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It's been a while since The Olympia Standard has been on the air - but we're back again in time to talk about your ballot for the 2021 general election! Emmett and Jemmy Joe walk through the ballot and share their questions and insights. Renata Rollins, who is serving her final few months on the City Council, offers her thoughts on how Olympia has changed and where the city is headed. Dani also has an announcement for our listeners. Download this episode

With primary ballots reaching mailboxes, Emmett joined forces with the folks of Olympia Pop Rocks, Jemmy Joe and Guire McGuire, to walk through the voters' guide. They looked at the overarching themes and political landscape for the races for city council, the port, and school district, as well as the Medic One levy. Download this episode

For this year's legislative update, we pulled the newest member of our state delegation for the 22nd district, "Friend of the Podcast" Representative Jessica Bateman. We discussed statewide police reform, changes to protests and capitol campus security, and drug possession. We also asked about her personal accomplishments in her first year, as well as her approach to addressing the housing crisis. Download this episode

Dr. Thelma Jackson has been living in Thurston County for over 50 years, arriving here from the deep south where she lived through Jim Crow. She shared with us how she came to live in Thurston County, her experience of being a long time Black activist in the area, and her current project to capture the Black history of the region before it disappears.Download this episode

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland is our new representative in Congress, along with the rest of the 10th district; from Shelton to Puyallup, and Tenino to part of Tacoma. We chatted with her about her transition to federal government during a time of crisis and turmoil, the rise of white supremacy, pandemic relief, housing and homelessness, and Puget Sound recovery. Download this episode

Denny Heck is no longer serving us as our representative in Congress, but he is serving every person in Washington as our Lieutenant Governor. We chatted with Denny about his transition in politics, threats to democracy, his new role in the Legislature, and the relationship between the state and the city.Download this episode(Note: this photo was taken prior to Covid. But we never get to see Jemmy Joe that much, so here he is!)

With one of the members of the Olympia City Council moving up to the Legislature, a new person was recently appointed to represent us. In this interview, Yến Huỳnh introduces herself to our listeners. She speaks about her interests in city government, what she brings to the team, and her interests in the community. Download this episode

Right before the pandemic shut down our community, we spoke with Mike Reid, the Economic Development Director of Olympia, about how our local economy was faring (episode #58). Two weeks later, we were hurled into economic crisis. This episode is an update from Mike on how his job has changed, how local government has responded, and other ways the pandemic has impacted our economy.Download this episode

What will 2021 bring on The Olympia Standard? This episode is what we hope to talk about the in the year to come. We'll continue to bring racial justice conversations onto this podcast, but will also incorporate equity in how we talk about transportation policy, ongoing challenges with the pandemic, and other issues of local interest. We're also gearing up for broader election coverage, and will be keeping tabs on not just Olympia, but also Lacey and Tumwater, as each city gears of up an...

As we leave behind 2020 and look forward to the new year, we spent some time reflecting on the racial justice movement that has swept the nation and Olympia. We spoke with Quinton Neal, the assistant director of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Center at the South Puget Sound Community College, where he hosts the podcast called The Unheard Outsider. We talked about uncomfortable conversations, the work of anti-racism, and how to keep momentum moving forward.Download this episode

Until the moment this podcast was posted, Victor Minjares has been serving as the chair of the Thurston County Democrats. We talked with him about the impact of national politics on local elections, thoughts on the future of the local Democratic party, and how to encourage more people of color to run for elected office.Download this episode

One of the things that makes Olympia such a special place are the people who have lived here long before it was called Olympia. The Steh-Chass band of indigenous people of the Squaxin Island Tribe have stewarded this land since time immemorial, and still inhabit and steward this land today. We spoke with Chairman Kris Peters, of the Squaxin Island Tribe, to learn about his people, this place, and how we can honor and respect this relationship. Here is some information provided by Chairman...

What were the results of the 2020 election cycle? Let's walk back through the ballot and find out what happened. This episode was recorded the day before the presidency was declared for Biden and Harris (woohoo!), and the result of one county commission race is still unknown at the time of publishing. In this episode, Emmett talks about his maps. You can find them here.Download this episode

This year, ballots have already hit your mailbox, several days earlier than usual. If you haven't yet received your ballot (or haven't yet registered to vote), check in with the Thurston County Auditor. In this episode, we walk through the full ballot for voters in Olympia, from referendums to judges. Tune in to learn what and who you might vote for, and why it matters!Download this episode

In years past, we've done candidate interviews for each local race, with both candidates speaking side-by-side. For a few reasons, we're taking a different tack this year. We only interviewed two candidates; the two women of color running in Thurston County races. Tune in to hear from Sharonda Amamilo, running for Thurston County Superior Court Judge, and Carolina Mejia, running for Thurston County Commissioner! Download this episode

Many communities are preparing for a changing climate. The Squaxin Island Tribe, whose land on which the city of Olympia is located, has been studying how rising seas will impact their traditional natural resources. We interviewed Candace Penn, the climate change ecologist for the tribe, about her research and planning efforts to preserve their culture. Following is a short interview with Mason Rolph, with Olympia Community Solar, to share an action we can take today to mitigate our impact...

What does economic justice look like? Megan Matthews, the Engagement Manager at the Department of Social and Health Services, has been engaging with the community to help develop Washington's 10-year plan to reduce poverty and inequality. How is structural racism and historic trauma considered in this plan? How do we bring to the table those who have been most impacted by injustice? And what does this work mean for Olympia as we grapple with issues of racial justice? Download this episode

On our last episode, we explored safety and justice in the Olympia school system from the perspective of a middle school teacher. We're now looking at a different perspective from inside Olympia schools: a recent graduate and a school psychologist. Aneya Cornwall just graduated from Capital High school, and now attends a historically black university on the east coast. Quinn Middleton is works at Capital High, and in her roles serves as the advisor for the Black Student Union.Download this...

Continuing the conversation on racial justice in Olympia, we turn to public schools. Courtney Jarmon, who teaches science at Washington Middle School, shared her experience as an educator in the Olympia School District. She spoke with us about the impacts of the pandemic, decentering whiteness in curriculum, the role all adults play in making schools safe for all students, and how we can bring more educators of color into our school system. Download this episode

Protests from the Black Lives Matter movement have dramatically changed public discourse. Those who have been advocating for a new vision for safety and justice are now finding their ideas discussed in the mainstream. We’re dedicating the next few episodes to bringing forward voices of those advocating for change.Larry Jefferson is the lead felony attorney at the Thurston County Public Defense Office. Through his work, he has been involved in the Opioid Response Task Force, and also helps...