GriffinNeighbors

Griffin School Levy Goes to Voters February 14

noreply@blogger.com (GriffinNeighbors) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:37:00 PST

The Griffin School Board of Directors have placed a two year School Programs and Operations Replacement Levy on the ballot for voter consideration on February 14, 2012. This replacement levy serves as 28% of the district's annual budget and is used to maintain school programs and operations.

Click here to download a PDF copy of the recent issue of Griffin Link detailing the levy and its intended uses.

Good and Bad Knife Bills in Washington State

noreply@blogger.com (GriffinNeighbors) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:49:00 PST

We have both good and bad news from Washington State. Starting with the good, two companion bills, Senate Bill 6179 and House Bill 2347, would make it legal to manufacture spring-assisted and switchblade knives in the state of Washington. These bills also clarify the definition of a switchblade, or what is referred to in Oregon law as a "spring blade knife," so as to not include assisted-opening knives that are currently subject to adverse interpretation of the state statute making them technically illegal. In addition, this bill would expand the existing law enforcement exemption for possession of "spring blade knives" to members of the military, full-time first responders and those citizens who hold a valid Washington concealed pistol license (WA is a "shall issue" state).

Knife Rights Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rather, will be in Olympia on Wednesday to testify in support of these bills on behalf of Washington's knife owners. The bills are a big incremental step forward in a state where any knife with a spring assisted blade has been interpreted as being an illegal knife and where Washington knife manufacturers, such as Fox Knives USA and SOG, were prohibited from even manufacturing these knives in the state, sending those jobs to other states with more rational knife laws, including neighboring Oregon.

The bad news is that last year's ridiculous anti-knife bill, HB 1006, that would make it illegal to conceal any knife over 3 1/2 inches long, even with a WA concealed pistol permit (since it is not a concealed weapon permit), has been resurrected. In a state where a long coat is a normal part of every outdoor enthusiast's, fisherman's and hunter's attire for a good part of the year, this would turn honest citizens into criminals for carrying a modestly sized sheath knife on their belt, along with quite a few common folding knives longer than the arbitrary length limit. It's time to put a stake through the heart of this asinine legislation and Knife Rights is working on that.

If you live, work or travel in Washington state, please contact BOTH your Senator and Representative in Olympia and ask them to support SB 1234 and HB 2347, respectively and ask your Representative to help kill HB 1006 for good. Click here to locate your legislators, or the legislators who represent where you work or travel.

Reprinted with permission from Knife Rights www.KnifeRights.org This article appeared in Knife Rights News Slice - January 21, 2012

Annual Meeting of the Griffin Neighborhood Association is January 26th

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:50:00 PST

The Annual Meeting of the Griffin Neighborhood Association is Thursday, January 26, 7 PM at the Griffin Fire Department Headquarters. Come early, for light refreshments and conversation.

Thursday, January 26
7 PM, but arrive early
Griffin Fire Department Headquarters
3707 Steamboat Loop NW

This year's Annual Meeting will include a report to membership on the activities of the Board of the Griffin Neighborhood Association.

Each year, up to half the positions on the Board are offered for elections. This is your opportunity to renew your membership in the Griffin Neighborhood Association, since only current Association members can vote to fill the Board. Click here to become a new member or renew your existing membership, online.

The Annual Meeting features a number of special guests. Those who have already accepted our invitation to speak a few minutes each and to take questions include:

Karen Valenzuela, Thurston County Commissioner
John Snaza, Thurston County Sheriff
Greg Woods, Griffin School District Superintendent
John Wood, Griffin Fire Chief
Andy Willis, Pastor at St. Christopher's Community Church
Jon Tunheim, Thurston County Prosecutor

State Representative Fred Finn and Ray Peters of the Squaxin Island Tribe have also been invited, but have not yet confirmed they will be able to attend.

Where else will you find such a list of elected and local officials, in one place and at one time?

Are you interested in serving on the Board of the Griffin Neighborhood Association? For more information on the duties and responsibilities of Board membership, click here to download a copy of our FAQ. Contact any current Board member, with your questions or to enter your name into nomination.

We look forward to seeing you at this year's Annual Meeting.

Update to speakers list: Thurston County Under-Sheriff Tim Braniff will attend, instead of Sheriff John Snaza.

"Public Diplomacy Under the Obama Administration: A New Approach" - January 19

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Reid) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:10:00 PST

Public Diplomacy Under the Obama Administration: A New Approach

Presented by the Olympia World Affairs Council
January 19, Lecture
Olympia Center, 222 Columbia, Olympia at 7:30pm

President Obama and Secretary Clinton recognize that America needs to do a better job of informing, influencing, listening to and connecting with billions of people around the world.

Are we succeeding? And what will success look like?

Sandra Kaiser explains how this Administration defines public diplomacy and describes the struggle to be heard in a challenging global information climate.

Sandra Kaiser and her family live on the Steamboat Peninsula. She recently completed a 25-year career with the State Department as a public diplomat, directing press, education and cultural programs from U.S. embassies in Europe and Latin America.

Citizens' group to begin initiative process to move electrical service to Thurston PUD

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:56:00 PST

An interesting development is now underway with the formation of a citizen's group to advocate for Public Power - the distribution and generation of electricity by our county's own public utility, Thurston PUD No. 1. Currently a water utility, Thurston PUD has grown a great deal over the last seven years. We have a staff of 11 to 12 people and operate water systems in Thurston and four neighboring counties.

Going electric requires a county-wide vote in the general election. The citizen's group, Thurston Public Power Initiative, was established by Thurston County residents to accomplish this goal by petitioning our county's registered voters to place the issue on this November's ballot and to campaign for its passage. Their first task is to submit the petition language to our county auditor for approval and collect nearly 12,000 valid Thurston County signatures to place the issue on the ballot this fall. Their deadline to accomplish this is early July.

In 2008, a similar citizen's group in Jefferson County (Port Townsend area) succeeded in passing a county-wide vote and the Jefferson PUD will soon be entering a three year transition to take control of its electrical service at the end of March 2013. Similar ballot measures that same year failed in Island and Skagit Counties.

This proposal is not new to Thurston County. It first came about with the formation of our own public utility district (PUD) in 1938. The long period of court battles that ensued failed to bring the PUD into the electrical business. Several more attempts were made up to the early 1960's when one of two supportive commissioners died suddenly, leaving the other hopelessly deadlocked with the third commissioner. Future elected commissioners later overturned the entire effort.

During our PUD's first 23 years the issue went before the Federal Court and involved several other county PUDs' attempt to take over Puget Power as well as another private utility. The last eruption 50 years ago even sparked a highly polarized dramatic debate in the state Capitol and led to the removal of the pro-public power and long time Speaker of the House, John L. O'Brien by defections from within his own Democratic Party.

