The floodgates opened more last week with Trump-Epstein news

+ Reality Tea: Judge’s Epstein Files Concerns Put Donald Trump’s DOJ Under a New Spotlight 

+ Radar: Epstein Victim Saw Photos of Predator ‘Smiling With Wealthy Celebrities and Politicians’ as He Assaulted Her at Zorro Ranch

+ OK!Magazine: Jeffrey Epstein Believed Donald Trump Ran for President Because His Fame Was ‘Fading,’ Claims Biographer: ‘Being Seen’ Is His ‘Main Goal’

+ GBN (UK): Epstein victims urging Andy Burnham to launch public inquiry into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

+ Globe: Teen’s High School Assignment Turns Ugly When He Digs Up Local Dirt in Epstein Files  

+ NPR: An arts school where Epstein allegedly preyed on students reveals decades of abuse  

+ OK!Magazine: Jeffrey Epstein Mystery Deepens as Multiple Associates Die Under Shocking Circumstances, Fueling Conspiracy Theories

+ Raw Story: Trump confided to Jeffrey Epstein the real reason he wanted to be president: report

+ Radar: Wall Street Giants ‘Let Epstein Move $1.1Billion Through 4,725 Wire Transfers’ Without a Red Flag — Senate Report Names Billionaire Who Allegedly Bankrolled Predator

+ Joyce Vance on Substack: Zorro Ranch, Jeffrey Epstein, and Donald Trump’s Justice Department

+ Raw Story: Frantic Trump is stoking a raging news cycle to bury this new Epstein scandal | Opinion 

+ Queerty*: Melania just made her Epstein trouble so much worse with this boneheaded move 

+ AlterNet: Former prosecutor says the DOJ lied to Epstein judge — and can prove it

+ Independent (UK): Trump’s DOJ could be held in contempt over unredacted Epstein files, judge says: ‘It’s not a threat. It’s a promise’ – Federal judge holds public hearing in lawsuit over withheld documents to hear ‘what the hell is going on in this case’

+ USA Today: LA judge finally put DOJ ‘on notice’ for Epstein files stalling – When a federal judge wraps up a hearing with a cautionary conversation about the time he held Department of Justice attorneys in contempt of court, things are going from bad to worse. |  Opinion

+ USA Today: Will Trump free Andrew and Tristan Tate? Epstein files loom over case 

+ Cafe Mom: New Report Has Released Victim Testimony About What Happened at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch 

+ OK!Magazine: Epstein Judge Issues Stark Warning to DOJ Over Handling of Investigative Files 

+ Raw Story: Simply marked ‘POTUS’: 16 Epstein-files documents flagged by DOJ for added scrutiny 

+ The Daily Beast: Keystone Kash Caught Up in New Epstein Files Drop – A disgraced ex-royal approached the FBI director through a conduit soon after he was sworn in.

+ Raw Story: Melania Trump clobbered by ‘bombshell’ threat as Epstein investigators close in 

+ Futurism: Dario Amodei’s Wife Is Closely Linked to Jeffrey Epstein– “Hello Jeffrey! We would love to have dinner with you this evening.”

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Health officials warn of declining vaccination rates in Thurston County

Excerpt from The JOLT News:

Health officials warned that immunization levels have fallen below the threshold needed to maintain herd immunity, and declining childhood vaccination rates are increasing vulnerability to measles.  

Dr. Maria Huang, a local pediatrician and a co-Chair of the Washington chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Vaccine Committee, addressed the vaccination issue at a meeting with the Thurston County Board of Health (BOH).

“We are seeing declining vaccination rates, and because of that, we are seeing epidemics of measles and pertussis that are surging,” said Huang at the meeting on Aug. 11.  

She said the consequences are already being seen in clinics and hospitals. Huang said she has seen a baby die from pertussis and performed CPR on a 5-year-old who died from the flu, calling them “preventable tragedies.” 

The BOH invited Huang to speak at the meeting in which a proclamation designated August as Immunization Awareness Month. 

Huang’s concern was underscored by Health Officer Dr. Barbra Villona, who told the board that Thurston County’s kindergarten vaccination rates have remained below the level needed for measles herd immunity for several years.  

Herd immunity, Villona explained, occurs when enough people in a community are immune to a disease, and those who are not immune are protected because the disease has fewer opportunities to spread. Because measles is highly infectious, she said about 95 percent of people need to be immunized to maintain that protection.  

In Thurston County, Villona said the kindergarten immunization rate has declined over the last several years, from the 93 percent range to 92.9 percent, then 92.4 percent. She added that the most recent figure she saw was at 91.4 percent. 

