2 cartoons by Robert Lovitt

Robert Lovitt + A.I. on January 15, 2025

Community Spotlight

Housing Instability – A Solutions Forum – Capitol Convention Center, 6005 Tyee Drive SW, Tumwater – January 15, 6:30 to 8:00pm sponsored by The League of Women Voters, NAACP, and Olympia for All : We encourage progressives and socialists to show up at this event and make our voices heard for housing for all. There will be an opportunity at the forum for questions and comments.

Social Justice Book Club – Teen area of Lacey Library – 500 College St SE, Lacey –January 17 and February 21, 4:30-5:30pm – Explore social justice and activism through books. Teens and young adults are invited to read a different book each month featuring people who care about their communities. CONTACT Raina atrsedore@trl.org, 360-491-3860

The People’s March – Olympia Capitol Grounds – Saturday January 18, 11am- 3 pm – Please join fellow Sierra Club leaders, members and supporters along with many, many activists from across the State of Washington expected to turn out for the People’s March on Saturday, January 18

MLK Day Restoration Work Party at West Bay Woods – 1121 Dickinson Ave NW – Monday, January 20, 10am-2pm – Come help Olympia Ecosystems plant Western Red Cedars to help our restoration project in the West Bay Woods. They are currently removing the fences and opening the area to the public! Bring work gloves and weather-ready clothes CONTACT Rob Penney atrobpen11@gmail.com, 360-791-1437

Martin Luther King,Jr. Day of Service – Woodland Creek Community Park, 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey – January 20, 10am-1pm – Restoration activities will include invasive species removal, site cleanup, mulching, and tree care. Tools, gloves, warm drinks, and snacks will be provided

No Moping Inaugural Ball! – Wild Child, 414 4th Ave E (across from the Artesian Well) –Monday, January 20, 6:30-9pm RSVP (as space is limited)

It will start with mingling at 6:30, then a tiny, honest, inspiring program at 7:00 and then dancing soon after. Some snacks will be provided and you can buy your own drinks and more food at Wild Child. This is not a fundraiser. It’s a night of camaraderie, if that’s what you need.

Board of County Commissioners Meeting on UGA swap policy – The Atrium, Suite 110, 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia – January 21, 3:30 pm – Make public comment on policy language that could have a detrimental effect on rural lands (See Article in this issue on Bar Holdings) In person or register in advance by zoom at the BoCC’s Meetings & Hearings Webpage

Sierra Club South Sound Group Community Meeting – Environment, Climate and the 2025 State Legislative Session – Olympia Center, Room 100, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia – Tuesday January 21, 6 pm – The Sierra Club’s legislative lobbyist, Craig Engelking, will join to give his perspective on all things environmental during the 2025 Washington State Legislative Session and to talk about the Club’s legislative priorities.

Thurston Community Media’s Garage Sale – 440 Yauger Way SW, Suite C, Olympia –January 14-22, Tuesday -Saturday, 11am-6pm- Come in and peruse video equipment, furniture & much more. Proceeds from the sale help directly benefit future kids programs, supplies, and new equipment.

Tree Sheroes (female heroes) or Tree movie night – An online Webinar from Friends of Trees https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83050498513

Thursday January 23, 7-8:30pm online

Suzanne Simard, Diana Beresford-Kroger and Wangari Maathai- these featured women from around the globe have revolutionized our relationship to trees – come learn and take inspiration!

One mile forest walk and history talk to see the Cowlitz Trail, Oregon Trail crossing and BAR Holdings parcel –

9606 Sheldon Road SE Olympia – Saturday, January 25, 1 pm – Learn about the historical significance of the area and the flora and fauna. Receive a native prairie seed source list with 130 local wildflower species and where to buy them. Please RSVP.

Amphibians of the Pacific NW Life History Talk –SPSCC, Building 32, 2011 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia – Saturday January 25, 9:30-11:30am – This special event brings together scientists, naturalists, educators, and community members to celebrate and explore the fascinating world of amphibians. This presentation is your chance to learn, collaborate, and take action to protect these remarkable species and their habitats. Registration required

Traditions and New Stories: Quilts and Textile Art – 512 Washington St SE, Olympia – until January 26, 2025 – The Washington Center for the Performing Arts will host an exhibition of quilts and textile arts titled “Traditions and New Stories” by Sew Many Stars Collective and Nicole Turner

A Benefit for Free Radio Olympia: Pigeon Pit, Ragana, fish narc & Physique – Capitol Theater, 205 5 Ave SE, Olympia – Friday, January 24, 6:30pm – The benefit concert will support Free Radio Olympia, a non-profit community radio station serving the Olympia area. Tickets available @https://www.bandsintown.com/v/10016005-capitol-theater

Bring Back Your People Book talk – Orca Books Cooperative, 315 5th Ave SE, Olympia – Sunday January 26, 6-7pm – “For White folks alarmed by the rise of Christian nationalism comes this mouthy, practical guide to holding conversations with your cousin Randy and others who have been misled by White Christian nationalist ideas. Aaron Scott, a leader with the Poor People’s Campaign, shares strategies of relationship and organizing to help us and others resist.”

A 7-Part Winter Workshop Series on a Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary-

The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St SE, Olympia – Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary (CEDE) will support developing a sense of place around a restored Deschutes Estuary. DERT will bring in partners and stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines and sectors to strategize around sustainable development, education, pollution, stewardship, recreation, cultural use, and more. Join us for bi-weekly workshops beginning January 14, 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center.

