The Olympia Standard

This week, I read an essay called "Exile Ourselves" I wrote last fall. It talks about how our current approach to housing and crime overlaps with our regional history.

Dirk Marler is a longtime advocate for unifying Washington's fragmented court system. As a Yakima County District Court judge from 1988 to 2003, Marler experienced firsthand the confusion caused by the state's patchwork of local courts. Later, as head of the court services division at the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, he participated in a major early-2000s initiative called "Justice in Jeopardy", which aimed to modernize and regionalize the courts. Today, he help us parse the large issues in play as the City of Olympia and Thurston County negotiate how to combine our court systems. InvestigateWest: ‘It's an uphill battle': Decades-long effort to unify Washington's court system again falls short Washington Courts: Justice in Jeopardy

On this episode, I read my blog post "Don't think of an Olympia" from Olympia Time, revisiting one of my longest-running gripes: the use of “Olympia” as a lazy shorthand for state government. I explore why this rhetorical habit is more than just annoying, it shapes how people think about power, accountability, and democracy. Drawing on philosophy, civics, and the evolving nature of legislative work, I argue that language matters and urges journalists and political commentators to be more precise. Plus, there are some practical tips for anyone covering state government to avoid flattening complex realities, or alienating a whole town. Want to change how people think about democracy? Start with how we talk about it.

In this episode of The Olympia Standard, we reflect on the life and impact of Gil Carbone. He was a key but often overlooked figure in Olympia's history. Gil helped lead the transformation from a commission-style government to the council-manager system Olympia has today and served on the city council from 1982 to 1991, including two years as Mayor Pro Tem. We share a classic Gil story about his fiery stand against state interference in local parking enforcement, and we're joined by his daughter, Carol Carbone, who paints a vivid picture of Gil as a driven, charismatic, and deeply engaged parent and community leader. For more about Gil's pivotal role in city government reform, check out Episode #41: City Government Structure

In this episode of The Olympia Standard, we dive into the city's now-dormant effort to revise its Memorandum of Understanding with neighborhood associations and explore how representative those groups really are. We bring academic and personal insights into why public participation in local government remains so limited, from structural complexity and lack of access to the outsized influence of well-resourced voices. We also consider what it takes to make local democracy more inclusive, transparent, and effective.

I take a look back at a couple of blog posts I've written in the last couple of years about corporate home ownership in Thurston County and include some updates for this year. This is a pretty short episode where I read you back some prewritten material. If you're really into this topic, I appeared on the Nerd Farmer podcast just less than a year ago talking about the same topic: https://nerdfarmpod.com/2024/05/26/how-corporate-landlords-are-driving-up-rents-emmett-oconnell-olympia-time-219/ Here are the old posts where I've covered this issue in the past. 2021: https://olympiatime.com/2021/07/08/the-scale-of-out-of-town-real-estate-investment-in-thurston-county-is-small/ 2024: https://olympiatime.com/2024/05/10/re-examining-the-out-of-town-or-just-corporate-real-estate-investment-in-thurston-county/

Hey! If you're reading these show notes, I want to thank you a ton! We both got through 2024! And you in particular didn't cull this podcast from your feed. This is a restart episode, so I take some time to explain what happened over the last year and what the plan is going forward. I also read an interesting recent blog post I wrote at Olympia Time about our particular brand of racism in the Pacific Northwest and why it matters. Olympia Time: What I'm doing here and how you can help Olympia Time: The Ku Klux Klan in Olympia and what we should remember

We are joined by Senator Sam Hunt to review the legislative session just past and talk about what Olympia got from Olympia. We also delve into his political history and the history of our community as we look back on his year's of service.

