What’s Happening for April 28
Tuesday
Opportunity Zone Informational Event: Are you an investor looking to defer and decrease your capital gains tax? Are you a community stakeholder, business, or developer looking to tap into new funding streams? Join the Thurston Economic Development Council and Opportunity Zone Investments in learning about the four Opportunity Zones in Thurston County: downtown Olympia, Lacey, Grand Mound, and Nisqually. This free event will get you up to speed on the new federal program, what to expect moving forward, and how investors and local communities can maximize the benefits of the program. The event will be from 1-3 p.m. at the Center for Business & Innovation at the South Puget Sound Community College’s Lacey Campus, 4220 Sixth Ave. SE. RSVP: https://opportunityzoneinvestments.com/events/the-opportunity-in-opportunity-zones/
Jet flights over the Olympics wilderness: The Olympic Park Associates and the Great Old Broads for Wilderness are showing two videos about the Olympics followed by a discussion regarding the Navy’s new proposal to increase the number of Growler Jet flights over the Olympic Wilderness and Marine Sanctuary up to 5,000 per year. The event will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the Olympia Community Center, 222 Columbia St. NW. Free.
Singer-songwriter performs at Unity of Olympia: David Roth will perform a concert at 7 p.m. at Unity of Olympia, 1335 Fern St. SW, Olympia. Admission is by a suggested donation of $15 but no one will be turned away. Information: www.unityofolympia.org, www.davidrothmusic.com or 360-943-5757.
Wednesday
Labor conflict documentary screening: A century ago in 1919, Washington state roiled with labor unrest, strikes, and gunfights in cities like Centralia. That cauldron of radicalism and violence is chronicled in the documentary film “Labor Wars of the Northwest,” showing at 7 p.m. at the Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College, 2011 Mottman Road SW, Olympia. Tickets, available on the Washington Center website and at the door, are priced at $10 for the public, $8 for Olympia Historical Society members and free for students with ID. Following the film, local historians will lead a discussion and Q&A. The film was written and directed by David J. Jepsen, who teaches Pacific Northwest History at SPSCC and Tacoma Community College.
Tumwater Community Summit: This annual community-wide event – which runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Tumwater Middle School, 6335 Littlerock Road SW – brings together school, community, and business leaders to discuss topics impacting the health and future of youth and families in the greater Tumwater area. Tumwater Community Summit 2019 will focus on youth experiencing homelessness. This free event includes dinner and features a panel discussion with community leaders, followed by breakout sessions on a variety of topics related to youth and homelessness. Those who wish to participate are asked to register at 360-754-4120. Information: www.ci.tumwater.wa.us/our-community/community-summit
Thursday
Public meeting on plans for Kaiser Woods Park: The City of Olympia Parks Department is in the planning process to build mountain bike trails at Kaiser Woods Park, 4300 Park Drive SW. These will be the first dedicated mountain bike trails in the city park system. A public meeting is planned for 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Olympia City Hall council chambers, 601 Fourth Ave. E., to discuss the project.
Panorama Republicans: Mariya Frost, the Washington Policy Center’s transportation analyst, will review the 2019 Legislative Transportation Package and subsequent sales tax increases on gasoline, modes of transportation, etc. Frost also will offer specific reforms. The program starts at 2 p.m. in the Quinault Auditorium at Panorama, 1751 Circle Lane SE, Lacey. Free. Information: doddsbpan@gmail.com
Toastmasters open house: Do “leadership” and “fun” belong in the same sentence? Find out for yourself at the Stately Speakers Toastmasters Club open house at noon in the Tumwater Fire Department Community Room, 311 Israel Road SW. Admission is free and there will be two guest speakers. Information: Call 360-413-0014.
“Let It Not Happen Again: Lessons of the Japanese American Exclusion” Humanities Washington is sponsoring a talk at 5 p.m. at the Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College St. SE, by Clarence Moriwaki, who will share the story of how 227 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes on Bainbridge Island in 1942, starting a national strategy of internment during World War II. Moriwaki is the president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community. Free.
Friday
Olympia Design Month opening reception: Olympians for People-Oriented Places will host this event to kick off a month’s worth of events and activities with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by a screening of “Urbanized,” a 90-minute documentary about how cities around the world create human-scale, resilient and beautiful communities. The event will be at the Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. E., Olympia. For information about all the events, go to http://www.opopnow.org/new-events
2019 Medal of Honor and Peace Officers Memorial ceremony: About 500 people are expected to attend the ceremony from noon to 3 p.m. at the Law Enforcement Memorial located near the Temple of Justice overlooking Capitol Lake and the north Capitol Campus. Ceremony set-up begins around 6 p.m. on Thursday, requiring the closure of the parking lot, short roadway behind the Temple of Justice, and the north and south diagonals until after the ceremony. There will be a 21-gun salute during the ceremony. Free.
Saturday
Soroptimist International of Olympia’s South Sound Exceptional Woman Awards Banquet: The third annual awards will honor 19 women, the unsung heroes, who help their organizations - internally or externally - and make our community a better place. Doors open at 6 p.m. at Olympia’s Hotel RL, with the banquet starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $85 per person and can be purchased through http://buytickets.at/olympiasoroptimists/239846.
Plant sale to benefit Santo Tomas: The Thurston-Santo Tomás Sister County Association is hosting its 7th annual plant sale fundraiser for university scholarships for youth in our sister town in Nicaragua. The sale will offer perennial plants and bushes, tomato and other vegetable starts, strawberry plants, raspberry canes, oyster mushroom kits and more from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 117 Thomas St. NW, Olympia. Information: TSTSCA@gmail.com
Tenino Farmers Market opens for the season: The 15th year of the market in the city’s downtown historic district kicks off from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a vine cutting, historical photos and festivities. The market will be open every Saturday through Sept. 28. Information: http://www.teninofarmersmarket.org
Olympia residents brainstorm about homelessness: Attend the last of Olympia’s community workshops on a long-term response to homelessness from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Capital High School commons, 2707 Conger Ave NW, Olympia. Can’t attend or have questions? Go to engageolympia.com
Want to submit an item for What’s Happening? Send it 10 days or more in advance, written in the format you see above, to news@theolympian.com. Pictures are appreciated.