Why the current interest in publicly controlled power?

Our current Investor Owned Utility (IOU) Puget Sound Energy is no longer a publicly traded company with US shareholders. It "went private" three years ago and is now entirely foreign-owned and -operated (though nominally registered in the state of Delaware as a US company). Its new owners are an Australian Investment Bank and Canadian Pension Funds. Their mutual interest in owning our state's largest private utility comes as no surprise, since Puget Sound Energy is one of the largest consumers of the Canadian Natural Gas Fields located in Western Canada. The resulting match-up along with the existing pipelines could be characterized best as a vertically integrated conglomerate (single ownership of the gas fields, pipelines and the consuming utility). That is where we are today.

I ran for office over three years ago on a platform that including having our PUD commission a feasibility study on whether we should enter the electrical business and how best to pursue this option. I was elected with over 60% of the vote. It is now time to act on this issue and give our citizens a clear appraisal of its prospects.

At our January 10 meeting, I will ask our PUD to commission an independent feasibility study to determine whether we should enter into the electrical business and via what process taking into account our current economic climate. One of the subjects the study will consider is the finite resources of federally-controlled hydropower and our ability to access it before its capacity is all spoken for.

In the future, electric utilities will be more and more involved in our citizens' transportation choices. Most car manufacturers are fully aware of and working toward this. As demand and cost of generation rises, so will electric rates. Public power provides the opportunity for greater citizen oversight and local control of this resource that is so vital to the overall economic health of our community.

Future electrical rates by a publicly owned utility could be moderated by:

1) Direct access to Bonneville's (BPA's) cheaper Tier One federally sourced hydro-power through a hundred year-old federal policy known as "Preference,"

2) Lower interest rates on debt for municipal bonds which are tax-free for PUD's,

3) Removal of the over 10% return (profit) paid to private utility shareholders as regulated by the Utilities and Transportation Commission, the regulator of all private utilities in our state.

All users - residential, industrial, commercial, and government - would benefit from the historically lower rates of publicly-supplied electricity. One of the greatest benefits of rate relief would go to the commercial and industrial business owners who provide jobs in our county. They are currently unable to take advantage of the small farm/residential exchange subsidy from BPA, so their rates will be most favorably impacted in a transition to public power. Cheaper rates to all forms of government could also lead to additional savings for all our citizens, helping to retain spending on government employment, which is an important sector of our local economy.

Improved system maintenance and operation of our electric utility could provide better overall service without the prolonged seven to ten day long storm-related power outages that leave our most vulnerable citizens helpless - often in the coldest and wettest months of the year. Expansion of locally-based union linemen would bring jobs to our county, assure greater system reliability and shorter down time, and be better able to maintain the grid. Our insistence on using quality (instead of second-hand) components will also drastically reduce the number of currently all-too-common power outages due to equipment failure or blown transformers.

Finally, there are great changes underway as to how electrical energy will be delivered in our future. A decentralized electrical grid composed of local renewable energy generation as part of people's homes, clustered development, and community-based initiatives could lead us closer to a sustainable future. I believe strongly in a more sustainable future and I have been involved directly in our County's Sustainability Initiative as the chair of the water panel. More and more, the issues of how our energy is produced, and how far away it is produced, will determine what rates we will pay and what kind of future we will share. Isn't it time that we, citizens, as electric consumers, have a voice in those decisions being made on our behalf? The decision is in your hands.

- CHRIS STEARNS

Chris Stearns, a resident of Thurston County since 1976, is a Thurston PUD. Commissioner and was elected to his first term in 2008.

Public Disclaimer by Chris Stearns: The views contained in this article reflect my own personal opinions and are not necessarily those of my fellow PUD Commissioners, nor do they reflect the official position of Thurston PUD No. 1, which is a water utility at this time.

This article reprinted without permission from Works In Progress, January 2012.

Critical Areas Ordinance Public Hearing - December 10

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:12:00 PST

A public hearing has been scheduled by the Thurston County Planning Commission on the draft Critical Areas Ordinance. The hearing will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2011.

Date: December 10, 2011
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with doors and sign-in beginning at 9 a.m.
Location: Room 129, Building 2 of the Thurston County Courthouse, 2000 Lakeridge Drive S.W.
Olympia, WA 98502

The hearing is being held open over a longer period, during daylight hours, to allow all citizens to have a safe, convenient environment in which to testify. Those who wish to appear and testify may do so at any point between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on December 10th. The public hearing may be extended at the discretion of the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission is not scheduled to make a recommendation at the close of the public hearing.

In addition, the Planning Commission is currently accepting written comments on the Critical Areas Ordinance, and will do so until 5 p.m. on December 23, 2011. Please e-mail comments to Andrew Deffobis at deffoba@co.thurston.wa.us, or submit written comments by mail to:

Andrew Deffobis, Associate Planner
Thurston County Planning Department
2000 Lakeridge Drive SW
Building 1, 2nd Floor
Olympia, WA 98502

Public hearing drafts of the Critical Areas Ordinance are now available by clicking here.

For more information on the update to the County's Critical Areas Ordinance, click here.

Thurston County Planning Department maintains a web mail service, which issues notices of this kind. You are welcome to sign up for this web mail service by clicking here.

Gourmet, Locally-Produced Fudge to Benefit Local Preschool

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:41:00 PST

The Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool is currently selling gourmet fudge from Sweet Escapes by Angel. This delicious and beautifully packaged fudge is made fresh locally on the Steamboat Peninsula.

Perfect for the holidays! Available in three flavors: Milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate With Nuts, and Peanut Butter.

$9 per block. Taking orders until Dec 7th.

Order your today by calling 866-1819 or email steamboatcooppreschool@gmail.com

The Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool also has a new web site. Click here to learn more about their program. SICP has long provided a terrific local educational experience for both children and their parents. In the Griffin area, we're lucky to have fine educational opportunities such as this for our children.

Thank you for supporting the Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool!

World Affairs Council Speaker "Leaving Afghanistan - Easier Said Than Done" on Nov 17

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Reid) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:02:00 PST

THE OLYMPIA WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL LECTURE

THURSDAY, November 17, Olympia Center, 7:30 PM, Room 101

SPEAKER: Dr. Katya Drozdova, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Seattle Pacific University

TOPIC: "Leaving Afghanistan – Easier Said Than Done"

As the United States and its coalition allies struggle with a coherent departure policy in Afghanistan, there are lessons to be learned from the Soviet Union’s misadventure in that country from 1979-89. Dr. Drozdova is eminently qualified to deal with that subject. Born in the former Soviet Union she has been a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where she was a principal investigator in a study called "Mining Afghan Lessons from the Soviet Era" (MALSE). She studied and translated former top secret records of the Soviet Politburo, the purpose of which was to explore ways that might benefit western forces from the Soviet experience. The results of her study have been used to inform policy-makers, scholars and military leaders.

