Thurston County news roundup for April 29 from The Olympian. Here’s what to know

The Olympian covered several developing stories on April 29, ranging from a contentious school board meeting to a Sheriff’s Office shooting investigation. Here’s a roundup of the day’s top stories from the Thurston County area.

Here are key takeaways:

• School layoffs paused: The North Thurston Public Schools board held off on a vote to cut mental health specialists and physical therapists after more than 100 people packed Tuesday’s meeting in opposition. The district is trying to address a $10 million budget deficit driven by declining enrollment and rising costs.

• Explosive device recovered: The Washington State Patrol said a bomb squad safely recovered an explosive device found near Capitol State Forest on Wednesday. Buildings and nearby residences were evacuated. Officials said there is no longer an active threat in the area.

• Man identified in deputy shooting: The Thurston County Coroner identified the man who died in a Thurston County Sheriff’s Office shooting Tuesday following a high-speed pursuit. The Office of Independent Investigations is reviewing what happened.

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 29, 2026 at 9:53 PM with the headline "Thurston County news roundup for April 29 from The Olympian. Here’s what to know."