Steve Klein addresses current issues impacting Yelm and vicinity and provides a meeting place for anyone with an interest in this area to provide their ideas and opinions
A portion of the Yelm Rainier Tenino Trail is pictured. People can participate in the 100 Miles in 100 Days challenge and document their miles for the challenge through Oct. 18. Photo credit: Washington Trails Association via the NVN.
Lace up your shoes, grab your bikes and enjoy the outdoors as the City of Yelm Parks and Recreation Department launches its new initiative, #100MILES100DAYSYELM.
Inspired by a successful program in a South Dakota community, Yelm hopes to encourage residents to explore their beloved city while promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
Yelm Communications and Recreation Coordinator Line Roy saw a similar effort from a city administrator from Iowa with whom she went to school. Upon witnessing the success of their parks and recreation team’s efforts, Roy was determined to bring the program to Yelm.
“The hope is that as people participate, they see more of this community we call home, and by sharing on social media, share it with their friends! We encourage people to get outside and enjoy the sunshine that we get in the summers here,” Roy said.
The “100-mile journey started July 10 and concludes Oct. 18.
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According to Roy, some of her favorite places to walk include the Yelm Tenino trail, where she suggests checking out the Yelm mural adorning the back of the PTL Hardwood Floors building. Yelm City Park, now boasting a sidewalk encompassing the entire park; Cochrane Park; the sidewalk trail down the Yelm Loop; and downtown Yelm are also options.
The number one enabler, House Leader Kevin McCarthy, with Donald Trump. Credit: Kevin McCarthy on Faceboo. via Raw Story.
Trump receives succeeding indictment charge ofObstruction of Justice
Editor’s note: Proof of Obstruction of Justice on audio-tape was THE issue that finally turned GOP leadership against Richard Nixon, and led to his resignation. Will our GOP elected lawmakers see the unlawfulness in Trump’s actions laid-out in the updated indictment of July 27th?
Donald Trump asked a staffer to delete camera footage at his Florida estate in an effort to obstruct the federal investigation into his possession of classified documents, according to an updated indictment unsealed Thursday that adds new charges against the former president and names an additional defendant.
The indictment includes new counts of obstruction and willful retention of national defense information, compounding Trump’s legal jeopardy even as he braces for a possible additional indictment in Washington over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The additional counts underscore the extent of the yearlong investigation into Trump that first produced charges last month in the form of a 38-count indictment against Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta.
[The new document names a third defendant in the case: Carlos De Oliveira, a Mar-a-Lago property manager and former valet.]
And the Republicans who fail to expose his lies came under scathing criticism from Los Angeles Times columnist Mark Barabak Thursday.
“Birds fly. Fish swim. Politicians say things they hope will get them elected,” wrote Barabak. This isn’t necessarily evil, he noted. “There is, however, an important qualitative difference between telling voters what they’d like to hear or dialing an issue up or down depending on the audience and knowingly, calculatedly telling a flat-out lie.”
That is what Republican loyalists to Trump are doing, wrote Barabak.
There’s been a lot of coverage devoted to the perpetrators behind Trump’s plot to steal the 2020 election. However, as another indictment looms, we should not lose sight of the victims of Trump’s scheme. And there are many. In conspiring to reverse the legitimate results of the election in multiple states, Trump effectively tried to revoke the votes of millions of Americans — depriving them of their most sacred right under the constitution. Then there were the countless election officials who were subjected to harassment campaigns and death threats, the targets of the Capitol insurrection, including every sitting member of Congress as well as Donald Trump’s own vice president, and of course the Capitol Police, Metropolitan Police and other law enforcement officers who suffered the most direct and severe physical harm at the hands of the insurrectionists. Harry Dunn, Michael Fanone, and more than 140 other officers risked their lives on January 6, and have the scars to prove it. Trump loves to play the victim card. Don’t fall for it.
Design visualization of future new overpass at I-5 and Steilacoom-DuPont Road in DuPont in Pierce County. Credit: WSDOT.
I-5 – Mounts Rd. to Steilacoom-DuPont Rd. – Corridor Improvements
Beginning August 1st: Single lane closures are scheduled on both directions of I-5 from milepost 122 to 117.9 weeknights, Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
This August, a major construction project will kick off in Pierce County that extends HOV lanes and builds a new overpass over Interstate 5 linking Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the city of DuPont.
The golden paintbrush prairie flower has been de-listed from the Endangered Species Act due to its recovery in south Puget Sound. Credit: A. LaValle USFWS, via The Olympian.
Rare South Sound blossom makes comeback, gets booted off endangered species list
Every happy anniversary story begins with flowers, and so does this one. The Endangered Species Act turns 50 years old this year, and the South Sound has something to celebrate it with. Golden paintbrush, a rare prairie flower, was taken off the Endangered Species list Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The foot-high flower that looks like a collection of fat yellow brushes has been on the list since 1997. Now, thanks to habitat conservation and management, the flower has rebounded from just a few thousand plants to hundreds of thousands.
The flower, which ranges from Tacoma south to Eugene, Oregon, had only 10 populations consisting of fewer than 20,000 plants when it was put on the list. Today, it’s rebounded to over 325,000 plants at 48 locations, according to Fish and Wildlife.
“It takes a village to bring a species back from the brink, and the recovery of this plant would not have been possible without the amazing dedication of so many partners out on the prairie,” Hugh Morrison, Fish and Wildlife’s Pacific regional director, said in an announcement Thursday.
