Mira Billotte (WHITE MAGIC)

As I Went Out One Morning – Mira Billotte from manoel caraballo on Vimeo.

With Kaetlin Kennedy (LOST LOCKETS)

L O V E N O T F E A R from Kaetlin Kennedy on Vimeo.

And Takhoma (CARSON CHURCHILL)
http://afraidofwhatsnext.bandcamp.com/track/winters-time-parts-1-2

Jodie Mack is an independent moving-image practitioner, curator, and historian-in-training who received her MFA in film, video, and new media from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007 and currently teaches animation at Dartmouth College. Combining the formal techniques and structures of abstract/absolute animation with those of cinematic genres, her handmade films use collage to explore the relationship between graphic cinema and storytelling, the tension between form and meaning. Mack’s 16mm films have screened at a variety of venues including the Anthology Film Archives, Images Festival, Los Angeles Filmforum, Onion City Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Black Maria Film Festival, and the Robert Flaherty Film Seminar.
http://www.jodiemack.com/

Showing:

Blanket Statement #1: Home is Where the Heart is (2012, 16mm, 3m, color, sound)
discordant dysfunction down to the nitty griddy

Dusty Stacks of Mom (2013, 40m, 16mm>video, color, live sound)
Interweaving the forms of personal filmmaking, abstract animation, and the rock opera, this animated musical documentary examines the rise and fall of a nearly-defunct poster and postcard wholesale business; the changing role of physical objects and virtual data in commerce; and the division (or lack of) between abstraction in fine art and psychedelic kitsch. Using alternate lyrics as voice over narration, the piece adopts the form of a popular rock album reinterpreted as a cine-performance.

Devon Damonte’s Stalking The Wild Washi Machine, (2013, 15 min, 16mm & slide projections)

Do you identify as female, gender queer, or trans? Are you interested in audio and music technology?

My mission is to provide an entry level understanding of live sound, music technology, and recording through hands on training. These workshops can be taken as a full series or as standalone workshops. These workshops are FREE! In order to foster a safe space for learning, you must identify as female, gender queer, or trans to attend these workshops. The field of audio engineering and music technology have historically been very male dominated. My hope is to advocate for those who are interested in learning about these subjects, but may feel uncomfortable learning in a male dominated environment.

A bit about me, my name is Chloe and I am currently the Music Technology Intern at The Evergreen State College. I interned as the Live Sound and Recording Intern at Northern in 2011, and have been working with Northern on and off for the past two years. I am a cisgendered female who is very excited about audio and music technology! I love sharing the knowledge that I have accumulated with others and facilitating empowerment through media and technology comprehension. I have been guest lecturing and teaching workshops relating to audio and media technology for the past two years to people of all ages, as well as providing audio and music technology consulting on a one on one basis. If you would like more information about me and what I do, feel free to visit my personal website!

Make your voice heard!

Learn to run live sound and set up and tear down a basic audio reinforcement system.
Learn advanced live sound and mixing techniques and how to utilize outboard mixing equipment!
Learn about signal flow, microphone types, and how microphones work!
Learn how to create DIY home recordings and live recordings!

Apr. 20: Intro to Live Sound 4-5PM
May 4: Advanced Live Sound 4-5PM
May 25: Intro to Recording 4-5PM

Visit the blogspot for this at lqtaudio.blogspot.com

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at northernlqt@gmail.com

Greys (Toronto, ON)
Fast and fierce
https://www.facebook.com/GreysRock
http://greys.bandcamp.com/

Shahman (Ottowa, ON)
Heavy and angular
http://shahman.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shahman/283091575041364

Wet (Olympia)
https://soundcloud.com/tanar-stalker/

Doors at 8, show at 8:30 SHARP.

ThurstonTalk

 

By Tom Rohrer

A quick reaction may be the recipe for success in sprinting events.

Starting fast, adjusting to your opponent’s performance, and kicking it up towards the finish line are all tasks that need to be checked off in the span of 100 or 200 meters.

Out at Elma High School, a once freshmen phenom is now hitting her full stride heading towards the state meet.  A junior is following in his brothers footsteps, hoping to win another state championship for his family.

The Eagles, led by longtime coach Dave Beeler (in his 22 year coaching) were well represented at the South West Washington District 1A District Championships at Rainier High School on Friday, May 17, taking fourth place in both the boys and girls team championships.

All three of the Eagles first place finishes were by either sophomore sprinter Natalie Grant or junior sprinter/hurdler Ray Stark.

Grant, who finished second and sixth in the 100 and 200 meter races respectively at the 1A State meet as a freshmen, took home first place in both events at the district meet.  Her 200 meter time of 26.23 seconds is a personal record, while her 12.80 performance was her best time of the season.

Stark, who ranks in the top ten of 1A sprinters in the 100 meters, finished third behind Hoquiam’s Nolan Hoiness and Devin Kelly in the event.  The top 300 meter hurdler at this point of the year among all 1A athletes, Stark finished first in the event in Rainier, running a state-best 39.52 for 2013.

Natalie Grant is a sophomore sprinter for Elma High School.

Stark is hoping to fulfill the family legacy in sprinting and hurdling events, as his three older brothers Joel, Christian and Aaron all competed at the state level for the Eagles.  Just last year, Joel Stark, now an assistant coach for the Eagles, took home  the state championship in the 300 m hurdles, and was joined by his younger brother on the third place 4 x 400 meter relay team.

“All of my brothers, they have always helped push me.  All but one won a state title, so I look up to what they accomplished,” Ray Stark said. “When I first got here, I felt that pressure to live up to their name.  I want to accomplish what they did, and be as good or better than them.”