Dr. Drozdova’s recent research and publications focus on problems of U.S. national and international security and counter-terrorism strategies. In addition to her work at the Hoover Institution, she is also a research fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School and an affiliate with the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. She previously held research positions at New York University’s Alexander Hamilton Center.

One of her publications, Solving the Afghanistan Puzzle, follows the paper trail of Soviet involvement in Afghanistan – and suggests a great deal about our own involvement there today. Other articles include Dark Memories, a brief history of Soviet torturers and assassins; Intelligence Design, describing how terrorists are getting very good at covering their tracks and how their pursuers must become even better at uncovering them; and Security and Liberty, how to protect the nation against terrorism without sacrificing our liberty.

Dr. Drozdova is currently assistant professor of Political Science at Seattle Pacific University. She holds advanced degrees from Stanford University and New York University.

Coralroot Orchid: Beautiful & Unusual Parasitic Plant

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:46:00 PST

photo by Guy Maguire

Last spring during a volunteer work party at the McLane Point Preserve on Eld inlet, we came across an unusual and beautiful little flower, a Spotted coralroot orchid, or Corallorhiza maculata. I immediately wanted to learn more about this fascinating plant.

The Spotted coralroot orchid is a myco-heterotroph, which means essentially "gaining its nutrients from the roots of mushrooms." The Northwest is home to over a dozen species of these types of plants. These small orchids and heath family plants are unique because they have lost all their chlorophyll, do not perform photosynthesis, and rely entirely on the roots of certain mushrooms for all their nutrients.

Contrary to popular belief, not all plants are green. In fact, these myco-heterotrophes come in a great variety of colors. Once upon a time they had leaves and were green like most plants, but over time evolved to lose their pigment as they developed associations with specific fungi species. Some of the more common myco-heterotrophes in this area are the Candystick (Allotropa virgata), Indian pipe (Monotropa uniflora), Spotted coralroot (Corallorhiza maculate), and Striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata).

While ecologists have known for many years that more than 90% of plants associate with fungi, only recently have they learned that specific plant species quite literally act as parasites on these fungi, stealing their nutrients. This may seem like a negative, but the reality is these plants play an important role in the forest’s ecology. These fungi get their energy, in the form of sugars, from the trees around them and in turn provide the trees with nitrogen and other nutrients. The "parasitic" orchids take only a minute fraction of those nutrients for themselves. In turn, they occupy a unique niche and provide more diversity in the forest. These orchids also fill an important link in the forest ecosystem by providing nectar for many species of pollinating insects.

My research on this fascinating organism led me to think about what else have we may have yet to discover. Looking deeper into the lives of these plants has illustrated how truly interconnected the forest is.

So the next time you are wandering the woods and in the mountains, keep your eyes peeled! The Northwest is home to a diversity and abundance of these strange, beautiful, perplexing little flowers.

-GUY MAGUIRE

Guy Maguire is Capitol Land Trust's Restoration Projects Coordinator.

This article reprinted with permission from the Fall issue of the Capitol Land Trust newsletter.

Click here for more information regarding the Capitol Land Trust.
Click here for information regarding the Steamboat Conservation Partnership, a unique collaboration between the Griffin Neighborhood Association and the Capitol Land Trust.

Click here for more articles of this kind, regarding the nature around us.

Olympia World Affairs Council Presentation on Slovakia, November 3

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Reid) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:29:00 PDT

Slovakia, 2011

Slovakia’s Transition from Socialism to Democracy: Effects on Daily Life, Family and Culture Thursday, November 3, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, in the Community Room of the Olympian, 111 East Bethel Street

Much as Americans can remember where they were and what they were doing on September 9, 2001, Slovaks and other Eastern Europeans remember how their lives were about to change in the late summer and fall of 1989, when growing protests in East Germany led to the removal of prohibitions on travel to the West, the physical removal of the Berlin Wall and the ensuring collapse of the Soviet Empire in Eastern Europe. For Czechoslovaks, the decisive period was from November 17 to December 29, 1989: in just 33 days over 40 years of Communist Party rule can to an abrupt, peaceful end in what Slovaks called their “Gentle Revolution.”

One tends to think of these events in largely political terms of shifting lines and coloration on maps, the fate of empires and within the context of the East-West struggle of competing economic and political systems. But what was this cataclysmic change like for the people? What did it mean for individual lives and the effort to raise and support a family? What were the consequences for daily life, the effects on culture?

The Olympia World Affairs Council is proud to sponsor Dr. Marta Botikova, a visiting Fulbright Scholar at the Evergreen State College, to address this subject. Dr. Botikova is a full professor of Ethnology and Chairperson of the Department of Ethnology at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, where she studied and has taught since 1978. She is a member of a half dozen professional associations, is widely published and has taught in short programs at universities throughout Western and Eastern Europe. One of her most recent publications treats Culture and Way of Life through the Eyes of Women in Slovakia.

Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool Openings for Children Ages 2 through 4

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:10:00 PDT

The Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool has openings in both the Otter Class, for ages 2-3, and the Orca Class, ages 3-4. This is an excellent program at a preschool with a long history in the Griffin area.

SICP is a small non-profit preschool located near the corner of Steamboat Island Rd. and 41st, in a calm wooded setting. Families gain a strong community connection and benefit from the preschool's parent education opportunities. Children gain social skills while learning through play.

For more information, call 866-1819 or see their web site at http://www.steamboatpreschool.org/

Sheriff's Department Releases Community Alert

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:50:00 PDT

Local residents recently noted an increase in the numbers of daylight burglaries being reported in our area. A burglary on Oyster Bay Road precipitated a brief email exchange, during which one neighbor wrote that someone had seen "a bearded man walking the road about that time of day of the burglary. Perhaps this perp is walking or bicycling into these breakins and that is why none of us see or hear anything suspicious." Indeed, a quick review of the Thurston County Sheriff's Department crime mapping system seems to indicate that was an increase, in September, in the number of reported burglaries in our area.

Now we have received the Community Alert below. Although the alert is specific to the Delphi area, and not ours, it is possible the same thieves are in our area. In any case, it does seem as though there's been an increase in burglaries - particularly burglaries during the day time - and it makes sense for forlks who are at home weekdays to keep an eye on the homes of those neighbors who are not.

