Healing Through Our Waters By Honoring Our Ancestors July 31st to August 5th

From The Nisqually Tribe:

Scenic train near Mount Rainier to expand its line for first time in decades

Excerpt from Tacoma’s News Tribune via MSN: 

The whistle rang loud and low through the forests near Elbe on Thursday afternoon as the train chugged along the Nisqually River, belching clouds of white steam along the tracks.

Although the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad has run along a historic track near the base of Mount Rainier for nearly 40 years, the 104-year-old steam engine will soon be venturing north of its regular route for the first time in decades. Pending federal approval of a $28 million grant, the nonprofit that runs the railroad plans to restore commercial freight traffic to the track, as it once did more than 100 years ago.

The News Tribune went aboard the Polson No. 70 steam engine Thursday, joining dozens of families on the 75-minute ride on the Tacoma Eastern Railway. Conductor Jackson Roulst said 76,000 people rode the train last year, from 36 different countries.

These days Polson No. 70 runs on recycled motor oil. It transported lumber from Elbe to the big sawmills of Tacoma from the early 1900s until the mid-1960s, in addition to passengers from Ashford to Mount Rainier National Park, Roulst said. Many of the trees visible from the train’s windows are third generation – meaning they’ve been cut down and replanted three or four times in some cases, he said.

It’s been about 30 years since the train carried lumber, but the nonprofit that owns the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (the Western Forest Industry Museum) hopes to change that.

Roulst said there are lumber mills in Morton “very interested” in moving logs by rail instead of semi trucks. Western Forest Industry Museum executive director Bethan Maher said the nonprofit just submitted an application for a $28 million federal grant that would restore commercial freight service to the line. Last year a major arson destroyed one of its trestles (a wooden railroad bridge) in Lewis County, and $10 million of the grant would repair it, Maher said. The nonprofit expects to learn if it received the grant this fall, she said.

“The goal is to keep building track to extend our tourist train service but also to service the mills and start hauling dimensional lumber again, the profits of which would be reinvested in our nonprofit and our museum operations,” Maher said.

If the grant doesn’t come through, Maher said they will try again, and it may take longer to reach their goal.

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Donations to support that work are accepted online.

Click here to read the full story.

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland welcomed to Yelm

From the City of Yelm Governement on Facebook:

This afternoon [July 30], Mayor Joe, our City Administrator Todd Stancil, Public Services Director Cody Colt, and our Grants and Programs Manager Elizabeth Jones welcomed Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland to Yelm.

They talked about some upcoming projects, like the Activated Alley, and the Veterans Park and Memorial Walk, discussed funding opportunities, shared stories about Yelm, and highlighted some of the things that make Yelm a great place to live.

City of Yelm key stories of interest 

+ NVN: Yelm City Council approves rezoning of 20 parcels to residential status

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+ NVN: City of Yelm enters contract with RH2 for a new well, reservoir, water treatment plant and water rights transfer

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+ NVN: Yelm council approves agreement for veterans park and memorial walk

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+ NVN: Yelm Eagles FOE donate $1,000 to four local organizations after a successful fundraiser

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Yelm’s InGenius! Gallery & Boutique turns 5

From the InGenius! Gallery & Boutique emailer and Facebook:

Click here for the GoFundMe link In Loving Memory of Carlos

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Thurston Co. man killed in Seattle Center shooting protected family, wife says

Excerpt from The Olympian:

A Thurston County man was shot and killed at Seattle Center Sunday during the Bite of Seattle food festival.

Carlos Israel Sanchez Villalba, 44, was one of three people who died, according to King County Medical Examiner Office information. His wife, Sandra Frausto, in brief comments to The Olympian on Tuesday, confirmed that her husband lived in Yelm.

They had been married for 18 years and had three children, Frausto said. He was a good friend, he was a person you could ask a favor of, and he would never say no, she said.

“He would move mountains to make people happy,” she said.

The entire family, including a nephew from Mexico, was at the Bite of Seattle during the shooting, she said.

” The other people killed in the shooting were 19-year-old Junior Semo and 56-year-old Ashley Whitehead, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Four other people were injured in the shooting, according to news reports.

A GoFundMe campaign was organized to support the Yelm man’s family.

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Villalba operated a business called Rainier Construction NW in which he did framing for area home construction, Frausto said.

“It’s with a heavy heart that we were informed that one of our framers was part of the Seattle shooting,” said Shannon McIntrye of McIntyre Homes on Facebook. “Carlos was an essential part of our home building team and framed the last three houses that we built.”

Read more

Timberland Library will ask to raise property taxes this November to avoid cuts

Excerpt from The Olympian:

The Timberland Regional Library announced on July 24 that its board approved placing a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot to ask the public to raise property taxes.

According to a July 24 news release from the library network, the TRL Board of Trustees unanimously approved placing a levy lid lift measure before the voters at its July 22 meeting. If approved, the funds would help “provide additional funding for library open hours, staffing and services,” according to the release.

