Olympia bans ICE from city property, calls for end to ‘dangerous’ activity

One ordinance declared the situation an emergency. The council declared it effective immediately.

Excerpt from The Olympian:

The Olympia City Council unanimously approved two actions at its Feb. 24 meeting that were aimed at restricting federal immigration agents in the city, effective immediately.

The first action was a resolution calling for an end to “dangerous immigration enforcement tactics by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” according to council documents. The resolution also called for the protection of Constitutional rights, and for “meaningful guardrails” to be set on Department of Homeland Security funding.

“A surge of immigration enforcement by ICE and CBP in the state of Minnesota has resulted in the homicides of two citizens of the United States,” according to council documents. “Since President Trump took office on January 20, 2025, an unprecedented 37 people have died in the custody of ICE, including several deaths that may have been preventable.”

The resolution specifically calls for an end to enforcement surges, guardrails on DHS funding, reductions in DHS spending, and a restructuring of the department entirely.

It also calls for judicial warrants for searches and an end to masked agent operations, as well as restricting deportations without judicial orders and an end to abuses in detention facilities.

The resolution was unanimously approved by the City Council under its consent calendar, and without discussion. Because it was approved, a copy of the resolution will be sent to the Washington state congressional delegation, according to council documents.

Click here for the full story. 

 

Supreme Court rules on petition to recall Thurston Co. Commissioner Emily Clouse

Excerpt from The Olympian via yahoo!news:

The Washington State Supreme Court dismissed a recall petition against Thurston County Commissioner Emily Clouse in an opinion released Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026].

The court backed a lower court ruling that the charges against Clouse did not meet the legal standard for a recall.

“We conclude that none of the charges are both factually and legally sufficient,” Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis wrote in the majority opinion. “Therefore, we affirm the trial court’s decision to dismiss the petition.”

Arthur West, an Olympia resident and open government advocate, filed the recall petition in Thurston County on Dec. 12, 2024, as Clouse faced the fallout from a workplace investigation into her relationship with an executive aide that year. About a month later, a visiting Superior Court judge denied the recall petition, prompting West to appeal to the state Supreme Court. West’s recall effort against Clouse has now ended with this final dismissal.

“I respect the court’s decision,” Clouse told The Olympian Thursday afternoon. “I really appreciate the clarity it provides and the affirmation that the recall petition did not meet the legal standard required to move forward.”

Click here to read the full story.

+ Space.com: February’s ‘rare planetary alignment’ is coming — here’s what to expect from the planet parade – Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter will appear together shortly after sunset on Feb. 28 — but is this the “planet parade” we’ve been waiting for?

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Six planets are about to parade across the night sky: When to see the celestial show

Yelm Lions Club concludes ‘Souper Sunday’ after 14 weekends of community gatherings

Organization will begin hosting monthly breakfasts next month on March 15

Excerpt from the NVN: 

For the last 14 weeks, Yelm Lions Club has exemplified that statement by welcoming community members of all walks of life into the Carlson Club each Sunday for a hot meal and camaraderie with neighbors. These weekly gatherings, put on by volunteers, were known as “Souper Sunday.”

……

Following the conclusion of Souper Sunday, Brooks [Ashley Brooks, membership chair for the Yelm Lions Club] said she returned the event’s core group of volunteers for a meeting, and was met with the question of “what am I going to do on Sundays now?” She noted that the weekly event was only set to span from November through February.

“I thought that we should have a breakfast,” Brooks said. “We already do the pancake breakfast with the Santa shop, and I guess most Lions Clubs, internationally and locally, do breakfast. So we’re going to start doing monthly breakfasts.”

The Yelm Lions Club’s first breakfast is set for 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 15, inside of the Carlson Cabin. One of the organization’s longest tenured members, the Wilcox family, often donates to the organization and has provided an abundance of eggs to the organization to be used, according to Brooks.

“We’ll have eggs. We’ll make pancakes. We’ll have biscuits and gravy,” she said. “Our food has always been fresh, not bottom of the barrel scraps. It’s always been what you would feed your family if they came over for dinner. We’re going to do that same thing, potluck style, for breakfast.”

Yelm Lions Club can be located at 301 West Yelm Avenue. To learn more about the organization, visit its self-titled Facebook page, or its website at https://www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/yelmwa/.

Yelm to receive $1 million in funds for Fuller Footpath downtown alleyway

Money allocated to the city with the help of Rep. Marilyn Strickland

Excerpt from the NVN:

One of the City of Yelm’s most historic individuals, Faye Fuller, is one step closer to being honored by serving as the namesake for the city’s activated alleyway project — known as Fuller Footpath — as Rep. Marilyn Strickland has helped Yelm secure $1 million in funding for this revitalization plan.

