Check out market

Thumbs up: Lacey Community 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.

Thumbs down: Wildfires

It's one thing when lightning sparks forest fires that consume acres of timberland and any homes in their path. But human-caused fires are especially tragic because they are generally caused by carelessness. That certainly was the case with the Spokane Valley fire that destroyed 11homes last week. The fire began when a small recreational fire rekindled in high winds, blowing the burning embers into adjoining woodlands. A suspect has been identified and an investigation by the state Department of Natural Resources is under way. Officials said the fire was not a campfire, but more like a backyard fire in a residential zone. The fire resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of people and consumed more than 1,000 acres. There were no injuries. County and state officials announced a burn ban effective last Tuesday in Thurston County. Recreational campfires in specially built fire pits are allowed in campgrounds, such as those typically found in local, county and state parks and in commercial campgrounds. On private land, campfires are permitted with the landowner's permission but only under strict conditions. Be extra vigilant because the Spokane Valley fires show the horror that can follow when a backyard fire gets out of control.

Thumbs up: Funding request

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition will be back before the Legislature in January requesting $100 million to continue meeting the growing demand for creating new parks and for protecting wildlife habitat and farmland. This is an outstanding program, but the economy has turned. It will be a challenge to get additional funding at a time when lawmakers are struggling to make budget cuts. But again, this is a terrific program because it sets aside property for wildlife habitat and recreation that will benefit generations of Washington residents. "Washington has a unique and wonderful quality of life that is enriched by our parks, trails, recreational areas, wildlife habitat, farmlands, beaches and rivers," said Michael Collins, board president. "The (coalition) is a brilliant program that is helping ensure our present quality of life and creating a lasting legacy of nature and the outdoors for our children, even as our state grows and welcomes more new residents." All eyes are on Gov. Chris Gregoire to see whether she will take the first step and include the $100 million in her budget request to the Legislature later this fall.

Thumbs down: Theft

A 17-year-old Lacey boy faces a charge of possession of stolen property for allegedly stealing a laptop computer containing the personal information of 800 to 900 Fort Lewis soldiers. The computer was stolen off the seat of an unlocked Dodge truck. Immediately after the theft, Army officials notified the soldiers that they might be at risk for identity theft. This incident raises the question — again — of why sensitive information continues to be stored on laptop computers that are not safely secured. In the wake of the theft, Fort Lewis officials have set new training requirements for military personnel and prepared a memo for each employee to sign outlining safeguarding and reporting requirements. Officials got lucky. It does not appear that the private information of hundreds of soldiers was compromised — this time.