Years ago, I was putting in some time as a peacekeeper during another anti-war march. I'd noticed two men in military uniform walking along side the huge march, keeping pace with us but not quite joining in. Both of them had their heads down and there was a solemn air about them.

I drifted their direction and eventually struck up a conversation. We created our own little bubble of focus. They told me they supported the president and that they were headed back soon to war. I listened to them, heard and witnessed their grief. We agreed to disagree on many matters. We did agree that war is hell and that their friends now dead were missed and mourned.

That conversation is still vivid in my memory, not the details, more how it felt to listen so intensely to two men in pain.

I hope they survived.

Found a slideshow Anti-War Protest at Port of Olympia Nov 18,2004. Great photos by Tony Overman.

I tucked OlyBlog into the list of external links for the Olympia, Wa. Wikipedia page. I notice there is room for all sorts of additions and adjustments, including to a "List of people who lived in Olympia, Washington".

Very easy for anyone to join in.

Rosie's Place, a place for people 21 and under, is now open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, weekdays. It is located on the second floor of the big building (Community Youth Services) on the corner of Plum and State Ave.

We are a safe place to come get food, hang out, grab hygiene supplies, talk with youth advocates, use our computers, check email, play games, join in workshops and activities, and chill-out in a comfortable, friendly, safe youth space.

We can help with: food, shower vouchers, clothing, crisis intervention, shelter, family counseling, medical care, drug/alcohol treatment, hygiene supplies, job search and goal setting, legal support and advocacy, untangling school problems...and more! We follow your lead.

Rosie's Place is given credit in The Olympian for helping diminish problems at the downtown transit center.

I'm looking for photos taken at a past May Day here in Olympia, the one on Harrison and Division. Specifically looking for photos of the police lined up in riot gear.

Found a slideshow of photos from May Day 2002, but not yet exactly what I am looking for. I also need to sort out the exact year the westside event happened.

Update: The year is 2001, found this handy summary in the emergency management archives-

On May 1 approximately 300 protesters assembled near the south entrance of Black Lake and Harrison Avenue in Olympia Washington as part of the May Day Protest Activity. The protesters began moving toward downtown Olympia and the 5th Street Bridge around 4:35 PM but returned to a vacant lot on Black Lake Boulevard without major incident.

The events of the Centralia Massacre unfolded over the span of more than just one day, but November 11th is a high (or low) point.

A digital collection of pamphlets, leaflets, and letters concerning the Centralia Massacre is available through the University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections.

Through the Washington Digital Archives you can view The Statehood Telegram of November 11, 1889. Link also given for the plugin needed for viewing this and other documents called the Top 5 Treasures.

I just heard from Lynn Erickson, the producer of "Sylvester's Window", that educational kits she created based on the paintings are now available at Oly bookstores.

An Olympian article describes the kits as including......"large and small prints of the paintings, narratives, biographies of the people in the scenes, lesson ideas and more components....".

On Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the term "hyperlocal" now redirects to "Local News". I noticed a list of examples of hyperlocal blogs and have added OlyBlog.

Is this a soap opera? Will there be soon be an Olympia - Tacoma joint postmark? Stay tuned.

I love the Olympian title of this article:

"Squabble erupts over postmark, Effort to save Olympia symbol caught in capital machinations."