Marine Corps PVT Edwin Harold Vancil, 19, killed in World War II, remains unaccounted-for.
“Private Vancil was with his brothers in Charlie Company of the 2nd Tank Battalion when they landed on Betio as part of Operation: GALVANIC. The mission of the 2nd Marine Division was to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll; thereby preventing the Japanese Imperial forces from getting closer to the United States, and enabling US forces to get closer to mainland Japan. It would become one of the bloodiest battles in the Corps history.
“It was November 20, 1943 (D-Day for the “Battle of Tarawa”), when young Bud – just 19 years old – perished. He was reportedly soon buried in Cemetery #17 on Betio Island – a temporary location chosen by his fellow Marines, the survivors of the battle, until the Fallen could be recovered and returned to their families.
“Having a loved one away from home during the holidays is always trying; however, having a son or husband off fighting in the war left the whole family on edge. The fact that this battle took place just before Thanksgiving meant that most of the families, who had unknowingly earned their Gold Star, would receive their heart-wrenching telegrams on Christmas Eve – some Christmas Day or even New Years Day.
“For his service and sacrifice, Bud’s family accepted the Purple Heart and Presidential Unit Citation.” Read more
+ Podcast Episode 53 – Two Heroes Buried Side By Side; But Only One Came Home – History’s Military Mysteries – Missing in Action featuring the Case of Private Edwin Vancil
*** SELECT REGIONAL NEWS FRIDAY ***
The Olympian: Thurston health official recommends high school students return to in-person classes
JOLT News: 65 microshelters will replace tents for homeless users in downtown Olympia
*** SELECT NATIONAL NEWS FRIDAY ***
HuffPost: Revealed: Meet The Trump Fanatic Who Tasered A Cop At The Capitol Insurrection
The New York Times: Chief of Cherokee Nation Asks Jeep to Stop Using Tribe’s Name
NBC: U.S. officially points the finger at Saudi crown prince in Khashoggi killing
CNN: Arizona Republicans propose giving lawmakers — not election officials — final review of election results [Ed. note: Voter suppression is on full offensive in swing states!]
*** SELECT TRUMP NEWS FRIDAY ***
MSNBC’s 11th Hour with Brian Williams: McConnell would back Trump in 2024 after blaming him for riot [Ed. note: McConnell is only after one thing, abject power. He will do or say anything, and shift his stands to regain majority leadership in the Senate in 2022. Whatever it takes. Nothing else matters; not to legislate, not to build consensus in the Senate, not caring about the American public. ONLY power for himself!]
Bloomberg: Trump Hid ‘Fraud’ on Inheritance for Years, Niece Tells Judge
Councilmember DePinto awarded with Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership
From the media release:
"Joe DePinto, City Councilmember, Yelm, Washington recently received an Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC). "AWC’s Certificate of Municipal Leadership program recognizes city and town elected officials for accomplishing training in four core areas: * Roles, responsibilities and legal requirements * Public sector resource management * Community planning and development * Effective local leadership "Those who earn the advanced certificate continue to strive for excellence by attending conferences and trainings, serving their community, and further developing leadership skills. "'Cities and towns around the state are continually transforming in light of changing laws and the need to meet new challenges and opportunities,' said AWC Chief Executive Officer Peter B. King. "Our Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership recognizes mayors and councilmembers who continue to enhance the tools they need today to understand the legal landscape, plan for the future, manage their resources, and foster strong relationships. The elected officials who earn this certificate demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and a desire to bring new ideas back to their community." "To earn the Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership, Councilmember DePinto completed more than 60 hours of training credits and demonstrated community service. He is the first councilmember from the City of Yelm to achieve this certification. "Councilmember DePinto was first elected to the Yelm City Council for the 2016-2019 term and then reelected for the 2020-2023 term. Over the years Councilmember DePinto has served on many committees and local boards including the Yelm Public Safety Committee, Yelm Finance Committee, Yelm Public Works Committee, Yelm Economic Development Committee, South Thurston Economic Development Initiative, Co-Chair of the Yelm Homelessness Taskforce and as a board member of the Thurston Economic Development Council. He has championed efforts to increase public safety, led the charge to lower water rates and fought to increase transparency in local government. "AWC serves its members through advocacy, education and services. Founded in 1933, AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington's 281 cities and towns before the state legislature, the state executive branch, and with regulatory agencies. AWC also provides training, data and publications, and programs such as the AWC Employee Benefit Trust, AWC Risk Management Service Agency, AWC Workers’ Comp Retro, AWC Drug and Alcohol Consortium, and AWC GIS Consortium."