“He’s more of a serious one,” said Beeler of Ray Stark.  “You can tell he’s driven to compete and win, and I think it stems somewhat from the family influence.  It’s been fun coaching them all.”

It’s certainly been fun for Beeler to coach an athlete like Grant, who, by the coach’s suggestion, runs with the Eagles male sprinters every day at practice.

The fact Grant is running her best at this point of the season is extremely encouraging given the fact she was battling injuries during the winter and early spring.   Grant was injured at the end of her second season on the Eagles varsity soccer team, forcing her to miss the basketball season and come into track rusty and out of shape.

“This season, I had a rough start, and wasn’t in as good of shape because of a soccer injury,” Grant said. “Now I feel I’ve finally improved enough to where I’m running at same level as last year.”

Beeler has been impressed by the resolve Grant has displayed.

Ray Stark is one of the top ten 1A sprinters, continuing a family tradition of champions.

“You have to remember this is just a sophomore, and she performed so well last year that expectations were high,” Beeler said. “It’s a long season and I knew it would be one where she would have some tough times initially.  But she is a fierce competitor, she works hard and now, she’s right where she needs to be.”

The state championship goals of both Stark and Grant seem more attainable given the fact that they’ve been on the stage before.

“It was exciting but extremely tough because a lot of people looked down on me because I was just a ninth grader,” Grant said of her experience at the state meet last year.  “That’s motivation for sure, and having been in that setting before, I’m not scared of the experience.”

“It leads to more confidence just knowing I can run with anyone,” said Stark, who qualified for the state meet in 2011 and 2012 in the 300 meter hurdles. “I just need to do what I need to do and accomplish goals.”

Having arguably his most talented athletes being the team’s hardest workers is a blessing for Coach Beeler.

“With Ray, he’s really put his mind to improving his strength and his focus, and Natalie is a determined individual as well.  She runs with the boys every day, and it’s great to see that competiveness come out between her and that group.  Neither want to lose,” said Beeler, who was an All American Distance runner as a student athlete at Southern Oregon University. “They work extremely hard, and I think the other kids on the team notice that dedication.”

While both Stark and Grant have a leadership role on the team, they have a different way of displaying that leadership before the race.

“I’m moving around a lot, I’m talking to my teammates, trying to motivate them,” Stark said. “I’m kind of all of over the place.”

“I usually just get by myself, don’t talk to anyone, and just focus on me and the start of the race,” Grant said. “I’m extremely quiet at that point, and am in my own little world.”

Whatever their method of approach is, it seems to be working for the two Eagles sprinters.

“They each have the potential for a memorable end of the season, and really just a great career,” Beeler said. “It’s amazing how much they’ve both accomplished already, but you can tell they won’t be satisfied until they win a state championship.  Truly, they won’t be satisfied until they win every race they compete in.”

Grant and Stark know they represent their school and the entire Elma community.

“We go to bigger meets or to state, and a lot of times nobody respects us, they think we’re just some tiny school with no talent,” Grant said. “I always want to prove that to be wrong, and I know the whole team does too.”

“I take a lot of pride in being a student here, and I will do anything in my power to represent the school in a positive way,” Stark said. “For me, that’s to win a state championship and help my teammates do the same.”

 

ThurstonTalk

 

By Stacy Fisher

I am a mother of two very loud boys, who are often told to use their “inside voices” and “keep it down.”  We are not a birder’s best friend.  That being said, a trip to the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge for the Junior Refuge Manager Program was enough to engage the boys and, more importantly, slow their voices and bodies down so that we were able to appreciate the park.

Free Training Guides

If you have ever completed a Junior Ranger program at a national park, the Junior Refuge Manager Program is very similar.  Children, aged three to thirteen, can pick up a free training guide at the visitor center and dive into the park with a more scientific and challenge minded approach.  The training guide consists of an outdoor treasure hunt, some workbook activities and comprehension questions about the different habitats.  There are various activities geared for different age groups, and parents will need to help out the new or non-readers.  The visitor center also rents binoculars, so be sure to pick up your pair when you grab a training guide.

If you are planning on a spending the day at the refuge, you could easily complete the guide.  With our kids on the younger side of the spectrum, we did not try to rush them through the activities and will need one more trip back to get our badges.  Did I mention that they get real badges?  Once the training guides are completed, the kids return to the visitor center and speak to a ranger, maybe answer a couple of questions, take the pledge and receive a certificate and their very own Refuge Manager badge.

Enjoying the Refuge

We have been to the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge many times, and we always spend a lot of time in the Nature Explore Area.  This area is located next to the Environmental Education Center and is a great place for a picnic as well.  This is definitely one of my most favorite places to play outside with the kids, albeit it can also be one of the messiest.  It is an area that encourages kids to play in dirt, search for bugs, hit rocks with sticks and build with logs.

If you can get your kids out of the dirt, head towards the visitor center.  This is a good place to grab a trail guide, meander through the visitor center and hit the restroom.  From here, pick a trail, get your camera ready and hike on.  (Trail maps can be found here.)

Learning about the Refuge

The Junior Refuge Manager training was designed to engage, inspire and educate.  I had the opportunity to sit down with Michael Schramm, Visitor Services Assistant for the US Fish & Wildlife Service at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, to discuss the program.

“If you really want to involve kids, you can’t just race through the refuge.  And that’s part of the purpose of the Junior Refuge Manager program, just to encourage people to slow down,” says Schramm.  “The closer you look the more you’ll see, the slower you go the more you’ll see, and once you learn to do that, this place is just teeming with life.  It’s a great place to be,” he continues.

