• Editor’s note: Foster was embroiled in major city controversies during his last year as mayor, which were so poorly handled, that he chose to not defend his seat and run against DePinto in 2021.
• He knew he would have lost, especially winning against DePinto by only 14 votes 4 years earlier.
• Now, he is coming out of retirement to run again against a successful, incumbent Mayor Joe DePinto and challenger Police officer Dustin Stephan.
• This is the first in a series.

Previous Yelm Blog posts about JW Foster are instructive:

• Nov. 22, 2024: All votes now counted in Thurston – JW Foster loses in every Tumwater precinct he once served!
• July 25, 2024: If voters knew J.W. Foster violated Yelm’s Municipal Code, they would not vote for him as County Commissioner!
• July 10, 2024: No woman would vote for J.W. Foster if they knew – A reminder why he should not be elected to the County Commission!
• July 1, 2024: J. W. Foster should not be County Commissioner! Poor record as Yelm mayor speaks volumes! We need a new generation instead of another 4 years from a retiree!
• April 8, 2024: Yelm’s council approved building a Community Center and went around the public after 2 defeated voter bonds, which Foster  approved
• December 10, 2021: NVN: Foster encumbered Yelm with $3+ million in delinquent L.I.D. assessment payments [December 7, 2021]
• September 18, 2021: A Yelm executive leader accused of sexual harassment, Union requests Mayor Foster initiate an investigation – He declined!

Governor Signs Washington’s First-in-the-Nation Shared Streets Law

Excerpt from The Urbanist:

You might be surprised to learn it is illegal for a city in Washington State to set a speed limit lower than 20 miles per hour, but it’s true. The top speed of many e-bikes is essentially the minimum speed limit for cars on any public street. However, starting on July 27th, that will change. Under Senate Bill 5595, signed on Saturday by Governor Bob Ferguson, Washington cities will have the legal authority to create a new type of street that features much lower speed limits and puts pedestrians first.

What is a shared street?

A shared street, as defined by SB 5595, has a speed limit of 10 miles per hour and allows pedestrians to walk in the center of the street. Jaywalking laws — an early project of the auto industry — no longer apply. Cars are allowed but pedestrians have the right of way.

Rather than requiring pedestrians to conform to a highly ritualized process of walking along and crossing the street at specified times and locations so as to privilege cars, SB 5595 exempts pedestrians from this process and gives them true priority. The law establishes a clear hierarchy where bicycles must yield to pedestrians, and cars must yield to bicycles.

Shared streets may be new in the United States but they are common across Europe, where they go by various names such as “woonerf” or “home zone.”

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The (relatively) short and winding road

Remarkably, the Shared Streets Law passed the Washington State Legislature on the first try, and made it through the legislative process virtually unchanged from the original that I proposed to Representative Julia Reed’s office in October 2024. This law only exists because of the diligent and responsive constituent service of Rep. Julia Reed of Washington’s 36th District. Her office engages with local safe streets advocates on a regular basis. 

Senator Emily Alvarado of Washington’s 34th District was the prime sponsor of the lead bill in the Senate and together they attracted seven co-sponsors each in the House and Senate. It is notable that SB 5595 was Alvarado’s first bill to pass out of the Senate after becoming a member of that body.

Every year since 2018, the City of Seattle’s legislative agenda included a desire for greater regulatory flexibility to set lower speed limits but they never proposed a bill. However, once a draft of this bill began to circulate, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) was enthusiastic. SDOT City Traffic Engineer Venu Nemani testified in favor and Mayor Bruce Harrell lobbied behind the scenes to get Republican support. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) supported the bill and numerous advocacy organizations, like Transportation Choices Coalition and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways did, as well.

My original name for the bill was the Woonerf Ban Repeal Bill. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and the folks who guided the bill through the legislature emphasized its importance as a way to create more vibrant streets around the 2026 World Cup.

While the shared streets bill was bipartisan, it lost most (but not all) of its Republican support when Representative Joe Timmons (D-42nd, Bellingham) added an amendment to allow shared streets on certain state highways that serve as “the primary roads through a central business district.”

Read more from The Urbanist.

Yelm invites the public to honor a military veteran through Veteran’s Day

From the City of Yelm – Government:

Help us recognize and celebrate the brave men and women who have served in our nation’s Armed Forces.

Now through Veterans Day, you’re invited to honor a military veteran by placing their name on an ornament and displaying it on the Tree of Valor at Yelm City Hall.

Whether it’s a friend, family member, or neighbor, let’s come together as a community to show our gratitude. Ornaments are available at City Hall during regular business hours.

The Tree of Valor will remain on display through Veterans Day, we invite you to visit.

The U.S. Dollar Is Weakening—Here’s How Travelers Can Plan Trips Smartly, According to Experts

What exactly does the volatile U.S. dollar mean for travelers making plans?

Excerpt from Travel + Leisure:

The power of the U.S. dollar is volatile, falling for a third day against several currencies on May 21. American tariffs are anticipated to further take a toll on U.S. currency values. According to European nonprofit organization CEPR, which provides policy-relevant research based in economic theory, prevailing theory holds that import tariffs should place upward pressure on the tariff-imposing country’s currency.

“If global trade is largely invoiced in a dominant currency such as the U.S. dollar,” Jonathan Hartley and Alessandro Rebucci wrote in Tariffs, the Dollar and Equities: High-Frequency Evidence from the Liberation Day Announcement, “the response should be amplified, leading to an even sharper initial appreciation of the home currency.”

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What exactly does this mean for travelers making their summer plans?

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If you’re looking to travel, Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman said to book sooner rather than later. “It also pays to zig when others zag,” Rossman said in the survey. “For example, think about visiting a destination during its shoulder season or offseason. Take an early flight or a late flight or a connecting flight—or fly midweek.”

