The Olympia Standard

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Government & Organizations
**The Olympia Standard**

A podcast about politics in Olympia, WA

Latest Episodes:

**#102: Jess Tourtellotte-Palumbo (with Howard Rosenfeld)** Oct 03, 2023
Show notes

Today we hear from Jess Tourtellotte-Palumbo, a candidate for Olympia School board. Interviewing Jess is Howard Rosenfeld, an old friend of the podcast who is stepping in this season to do at least one candidate interview. Jess and Howard talk about her background, the recent history of the school board and how we can find a path forward.

**#101: We’re Doing It Live!** Sep 15, 2023
Show notes

We brought back host emeritus (and newly crowned friend of the podcast and I suppose city council member) Dani Madrone! We were also joined by Olympia city council member Dontae Payne! Jemmy was there and he got on mic! It was wild! And guess who else was there? So many of you!

Thanks so much for everyone who came out! And thank you, listener, for enjoying our show in a new segmented format, now with Trivia and a Tip of the Hat!

**#100: What is Olympia doing about homelessness?** Aug 23, 2023
Show notes

In the primary part of this episode, we visit with Darian Lightfoot, who is leading the City of Olympia’s response to the homelessness crisis. She talks about the One Olympia plan, the city’s 2020 blueprint to respond to homelessness. We also get into housing preservation, renter protections and what we can do to open up housing capacity in every Olympia neighborhood. Before we get to Darian, though, I talk about Mayor Dick Abram and how we’ve been here before.

Actually, Olympia: What is the city even doing about homelessness?

**#99 Where are all the state offices going?** Jun 21, 2023
Show notes

In the first half of this episode, we sit down with Yvonne Knutson (Office of Financial Management) and Maurice Perigo (Department of Enterprise Services) to talk about how state offices are contracting all around Olympia and our region. Second, we visit with official Friend of the Podcast Mike Reid to go over how these office contractions will impact Olympia going into the future.

Here is some additional reading:

The Washington Standard (hey nice name, where’d you find it?): State looks to dump leased real estate as remote work leaves offices empty

The Olympia Subreddit discussion on the above article

Senate State Government & Elections work session on post COVID-19 office space needs (March 2023)

#97 Housing history in Olympia and setting the stage for the state legislature Mar 19, 2023

Show notes

The state legislature is about to act on statewide zoning reform that would adopt much the same policy that we’ve been passing in Olympia for years now. To take a look at our own history, and to talk about how it impacts the debate in the legislature, we sat down with Janae Huber with Olympians for People Orientated Places.

I also read a version of two essays that I’ve written on Olympia housing history, and how it relates to zoning reform and racial justice.