Your Monday briefing from The Olympian for April 27, 2026. Here’s what to know

These are the top stories from The Olympian on Monday, April 27, 2026, covering Thurston County news you need to stay informed.

Here are key takeaways:

• Public safety tax revenue: Thurston County collected $16.2 million in 2025 — its first full year of a voter-approved 0.2% public safety sales tax — with about $9.7 million going to the county. The Sheriff’s Office received $7.3 million, funding 24 new deputies, 27 vehicles and a new headquarters. An additional 0.1% sales tax approved by the Board of County Commissioners in December is expected to start collection in July.

• Former lawmaker Sam Hunt dies: Sam Hunt, a former state senator and representative who served the Olympia area in the Legislature for nearly 25 years, died Sunday at 83 after a short battle with leukemia. Hunt represented Legislative District 22, which includes Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater. He helped oversee Washington’s voting reforms, including the switch to mail-in voting.

• Vandalized bookmobile sparks fundraiser: The South Sound Reading Foundation is seeking $70,000 for a new book van after its Chevy cargo van was vandalized twice — once in fall 2024 and again in January 2025 — at its previous Hawks Prairie location. The Lacey-area nonprofit, which distributes free books to children, hopes to have a new vehicle ready for summer, its busiest season.

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 27, 2026 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Your Monday briefing from The Olympian for April 27, 2026. Here’s what to know."