October 2008 Archives

Greetings One and All!
We hope you are enjoying the Autumn colors this week!
The following is information about a very special Evening in the Blue.

On Saturday, Nov. 1st,
the Blue Bottle will be hosting the Musical Trio,
Just for Fun:
Sonia Peñas, Din Wilkie, Greg Roth.
The evening begins at 7:00 pm with dinner and live music.
Tickets are $30.

This evening is intimate, with limited seating, so hurry down to the Blue Bottle to ensure your "Just for Fun" evening!
Experience an evening of fine wine, fabulous food, and exceptional music!

The Blue Bottle is now serving beer & wine.

Thank You all!

The Blue Bottle
309 Yelm Ave E
Yelm, WA. 98597
360-458-4611
Blue Bottle By Day,
Blue Note By Night

Photo by Steve Klein

This is a photo of Stevens Street looking eastbound from 1st St.

Yelm artist Suzanne Wood will be featured

SCHAFER GALLERY presents

4 WOMEN

Come...
Let us share with you
Our Art
Come drink wine with us
Come listen to music
Come eat food and celebrate
with us!

Featured will be the works of:

- Suzanne Wood Hashim
oil & watercolor

- Rella Schafer
painting & sculpture

- Bon Vernarelli
jewelry & holloware

-Prisca Barnes Dodge
pastels

Saturday, November 1
6 - 9pm

Schafer Gallery
104 Yelm Ave. E.
Yelm, WA. 98597
360-458-5509

Show continues through November 3!

THE HONORABLE MAYOR RON HARDING

October 28, 2008

To Mayor Harding & the Yelm City Council;

Many of you have lived most or all of your lives in Yelm and have given much of your time and energy to serving your friends, neighbors and families in this community each of you so dearly cherish and call home. Certainly being elected as Mayor and City Council is a reflection of the trust this town’s voters have put in your stewardship. That’s why the City’s October 10th Water Press Release and this NVN headline “Lawsuit Ruling: ‘Business as usual” is so baffling to me.

Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham issued his Letter Opinion in the case of JZ Knight vs. the City of Yelm et al on October 7 agreeing with petitioner Knight that the City does not have sufficient water to support the five developments at issue. City attorney Richard Settle is quoted saying he “is pleased and not surprised by Judge Wickham’s favorable decision.”

Favorable decision for the City?

That’s not what the Judge stated when he instructed the City of Yelm needs “to make clear that proof of adequate potable water must be made at the time of final plat approval and not as late as the issuance of a building permit.”

Wickham’s decisions were not mentioned at all by the City or the NVN. Quite the contrary, quoting the Press Release, “To set aside water rights at a time other than building permit does not make sense. In essence, the City would have to set aside water for lots that might not ever be developed,” said Yelm Mayor Ron Harding, who is happy with the decision.

“If the judge had agreed with Knight,” Harding explained, “all growth in Yelm, including the construction of new homes and businesses would stop.”

Reading this, I can either ascertain one of three things happened:

1. The Letter Opinion was not read by the City and Mayor,

2. The Letter Opinion was read and not understood, or

3. The Press Release was a not-so-subtle, calculated and deliberate attempt at subterfuge of the truth and public trust.

All three of these options are not indicative of responsible leaders and the third one is a flagrant violation of the very community you swore to serve.

For City Administrator Badger to say the $145,000 “the city has spent on legal fees responding to Knight’s lawsuit” … boils down to being “ironic that the decision equates to Yelm doing business as usual” strains the credibility of this Chamber & City Hall. The Judge cited the Washington Water Code, the Revised Code of Washington and the Yelm Municipal Code all required by the City to be followed on this issue. If the City would have followed these Codes enacted to protect public welfare, this case would not have been necessary. Myself and others have spoken for years on the record about this issue, all while the City kept defending an interpretation that water would only have to be proven at the building permit phase and not before.

Steve Chamberlain & Doug Bloom’s Letter to the Editor saying they spent “hundreds of thousands of dollars of our hard-earned money in attorney and consultant fees defending our livelihood” shows that they threw their bags in with the City without proper ‘due-diligence’ & foresight. I would never spend my hard-earned money developing land unless I had confirmed from the State that a City could supply the water they say they could, lest I be holding the bag and not be able to recoup my development costs [Ed. Note: The State Dept. of Ecology determines water rights availability for the City, NOT the City of Yelm. Therefore, to rely on the City of Yelm's determination of water rights was a key flaw by these two men in spending their money to develop here. Why did they not go to Ecology first, since they were proposing such large projects requiring alot of water?]

Well, the State Dept. of Ecology in an Amicus Brief signed by the Asst. Attorney General and entered into the record by the Judge states, “the City of Yelm does not currently have sufficient primary water rights to supply the new residences associated with the subject preliminary subdivision approvals.” … “Ecology has the authority to issue enforcement orders and penalties to those who violate the Washington Water Code or the terms and conditions of water rights…. Ecology notes it has the authority to enforce against the City of Yelm if it exceeds its water limitations.”

Business as usual?

Perhaps, if subterfuge, not coming clean with the public and giving the city’s newspaper of record a less than complete Press Release of the Judge’s Opinion are ways City Hall continues to conduct itself in this case.

Frankly, I have not seen such a black eye bestowed upon this city since this Council voted to restrict the public from mentioning the word “Wal-Mart” in its chambers in 2005.

Judge Wickham’s decision is expected next week making his Letter final. Then, will the City conduct “business as usual?”

Sincerely,

Steve Klein
Yelm

[Ed. Note: When I sat down, Mayor Harding said,
"I want to say this for the record.
The NVN received the Judge's Letter as well,
and came to the same conclusion as the City."

Sounds like the City should consider a new attorney and if "Business as usual" is going to be the direction Mayor Harding is going to lead, the City would be wise to increase their budget for more litigation and attorney fees!]

Record low temperatures were noted in Yelm on
Oct 11 - 30 degrees
Oct 15 - 29 degrees
Oct 21 - 32 degrees
Oct 22 - 30 degrees
Oct 23 - 33 degrees
Oct 24 - 30 degrees

Olympia Municipal Airport's record 28 degrees on Oct. 11 broke the former record low of 29 set in 1994.

At the last Yelm City Council Meeting, the Council members were told the recycle bins are being removed in Yelm because even with home recycling, the demand has not slackened here and the county feels businesses are using the Yelm facility that should be paying for their own recycling and that there should be some reduction in flow at that facility because of home recycling and there has not been .
Also cited was the cost to the CIty of Yelm in maintenance workers having to attend to the garbage left at the site and the clean-up of an unsightly area.

The NVN on this story: CLICK HERE

UPDATE OCTOBER 31, 2008
"Free recycling options shrink
Five blue box locations in county to close Jan. 1,"
quoting The Olympian.

It’s official:

Bar Cinco is closing its doors on Sunday, November 2.

"It’s been so great to meet the many wonderful people who frequent Bar 5! We appreciate your support and will fondly remember the good times we’ve shared with you. Be sure to stop in during the next two weeks to enjoy some tapas, beverages and say goodbye.

