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The Olympian

partner publisher · 20.3K followers
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Early election results are in for Thurston County Sheriff race

Incumbent Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders led challenger Kevin Burton-Crow by a large margin in early election returns Tuesday night. Sanders, an independent, led with 44,164 votes (68.7%) while Burton-Crow, a Democrat, trailed behind with 19,967 votes (31%), according to the tallies released by the county Auditor’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office polices unincorporated areas of Thurston County and operates a jail based in Tumwater with a total annual budget of about $68 million. Since starting his first term in 2023, Sanders has overseen a growing Sheriff’s Office with dozens more deputies and a new headquarters in Tumwater. The dollars to support this growth have come from a voter-approved public safety sales tax that Sanders backed in his first year in office. Sanders learned of his early lead while at an election night party at the Hangar 51 Event Center in Tumwater. He called the results a “great victory” in a phone call with The Olympian. “I’m ready to serve for another four years,” Sanders said. “I am extremely proud of the Sheriff’s Office and I believe Thurston County voters got it right.” Sanders added that he looks forward to watching the Sheriff’s Office grow during his second term. Burton-Crow answered

Thurston County, WA · 3d

The Center Square

partner publisher · 228.9K followers

Washington GOP Election Results: Close Races Could Shift Power in Olympia

Washington · 1d

The Olympian

partner publisher · 20.3K followers
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Plan for new Costco in Thurston County includes new roundabouts, 2.5-acre forest

The Tumwater City Council unanimously approved a 10-year development agreement with Costco Wholesale Corporation for a new store on the southwest corner of Tumwater Boulevard and Interstate 5 during its Nov. 2 meeting. The plan includes the construction of new roundabouts, redesigning exits to the interstate and the extension of nearby roads. Costco also has to set aside more than 2.5 acres of forest on the property to align with the city’s tree protection goals. According to the agreement, the target completion date for the new Costco is Aug. 31, 2028. Community Development Director Brad Medrud told the City Council on Nov. 2 that the property is flanked by Tumwater Boulevard on the north and Prine Drive Southwest to the south. The proposal is for a Costco Wholesale warehouse that will replace the existing facility in Tumwater at 5500 Littlerock Road Southwest. Medrud said the proposal also includes a carwash and a gas station facility. According to previous reporting from The Olympian , Costco proposed building a 166,157-square-foot retail warehouse with more than 1,000 parking spaces as well as a 20-dispenser gas station on a parcel to be created through a boundary line adjustment at 2413 73rd Ave. SW. Costco

Tumwater, WA · 3d

The Olympian

partner publisher · 20.3K followers
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Local airline will fly to Olympia airport for the first time in 22 years

Regional air service is returning to Olympia Regional Airport for the first time in 22 years, the Port of Olympia and SeaPort Airlines jointly announced on Thursday. The airline, which operates nine-person, propeller-powered airplanes, will offer twice-weekly flights between Spokane and Olympia Friday and Sunday afternoons for the Washington state legislative session. The flights begin Jan. 8. Travel between the two destinations is expected to take an hour, according to a news release. One-way fares start at $279. The last commercial air service at Olympia Regional Airport was Big Sky Airlines in 2004, according to the port. SeaPort Airlines is based at Boeing Field in Seattle, and began offering flights between Seattle and Spokane in March, said Chairman and CEO Kent Craford in an interview with The Olympian on Thursday that also included port officials. “So when we launched service in Spokane in March, the first thing we started hearing was: ‘When are you going to go to Olympia?’” said Craford. “And so here we are.” He said they received interest from lawmakers, business groups, trade associations and chambers of commerce about flights to Olympia. “Some of them are here a lot for the session,” he said. “Some of them

Olympia, WA · 2d

thurstontalk.com

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Top Local News – Thurston County – November 6, 2026

Your daily roundup of local news from Thurston County, Washington — covering Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, Tenino, and Rochester. 1. Olympia museum takeover explores Indigenous futures. 📍 Olympia. In Olympia, the Coast Salish Museum of Fine Arts has occupied gallery space at the Thurston County Museum of Fine...

Thurston County, WA · 21h

KIRO 7 Seattle

partner publisher · 169.4K followers

Tumwater to launch four-day work week in 2027

A new four-day workweek pilot begins in January for Tumwater non-union staff, offering flexibility for wage sacrifices.

Tumwater, WA · 1d

fastfoodclub.com

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This Little Shop In Tenino Has Been Handing Washington Families Treasures And Stories For Years

Some small towns hide their best surprises behind ordinary storefronts, and Tenino is one of them. Tucked along a quiet stretch of this Thurston County town sits a shop that feels less like a store and more like a doorway into earlier decades. Old coins, comic books, records, collector knives,...

Tenino, WA · 9d

Tacoma News Tribune

partner publisher · 32.9K followers

New Pierce County grocery store opens soon in former Rite Aid building

A new grocery store in the works for over a year in Pierce County is set to open this month. In a social media post this week, Grocery Outlet announced the store at 22201 Meridian E. in Graham will have its grand opening at 7 a.m. Nov. 19. Monday was the first day of stocking and “setting the store,” according to the post. In early October, the store announced more than 300 people had applied to work at the store. The News Tribune first reported on plans for the store in October 2025 . The building, formerly a Rite Aid, was purchased in May 2025 by an LLC affiliated with Dickerhoof Properties of Corvallis, Oregon. Dickerhoof owns/manages retail property across multiple states. Plans for the Graham site were submitted near the end of July 2025. Another Dickerhoof Properties-affiliated property in Belfair (also a former Rite Aid) saw the opening of a Grocery Outlet last fall. A third new Grocery Outlet that’s been planned for the former Big Lots site at 5401 100th St. SW, Suite 102, is still in the works. Kelie Kahler, media representative for the City of Lakewood, told The News Tribune via email late Tuesday that: “The

Pierce County, WA · 3d

Nisqually Valley News

partner publisher · 2.1K followers

Two projects on Interstate 5 in Thurston County now complete

Two projects to improve the driving surface of Interstate 5 in Thurston County are complete, a news release from the Washington state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced this week.