We have been slow rolling through a very large discussion on school closures since last summer. We sit down with three different community members on how we got here, where we've been before and what we need to do now. Guests: Maria Flores, Olympia School Board Kelcy Schaffer, OSD4ALL Russ Lehman, former Olympia School Board OSD School Efficiency Review page OSD4All Closure Forum

Robert Vanderpool just started his job on the Olympia City Council. So, to get to know Olympia's new policy-maker, we asked him some questions about himself, about where he's coming from and what he's been up to since joining the council. And about Baltimore and about why you shouldn't like the Orioles. The really cool Olympia City Council meeting where Robert was elected to council using Ranked Choice Voting

We conducted a couple of interviews about how the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) impacts the city in terms of growth, housing affordability and finances. We sat down with Darian Lightfoot from the city in the first segment to go over recent changes in Olympia's MFTE. In our second segment, with talked to Robert Pantley and Angela Rozmyn from Natural and Built Environments to talk about their experiences statewide with the MFTE. Natural and Built Environment: https://www.naturalandbuilt.com/ We discussed a specific kind of city landscape analysis that looks at city infrastructure costs and tax productivity. A good example in the Pacific Northwest is one conducted in Eugene, OR: https://www.urbanthree.com/case-study/eugene-or/ As a good, all-around, backgrounder on the MFTE, the state Department of Commerce is hard to beat: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/growth-management/growth-management-topics/planning-for-housing/multi-family-housing-property-tax-exemption-program/

Today we hear from Jess Tourtellotte-Palumbo, a candidate for Olympia School board. Interviewing Jess is Howard Rosenfeld, an old friend of the podcast who is stepping in this season to do at least one candidate interview. Jess and Howard talk about her background, the recent history of the school board and how we can find a path forward.

We brought back host emeritus (and newly crowned friend of the podcast and I suppose city council member) Dani Madrone! We were also joined by Olympia city council member Dontae Payne! Jemmy was there and he got on mic! It was wild! And guess who else was there? So many of you! Thanks so much for everyone who came out! And thank you, listener, for enjoying our show in a new segmented format, now with Trivia and a Tip of the Hat!

In the primary part of this episode, we visit with Darian Lightfoot, who is leading the City of Olympia's response to the homelessness crisis. She talks about the One Olympia plan, the city's 2020 blueprint to respond to homelessness. We also get into housing preservation, renter protections and what we can do to open up housing capacity in every Olympia neighborhood. Before we get to Darian, though, I talk about Mayor Dick Abram and how we've been here before. Actually, Olympia: What is the city even doing about homelessness?

In the first half of this episode, we sit down with Yvonne Knutson (Office of Financial Management) and Maurice Perigo (Department of Enterprise Services) to talk about how state offices are contracting all around Olympia and our region. Second, we visit with official Friend of the Podcast Mike Reid to go over how these office contractions will impact Olympia going into the future.Here is some additional reading:The Washington Standard (hey nice name, where'd you find it?): State looks to dump leased real estate as remote work leaves offices empty The Olympia Subreddit discussion on the above article Senate State Government & Elections work session on post COVID-19 office space needs (March 2023)

Today we're doing our traditional Sine Die (end of the legislative sesssion) episode, but with a Housing Twist. The Olympia Standard sits down with Representative Jessica Bateman (D-Olympia) to talk about what Olympia got from the state legislature. But we specifically detour into the long-ish history of where the housing legislation that marked this year's session came from. Hint: it came from Olympia.

The state legislature is about to act on statewide zoning reform that would adopt much the same policy that we've been passing in Olympia for years now. To take a look at our own history, and to talk about how it impacts the debate in the legislature, we sat down with Janae Huber with Olympians for People Orientated Places. I also read a version of two essays that I've written on Olympia housing history, and how it relates to zoning reform and racial justice.

This is a non-numbered, out of the ordinary episode of the Olympia Standard. Ken Balsley passed away last week, and I thought it would be okay to share a conversation I had with him on his podcast a few years back. Maybe a little dated, but I thought you might get a kick out of it. I often got a kick of of Ken, even though I often disagreed with him. You can download the episode here. Speaking of which, here are two posts I wrote last year where Ken and I severely disagreed, which I referenced in the episode. We should be able to rename Priest Point Park if we feel like it. And Squaxin Park makes perfect sense. In response to "In Defense of Priest Point Park"

The Olympia School Board filled a vacancy in November by choosing Talauna Reed, a vocal activist and candidate for mayor last year city council last year. In this episode, we chat with just recently former school board President Maria Flores and recently appointed Reed. We talk about the school district's response coming out of the COVID pandemic, the pivot towards equity and the appointment process. We last spoke with Maria in 2019 in Episode #49. You can download the episode here.