If you’re a wine lover, join us on Tuesday. All bottles are offered at one-half price. Try a special wine or enjoy your regular favorite at a discount.

Upcoming Events

Friday, October 31: Halloween Party. Show-off your best costume and win a prize! Music by Eclipse starts around 8:30 pm.

Saturday, November 1: Paella Party. Will begin serving meat and seafood paella at 6:30 pm and will continue till it’s gone. Make your reservation soon (360 400-9000).

Notable Notes
Tuesday thru Friday - Happy Hour from opening till 6pm - $1 discount on all Bar Cinco Specialty Drinks and 50¢ discount on all beers
• Tuesday - 50% off on all bottles of wine. Try a special wine at a discount
• Free Internet Access"

Bar Cinco
704 W Yelm Avenue
Yelm WA 98597
(360) 400-9000
www.barcinco.net

THE YELM COMMUNITY BLOG WISHES LYNNE AND HER TEAM WELL ON THEIR NEXT ADVENTURES & THANK THEM FOR BRINGING THEIR UNIQUE FLAVORS TO YELM!

FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY-BASED SALMON RESTORATION

"The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) are pleased to announce another round of funding for the Nisqually Community Salmon Fund. The Nisqually Community Salmon Fund awards grants of up to $75,000 for smaller-scale, community-based restoration projects that reflect the goals of local salmon recovery strategies.

The goals of the Nisqually Community Salmon Fund are to:
• Fund habitat protection and restoration projects that have a substantial benefit to watershed health and are consistent with local salmon recovery plans.
• Encourage landowners, business owners, and community groups to become engaged in salmon habitat conservation and stewardship.
• Stimulate creativity and leadership among various constituencies to address conservation needs, especially farmers, rural forest landowners, suburban homeowners, businesses, and industries.

Eligible costs under the Nisqually Community Salmon Fund are:
• Restoration of habitat within and along salmon-bearing rivers, streams, and the marine nearshore.
• Project design and development that is anticipated to lead to an on-the-ground restoration project within 18 months.
• Creative partnerships for salmon recovery that address the eventual implementation of restoration work. (Examples of eligible projects under this category include: coordinating a farmers’ group interested in riparian restoration, organizing salmon workshops with streamside businesses, or doing targeted outreach to neighborhood groups to explore local restoration options. The goal of these activities is to engage new communities in salmon recovery and enlist prospective landowners willing to participate in on-the-ground restoration work.)
• Maintenance of previously awarded Community Salmon Fund projects. Grantees of projects funded under previous CSF rounds are encouraged to apply for funds to conduct on-site maintenance of CSF-funded project activities and deliverables.

Applications for the Nisqually Community Salmon Fund are due November 12th, 2008. Applicants will be notified of the results by January 12th, 2009. Please note: Funded projects must be completed by September 30th, 2010.

For more information about the Community Salmon Fund application process, contact Brian Ferrasci-O’Malley with Evergreen Funding Consultants (bferrasci-omalley@evergreenfc.com) at (206) 691-0700. For information about local salmon recovery priorities, please contact Jeanette Dorner (jdorner@nwifc.org), Nisqually Lead Entity Coordinator at (360) 438-8687. This document and links to the application form are available at http://www.nfwf.org/csf/srfb/nisqually."

Great tips from KING-5 News:
1. Use insulation made from denim scraps. One brand is called Ultra Touch. Just place it in uninsulated walls and watch your savings increase. "This is green insulation, even greener than usual because it's made of denim scraps. It comes from a blue jean factory," said Tom Watson, King Co. EcoConsumer.

2. Use a Kill-a-Watt Meter. Plug your appliances into the $25 device and it will tell you how much energy you are using. This will help you find the "energy vampires," or appliances that use the most energy.

3. Use a vacancy sensor. "These automatically turn the lights off when somebody isn't in the room," Watson said. "It's great if you have teenagers."

4. Burn incense and watch where the smoke blows. "Well this is just simple incense, it's a neat little trick because what it can do, it can show you where your leaks are," said Rem Husted, of PSE. Just wave it around windows, and where the smoke blows toward you, there's a leak.

5. A programmable thermostat is easily installed and saves big on power use when you're in bed or not home."

The Yelm Chamber of Commerce has introduced a new, electronic newsletter.
Check it out: Click here.

The Yelm Community Blog is a proud Chamber of Commerce member and supporter.

"Winds of change may be blowing right through your neighborhood. Whatcom County is considering allowing home owners to set up large turbines on their property, but in some places people are putting smaller turbines on their roofs to generate energy. Can this earth-friendly way of producing power for yourself also put some green back in your wallet? KING 5's Mimi Jung reports."

RETAIL SALES UP IN YELM - WAL-MART OPENING CITED
"Taxable retail sales in Thurston County dropped nearly 6 percent in the second quarter compared with 2007, another blow to South Sound's economy at a time when some local governments are considering layoffs to offset lost revenue.

Signs of a slower economy appeared in the first quarter of the year, when the county's taxable retail sales fell 1.3 percent, according to state Department of Revenue data. It was the first decline in 13 years.

In the second quarter, taxable retail sales in the county fell 5.61 percent to $1.01 billion from $1.07 billion in the same period in 2007...

In Yelm, the site of a new Wal-Mart, retail sales generated by general merchandise stores shot up 391 percent to $9.62 million from $1.95 million, according to the second-quarter data," quoting The Olympian.

The Olympian noted in the same story consistent growth with "retail sales in Lacey generated by "sporting goods" soared 246 percent to $16.2 million from $4.68 million. Clothing and clothing accessory retail sales also jumped more than 220 percent in the second quarter.

The outdoors store Cabela's and department store Kohl's opened in Lacey last fall."

[Ed Note: This is impressive sales growth. Wise to keep in mind though that Wal-Mart opened in July 2007, so while retail sales are up overall in Yelm because of Wal-Mart's opening, a better comparison will be when the fourth quarter sales figures are released comparing year-over-year with an open Wal-Mart here for the full quarter. In the third quarter of 2008, Yelm had no Two Friend's Bistro or Arnold's Country Inn, while a KFC and Japanese restaurant opened.]

THE SEPTEMBER, 2008 ECOLOGIST MAGAZINE SAID WAL-MART AFFECTS CITIES WHERE A NEW STORE IS OPENED:
"Researchers at the University of Chicago used survey and market data to assess the impact of a new Wal-mart store, built in one of the city's neighborhoods in 2006. They found that the wal-Mart store 'displace(d) a significant amount of sales from its home zip code' and that 'proximity to Wal-Mart may have increased the probability that a business closed during the first year of Wal-Mart's operation.'
CLICK HERE to read the study.