According to Schramm, springtime is a great time to visit the park.  “It’s an easy time of the year to see some fairly flashy looking birds…this is the most exciting time of the year to be here, in terms of the variety of the birds, and the colorfulness of the birds, and the songs that you hear.  It’s a very complete experience in terms of the all the senses being used.”  He mentions that many people come to the refuge and see something new every time. “In the winter, the ponds are a little more active, and you get more waterfowl…and then they move out in the summer.  You lose one thing and pick up something else, that’s how it is around here.  There are species that are only here for a week or two at a time.

Most importantly, the Junior Refuge Manger program emphasizes nature awareness and appreciation.  “It’s really nice having an area this big lodged between two urban areas,” Schramm comments. ”This is the biggest estuary in Puget Sound, and it’s more than just a pretty place.  It serves a really important function ecologically, and so it’s important to keep people involved and engaged and wanting it to continue to be here.”

Did you know that only around 2 adult salmon will live to return from the ocean and spawn from every 4,000 eggs that are laid?  Me neither.  Although, I think I am exempt from receiving my own Refuge Manager Training badge, I learned a lot as well.  More importantly, we all slowed down our pace, looked up in the sky, and got down in the dirt for the day.

Planning your Trip

The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is located 8 miles northeast of Olympia.  Take exit 114 off of I-5 and follow the signs to the Refuge.  There is a daily entrance fee of $3.00 per four adults. Children under 16 enter free. Also, there are annual passes available for purchase at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Administration Office and Visitor Center. All proceeds from entrance fees and passes go back into Nisqually NWR programs.

The Refuge trails are open every day from sunrise to sunset. The Refuge Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Be sure to leave your dogs at home, as well as your bikes and tents.

Thrifty Thurston highlights inexpensive family fun in Thurston County.  The weekly series focuses on family-friendly activities throughout our community.  If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@thurstontalk.com.  For more events and to learn what’s happening in Olympia and the surrounding area, click here.

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

100 Brown Farm Road

Olympia WA 98516

(360) 753-9467

ThurstonTalk

 

 

Submitted by Eliza Ramsey, Capital High School intern to ThurstonTalk

On May 22, the Capital High School Parent Organization put on an event to honor student artists.  Students can enter art in categories such as drawing, painting, woodworking, photography, mixed media and welding.

Event highlights:

• Senior Shea Temple took first in the Functional Metal category with a gate he crafted for his family driveway.
• Senior Lauren McCann received the Best in Show award for her India Ink drawings of homeless people in Olympia.  Lauren’s series of drawings was part of her culminating project with focused on raising awareness and providing assistance to the homeless members of our communities.
• The choir, band and orchestra also performed during the event.

 

 

ThurstonTalk

 

Military support and patriotism usually shows up in shades of red, white, and blue.  But for Garden Courte Memory Care, during the month of April, it was all purple.

Wearing purple is a visible way to show support and thank military children for their strength and sacrifices.  Purple is the color that symbolizes all branches of the military.  It’s the mixture of Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red, and Navy blue.

During April, many Garden Courte staff and residents were photographed in their purple finest.  T-shirts, hair bows, hats, socks – a wide range of clothing was pulled from the drawers and closets to recognize this community event.

The Garden Courte team got creative in their way to show support for their community.  They partnered with Limeberry, Lowes, and TAGS and showed up at the Lacey branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County all ready to entertain the kids with yummy snacks and active play.

“Our ‘Purple Up’ family night was made possible because of the folks at Garden Courte Memory Care,” reports Lacey branch director, Shellica Trevino.  “They ensure that our families were well fed and informed about ‘Purple Up.’”

LaTanya Jules, Executive Director of Garden Courte Memory Care, is also a Lacey Club parent which helped facilitate the partnership.

Other Lacey businesses also joined in support of the event.  Limeberry donated 50% coupons.  Rhonda Woodside indicated that the coupons were redeemable for frozen yogurt treats at all area stores.

Kimberly Cook from the Lacey Lowe’s donated “Build and Grow” kits.  Cook and her team also assembled and delivered a brand new barbecue grill that the Lacey Club can use for future family nights.

Brenda Williams from TAGS designed the graphics that were affixed to t-shirts, pencils and pins and distributed to the kids.

“In two words, I would describe these community members as ‘inspiring people,’” summarizes Trevino in deep gratitude and appreciation.

To learn more about Garden Courte Memory Care, click here.

Quick – name a European country famous for making wine - If you said France, you are boring. SPAIN is the answer I was looking for. Some of the oldest and most interesting European wines still in production today come from Spain. The Canaanite tribe of the Phoenician civilization founded the city of Cádiz sometime […]

ThurstonTalk

 

By Mary Ellen Psaltis

Christine Forrey, with corporate owner Rich Jennings, is opening Forza in Lacey.

Grabbing a cup of coffee is a classic but not unusual experience in Thurston County. Forza’s new location in Hawks Prairie (130 Marvin Road SE) elevates the basic coffee purchase to a richer experience – a dash of cozy restaurant mixed with ideas from the British pub and a measure of European coffee house. It’s enough to get you to stay all day.

And that would be just fine with Forza’s new owners Christine and Tom Forrey. Their motto of “Hosting Life’s Connections” allows your day to unfold gently and completely. Start off with ordering your favorite morning brew then have a seat. Your drink will be delivered to you.  Hook up your portable devices, check your mail and read the news. Minutes melt to hours.

