Eight proposals for temporary public art projects to be completed in downtown Olympia from August 1-31, 2008 will be on display from February 11-22, 2008 at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St NW. The goals for the art project "Here Today" are to bring added vitality to downtown Olympia over the summer, provide opportunities for local artists to create public art within their own community, and to meet the City Council’s goal of bringing focus to our downtown.

The project proposals have been through a jury process, a technical review and consideration by the Olympia Arts Commission. The public is invited to view the narrative and schematic designs for the proposals and to comment on them. Following the public review, the designs will go before the City Council on February 26, 2008 for final approval. The Olympia Center is located at 222 Columbia St NW, and viewing hours are 8am-7pm Monday-Friday, and Saturday from 8am-5pm. For more information, please contact the Arts Program Office at 709-2678.

Saint Martin’s University will host the third lecture of the 2007–08 Robert A. Harvie Social Justice Lecture Series on Friday, Feb. 22, at 4 p.m. in Spangler Hall on the University’s main campus, 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey, Washington, 98503.

Saint Martin’s distinguished alumnus Thomas W. Hillier II, federal public defender for the Western District of Washington state, will speak on federal public defense and its relationship to the changing landscape of federal sentencing law. The event is free and open to the public.

Hillier, a graduate of Saint Martin’s (1969) and the Gonzaga University School of Law (1973), has served as the district’s federal public defender for more than 25 years. In 1982, he was appointed to the position and has been reappointed every four years since. He argued before the United States Supreme Court in United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667 (1985), and has appeared before the 9th Circuit on many occasions. Hillier currently represents Ahmed Ressam, the “Millennium Bomber,” and will be appearing before the United States Supreme Court on Ressam’s behalf next month.