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 Air taxi to Legislature: Spokane-Olympia direct flights to launch in 2027
Traveling from eastern Washington to Olympia for the state’s Legislative session just got easier. SeaPort Airlines announced a new air service between Spokane and the state capital on …
Two projects on Interstate 5 in Thurston County now complete
Two projects to improve the driving surface of Interstate 5 in Thurston County are complete, a news release from the Washington state Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced this week. …
Pierce County man sentenced to 15 years for sex crimes involving children
A federal judge sentenced a Pierce County man to 15 years in prison Monday after he was convicted of multiple sex crimes involving children. Randy Lee Young, 40, was arrested Nov. 16, 2024, and …
Feds can’t force Washington  to set aside alleged noncitizen ballots, judge rules
The Trump administration can’t force Washington state election officials to set aside ballots from 400-plus voters alleged to be noncitizens, a federal judge in Seattle ruled Thursday. The …
Blue wave carries Democrats to supermajority in Washington state House
Democrats in the Washington state House of Representatives are eyeing a supermajority as Thursday vote tallies put them on course to unseat a half-dozen incumbent Republicans and flip a GOP-held seat …
Trans sports bans get voter approval in 4 states
Voters in four states — Arizona , Colorado , Nebraska and Washington — are on track to pass or have passed measures to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in sports, a key policy focus …
Yelm City Council approves Creek Street improvements, construction management for project
Creek Street will soon see a water main improvement project take place, thanks to Yelm City Council unanimously approving the contract with Active Construction Inc. during a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. …
Yelm finance director holds hearings for biennial budget and ad valorem property tax
City of Yelm finance director Stephanie Nanavich had a busy evening during the Tuesday, Oct. 27, Yelm City Council meeting, as she held public hearings for both the 2027-28 biennial budget and the …
Community Calendar for Nov. 5: City of Yelm Puzzle Palooza, Veterans Day burger feed, Christmas in the Park tree lighting
Friday, Nov. 6 Yelm football hosts Steilacoom Yelm High School (0-9, 0-6 4A SPSL) will host Steilacoom High School (3-6, 2-5 2A SPSL) to take on the Sentinels at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29. This …
Yelm City Council unanimously approves extension of use agreement with Boys and Girls Club
The Yelm-branch Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County has officially planted its roots in the city for the next half-century, as Yelm City Council unanimously approved extending the use agreement …
Phase 1 of Yelm’s Veterans Park and Memorial Walk, including road improvements, nears completion
Phase 1 of the City of Yelm’s Veterans Park and Memorial Walk, which is described as having the potential to be the best memorial in Thurston County, if not Washington state, is officially nearing …
YARD Campus has sights set on expansion of location, activities for community to enjoy
On the heels of its fifth anniversary as an organization, Youth Athletics Recreation Development (YARD) Campus has announced it will be expanding its space in Yelm to continue its use for activities …

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State & Regional News
 Amid blue wave, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek won a swift reelection. Was the mandate in her favor?
Joined by her wife, her closest aides and allies and the Democratic party apparatus that buoyed her to reelection Tuesday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek offered a prompt caveat: The path to improve the …
Oregon voters on Tuesday passed most local fire, school funding proposals
Oregonians on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved new, or renewed, taxes to fund rural firefighting departments and school districts. Funding for local fire districts were on ballots in one quarter …
The Nature Conservancy opens new community forest in Cle Elum
The Nature Conservancy, an international environmental nonprofit, just acquired 2,600 acres of timberland in central Washington. Historically owned by industrial timber companies, the lands …
“The fight over I-638 is just beginning,” says Washington Democratic Party chair
Backers of Initiative 638 have officially announced that the measure has passed. Opponents of the ballot measure to keep biological males out of girls’ sports are also conceding that the …
Gov. Bob Ferguson meets with NBA commissioner amid expansion doubts
Washington’s governor met again with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday to push the case for the return of the Seattle SuperSonics as league expansion here remains uncertain. Brionna …
Albertsons must pay $900M for role in Washington opioid crisis, judge rules
SEATTLE — Grocery giant Albertsons must pay Washington state $900 million for its pharmacies’ role in fueling the opioid epidemic, a judge ruled Thursday. Washington Attorney General Nick …
Ferguson lays out wishlist for Congress after ‘breathtaking’ midterms
With Democrats now poised to retake both chambers of Congress, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson wants action in the other Washington.  Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the first-term Democratic …
Idaho voters turned out at high rates to vote in midterm election. Some waited hours to vote
In Idaho’s general election on Tuesday, some voters were voting hours after polls had closed in the state’s second most populated county. Voting bled into Wednesday. The last voter in Canyon …
Oregon judge allows Multnomah County climate lawsuit against fossil fuel giants to advance
An Oregon judge will allow the climate lawsuit Multnomah County’ filed more than three years ago against some of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies to move forward. Multnomah County …