If approved by voters in November, the TRL’s regular property tax levy would increase from its current rate of $0.22 to $0.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value beginning in 2027, according to the release.

“Without additional funding, the library anticipates significant cuts to open hours, staff and services,” the release states.

The TRL has 29 libraries across Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties.

According to the release, the ballot measure will be the first time in more than 17 years that the library network has asked for a levy lift. The last one in 2009 failed, according to the release.

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the TRL’s total revenue this year is just over $28 million, and expenditures are nearly $30 million. By 2030, revenue is projected to be about $31 million, compared to more than $34 million in expenditures.

The library network is projected to begin the year 2030 with a negative balance of $2.8 million without a levy lid lift, according to the presentation.

If the ballot measure were to pass in November, the situation would look quite different. According to the presentation, if more taxes were collected starting in 2027, revenues would sit well above expenditures beyond 2030 and allow for the library network to begin each budget cycle with more than the mandatory minimum of 30% of expected annual revenue.

If the measure were to pass, total revenues in 2027 would go from about $28.8 million to about $42.8 million. By 2030, total revenues would go from $31 million to $46 million. The majority of that money would be from property taxes.

Click here to read the full story.

Yelm-based Scouting America Troop 9268 to celebrate 100th anniversary in August

Excerpt from the NVN:

Scouting America Troop 9268, one of the Nisqually Valley’s oldest and longest-standing organizations, will celebrate a huge milestone in August, and is calling on the community to come out and celebrate the troop’s 100th anniversary.

Join Scouting America Troop 9268 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Yelm City Park and Yelm Community Center for a full day of celebration. According to Scouting America Troop 9268 Scoutmaster Jeff Kasnick, cake will be cut and handed out to attendees, along with a proclamation from Mayor Joe DePinto in celebration of the troop.

Additionally, other local Scouting America troops have been invited to “share in the brotherhood of scouting” during the celebration next month.

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Ahead of the troop’s 100-year anniversary celebration, Kasnick is calling on the community to come and check out Scouting America Troop 9268 and learn about what scouting is all about.

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Harry Zimmerman, assistant scout master of Scouting America Troop 9268, said that there’s a need to get children into scouting while they’re younger. Specifically, he’d like to see more children join Cub Scouts ahead of becoming Scouting America members. He believes the earlier experience will help them become better scouts and improve their overall experience in the program.

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You can sign up for Scouting America Troop 9268 by attending a meeting and talking to Kasnick, or you can visit BeAScout.org and enter your area code to find out which troops are operating within your region.

Click here to read the full story.

Timberland Regional Library Board Approves Levy Lid Lift Measure for November Ballot

From the Timberland Regional Library (TRL):

On July 22, 2026, the Timberland Regional Library (TRL) Board of Trustees unanimously approved placing a levy lid lift measure before voters on the November 3 ballot. If approved, the measure would increase the library’s regular property tax levy rate to provide additional funding for library open hours, staffing, and services. 

Approximately 96% of Timberland Regional Library’s operating revenue comes from local property taxes. If approved by voters, the measure would increase TRL’s regular property tax levy from its current rate of approximately $0.22 to $0.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value beginning in 2027. Without additional funding, the library anticipates significant cuts to open hours, staff, and services. 

Washington law limits how much property tax revenue library districts can collect each year. While operating costs have increased over time, TRL’s levy rate has gradually declined to approximately $0.22 per $1,000 of assessed property value. November’s ballot measure will be the first time in more than 17 years that the library has sought to raise its levy rate after a 2009 vote was narrowly defeated.  

“It’s been a quarter century since we’ve been at a full levy rate. … The longer we go on, the further we get from the library system that we can be because we’re not fully funding it. … We need to allow our communities to make this decision. If we don’t put it on the ballot, they don’t get to make that decision,” said Dustin Loup, Trustee representing Grays Harbor County. 

Ballots will be mailed to registered voters on October 16. Election day is November 3, 2026. 

Additional information about the levy lid lift measure, including FAQs and resources for voters can be found at TRL.org/Levy.

+ The Chronicle: Wayne Fournier: The future of agriculture is in the barns at the Thurston County Fair

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Thurston County Fair is July 30-August 2!

From the Thurston County Fair:

Planning summer trips? Make sure your itinerary includes the Thurston County Fair, happening July 30 – August 2.

Located in the heart of the Thurston County, our fair offers the perfect blend of nostalgic Americana and local charm. Experience world-class 4-H exhibits, thrilling carnival rides, talented entertainers, and delicious fair food. Whether you are exploring for the first time or visiting family, it’s the ideal centerpiece for your summer adventure!

Click here to read more.

• 2026 Thurston County Fair Baking Contests
• 2026 Thurston County Fair Daily Schedule
• 2026 Thurston County Fair Entertainment
• Camping at Fair
• Directions to Fairgrounds
• General Rules and Regulations Thurston County Fair
• Information for Superintendents and Exhibitors
• Tickets for the 2026 Thurston County Fair July 30- August 2
• Vendor Booths at the Fair