Now you’re hungry. No problem. If you are still in the breakfast mood, order a bagel (Bagel Brothers) or perhaps a sweet treat (some from John’s Mountain Home Bakery.) If it’s later than you thought and you are ready for lunch, choose from a selection of Panini sandwiches, flat bread pizza or salad.

As the afternoon fades to evening, there are microbrews on tap and wine to pour. Friday and Saturday evenings are booked with local and regional musicians – guitar players, bands, and singers. The ambiance at Forza is suitable for the whole family. Music begins at 7:00 pm and ends nightly by 10:00. As corporate owner Rich Jennings suggests, “You can enjoy your evening and still be at home in bed by 11 pm.”

Tom Forrey will spend part of his time baking pies in Forza’s bakery, which has its own separate space. Most days customers can select between apple, triple berry, chocolate chiffon, coconut cream, and lemon meringue pies. Keep your eyes open for a weekly special (like rhubarb) and for a gluten-free key lime pie.

Christine’s mother Maureen McLemore (retired) has been recruited for her muffin and carrot cake making abilities. She has promised to make pavlova, an elegant creation of meringue topped with whipped cream and fruit, on Fridays during the summer.  Named for Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, the dessert is said to originate from ‘down under,’ either Australia or New Zealand, depending on which story you believe.  I’ll be back for that.

This new model for Forza makes it “so much more than a coffee shop,” explains Christine Forrey. A conference room (with a sliding door) will seat up to 16 people. You can reserve the space by purchasing a $25.00 coffee card. The drive-up window has it’s own staff and coffee machines. It’s right on the side of the building but you won’t see a trace of it when you are inside.  A large kitchen, in back, rounds out the space.

Corporate owner Alan Tandy and Rich Jennings have a goal to open 400 Forzas nationwide over the next ten years. Northwest residents already know we love our coffee; it’s a pleasurable experience to share.

Whether you have barely the time to get through the drive-thru or have ample time to come in, relax and get plugged in, the Forrey’s invite you to become part of the Forza family.  Christine is excited to add coffee sales to her resume. Stop by for a taste.

Forza

130 Marvin Rd. SE in Lacey

360-338-0925

Forza is open seven days a week.

https://www.facebook.com/ForreysFORZA

http://www.forzalacey.com

Photos courtesy Priest Photography.  To see more photos from Forza’s grand opening, click here.

ThurstonTalk

 

Submitted by Thurston County

No tobacco products allowed at county facilities and campuses starting Jan. 1

OLYMPIA—Today the Thurston County Board of Commissioners approved a new policy that will ban smoking, e-cigarettes and the use of other tobacco products from county buildings and grounds with few exceptions. The new rules go into effect on January 1, 2014, and all county employees and visitors to county facilities, buildings and campuses will be asked to help keep county properties tobacco-free.

The goal of the new tobacco-free policy is to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke for employees and for guests visiting county properties. Commissioners also hope the new policy will encourage employees who do use tobacco to quit the habit.

“We know there’s no such thing as a safe amount of secondhand smoke, and this new policy is a tried and tested way of reducing secondhand smoke exposure and making our facilities and campuses safer and healthier for our employees and for the public,” said Thurston County Commissioner and Board of Health Chair Karen Valenzuela.

Thurston County is one of several South Sound organizations to go tobacco free. Other government agencies and large employers have adopted similar policies in recent years:

• Mason County – 2006
• Capital Medical Center – 2010
• Providence St. Peter Hospital – 2010
• Washington State Department of Health – 2010
• South Puget Sound Community College – 2011

While the new tobacco-free policy was adopted today, Commissioner Valenzuela said choosing January 1, 2014 as the effective date gives the county, employees and guests seven months to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“On our end, it gives us time to incorporate it into our hiring and training procedures, install all of the signs, and make all the other physical changes that are needed at all of our various campuses,” said Valenzuela. “For our employees and guests, we hope that the seven-month period is ample time to inform them about the changes that are coming, and that it gives them a golden opportunity to tap into tobacco cessation programs and get the help they need to kick the habit for good.”

All county properties and worksites, including wholly-leased properties, will be subject to the new tobacco-free policy. Thurston County parks will not be subject to the new tobacco-free rules.

The county plans to install temporary signs at its facilities and campuses later this summer that will include information on tobacco cessation. Permanent signs will be installed later this fall.

For more information on the county’s new tobacco-free policy, go to http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/ and click on “Thurston County Properties Going Tobacco Free.”

 

ThurstonTalk

 

Submitted by City of Olympia

The City of Olympia, Parks, Arts and Recreation department will be making improvements to several local area parks over the coming weeks. You may see construction activity but impacts are expected to be minimal with all parks facilities remaining open for use.

Kettle View Park New Shelter

A new 16ft X 21ft covered shelter will be built next to the existing restroom. Construction will begin late this week and is anticipated to be complete by the end of July. All park facilities will be open during the construction. The shelter site will be fenced off.

Priest Point Park Flora Vista Parking Lot Expansion

The existing parking lot will be expanded, adding 5 parking stalls, one of which will be an ADA stall. The expanded portion will be asphalt, as will the parking lot entrance. This work will be complete in the month of June. The parking lot and park entrance will remain open during construction but may have short term closures to accommodate specific work tasks such as the asphalt application work.

LBA Park Asphalt Overlay

Asphalt overlay work will include the northern portion of the existing southern parking lot off of Amhurst St. SE as well as the pathway from the playground up to the restrooms. The project will include stump and root removal and some asphalt base preparation. The project will be complete in the month of June. The entire park will remain open with minor closure areas.

 

ThurstonTalk

 

Submitted by Hartley Jewelers

Cassandra Searles asked Hartley Jewelers to create a unique necklace to commemorate her year as Miss Washington USA.

