I am surprised that the layoffs last week at the City of Olympia have not made the media. It seems the General Fund is taking a big hit this year and for the first time in many years pink slips were issued on September 5.

I went to the State of Washington Law Enforcement Memorial today for the 20/20 Vision Olympia See It While You Can event. I had my picture taken and even picked up an "Endangered Views" t-shirt.

Also took a few photos myself. You can find them by linking from the photo posted above.

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They're back. I have a question for you horticulture folks. There are a least four little TC encampments in my trees this year. I've read the WSU Extension article on them, and am considering taking the course of live and let live-- just leaving them alone. What do you think?

A hazy, early morning walk from Downtown Olympia to Priest Point Park was a wonderful start to the day. I waited in one of the swings for another Olyblogger and her furfriend, Loba, for a trek to Ellis Point Cove.

Well, about 9 years ago I met Marcie at a party in Portland. We hit it off right away.

After that night, she went back to Loveland, Colorado where she worked with livestock on a farm.

I came back to Oly, where I was trying to support myself as a performing musician. (Insert laughter)

After corresponding, I decided to go and stay with her on the farm for a week. Having no car and very little money, I posted this flyer on the west-side Co-op board.

One person ripped off a tag and ended up taking me right to the farm. The universe does that sometimes. That's when you know you're on the right path.

After that week in Loveland, I called my mom and told her that I just met the woman I was going to marry.

When I got back home, my flyer was still on the board so I took it down and have kept it as a memento.

She moved to Olympia. We did get married. We loved happily ever after...

"We are trying to fit a modern industrial epoch and civilization into the clothes of a political system that was ample only for a very primitive time," so said the erratic John F. McKay, the last of the straight-out Socialist Party Ungovernors in his two runs for the office. He started his political journey as an elected Democrat, joined the Socialist Party during a low ebb in the history of that group, and then finished by returning to the Democratic Party. Unpredictable and newsworthy if reporters were paying attention, McKay gained a reputation in the Spokane area as a perennial candidate-- in fact he died while running for office. He had a curious political career that only occasionally gained attention from the press of the day, so all we really have are odd checkpoints of random data in which to form a portrait.

John Francis McKay was born Nov. 10, 1884 in Peterson, Iowa to John and Ann (McGowan) McKay. His father was a native of Scotland, his mother from Ireland. At some point before 1900, the McKays moved to Montana, where John Sr. was a section foreman for the Northern Pacific Railway.

It would appear by the turn of the century McKay was out on his own in Anaconda, Montana, aged 16. Like his father he eventually found work on the railroad. He married Christie May Jan. 12, 1908, and they settled in Sanders County, Mont. on the border of northern Idaho. John and Christie would have 11 children.

Former Governors Speak Out:

20/20 Vision Olympia

I picked up a copy of the Olympia Isthmus Park News. It has an article about the initiative petition drive. I am going to transcribe it here (with emphasis added):

The Olympia Capitol Park Foundation has taken the lead in organizing an Initiative Petition campaign to ask the City Council to take a serious look, for the first time, at the feasibility of developing a large part of the Isthmus between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet into an extension of Heritage Park.

The Initiative drive grew out of the concerns of six former Olympia Planning Commissioners about the proposed increase in the height limitations for buildings on the Isthmus, from 35 feet to 90 feet.

While the former commissioners believe that such a re-zone should not be permitted, they also believe that instead of polarizing the community every five years or so with a divisive debate over the height limits, it is time to seriously look for a better vision for Olympia. They hope that instead of just being against the change, people are ready to support transforming this spectacular site into a great public space.

Public response has been overwhelmingly positive. Over 80% of the people approached about signing the petition have done so.

There is a Barn stomp to raise matching funds for Boistfort Valley Farm to help them with repairing their barn after this past December's Flood. 

There is an open house from 12-5 and then dinner and live music and dance.

 Come one, come all!  

 Directions go to www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com for more information

 Thanks!