Onalaska
5 western Washington schools to close
The City of Chehalis has its sights set on a property along Bishop Road to serve as an interim south-end Chehalis Fire Department station and possibly the site of a brand new permanent station
Lewis County will now permit family burial grounds in the county after the passage of a bill sponsored by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, including 19th District state Rep. Jim Walsh,
Comments are taken directly from the latest Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) inspection reports, which are available for each food establishment, at the Thurston County Environmental Health Office and their website. For questions concerning these reports, contact the health office at 360-867-2667. Report restaurant, grocery store, deli or bakery complaints online via the complaint form here: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/phss/Pages/eh-problem.aspx . Reading inspection scores: Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illness and must be corrected immediately if feasible or according to a compliance schedule established by the health officer. Example: not keeping food at the right temperature. Blue violations relate to the overall cleanliness and condition of operation and must be corrected according to a compliance schedule established by the health officer. Example: a worn floor that needs replacing. If red points exceed 45, the county will require a reinspection within 10 business days. A reinspection also is required if total red and blue points exceed 65. If red points exceed 100 and there’s a lack of managerial control, the county may shut down the establishment. The establishment may reopen after the person-in-charge develops a written course of action to correct all violations and demonstrates corrective action
It’s getting colder in Washington state. As temperatures drop, you could start seeing small ice crystals forming on leaves, grass and roads. When can Western Washington residents expect to see frost covering the ground this fall? How long will frosty temperatures last, and how can you protect your plants and plumbing from the chill? Here’s what the experts say: When will we see the first frost in Washington state? When you can expect to see frost in 2026 depends on where you live in Washington state , according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac . The almanac looked at likely dates for the first and last frosts of the season , based on its long-range weather forecasts as well as historical frost averages. In much of Western Washington, frost timing should be “close to the historical average ,” the almanac said, while the last spring frost is expected roughly a week or two later than usual in Central and Eastern Washington. Even “modest” shifts in frost timing can “make a meaningful difference when you’re deciding when to sow early crops, set out seedlings or keep frost protection handy,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac said. The almanac predicted Bellingham would see its first
Amidst all the fake but almost believable videos and AI slop floating around cyberspace, I was truly delighted by a few true moments captured and shared online this week. One was a bighorn
In this installment of A Look Back in Time, the Saturday, Nov. 14, 1936, edition of The Chronicle featured a story about the expansion of a federal Works Progress Administration meal program for
Three major Washington school districts are preparing to sue the state over education funding, prompting former Attorney General Rob McKenna to ask why increased spending hasn’t resolved either district budget problems or concerns about student performance. Speaking with host Charlie Harger on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio, McKenna...
As the Olympia Regional Airport prepares to welcome direct flights to and from Spokane for the 2027 legislative session, area residents are reiterating concerns about noise and air pollution. ...
Five parents who are attorneys filed a Notice of Appeal Nov. 13 in Thurston County Superior Court after the Olympia School District Board of Directors voted the night before to close Madison, McKenny and LP Brown elementary schools. District parent Marissa Smith shared a media statement and the appeal with The Olympian on Nov. 13. “The parents allege that the district failed to meet the minimum requirements in state law for public engagement,” according to the media statement. “According to the lawsuit, the school board cannot close any school until it first adopts a formal policy explaining how citizens will be involved in the development of the closure proposal. The parents argue that the school board’s current policy does not meet the statutory requirements for citizen engagement and therefore is invalid.” Parents are also concerned about Superintendent Patrick Murphy presenting a closure proposal without any formal request from the school board, according to the media statement. “The lawsuit cites a school board policy that says a closure proposal cannot proceed until the school board publicly requests a written analysis of the proposal from the district,” according to the media statement. The Olympian has reached out to district spokesperson Conor Schober,
The Port of Chehalis will levy an additional 1% in property taxes next year and will add revenue associated with an administrative refund resulting from a tax settlement for a business within the
A weekly compilation of the largest winning bids in the Pacific Northwest, according to the Daily Journal of Commerce Project Center. Winner (contract awarded): Steele Trucking of Silver Creek, Washington. Amount: $1,151,476. Project: 2023 County Safety Program (Lewis County, Washington) Owner: Lewis County. Cost estimate: $1,750,000 to $1,950,000. Project team:...
When 15-year-old Boy Scout Sam Harshman of Troop 9266 was tasked with choosing a project he wanted to lead to obtain his Eagle Scout status, it was one he put into careful consideration. Sam has been with the Boy Scouts for several years, and during that time, he’s quickly collected...
Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, togetherness, and pretending you know how to make gravy from scratch. But if you're visiting Pierce County for the holiday, there's a decent chance your accommodations don't come with a roasting pan, six burners, or an oven…and maybe that's a good thing! Even if you’re simply unwilling to spend your day off work elbow-deep in a turkey, this one’s for you.
When Jaelynn Scott arrives in Olympia in January, she doesn't want to be labeled a one-note legislator. Elected by voters last week, Scott will be Washington's first openly transgender
A heartfelt thank you to all of the veterans and guests who joined us on Tuesday for our Veterans Day Assembly. We are so grateful for the opportunity to recognize and honor the service, courage, and sacrifices of those who have served our country. Thank you to everyone who participated in making this a meaningful celebration. Our Briarwood students did an excellent job, and we are so proud of the respect and appreciation they demonstrated!
Ahead of the recent vote to consider new taxes on businesses in the city of Centralia, two local organizations have weighed in urging the Centralia City Council to avoid the measures. Both the ...
Warehouses are set to become a source of new tax revenue for the city of Fife under an ordinance that’s been in the works for more than a year. What’s left is figuring out the exact details of what the tax structure will look like. Following a lengthy discussion and debate among Fife council members at the regular Nov. 10 meeting, the council voted to approve an initial version of the measure on first reading, but made clear that language would be adjusted for the second, final reading, which could be as soon as two weeks. Fife, along with other Pierce County metros, has seen its share of warehouse development with its proximity to the Port of Tacoma and Interstate 5. According to Fife’s website: “Businesses operating large warehouse and logistics facilities generate significant road usage and infrastructure wear, while contributing less through retail sales tax than other business types. This tax is designed to create a closer link between infrastructure demand and funding.” The council on Tuesday appeared to be moving toward restricting the revenue to the cost of administering the tax in the first year, return funds to the transportation benefit district that came out of the fund
A person who represents East Pierce County in the Washington state Legislature has run for re-election — and her bid for another term is on thin ice. According to the Washington Secretary of State’s website , the race for the 25th Legislative District’s second state representative has a four-vote difference. As of 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, Republican incumbent Cyndy Jacobsen has 28,359 votes (49.97%) to Democratic challenger Jenn Marie Strickling’s 28,355 (49.97%). The 25th Legislative District stretches across Puyallup, South Hill and the Summit-Waller area. Voters first elected Jacobsen to the seat in 2020, replacing Rep. Chris Gildon (R), who went on to become the district’s state senator. She has been re-elected twice, once in 2022 and once in 2024. Before running for her seat in Olympia, Jacobsen served one term on the Puyallup City Council. According to the voter’s guide , Strickling is from Orting and served on the Pierce County Charter Review Commission after being elected in 2025. Jacobsen ran alongside fellow representative Michael Keaton (R), whose bid for a second term looks unlikely. As of Wednesday afternoon, Keaton had received 27,951 votes to Democratic challenger David Berg’s 28,851 votes — a 900-vote difference. Kyle Haugh, elections manager
Applications are now being accepted at Rainier City Hall for those interested in being appointed to a city council vacancy, Mayor Bob Shaw announced during the council's regular meeting on Tuesday,