Earlier tonight we were coming out of the Thriftway parking lot and..well..there were some dudes, in a wagon.

I am deferring to Machete Red this week. In her comments about the Port, she wrote this:

If we open up the entire Port property for private or semiprivate ownership, or a land trust or something, we can build from the ground up. Square one. Start visioning now. What do you want to see on that property? Pretend that the Port Commission, in their last act, is giving away the land... what is your vision for this area?

Respond at What This Town Needs

Hi. We at the Black Dog Foundation are thinking of recording an oral history involving those that were there. If you are interested, please, please contact me before these memories leave your head!

Eoin

There is something about Olympia, and everybody knows it... yet nobody knows what it is. Some people claim that the reason we are all so attached to this city is because we've had a drink from the well, and even though I love the well, that just can't be what it is. The alley ways and the smells, the water and the bookstores... The way the brick is starting to show through where people paved road over it. I love the way it smells. For whatever millions of reasons that Olympia fills my heart with joy, I would just like to thank it and hope that it continues to fall apart so beautifully, and that one day somebody else with some power and influence will think those peeking spots of brick are amazing, too and say 'to hell with pavement!' Thank you Olympia, thank you Last Word, thank you Stonewall, and thank you Dugmart!

Welfare Rights Organizing Coalition (WROC) has sent out this press release.

OLYMPIA— Some students say the Evergreen State College shouldn’t have Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire as the commencement speaker because of her decision to cut off children’s welfare benefits if their parents are perceived as not complying with the welfare to work program.

Ten students, both parents and nonparents, plan to meet TESC President Les Purce on Tuesday, June 6th at 3 pm to ask him to rescind Gregoire’s invitation or provide an alternative speaker for those who care about children having access to basic necessities.

Yvonne Oldaker, a graduate student at TESC, has worked 30-40 hours per week while attending evening and weekend classes and caring full-time for her now 5-year old daughter. She said Gregoire’s decision to cut children off welfare benefits, often called full family sanction, makes her an inappropriate graduation speaker for a college whose stated principles include giving “serious consideration to issues of social class, age, race, ethnicity, (dis)ability, gender, religious preference, and sexual orientation.

From Bay Area Indy Media:

Eugene, OR -- Release was denied at a detention hearing held in federal court in Eugene Thursday, June 1 before Judge Thomas Coffin in the case of individuals associated with what is being called the "Green Scare" round up of environmentalists in several states. The court heard arguments as to why Joyanna Zacher, 28, and Nathan Block, 25, should be released on bail. Judge Coffin denied bail.

Ms. Zacher and Mr. Block, both of Olympia, Washington, have been in custody since February for an alleged arson in 2001. Their arrest resulted from a bargain struck between federal authorities and one or more individuals previously arrested for the same alleged crimes. The previously arrested informants claim Zacher and Block's involvement out of hope for future leniency.

The Bush Administration continued to describe the alleged crimes as "terrorism" despite the fact that none of the defendants have been formally charged as such and no injuries or casualties occurred. In fact, Judge Coffin stated that he believes these are “arson cases, pure and simple

i was wondering if anyone would be interested in attending this festival. i am looking for a few folks to go to the festival and to share expenses with. location is about 12 hours from olympia. please email if interested.