HEAR YELM WAL-MART PICKETERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Andrew Wright and Lisa Fitkin of Nisqually Media interviewed the local Wal-Mart picketers.
Hear their comments in their own words. CLICK HERE.
And, the NVN's spin on this story, CLICK HERE.
The New Rules site speaks to "The Hometown Advantage of reviving locally owned business" and lists the damage a Wal-Mart does over time to small cities and towns. CLICK HERE

MAYOR COMMENTS ON YELM WEATHERING THIS ECONOMY
Mayor Harding said in his column in the Oct. 17 NVN,
"The largest source of revenue for the city is sales taxes, collected through purchases made at local businesses.... As our tax revenue drop, so does the ability to provide those services [police, fire, maintenance for parks, streets & neighborhoods]...
We can weather a downturn in the economy and continue to provide vital city services. The City of Yelm continues down a healthy, fiscally conservative road."

I CERTAINLY HOPE SO, HOWEVER LET'S SEE FOURTH QUARTER RETAIL SALES STATISTICS WHEN WE CAN VIEW A FULL 2007 QUARTER WITH A YELM WAL-MART OPEN COMPARED WITH 2008.

That said, KING-5 News in Seattle reports today "More Americans worried about economy"
&
MSNBC reports today in top headlines:
Planning for 'Greater Depression'
"Special report: From hoarding food and bullets to learning how to sew, some Americans are preparing for even worse economic times."
&
Survivalists hunker down [Excellent Video]
"While many Americans are worried about the tough economic times, Rob, an urban survivalist in Seattle says he’s preparing his family for the worst-case scenario."

Regarding the NVN front-page story last week concerning the case of JZ Knight vs City of Yelm et al titled "Lawsuit Ruling: Business as usual", the NVN article presented one issue that was resolved in Court and agreed by all. However, totally omitted was what Judge Wickham had to say in his Letter Opinion dated October 7, 2008 about the second issue that was the crux of the case.
Also interesting that the Mayor did not address this issue in the NVN story either.
Did the NVN & the Mayor not read the Judge's letter?

One has to wonder why this was omitted, especially since this is the part of the Judge's Opinion with which Developers Bloom & Chamberlain have issue when they wrote the NVN last week,
"Recently, we spent hundreds of thousands of our hard-earned money in attorney and consultant fees defending our livelihood.
Other local developers.builders and the city also spent an equivalent amount and for what?"

For what, they ask?
That was presented by Knight's attorney before a Hearing Examiner in Yelm and the Yelm City Council in 2007, which has now been addressed by the Thurston County Superior Court -
to get the City of Yelm to follow the laws of the State of Washington on water.
[Ed. Note: Bloom & Chamberlain knew all along there was not enough water to support these developments, as they have been feverishly attempting to acquire water rights for their properties for a couple of years now. Did they just go along and trust the City, expecting no one would be perceptive that there was not enough water or go to Superior Court if they did notice? Wise developers should make absolutely certain the city has the water available before committing on any development. Otherwise, they may sink alot of money into a project, not be permitted to build and accrue out-of-pocket expenses they may never be able to recoup.]

Judge Wickham noted the second issue was the one in dispute, which is:
"what level of proof of adequate potable water must be shown to allow the development?"
"The Washington Water Code requires that Ecology determine whether water sought is physically and legally available for use."

The Judge stated "Petitioner [Knight] has presented evidence...to support its position that the City has been issuing building permits since 2001 that committed it to the supply of water in excess of its water rights."

The State Dept. of Ecology agreed with Knight and also presented documented records of the city's shortfall saying,
"At present, therefore, the City (Yelm) does not have 'a potable water supply adequate to serve the development.'"

Further, Ecology put the City of Yelm on-notice in this case by saying in its Brief to the Court:
"Notwithstanding, Ecology is interested in highlighting the problem of granting a preliminary plat that defers securing potable water supply to the building permit stage, where there is insufficient water to supply the proposed development. Ecology notes that it has the authority to enforce against the City of Yelm if it exceeds its water limitations. However, Ecology is attempting to be proactive in this matter so as to present possible water right violations by the City of Yelm..."

The Judge quoted the following as guidelines:
"RCW 58.17.110 provides, inter alia, that
(2) A proposed subdivision...shall not be approved unless the city,
town, or county legislative body makes written findings that: (a)
Appropriate provisions are made for...potable water supplies...; and
(b) the public use and interest will be served by the platting of such subdivision and dedication.

The Yelm Municipal Code (YMC) provides:
A proposed subdivision and any dedication shall not be approved unless
the decision-maker makes written findings that:
A. Appropriate provisions are made for the public health, safety, and general welfare and for...potable water supplies."

Judge Wickham further wrote:
"So it is clear that the City must make findings of "appropriate provisions" for potable water supplies in this case by the time of final plat approval.

If the determination were to be made today on this record, this Court would conclude the City would have to require a showing of approved and available water right sufficient to serve all currently approved and to-be approved subdivisions. The "reasonable expectation" based on historical City's suggested finding potable water would be considered insufficient to satisfy this condition."

This case has nothing to do with stopping or limiting development, rather to direct the City to follow the laws of:
the Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
the Yelm Municipal Code (YMC)
the Washington Water Code
and that a determination of 'appropriate provision' [of water] are a condition of preliminary plat approval and must be provided at final plat approval.

The NVN said:
"To date, the city has spent $145,000 on legal fees responding to Knight’s lawsuit.

That amount does not include staff hours.

'In light of the vast time and money dedicated to this case,' said City Administrator Shelly Badger in a press release, 'it is ironic that the decision equates to Yelm doing business as usual.'

'The permitting process isn’t changed.'"

All of the legal fees were expended by the City to support its contention that it does not have to prove water availability until the building permit phase, rather than prior to that at the final plat phase. The City Council upheld that stand when this case came before them last year. Since Yelm was not following state standards for protecting water resources and the public, a petitioner's course of redress is to the Superior Court, which is what Ms. Knight did.

Mayor Harding can say this is "business as usual", however to quote Knight's attorney Keith Moxon,
"The Judge agreed with JZ Knight that a "reasonable expectation" (Yelm's current wording to approve developments' water rights acquisition in the future) is not sufficient to meet the legal requirement of making "appropriate provisions" for a potable water supply.

JZ Knight is grateful that this Judge carefully reviewed the record of the city's actions and determined that the city's approach to approving development without provision for potable water is not lawful.

Hopefully, the City of Yelm will now make arrangements to stay within its water rights and approve new development only when it has an adequate water supply."

The Judge will sign a formal order to put this decision in effect the week of Nov. 4th.
Read Judge Wickham's October 7th Letter Opinion in the case of JZ Knight vs. City of Yelm et al for yourself!

UPDATE, Oct. 20th at 2:25pm
This writer asked this morning and just received the City of Yelm Water Press Release dated October 10, 2008 from where I quote:
"'To set aside water rights at a time other than building permit does not make sense. In essence, the City would have to set aside water for lots that might not ever be developed,' said Yelm Mayor Ron Harding, who is happy with the decision.

'If the judge had agreed with Knight,' Harding explained, 'all growth in Yelm, including the construction of new homes and businesses would stop.'

'With the economic challenges we are facing, both nationally and locally, continued development is essential to maintain a healthy community,' Harding concluded."

