“Washington state has the 8th-highest life expectancy in U.S., study finds”

“While Washington gets a lot of attention for being a millennial magnet, it’s also a great place to grow old, according to a new study from Senior Living, which found that our state has the eighth-highest life expectancy in the nation. Washington residents can expect to live an average of 80.2 years, according to the study.

“Life expectancy nationwide has declined for the past three years, inching down from 78.8 years to 78.6, according to the study based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association,” by Christine Clarridge, The Seattle Times.

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“30 Ways to Recycle Just About Anything”

• Editor’s note: These are all terrific ideas we can incorporate into our own lives.

By Brooke Nelson, Readers Digest.

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“DUI patrols increase ahead of Labor Day”

“Nearly 150 additional DUI patrols are being deployed across Washington through Labor Day weekend, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

“The commission offers extra funding to get law enforcement out on overtime for this time period, said Mark Medalen, impaired driving program manager with WTSC. In Thurston County, the participating agencies are the Olympia, Tenino, and Yelm police departments, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, and Washington State Patrol.

“The patrols are part of WTSC’s Target Zero Plan ⁠— a plan to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries across the state to zero by 2030,” by Sara Gentzler, The Olympian.

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• Editor’s note: Be sure to hear Ryan Leisinger’s presentation at the UFO Fest this Saturday, 1pm!

• About Washington Bigfoot:

“The focus of Washington Bigfoot will be on the Bigfoot phenomenon in Washington State, but will inevitability wander beyond the state lines, into pop culture, Bigfoot in the news, and where ever else Bigfoot leads us.

“WashingtonBigfoot.com is the creation of Ryan Leisinger of Olympia, WA. Ryan is a bigfoot enthusiast and Washington State resident for over 35 years.

“Ryan also has several other Bigfoot related websites/projects including
Sasquatchploitation
Feminist Bigfoot Research Organization “

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“Expect airport-like security at this year’s Washington State Fair in Puyallup”

• Editor’s note: The 2019 Washington State Fair dates are Aug. 30- Sept. 22.

“For the first time in 119 years, the Washington State Fair has installed metal detectors and mandatory bag checks to secure the Puyallup fairgrounds.

“Stacy Van Horne, a spokesperson for the Washington State Fair, said guest safety is at the forefront of fair officials’ minds. The fairgrounds will have more police officers than ever before.

“There will be random metal detector checks, and security will have wands to quickly scan fairgoers. All bags will be searched, Van Horne said,” by Josephine Peterson, Tacoma’s News-Tribune.

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Read more about the Washington State Fair.

• From the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Nisqually Valley Post 5580:

“On Saturday August 31^st 2019, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Nisqually Valley Post 5580 (Yelm, Rainier, Roy, Mckenna, Nisqually Tribe, and surrounding areas) will be holding our 12^th Annual Military Heroes Car show at Wilkowski Park, Rainier WA from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.   We are looking for supporters to sponsor this event. Donations of any amount will be accepted, and all proceeds go to support local Veterans Programs as well as the community.     There are many ways you can help, and your sponsorship will allow us to make this event a continual success. The event attracts hundreds of visitors, and as a sponsor your name will be displayed at the event. I look forward to working with you to make this charity event a huge success.   For an easy monetary donation please go to the following web address. http://vfw5580.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?pid=37628   We are a Non-profit 501c3 organization EIN is 91-6033221 and will give receipts for your tax purposes.   For more information please contact by
email vfwpost5580@gmail.com
phone (360) 890-1553
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VFWPost5580/ web site www.vfw5580.org

“Yelm Arts Commission Seeks Members”

“The City is now accepting applications for the recently established Yelm Arts Commission. Any person who works, lives, or owns a business in the Yelm area is qualified to apply.”

“The commission is seeking representatives from as many art related professions as possible to celebrate the diverse cultural development of the City. The commission may include one member from the recommendation from the Yelm Chamber of Commerce, a member from the recommendation of the Nisqually Tribe, a local student interested in the arts, and one member to be an arts educator. Applicants do not need to live within City Limits to be appointed to the commission,” by the City of Yelm.

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“City of Yelm’s Transportation Strategy Aims to Increase Flow, Connectivity and Vitality Downtown”

“For those who remember the City of Yelm back when one blinking light directed traffic in the main intersection, the city’s multiple stoplights and numerous housing developments may seem like a foreign landscape. Within the next decade residents are in for another seismic shift, this one involving a re-imagining of downtown in conjunction with the completion of the Yelm Loop,” by Heidi Smith, Thurston Talk.

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“Thurston EDC Names Center for Business and Innovation Director”

• Editor’s note: Ms. Purcell is well-known around Yelm as the daughter of Matt Purcell and his former employee at PCI Pest Control. Congratulations to Kaylee!

“The Thurston Economic Development Council has named Kaylee Purcell director of the Center for Business and Innovation.

“Over the past 10 years, Purcell has worked with dozens of teams and businesses helping them achieve results in areas they’ve historically struggled in. Purcell has held many leadership roles in the community, working with the Small Business Development Center and EDC and utilizing the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, as well as additional training programs,” by South Sound Business.

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Blogger Klein was one of the original PCI Pest Control clients and still is to this day.

• Editor’s note: I am very pleased to see the hometown newspaper, the Nisqually Valley News, has returned to informing readers with true investigative reporting on issues that affect the voters and residents of the City of Yelm. For years, I have covered the affects of deferred maintenance and a city budget that has been unable to currently cover the estimated $15-$24 million dollars estimated just to bring the water/sewer systems up to current standards.
• Click here to read those previous blog posts.
• Without the collective will of the mayor, city administrator and city council, the “can” keeps getting kicked down the road ever since Mayor Harding began deferring Public Works maintenance in 2009 during the 2008-2009 economic downturn. The easy way out for previous councils and now this one, has been to pass on this budgeting “hot potato.”
• With ever increasing breakdowns and interruptions of service, one day soon, citizens will arise with no water or sewer service, and the city may be forced to fund emergency repairs under duress costing millions of dollars at that time. Hasn’t the time come to focus on Public Works now as a priority, rather than in a serious breakdown?
• Bottom line: I urge blog readers to read this important story published in the NVN. No longer is our local newspaper giving the leaders of Yelm a “bye” on serious issues facing our city. This is wonderful news, as a free press was always a major checks-and-balances asset in our democracy!
• Steve Klein. Host, Yelm Community Bog

Click here for the NVN.