I've smelled something in the air in the last couple of days. I can't put my finger/nose on it.

It smells like a swimming pool and steam from old water boiling in a tea kettle. And there's a note of some painty smelling chemical.

Anyone else smell anything?

(On this first step, at least - which will conclude when the Planning Commission decides what to recommend to the City Council.) You have until Monday, June 30th at 4:00. It doesn't have to be fancy; quite a few of the comments are just a paragraph.

If you're curious, you can read the comments that the City's put on line so far.

I was surprised, myself, by what a high proportion of the comments that they got in support of the rezone came from business owners.

Email your own comments to the Commission at:

cpdinfo@ci.olympia.wa.us

with the Subject line "Urban Waterfront Comment -- Jan W."

You can send a copy to the City Council, too — P. O. Box 1967, 900 Plum St SE, Olympia, WA 98501; 360-753-8569.

citycouncil@ci.olympia.wa.us

So, some wonks sent me this blurb

Here is a short take:

"Secondly, the funding will enable communities interested on implementing a broadband-wireless infrastructure — especially those with a public-safety focus — to incorporate planning for communications into their broader wireless strategy, with the expectation that funding will be available to support it. In addition to the core communications elements that can be funded by at least 10 different grant sources, future IEC funding can pay for elements of the core infrastructure that will support interoperability as well as provide capacity to the overall wireless network.

State Administrative Agencies, the same agencies that administer Homeland Security Grants, will apply for and receive these funds and re-grant them to local municipalities. If your community has a project pending that you think would be appropriate to use IEC, talk with your state representatives. Ideally, present them with a written plan for how you intend to use the funds and a budget that defines what you need and why.

More information on the IEC program is available at the FEMA Website at www.fema.gov/grants and for Grants Office UPStream subscribers at www.grantsoffice.com." 

You're Invited.

Elegant food, great company, important cause.

The Twins Legal Defense Fund Presents: Food for Justice, a secret cafe benefiting local activists Katie and Patsy Hutchison.  

Saturday, June 28
We're open 5:00 to 10:00 pm
816 Rogers St. NW, across from the Westside Co-op
Bring your friends and family!

Katie and Patsy are being targeted for prosecution, alongside numerous other community members, for their efforts to stop military shipments at the Port of Olympia.  Funds raised will help cover legal expenses relating to their case.

Call for reservations, or just show up. 360-918-8665

See you there!

Bear with me for a minute. Last night I had a dream - I don't often have them anymore, or at least don't remember them when I wake, but I did this time. I dreamt my Mother barged into the bedroom and was trying to get me to wake up. I guestimate I would have been dreaming this in the 2 or 3am hour.

I sleep with the blinds up and window cracked open - and at around 4:20am I heard this loud rumbling and BEEP BEEP BEEP. I finally peeked out the window and saw a big ladder truck backing up. I wondered if they were just practicing maneuvers while most people were at home and not driving around.

Because I wake up early, and the sun was bright, I left before 7:00 to head into work - I like being able to stop for coffee first, and to ease into the workday without having to jump right to it. I logged into The Olympian and saw this.

According to a comment posted at 7:40 there was still a unit pumping water out. I hadn't noticed anything, but then again when I left I went straight out of the complex without driving all throughout the parking lot.

One of my co-workers lives at Crowne Pointe too, and when she still wasn't in at 8:20 I asked if she had called. She had, and she wasn't the one burned out. However, after she came in she told me she had been outside for a smoke break and thought to herself that window's glowing awful bright when suddenly it shattered and the flame's erupted.

So far as yet there's no word on what caused the fire, whether it was accident, negligence or deliberate. It won't affect me - unless rates go up drastically when it's time to renew the lease.

I'm perhaps a bit more sensitive on this than others since I lost my Grandparents to a fire at the East Bay Condos in '95. I don't like the idea that I could lose all my possessions or even my life because of my neighbor's actions.