In addition, if you’re making summer travel plans, you’re going to want to take the volatility of the U.S. dollar into account before going into debt for that beach vacation. While no one truly knows whether conditions will improve or deteriorate, many experts are leaning toward the latter. That’s why it’s going to be important—as Rossman suggests—to shore up payments on the earlier end.

• Editor’s note: The futures indices on all of the major stock markets are all up in advance of tomorrow’s trading.
• USA Today: Elon Musk leaves the Trump administration, capping his run as federal government slasher

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Federal trade court strikes down Trump’s reciprocal tariffs

Excerpt from CNBC:

• A federal court struck down President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs in a ruling out Wednesday.
• A three-judge panel on the Court of International Trade said President exceeded “any authority granted” by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
• The suit was brought on behalf of five U.S.-based businesses that rely on imports.

A federal court ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority with his reciprocal tariffs, dealing a blow to a major tenet of the president’s economic agenda.

A three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law that Trump invoked to justify the tariffs, does not actually give the president the power to unilaterally implement the sweeping duties.

“The Worldwide and Retaliatory Tariff Orders exceed any authority granted to the President by IEEPA to regulate importation by means of tariffs,” the judges wrote in their ruling.

Read more

Centralia-Chehalis Railroad to host three summer events to raise money for historic passenger car renovation

Excerpt from The Chronicle (Centralia):

The Centralia-Chehalis Railroad and Museum (CCRM) will host three events in July and August to raise money for a project to renovate the historic Passenger Car No. 603 this summer.

The restoration project will allow CCRM to add another passenger car to its popular Polar Express train rides in the winter, according to CCRM’s website.

“The Chehalis-Centralia Railroad is a historic nonprofit railroad dedicated to preserving the rich railway history of the Pacific Northwest while offering unique and entertaining experiences for everyone,” CCRM said in a news release.

All trains depart from the Chehalis-Centralia Train Depot, located at 1101 SW Sylvenus St. in Chehalis.

For more information about events, including the dinner menus, or to book tickets, visit https://steamtrainride.com/. 

Summer Bash BBQ and Train Ride: July 12

Roaring ‘20s Dinner Train Ride: July 19

70’s Theme Dinner and Train Ride: Aug. 9

Read more

Lifelong Voters to Be Honored for Commitment to Democracy

“Civic Pride Honor Roll” Ceremony celebrates voters who have voted for 50 or more years

From the Office of the Thurston County Auditor:

The Thurston County Auditor will honor hundreds of citizens who’ve voted for 50 years or more at a “Civic Pride Honor Roll” ceremony on Thursday, June 12 at 2:00 p.m. in the Expo Building at the Thurston County Fairgrounds. Honorees will receive a certificate and commemorative lapel pin and hear from distinguished speakers.

“These lifelong voters have greatly impacted our communities by participating in every election,” said Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall. “We’re proud of these citizens’ outstanding voting records. It’s an honor to recognize their lifelong dedication to democracy, and I hope future generations will choose to follow their model of civic engagement.”

Honorees are registered voters in Thurston County and have voted for 50 years or more. We sent invitations to Honorees in early April. If you think you should have received an invitation, please contact our office.  
 
To learn more about this event, contact the Auditor’s Office at 360.786.5408 or elections@co.thurston.wa.us. 

WA state jurisdictions look to effects of budget cuts

+ The Chronicle (Centralia) via The Olympian: Thurston County Commissioners discuss options to combat potential budget shortfall – If Thurston County continues on its current financial trend without any adjustments, its general fund will run into the negative by 2027. That’s why the Board of County Commissioners sat down with County Manager Leonard Hernandez and Budget and Fiscal Manager Summer Miller last Wednesday to discuss pathways toward maintaining a balanced budget.

Read more

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+ The Olympian: Ferguson warns ‘cruel’ Medicaid cuts would rip health care from 200K WA residents

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+ The Olympian: WA governor calls on Reps. Newhouse, Baumgartner to explain ‘dire’ cuts to Medicaid

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+ The Chronicle: Funding cut for programs that help Washington state foster children navigate school

+ PFLAG Olympia: Pride Flag Raising at the Capitol, June 4, 12noon

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Capital City Pride Festival to feature comedy skits, parties, and entertainment from June 27-29 

Excerpt from The JOLT News:

Capital City Pride is holding a Pride Festival on June 27-29 at different areas around Olympia, Outreach Communications Coordinator Pog O’Donoghue stated in an email to The JOLT News. 

The festival opens with a Block Party featuring a variety show of local artists, drag entertainers and games on the streets of downtown Olympia from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, June 27.  

A ticketed Pride Soirée at the Wild Child Taps ends the opening day; the event runs from 8-11 p.m. The event is for attendees ages 21 and up.  

On Saturday, June 28, there will be a Music and Art Fest from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Port Plaza & Percival Landing. Watch out for live bands, DJs, drag and more!.

An LGBTQ+ Health & Wellness Fair will also be held from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. on June 28 at the Olympia Community Center. The fair will feature panels and workshops. 

Catch the adults-only Pride Variety Show from 7-9 p.m. on June 28 for a satire and entertainment showcase, and the Dance Party starting at 10 p.m. 

The ticketed show is at the Capitol Theater, and the party is at Wild Child.  

On Sunday, June 29, watch out for the parade, park day, and comedy night. 

The day starts with the Pride Parade & Rally from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Tivoli Fountain to Heritage Park. 

The Dyke Day in the Park at the Heritage Park will take place from 2–5 p.m. and will feature DJs and dancing. 

Queerly Hilarious, a ticketed LGBTQ+ comedy night for adults, will take place at the Wild Child from 6-8 p.m.