Community involvement has always been important to Hartley Jewelers. Supporting local schools and organizations is something the company is passionate about doing.

For many years, Hartley Jewelers has donated and presented a custom designed gold and diamond pendant for the newly crowned winner of the annual Miss Washington Pageant. Last year, the company was appointed official jeweler of the prestigious organization. They celebrated by redesigning the Miss Washington ring, and designing public supporter rings; the proceeds of which help support the scholarship organization.

The larger, national Miss USA Pageant is owned by Donald Trump and NBC Universal. Last October, Cassandra Searles was crowned Miss Washington USA. She had worked with the Miss Washington Pageant and knew of Hartley Jewelers’ cooperation with the state organization, the largest scholarship provider for young women in the world.

“I’ve been a volunteer with the Miss Washington program for a couple of years,” says Searles, “and I remembered that Hartley Jewelers made rings for all the new winners of the Miss Washington Pageant. I wanted to see if they could design something for me.”

Searles contacted Hartley Jewelers through the company’s Facebook page.

Searles had seen a picture of a custom-made necklace worn by the reigning Miss Texas USA, in the shape of her state. “I had her send me a picture, and then showed it to Hartley Jewelers,” says Searles. “I asked if they could make something similar, of Washington State.”

“I told them I wanted to have something to remember my year by, maybe a necklace,” says Searles. “I wanted something easily recognizable that would pay homage to my state.”

With just a phone call or two and several emails back-and-forth with sketches, the custom-design process began and the pendant necklace — created by Rick Hartley — came together quickly.

“I live in the Seattle area, so I love the Space Needle,” she says. “Rick did a couple of sketches, one with the space needle, and I thought it was absolutely perfect.”

The finished piece is the State of Washington wrapped in a Miss Washington USA-emblazoned sash, with the space needle rising out of it.

She especially likes how the necklace’s chain slips through the top of the space needle.

The custom-made piece, made in the shape of Washington State, includes emeralds and the space needle to signify Seattle, the area of the state Searles lives in.

“My evening gown for Miss USA is going to be emerald, to represent the Emerald City,” Searles says. “I asked if we could throw some emeralds into the design, and Rick suggested incorporating a row of alternating diamonds and emeralds into the pendant.”

“It was really easy, there was absolutely no stress,” says Searles. “And, they worked within my timeframe; I wanted to have it ready in time for my send-off party.”

Searles’ full-time job and Miss Washington USA duties keep her extremely busy. She is now a devoted Hartley Jewelers fan, though she’s never stepped foot in the West Olympia store. “I was very excited that I was able to do it all electronically,” she says.

And how does she feel about the finished piece?

“I’m wearing it right now and it’s amazing,” she says, laughing. “I’m obsessed with it.”

Of course the pendant will travel with Searles later this month for the 19 days she’ll spend in Las Vegas, competing for the Miss USA crown. “I’ll wear it as much as I can during the pageant, whenever it matches my outfit,” she says.

Regardless of the pageant’s outcome, Searles will continue to proudly wear her custom-made Hartley Jewelers pendant necklace for years to come, to commemorate her time as Miss Washington USA.

Hartley Jewelers

400 Cooper Point Rd SW

Olympia, WA 98502

360.754.6161

 

 

ThurstonTalk

 

By Tom Rohrer

What a difference a year can make.  Entering his junior season on the Tumwater High School track team, Hunter Shaner, a shot-put thrower, did not have high expectations.

A fifty foot throw, a top ten distance in the state and an appearance at the state tournament meet seemed too lofty of goals for the grandson of former Tumwater High Athletic Director and standout track athlete Bob Shaner.

Tumwater’s Hunter Shaner prepares to release the shot put during one of his throws at the Shaner Invitational (named after Hunter’s grandfather Bob Shaner) earlier this season. Thanks to his dedication and the instruction of THS throwers coach Paul Kelly, Shaner has a top ten throw amongst 2A athletes in the state this season and will be competing at the 2A state meet this weekend.

Little did Hunter know that not just one, but all three accomplishments would come to fruition in his senior year.  Shaner went over fifty feet, hitting a personal best 50’5.75 in a meet vs. Black Hills High School earlier this season.  It was the seventh best throw amongst 2A athletes this year.

To round out the trio of goals, Shaner will be competing in the 2A track meet this weekend at Mt. Tahoma High School.

Shaner’s throw of 49’7.00 at the 2A District 4 Championship last weekend earned him a third place district finish, and punched his ticket to the meet in Tacoma.

Not bad for a student who hadn’t competed in track and field prior to his sophomore year.

“Last year, it was just sort of learning the ropes for the first time,” said Shaner, whose best throw prior to his senior year was 35’2.00. “Now, I’m actually up there competing for titles and for state.  It was kind of a dream last year and now it’s a reality.”

“Last year he probably didn’t dream of being a 50-foot thrower,” said Paul Kelly, an assistant THS track coach who advises the throwers. “It’s pretty amazing how far he has come.”

Shaner’s improvement is directly correlated to the arrival of Kelly to the T-Birds staff, which took place prior to the 2012 season.  Under Kelly, Shaner, the starting center for the T-birds football team, could harness his strength, size and quick feet.  All he needed was some technique instruction from Kelly, which is easy to see he obtained.

“He was a good sized kid with strength but he didn’t understand the techniques,” Kelly said. “He has a great appetite for learning and wants to know why things work the way they do.  These events are a lot more technical than people on the outside realize.  As far as biomechanics, kinesiology, it’s all aligned together. I’ve seen a lot of kids very big and strong that haven’t excelled and I’ve seen vice versa, where smaller and weaker kids end up being very prolific.”

