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Coffee Strong Facebook Group (good for updates)

found at The Poor Man Institute

You may have already read Brad Shannon's article in the Olympian. Senator Karen Fraser's effort to prevent the Triway Rezone by amending House Bill 1379 ("Regarding moratoria and other interim official controls adopted under the shoreline management act") has been obstructed. But there are further efforts being undertaken to protect the Isthmus against inappropriate development. So, there is still hope. Have hope.

Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial Overlook

Residents of Washington State, as well as out-of-state and international visitors, deserve a Capitol Campus vista that is unobstructed and unimpeded by commercial development.

Many of the Triway Rezone and Larida Passage proponents have said that the luxury high-rise condominium development will not harm the vista.

4392 x 1158

Here's a letter to certain key members of the House of Representatives from former Washington State Governor Dan Evans. It's addressed to Representatives Larry Seaquist, Jan Angel, and Marko Liias, whom are the sponsors of HB 1379, and House Local Government Committee Chair, Geoff Simpson:

Larry, Jan, Marko, and Geoff:
I know that three of you are the sponsors of HB 1379 and Geoff, that you are the chairman of the Local Government committee. As I'm sure you know the Senate amended this Bill to attach SB 5800, the Isthmus protection act. I am a strong believer in the strength and power of local government and normally would not support modifying their decisions. However there are some extra responsibilities for a Capital city. The state has invested millions of dollars over a century to build one of the finest state capitals in America. An essential part of the Capitol campus is the magnificent view North toward Puget Sound. Few other state capitals (and I have visited virtually every one) have the magnificent setting of our Capitol in Olympia. In this particular case I believe the state has an overriding interest in protecting this remarkable view. There are plenty of other places in downtown Olympia to build high-rise facilities of any kind but once the view in this particular place on the Isthmus is blocked it is gone forever.
I hope you will concur in the Senate amendments to HB 1379 in spite of the somewhat excessive and almost humorous opposition which charges those who want to preserve this unique view as a motley crew of panhandlers and radicals. I don't know how motley we are but all six former governors of Washington state support the Senate amendment.
Thanks for your consideration
Dan Evans
Governor 1965 -- 1977

To whom does this view belong?

"The Earth, like the Sun, like the Air, belongs to everyone... and to no one."
- Edward Abbey

Could it be that this view, like the Earth, the Sun, the Water, and the Air, "belongs to everyone, and to no one"?

Happy Easter!

Thad Curtz has a letter to the editor in today's Olympian. "Council should support Senate Bill"

The Ledge fractal by Jason Taellious

horizontal orientation below

Hearing this story on Democracy Now today reminded me of what has taken place here in Olympia when nonthreatening protesters have been pepper sprayed.

“I Made Major Mistakes”–Ex-Seattle Police Chief Admits Response to 1999 WTO Protests Was Too Heavy-Handed

We speak with Norm Stamper, the police chief of Seattle during the 1999 WTO protests, when police responded to protests by firing teargas and rubber bullets into the mostly peaceful crowd. The protests resulted in 600 arrests and in the eventual failure of the WTO talks. Stamper resigned soon afterward. “I made major mistakes,” Stamper says of his handling of the situation. [includes rush transcript]

Amy Goodman appeared in Olympia on Sunday, March 29, 2009 as part of her book tour, Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times, which she co-wrote with her brother, David Goodman. She demonstrated her wonderful wit, and way with words, before a crowd of several hundred. I hope that video of her speech becomes available, because her speech was enjoyable and entertaining, and very informative and inspiring — and because I had to leave early! She told some very powerful stories, including about Rachel Corrie, a Palestinian man whose name starts with B (help me out here,) the Israeli Military refusenik (who is also the nephew of Benjamin Netanyahu,) and Frederick Douglass (re: Mount Misery,) among others. Here are some photos that I made, and a list of some of the sponsoring and affiliated organizations: