
– Plato

From USA Today:
“Bail was set at $1 million Tuesday [May 28] for a 25-year-old Washington man accused of putting his 6-week-old daughter in a 10-degree freezer for about an hour to stop her crying.

Doctors believe the baby will survive but it’s too soon to know potential complications, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said.

The child’s core temperature fell to 84 degrees in the freezer, prosecutors said. She also had a broken arm and leg and a head injury, medical staff determined.

Tyler James Deutsch pleaded not guilty to charges of child assault, criminal mistreatment and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence. He was represented by a public defender.”

Read more from KING-5 in Seattle.

AN EDITORIAL:

Master Plan for Yelm City Park costing $5.7 million

CURRENT YELM PARK PLAN OMITS:
1. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
2. PUBLIC TOWN HALL GIVE-AND-TAKE
3. PUBLIC’S OPINION ON PARK PLAN TAXES
4. PUBLIC PROCESS

As I read the Nisqually Valley News [NVN] on Friday, May 17, I noted the bottom of page A-3 that Mayor Ron Harding is taking time-off from his full-time Thurston County Deputy Auditor “day job” to drive back to Yelm to speak to local groups about the Yelm Park Plan, a plan costing approximately $5.7 million. The public was omitted in any discussion of this plan being added to the ballot, yet Harding is courting local groups for support?
[Does Harding get reimbursed by taxpayers to drive from his County Auditor day-job in Olympia to address Yelm groups as Mayor? Hmmm.]

Harding is slated to address the Yelm Rotary Club this Thursday:
Read more

I am very concerned that Mayor Ron Harding omits the public-at-large from full-disclosure of the whole story about the Yelm City Park Levy, now on the August 6, 2013 ballot, as I read in the newspaper he is speaking to the Yelm Rotary Club, the Yelm Lions Club, and the Yelm Real Estate Association with his spin.

Deputy Thurston County Auditor
&
Yelm Mayor Ron Harding

This IS Harding’s modus-operandi – instead of a Public Forum, he gives speeches to controlled groups, with most members not even living in Yelm nor eligible to vote on a City of Yelm Levy and whose group members rarely pose challenging questions. This way, the mayor can say he communicated on the Park Levy, yet without his ACTUAL voters engaged in public discourse, behavior his City Council condones!

I would hope that the Rotary Club and other groups would be interested in providing the “alternate view” of Mayor Harding’s spin on the Yelm Park Levy, commonly done after all Presidential speeches, as example, to provide balance rather than a one-sided view from the top official.

There is a sense of unease on how the cuts will affect Yelmites.

Residents are hurting here and will vote to pay an AVERAGE additional $110 per year for 25 years on top of annual water rate increases, annual sewer rate increases, regular B & O tax increases & ad valorem tax increases. With over 30% of our population comprising military families and Sequestration cuts to trickle-down here by Fall, this tax puts a tremendous burden on Yelm residents.

Even the NVN online poll published on this was over 3-1 against. Everyone wants park improvements, however when taxpayers understand this hits them in the wallet, they say a resounding NO!
Read more

Let me be clear: I AM IN FAVOR OF A PARK OVERHAUL!
However, I am in favor of public involvement at the grass roots level on this issue and for any tax levy.
That was lacking in this Park Plan.

When this Levy is voted down August 6, 2013, then the public MUST be involved on all aspects of the next Yelm City Park overhaul:
– Reintroduce the Park Plan concept with public interaction from the start (i. e. Town Hall Forums).
– Public participation on the Park Plan’s ad hoc committee, rather than just city officials.
– Public disclosure on ALL Park Plans reviewed, not just saying on page 22 of the current Plan, “this is the preferred plan.”
Read more

I AM FOR FULL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE PROCESS, WHEN TAXES ARE TO BE BORNE BY THE LOCAL RESIDENTS, SOMETHING THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS YET TO LEARN AFTER THEIR DISASTROUS 2005 WAL-MART DEBACLE, RESULTING IN THEIR BEING BEING THE RECIPIENT OF THE EGREGIOUS 2006 JEFFERSON MUZZLE AWARD!