Mr. Mayor, did you not read Judge Wickham's Letter Opinion about the 5 subdivisions as quoted above???
Bottom line: Water has to be proven to be available for these 5 subdivisions at final plat. If not, then construction in these developments cannot move forward.

Therefore, the City's Press Release and quotes from Mayor Harding & City Administrator Badger are not-so-subtle, calculated and deliberate attempts at subterfuge of the truth and public trust. Quoting only the city's own Press Release and not Judge Wickham's Opinion Letter is indicative of the newspaper's complicity, too, which is no surprise...

Yelm-area residents Sabine Palinckx and Sandra Betel-McLean have just launched their new website:
The Brain Wizard.

The website offers the latest information about the Human Brain in easy-to-understand language and Brain Training Games for all ages. They have found that children love to play Brain Games, however the set-up is for all ages, so there are different levels on which you can train.


All feedback is welcome and they will keep expanding and making the site better, continuously.

"Improving Paradise with a new $22 million visitor center"
The new $22 million visitor center, in the upper parking lot at Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park, opens Friday [Oct. 10].

But the change doesn't end there...

The new center will feature brand-new, state-of-the-art displays and a new, 22-minute movie about the park. The exhibits are the result of eight years of work and $2 million, said Patti Wold, park exhibit specialist," quoting The Olympian.

"Energy efficiency improves with new Mount Rainier visitor center"
"Friday's opening of the new Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center will complete a nearly $50 million, nine-year transformation of Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park," quoting The Olympian.

Coming Monday, October 20, 2008
07:00 PM
CAPITOL THEATER
206 5th Ave SE Olympia, WA 98503

Monday, October 20 - SPSCC (BRICK) and OUUC Social Justice Presents
Guest Speaker and Author Antonia Juhasz “The Tyranny of Oil: the World’s Most Powerful Industry, and What We Must Do To Stop It”
6:30pm doors/7:00pm show
$7.00 Students/ $10.00 General Admission
Advance tickets available online at www.buyolympia.com, or at the box office night of show.
ALL AGES
"Juhasz discusses how Big Oil manages to hide its business dealings from policy makers, legislators, and most of all, consumers. She investigates the true state of the U.S. oil industry, uncovering its virtually unparalleled global power and it’s influence over our elected officials. She reveals to us both why and what we can do about it.
Ticket sales benefit the local GI Coffee House.
To learn about the author: www.thebushagenda.net

Why are oil and gas prices so high?

Who's really controlling those prices?

How much oil is left?

How far will Big Oil go to get it?

And at what cost to the environment, human rights, the economy, worker safety, public health, and democracy?

The answers aren't what you think. They're much worse. But there's also plenty that we can do about it.

As oil prices—and public outrage—skyrocket, Antonia Juhasz, a leading industry critic and expert on corporations and globalization, gives us the hardest-hitting exposé of the oil industry in decades. In The Tyranny of Oil she investigates the true state of the U.S. oil industry—uncovering its virtually unparalleled global power, influence over our elected officials, and lack of regulatory oversight, as well as the truth behind $150-a-barrel oil, $4.50-a-gallon gasoline, and the highest profit in corporate history. Exposing an industry that thrives on secrecy, Juhasz shows how Big Oil manages to hide its business dealings from policy makers, legislators, and, most of all, consumers. She reveals exactly how Big Oil gets what it wants—through money, influence, and lies.

The Tyranny of Oil offers both a new take on problems and a new set of solutions as Juhasz puts forward an immediate call to action—a formula for reining in the industry, its governmental lobbying power, environmental destruction, and violence while reducing global dependence on oil. Her thought-provoking answers to the most pressing energy questions speak directly to readers concerned about oil and gas prices, global warming, wars for oil, and America's place in the world. With the major players in the world's most powerful industry charged with collusion, price-gouging, anticompetitive behavior, and unabashed greed, Juhasz calls boldly for the breakup of Big Oil."

"Thurston and Mason counties parks and conservation projects would receive millions of dollars in state grants under a ranking put out by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office today [Sep. 26.].

In the 2009 legislative session, the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition will work to sustain the $100 million to fund as many of the projects as possible.

Thurston County projects that would receive funding include:

•Woodard Bay NRCA, almost $1.3 million: Additional acreage, including shoreline, will enhance riparian habitat in a rapidly developing residential area.

•Black River Ranch, almost $1.2 million: Protects a 725-acre dairy farm containing wetlands, floodplain, riparian and upland habitat.

•Black River Conservation Initiative, $920,180: Protects 330 acres of riparian and 70 acres of associated upland habitat.

•Ward Lake Acquisition, $750,000, Olympia: 9 acres for public swimming beach.

•South Sound Prairie and Grassland Bald Hill Restoration, $270,380: Restores south Puget Sound grasslands threatened by invasive plant species.

•Tenino City Park Expansion, $57,500: 6.27 acres of land provides a trail corridor, wildlife habitat, birdwatching and environmental education," quoting The Olympian.

Reported here on March 13, 2008 was this story titled,
"JZ Knight challenges City of Yelm’s approval of five proposed subdivisions" [Tahoma Terra Phase II, Divisions 5 & 6; Windshadow I; Windshadow II; Wyndstone; and Berry Valley I].
"Knight files Land Use Petition in Superior Court of Washington citing lack of available water resources to meet current & existing demand."

Update:
The case started in July, 2007 in front of the Yelm Hearing Examiner and continued through appeals to the Yelm City Council and State Superior Court. The hearing on the merits of the case came before Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 in Olympia.

Judge Wickham listened to the points filed by attorneys for JZ Knight, the petitioner and attorneys for the City of Yelm and the land developers, the respondents. The Judge's Letter Opinion was issued on October 7, 2008.
Read Judge Wickham's October 7th Letter Opinion in the case of JZ Knight vs. City of Yelm et al for yourself!

Fact:
The City has to provide water to its citizens according to its legal entitlements under the water laws of the State. Those legal entitlements are allocated to the City by way of certificated water rights that are issued and administered by the State of Washington Dept. of Ecology (DOE).

The Issue:
At issue between the City, the developers & Knight is when and in what form those water resources must be presented as a condition of development approval by the city to a developer, and then proven as a resource to that development.

Petitioner - JZ Knight:
In a statement issued by Keith Moxon, attorney for petitioner Knight, he states that just a 'reasonable expectation' of potable water [the City's language they are defending] is not sufficient to meet the legal requirement of making 'appropriate provisions' for a potable water supply."

Respondents - City of Yelm & developers:
The City of Yelm and the developers have been arguing that the City does not need to have DOE approved water rights at the time of subdivision approval. The City claimed it is sufficient to have a "reasonable expectation" of getting them by the time building permits for homes are issued. However the time between a subdivision's approval and issuance of a permit to build a house in that subdivision can be years, and in that time, many conditions can change, including water availability. The Judge cited in the courtroom the abrupt downturn in the economy as but one example of how quickly a situation can change. He asked how the City can know years down the road if water can be provided at the building permit phase, yet after a development has been approved and the developers are long gone. In his questioning, he got City of Yelm attorney Richard Settle to agree water is a finite resource.