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Life

“Nineteenth Century Mail to Olympia”: Schmidt House History Talk to cover stamps, mail

History Talks continue at the Schmidt House in Tumwater, with the next one set to be held at noon Thursday, Nov. 5. In this history talk, stamp collector Gerry Smith will present a program on …
Contestants and scholarship winners who participated in the Miss Thurston County Scholarship Organization's 52nd annual competition at South Puget Sound Community College on Sunday, Oct. 25, pose for a photo.

Miss Thurston County Scholarship Organization crowns four new titleholders for the new year

The Miss Thurston County Scholarship Organization crowned four new titleholders on Sunday, Oct. 25. Sophina Wheeler, a 17-year-old senior at Olympia High School, is Miss Capital City 2027. …
The sun sets at Mount Rainier National Park as seen from the Skyline Loop Trail on Monday, Sept. 22.

Mount Rainier National Park voted Washington’s No.1 ‘Spiritual Home’

“Where is your natural spiritual home? Some places have a way of putting a bad week in perspective. A mountain makes the office politics seem smaller. A familiar stretch of water brings back …
Bonnie and Jordan Burt's 11-year-old son, Nathan, has been diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare form of cancer that currently has no cure. 

Support sought for Thurston County boy, 11, diagnosed with aggressive cancer 

An 11-year-old Yelm boy was recently diagnosed with a terminal and aggressive form of cancer, and his family is now seeking support from the community to assist with medical costs, missed wages and …

Providence Swedish Mobile Health Clinic brings care to residents displaced by Tumwater apartment blaze

When an apartment fire in Tumwater occurred Oct. 15, it left dozens of residents unable to return home. Some of the residents also lost access to essentials like oxygen, insulin and heart medications …

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  • Nisqually Valley News Bites Ep. 4: Ashley Brooks and Jesse Kellems talk levy efforts
  • Nisqually Valley News Bites Ep. 3: Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto talks journey to office, upcoming projects

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Business
A preview of the front news and sports pages for the first print edition of the Thurston Chronicle, printing Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Visit ThurstonChronicle.com to subscribe and see a growing list of locations where the weekly newspaper will be available for purchase. Call 360-245-6737 or 360-736-3311 for more details.
In January 2021, Lewis County-based CT Publishing entered the world of journalism, purchasing The Chronicle in Centralia, the Nisqually Valley News in Yelm, and The Reflector in Clark County. …
Spooner Berry Farms has operated a stand on Yelm Highway for the last 43 years. The stand is located on land currently slated to become part of Jolene Unsoeld Community Park, construction for which is scheduled to start later this fall.
With construction of Jolene Unsoeld Community Park set to begin this fall, the Olympia community is raising concerns about what the development means to a longstanding berry stand on the property. …
Talent turnover is accelerating, technology is reshaping roles, and the gap between what workers expect and what employers are offering is widening. These challenges, and the opportunities they …
The TransAlta Centralia plant is pictured on Thursday, March 12.
TransAlta Centralia is expected to begin operations generating power through burning natural gas by 2028 and cease all burning of fossil fuels by a state deadline of 2044. The Washington state …
Providence St. Peter Hospital’s heart care program recently enhanced its outpatient cardiology services as well as hospital-based interventional, electrophysiology, structural heart, cardiothoracic …

