+ MS.Now: 5-year-old detained by ICE with his dad has been deported to Mexico, attorney says – In a video of their arrest, the boy, Liam Tadeo, cries and holds on to his father’s hands, which are cuffed behind his back, as they are escorted into an ICE vehicle.                                                                                [Editor’s note: The child was separated from his mother left in the U.S. What kind of country does this?]

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Sailor on Battered USS Lincoln Crew Says ICE Took His Father

Excerpt from Truthout:

The Trump administration has detained and is trying to deport the father of a sailor on the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose crew has suffered from a mental health crisis due to a lengthy deployment extended by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Border Patrol agents arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa on Sunday, as he was trying to leave his house to take his car to the mechanic, his wife told The Associated Press. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has confirmed his arrest, said that he will be held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody as the administration pursues deportation. Aviles has lived in the U.S. for 19 years.

The Trump administration claimed that they were simply enforcing the law, though Aviles’s son, Joshua Aviles, said in a post on Facebook that his family has “done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting.”

Joshua Aviles said that his father, who is originally from Nicaragua, has a driver’s license, Social Security card, and a work permit. He said that his father’s arrest is “heartbreaking” and is taking a severe mental toll as he continues his work.

“I’ve been deployed for over nine months, out at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything,” said Joshua Aviles in his post.

As a result of Donald Trump’s war on Iran, the USS Abraham Lincoln recently broke the record for the longest ever deployment at sea without a port call, and is expected to be relieved soon after media reports brought attention to its plight. Sailors and their families reported a dire mental health crisis onboard as reports emerged that several sailors had tried to jump overboard, along with reports of food shortages and unhygienic conditions.

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“This is heartbreaking for me. I don’t know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal. My dad’s only ‘crime’ was coming to this country to give my siblings and me a better life,” Joshua Aviles said. “Dad, I don’t know where you are right now, but know that I am doing everything I can to bring you back home.”

“He dedicates himself only to work so he can put food on the table at home. He is a good father. He loves his children with all his soul,” said Luis Manuel Aviles Roa’s wife, Argelia Aviles.

In a statement defending the decision, DHS said: “Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws.”

However, as a recruitment mechanism, the U.S. does offer special immigration-related benefits to people who enlist. Under a program known as Military Parole in Place, family members of active-duty service members and veterans are given a path to citizenship. The administration has tried to cut this program under its mass deportation campaign, however, and previously came under fire for its attempts to deport nearly 300 veterans and their family members during the first year of Trump’s second term.

Click here for the full story.

Washington sues again to stop Trump administration mail-in voting requirements

Excerpt from the Washington State Standard via yahoo!news:

Washington is suing to stop the Trump administration’s latest attempt to restrict mail-in voting, days after the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for the effort to move forward.

Washington and other states had sued over President Donald Trump’s executive order issued in March on the issue. A lower court blocked its implementation, but an emergency ruling from the high court this week lifted that injunction.

The justices, in a split decision along ideological lines, didn’t weigh in on the constitutionality of Trump’s order, only determining the lower court injunction was premature.

The muddled legal landscape just over two months out from the midterms is stirring confusion as Democrats hope to retake Congress and hold the Trump administration accountable.

The outcome of the court fight is particularly important in Washington, where almost all votes are cast via drop boxes and mail. Washington already requires each voter to sign an attestation that they’re qualified to vote, and a signature verification process ensures each ballot is cast by a registered voter.

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Attorney General Nick Brown, a Democrat, said in a press conference Wednesday morning that the proposed federal rules accompanying the executive order “will totally upend how our elections are administered.”

Meanwhile, Hobbs’ office is seeing if extra drop boxes can be added. Nearly 70% of ballots in this month’s primary election were returned via drop box.

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Twenty-five states are bringing Wednesday’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Massachusetts. Brown is co-leading the coalition. The complaint argues the Trump administration’s proposal “effectively eliminates mail voting through its onerous administration requirements.”

The states say the order violates the U.S. Constitution, which gives states the power to run elections. They’re seeking a temporary restraining order from a judge blocking its implementation, and hoping for a court hearing as soon as possible.