Washington State Dept. of Ecology:
As a unique aspect of this case, the DOE requested to provide information to the Court by way of an Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) Brief. The Judge acknowledged this request and allowed such a brief to be admitted into the record. Petitioner Knight, the Judge and the DOE all agreed that the City does not even have water rights to cover existing water usage, let alone enough for new subdivision developments.

Bottom Line:
Appropriate provisions must be proven before final approval of any subdivision. The City has been in denial that they have to prove anything other than a "reasonable expectation" of water availability before a building permit is issued, at some point long after final subdivision approval.

To the contrary, the Judge agreed with Petitioner Knight that a "reasonable expectation" of potable water is not sufficient to meet the legal requirement of making "appropriate provisions" for a potable water supply. The Judge required the City to prove it has an adequate water supply at the time of final plat approval for these five subdivisions.

What's next:
The Judge will sign a formal order to put this decision in effect within a week or two.

The Olympian has this to say on this case:
"JZ Knight wins land-use appeal
Planned housing blocked; judge cites lack of water right"

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

"Nisqually Stream Stewards are seeking volunteers for a morning of planting on Saturday, October 18, from 9 a.m. to noon on Tanwax Creek.

The plantings along Tanwax Creek, a tributary to the Nisqually River, will restore important riparian habitat. The project will take place on private property and is part of a large restoration project that will involve hundreds of students and volunteers.

Be advised that there are no restroom facilities on site. Planting will take place rain or shine, so please dress appropriately. Proper footwear is also recommended. Tools, gloves, and refreshments will be provided.

Nisqually Stream Stewards is a volunteer program organized by the Nisqually Tribe for people living in the Nisqually watershed who want to help protect and improve the stream health. Nisqually Stream Stewards monitor the health of their local stream and help with projects that improve stream health, such as removing invasive grass from stream channels or planting trees along stream banks.

WHAT: Tanwax Creek planting

WHERE: Off of Highway 702 near Tanwax Creek.

WHEN: Saturday, October 18
9 a.m. to noon

Nisqually Stream Stewards and the Nisqually Land Trust are seeking volunteers for a morning of planting
along the Nisqually River and will restore important riparian habitat. The project will take place on the Wilcox Family Farm property and is part of a large restoration project that has involved hundreds of students and volunteers.

Volunteers will first gather at the Wilcox Family Farms main office parking lot on Harts Lake Valley Rd. near Roy. Be advised that there are no restroom facilities on site. Planting will take place rain or shine, so please dress appropriately. Gloves and proper footwear are also recommended. Tools and refreshments will be provided.

WHAT: Salmon habitat restoration plantings

WHEN: Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

WHERE: Meet at 40400 Harts Lake Valley Rd
Roy, Washington

To volunteer for the planting, contact Don Perry at (360) 438 8687 or perry.don@nisqually-nsn.gov

Now that the Yelm Ave. West reconstruction has been completed except for painting the lines, have you noticed that the traffic back-ups are still prevalent every morning & afternoon on this road?

The new center turn lane and repaving is not assisting in handling the traffic, as this writer said many times previously.There is still only one lane in and one lane out of town on this road, so expect further delays.

Interesting that Yelm's City Council put almost half of the construction of Yelm Ave. West on the backs of property owners along Yelm Ave & Killion Roads via a developer-requested LID. This passed because of a presentation that property values along the newly paved areas would increase because of the road improvements and those property owners should pay for the expectation of property value increases via road construction taxes on their property. Now we have decreasing property values and those property owners are left "holding the bag" in having to pay those higher taxes, all-the-while watching property values tumble.
Yet Yelm drivers are still stuck in traffic!

We have a Mayor & City Council that support and approve almost every new development presented to them, while the repercussions of their decisions keep multiplying on the infrastructure here: roads, water, water recharge infiltration, etc.
Mayor Harding is on-record saying most of the traffic is caused from outside of the City of Yelm. If that is so, that is still no reason to not consider locally resolving the impacts that traffic has on Yelm and his constituents' businesses.
While Yelm's road improvements such as the inner loop are very much commended and welcome, this city has relied far too long on an unfunded State Bypass to mitigate Yelm's pass-through traffic. We certainly have seen the same issue on Yelm Ave. East with back-ups there common almost everyday from 5 Corners back to Gordon's, again with only a center turn lane added to assist with traffic flow; no mitigation in road capacity, even with the inner loop near completion.
The 2009 legislature is the next time a funding package will be discussed in Olympia. I serious question that this road will get funding any time soon, what with a global financial meltdown and greatly decreasing gas, property and sales tax receipts into city, county and state coffers.
Even if the Bypass is funded next year, Yelm won't cut the ribbon on that road until 2015.

What do we do until then?

I have offered several suggestions including:
- widening Yelm Ave. to 5 lanes
- making Washington St. a one-way street eastbound from Longmire while and making Yelm Ave West a one-way street westbound from 507 to Longmire
- making the Yelm Ave. center turn lane a contra-flow lane during rush hour
all to no avail.

I find the Oct. 10 Letter to the Editor published in the NVN by a local Christian Pastor inferring about me to be ridiculous & misplaced: "[Klein is] representing the community, yet constantly is costing the community more and more money by functioning as a self-appointed obstructionist".

As has been reported by the local media many times, people avoid coming to Yelm to shop because of the traffic. And that does not bode well for our commercial businesses in this economic downturn. Even Rep. Tom Campbell has stated at his Yelm Town Hall he does not like having to pass through Yelm's traffic and uses alternates to bypass the city enroute to Olympia!

What has truly cost this community are only an inner loop, a center turn lane on Yelm Ave. and an unfunded Bypass to handle this community's approved growth & pass-through traffic. People avoid Yelm because the traffic has not been properly mitigated. Ask any business owner and they will tell you their customers have issues coming to Yelm to shop because of the traffic.

Am I an obstructionist or Mayor-labeled "anti-growth"?
Hardly, I am neither except in the eyes of beholders; the fine pastor, Mayor and city officials!
Rather, I have called for growth to cease or slow significantly until the infrastructure can be properly provided to support such an influence on our area. Why is that idea so repulsive? What about the impact of growth for growth's sake on our area's future environment and what we leave our children?

The economic meltdown is already the vehicle that is slowing the growth here, like it or not. Yet the current traffic load remains.

NVN Editor/Publisher Graves called my letter last week a threat to local business owners and said "that kind of talk smacks of schoolyard bullying and has no place in an otherwise healthy, open dialogue".

I assert that Mr. Graves is the true schoolyard bully by printing on the front page such divisive comments from a city official about his alleged RSE experiences over 18 years ago.
That's news?
That deserves a front-page story?
Where was the story about the City of Yelm being a Thurston County Superior Court defendant on Oct. 1st about water availability for homes and businesses here. Why does that not merit NVN coverage on which the outcome WILL affect this area? Why was their reporter not in the courtroom, yet writing about Cunningham's video instead? HMMM!