The legendary Yelm native, Fuller, will see her legacy continue to grow, posthumously, nearly 70 years after her death. With Fuller Footpath, not only will she serve as the namesake for the revitalized alleyway, there will also be informational plaques about her legendary climb on Mount Rainier.

Fuller, a former teacher in Yelm, was the first woman known to summit Mount Rainier. Her inspiration to climb Mount Rainier dawned when P.B. Van Trump, one of the first documented people to summit Mount Rainier, visited her classroom.

Climbing in adverse conditions on Aug. 10, 1890, Fuller made her trek over Mount Rainier. According to the National Parks Service, Fuller set out from Camp Muir, reaching the summit at 4:30 p.m. She described the experience as “a heavenly moment,” and added, “nothing was said. Words cannot describe scenery and beauty; how could they speak to the soul?”

Sixty-eight years after her death in 1958, Fuller’s legacy continues in Yelm as the activated alleyway, dubbed “Fuller Footpath,” will soon be constructed.

Cody Colt, on Monday, Feb. 23, told the Nisqually Valley News that Rep. Strickland’s office helped the City of Yelm secure $1 million for pedestrian activity and amenities in the downtown area.

“We’re applying it to the Fuller Footpath project. We were about $1 million short in local funds to get there. That bridges the gap,” Colt said. “We just have to get all of the paperwork done with the Federal government. That’s all we’re waiting on now.”

……

Colt said currently, the eventual Fuller Footpath sits as a dilapidated alleyway in between Yelm City Hall and Pho Yelm, Habitat for Humanity, Tim’s Pharmacy, Fair Game, White Horse Tavern and Grits and Gravy.

“There’s that back alleyway that’s there and in really bad shape,” he said. “The idea is you change that into a footpath, or an activated alleyway, where people can walk and you can have vendors there.

……

Additionally, Fuller Footpath will have plug-in availability and space for food trucks to set up and participate in local events.

Click here to read the full story.

One Net Yelm and Mr. Dougs partner to host third annual pancake breakfast fundraiser

All proceeds from event will benefit Yelm Senior Center

Excerpt from the NVN:

Local non-profit One Net Yelm and Mr. Dougs invite the public to join the restaurant — located at 210 103rd Avenue Southeast — from 7 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, for the third annual pancake breakfast fundraiser.

The proceeds from One Net Yelm and Mr Dougs’ third annual pancake breakfast fundraiser will be donated to Yelm Senior Center.

Additionally, there is no set cost for your breakfast — which includes pancakes, bacon and eggs, according to Line Roy, One Net Yelm president. She told the Nisqually Valley News on Monday, Feb. 16, that breakfast items can be purchased through donations only.

“It’s going to be a delicious breakfast,” Roy said. “The event is by donation only, so there is no set price for it. Whatever pancakes are worth to you, that’s what you can donate to the cause.”

According to Roy, the pancake breakfast fundraiser has grown each year in both attendance and funds raised to donate to the senior center. Last year’s event, the second annual pancake breakfast fundraiser, doubled in proceeds raised for Yelm Center Center.

“Last year’s event was incredible. We broke all of our previous records, which in a second year is pretty good. We brought in nearly $6,300 last year. That was incredible,” she said. “I think we doubled the amount last year. That was just so incredible for us to be able to present that check and share so much with the seniors.”

Additionally, she expects the 2026 pancake breakfast fundraiser to be just as incredible as last year’s rendition.

* Editor’s note: Why is Bondi’s DOJ not investigating Trump?

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AG Bondi accused of perjuringd herself on Trump’s involvement in Epstein files

Bondi testified there ws no evidence Trump committed a crime in the files – now files linked to Trump found withheld by Bondi’s DOJ

* Editor’s note: Fox News has chosen not to cover these two stories:

+ Salon: Democrats accuse Bondi of Epstein files coverup, demand special investigation – Lawmakers says Bondi perjured herself on Trump’s involvement in Epstein files

+ Mandatory via yahoo!news: Epstein Files Linked to Donald Trump Withheld by DOJ, NPR Investigation Claims

+ Daily Kos: NPR’s Epstein/Trump story now on NYT front page

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+ The New York Times: Epstein Files Are Missing Records About Woman Who Made Claim Against Trump -Documents released by the Justice Department briefly mention a woman’s unverified accusation that Donald J. Trump assaulted her in the 1980s, when she was a minor. But several memos related to her account are not in the files.

+ NBC News: DOJ has not released some Epstein files related to a woman who made an allegation against Trump – The files do not include records from three FBI interviews with a woman who said Epstein abused her and who made allegations against Trump.

