1. WASL: Nearly all local school districts on federal watch list
"Nearly 1,100 schools across Washington are failing to meet federal achievement goals, casting them into the category of needing improvement, preliminary figures released Friday show [ Aug. 14].

Results from the Washington Assessment of Student Learning released Friday show 1,073 of the state’s 2,121 schools didn’t meet federal standards for at least the second consecutive year," quoting the Tacoma News Tribune printed in sister newspaper The Olympian:
This includes Yelm.

2. Amtrak train to B.C. to start
"The first Amtrak train to offer daily roundtrip service between Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C., including stops in Lacey and Tacoma, will begin service Wednesday [Aug. 19] , the state Department of Transportation announced.
The Amtrak Cascades train will arrive in Lacey at 4:38 p.m. daily and arrive in Vancouver at 10:45 p.m., officials with DOT said. The returning southbound train will depart Vancouver at 6:40 a.m. and arrive in Lacey at 12:44 p.m, quoting The Olympian.

3. Trader Joe's grand opening in Olympia was Friday, August 21st
"The new store has generated a buzz among fans of Trader Joe’s, as well as among those seeking work in the slower economy. More than 2,000 people applied for jobs at the store and 68 were hired, the majority of them from the area, Holmes said. The store continues to accept applications, he said...
About 80 percent of its products are sold under a Trader Joe’s brand, products that are free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, company spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said. The stores also are known for ready-to-eat meals, a dried-fruit-and-nuts section, specialty cheeses and a California wine sold under the Charles Shaw brand that sells for $2.99, informally known as “three-buck chuck,”from The Olympian.

4. "Washington’s exports plunge"
"Washington's exports plunged 33.9 percent in the year's first half compared to the same period in 2008 – a $12.7 billion decrease.

'Washington is the most trade-dependent state in the country and we're clearly feeling the global decline in trade,' said Anthony Hemstad, executive director of the World Trade Center Tacoma," quoting the Pierce County Business Examiner.

5. Have extra vegetables from your garden you don't want?
UCBO would love them! They take just about anything for their food bank to give to folks.
They have an open door policy and folks from Tacoma and even Seattle come here for food.
If you are not sure UCBO will want your items, you can call and they will tell you yes or no.
This is a nice idea before people start tossing their garden abundance.
UCBO - Yelm Community Services
624 Crystal Springs Rd NW
Yelm, WA 98597
(360) 458-7000‎