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Nisqually Valley News - November 5, 2026

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Sports

Prep volleyball: Rainier throws block party, celebrates fourth consecutive state bid

Rainier celebrates after the final point during a district 4 semi-final game against Toledo at Adna High School on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
ADNA — Defense wins championships. The old moniker can be applied to football, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, water polo, etc. Truly whatever sport the heart desires. Ask the Rainier High …

Prep football: Crossover week is upon us, ladies and gentlemen

November football is finally here. And the sprint to Husky Stadium is officially underway. Week 10 unveiled the “unofficial” seeds for the top four classifications and in Class 2B and 1B, a …
Rainier's Alexis Myers (left) compete in the Yelm Tornado 5K at Yelm High School on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Robles, Myers fuel Mountaineers to another district championship

The 1-2 punch of Komaire Robles and Alexis Myers proved to be exactly what the Rainier High School girls cross country team needed on Saturday afternoon. On their home course and in a dogfight …
The Olympia girls cross country team poses for a photo with its district championship trophy at the Westside Classic at Chambers Creek in University Place on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Olympia girls cross country claims district title at Westside Classic

UNIVERSITY PLACE — There’s not much you can throw at Cris Violette that he hasn’t already seen in the world of prep cross country. In his 37 years of coaching at Olympia High School, with …
Rainier's Ellie Pringle (2), Lexi Beckman (12), and Jessica Adamski (21) celebrate after a point during Day 1 of the 2B District 4 Tournament in Toledo on Oct. 31.

Rainier sweeps Mossyrock to advance to district semis

TOLEDO — Rainier started its postseason run on a positive note on Saturday in Toledo, where the Mountaineers swept Mossyrock 25-15, 25-17, 25-17 in a 2B District 4 Quarterfinal. “It’s a …

Yelm scores season-high in points again, but falls to Rogers in SPSL crossover

For the second week in a row, the Yelm football team earned a season-high on the scoreboard in a losing effort, falling to Rogers 49-34 at Sparks Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 29 in a South Puget Sound …
Yelm's Deejay Taylor competes at the South Puget Sound League Championships at Fort Steilacoom Park on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Yelm boys cross country team finishes in fourth place at SPSL championship race

Quenton Lanese accomplished the first of what he hopes is three consecutive championships in his sophomore postseason. The Olympia cross country phenom earned his first career South Puget Sound …

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Yelm blows out Bethel for David Temple’s first win as head coach

Yelm

The Yelm girls soccer team finished its regular season with a bang, routing Bethel 7-1 at home on Tuesday, Oct. 28 to give first-year head coach David Temple his first victory. Yelm had scored …

Yelm swept by Puyallup in season finale

Yelm

The Yelm volleyball team was swept by Puyallup 25-13, 25-19, 25-11, at home in its regular season finale on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Yelm celebrated its six seniors on senior night: Riley Smith, …

Mountaineers sweep Pirates to cap regular season

The Rainier volleyball team picked up a victory on its Senior Night on Monday night, as the Mountaineers swept Adna 25-8, 25-17, 25-11. “They played great as a team and we finished our season …

Opinion
Gov. Bob Ferguson answers questions from the press during a legislative session preview in a Senate Hearing room in Olympia on Friday, Jan. 9.

Opinion: Governor must put politics aside and let Washington’s kids benefit from federal education tax credit program

I talk with parents in Spokane Valley, Greenacres and other Eastern Washington communities regularly. Behind almost every conversation is a story that stays with you. I hear from mothers whose …
Letters to the editor can be submitted to news@thurstonchronicle.com.