1. Newspaper reader Roy Johnson wrote the NVN last week and said,
"I don't know about the rest of the population in our fine little village of Yelm, but if Knight/Ramtha devotees such as (former Yelm mayor candidate) Steve Klein and (legislative candidate) JeanMarie Christenson expect my support, they have a long wait coming.

Am I really to believe that these politicians have the common sense and brains to lead our community when they got suckered into believing this Ramtha story is true?"

Mr. Johnson, Glen Cunningham is a former, elected City Council member & RSE student. And, a current & several former RSE students are in elected or appointed positions now serving our community.

If this community is going to judge those who wish to serve the public because of their association with Ramtha's School, then how can Cunningham's views, interactions and associations with others be overlooked as being without influence, either?
Can his derogatory views about RSE be separated from his role as President-elect of the Yelm Chamber of Commerce or any other public post in which he serves?

2. As an example, as President-elect of the Yelm Chamber of Commerce, shouldn't Cunningham be the representative of ALL Chamber members? Why is the Chamber's President-elect condemning ANY Chamber member, especially long-time Patron Member RSE, when he is quoted by the NVN saying, '..he [Cunningham] warns people how it is so they “don’t waste their money' [by going to RSE]"?
Is this kind of behavior towards a local business and it's patrons not schoolyard bullying?

Bottom line: There was NO intent on my part to hurt any business, rather to expose the hypocrisy of a city official and support of the local newspaper.

You can't have it both ways!

[My letter to the NVN is printed under comments below for those that did not see it in the NVN.]

"Gov. Chris Gregoire today [Oct. 7] announced actions that will save $330 million in the current budget, increasing the budget surplus for the biennium that ends June 30, 2009, to more than $850 million.

In response to a slowing national economy, Gregoire directed the state Office of Financial Management in September to find more savings to add to the $90 million being saved through freezes announced in August on hiring, out-of-state travel, personal service contracts and equipment purchases. Gregoire originally asked OFM for savings of $200 million, but because the national economic turmoil shows no sign of dissipating, the governor felt it prudent to expand those savings to $240 million. These actions will save the state $330 million in the current budget.

In addition to the savings in the current budget, the governor’s actions will save an additional $605 million in the 2009–11 budget. Together with the state’s current $850 million surplus, these steps will almost halve what is projected to be an approximate $3.2 billion shortfall in 2011.

'As a result of the continued slowing of the national economy, I am taking additional action to reduce spending now,' Gregoire said. 'These savings, when combined with fiscally responsible initiatives such as the Rainy Day Fund and adjustments to spending over the past few months, leave us with more money in the bank today and cut the projected 2011 shortfall nearly in half.'...

The governor noted that unlike the 30 states that have deficits, Washington state now has a budget surplus," quoting the Governor's Press Release.

“Don't Vote"
"Sarah Silverman and Jonah Hill can make even a voting PSA funny.”

EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD SEE THIS VIDEO.

WORTH THE 5 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME...

NEW RESIDENTS IN WASHINGTON STILL HAVE TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.

"Health, prosperity, safety and security are all desirable aspects when it comes to seeking a place to live, work or raise a family. According to our fourth annual Most Secure U.S. Places to Live rankings from Farmers Insurance Group of Companies®, the mid-size city that best meets those qualifications is Olympia, WA.," quoting Yahoo.com.

"Olympia, WA. is the most secure mid-size city (population between 150,000 and 500,000). The state capital has become a hub for artists and musicians. The extremely clean air and the long life expectancy of Olympia's residents aided its lofty ranking."

While the aforementioned story was posted on Yahoo on September 28th, Bert Sperling wrote this story for his "Sperling's Best Places" earlier this year, which was posted on the Thurston County Economic Development Council website on January 3, 2008.

"The Olympia area has moved up to eighth place nationally on Forbes magazine’s best places to do business list. South Sound was ranked 10th on last year’s list," quoting The Olympian on the Yelm Community Blog in March of this year.

Honeybees are disappearing all over the world......but not in Yelm!

Thanks to around forty people who started as beekeepers last spring, we from the Yelm area were blessed with around 4 to 5 millions more honeybees working our vegetables, fruit trees, herbs, berries and flowers this summer, contributing to our abundant harvest.

You might become a new beekeeper as well and join the people who made a big step forward towards self-sufficiency.

Come to the class by Master Beekeeper Thomas Mani

Friday, October 10th, 7-9 pm in Gordon's Grange
(Downtown Yelm beside Gordon's Garden Centers Patio and Gift shop, 308 Yelm Ave E, costs $10)

to find out what it takes to get started as a beekeeper.
We will be offering continuous classes over the coming year every 4 to 6 weeks,
which will make you ready to get started in spring 09 and guide you through the year of a beekeeper.

If you know other people that are interested, bring them along!

Have a glimpse of what might expect you next spring on this Beyond the Ordinary internet radio interview.

Sincerely,
Thomas Mani

Check out our website for honeybee products, beekeeping classes and tree seeds.

SEVERAL STORIES IN RECENT DAYS SHOW THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN WILL SOON AFFECT YELM!

1. "Quadrant to lay off 45 because of slow home sales"

"In response to sagging sales of new homes, Quadrant Homes says, it will lay off 45 employees.
Bellevue-based Quadrant is a subsidiary of the Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Co.

Quadrant builds new homes throughout Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area, including South Sound,"
quoting The Olympian.

2. “Home prices tumble by sharpest annual rate
Closely watched index falls 16.3 percent in July from the year-ago period”

"A closely watched index released Tuesday [Sept. 30] showed U.S. home prices tumbling by the sharpest annual rate ever in July, but the rate of monthly declines is slowing.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city housing index fell a record 16.3 percent in July from the year-ago month, the largest drop since its inception in 2000. The 10-city index plunged 17.5 percent, its biggest decline in its 21-year history.

Prices in the 20-city index have plummeted nearly 20 percent since peaking in July 2006. The 10-city index has fallen more than 21 percent since its peak in June 2006, quoting the AP.

3. "Demand rises as many wait out housing market
Few vacancies push rent cost higher in Thurston County"

"South Sound apartment vacancies remain tight and rents continue to rise, according to a fall survey of the Puget Sound apartment market...

Because the housing market is slower, more higher-end houses that can't be sold are becoming rentals and pushing average rents higher, Seth said...

Powell noted that Thurston County's vacancy rate was lower than the overall Puget Sound vacancy rate of 4.8 percent, according to the survey," quoting The Olympian.


4. "Americans eye bailout, and continue cutting back"

"Many Americans spent an uneasy weekend wondering whether the rescue would help in time - or at all - and trying to figure out where next to cut back as the economic screws tighten.

Would financing come through for the new washing machine? Could the old car hold out another year? Would a nice dinner out bust the budget?

'People are afraid,' said Linda Morrow, who owns a shoe and handbag store in a Dallas mall. 'People basically don't know what the future will bring. They're afraid to spend. They want to see what the bailout will do. They're waiting till after the election,'" quoting KING-5 News.