COMMUNITY ALERT

Date: October 13, 2011

Neighborhood/Area: Delphi area

Nature of alert: Increase in burglary activity

Details: Since mid September 2011, there were five burglaries between the 7400 block and 10,500 of Delphi Road SW. Additionally, crime mapping appeared to be showing an increasing trend in burglaries and thefts in the NW portion of the county.

Two vehicles in the area of these burglaries were noted in one or more of the reports. They included a 1990’s greenish / bluish 2 door and a white Ford Ranger or F-150 type pick up– possibly with a rack and or canopy. Additionally, a resident on Delphi Road reported seeing a white 1996 GMC PU in the area during the dates / times of the burglaries. This truck also had tool type racks on it.

While none of these vehicles can be tied directly to the increased activity in the area, residents should be aware of them if they see them in areas where they don't belong. Residents are encouraged to contact the dispatch center at (360) 704-2740 to report suspicious persons / vehicles. Anyone with information related to the burglaries are asked to contact the TCSO Investigative Services Division at (360) 786-5530.

Burglaries Reported in September and
October (to-date)

"Fair Trade Around the World" a Presentation by Olympia World Affairs Council

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Reid) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:01:00 PDT

OLYMPIA WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL

THURSDAY, October 20, Olympia Center, 7:30 PM, Room 101

TOPIC: Fair Trade Around the World

SPEAKERS: Matt Warning, "African Farmers: Primary Products and Sustainable Livelihoods"

Cherie Fontenot, "How sweet it is! Fair Trade and Theo Chocolate"

Fair Trade implies the practice of using only pure ingredients that are grown sustainably, partnering with growers to ensure they earn a living wage and having access to education for their families, honoring and respecting employees and suppliers, and using green energy power sources whenever possible. The following chart depicts the contrast between a conventional supply chain and a fair trade supply chain:

Matt Warning is a professor of economics at the University of Puget Sound. He has spent 25 years studying rural communities in Africa and Latin America. An authority on the economics of fair trade coffee, he has often been interviewed for articles in a variety of publications. He served as consulting producer for the PBS documentary "Buyer Be Fair" concerning fair trade coffee and certified wood. Professor Warning, who holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley,will speak about the conflicts in the African Great Lakes region, fair trade and its limitations, and quality as a necessary focus for sustainability.

Cherie Fontenot has worked for Theo Chocolate in Seattle for a number of years focusing on outreach work to bring the Theo message of Fair Trade to the public. Theo is the first and currently the only organic Fair Trade certified roaster of cacao in the United States, sourcing cacao from small farmers in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Ghana, Madagascar, Venezuela and the Ivory Coast. Ms. Fontenot will relate how Theo's small team is guided by a passion forchocolate, care for the environment, and dedication to enriching the lives of everyone involved, including cacao farmers and chocolate lovers.

As an added incentive to attend, chocolate samples will be provided.

Redistricting Could Place Griffin Area Among a Different Group of Voters

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:46:00 PDT

"The U.S. Constitution requires that all states evaluate electoral district boundaries every ten years following the U.S. Census. In 1983, Washington voters established the Washington State Redistricting Commission to ensure district boundaries are redrawn through a fair and bipartisan process. The Redistricting Commission includes two Democrats and two Republicans as voting members and a non-voting, nonpartisan chair.

- from the web site of the Washington State Redistricting Commission

The commissioners' draft redistricting proposals are now posted online. Also online are links you may use to comment on these proposals. Public input to the drafts will wrap up with a meeting in Olympia on October 11. The meeting will be webcast on TVW and broadcast on TV. Public comments will be taken during the meeting by phoning in or joining the interactive webcast.

After the meeting on October 11, the Redistricting Commissioners will meet as often as needed to hammer out a final plan for congressional and legislative districts. Their meetings will be open to the public and announced at least 24 hours in advance. The Commissioners have set a goal of November 1st to agree on a final plan, providing time to correct minor errors before the Constitutional deadline for submitting the plans to the Legislature on January 1, 2012.

Presently, Griffin area voters find themselves not quite in Thurston County, as ours is the small sliver of this county within the 35th Legislative District, and not in Olympia. At least, that is, when it comes to voting. The 35th LD encompasses all of Mason County and portions of Grays Harbor and Kitsap counties. As part of the 3rd Congressional District, we vote with a largely rural region south to Vancouver and west to the Pacific Ocean, at Long Beach. While many of us work in Olympia and travel frequently to Olympia to shop and to visit with friends, we are not in the same Legislative or Congressional district as Olympia.

Four redistricting plans are now subject to public review and comment. Where does the Griffin area fall, in each of these?

Click here to view each of the four redistricting plans. Click here to install Google Earth on your PC or Mac, to take advantage of the links to Google Earth layers.

Legislative District Proposals Split Down the Middle

Proposals from Slade Gorton and Tom Huff would move the Steamboat Island peninsula into the same Legislative district (District 22) in which Olympia and portions of north Thurston County are located.

However, Slade Gorton's proposal would put the portion of the Griffin area north of US 101 in Olympia's legislative district, but parcels to the south of US 101 in Mason County's legislative district (District 35). Huff's proposal, too, would put Summit Lake in one LD and the rest of the Griffin area in another LD.

The proposals of Tim Ceis and Dean Foster would keep the Griffin area in the same legislative district as Mason County (District 35).

Congressional District Proposals Vary Widely as to Boundaries

All four proposals would place the Griffin area in the same congressional district as the city of Olympia. However, the proposals vary widely as to the boundaries and size of that district.

Gorton's proposal is for a modestly-sized congressional district (District 9) covering all of Thurston County and then extending north into Pierce County, just east of Tacoma and west of Puyallup.

Ceis would create a congressional district (District 10) extending from Shelton across north Thurston County and then into Pierce County, but extending not as far north into Pierce County as Gorton's proposal.

Foster's proposal would create a single vast congressional district (District 10) covering the entire Olympic Peninsula and south to the Oregon border, including Pacific County (but not Wahkiakum). This district would extend across north Thurston County and to a point north of South Hill. It is notable, whowever, that Foster's proposal places Shelton - actually, the eastern half of Mason County - in a different district than District 10.

Huff's proposal is for a large congressional district (District 6) that covers the entire Olympic Peninsula, to the southern boundary of Grays Harbor County. Then east to Interstate 5, including Olympia but ending at the Nisqually River. This district would include Bainbridge Island.

Miles to Go Before Completion

Although the public comment period ends soon - October 11 - there is much work left to complete redistricting. A decade ago, there were big differences between the districts proposed and those which were eventually set.

On October 20, Thurston County will host a public meeting on the redistricting proposals. Click here for information about that event, which takes place in the Tenino High School.

Click here to review the proposals and to make comments to each of the four voting members on the Redistricting Commission.