Click here to read the full story.

Michelle Christin retires from Yelm City Hall’s front desk after 21 years

From Mayor Joe DePinto’s Facebook post:

Our water tower shines in “a coat of many colors” as we remember Dolly

From the City of Yelm Government:

US-Canada tariff tensions threaten Washington businesses reliant on cross-border shoppers

New U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods leading to higher prices and declining tourism could hurt Washington businesses, experts warn, as trade tensions escalate.

Excerpt from KING-5 TV News, NBC Seattle:

Near-total lunar eclipse will soon be visible in WA sky. Here’s when to look up

Excerpt from The Olympian via MSN:

After watching the Perseid meteor shower, sky watchers in Washington state can observe another stunning sight: a partial lunar eclipse.

North and South America will have the best views of the blood-red moon.

When are the best times to get a glance at the astronomical phenomenon?

Here’s what to know:

When is the next full moon in 2026?

August’s full moon will reach peak illumination in Washington state at 9:18 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, according to online clock Time and Date.

The full moon will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse.

Why is August’s full moon called the sturgeon moon?

August’s full moon is known as the sturgeon moon due to the “abundance” of fish that could be easily caught in the Great Lakes at this time of year, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.When are best times to watch the partial lunar eclipse?

Lacey Retail Center Sells for $44M

Excerpt from South Sound Business: 

The South Sound Center, a retail hub in Lacey owned by development business Capital Development Co., has been sold for more than $44 million to Tourmaline Capital.

The sale was organized by Billy Sleeth of commercial real estate firm Newmark, who represented Capital Development Co. The latter owned and operated the center for six decades. The center is currently anchored by Trader Joe’s, which opened in November 2025 and signed a 10-year lease. Other tenants in the center include Marshalls, PetSmart, Michaels, and Target.

Shopping center representatives said in a press release that its retail spaces were 81% occupied at sale time and that there is potential for future growth with new retail assets and property improvements.

Co-owner of Centralia, Chehalis pharmacies wins 2026 Pharmacist of the Year Award

Excerpt from The Chronicle (Centralia):

The Washington State Pharmacy Association (WSPA) has named Will Quinby the recipient of its 2026 Pharmacist of the Year Award.

Will Quinby and his wife, Courtney Quinby, are owners of Centralia Pharmacy, Chehalis Pharmacy and Tim’s Pharmacy in Yelm.

Will is a PharmD — short for doctor of pharmacy — at Centralia Pharmacy, which he co-owns with Courtney Quinby, his wife, who was also the winner of the WSPA’s 2025 Outstanding Mentor Award.

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The Quinbys opened Centralia Pharmacy in May 2017. Since then, they have expanded to open the Chehalis Pharmacy. They took over ownership of Tim’s Pharmacy in 2018.

WSPA awards are given out to recognize “outstanding pharmacy professionals and students whose leadership, service and dedication have made a meaningful impact on the profession of pharmacy and the health of communities across Washington,” the WSPA stated in a news release announcing the 2026 award winners.

According to the WSPA’s website, its Pharmacist of the Year Award is given to the pharmacist “who possesses qualities of excellence in routine practice and association activities, is an exemplary role model, and who has contributed in service and skill to the WSPA during the past year.”

The WSPA will honor Will, along with the other 2026 award winners, at its annual meeting starting on Nov. 13 at Cle Elum’s Suncadia Resort.

Click here to read the full story.

Governor Ferguson visits Pasco to discuss key legislative priority to remove cellphones in schools statewide

Proposal will require personal smart devices to be “Away for the Day” in K-12 public schools in Washington state by Sept. 2027

Excerpt from the Office of Gov. Bob Ferguson:

Today Governor Bob Ferguson held an event in Pasco to discuss a top legislative priority for the upcoming session: Banning cellphones in schools statewide during school hours.

Governor Ferguson was joined by school district leaders, students and teachers at Pasco High School to talk about his proposal. Pasco High School currently does not allow student cell phone use during instructional time. Governor Ferguson’s proposal will build on policies like Pasco’s, creating a consistent, statewide policy. Governor Ferguson’s proposed “Away for the Day” policy will remove smart devices, including smartphones and smart watches, from the first to last bell in K-12 public schools in Washington state. He announced the policy proposal in June.