The range of the golden paintbrush in Washington state. Courtesy USFWS
Join the City of Yelm and Yelm Police Department from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 1 at Yelm City Park and Community Center for National Night Out. Yelm families can interact with police officers. The event is free.
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National Night Out culminates annually on the first Tuesday in August.
National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. The state of Texas and select areas celebrate the first Tuesday in October.
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders, left, and Yelm Police Chief Rob Carlson smile and wave to spectators at Yelm’s Prairie Days Parade on June 24. Credit: Jacob Dimond, NVN, via The Chronicle.
New video shows Thurston County crash that sent Sheriff Derek Sanders to the hospital
The video shows the sheriff flying down the road, the speedometer at the bottom of the screen clocks him at just under 60 miles per hour. As he approaches an intersection [Smith Prairie & 153rd] you can see a truck with a trailer pull out in front of him. He manages to avoid the truck and crashes into the trailer.
You can hear the concern from the first deputies who responded to the scene.
Deputies said the crash is still being investigated by the sheriff’s office. Investigators said the driver of the truck was not hurt but did show signs of impairment.
Sanders was airlifted to Harborview and later tweeted from his hospital bed. He was back on the job in a limited capacity eight days later.
Thurston County’s Auditor will be holding a random audit of the primary elections on August 1 to test and demonstrate the tabulation equipment’s accuracy.
In a statement released by the county, observers appointed by the local Democratic and Republican parties will be present during the audit and will be able to raise questions and concerns about the process.
Community members may request to become observers by contacting 360-786-5408 or through email.
A live stream of the Ballot Processing Center is also available here.
In a 2012 file photo, Billy Frank Jr., chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and Nisqually tribal member, listens as author Trova Heffernan discusses writing his biography, “Where the Salmon Run, The Life and Legacy of Billy Frank Jr.” at a book signing event in the Nisqually Tribal Library. Credit: Steve Bloom, The Olympian.
US Navy to name ship after renowned Nisqually Tribal activist Billy Frank Jr.
The U.S. Navy has announced that it will name a future Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ship after Nisqually environmental and Tribal rights activist Billy Frank Jr. The USNS Billy Frank Jr. (T-ATS 11) “will provide ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support Fleet operations,” the Navy’s news release said. U.S. Navy ships can be towed by Navajo-class ships and have 6,000 square feet of deck space. In a prepared statement from Willie Frank III, son of Billy Frank Jr. and Chairman of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, Willie Frank said that the naming of the ship is “truly an honor for the Frank family, Wa-he-lut School and the Nisqually Nation.”
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Willie Frank noted that his father, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 83, was proud to have served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Republican House Rep. J.T. Wilcox and his family has had ties to the Frank family and the Nisqually Tribe for generations. He told McClatchy that he thinks the decision to name the ship after Billy Frank Jr. is a good idea and validates how perceptions have changed about Washington State Tribes.
The City of Yelm Department of Public Services (City), in accordance with Chapter 39.80 RCW, hereby issues this Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) for the above-named projects. To be considered, interested engineering consultants must submit a response to this RFQ as outlined in this Request.
Description of Projects SR 507 / Bald Hill Road Roundabout – WSDOT desires to design and construct a new roundabout (RAB) to replace an existing signalized intersection at SR 507 (E Yelm Ave) and Bald Hill Road SE in the City of Yelm. Although this is a WSDOT-funded project, the design, right of way acquisition, and construction will be managed by the City of Yelm. Conceptual designs have been developed for a 1-lane and 2-lane RAB for the SR 507 project. The concept designs are attached to this RFQ. Acquisition of right-of-way will be required
Morris Road / Bald Hills Road Intersection – The City of Yelm desires to design and construct modifications to improve or replace the existing stop-controlled intersection at Morris Rd SE and Bald Hill Rd SE. Due to the close proximity of this intersection to the SR 507 project, it is the City’s desire to coordinate the design of the Morris Road improvements with the SR 507 RAB project. Although the City anticipates a new roundabout at this location, the final determination as to the type and scope of these improvements will be based on relevant engineering studies and analyses. The design and construction of the Morris Road intersection improvements will be funded by the City of Yelm. A conceptual design for improvements to this intersection has not yet been developed, and a determination of whether right-of-way acquisition will be needed for these improvements has not been made.
The first multi-user, all-gender restroom opened at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Thursday.
The restroom near Gate D2 makes Sea-Tac Airport one of approximately 10 in the country that has a multi-user restroom for all genders.
“This new all-gender restroom makes it clear that [Sea-Tac] is committed to being a welcoming space for travelers, no matter your gender identity,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins. “We want all guests at [Sea-Tac] Airport to know they have safe and accessible restroom options when traveling through our gateway. Additionally, the ADA-friendly and family-friendly spaces in this restroom make it a great option for families or those who need to assist or care for travel companions. Thank you to our project team and community partners that have worked tirelessly to create a space that is welcoming and meets the need of all travelers.”
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The restroom includes:
Full-height locking doors and walls frame each stall with no gaps to maintain privacy for every occupant
Stalls that are 50% larger than code requirements and equipped with self-closing doors, storage hooks and shelves, and grab bars
A shared handwashing station for all users
Multiple baby changing tables
Multiple vanity areas with full-length mirrors
A separate, private urinal room
A wheelchair-accessible family restroom that includes a toddler seat and changing table
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Funding for the project came from a combination of an airport development fund, future revenue bonds and an FAA grant.