The board’s proclamation stated the most recent kindergarten vaccination rate was 90.6 percent.

Click here to read the full story.

+ Inc.com: Travelers Voted Delta the Best Airline in the U.S. and Canada Again. Their Responses Explain Why – Travelers rewarded Delta’s reliability, service, and innovation with another top ranking.

+ Simply Flying: Is Seattle possibly the gateway for Delta’s Singapore service? 

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SEA Airport Moves Forward with Next Major Renovation: S Concourse

Excerpt from the Port of Seattle: 

The Port of Seattle Commission authorized initial funding today for the next significant modernization project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) — the S Concourse Evolution (SCE) — with major construction scheduled to start in 2027. As part of the $5.5 billion Upgrade SEA capital improvement program, the estimated $2.5 billion S Concourse renovation will transform a 1973 facility into a world-class concourse that primarily serves international travelers. The project matches recent SEA modernization project standards, ensuring increasing traveler demands are met with more space, amenities, and sustainability, including reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Today’s authorization to move forward with the S Concourse Evolution builds on the generational investments we are making at SEA to improve the passenger experience,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Ryan Calkins. “The project will add critical seismic, structural, and building systems upgrades to improve long-term passenger circulation as well as operational efficiency.”

The project does not increase gate count on that concourse, as there is no room to expand between the main terminal and the airfield. Instead, it repurposes, in part, the customs area vacated when the International Arrivals Facility (IAF) opened in 2022. The modernization will add 150,000 square feet, including a new Upper Concourse Level, improved dual-level boarding operations for select gates, and expanded dining, retail, lounge, and passenger amenities.

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Check out our latest video for a glimpse of what’s to come.

‘A matter of when, not if’: Western WA not immune to wildfires, experts say

Excerpt from The News Tribune (Tacoma) via yahoo!news:  

For Western Washington, it’s not a matter of if a wildfire will strike, but when.

Wildfires may seem like a disaster reserved for the drier climates east of the Cascades, where they occur more frequently. But experts say the west side of the state isn’t off the hook.

Forests on the west side of the Cascades are also fire-prone, and fire has played a long role in their history, said Dr. Brian J Harvey, a professor and forest fire ecologist at the University of Washington.

“Fire is a very integral part of these ecosystems, but the trends that we’ve been seeing in recent years have been fairly remarkable in terms of the increase in fire activity,” Harvey said.

Troubling trends

Between 1983 and 1999, only one year exceeded 6 million acres of forest burned, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Since 2000, the number of years has increased to 15.

The trend of increased intensity can be attributed to a variety of factors, one of which is climate change, Harvey said.

The average temperature of Washington has risen nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, according to the USDA Northwest Climate Hub.

As warmer temperatures bring more rain instead of snow, Washington’s snowpack levels are dwindling. This year marks the fourth emergency statewide drought declaration in a row.

The less snowpack there is during the winter, the earlier it melts. And when ecosystems dry out earlier and more intensely, the potential for wildfires increases, Harvey said.

But it’s not just our changing climate shaping these events.

There’s also a backlog of combustible vegetation piling up in Washington forests due to a century of prioritizing fire suppression tactics over prescribed burns, A.K.A. extra fuel for fires to burn.

More human developments are encroaching upon forested land, turning wildfires increasingly into urban conflagrations destroying homes and other buildings.

Combine all of these elements, and you’ve got a recipe for an intense wildfire season.

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Putting together a go-bag filled with emergency supplies and essentials is another way to prepare. Ready.gov provides a list of basic supplies to take with you if you’re unsure what goods to bring.

In the case of a wildfire, you can monitor conditions on the Department of Natural Resources Wildfire Intel Dashboard or the Watch Duty app.

And if you happen to find yourself in a Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation zone, it’s in your best interest to listen to that warning, Kyle-Milward said.

“Heed those instructions,” he said. “It might be the only chance you get to escape an oncoming flame front.”

Click here to read the full story.

Yelm City Council approves construction contract for Veterans Park and Memorial Walk

Agreement with Raudenbush Earthworks LLC valued at $1,088,929

Excerpt from the NVN:

The City of Yelm is one step closer to honoring local servicemen and servicewomen who served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts by constructing and implementing a Veterans Park and Memorial Walk.

During a Yelm City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 28, Elizabeth Jones, Yelm projects and grants manager, sought authorization from Yelm City Council to approve a contract with Raudenbush Earthworks LLC valued at $1,088,929.75 for Phase 1 construction of Yelm’s Veterans Park and Memorial Walk.

