Letters to the editor for July 19

•County officials will provide list of budget cuts
•County commission caused budget problem
•We need better slate of gubernatorial candidates
•Taxpayers shouldn't pay for smoking cessation classes

Check out market

For four years city of Lacey officials tried — in vain — to duplicate Olympia's wildly popular farmers market. It didn't work. This year, the city tried a different tactic, abandoning a farmers market every weekend and instead opting for three Saturdays through the summer and fall. The new name is the Lacey Community Market, and the market has been expanded to include artisans, antiques, collectibles, food and entertainment in addition to flowers and produce, mainstays of any farmers market. The Community Market was open for the first time last Saturday and drew an impressive crowd under sun-drenched skies. Hands On Children's Museum organized free activities for children. The Slow Roller Band provided bluegrass music and Rock Candy Mountain performed old-time fiddle music. Lacey's new Community Market was a big success. Mark your calendars now for the final two markets, 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Aug. 9 and Sept. 13.

Olympia needs to go up if it's ever going to grow up

Should we make Olympia more vital and sustainable, or let downtown stall while growth sprawls?

Senior Games a great event

Tomorrow, 600 athletes will descend on South Sound to start a 41-team softball tournament that is the first event of the eighth annual Washington State Senior Games — a chance for men and women 50 and older to participate in 22 athletic events.

Obama's candidacy proves success of civil rights movement

I was shocked and saddened by the Rev. Jesse Jackson's recent comments about Sen. Barack Obama.