Thurston County, WA · 23h

thurstontalk.com

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2026 Thurston County Christmas Tree Farm Guide

You’ve sorted your Halloween candy, put your clock back and gotten out the sweaters. The next item on your list is planning the holidays, including where to get your Christmas tree! Lucky for us, Thurston County has some amazing family-owned Christmas tree farms that are perfect for picking out the perfect evergreen. Here is your 2026 guide to Christmas tree farms near Olympia and throughout Thurston County.

Thurston County, WA · 2d

The Chronicle

partner publisher · 21.2K followers

Thurston County Realtors Association helps lead opposition to Home Energy Score program

The Thurston County Realtors Association is doubling down on its opposition to a countywide mandated regional Home Energy Score (HES) program, with its associated political action committee

Thurston County, WA · 23h

KNKX Public Radio

partner publisher · 1.8K followers

Election results for key races in Tacoma and Pierce County

From Tacoma tenants' rights to transit in Pierce County, we have initial results and context on some of the hottest races in the region.

Tacoma, WA · 4d

Tacoma News Tribune

partner publisher · 32.9K followers

New wood-fired pizza restaurant opening this weekend in East Pierce County

Bonney Lake’s newest family-friendly restaurant will open Saturday, Nov. 7, with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. and a raffle to win free pizza for a year. Cascadia Pizza Co ., which started in Enumclaw as a single food truck in 2015, has partnered with a young but ambitious employee, 22-year-old Jacob Andrew, on the new franchise in the Route 410 plaza just east of the roundabout at 224th Avenue East. The company operates four other restaurants in the region and in recent years expanded to franchising in other states including Idaho, Oregon and Arizona with another in Texas en route. The Bonney Lake location will be its first franchise in Washington state, TNT Diner previously reported, and the first in Pierce County but likely not the last. “I started working at Cascadia when I was 16, and I never imagined that six years later I’d be opening my own location,” he said in a press release this week. “I’ve grown up with this company in so many ways. To have the opportunity to take everything I’ve learned and build something of my own is pretty incredible.” The brand is known for wood-fired pies (10-inch personal, $12-$17, or 14-inch large, $21-$29.50)

Bonney Lake, WA · 2d

chamberway.com

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Braun Northwest Celebrates 40 Years of Family-Owned Manufacturing in Lewis County

2026 • Braun Northwest • Business Connections • Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce • Chehalis • John Braun • Lewis County. During a recent tour of Braun Northwest, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the craftsmanship, precision, and attention to detail that go into building each vehicle. One memorable moment was watching Miguel Cerseda Robles focus on his welding work, demonstrating the skill and dedication required at every stage of the process.

Lewis County, WA · 2d

Nisqually Valley News

partner publisher · 2.1K followers

Yelm City Council approves Creek Street improvements, construction management for project

Creek Street will soon see a water main improvement project take place, thanks to Yelm City Council unanimously approving the contract with Active Construction Inc. during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct.

Yelm, WA · 2d

Nisqually Valley News

partner publisher · 2.1K followers

Phase 1 of Yelm's Veterans Park and Memorial Walk, including road improvements, nears completion

Phase 1 of the City of Yelm's Veterans Park and Memorial Walk, which is described as having the potential to be the best memorial in Thurston County, if not Washington state, is officially nearing

Yelm, WA · 2d

Tacoma News Tribune

partner publisher · 32.9K followers

Elementary school evacuated in Pierce County after students find ‘unusual odor'

Staff and students evacuated an elementary school in Spanaway today because of an unusual odor. According to a post from Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, crews went to Naches Trail Elementary School in the 15000 block of Waller Road East at about 7:58 a.m. The school day had not started, but several students who had arrived early noticed the odor and then said they felt ill. Paramedics evaluated the students, then released them to their parents, the post said. Crews also monitored the air throughout the building and said people could re-enter the school safely. While investigating, crews found an illegal outdoor burn in the area, which might have caused the odor, the post said. Crews found the burn and extinguished it. “Bethel School District officials communicated with affected staff and families throughout the incident,” the post said. “Once the building was determined to be safe, students and staff were able to return to school.” CPFR is taking the opportunity to remind residents about the impacts of outdoor burning. “Burning garbage, plastics, treated wood, and other prohibited materials is illegal and releases harmful pollutants into the air. In some areas of our fire district, burning yard waste is prohibited year-round,”

Pierce County, WA · 1d

The Chronicle

partner publisher · 21.2K followers

Chehalis escapes regional budget challenges in 2027

Unlike neighboring local governments, many of which are facing structural deficits as they seek to balance their budgets, Chehalis appears to be in a good spot headed into 2027. Expected

Chehalis, WA · 22h

MyNorthwest.com

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‘They just want good government’: Pierce County Council candidate says voters are tired of us-versus-them politics

Brenda Lykins holds a big lead in the race for the Pierce County Council’s District 7 seat. She said voters sent a clear message: They’re tired of hyperpartisan politics. “They just want good government, good people doing good things, showing basic decency and kindness,” Lykins said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

Pierce County, WA · 2d

The Chronicle

partner publisher · 21.2K followers

Local Wreaths Across America event planned for Dec. 19 at Mountain View Cemetery in Centralia

Local Wreaths Across America volunteers are working hard to ensure that all veterans laid to rest at Mountain View Cemetery in Centralia are honored as part of National Wreaths Across America Day on ...

Centralia, WA · 23h