Emergency Preparedness Expo - October 29

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:05:00 PDT

Emergency Preparedness Expo
Saturday, October 29, 2011
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Saint Martin's University
Marcus Pavilion & Worthington Conference Center
5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey

Wheelchair Accessible • ASL Interpreter Available

Vendors, Information & Displays:

American Red Cross - Emergency Preparedness Information & Supplies
CERT - Community Emergency Response Team
Crisis Clinic Resource Network (Thurston/Mason Counties)
Department of Ecology Flood Program
Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center
Home Depot
J & I Power Equipment
KGY Radio
Lacey Fire District #3
LDS Church - Food Storage/Prep Cooking with Emergency Provisions
National Weather Service
Office of the Insurance Commissioner
Olympia Fire Department Tiller Truck and Jaws of Life
Puget Sound Energy - Electrical Safety
Quake Ready
Rescue Tape NW
ServiceMaster of Greater Tacoma
Shelf Reliance
South Sound 2-1-1
Thurston County ARES/RACES
Thurston County Emergency Management Council - Local Preparedness & Hazards
Thurston County Environmental Health - Water Purification & Storage
Thurston County Public Health & Social Services - Medical Reserve Corps
Thurston County Search & Rescue Council
Thurston County Sheriff's Office - Child Identification, Iris Scanning
Thurston County Sheriff's Office - Dive Team
Tumwater Fire Department - Fire Extinguisher Training
Washington State Animal Response Team (WASART)
West Thurston Regional Fire Authority
WSU Germ City
Fun, Family-friendly Exhibits

For More Information Contact: Vivian Eason, Thurston County Emergency Management at 360-786-5243 or email easonv@co.thurston.wa.us

The Arab Spring: Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Reid) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:33:00 PDT

Olympia World Affairs Council Presents

Thursday, October 6, at noon in the Large Meeting Room of The Olympian, 111 Bethel St. NE, Olympia

SPEAKER: Dr. Steve Niva, Professor of Middle East Politics at The Evergreen State College

TOPIC: The Arab Spring: Revisited

Dr. Steve Niva of the Evergreen State College, who analyzed the Arab Spring for a fascinated Olympia World Affairs Council audience last March, returns to the podium to provide a follow-up and update on events in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Turkey and other countries experiencing an Arab democratic awakening. Dr. Niva recently led a group of students on a tour of the Middle East. He will bring to his presentation not only the insights he gained during this visit, but also the results of his own research on and contacts in the area.

Dr. Niva is Professor of International Politics and Middle East Studies, specializing in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, asymmetrical warfare and counter-insurgency. Widely published in academic and professional journals, he is currently writing a book on the history and strategy of Palestinian suicide bombs and is conducting research on the changing nature of warfare in the Middle East today. Dr. Niva is a Seattle native, a graduate of the University of Virginia and received his PhD from Columbia University. He has taught at American University and Georgetown and has been at the Evergreen State College since 1999.

Dr. Niva is an editorial associate of The Middle East Research and Information Project, and has had articles published in the Egyptian English language edition of Al-Ahram Weekly, Middle East Policy, The Jordan Times and Peace Review, Middle East International as well as in the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Will Proposed Low Impact Development Standard Protect or Harm Washington State Watersheds?

noreply@blogger.com (GriffinNeighbors) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:33:00 PDT

Rainwater Management in Puget Sound

In August 2008, the Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board issued a ruling declaring effectively that the Department of Ecology's (ECY) storm drainage requirements did not adhere to requirements of the federal Clean Water Act. In response, ECY formed a technical advisory committee to define 'low impact development' (LID) and to determine criteria for feasibility of LID. The committee finished its work in summer 2010.

Request for Intervention by Governor Gregoire

In a recent letter to Governor Christine Gregoire, the Carnegie Group of Olympia has expressed its concerns about the pending regulatory direction. "As a result of this overly long process, ECY now proposes to write a perplexing version of 'low impact development' into National Pollution Discharge Elimination (NPDES) permits for municipalities," wrote Carole Richmond, President.

The letter asks the Governor to intervene to prevent the adoption of a proposed rule that the Carnegie Group believes "will most likely spell the demise of Puget Sound by failing to protect tributary watersheds".

The letter states that the proposed standard offers no improvement over the existing standard. To provide context and a frame of reference, the letter then summarizes the science of watershed health.

"It is clear that ECY’s proposed standard for low impact development is far too weak and permissive to prevent fatal damage to Puget Sound watersheds . . . it is highly likely that we will lose the rest of the watersheds in the path of development by 2020," concluded Carole Richmond.

The Carnegie Group makes four recommendations, summarized as follows: acknowledge the characteristics of a healthy watershed; redefine LID; place a moratorium on greenfield developments outside city limits; and require that re-development projects result in a net increase in forest cover.

To download a copy of the letter, click on Department of Ecology's Proposed Low Impact Development Standard Will Not Protect Watersheds

VIDEO: "Why DOE drainage standards will not protect Puget Sound", according to Tom Holz

Tom Holz is well-known in Washington State for his tireless efforts in leading change in the field of rainwater management and green infrastructure. Among Canadian practitioners in this field, Tom Holz is a recognized name in the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, as he has been invited to speak at a number of Canadian forums over the past two decades. Formerly with the City of Olympia, he is a Past-President of the Carnegie Group. He also served on the LID technical advisory committee.

In the late 1990s, Tom Holz coined the acronym ZID - that is, Zero Impact Designs - to describe an approach that sharply reduce the "effective impervious area" of new development with practices such as eco-roofs, roof gardens, rain barrels, alternative paving surfaces, soil amendments, bioretention, reforestation, and filter-swale systems.

To Learn More:

In March 2011, the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners requested a seminar by Tom Holz on "Why DOE drainage standards will not protect Puget Sound". The seminar is posted on YouTube. To view Tom Holz, click on the two links below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxlezjpGXSU (52 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n5nFD6x7ps (14 minutes)

The first link is about 52 minutes (fast forward to the 4.13 minute mark to get past the set up). The second link is closing and discussion with decision makers and public. "It's a bit dry so make a bowl of popcorn," recommends Tom Holz.

To download a copy of the letter of concurrence submitted by Tom Holz, click on Letter to Governor Gregoire about the Future of Puget Sound

The View from British Columbia

Washington State and British Columbia are geographically similar, with a wet coast and a relatively dry interior separated by mountain ranges. On the coast, Washington State's Puget Sound and British Columbia's Georgia Basin together comprise the Salish Sea. In terms of how rainwater management in a watershed context has evolved in this shared bio-region, there is a history of cross-border sharing and collaboration. The catalyst for collaboration was the salmon crisis of the 1990s.