“That was the key for me, just learning the fundamentals and basics of shot put throwing,” Shaner said. “I needed to focus on the small details and keep improving and I eventually did.”

Finishing ahead of Shaner in the state ranks and the district championship was Capital’s Andy Miller, who finished second to R.A. Longs Mitch Moe at last weekend’s championship.  Both Kelly and his young pupil believe having strong competition at a nearby school has helped push Shaner to become the thrower he has.

“I always keep up to date on how he’s doing, or what he threw,” Shaner said of Miller.  “It pushes me to see that, and helps me measure myself against the high level guys.”

“With athletes, you’re always going to have that type of competition, that kind of recognition,” Kelly said. “But I think it makes a big difference.  If you’re a 48-foot thrower in a league of 38-foot throwers, you do not have the best chance of being a 50-foot thrower.  If you have other guys competing at a high level, you will be driven to compete.”

Shaner’s competitive drive and physical talents within track and field have been bolstered by his experience on the gridiron.

“Football definitely carries over,” said Shaner, who helped lead the T-Bird football team to an appearance in the 2A state title game. “There’s lots of explosive power, hit and drag power.  You need that to be successful in both sports.”

Unlike football, track and field is focused on the individual, where athletes, for the most part, are competing in their respective events alone.  Shaner enjoys relying solely on himself, but still supports his other teammates competing in different events.

“There’s still that support out there. I’ll have friends who come watch me, and later I’ll come watch their event,” Shaner said. “But it’s cool that the pressure is all on you.  You don’t have to rely on someone else’s performance, and that aspect is something unique to this sport.”

For Kelly, it’s been a great experience watching Shaner develop into the thrower he’s become.

“He’s a great, great kid with a great perspective on who he is and where his place is in life,” said Kelly.  “Now, when I’m busy with other athletes or gone, I’ll have him work with the younger shot put throwers and show them the proper technique.  I never thought I would be saying that a year ago, but that’s just a testament to how hard he’s worked and what type of person he is.”

While Shaner has certainly accomplished a lot this year, he isn’t satisfied quite yet.

“A dream of mine is to break the school record (61’7.00) and if I did that, I could probably win state,” Shaner said. “I just need to keep working, focusing on the little things and just manage my technique properly.”

Sure, a distance ten feet higher than a personal best is a difficult obtain goal to accomplish.  But as he’s proven in the past year, it’s never smart to rule out Hunter Shaner.

The 2A boy’s shot put event at the state meet will take place on Friday, May 24, at 1 p.m. at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

 

If you spend a dollar in Olympia, it will only go so far. In a study of how far money travels, Cascadia is one of the most well defined regions of the country. So, if we network with only people within our region and our money only goes so far, what makes us different?

If you're half politically (or otherwise) engaged and you're half paying attention in these parts, you're probably heard about Cascadia.

On its fringe, the idea is of a regional breakaway from the United States and Canada. The idea is the create a country of Cascadia by calving off the northwest section of the United States and a connecting portion of western Canada. Like I said, this is an extreme idea.

But, in a series of posts (with maybe no end), I'm going to point out that Cascadia already exists. And, that its different from the squishy regionalism around the idea of the "Pacific Northwest."

This is the same sort of difference that my mind makes when I compare my own concepts of "the South" and Dixie. For me, while the South certainly has its own regional connotations politically and culturally, the differences become much sharper when you refer to Dixie. It is likely the racist, seceded from the Union and burning crosses stuff, but it's there.

So, in these posts, the Northwest will become Cascadia. I'll discuss what makes Cascadia special. What makes it different from Ohio and Virginia and why those differences should matter to you.

It seems to me when we talk about the Northwest (Cascaida) we talk about mountains, rain, salmon and coffee. But, we imply these are small, seemingly insignificant differences from the rest of North America. What I want to talk about is that we're a fundamentally different, the same way Ludlow, Massachusetts is different than Greenwood, South Carolina.

ThurstonTalk

 

By Katie Hurley

Brewer Brandon Brock (left) and Head Brewer Dave Pendleton prepare smoked bacon wrapped meatballs to pair with Dick’s brews.

If you’ve ever read a restaurant menu or a food magazine, you’re likely familiar with wine and food pairings… wine and food with complementary flavors.  A growing trend in the food industry is beer and food pairings.  Northwest Sausage & Deli and Dick’s Brewing Company in Centralia have recently started offering “Beer Pairings with the Brewer” on Thursday evenings.

Every Thursday from 5:00 to 8:30 pm, Northwest Sausage and Deli will offer a special food and beer pairing in addition to their regular dinner menu.  This pairing changes each week and might include a couple different appetizers or an appetizer and an entrée.  Often, the beer that is paired with the food is also incorporated into the recipe.

Owner Julie Young talks with enthusiasm about beer pairing.  “We started experimenting with our beers and the smoked products we already had at the deli, combining both of those aspects,” said Young.  That experimenting has evolved into some interesting combinations like Cajun Beer Burgers, seasoned with spices and beer and topped with beer-braised onions.  On the side were Beer Battered Pickles. “Yummy!” said Young.  This was paired with a refreshing IPA and resulted in a sellout.

Another popular sellout is Smoked Pork Loin stuffed with Andouille Sausage, paired with Dick’s Best Bitter.  Young’s favorite, though, is the Apple, Cheese and Bacon stuffed Chicken Breasts, paired with Dick’s Imperial IPA, which is strong and a little sweet.  Other recent features include Smoked Pulled Pork Sliders, Beer-Boiled Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce and Smoked and Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos.