Bottom line:
Towns, cities, and states need to trim and greatly reduce their budgets and quick or they will soon find themselves in deep financial trouble due to the inability to collect property taxes. State & city sales tax revenues will be down, as well, and significantly.

WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE CITY OF YELM BUDGET HOLDS, AS THE CITY OF ROY HAS GONE BROKE, THURSTON COUNTY IS HAVING MAJOR CUTBACKS DUE TO A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT AND THE TIMBERLAND REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM HAS A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL AND HAS TO GO TO THE VOTERS FOR A LEVY.

REASON THIS:
IF HOME SALES HAVE SLOWED, AND HOME PRICES AND APPRAISALS ARE TUMBLING, THEN THE TAX REVENUES FROM THESE TWO SOURCES ALONE ARE GOING TO TUMBLE, AS WELL. YELM HAS BEEN SPENDING ALOT OF MONEY THESE LAST FEW YEARS AND FROM THE RESERVE FUND! STORM CLOUDS ARE GATHERED ON THE HORIZON

Yelm Timberland Regional Library
Photo courtesy of Guustaaf Damave

"The Timberland Regional Library system will ask voters for more in property taxes in the February 2009 election.

'We've never asked the voters for an increase in our levy,' executive director Jodi Reng said Friday [Sept. 26]. 'It's not like we keep coming out with our hands out.'

Library trustees voted Thursday night to seek the levy increase and make cuts, such as eliminating Sunday hours and instituting a hiring freeze.

The library levy has dropped from 50 cents to 34.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The district had a budget of almost $18.13 million, but expenses were $61,678 more than that in 2007. The district had to use reserves to maintain services, officials said. In 2008, the projected shortfall is $1.94 million, and even with the cuts, an additional $1.87 million in 2009. If all of that happened, the reserve would fall to an unacceptable level of about $4 million, library spokesman Jeffrey Kleingartner said.

If the district taxes at the maximum rate, the owner of a $250,000 piece of property would pay $125 a year to the library district, up from $86.25 a year, an increase of $38.75 more a year. The tax would start being collected in 2010.

However, Kleingartner said, the district might not have to tax that high.

'We will not take more than we need,' he said...

Along with increased taxes, the district has decided to make these reductions:

• Elimination of Sunday hours (at eight locations and Central Reference Services) beginning Oct. 5. That will save about $150,000, That affects the 1 to 5 p.m. hours in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, Shelton and Centralia.

• A hiring freeze will be instituted on vacated positions. Immediately, it will not fill four positions, which will save about $200,000.

• The 2009 budget for purchasing materials will be reduced by $367,000. That's a 10 percent reduction.

• Reduction in the usage of substitutes for vacations, illnesses and outreach activities will save about $150,000.

How to comment

The public can comment by calling executive director Jodi Reng at 360-943-5001 or toll-free at 877-284-6237. Timberland Regional Library serves Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties at 27 libraries and seven library service partner locations," quoting The Olympian.

[Ed. Note: Yelm area property tax payers need to know that the city of Yelm & the Timberland Regional Library will be turning to them at some point in the near future for a request for funding of a new Yelm Library. An extension on the current rented building expiring lease beyond 2012 can not go on forever. This writer finds very interesting the fact that the Yelm Mayor Harding, the Yelm City Council, Timberland Library or their Foundation, the Yelm Library Advisory Board nor current Yelm Library leaseholder Prairie Park's Margaret Clapp have not gone to the area's public with the urgent requirements to get them involved, interested and planning for a new library. The silence on this public issue is deafening!]

The Yelm Wal-Mart Store began to be picketed last Friday by the UFCW 367 (United Food & Commercial Workers Union) saying the store employs "below-area standards."

Mallory Hagel of the Tacoma-based Local 367 told the Yelm Community Blog:
"Yelm's Safeway and Saar's Market Place are union stores and are taking big hits from Wal-Mart.
We want to encourage the public to shop at businesses that pay a living wage. Wal-Mart does not have health care coverage and currently has the largest class action lawsuit in the nation for discrimination against women."

The flier being passed out by picketers says:

"Why should you be concerned?

When an employer pays inferior wages or benefits, this puts other employers at a competitive disadvantage. The long-term result can be devastating to communities, by driving down the standards of living for other workers.

If wages are driven lower and lower, this means less money for things like schools, roads, hospitals, etc.

What can you do to help?

Easy - Spend your hard-earned paycheck at your local Yelm Saar's Market Place or Safeway."
Ms. Hagel added they also suggest shopping at the Yelm Food Co-op.

UFCW 367 covers all Safeway & Saar's Market Place employees except management and the meat department. The pickets will run every Friday from 3-7pm and Saturdays & Sundays from 2-7pm for the next 1-3 months.

Nisqually Valley News publisher/editor Graves says that my words printed in his newspaper last Friday to fellow Yelm Chamber members were "not-so-thinly-veiled threats to personalize local businesses". The title of his editorial was "Debate is good, threats aren't." A published front-page headline read "RSE officials lash out at interview"

Mr. Graves,
There was no threat of any kind mentioned; rather a clear and concise request to bring out into the open those Yelm Chamber members that are represented by Mr. Cunningham's malevolent story in your newspaper and would prefer to not have RSE students' business. You misinterpret through your own veiled view and don't even call to ask or investigate the context of my letter. Let's get this issue out in the open once and for all, Mr. Graves and find out who does not want our dollars, for this kind of intolerance and downright bigotry has been expressed here by local officials for far too long; views you demonstrate to uphold.

You say "debate is good", yet at every turn you squelch any such forum.
You condemn any views not in alignment with your own and attempt character assassination with slanderous comments; a true, modern-day, town-square stoning.
Your bias in your journalism has been evident for years.
Do I expect that to change. No.
Do I hope that changes. YES!

Ever since I went public in Fall, 2005 with the fact that you would not print the news that then-Mayoral candidate Harding declined to participate in your NVN sponsored Town Hall, you have attempted to deride me personally. Was that what a newspaper should do -- an editor agreeing to withhold information from the voters and their readers? Fine, a public person running for or in-office should be prepared to take such hits. However, I am not a candidate for any public office now and have previously announced (and printed in your newspaper) I am not a candidate for any public office in 2009. To make note of and publish my patronage of Safeway & Starbucks is indicative of just how personal and low you go. You practice the fine art of prejudicial reporting seemingly right out of Karl Rove's Playbook.

Do I buy flowers at Yelm Safeway and coffee at Starbuck's? Absolutely!
And I have been a good customer of Yelm Floral for almost 2 decades, Blue Bottle Espresso & Liquid Soul Cafe, as their owners will attest. And, featured stories about all of them on this blog!
Yet, you failed to note I have never set foot in Yelm's Wal-Mart.

What about your local spending?