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In the United States, 95% of teenagers have smartphones – and 97% of these teenagers use them during school. Studies show teenagers spend, on average, roughly a quarter of their school day on their cellphones – more than 41 instructional days over the course of a school year.

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Cellphone policy in Washington state and across nationwide

At least 31 states and the District of Columbia now restrict students’ use of cell phones in schools, according to Education Week. Of those states, 22 have a bell-to-bell ban.

Washington has taken incremental steps to discourage phones in schools. While many districts and individual schools in Washington have some sort of policy restricting student cell phone use, the policies vary in scope.

A national report card gives Washington an “F” for our state policy.

Leadership on helping young people

Governor Ferguson has taken multiple steps to protect youth against the harm of cellphones. During the 2026 legislative session, Governor Ferguson signed a new law that helps lay the groundwork for regulating cellphones in schools. He also successfully proposed a new law that provides safeguards for the public – particularly kids – when using AI companion chatbots. As Attorney General, he took social media companies to court to change their addictive algorithms and hold them accountable for the harm they have done to kids.

Governor Ferguson is also proposing legislation to require all high school seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — known as the FAFSA — or its state equivalent, in order to graduate high school or opt-out. Washington is among the most generous states in the nation for funding for college and job training. Approximately half of Washington families qualify for free money. Yet, our state has consistently ranked near the bottom for completing the application required to unlock this free money.

In response, last September, Governor Ferguson launched his Washington Completes FAFSA campaign. While that campaign increased FAFSA and WASFA completion, nearly half of Washington seniors still didn’t fill out the form. Governor Ferguson’s legislation will make filling out one of the forms part of graduation requirements, with an opt-out option available.

Click here to read the full story.

+ Editor’s note: Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall encourages voters to return their completed ballots at one of the county’s 31 drop boxes, rather than mailing them, to ensure proper tabulation.

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U.S. Supreme Court decision won’t impact Thurston Co. voting, auditor says

Excerpt from The Olympian:

Monday’s [Aug. 24] U.S. Supreme Court ruling clears a path for possible restrictions on mail-in voting. But local election officials say voting procedures won’t change for Thurston County’s Nov. 3 general election.

“Following recent reporting on the U.S. Supreme Court’s order regarding the federal executive order on mail ballots, the Thurston County Auditor’s Office is reassuring voters that local voting procedures remain entirely unchanged,” Auditor Mary Hall said in a statement.

The Supreme Court’s ruling centers on an executive order issued in March by President Donald Trump.

The order asked the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to start rulemaking on vote-by-mail services. States would be required to submit a list of voters receiving mail-in or absentee ballots to USPS. Envelopes would undergo strict barcode requirements. The rule would change how general, special and run-off federal elections are overseen.

USPS published the final regulations Friday. The 95-page document clarifies how the executive order would be enforced, though it notes that the new procedure wouldn’t be enforced in 2026 unless the Supreme Court sides with the Trump administration.

Monday’s decision pauses one of two injunctions that prevent the executive order, and the Postal Service’s new rules, from going into effect immediately.

A coalition of attorneys general, co-led by Washington’s Nick Brown, filed a lawsuit in June opposing the executive order. The new USPS procedure would violate states’ constitutional right to oversee elections, the attorneys general argued.

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Thurston County auditor: elections will remain unchanged

In a statement to The Olympian on Tuesday, Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall said the November election procedures will not change because that second injunction remains intact.

“While the Supreme Court permitted certain preliminary aspects of the executive order to proceed, a nationwide injunction issued by a lower federal court remains in full effect. As a result of this nationwide injunction, there are no changes to how mail-in voting will be administered for the upcoming November general election.” Hall said in a statement.

In Thurston County, ballots will be mailed to homes of registered voters between Oct. 8 and Oct. 12 for the November general election.

Hall encouraged voters to return their completed ballots at one of the county’s 31 drop boxes. That ensures ballots are counted on time, rather than risk a postmarking after election day.

More information about how to vote is available on the Thurston County website.