Smoking stuffed chicken breast is grilled by Dick’s Brewing Company’s Head Brewer Dave Pendleton. He recommends pairing this dish with Dick’s Imperial IPA.

Upcoming events will offer tantalizing pairings like Pan-Grilled Rib Eye with a Sweet-Hot Mustard and Beer Sauce paired with Dick’s Golden Ale on May 23.  On May 30 they will feature a Smoked Tri-Tip Gyro served with a 4-bean salad that is paired with Dick’s Best Bitter.

Most of the recipes are the creations of Head Brewer and Brewery Manager Dave Pendleton.  Dave does all of the smoking and prep work, and he is assisted by Brandon Bock, who is both the Brewer and the Deli Cook.   “They enjoy working together each week perfecting the Beer Pairing menu item,” says Young, who owns both Dick’s Brewing Company and Northwest Sausage & Deli.  Both companies were started by her father, Dick Young, and Julie was determined to carry on her dad’s dream after his passing.

Many of the products used in the recipes, such as the Smoked Pork Loin and the Andouille Sausage, are available at Northwest Sausage & Deli and Dick’s Beers are available at Northwest Sausage & Deli and many other retail outlets.

Beer Pairings with the Brewer – every Thursday, 5-8:30 pm at Northwest Sausage & Deli, 5945 Prather Road, Centralia.  Reservations for Thursday nights are recommended – 360-736-7760.  Open Monday-Saturday 9:30-5 and Thursdays and Fridays until 9:00 pm.

Click here for a calendar of upcoming Beer Pairing events with Dick’s Brewing Company.

ThurstonTalk

 

By Amy Rowley

Every Seattle Mariner’s professional baseball player started somewhere.  It may just be that the next generation superstar picks up his first bat in Little Lacey Baseball.

The Lacey-based baseball league is organized by the Lacey Parks and Recreation team and includes five divisions.  Last year, 45 teams participated in the summer baseball league.

The Lacey Parks and Recreation team started Little Lacey Baseball five years ago.  “When the weather would turn nice, parents would call and inquire about getting involved in baseball,” reports Becky Herinckx, Recreation Coordinator.

Herinckx would sadly inform parents that they were too late.

“There are excellent baseball leagues around our area, but they complete registration by February, start practicing in March and are usually finished with the season by June,” she says.  “We noticed that there was a need for younger kids to have an opportunity to play in the summer.”

Little Lacey Baseball begins the third week of June and is finished by the second week of August.  “The kids are playing when the weather is great,” says Herinckx noting that there are no rain outs in the league.

Intended for kids up to age nine, Little Lacey Baseball is only a two-hour commitment per week. Practices and games are held on either Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays.  “There are no weekend games or tournaments.  We want to make the league affordable for parents’ time,” emphasizes Herinckx.

Operating under the theme “all adults working together for the benefit of all the children,” Herinckx stresses that Little Lacey Baseball is a great environment for kids.

As kids progress through the five age divisions, the rules become more “baseball-like.”  For example, the youngest kids are on small teams with no more than seven kids.  Their learning goals are to hit the ball off a T, drop the bat safely and run around the bases in the correct order.  In each age division, the coaches advance new learning goals.

With more advanced rules also comes more appropriate equipment and larger team sizes.  “Our youngest players are using foam bats but then move up to T-ball hats and helmets in the next division,” explains Herinckx.

Teams are assigned based on the neighborhood.  When registering, parents identify the elementary school closest to their home.  Lacey Parks & Rec staff then group kids together to create connections within the community.  Families meet others close to their child’s age that live in the same area.

The small team size helps solidify those relationships.  “Our parent volunteer coaches focus on short, small learning skills.  A natural byproduct is that kids listen to their coach and are able to get along as a team,” adds Herinckx.

“Little Lacey Baseball players learn the sport and build confidence and friendships,” summarizes Herinckx.  All that while sitting outside in mid-July at awesome Lacey parks…. what’s not to love?

To register for Little Lacey Baseball, call 360.491.0857 or visit this website which also includes adult softball league information.  You can find Little Lacey Baseball at excellent fields throughout the City of Lacey including Rainier Vista Community Park, and Homann Park.

 

ThurstonTalk

 

Submitted by Jennifer Crooks, Saint Martin’s University intern to ThurstonTalk.com

Saint Martin’s University was founded in 1895 in what is now Lacey, Washington. Originally known as Saint Martin’s College, it became a University in 2005. The only private Benedictine institution of higher education west of the Rockies, this school has always strived to practice the Benedictine value of hospitality.

When the all-boys college and high school originally opened on September 11, 1895, they were in a four story brick and wooden building. Dormitories and trunk rooms for the students and rooms for the prefects were on the fourth floor. At first, attendance was small but soon grew. In 1909 electricity came, replacing coal-oil lamps.

To help ease the post-World War Two housing crisis on campus, the school acquired ten trailers that could house two men each. They were put northwest of Old Main, with a central toilet and shower facility. Photo courtesy Saint Martin’s University, Ted Yearian photo.

In 1913 the current “Old Main” was built to be the main campus building. This College Gothic Revival building stood three stories tall (with a basement that would become the first floor after the 1923 addition). Two large general dormitories were located on the fourth floor (then third floor) measuring 60 by 60 feet each, with adjourning bathrooms and bathing facilities along with lockers. There were also several private rooms on the fourth floor with more private rooms on the floor below. That year 143 students were in residence.