You can belittle all you want, yet you have done little to balance your prejudicial reporting with the contributions my wife and I have made to this community totaling over $110,000 in the last 10 years, distributed to such local organizations as the:
- Yelm Timberland Library
- Yelm Prairie Arts Assn.
- Drew Harvey Theater
- UCBO Thanksgiving Day food drive
- Children's School of Excellence student Scholarships and a new computer lab donation
- Yelm Dollar's for Scholars annual Scholarships to Yelm & Rainier High School students
- Yelm's Pennies for Pupils
- annual gift to the Yelm Tree Fund
- Friends of the Yelm Library
- Yelm City Park flag memorial
- and turkeys for EVERY needy family on UCBO's list for Christmas, 2007, the largest holiday turkey donation in Yelm history.
These are but a few, in addition to smaller donations for worthy causes all over town.

in addition to serving on the:
- Yelm Library Advisory Board
- Yelm Prairie Arts Assn. Board
- Yelm Historical Preservation Board

Name a few of your contributions you and your family have given since moving to this town?
How much did your newspaper donate to local causes the last 10 years?

You requested your readers go to Safeway, Wal-Mart and others and ask them to place their advertising inserts with the NVN, rather than their choice to bypass your newspaper and advertise via a direct mailing. Why?

Condemning others that have differing views is your modus-operandi.
I am saddened to continue to witness the divisiveness that this newspaper spews forth to area readers week after week. NVN readers are the beneficiary of a lack of thorough reporting on a whole host of issues with bias in not delivering balanced coverage. Our community therefore is robbed by the misuse of the leadership position you have as the only print media in this town.

Where is this newspaper in reporting truly newsworthy issues?
As just one example, I saw no NVN reporter present in the courtroom last week when the City of Yelm was defendant in a case taken out of Yelm's jurisdiction by JZ Knight and into Thurston County Superior Court. Don't you and your readers think that was an important case? After all, it centers on what the City of Yelm purports is the ability of the city to provide water for new developments. And, the city came out of that court room with several embarrassments by their attorneys.

Are you going to condemn those who run for local public office in 2009 that have differing views?
Many that would be willing to serve the public do not step forward because they do not want to be subjected to such tactics.
If that happens, the voters of Yelm will be stuck with only the incumbents and have no choice on the ballot for City Council openings in 2009, as happened in 2007. That would be a shame. For instance, will any mayoral candidate come forward to oppose Ron Harding next year and give voters a choice for mayor?
So few people are involved in city government now yet you continue to berate those that speak-up to question city policies. Look what happened because the public was not involved in their government; Thurston County was caught off-guard when the Commissioners announced they did not have their eye on the ball, leaving the county with a multi-million dollar deficit and having to cutback services.

The Constitution of the United States or what's left of it demands dissent by the public. You and city officials want it squelched at every turn.

Hopefully, the Karl Rove playbook days are soon coming to an end in Washington, D. C. One can only hope those days will end in Yelm soon, too!

As I wrote in my letter you published on October 3rd,
"This town can continue to be polarized based on intolerances of a certain individual or group in judging others' views or we can see this as an opportunity to put all of these type of distractions aside and join arm in arm to confront the many challenges we have as neighbors in the Nisqually Valley;
from water,
to traffic,
funding for a Bypass,
a new Library,
Schools bursting at the seams,
city budget issues,
a county deficit where services are to be cut,
home foreclosures,
neighboring Roy going broke
and a looming recession where we have sadly witnessed several venerable Yelm businesses having closed and others are on the edge.

United we stand, divided we fall.
The choice is in our hands.... "

1. Robin Edmondson

Robin Edmondson
Mr. Edmondson has "over 25 years experience encompassing Executive Management, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Finance, Securities, Budget Analysis, Business Development and International Marketing demonstrating proficiency in Leadership, Negotiation, Persuasion, Innovative Problem Solving, Evaluation, and Perception," quoting his website.
He told the Yelm Community Blog, "I am running for County Commissioner because I am absolutely in favor of open government." He pointed out that his agenda is "where your opinion is eagerly sought and you are an integral part of the decision making process."

2. Sandra Romero

Sandra Romero
Mrs. Romero has been a resident of Thurston County for 24 years and for 12 years, represented her constituents in Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater and much of Thurston County in our State's House of Representatives. She worked to build consensus on issues as diverse as civil service reform, animal cruelty laws and landuse issues.
Her vision as County Commissioner from her website says, "I believe that we can develop both sensibly and sensitively. But we need to start now by cherishing our land, our trees and our water, not squandering them.
In governing wisely, the county can be a good and helpful neighbor. We must strike a balance between respecting private property rights and personal freedoms, while promoting public health and the joy of daily living here."

Quoting The Olympian,
"The public has several opportunities to get to know more about candidates for two seats on the three-member Thurston County Commission, which faces some big tasks in the coming year - including managing a tight budget and staffing a new jail in Tumwater.

Although each seat represents a specific district, the two commissioners will be elected by voters countywide in the Nov. 4 general election. Commissioners serve four-year terms and receive a salary of $105,278 a year.

Democrat Sandra Romero and Republican Robin Edmondson are competing in District 2, which represents the eastern third of the county — including Lacey, Yelm and Rainier. The seat is being vacated by Democrat Diane Oberquell, who is retiring after 20 years....

The candidates summarized their platforms thusly:

Robin Edmondson: With a rapidly declining economy and slowing of goods and services, I want to trim county government, compact and reduce regulations, flatten the budget and speed service delivery to county residents at affordable rates without increasing any fees or taxes. I will develop win-win community partnerships.

Sandra Romero: We have to have a sustainable county budget. I would establish a centralized budget team, freeze hiring and freeze budget spending. I would also consider the impacts of endless litigation. In addition, we have to be careful and vigilant about how we manage growth. That doesn't mean we can't grow, just that it must be balanced and must reflect the policies of the state Growth Management Act. Also, the county's Web site must be improved so that it is accessible to people."

Following is a partial list of upcoming debates and candidate forums, sponsors and addresses. Each includes all four candidates unless otherwise noted.

• Oct. 8: noon, Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, Saint Martin's University Worthington Center, 5300 Pacific Ave. S.E., Lacey.

• Oct. 8: 5 p.m., debate between Cathy Wolfe and Judy Wilson (District 1), Tenino Elementary School, multipurpose room. For information, call 360-264-3700

• Oct. 9: 1:30 p.m., retired Public Employees Council, debate between Robin Edmondson and Sandra Romero (District 2), Olympia Senior Center, 220 Columbia St. N.W. For information, call Nancy Heley, 360-456-1236.

• Oct. 16: noon, West Olympia Business Association, Red Lion Hotel Olympia, 2300 Evergreen Park Drive S.W.

• Oct. 19: 9:30 a.m., First Christian Church, 701 Franklin St. S.E., Olympia, debate between Wolfe and Wilson

• Oct. 26: 9:30 a.m., First Christian Church, 701 Franklin St. S.E., Olympia, debate between Romero and Edmondson

Online
For more information on upcoming events, see candidates' Web sites:

Robin Edmondson: www.robinedmondson.com

Sandra Romero: www.sandraromero.com