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

UPDATES:
– “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:
“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

– “JBLM spouse starts Memorial Day walk in Yelm”
“Bringing remembrance to her community”
By Heather Short on northwest Military.com
Read more

Reprinted from the RSE-Newsletter.com
Copyright 2013 JZ Knight.
Used with permission.

Non-GMO March on Washington’s State Capitol campus in Olympia
Yelm residents Debbie Christie, Melissa Peizer, Marita Bott, Gary Craig
Photo courtesy Gary Craig

– “Millions march against GM crops”
“Organisers say that two million people marched in protest against seed giant Monsanto in more than 50 other countries on Saturday [May 24, 2013].

“March Against Monsanto” protesters say they wanted to call attention to the dangers posed by genetically modified food and the food giants that produce it. Founder and organiser Tami Canal said protests were held in 436 cities across 52 countries, quoting the AP in UK’s Guardian.
Read more

– Yelm’s No GMO March brings local attention to this issue
“Yelm Washington participated with other small towns, cities, and nations around the planet to get the word out about GMO, Monsanto, and the right to know what’s in our food! The Triad Theater kicked off the event with a showing of Genetic Roulette and guest speaker Sandra Lee.”
Yelm’s Triad Theater hosted the local gathering.
Read more

– See the video from Yelm’s March Against Monsanto
Click here, by Andrew Wright & Lisa Fitkin of New Leaf Media Group.
Click here for their Photo Album.

Non-GMO March on Washington’s State Capitol campus in Olympia
Yelm residents Thomas Mani, Karla Broschinski, Sharon Olson
Photo courtesy Gary Craig

– Washington State’s Initiative I-522
Read more

– GMOs
Read more

– “Monsanto Protection Act May Soon Be Repealed Thanks to Activism”
From Anthony Gucciardi for Natural Society.
Read more

Non-GMO March in Yelm, sponsored by The Triad Theater
Photo courtesy: New Leaf Media

UPDATE: June 6, 2013
“Monsanto: Contamination By All Means Necessary”
By Colin Todhunter, Countercurrents.org
Read more

Blog writer Klein is in his 28th year as a student of Ramtha’s, has been employed by JZ Knight for 10 years and a resident of Yelm for 25 years.

Reprinted from JZKnight.com
Copyright 2013 JZ Knight.
Used with permission.

The Pride of the Southeast Thurston Fire Authority Fleet
Photo courtesy: Southeast Thurston Fire Authority

Southeast Thurston Fire Authority Chief Mark King had his Letter to the Editor published in the Nisqually Valley News on Friday, May 24, 2013:

JZ Knight Gives Back by Donating to S.E. Thurston Fire Authority

Thank you, JZ Knight, for your generous donations to SE Thurston Fire Authority over the years.
JZ Knight is one of two donors who pay the entire cost of public relations for our great community, paying for things such as:
the Fire & Rescue newsletter, fire prevention and safety education flyers, community outreach, and events.
The fire authority has not had the budget to provide the previously mentioned services in the past, especially during these rough fiscal times.
The generosity of JZ Knight is very much appreciated and the next time you see JZ Knight, please thank her.
Without her generosity, there would be no community outreach program for S.E. Thurston Fire Authority.

Yours Sincerely,

S.E. Thurston Fire Authority
Chief Mark King
Yelm

Public Relations
Joyce Willms
Washington Media Services
Olympia

Blog writer Klein is in his 28th year as a student of Ramtha’s, has been employed by JZ Knight for 10 years and a resident of Yelm for 25 years.

UPDATE: May 29, 2013
“JZ Knight supports fire authority outreach”
CHIEF MARK KING AND JOYCE WILLMS | Yelm/Olympia Published May 29, 2013
Read more in The Olympian.