What is the Goal?

"On both sides of the border, the salmon is an icon. It is also the early warning system that there is a problem. And so in the 1990s the goal of protecting stream health became a driver for action on both sides of the border. Published in 1996 by the University of Washington, the seminal research findings by Richard Horner and Chris May shook conventional stormwater management wisdom in the Pacific Northwest to its foundation," recalls Kim Stephens, Executive Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

"Horner and May identified and ranked the four factors that limit stream health. Changes in hydrology is #1; deterioration in water quality is #4. The work of Horner and May is a foundation block for the science-based approach to 'designing with nature' that we have embraced in BC. Their work yielded guiding principles, and these are standing the test of time. Viewed from a BC perspective, the legacy of Horner and May is that they provided us with a springboard to reinvent urban hydrology. By staying true to the science, we believe we will achieve the goal of protecting stream health."

To Learn More:

British Columbia and Washington State had the same understanding of the science in the late 1990s, but then moved along different pathways. To access supporting information on the approach that has been implemented in British Columbia, click on:

DFO Urban Stormwater Guidelines have evolved into 'Beyond the Guidebook 2010'
A Science-Based Road Map for Integrated Rainwater Management (Note: This article elaborates on the Reference Levels for Land Use Planning graphic that is presented below. To download a PDF copy of it, cilck here)
"Understand How Water Reaches the Stream and Design for Interflow", urges Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Also, for a philosophical perspective, click on Do you know where you really are in the shifting paradigms of stormwater management?

And finally, for a technical perspective on why it was necessary to "reinvent urban hydrology", click on Voodoo Hydrology explained by Andy Reese.

Madrona Grove Announces Their Winter Produce Subscription Program

noreply@blogger.com (GriffinNeighbors) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:53:00 PDT

Winter is around the corner and now is the time to subscribe to the Madrona Grove Winter Produce Program. Your order will be packed with staple winter vegetables, fresh winter storage apples and pears and tropical and citrus fruits (because we all need our vitamin C in the depths of winter), plus other goodies like bread cheese and chocolate truffles from Washington food producers. Staple winter vegetables include potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips, and fresh greens.

Madrona Grove will continue to have fresh crisp storage apples and pears from Washington farmers throughout the winter, and you can order extra boxes of these now for pickup at the Apple Affair on October 30, or be satisfied with their inclusion in your subscription. They'll continue to work with local producers to bring you eggs, greens, dried and canned fruit, cheese, baked goods and anything else that's well produced and sounds delicious. You'll need just a bit of adventuresome nature because the folks from Madrona Grove will be choosing and packing the order for you with an aim to give you a balanced, diverse selection of food items.

Click here to download an order form to complete. Send it by mail to Madrona Grove, with your check for $312.50. That's half of the subscription price of $625.00.

For $125.00 per month you'll receive yummy healthful food with the knowledge that 90% of those dollars are staying active in the local economies of our county and state.

Thanks again for continuing to support small, sustainable agriculture and business, and the efforts of Madrona Grove to bring farm fresh food to our neighborhood.

Cheers,
Jeannine and Michael

Madrona Grove
Summer Fruit Stand
360-866-2810
fruittruck@live.com

Madrona Grove's "Apple Affair" Returns October 30

noreply@blogger.com (GriffinNeighbors) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:24:00 PDT

Come taste and buy over 25 varieties of apples from small Washington farms. In what has become a Fall season tradition, Madrona Grove, the fruit truck people, invite you to come and try tasty apple dishes. If you have a favorite apple dish, bring it and the recipe to share. They'll provide the Olympic Mountain ice cream, coffee, tea and hot apple cider.

Sunday, October 30
12 noon to 4 PM
Prosperity Grange

Apple supplies will be limited on the day of the event, but you can order apples by the box for pickup on the day of the event by calling Madrona Grove at 866-2810, by sending them an email at fruittruck@live.com, or by placing an order with them, in person. They are at the Building Earth Farm, 9140 Steamboat Island Road NW, Tuesdays and Fridays, 12 noon to 7 PM. They are also at the Shelton Farmer's Market from 9 AM to 3 PM until September 30.

Hips Aweigh

noreply@blogger.com (GriffinNeighbors) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:08:00 PDT

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" -- Read a 1968 proclamation announcing the formal organization of the Sisters of Hips Aweigh (H.A.W.). H.A.W. was more informally known as the Fat Ladies Group.

This sisterhood of some of the Griffin area's finest was organized to address a weighty problem. Boldly declaring that misery loves company and problems shared are lighter in weight, these women attacked their problem with mirth and weekly meetings. A sister could call on any other sister for any help she may need.

H.A.W. assembled for weekly meetings every Friday morning at 10 A.M. The weekly meeting site moved from home to home. Each member parked her feelings at home when the group assembled. Snide remarks and irreverent humor were in order. Humorous readings were given. No kids or men were allowed.

It was said that the husbands liked the Sisterhood because the women were better natured when they came home after the weekly meetings.

The original charter limited the sisterhood to twenty, but this restriction was lowered to sixteen in 1988. Charter members included Toddy Schmidt, Clara Keyes, Ada LeMay, Claire Peterson, and Kathy Keyes (Cowan). Rose Eason was the first new initiate. By 1969, Mary Juhl, Dorothy Reed, Ella Reigel, Eula Biggerly, and Velma Anderson had joined. Other sisters included, Ruth Baker, Lois Camus, Rheba Christopher, Pat Dunkelberger, Thora Flock, Irene Froboes, Yvonne Heffner, Imogen Leonard, Edith Leo, Alice Mack, Eleanor Perrire, Leona Peterson, and Eva Tobin.

Minutes were kept for each meeting. Officers were elected, including the President, Secretary, Under Secretary, and Flip Flap Officer, who was also known as she who guards the treasury. Other officers included the Record Keeper, Crowner of the Queen, Security Officer, Entertainment Committee Officer, Horn Blower, and Slip Writer. Each officer served until such time as the group felt like holding another election - "like in England."

The sisters weighed and had their weights recorded at each meeting. Then they ate and enjoyed a program. Summaries of any weight changes were calculated at the annual Pounders’ Day meeting. Each member received one of three awards at this meeting, based upon these calculations. The Hippo award was presented to each member with a net weight gain for the year. The Turtle award was presented to each member with no weight gain. The Queen for a Day crown was awarded to each member who lost weight.

A big party was held whenever a member turned 75. Each sister turning 75 received a special telephone call from Ella Reigel who read a Western Union telegram announcing her Birthday and tickled her piano's ivory keys with a classical rendition. Other special events included Christmas parties and Halloween parties.

