Regional briefs for Oct. 2

The Olympian, News Services | • Published October 02, 2008

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South Sound

Check out local traffic flow with online map

Olympia commuters joined the ranks of Seattle and Tacoma drivers this week with their own real-time traffic flow map.

The state Department of Transportation completed the $65,000 installation of data stations along the I-5 corridor in Tumwater, Olympia and Lacey this month. That expands WSDOT's travel-information tools in Thurston County with an additional 14 miles of flow-map coverage.

WSDOT also expects more traffic cameras and Variable Message Signs by the end of the month, adding more tools for drivers to make commuting decisions.

Drivers can access the traffic flow maps and cameras at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic. For up-to-date traffic effects, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/ regions/olympic/construction.

Grant supports reading corps throughout state

The state Employment Security Department has awarded a grant of $176,000 to Community Youth Services, which serves Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Grays Harbor and Kitsap counties.

The grant will support 56 Washington Reading Corps members for 101/2 months to a year in their efforts to tutor pre-kindergarten through sixth-grade students in public schools.

Funding comes from the federal AmeriCorps and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) programs.

For more information about Washington Service Corps programs and the teams that received the grants, go to www.theolympian.com and click on the link with this story.

Rochester

Learn more about military academy tonight

Students, parents and high school representatives can learn more about the military academy nomination process at an event tonight in Rochester.

Representatives from the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy will discuss opportunities available to students, as well as the application process.

To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, an applicant must have a nomination from an authorized nominating source, such as a member of Congress. Members of the House of Representatives may nominate only those applicants who reside in their congressional districts; therefore Congressman Brian Baird can nominate any applicant who resides in Southwest Washington.

The event is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Rochester High School Commons, 19800 Carper Road S.W.

For more information, on how to apply to the United States service academies, go to www.theolympian.com and click on the link with this story.

Olympia

Committee to meet about Capitol Lake plan

The next public meeting of the Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan Steering Committee is from 8 to 10 a.m. today in Room 207 of the General Administration Building, 210 11th Ave., S.W., Olympia.

The committee is charged with studying the full range of costs and benefits of maintaining Capitol Lake or turning it back into the Deschutes River estuary, with a recommendation to state officials due in 2009.