What’s Happening for Jan. 2
Friday
Olympia Comic Creators Meetup: Olympia’s comic book artists and writers will meet from 5-7 p.m. every first and third Friday at Gallery Boom, 520 Adams St. SE, Olympia. The group will work on a comic anthology to be finished, printed and exhibited at the annual Olympia Comics Festival in June. If you are interested in drawing, writing or any form of comic book creation, you are welcome to join the group. Refreshments are often served but you are free to bring your own. All inquiries can be sent to Lorenzo Ross at zomatic1@gmail.com.
Saturday
Lacey’s Christmas Tree Round Up: Local Boy Scout Troops 222 and 101, with support from LeMay/Pacific Disposal, Thurston County Waste & Recovery Center, and Asplundh, will collect Christmas trees for residents who live in the Lacey city limits. Please remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, stands, and other debris and place your tree on the curb by 8 a.m. (Trees with debris left on them cannot be composted and, as a result, will not get picked up.) The Boy Scouts accept donations for this community service at www.troop222wa.org or mailed to PO Box 5379, Lacey, WA 98509. Information: Call John from Troop 222 at 360-888-5215.
Poetry Open House: What’s the most poetic way to live in 2020? Explore this question with Olympia Poet Laureate Sady Sparks during the Poetry Open House from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Harbor House on Percival Landing, 405 Columbia St. NW. Expect word games, poetry stations, warm beverages, and the Puget Sound. This is a casual, drop-in event. All ages encouraged to attend.
Pollinator Friendly Landscapes: The WET Science Center will host activities led by the Stream Team and guest speaker Mary Dessel. Participants will learn about the life history of bees, reasons for their decline, and how to support their health. Participants also can make a bee house to take home at a 10 a.m. workshop; register at www.streamteam.info. Admission is free.
Holiday Trees for Restoration Event: Did you purchase a live potted tree to decorate this holiday season? If so, you are invited to bring your family and your native, live tree to Priest Point Park for the first Holiday Trees for Restoration event, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donated trees will be planted in a forested area that sustained damage in last winter’s storms. The park is located at 2600 East Bay Drive NE. Directional signs will be posted inside the park; meet just south of the playground. You must register online at http://volunteer.olympiawa.gov/ if you are bringing a tree to plant.
Tuesday
Tumwater City Council Inauguration Ceremony: The community is invited to the Inauguration Ceremony for the 2020 Tumwater City Council, with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by the ceremony at 7 p.m., which kicks off the first council meeting of the year. Refreshments will be served. The event is at Tumwater City Hall Council Chambers, 555 Israel Road SW, Tumwater.
Intro to Swing Dance: Sign up at the door for OlyDance’s beginner level East Coast swing dance class series from 6-7 p.m. at the Olympia Eagles ballroom, 805 Fourth Ave. E. All ages are welcome, and no partner is required. Fee is $15 drop-in or $50 for all four weeks, and includes swing dance party after the lesson. Information: Tuesdayswing.com
Public hearing on amendments to preliminary plat extensions: The Thurston County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing at 3 p.m. to accept public testimony on proposed amendments to the county development code. The proposal would make nonphased subdivision projects eligible for a one-time, 3-year extension. The current code limits those projects to a one-time, 1-year extension. Phased subdivision projects would be eligible for a 2-year extension for each phase of the project (up to a maximum of 10 years total). The proposal does not include changes to the process for approving preliminary plat extensions. The hearing will be at the County Courthouse, Building 1, Room 280, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Olympia. Detailed information about the proposal is available at: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/planning/Pages/devcode-plat-extensions.aspx.
Wednesday
State of the Community at Thurston Chamber’s January Forum: Job growth, land management, and housing are some of the issues community leaders will address at Thurston Chamber’s annual State of the Community Address from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hotel RL, 2300 Evergreen Park Drive, Olympia. Olympia Mayor Cheryl Selby, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder, Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet, Yelm Mayor JW Foster, and Thurston County Commissioner John Hutchings will share the state of their jurisdiction, and address moderated topics. Cost is $35 general admission, $25 for online prepaid Chamber members and $30 for members at the door. Make your reservation by calling 360-357-3362 or registering at thurstonchamber.com.
Author talk with Sharon Wood: Browsers will host Sharon Wood, the author of “Rising: Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest,” a new book from Mountaineers Books and 2019 Banff Mountain Book Competition Category Finalist in Mountain Literature, at 7 p.m. The bookshop is at 107 Capitol Way N, Olympia.
Decatur Woods Volunteer Work Party: From 9:30 a.m. to noon, staff and volunteers will remove invasive holly and ivy from this wooded neighborhood park. The park is located at 1015 Decatur St SW. Meet at the side entrance to the park, 1801 11th Ave SW. Street parking is available. Visit http://volunteer.olympiawa.gov/ for more information and to register for the work party.
Historical tours at Governor’s Mansion: The Governor’s Mansion Foundation will host a special “1909 Housewarming History” presentation during its Wednesday Mansion tours Jan. 8 and 15. Visitors will meet “Zephorena Cosgrove,” wife of Gov. Samuel Cosgrove and then will take a 30-minute guided tour of the mansion by foundation docents. Mansion tours are on a first-come, first-served basis. Each tour is open to 25 guests and times are 1, 1:20 and 1:40 p.m. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. To make a reservation, go to https://apps.des.wa.gov/Mansion/Mansion.aspx. For questions or more information, call 360-902-8880. Adult tour guests must present photo identification and all visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. No umbrellas, strollers, or food/drink will be allowed on the tour.
Planning Commission hearing on Rochester Subarea Plan: The Thurston County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. to accept public testimony on the proposed draft of the Rochester Subarea Plan update. The hearing will be at the Thurston County Courthouse, Building 1, Room 152, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Olympia. To learn more about the plan, go to http://www.grandmoundplanning.org and select “Rochester Subarea Plan Update 2019.”
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