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Thurston County Youth Football League gives back to community during rivalry week

Week 4 in the Thurston County Youth Football League (TCYFL) season is reserved for rivalry week, which pins teams that, at the high school level, have been longtime enemies. North Thurston Rams …

Unconstitutional: Judge permanently blocks Washington state sheriff standards law

A judge on Friday threw out tough new job standards for county sheriffs approved by Washington lawmakers this year that critics argued would force some out of office. The decision from Thurston …

Yelm-based SRO Theater returns with 11 showings of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Standing Room Only (SRO) Theater, a community staple in Yelm, will return with 11 performances of “Little Shop of Horrors” this fall inside of Yelm High School’s (YHS) Performing Arts Center (PAC) in its first “full-fledged” musical in seven years — when the group performed showings of “Mamma Mia!”

Rainier senior Allyson Ooms commits to CSU Bakersfield to play DI beach volleyball

Rainier High School senior volleyball star Allyson Ooms couldn’t have imagined she’d be a Division I beach volleyball player when she started playing indoor volleyball as a fourth grader. …

Local news

Community Calendar for October 8: Yelm and Rainier football

Friday, Oct. 9 Yelm football hosts Bonney Lake Yelm High School (0-4, 0-1 SPSL) will host the Bonney Lake Panthers (0-4, 0-1 SPSL) in each program’s third South Puget Sound League contest of the …

Blue Fern presents draft of development agreement with Yelm, including 3,000 residential units

Representatives from Blue Fern Development were present during a special Yelm City Council study session meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to highlight what is included in its proposed development …

Washington Virtual Academy offers qualities of public school from an in-home format

Like families navigating the challenges and obstacles presented during the COVID-19 pandemic, Susan Boyer and her husband had questions about the state of public education six years ago when the …

Olympia, Tumwater football teams raise awareness for addiction prevention and recovery

Two football programs in the Thurston County region are bringing awareness to addiction prevention and recovery by participating in the American Addiction Recovery Association (AARA) Purple Project. …

Yelm-based SRO Theater returns with 11 showings of ‘Little Shop of Horrors

Standing Room Only (SRO) Theater, a community staple in Yelm, will return with 11 performances of “Little Shop of Horrors” this fall inside of Yelm High School’s (YHS) Performing Arts Center …

OSPI warns Yelm Community Schools could face dissolution if finances do not improve

Yelm Community Schools (YCS) remains in a financially vulnerable position and could face a potential district dissolution if its financial condition does not improve, according to a letter from the …

WSP to conduct fatigued driving emphasis patrols in Thurston County

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) Commercial Vehicle Division will conduct “fatigued driving” emphasis patrols in Thurston County throughout the fall and winter of 2026, with a focus on …

Lacey MakerSpace invites the community to Festival of Sparks

Creativity, innovation and community will come together as Lacey MakerSpace opens its doors for the Festival of Sparks, its annual fundraiser, from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. The event is free …

Christy Peters says she’s ready lead to Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office from day one

After over three decades as a deputy prosecuting attorney in Thurston County, including 16 years as the department’s chief of staff, Christy Peters is running to be Thurston County’s elected …

Tye Menser hopes to continue providing steady, experienced leadership for Thurston County

After over seven years on the Thurston County Board of Commissioners, Tye Menser is looking to apply his experience to serving the county for another four years. Menser first ran for office in …

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson visits Thurston County

The U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives canceled a public appearance with Southwest Washington congressional candidate and state Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, earlier this week after an …

Poster contest draws hundreds of children to the 37th Annual Nisqually Watershed Festival

A vibrant crowd of young nature enthusiasts and families flooded the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, Sept. 26, for the 37th annual Nisqually Watershed Festival, …

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State & Regional News

Passing HJR 4 would give Idaho Legislature sole authority to legalize marijuana, other drugs

Idahoans voting in November’s general election will decide whether to give the Idaho Legislature the sole power to regulate marijuana and other drugs — and eliminate their right to bring a …

Oregon state Rep. Paul Evans accused of drunken hit-and-run with stop sign in Independence

State Rep. Paul Evans was arrested this weekend and is accused of driving drunk and damaging a stop sign in Independence, Polk County Circuit Court records show. Independence Police officers …

Washington needs this aging state ferry to keep running and running

When the Washington state ferry Tillikum entered service in 1959, Albert Rosellini was in his first term as governor and Dwight Eisenhower was in his second as president. The showy tail …

SCOTUS orders another look at how Washington state political maps are drawn

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday set the stage for another redrawing of Washington state’s political maps. On the first day of its new session, the court accepted a legal challenge to the …

Bipartisan coalition urge Gov. Ferguson to secure federal education tax credit

Now that the U.S. Department of Treasury has released long-awaited rules for the Education Freedom Tax Credit, pressure is mounting on states that have not opted in, including Washington state. …

Endangered Species Act protection for monarch butterfly delayed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week agreed to issue a final listing determination for monarch butterflies by June 6, 2030, a news release announced. The orange-and-black butterflies …

Commute chaos as Washington State Ferries cancels dozens of runs as workers out sick

Numerous Washington state ferry sailings were canceled Monday as many workers called in sick and their replacements declined to fill in for them, according to state officials. Thirteen of the …

Bite of Seattle shooting details raise questions over gun control laws

Despite Washington state’s numerous gun control laws, an illegally modified fully automatic gun was found at the Bite of Seattle shooting with a clip that isn't legal to purchase in the state. …

Washington state man charged with aiding Houthis makes first court appearance

Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, the 51-year-old Richland man and Department of Energy employee accused of attempting to provide material support to the Houthis, made his first federal court appearance …

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Life

Tenino High School’s new backlit aluminum sign hangs in front of the school on Monday. Sept. 28.

Tenino High School unveils new sign made by its students

Five years ago, Tenino High School took down its historic wooden sign for refurbishment, and discovered it was damaged beyond repair. Instead of simply ordering a replacement, the school decided …

Durrell Bell carries a cross in his hands as it rests upon his shoulder at Harrison Avenue in Centralia on Friday, Sept. 25.

“Jesus loves ‘em”: Man with cross offers a simple message

Wind ripped through the air picking up any ungrounded objects in its path as a storm hit Lewis County on Friday, but Durrell Bell stayed anchored to the ground from the weight of the nearly 6-foot-5 …

Rob Richards, sheriff candidate Kevin Burton-Crow’s campaign manager, delivers a statement in place of Burton-Crow during the Thurston Chronicle candidate forum at the Thurston County Expo Center in Lacey on Monday, Sept. 21. Burton-Crow was unavailable to attend as he was at a law enforcement conference as part of his duties with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

Candidates highlight policies at Thurston Chronicle forum

Thurston County will undergo tremendous leadership changes this coming year, as the longtime elected heads of four county departments decided to open the door to newcomers rather than run for …

Schmidt House History Talk to cover Lincoln, the Civil War and the Pacific Northwest

History Talks continue at the Schmidt House in Tumwater, with the next one set to be held at noon Thursday, Oct. 1. It is titled “Lincoln, Civil War and the Pacific Northwest,” and invites …

Copies of Works in Progress' September 2026 issue sit in a stack at the Brotherhood Lounge in Olympia on Friday, Sept. 9, 2026. The issue marked the paper's return to print after a several-year hiatus.

Longtime alternative community newspaper returns to print

Olympia’s longtime independent, volunteer-run news outlet is returning to print. Works in Progress relaunched its print edition Friday, Sept. 9, after a three-year hiatus from …