Daily
Olympia
Friday, July 18th, 2025
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Good morning, Olympia. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 18th of July.
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ A discovered backstory of Mabel Fain, a wild West character who once helped a bank robber escape and later walked to Olympia while pregnant, reveals a life of daring and unexpected moves in our town's early days. Her tale—featuring burning down a farmhouse for insurance money and inspiring local landmark names—offers a rare glimpse into Olympia's past. JOLT
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Restoring Earth Connection finished a five‑month project that measured and catalogued Olympia’s largest trees and announced winners such as a giant sequoia with a 31‑foot circumference and a group of coastal redwoods at 1701 4th Ave W. A walking map of these trees will be published on the organization's website in July and the group will update the results as new larger trees are found. ThurstonTalk
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ The Fones Road project is taking longer than planned, and the city now expects overnight underground utility work to continue until mid-August—issues with unforeseen private facilities have delayed progress. Crews work from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday along Fones Road, and residents will be notified one day in advance of any temporary driveway closures. JOLT
- ➤ The Thurston County Auditor's Office mailed over 147,000 ballots to registered voters for the Aug. 5 primary election. Secure ballot drop boxes will remain open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5 — any voter who does not receive a ballot by July 23 should contact the Elections Division. JOLT
- ➤ On Tuesday, July 15, Olympia's lobbyist Nick Frederici briefed the city council that the state legislature passed a $77.8 billion budget with $6 billion in cuts and enacted a new rent stabilization law capping increases at 7% plus inflation — wins that came as Olympia still fell nearly $100,000 short of its funding needs and saw state funding for the Deschutes Estuary Restoration project drop to $8 million. Negotiations over property tax and revenue proposals continue as both local and state leaders work to address these budget challenges. JOLT
SHOP NEWS
- ➤ TODAY'S SPONSOR We never have to worry about dead batteries and missed calls thanks to this portable power bank that can charge up to five devices at once. The Buy
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Switchback 360 at Capital Lakefair
8:30 p.m. — Capital Lakefair — Free entry — Experience live music from Switchback 360 under the stars after the parade.
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Kaitie Wade Concert at Urraco Coffee Co
6-12 p.m. — Urraco Coffee Co — Entry TBA — Enjoy a night of pop-country tunes from Seattle's own Kaitie Wade as she showcases her artistry.
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The Rookery Apartments Open House
Explore Tumwater's premier Net Zero luxury apartment community and be among the first to reserve one of the six available units at The Rookery. The address is 6504 Capitol Blvd SE, Tumwater, WA. Just follow the signs to find the entrance off Z Street!
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Beatles vs Stones - A Musical Showdown
7:30-9 p.m. — Washington Center for the Performing Arts — Ticket prices vary — Experience the ultimate musical clash between two legendary bands in a lively performance.
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17th Annual Olympia Pub Crawl
3-8 p.m. — Nicole's Bar — $25 until August 1st, $30 day of event — A fun walking tour of local pubs supporting childhood cancer research and family support.
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Dream Create: A Half-Day Workshop
10 AM – 2 PM — Kenneydell Park — Workshop fee applies — Engage in creating a dream art journal amidst nature in Olympia, WA.
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Scherler Sundays: Free Concert Series
3-7 p.m. — Carnegie Library — Free entry — Enjoy a fantastic lineup of over 30 independent bands in a family-friendly, outdoor setting.
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Fish, Forage, Fire!
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. — Squaxin Park — Cost not specified — Dive into fishing, archery, and foraging skills at this outdoor camp.
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Billy Nation - A Tribute to Billy Joel
7:30-9:00 p.m. — Washington Center for the Performing Arts — Ticket prices vary — Celebrate the hits of Billy Joel with a high-energy tribute concert that gets the audience singing along.
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