+ NBC News: Bill Gates admits affairs, says Epstein association was ‘huge mistake’ at Gates Foundation town hall

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+ Fox News: UK officials to consider the release of confidential documents related to Epstein-linked former Prince Andrew – The U.K. Parliament is set to debate the release of confidential files on former Prince Andrew following his arrest on misconduct allegations.

Local Students Prepare for Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN) Congress

Water quality at the forefront of youth research symposium at The Evergreen State College

Excerpt from Thurston Talk:

The 33rd annual Student GREEN Congress on March 19, 2026, is more than just a field trip or science project for local kids. The event brings together yearlong research by more than 500 students from 31 schools working together to study water quality with a focus on salmon habitat restoration.

Hosted by The Evergreen State College, the GREEN Congress combines an entire school years’ worth of education and water quality testing for one festive event. Thanks to South Sound GREEN, the Nisqually River Education Project, the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium and countless volunteers, a new generation of ecowarriors can start protecting precious regional watersheds. ……

Community Partnerships Keep Washington’s Natural Watersheds Healthy

Information sessions and afternoon workshops come together thanks to dedicated community partnerships. These include Nisqually Indian Tribe Department of Natural Resources, Nisqually Indian Tribe Community Garden, the Washington State Department of Ecology, Nisqually Reach Nature Center, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Nisqually Community Forest, South Sound Bird Alliance, Pierce Conservation District, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Firecraft Northwest, Thurston County Public Works, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators – Northwest Chapter, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, the City of Lacey, South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, Nisqually Land Trust, Pierce County Public Works, Long Live the Kings, Puget Sound Estuarium, Trout Unlimited, Wolf Haven International, Eco Woodworks, the City of Tumwater, Parametrix, Chehalis Lead Entity and the City of Yelm.

This year’s keynote speaker is Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales. Hogan and his organization use storytelling and field-based science to inspire students towards whale conservation.

……

If you’re in, or retired from, a natural sciences career and would like to know more about attending as a mentor, workshop leader or event support, reach out to Davy Clark at davy@nisquallyriver.org to learn more.

You can find additional information about this year’s Congress on the South Sound GREEN website, check back frequently for updates and additions.

Nothing is more hopeful than an excited, enthusiastic child. Thanks to the Student GREEN Congress, that excitement is contagious and focused on preserving the Evergreen State for generations to come.

Gritz and Gravy announces their opening in Yelm’s former Masonry Cafe

From Yelm’s Gritz N Gravy website:  

Welcome to Gritz N Gravy! This has been a dream of ours since before we got married in 2013. Our intention with this space is to provide a place for our friends, family, & neighbors to take a beat & escape the hustle & bustle of everyday human life. Trevs & I have both been in the service industry for the last 30 years, WOW! That’s kinda weird to say… that’s a long time… Anyway, we LOVE food! And we LOVE people and we LOVE what we do! Walk into our doors, take a deep breath, sit amongst your neighbors in our warm welcoming & comfortable environment, & allow us to take care of you.

Click here for the website.

The Odd couple (female version) play

From Thurston Talk:

A mismatched pair of roommates discover just how hilarious—and unexpectedly heartfelt—life can get when opposites try to share the same space. In this live, laugh‑out‑loud stage production of The Odd Couple (Female Version), audiences get all the charm, chaos, and comedy of Neil Simon’s classic delivered with fresh energy and a cast you’ll absolutely adore. here

About the Play Olive Madison thrives in her lively, lived‑in apartment. Florence Unger needs everything spotless, structured, and serene. When Florence’s marriage collapses, Olive generously invites her to move in… and the chaos begins. Between their weekly Trivial Pursuit group, unexpected guests, and wildly different lifestyles, the two must discover whether friendship can survive the ultimate challenge: becoming roommates.  What Critics Have Said Broadway and regional reviewers have long praised the show’s humor and heart. A few sentiments echoed in reviews include: – “Neil Simon remains one of Broadway’s most reliable crowd‑pleasers.” – “A zany, energetic comedy filled with quick dialogue and engaging characters.” – “Opposites attract—and explode—in this hilarious reimagining.”

Meet the Cast We’re proud to showcase a talented ensemble bringing this comedy to life: – Olive Madison – Savannah Creamer – Florence Unger – Meg Long – Sylvie – Mackenzie Dust – Renee – Yvette O’Keefe – Vera – Holly Lehikoinen – Mickey – Kris Sawyer – Manolo – Joel Derefield – Jesus – Nabeel Hameed Performance Dates remaining February 27, 28, March 1 Fridays & Saturdays at 7pm Sundays at 2pm  The Outpost — 102 E Yelm Ave, Yelm, WA

Tickets Tickets are now available! Visit https://www.srotheater.org/oddcouplefemaleversion to reserve your seats and learn more about the production.