Workshop Series Schedule

Intro Session – January 14 – 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center

Sustainable Development – January 28 – 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center

Education & Youth Engagement – February 11 – 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center

Pollution – February 25 – 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center

Stewardship – March 11 – 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center

Defining Future Direction – March 25 – 6:30-8:30pm at the Olympia Center

Drop-In at Spring Arts Walk – April 25 & 26 – Downtown Olympia Display TBA

Learn more at www.deschutesestuary.org/community-forums/

Asian and Pacific American Film Symposium -Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2100 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia – January 29 & February 12, 3:30pm – This is a series of film screenings with discussion and food afterward to increase awareness and visibility of Asian & Pacific American culture and issues. FREE – Contact Lily Kun, lkun@spscc.edu

Movie Night@ the Olympia Library: Hundreds of Beavers – 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia -Thursday, January 30, 6:30-8pm – Join us for a special after-hours film screening at the library! We will watch the 2024 indie sensation, Hundreds of Beavers!! Has there ever been a better movie to watch with a crowd? There will be snacks and light refreshments.

Lantern Lights the Library: Live Music – 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia – Friday January 31 and February 14, 7-9pm – This series of events makes local music accessible to people of all ages in a safe, fun environment. We’ll have light snacks and earplugs available. Come experience local music and get loud at the library!

Discovery Speaker Series – Puget Sound Estuarium – Olympia library, 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia – Thursday February 6, 6:30-7:45PM– Every 1st Thursday of the month we invite you to learn and stay informed about current environmental research or sustainability projects. You’ll hear from scientists, educators, artists, and Earth advocates about their current work, research, or organization. Plus get your questions answered live after the talk!

Teen Tech Tutors: Drop-in Technology Help – Olympia Library, 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia – Friday, February 7, 4:30-5:45pm – Meet in the Library’s meeting room every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month to get help with your computer, smartphone, or other device by working one-on-one with a patient and trained teen volunteer on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Olympia Library at olinfo@trl.org, 360-352-0595

Winter Vegetable Showcase & Potluck – Our Community Kitchen, 4419 Harrison Ave, Suite 104, Olympia – February 9, 4-6pm – Slow Food, the Community Farmland Trust and Our Community Kitchen invite the community to a gathering celebrating winter vegetables grown right here in the Greater Olympia region. Bring your favorite winter vegetable dish. Get new ideas. Share recipes. Meet local growers, chefs, home cooks, and gardeners! RSVP here

Candles in the Dark Zoom Gatherings – https://www.elderhoodsenioralliance.org/roundtables – Roundtables are Zoom meeting rooms, organized by areas of interest, or friendship circles where seniors are valued, and show up to support each other as we look for ways to meet the challenges of aging in the 21st century. Join our open Zoom meetings each Tuesday and Thursday evening from 7:00pm to 9:00pm to meet new people and join a circle of friends that appeals to you! Feel free to login or drop off at any time. Contact Glenn Harper at TESA@elderhoodalliance.org

Women’s Liberation Book Club – All About Love by bell hooks – Orca Books Cooperative, 315th Ave SE, Olympia – Friday February 14, 6-7 pm – Razing the cultural paradigm that the ideal love is infused with sex and desire, bell hooks provides a new path to love that is sacred, redemptive, and healing for individuals and for a nation. – FREE

Habitat at Home – Lacey City Hall Community Room,1110, 420 College St. SE, lacey – Saturday February 15, 12-2pm – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Stream Team hosts a free “Habitat at Home” workshop to educate the community on how to create and maintain wildlife habitats in their backyards. Expert guidance and starter materials will be provided to all participants.

StoryOly – Coincidence— The Brotherhood Lounge, 119 Capitol Way N, Olympia – Tuesday, February 18, 7 pm – StoryOly is a live monthly oral storytelling competition every third Tuesday of each month. The general public (21+) is invited to tell a personal true story on stage based on the monthly theme. Each teller is scored by a group of 3 volunteer judges selected from the audience the night of the event. Stories must be true and 8 minutes or less in duration. The winner of each monthly slam wins a cash prize and qualifies to participate in the StoryOly Grand Slam in September 2025. Cost: The Suggested Donation is $10-20 at the door, NOTAFLOF (no one is turned away for lack of funds). Half of the door funds will be donated to local charities and non-profits.

Tree Ambassador Training Program – Register here: https://tinyurl.com/528kc45f

–Saturday February 22, 1-4:30pm – by Thurston Friends of Trees & funded by City Of olympia’s Inspire grant- Come to our Tree Ambassador training, learn tons of fascinating things about our trees and prepare to walk your neighborhood, and other neighborhoods with a partner engaging homeowners about the benefits of their trees. Help us create a map of where the largest trees in Olympia are. Help us to protect our remaining Giants! Program runs March-June 2025 .

Questions: 206-713-0497 or Lynn@restoringearthconnection.org

DSHS Mobile Office is Coming! – Olympia library 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia – Monday February 24, 11am-3pm – Hop on board between 11am and 3pm on Monday, December 2 to apply for food, cash, and/or medical benefits. You can also drop off paperwork, complete a review, make changes to an existing case or request a replacement EBT card.

2 cartoons by Robert Lovitt

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