Top Olympian stories that you may have missed for April 21, 2026

From a milestone in gray wolf recovery to a serious crash in Thurston County, here are the top stories from The Olympian today.

Here are key takeaways:

• Wolf population surges: Washington’s gray wolf population climbed 17.4% to a minimum of 270 wolves in 2025, according to a new state report. Two of three recovery zones have met their objectives, but the Southern Cascades and Northwest Coast region, which includes the Tacoma and Olympia areas, has not.

• Thurston County crash: A driver hit a 44-year-old Centralia man who was lying in a south Thurston County road early Tuesday, according to the Sheriff’s Office and the coroner. The Thurston County Coroner said a medical exam will determine whether the man died prior to or as a result of the wreck.

• Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight: The Lyrid meteor shower, the oldest known meteor shower, peaks around 10 p.m. Tuesday through the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday. NASA said stargazers can expect to see 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour under good viewing conditions.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Top Olympian stories that you may have missed for April 21, 2026."