As a community, we have been through a lot in the last three years economically. What path the city's economic future will take will depend a lot on a new plan being developed by the city, Olympia Strong. We're welcoming back Mike Reid and Amy Buckler, two verified friends of the podcast, to discuss the start up of Olympia Strong. You can refer back to two past episodes on the city's economy with Mike (58 and 82). Amy previously appeared on an episode about Downtown. You can lend your voice to Olympia Strong now by filling out the city's survey here. Download the episode here.

Between 1960 and 1980, Olympia and Thurston County went through a massive change. From a sleepy timber town with a state capitol building, Olympia grew (and continues) to grow by leaps and bounds. Compared to neighboring counties, Olympia has evolved into something new. And, the elements of what that newness came from is discussed by Don Martin and Anna Schlecht. They talk about OlyWA days of Change, an online community and book project about the history of Olympia between 1960 and 1980. Download the episode here.

We have a small election coming up, so here is your small-ish episode about what people in Olympia will have to vote on. We talk to one of the people behind the Inspire Olympia campaign, Mayor Cheryl Selby (a certified "friend of the podcast) about the goals behind the proposition to raise more funding for arts in Olympia. Download this episode More information at Inspire Olympia. I also want to apologize for the quality of the audio on this episode. It by no means the fault of our producer, Jemmy Joe. Emmett depends on dumb internet tools and had some real trouble with connecting for this episode.

Download the episode With a large right wing protest planned for the Capitol Campus this weekend (Saturday, March 5), it is a good time to check in with David Neiwert. David is the expert on far right militants in the Pacific Northwest. We talked to him in 2020, and this episode takes off where that one left off. He gives us an update on what has been going on with right wing militants and protest groups and what we can expect this weekend. Episode 66: Who are the people with guns David Neiwert at Daily Kos David is an author of several books, but my favorite remains "Death on the Fourth of July."

Just over a month ago, a racial slur shouted at a River Ridge High School basketball player spread over social media, and then into the mainstream. This incident laid bare a series of similar incidents at Capital High School. We sat down with the organizers of a recent walk out to protest the official reaction to this and other incidents. You can learn more by watching their 20-minute documentary on the aftermath of the racist abuse, or follow their Instagram for updates. The student journalists at KOUGTV have also been doing a great job covering this story. Check out their archives for multiple interviews from students and administration. Download this episode

We decided that two elections episodes were better than one! We sat down with Wendy Carlson and Sarah DeStasio, who were involved in the Primary Election and had unique perspectives on the choices voters have in the General. Both also represent different lanes in how candidates are lining up. We referenced this post on how candidate contributions are shaping the election for city council. Download this episode

It's been a while since The Olympia Standard has been on the air - but we're back again in time to talk about your ballot for the 2021 general election! Emmett and Jemmy Joe walk through the ballot and share their questions and insights. Renata Rollins, who is serving her final few months on the City Council, offers her thoughts on how Olympia has changed and where the city is headed. Dani also has an announcement for our listeners. Download this episode

With primary ballots reaching mailboxes, Emmett joined forces with the folks of Olympia Pop Rocks, Jemmy Joe and Guire McGuire, to walk through the voters' guide. They looked at the overarching themes and political landscape for the races for city council, the port, and school district, as well as the Medic One levy. Download this episode

For this year's legislative update, we pulled the newest member of our state delegation for the 22nd district, "Friend of the Podcast" Representative Jessica Bateman. We discussed statewide police reform, changes to protests and capitol campus security, and drug possession. We also asked about her personal accomplishments in her first year, as well as her approach to addressing the housing crisis. Download this episode

Dr. Thelma Jackson has been living in Thurston County for over 50 years, arriving here from the deep south where she lived through Jim Crow. She shared with us how she came to live in Thurston County, her experience of being a long time Black activist in the area, and her current project to capture the Black history of the region before it disappears.Download this episode

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland is our new representative in Congress, along with the rest of the 10th district; from Shelton to Puyallup, and Tenino to part of Tacoma. We chatted with her about her transition to federal government during a time of crisis and turmoil, the rise of white supremacy, pandemic relief, housing and homelessness, and Puget Sound recovery. Download this episode

Denny Heck is no longer serving us as our representative in Congress, but he is serving every person in Washington as our Lieutenant Governor. We chatted with Denny about his transition in politics, threats to democracy, his new role in the Legislature, and the relationship between the state and the city.Download this episode(Note: this photo was taken prior to Covid. But we never get to see Jemmy Joe that much, so here he is!)