*** SELECT REGIONAL NEWS THURSDAY ***
The Olympian: The Albertsons companies [Safeway, Albertsons and Haggen pharmacies] in Washington state are hiring to administer vaccinations
Seattle P-I: Inslee says for now regions won’t move back to Phase 1 in Washington
CNBC: FAA fines Boeing $6.6 million for failing to comply with 2015 settlement, safety issues
Olympia & Beyond: 4 Things To Do in Phase Two in Thurston County
*** SELECT HEALTH NEWS THURSDAY ***
The New York Times: Nurisng home deaths have plummeted by more than 60 percent between late December and early February, residents among the first people to be vaccinated.
KING-5 TV: COVID-19 vaccine supply could get big boost in March, Washington health officials say
McClatchey News: Yes, you still breathe in oxygen while wearing a COVID face mask, study shows
Congress.gov: Congressman, Glenn Grothman, R-Wis Introduces Resolution to Adopt Vitamin D to Fight COVID
*** SELECT NATIONAL NEWS THURSDAY ***
KING-5 TV: UFO sighting? American Airlines pilot reports mysterious object during Phoenix-bound flight
Washington Post: Scientists see stronger evidence of slowing Atlantic Ocean circulation, an ‘Achilles’ heel’ of the climate
NBC: New public report to blame Saudi crown prince for 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi
Politico: Capitol Police chief: Security will remain high due to State of the Union threat
CBS News: House passes sweeping LGBTQ rights bill
NBC: Jurors can be rejected for being gay. The Equality Act could change that.
UPI: VP Harris Swears-in UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield in Washington, DC [Ed. note: The second African American woman to hold this job.]
McClatchey News: Obama says ‘white resistance and resentment’ stopped him from pushing for reparations
Air France: Proudly presents its new safety video, taking you on a stroll through the most beautiful places in France: the Paris Opera, the Château de Versailles, the iconic Eiffel Tower and the legendary Hotel Martinez. [Ed. note: Very clever video, has me dreaming of my next Air France flights! Spring is in the air.]
*** SELECT TRUMP NEWS THURSDAY ***
NBC News: Trump’s taxes delivered to Manhattan DA, opening next phase of investigation
NBC: Prosecutors just got millions of pages of Trump documents. His taxes are just the beginning.
The DailyKos: Long buried report shows that Trump knew Saudi prince bin Salman murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi
CNN: Analysis: Saudi Arabia is experiencing the downside of betting on the Trump family
Free recycling drop off at Yelm Public Works starts March 1st.
“I am really excited to announce that the City of Yelm will be offering a free recycling service to folks in Yelm (and you don’t have to live inside the city limits to utilize the service). Starting next week on March 1st, you can go to Yelm’s Public Works, located at 901 NW Rhoton Rd, and drop off common recycling items such as plastic, aluminum cans and cardboard (No glass currently but for the full list look at the pic below). They will be open for drop off from Monday-Friday 8am-5pm (extended hours/days will be considered depending on demand).
“This was discussed on the Public Works Committee I sit on a few weeks ago, but officially announced [February 23] at our City Council meeting. Lemay and the City of Yelm are partnering to provide this FREE service. At no cost to the taxpayers, I am 100% behind this program which is meant to encourage waste reduction and enhance environmental sustainability.