Letter to the editor: “Share Your Story” offers personal look at community’s experiences in YCS

Yelm is the community that raised me. Today, I am grateful to live and teach in the same school district my husband and I attended. As our community considers the school levy on Nov. 3, I know people …
Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier waves to attendees during the Oregon Trail Days parade in Tenino on Saturday, July 25.

Wayne Fournier: After election season, a question — who would sign up for this?

Well, another election season is behind us, more or less. Thankfully. I'm still getting political text messages from candidates as far away as Maine and Texas, so apparently somebody hasn't …
Letters to the editor can be submitted to news@thurstonchronicle.com.

Timberland Regional Library services make our region stronger and a better place to call home

My first memory of a library is from when I was maybe 3 years old. My hometown library was small, and I remember one particular shelf — it was low to the ground, and the books had yellow spines, …
Letters to the editor can be submitted to news@thurstonchronicle.com.

Letter to the Editor: Ratepayers need a watchdog, not another utility insider

This March, my aunt, a senior on a fixed income, handed me her Thurston PUD water bill. The mandatory base charges and fees on her statement were 14 times the cost of the actual water she consumed. …

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Obituaries
In loving memory of Christine Schneider: 1957 - 2026
  The beloved daughter of Shirley Rodger, Christine Schneider, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Christine was born Feb. 4, 1957, to Larry and Shirley Rodger in …
In loving memory of Garry James Brown: 1952-2026
Garry James Brown, D.O., born Sept. 22, 1952, in Olympia, Washington, passed away Sept. 19, 2026, at the age of 73 in Olympia after living with pancreatic cancer for two years. Garry lived a …
In Loving Memory of Robert Pape: 1939 - 2025
Robert A. Pape was born Oct. 11, 1939, and passed away Dec. 17, 2025. A celebration of life will be held Sept. 19, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. The service will be held at Mills & Mills Funeral …
In Loving Memory of Steven Demich: 1957 - 2026
Though he will be deeply missed, Steve’s spirit lives on in the countless lives he touched over the years. “A smile costs nothing, but gives so much.” Those who knew Steve know that he …
In loving memory of David Edwards: 1950 - 2025
Celebration of Life  David Edwards 11/9/1950 - 12/25/2025 Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 5 p.m. Yelm Moose Lodge

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Community
Community Calendar for Dec. 18: Worthy Coffee Co. Santa photos, Souper Sunday at Yelm Lions Club, YARD’s ‘Level Up Lounge’ grand opening
Friday, Dec. 19 Yelm boys basketball hosts Puyallup Yelm High School’s boys basketball team will host the 4A SPSL’s Puyallup High School at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, inside the YHS gymnasium. …
Community Calendar for Dec. 4: Free pictures with Santa, Christmas in the Park activities, 14th annual Yelm Lions Christmas Store, Santa Story and Ice Cream Social
Friday, Dec. 5 Free pictures with Santa The City of Yelm’s parks and recreation department will host free pictures with Santa from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, at the Yelm Community …
Community Calendar for November 27: Tenino Holiday Market, Christmas in the Park tree lighting ceremony, Free pictures with Santa
Friday, Nov. 28 to Sunday Nov. 30 Tenino Holiday Market The 2025 Tenino Holiday Market will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, Saturday, Nov. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 30, at The Kodiak …
Community Calendar for November 20: Prestige Senior Living Rosemont’s Christmas Bazaar, Tenino Holiday Market, Christmas in the Park tree lighting ceremony
Saturday, Nov. 22 Prestige Senior Living Rosemont’s Christmas Bazaar Prestige Senior Living Rosemont, located 215 Killion Rd NW, will host its Christmas Bazaar event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on …
Community Calendar for November 13: Prestige Senior Living Rosemont’s Christmas Bazaar, Tenino Holiday Market, Christmas in the Park tree lighting ceremony, Free pictures with Santa
Saturday, Nov. 22 Prestige Senior Living Rosemont’s Christmas Bazaar Prestige Senior Living Rosemont, located 215 Killion Rd NW, will host its Christmas Bazaar event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on …
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