There were also lots of ceramic figures, grotesque and whimsical, but you had to work to find them in this jungle gallery.

Once in awhile I'd stumble across a dwelling, but never once did I meet a resident. A few of these makeshift homes were pretty impressive and it was obvious from their design that the intent was for long term occupancy. During this decade students would vanish at the rate of one or two a year and the woods would be combed by Security and local law enforcement. Whenever this search took place, I understand they flushed out a few squatters with each sweep.

One resident of the woods I stopped hearing about during my last couple years as a student was the bear who roamed the TESC forest. It probably left for other quarters after dealing with too many squatters, too many search parties, and too many ceramic gargoyles.

SoundRoots has the story.

Read the article on the Editor & Publisher website.

I love Washington State. Here's one reason why:

A woman who raised a child from birth to age 6 while in a relationship with the girl's biological mother can seek rights as a "de facto parent," the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The ruling essentially creates a new class of parent in Washington state.

"Today we hold that our common law recognizes the status of de facto parents and places them in parity with biological and adoptive parents in our state," the court, led by Justice Bobbe J. Bridge, wrote in the 7-2 decision. "Neither the United States Supreme Court nor this court has ever held that 'family' or 'parents' are terms limited in their definition by a strict biological prerequisite."

[snip]

Jeff Kingsbury, artistic director at Olympia's Capital Playhouse theater, and his partner are among 19 couples who filed lawsuits last year for the same protections, including parental rights, afforded to married heterosexual couples.

Thursday's ruling was a shot in the arm, said Kingsbury, who also is running for a seat on the Olympia City Council.

"I think that's clear evidence the Supreme Court recognized that relationship as a marriage," he said. "That parent needs to be treated the same way any parent going through a divorce might be. I think that's how the Supreme Court might be thinking.

"I think it's a step forward regardless of how they rule on our particular lawsuit."

From the Olympian:

OLYMPIA -- Ed Galligan, former chief financial officer for the Port of Portland, was named executive director of the Port of Olympia on Thursday.

Commissioners unanimously appointed Galligan, 59, as permanent successor to John Wolfe, who resigned in June to become the Port of Tacoma's deputy director.

Galligan begins work in Olympia on Nov. 30.