Formal meetings ended after 25 years of frivolity, but Hips Aweigh still lives in many memories.

-- STEVE LUNDIN
Copyright 2011 by Steve Lundin

Steve Lundin is a long-time resident of the Griffin community located in northwest Thurston County. He received a B.A. degree from the University of Washington and a J.D. degree from the University of Washington Law School and retired as a senior counsel for the Washington State House of Representatives after nearly 30 years.

He is recognized as the local historian of the Griffin area and has written a number of articles on local history and a book entitled Griffin Area Schools, available from the Griffin Neighborhood Association at a cost of $10.

Click here to read more of Steve's articles on the local history of the Griffin area.

November's General Election is Just Around the Corner - Here Come the Initiatives!

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:16:00 PDT

It's that time again, when the minds of engaged citizens turn to the upcoming General Election. "But," you say, "it's an off-year election! What could there possibly be on the ballot that I could find engaging?" The answer is, "Just enough." As has been the case in nearly every election in recent years, the measures - three initiatives and two amendments to the state constitution - give us reason to spend time doing a little extra study.

Click here for the Statewide Online Voters Guide. There you will find the official titles, descriptions, financial impact statements, and official statements for and against the Statewide Measures.

Initiative Measure No. 1125 concerns state expenditures on transportation. This initiative is another by Tim Eyman. Love him or hate him (and there seems to be practically no middle ground), his is a force for change in Washington state. It is notable that, right at the top of the financial impact statement, we encounter this foreboding statement:

The State Treasurer states that bonds secured solely by toll revenue will become prohibitively expensive if the Legislature sets tolls, thus eliminating this financing tool for transportation projects.

Among the intents of this initiative is to remove the setting of tolls from local commissions and place it in the hands of the state legislature. The Treasurer is of the opinion that this will reduce the reliability of toll-setting - tolls set by the legislature may be changed by the legislature - and that instability in income will cause bond issuers to charge prohibitively high interest rates. "Because investors in toll revenue bonds see the independence of toll-setting bodies as a critical credit characteristic, no other toll revenue bond issuer in the nation sets tolls subject to legislative approval," according to an analysis by the Public Resource Advisory Group.

"OFM: Tim Eyman’s I-1125 would imperil key transportation projects, raise borrowing costs"

However, supporters argue there's no difference between a toll and a tax. Initiative 1053, passed last year with a 64% vote, requires a super-majority of the legislature in order to enact increases in taxes and many kinds of fees. Supporters see this new initiative I-1125 as just a way of closing a loophole.

"Initiative 1125 assures accountability and transparency"

Find out more about I-1125. Start your research with these two web sites:
No on I-1125
Yes on I-1125

Initiative Measure No. 1163 concerns long-term care workers and services for elderly and disabled people.

Didn't we already vote on this? Pretty much, yes. In 2008, voters passed Initiative 1029, which required federal criminal background checks and increased training for the long-term workers who assist seniors and people with disabilities. However, in response to budget pressures, the legislature reduced training requirements and delayed criminal background checks. I-1163 seeks to restore the background checks and training.

"NORTHWEST VIEW: Proponent says I-1163 will restore protections for seniors, disabled"

From the financial impact statement:

Current law requires increased mandatory training, background checks and certification for long-term care workers, depending on worker classification, beginning Jan. 1, 2014. Initiative 1163 would require the training, background checks and certification for long-term care workers to begin Jan. 7, 2012, but delay these requirements for community residential providers until Jan 1, 2016. For the long-term in-home care program, administrative costs are capped and performance audits with additional fraud investigators are required. Over six fiscal years, costs are estimated to increase $31.3 million and revenue from the federal government and fees is estimated to increase $18.4 million.

Opponents argue that the cost of these background checks and training will require the state to either raise revenues or, more likely, to cut services to the very people I-1163 intends to benefit.

Initiative 1163: Why no funding source, SEIU?

No on I-1163
Yes on I-1163

Initiative Measure No. 1183 concerns liquor: beer, wine, and spirits (hard liquor).

This is Costco's effort to take a do-over after I-1100 failed to win voter support last year. Readers will recall that was one of two related initiatives - the other was I-1105 - which failed to pass.

If approved by voters in November, the measure would require the state to close its 300-plus stores and sell off its liquor distribution center, while making Washington grocery stores with over 10,000 square feet (or approximately 1,500 stores) eligible to sell hard liquor.

Proponents argue that I-1183 gets our state government out of the business of distributing and selling liquor. They also say the campaign against 1183 "is funded by big national liquor distributors that profit from Washington’s outdated liquor monopoly."

Opponents say I-1183 will benefit big-box stores over smaller outlets, will increase liquor consumption and will drive up the cost of liquor, through increased taxes.

No on I-1183
Yes on I-1183

Senate Joint Resolution 8205 would remove an inoperative provision from the state constitution regarding the length of time a voter must reside in Washington to vote for president and vice-president.

One portion of the Washington Constitution allows a citizen to vote in all elections after they have resided in the state for 30 days. But, another section in the Constitution requires 60 days residency before they can vote for President. SJR 8205 fixes this conflict to allow the shorter 30 day voter residency requirement is the constitutional standard for all elections in the state, including the presidential election.

There is no official statement against this measure, on the Online Voters' Guide.

Senate Joint Resolution 8206 is a constitutional amendment which "would require the legislature to transfer additional moneys to the budget stabilization account in each fiscal biennium in which the state has received 'extraordinary revenue growth,' as defined, with certain limitations."

From the statement in favor of SJR 8206, we read:

In 2007, voters approved the creation of a constitutionally-protected rainy day fund that requires state government to set aside 1% of revenues annually for hard times. SJR 8206, a bipartisan measure, strengthens this fund by requiring a portion of "extraordinary" revenue – that which exceeds 133% of historical average growth – be saved, rather than spent.

However, the statement against this constitutional amendment points out that:

8206 requires more than the 1% that voters approved - it would also require that "extraordinary revenues" go into savings. While it sounds like a good idea to save more – the result is people paying taxes and getting nothing for it, except a bigger savings account.

"ELECTION 2011: Constitutional amendments"

So, there they are. Your 2011 statewide measures. What arguments are you finding particularly compelling? What resources are you finding to help you to come to an educated opinion regarding how you will vote? Leave your comments here, join us on our Facebook Page or on the GriffinNeighbors online discussion group.

"Women's Empowerment in the Developing World"

noreply@blogger.com (Peter Reid) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:18:00 PDT

"Women's Empowerment in the Developing World," a presentation by the Olympia World Affairs Council

Thursday, September 15
7:30 PM
Olympia Center, Room 101

Our speakers will focus on women's changing roles in the Arab world, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. They will discuss the political, economic and cultural issues facing women in these regions and explore the efforts by the United States and the United Nations to improve women's status.