More changes came in 1923. The original 1895 building, which had been used as faculty housing after the 1913 building was constructed, was demolished. A long new wing was built onto the west side of the 1913 building. But the housing expansion was not over. Also in 1923 St. Placid’s Hall, northwest of the main building, provided private rooms for scholastics (young men preparing for the priesthood.)

There was a predictable dip in attendance during World War II. Only 9 of the 22 college students enrolled lived on campus (while 117 of the 145 high school students were in residence.) During the war, all the college students were housed in St. Placid’s Hall. After the war there was a rapid expansion in college attendance, causing a housing crisis on campus with no nearby off campus housing in then rural Lacey. The school was able to teach 350 students but only house 120. That was clearly not adequate so the college appealed to the federal government for emergency housing and additional educational space for at least 100 veterans.

Former barracks (College, Dunstan and Eberhard Halls) were used for housing after veterans returning from World War Two increased attendance at Saint Martin’s College. Old Main is in the background. Photo courtesy Saint Martin’s University, Ted Yearian photo.

First the crowded campus was awarded ten 2-man trailers from a closed Pasco, Washington federal facility. They were placed just east of the north end of the main building with a central shower-toilet area. Nicknamed “Trailer Junction” or “Trailer Haven,” the new trailers were clearly not enough. Five former barracks were purchased from military surplus to serve as “temporary” dorms and moved from Paine Field near Everett in early 1946 to the campus. Renamed Anselm, Benet, Columban, Francis, and Dunstan halls, these dorms were placed in front of Old Main. They would be far from temporary, serving the school for 25 years. The former barracks were last used for housing in 1966, and then served for office and storage space for another decade. Francis Hall, for example, was used as the office for the underground student paper, The Honker. In 1977, these dorms (except Francis which was torn down) were sold and moved off campus. The area is now lawn.

The 1950s and 1960s saw a building boom on campus. In 1957, Baran Residence Hall was built. Baran Hall was named for the 1st abbot of Saint Martin’s Abbey, The Right Reverend Oswald Baran. Two years later the Faculty Residence was built (the monastery.) In 1966 Burton Residence Hall was constructed. It was named for the 2nd abbot of the Abbey, The Right Reverend Lambert Burton.

These two new dorms served as the heart of the college residency community, with the Trautman Student Union Building being built nearby in 1965. Baran Hall even served as a place for the Student Senate to meet from time to time in the 1970s.

This September 1967 photo from St. Martin’s News, a monthly College newsletter, shows the High School swimming pool, located in the courtyard of the new high school dorms. Built in 1967, the pool was financed by Father Leonard Feeney’s popular high school snack bar. Photo courtesy Saint Martin’s University Archives.

High School dorms also expanded. In 1967 a swimming pool was built in the courtyard of the new high school housing complex. This complex could house 320 students, four to a room with a nearby cafeteria and recreational facilities. Funds from Father Leonard Feeney’s popular high school snack bar covered most of the cost constructing the pool. Unfortunately, rainy Washington was not conducive to having an outside swimming pool in the months when the most students were around (fall, winter and early spring.) Ten years later, in March 1977, the pool was closed when use of the facility dwindled.

Burton Hall became the women’s dorm when the school became coeducational in the mid-1960s. In 1968, Kathleen Karlson served as Women’s Director of Residence and Counseling with Sister Noreen McCathy (O.P.) as Assistant Women’s Director of Counseling. With the education degree program, Burton even housed a preschool for a time.

The 2000s were a time of renewal and expansion. The two main residence halls were renovated, Burton Hall in 2005 and Baran Hall in 2011. Then two more dorms were constructed. First Spangler Hall (named for former Saint Martin’s president Dr. David Spangler) was built in 2005 and Parson’s Hall (named for Ken F. and Gale L. Parsons, Sr.) was constructed in 2008.

From dormitories in the main building to four large residence halls, Saint Martin’s University is living out the Benedictine value of hospitality every day.

Further Reading

Scott, John C. This Place Called Saint Martin’s, 1895-1995: A Centennial History of Saint Martin’s College and Abbey, Lacey, Washington. (Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Co. Publishers, 1996).

Between the Years, 1894-1945 (Lacey, WA: Saint Martin’s College, 1945.)

 

The two most interesting to read documents for our meeting tomorrow are the feasibility studies for two possible joint use libraries in Oakville and Morton.

We’ve been discussing the future of Oakville (study) for a few years now, hopefully this option of moving into and improving the current high school library is a good option. It sure is nice to see some real words on paper about what exactly the facility would look like.

The facility situation would be much the same in Morton (here’s the study for that facility).

Now, I may be reading this wrong, but the total cost of making over both school libraries into public libraries is included in the studies. For Oakville and Morton, the costs would be $76,000 and $83,000 respectively. The seems like a very reasonable and doable cost for both. I’m very excited.

Here’s the entire meeting packet.

Olympia Confronting the Climate Crisis held a few events over the weekend, ranging from tabling at the Olympia Farmers Market (we'll be there again next Saturday, the 25th,) to holding a forum at the Olympia Center about oil trains (more info here,) to a truly glorious day of Kayaking on the Bay. That event was co-organized by the Olympia F.O.R. Confronting the Climate Crisis project, and the Backbone Campaign, as well as with participation from Idle No More Washington, Seattle. Thanks to Dean Hobbs of O3C, Bill Moyer of Backbone Campaign, and Sweetwater Nannauck of Idle No More, as well as a host of others for organizing and attending this event.

Here is a link to some photos by Rob "Berd" Whitlock, and a link to the Facebook event page where you can find more information, photos and video from the event. Stay tuned for event video to see some more of the sights and sounds of the citizen's flotilla of kayaks.

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