Letters to the editor for April 30
Olympia’s finest
It seems that we have become accustomed to negative media reports of actions by law enforcement. Shining a light on those unfortunate incidents is important, but there is another side. Although the following is an extremely small event, it does point out how fortunate we are to have such a positive law enforcement presence in Olympia.
While driving on Harrison Avenue, we became aware of an Olympia Police vehicle coming up behind us. Following a block more of travel, the ominous flashing lights lit up the rearview mirror. After we pulled over and stopped, we were soon greeted by Officer Andre Lucas at our passenger-side window.
Officer Lucas was extremely courteous as he explained the reason for the stop, and throughout our time with him he never wavered in his professionalism and demonstration of what community policing embodies. We are sure there are dozens of these stops that the 60 officers make each day of the week. This stop just made us confident that as other officers conduct themselves as Officer Lucas did, we can all be proud of policing in Olympia.
Rich and Melodie Bakala, Olympia
Many Voices is a new historical resource
Philosopher George Santayana observed that “those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” In recent times, we have heard calls for a more comprehensive and inclusive history of our community. The Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum are committed to reaching out to groups who have been historically under-represented to ensure that we capture these groups’ contributions to our rich past and present.
In addition, we wish to make it easier for researchers and others to find resources that already exist.
We have recently created a new page on our website called “Many Voices — A Resource Guide.” This page contains links to other pages and posts on our website, to external resources, and to representative organizations in our community. We hope that researchers and others in our community will find this helpful, and we encourage you to contact us with additional resources and comments. The page is a work in progress!
Greg Griffith, President of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum
Deb Ross, research coordinator and web master
Resources are available to prevent eviction
Thank you for sharing some vital information in the April 23 article, “Washington governor signs eviction ‘right to counsel’ bill.” This is one piece of the multi-piece puzzle that is a coordinated response to dire housing needs arising in our community and unfortunately, throughout the state and nation. It is important for our community to know of the resources available to them for support in this challenging time.
In Thurston County, some key partners associated specifically with early resolution eviction prevention are Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services, the Northwest Justice Project, the Community Action Council and the Dispute Resolution Center.
Our courts are adjusting to the changing needs that COVID has brought for docket management and participant engagement with the court system. The beauty of an early resolution approach is that nimble, responsive, community-based organizations can work together to solve issues before they result in litigation and eviction. The cost of DRC support and other community-based support is comparatively low, especially compared with the costs faced through the formal legal process.
Community mediation centers across Washington are working together with our volunteer legal services and rent assistance teams. Dispute resolution services such as conciliation and mediation are available on a voluntary basis during the moratorium and will continue post-moratorium. We can all work together to support our community and mitigate the negative impacts of what is truly a housing crisis.
Jody M. Suhrbier, Olympia