What would it take to show, to a skeptical observer, that the law enforcement agencies of the Puget Sound region have been deliberately targeting political persons with harassing or otherwise unjustified police contacts, tickets, arrests, and surveillance?

Would it take a large money out-of-court settlement?  Would it take an audio recording of the police setting up a conspiracy prior to the stop which resulted in that large cash settlement?  Would it take a statistical showing of serious patterns of harassment of, say, eight or ten (or more) persons out of a sample of less than a hundred political activists?  Would it take a documented timeline analysis of when and where these events have taken place, with an emphasis on the eight weeks of time just prior to each known shipment of military material from the ports of Olympia, Tacoma, and Grays Harbor?   Would it take an admission in a court of law from the officers who took part in the targeting of such an effort?  Would it take the hiring of a former detective adminstrator from a city which has already endured just such a pattern of targeted political policing?

What would you say if we had all of the above?  And what would you do about it?

Stay tuned.   We're about to find out.

Make a difference in the lives of others! Become a volunteer tutor! Mason County Literacy and Thurston Bookends will be hosting an ESL (English as a Second Language) volunteer tutor training on the 22nd and 23rd of August at South Puget Sound Community College. Please contact 360-464-8578 or 360-426-9733 for more information on the training and on how to become a volunteer tutor.

Also, we have other urgent needs for volunteers especially in Shelton in the following areas: data entry, creative work, clerical work, bilingual-Spanish computer class, database management, childcare and more! We also have several workstudy and internship opportunities.

We look forward to hearing from you! :)

In light of the Daily O's top story today, I thought these should be shared. Olympia's finest hard at work!

See more photos...

Change lives through literacy as a Volunteer Tutor at Mason County Literacy!

Volunteers teach students in reading, writing, math, English as a Second Language and basic skills. Help community members to achieve greater independence, access resources, improve employment options and help their children in school!

Enjoy volunteer perks such as making new friends and learning new skills while working with people from diverse backgrounds. Sign-up for tutor training now!

There are many opportunities in Thurston, Mason and North Mason Counties! Please call 360-426-9733 for more details or complete your Volunteer Application online at http://www.masoncountyliteracy.com/index.php?option=com_chronocontact&chronoformname=Volunteer_Application&lang=en! We look forward to hearing from you!

So there seems to be a lot of roads closed out there due to flooding. Can folks report on them here and maybe we can help each other get around town until the waters subside?

Here's the map, folks should add to it.

CommunityWalk Map - Olympia Flooding