With one of the members of the Olympia City Council moving up to the Legislature, a new person was recently appointed to represent us. In this interview, Yến Huỳnh introduces herself to our listeners. She speaks about her interests in city government, what she brings to the team, and her interests in the community. Download this episode

Right before the pandemic shut down our community, we spoke with Mike Reid, the Economic Development Director of Olympia, about how our local economy was faring (episode #58). Two weeks later, we were hurled into economic crisis. This episode is an update from Mike on how his job has changed, how local government has responded, and other ways the pandemic has impacted our economy.Download this episode

What will 2021 bring on The Olympia Standard? This episode is what we hope to talk about the in the year to come. We'll continue to bring racial justice conversations onto this podcast, but will also incorporate equity in how we talk about transportation policy, ongoing challenges with the pandemic, and other issues of local interest. We're also gearing up for broader election coverage, and will be keeping tabs on not just Olympia, but also Lacey and Tumwater, as each city gears of up an interesting campaign season.Download this episodeTo support the local journalists working to unionize at McClatchy here:Email: customerservice@mcclatchy.comOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McClatchyCo/Via twitter: @KLR_Editor @mcclatchy @tonywhunter 

As we leave behind 2020 and look forward to the new year, we spent some time reflecting on the racial justice movement that has swept the nation and Olympia. We spoke with Quinton Neal, the assistant director of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center at the South Puget Sound Community College, where he hosts the podcast called The Unheard Outsider. We talked about uncomfortable conversations, the work of anti-racism, and how to keep momentum moving forward.Download this episode

Until the moment this podcast was posted, Victor Minjares has been serving as the chair of the Thurston County Democrats. We talked with him about the impact of national politics on local elections, thoughts on the future of the local Democratic party, and how to encourage more people of color to run for elected office.Download this episode

One of the things that makes Olympia such a special place are the people who have lived here long before it was called Olympia. The Steh-Chass band of indigenous people of the Squaxin Island Tribe have stewarded this land since time immemorial, and still inhabit and steward this land today. We spoke with Chairman Kris Peters, of the Squaxin Island Tribe, to learn about his people, this place, and how we can honor and respect this relationship. Here is some information provided by Chairman Peters about land acknowledgement.Download this episode

What were the results of the 2020 election cycle? Let's walk back through the ballot and find out what happened. This episode was recorded the day before the presidency was declared for Biden and Harris (woohoo!), and the result of one county commission race is still unknown at the time of publishing. In this episode, Emmett talks about his maps. You can find them here.Download this episode

This year, ballots have already hit your mailbox, several days earlier than usual. If you haven't yet received your ballot (or haven't yet registered to vote), check in with the Thurston County Auditor. In this episode, we walk through the full ballot for voters in Olympia, from referendums to judges. Tune in to learn what and who you might vote for, and why it matters!Download this episode

In years past, we've done candidate interviews for each local race, with both candidates speaking side-by-side. For a few reasons, we're taking a different tack this year. We only interviewed two candidates; the two women of color running in Thurston County races. Tune in to hear from Sharonda Amamilo, running for Thurston County Superior Court Judge, and Carolina Mejia, running for Thurston County Commissioner! Download this episode

Many communities are preparing for a changing climate. The Squaxin Island Tribe, whose land on which the city of Olympia is located, has been studying how rising seas will impact their traditional natural resources. We interviewed Candace Penn, the climate change ecologist for the tribe, about her research and planning efforts to preserve their culture. Following is a short interview with Mason Rolph, with Olympia Community Solar, to share an action we can take today to mitigate our impact on the climate.You can find the Sea Level Rise Story Map for the Squaxin Island Tribe here.Download this episode