“So if you don’t have recycling services currently, your own bin is overflowing, or you have a bunch of recyclable junk hanging around…drop it off at the Public Works recycling area starting March 1st!” #ThisIsOURTown
*** SELECT REGIONAL NEWS WEDNESDAY ***
NVN: Yelm Police Department Provides New Meetup Spot
The Olympian: Need a job? This Lacey warehouse operator is hiring, says pay starts at $25 per hour – hiring event starts Saturday
Associated Press: Washington House aims to close Tacoma’s Northwest immigration jail
Thurston Talk: Local Leaders in Thurston County Formalize Regional Housing Council
KING-5 TV: Seismic retrofitting effort increased in decades after Nisqually quake
JOLT News: About one in six county residents have received at least one vaccination
McClatchey News: What’s a ‘Snow Moon?’ It will light up the winter sky as February closes, experts say
*** SELECT NATIONAL NEWS WEDNESDAY ***
The Washington Post: QAnon-induced conspiracies are tearing families apart
Politico: Biden readies his first major penalties on Russia
CNBC: Dominion and Smartmatic cases against conservatives have real shot at success
The New York Times: Liz Cheney says G.O.P. must ‘make clear that we aren’t the party of white supremacy.’
The Points Guy: Cruise lines have officially started to cancel Alaska sailings [Ed. note: Impacting the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia!]
NBC News: Americans are identifying as LGBTQ more than ever, poll finds – 1 in 6 members of Gen Z identify as something other than heterosexual.
*** SELECT TRUMP NEWS WEDNESDAY ***
The Washington Post: Trump’s politics hurt his businesses. Will he sell as he looks to a potential 2024 campaign?
CNBC: Donald Trump Jr. deposed in DC attorney general probe of 2017 inauguration funds
CNN: Steve Bannon investigation gains steam as Manhattan prosecutors subpoena financial records
Bloomberg: Kushner’s Times Square Center Moves Toward Foreclosure
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington: Trump reported making more than $1.6 billion while president
From the City of Yelm:
“On Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 11 am the @waEMD and the @USGS_WA will jointly send a Wireless Emergency Alert test message to wireless devices in King, Pierce and Thurston counties. To opt in to these messages or for more information visit: https://mil.wa.gov/alerts.”
+ KING-5 TV: Remembering the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake that shook Washington 20 years ago this Sunday
+ USGS: ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning Delivery for the Pacific Northwest coming to WA. in May 2021
+ KING-5 TV: The science behind ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system
*** SELECT REGIONAL NEWS TUESDAY ***
City of Yelm: Last night, City Administrator Graham announced the retirement of Community Development Director Grant Beck effective this August [start at 17:35] – Ed. Note: The city now seeks 2 department heads, Finance and Community Development.
City of Yelm: Announced a trial run re-opening the recycle bins at Public Works beginning March 1st, Monday thru Fridays [start at 17:00]
KING-5 TV: Remembering the 6.8 Nisqually earthquake that shook Washington 20 years ago this Sunday
NVN: Nominations Open for 2020 Yelm Chamber Business Awards
Associated Press: Utility disconnection moratorium extended until July 31
The Olympian: COVID-19 outbreak at Thurston County jail improves, status set to change
The News Tribune (Tacoma): WA Supreme Court throws out think tank’s [The Freedom Foundation] attack on union political activity
*** SELECT HEALTH NEWS TUESDAY ***
McClatchey News: COVID variant that could harm vaccination effort is found in Washington, officials say
The Wall Street Journal: The One Shot NBA Players Might Not Take: The Covid Vaccine
*** SELECT NATIONAL NEWS TUESDAY ***
USA Today: ‘US leadership has been sorely missed.’ Trudeau, Biden seek to repair alliance in first meeting
NBC News: Extinction threatens third of freshwater fish species, report finds
Business Insider: David Perdue announces he won’t run against Raphael Warnock in 2022 Georgia Senate race
Daily Kos: Texas is getting its water and power back, but the ‘real disaster’ is still looming
The New York Times: Texas ERCOT Managers Resign After Widespread Storm Outages