Our speakers are Dr. Therese Saliba, professor of international feminist studies at The Evergreen State College, and Dr. Savvina Chowdhury, professor of feminist economics at The Evergreen State College

In background, education and experience both of our speakers are eminently qualified to discuss the role of women in the developing world. Dr. Saliba, a former Fulbright scholar in Palestine, has co-edited two collections: Gender, Politics and Islam and Intersections: Gender, Nation and Community in Arab Women's novels. She has also contributed essays to numerous journals on Arab and Palestinian feminism, postcolonial literature, media representations and Arab-American experiences. Her current research examines the gendered impacts of post-9/11 policies on Arab and Muslim American communities, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. She is also researching the role of women in the recent Arab uprisings.

Born in Bangladesh, Dr. Chowdhury grew up in Bahrain and Egypt. After coming to the United States in 1991 she has often returned to the Middle East. Her published doctoral dissertation, Everyday Economic Practices: The Hidden Transcripts of Egyptian Voices, was based on her work with the United Nations Development Programme in Egypt. Her past research in the Middle East has included working with informal financial networks where women emerge as community leaders, making small loans, mobilizing savings and investments. Her current research has focused on the role played by women labor leaders in bringing about the demise of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.

Local Resident Mark Genich Collects Insects for the Slater Museum of Natural History

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:40:00 PDT

Detail from the cover of Insects of the Pacific Northwest

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the annual picnic sponsored by the Griffin Neighborhood Association is the opportunity to meet neighbors from this area for the first time. Among those local residents who visited Frye Cove at this year's picnic was Mark Genich and Lynne Ferguson. Recently retired as a physician, Dr. Genich has undertaken an interesting project with which any of us could lend a hand.

Dr. Genich is collecting samples of insects in our area for the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound with the help of the emeritus professor, Dr. Dennis Paulson. The collection will be used as a teaching tool for the students at the university. Although he retired as a family practice physician and worked in the urgent care department of Group Health Cooperative, "I got my start toward a career in medicine because I got interested in insects as vectors of disease to people and animals," Dr. Genich explains.

As our late summer turns into fall, you may yet have an opportunity to add an important insect or two to the collection. If you capture an unusual looking insect, Dr. Genich is happy to personally pick up anything anyone finds. "The best way to hold any specimens is to catch them in a jar if possible and then put them into a freezer so they won't dry out and become brittle."

If you capture and freeze an insect for the collection, please contact Dr. Mark Genich by phone at 866-0844.

Neighborhood Beach Party - August 27 at Frye Cove Park

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:38:00 PDT

Join us for a Griffin Neighborhood Beach Party on Saturday, August 27, at Frye Cove Park.

Bring a salad, dessert, snack, or just bring yourself. We’ll provide beverages, hamburgers, hot dogs, clams, and all the condiments.

Saturday, August 27
12 noon to 4 PM
Frye Cove Park
4000 NW 61st Ave, Olympia, WA

Enjoy fresh shellfish dishes with an Asian twist prepared by Xinh Dwelley, of Xinh's Clam & Oyster House.

Low Tide Exploration with beach naturalists – 10 AM to 1 PM. Low tide is at 11 AM. Thanks to the South Sound Estuary Association for providing their beach naturalists, for this activity.

Kids activities include opportunities to create an estuary print, visit with the Pacific Northwest Shell Club, learn about phytoplankton and much more!

Donations of non-perishable food and cash for the St. Christopher’s Food Bank are welcome.

This Year's Blueberry Bash - Bigger and Better Than Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Messinger) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:50:00 PDT

The annual St. Christopher's Community Church Blueberry Bash is Sunday, August 21, from 12 noon to 4 PM.

St. Christopher's Community Church Blueberry Bash
Sunday, August 21
12 noon to 4 PM
7902 Steamboat Island Road NW, Olympia, WA 98502

This year’s free musical entertainment will be provided by The Straw Hat String Band.

The Straw Hat String Band

This year there will be a silent auction, bingo tent and a raffle for 4 Diamond Club Mariner's tickets. Those tickets include free parking, a gourmet dinner, seat-side food service during the game, and seats only 6 rows behind home plate! Raffle tickets will be $2.00 each.

This year the Bash is bigger than ever. They will have a bounce house for the kids, an expanded carnival games section and a Circus Acts area where people can try out a unicycle, walk a slack line/tight rope and more.

For food, St. Christopher's will be offering polish sausage, hotdogs, corn-on-the-cob, fresh fruits and vegetables, chips, nachos, homemade pies (blueberry and other fruit pies depending on what type of fruit they can get!), homemade blueberry and chocolate shakes, pop, water, sno-cones and popcorn.

St. Christopher's will also be recycling/composting all of the days waste.

Come and enjoy an annual family tradition on the peninsula: the Blueberry Bash!

GriffinNeighbors

Griffin School Levy Goes to Voters February 14

Good and Bad Knife Bills in Washington State

Annual Meeting of the Griffin Neighborhood Association is January 26th

"Public Diplomacy Under the Obama Administration: A New Approach" - January 19

Citizens' group to begin initiative process to move electrical service to Thurston PUD

Critical Areas Ordinance Public Hearing - December 10

Gourmet, Locally-Produced Fudge to Benefit Local Preschool

World Affairs Council Speaker "Leaving Afghanistan - Easier Said Than Done" on Nov 17

Coralroot Orchid: Beautiful & Unusual Parasitic Plant

Olympia World Affairs Council Presentation on Slovakia, November 3

Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool Openings for Children Ages 2 through 4

Sheriff's Department Releases Community Alert

"Fair Trade Around the World" a Presentation by Olympia World Affairs Council

Redistricting Could Place Griffin Area Among a Different Group of Voters

Emergency Preparedness Expo - October 29

The Arab Spring: Revisited

Will Proposed Low Impact Development Standard Protect or Harm Washington State Watersheds?

Request for Intervention by Governor Gregoire

VIDEO: "Why DOE drainage standards will not protect Puget Sound", according to Tom Holz

To Learn More:

The View from British Columbia

What is the Goal?

To Learn More:

Related Stories About Puget Sound on Water Bucket

Madrona Grove Announces Their Winter Produce Subscription Program

Madrona Grove's "Apple Affair" Returns October 30

Hips Aweigh

November's General Election is Just Around the Corner - Here Come the Initiatives!

"Women's Empowerment in the Developing World"

Local Resident Mark Genich Collects Insects for the Slater Museum of Natural History

Neighborhood Beach Party - August 27 at Frye Cove Park

This Year's Blueberry Bash - Bigger and Better Than Ever