What does economic justice look like? Megan Matthews, the Engagement Manager at the Department of Social and Health Services, has been engaging with the community to help develop Washington's 10-year plan to reduce poverty and inequality. How is structural racism and historic trauma considered in this plan? How do we bring to the table those who have been most impacted by injustice? And what does this work mean for Olympia as we grapple with issues of racial justice? Download this episode

On our last episode, we explored safety and justice in the Olympia school system from the perspective of a middle school teacher. We're now looking at a different perspective from inside Olympia schools: a recent graduate and a school psychologist. Aneya Cornwall just graduated from Capital High school, and now attends a historically black university on the east coast. Quinn Middleton is works at Capital High, and in her roles serves as the advisor for the Black Student Union.Download this episode

Continuing the conversation on racial justice in Olympia, we turn to public schools. Courtney Jarmon, who teaches science at Washington Middle School, shared her experience as an educator in the Olympia School District. She spoke with us about the impacts of the pandemic, decentering whiteness in curriculum, the role all adults play in making schools safe for all students, and how we can bring more educators of color into our school system. Download this episode

Protests from the Black Lives Matter movement have dramatically changed public discourse. Those who have been advocating for a new vision for safety and justice are now finding their ideas discussed in the mainstream. We're dedicating the next few episodes to bringing forward voices of those advocating for change.Larry Jefferson is the lead felony attorney at the Thurston County Public Defense Office. Through his work, he has been involved in the Opioid Response Task Force, and also helps lead the Diversity and Inclusion Section of the Thurston County Bar Association.Download this episode

The two races for local government on the primary ballot in Thurston County are for Superior Court Judge and County Commissioner. What should voters be thinking about when they decide who moves on to the general election? To gain some perspective, we talked to a judge, Chris Lanese, and a commissioner, Tye Menser. How do elected judges influence society? And what are the issues that will be decided by the Thurston County Commission? If you're having trouble deciding between the candidates, listen to this episode!Download this episode

Our primary ballots have arrived in our mailboxes! Haven't received yours yet? Contact the county auditor. In this episode, we go through the ballot with Jemmy Joe, our token uninformed voter, and answer his questions. We talk about party preferences, why we have so many gubernatorial candidates, and what voters should be thinking about when you decide who you'd like to elect to office. Next week, we'll talk more in depth about the races for county commissioner and superior court judge. Download this episode

Literally, on this episode we are talking trash! Steve Gilmore, with Republic Services, joined us to talk about what happens to our waste once we drop it in the bin. What happens to our trash, recycling, and organics when we throw it away? Where is "away"? How have changes in China impacted recycling in Olympia? What impacts have the pandemic had on our waste systems? And what does the future hold for our excess?Download this episode

Recently in Olympia, we've been experiencing an intimidating culture shock that have left many wondering: who are the people with guns? To answer this question, we interview David Neiwert, a journalist and author who has followed far right extremist movements in the Pacific Northwest for decades. We talked about who these groups are, why they are here, and what we can do as a community.Download this episode

With 53% of our population living in rental housing, Olympia is a majority renter community. On top of that, there are far too few rental homes in our city, putting renters seeking housing at a disadvantage. Now throw in a pandemic, where renters who have lost their income are accumulating rent debt. To learn more about the landscape for rental housing, we talked to Whitney Bowerman, a small local landlord, and Carrie Graf, a tenant attorney at the Northwest Justice Project. What challenges do tenants have exercising their rights? How do landlords mitigate risk? And how can we look at rental housing through the lens of racial justice?Request help from the NW Justice ProjectFile a COVID-19 Eviction Complaint with the AGDr. Kendi's interview with the National Low Income Housing CoalitionAnd something for landlords too!Download this episode

Local journalism is struggling to survive, including our own newspaper, The Olympian. This was true before the pandemic, and has intensified in the crisis. Yet communities rely on local reporting to stay abreast of issues, keep government accountable, and share the good news taking place with the people around them. To get some outside perspective, we interviewed Kristen Hare of the Poynter Institute and Tampa Bay Times, a journalist who covers journalism across the nation, to get some insight. How can we save local journalism in Olympia? Here are a few pointers from Poynter.Download this episode