“I want to say thank you to the VFW members who are here in support of this project,” Jones said. “This contract does not require any new appropriation of funds. The construction funding for Veterans Park Memorial Walk Phase 1 was previously approved by council through the adopted budget and will be paid from the Roads and Street Fund 360.”

Jones added that Yelm City Council had initially budgeted $1.6 million for Phase 1 construction of the Veterans Park and Memorial Walk in Yelm after engineers estimated a cost of $1.2 million to $1.5 million.

The project received 10 bids, and Raudenbush Earthworks LLC was found to be the lowest “responsive and responsible bidder.”

“This bid came in below the engineers estimate and approximately $511,000 below the amount budgeted for this construction,” Jones said.
Yelm City Council unanimously approved the $1,088,929.75 contract.

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Click here to read the full story.

Amtrak service suspension between Seattle, Portland extended again

Excerpt from KCPQ-13 TV News, Fox Seattle:

The Brief

• Amtrak said it is extending its suspension of services between Seattle and Portland, now lasting through Sunday, Aug. 16.

• The company originally said the suspension would last through Aug. 10 before extending it to Friday, Aug. 14.

• The extension is caused by a track obstruction stemming from a warehouse fire that occurred on Aug. 2.

Amtrak said on Wednesday that it is extending its suspension of service between Seattle and Portland to Sunday, Aug. 16.

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Amtrak said it would provide buses in place of the suspended train service, but noted that some departures were canceled due to limited bus availability.

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What’s next

Amtrak is expected to provide a new update on the situation on or before Sunday, Aug. 16.

The announcement comes about two days after the company originally extended the suspension from Monday, Aug. 10, to Friday, Aug. 14.

Amtrak cited “track obstruction” stemming from a warehouse fire that occurred on Aug. 2 as the main reason for the suspension.

Click here for the full story.

+ Washington Bid Network: Downtown Activated Alleyway – Fuller Footpath Bid Post

+ NVN: Yelm Public Works director highlights critical transportation projects set to occur within two years – Fuller Footpath, Veterans Walk and Memorial Park Phase 1 nearing construction

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From Mayor DePinto’s Facebook post (May 2025):

I know I’ve been talking about the Yelm Loop and roundabouts coming but another nifty Yelm project that will be completed [soon] … is the Fuller Footpath. An “activated alleyway” designed to accommodate food trucks (water/power), have seating, tables, lighting and renovate this alleyway (pictured below). It will be behind City Hall and is named after Fay Fuller, the Yelm school teacher who was the first woman to summit Mt. Rainier.

I am also hoping we can utilize this space as a new permanent home for our farmers market which has bounced around to multiple locations this past decade.

Yelm’s City Council approves the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)

Excerpt from the NVN:

The next monthly Community Conversation is August 12th, 12n, Casa Mia

Excerpt from the Facebook post of City of Yelm Government: 

Join us on August 12th for our next monthly Community Conversation.

We invite all residents and citizens to these open forums to engage directly with city leadership.

Mayor Joe, City of Yelm Police Chief Carlson, Public Works Director Cody Colt, and Recreation Coordinator Line Roy will be on hand to share project updates, upcoming events, and community information.

We will meet at noon on August 12th at Yelm Casa Mia.

Bloodworks Northwest needs WA donors during national blood supply crisis

Excerpt from The Olympian via MSN:

Bloodworks Northwest officials say they only have one to two days of blood supply right now. Outreach coordinators say the shortage is unprecedented, and they’re urging Western Washington residents to donate.

The alarm comes amidst a nationwide blood shortage. The Red Cross recently declared its second-ever national blood supply crisis. The organization is now limiting the amount of type O blood it sends to hospitals throughout the country.

The Red Cross says summer blood donations aren’t keeping up with hospital demand. Under conditions of extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses, fewer people give blood.

The shortage hit Washington hard, outreach coordinators say. Having a single day’s supply of blood met the threshold for Bloodworks Northwest to declare a “Code Red” alarm. That came only six months after the last Code Red was issued.

Blood donations always drop in the summer months, according to Bloodworks Northwest’s senior government affairs and community relations strategist Juan Cotto.

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How to donate blood in Thurston County

Bloodworks Northwest’s Olympia Donor Center is located at 1220 Eastside St.

Blood donations are accepted through scheduled appointments or walk-ins. Donors are encouraged to hydrate, eat salty snacks and get a full night’s sleep before giving blood.

Anyone over age 18 and in good health can donate blood. Those age 16 and 17 can donate blood with a parent’s permission.

Donors must bring a picture ID to their appointment – that can be a student ID, driver’s license or work badge.

The full map of mobile donation centers is available on the Bloodworks Northwest website.

Click here to read the full story.