Olympia’s Sea Level Rise Plan Begins with Port, LOTT

Above: At the southernmost tip of Puget Sound, Budd Inlet surrounds downtown Olympia. In the distance is the Washington State Capitol Building. At far right, the vacant nine story Capitol Center Building. Photo taken at high tide on March 10, 2016.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Collaborating for the first time on a sea level rise response plan, the City of Olympia authorized its city manager to sign an interlocal agreement with the Port of Olympia and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance at its regular Tuesday evening meeting.

The three entities will work together to focus on the development of a sea level rise plan and provide recommendations for capital projects, funding needs, implementation schedules, and emergency response protocols.

An engineering firm, AECOM, has been chosen to develop the project’s scope of work. AECOM has assisted other communities in sea level rise response planning, particularly in the San Francisco Bay area.

City staff will report back to council in mid to late May with a detailed scope of work and public outreach plan. Overall, the process is expected to take 18 months to develop.

How the collaboration and conversation will unfold at the Port of Olympia and LOTT Clean Water Alliance is uncertain.

Rachael Jamison, environmental program director for the Port of Olympia, was present at the meeting, but did not address the council. 

Jamison told Little Hollywood that the Port has tracked the city’s research and work on sea level rise issues and port commissioners have received sea level rise reports in the past.

“Independent of commission meetings, the Port is going to provide opportunities for the public to participate in a way which will be clear once we have a plan. We recognize that there are vulnerabilities and we have to work together,” she said.

No representatives of the LOTT Clean Water Alliance were present at the meeting Tuesday night.

The City of Olympia has acknowledged and responded to sea level rise concerns since 1990.

Since 2007, staff has provided city council and the community with annual updates on current climate change and sea level rise research.

Illustrating their information with Olympia specific inundation maps, city staff gave council the most sobering sea level rise report to date at a study session in February 2016.

According to the National Research Council, four and a half feet of sea level rise is expected worldwide by 2100.

Andy Haub, City of Olympia’s director of water resources, gave a sea level rise report to the community on February 8, 2017 at the Olympia Center.

As he has reported in the past, a one foot sea level rise means flooding would occur 30 times a year in downtown Olympia.

Two feet of sea level rise would flood downtown 160 times a year, and four feet of sea level rise would flood downtown 440 times a year, which is more than once a day.

The city set a policy in 2010 to protect downtown and that is reflected in the goals and policies of its Comprehensive Plan.

Above: Susan Clark, City of Olympia senior city planner, will act as project manager for the city’s sea level rise plan. She has a long professional history with planning and water related issues.

Susan Clark, a senior city planner with the City of Olympia since early January, is taking the lead as the city's sea level rise project manager for day to day issues. 

Andy Haub and Eric Christensen, City of Olympia's water resources planning and engineering manager, will continue to be involved and play a major role.

Interviewed by Little Hollywood on Tuesday, Clark discussed her background and her new job. A graduate of Timberline High School in Lacey, Clark now lives in Tacoma.

Clark is responsible for planning activities related to Olympia’s drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater utilities, and is working on the completion of the city’s storm and surface water utility plan.

Sea level rise is a new, additional responsibility to the position.

Clark started her professional career in 1990, helping to develop Pierce County’s Growth Management Act Comprehensive Plan. She later transferred to the Public Works Department, where she was responsible for drinking water issues, including participation in watershed planning.

After spending 15 years with Pierce County, Clark worked with Tacoma Water as their water resources planner. She also processed water rights at the state Department of Ecology and worked at the state Department of Health as a regional planner with the drinking water program.

Multiple downtown Olympia development projects by the city and the port are underway in precisely the area destined to be first impacted by sea level rise.

These vulnerable areas, built on fill, are well within the historic shoreline of Budd Inlet.

Asked about her interest in sea level rise issues, she said she has visited Annapolis, Maryland, and has studied their issues.

“They have an old downtown, right on Chesapeake Bay. Other communities have aspects of their plans that we can learn from….As a professional planner, I am very interested in the opportunity, and feel honored, to assist a community with this relatively new area of planning. Throughout my 25 plus year career, I have learned that a planner is a generalist, bringing organizational skills and a different way of thinking to the table,” said Clark.

Little Hollywood regularly writes about downtown Olympia sea level rise issues, shoreline management, and related development. For more information about the city’s reports, including the February 8, 2017 report and the February 2016 report, past high tide events, photos, and community concerns, go to Little Hollywood, http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

To stay up to date with the city’s sea level rise plans, go to www.olympiawa.gov/SeaLevelRise, or contact Susan Clark, senior city planner at sclark@ci.olympia.wa.us or (360) 753-8321.

Olympia Starts Sea Level Rise Planning

Above: Over 100 interested community members attended the City of Olympia's annual sea level rise report to the community, delivered by Andy Haub, the city's water resources director, at the Olympia Center on February 8. Olympia is starting a coordinated sea level rise response plan with the Port of Olympia and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“This is going to go on forever…this will be our future,” said Andy Haub, City of Olympia water resources director, about the city's planning for sea level rise. 

Speaking to the city’s citizen utility advisory committee on Thursday evening, Haub provided an update on the city’s sea level rise plan and the committee's role in its implementation. 

The citizen advisory committee is charged with overseeing the city’s sea level rise planning process.

Looking at a draft plan schedule that included typical public outreach tools employed by the city, the group was quiet and seemingly a bit daunted by the responsibility. 

When a member questioned how they should go about their role, Haub admitted that there is no clear recipe.

“You’ll have to use your collective judgement,” Haub said, acknowledging that sea level science is evolving, but there are strategies the city can draw upon from around the country and the world.

They agreed that the ultimate governance for the plan, whatever that plan turns out to be, needs to be carried through the whole process, and not left to the end.

At its regular Tuesday meeting, April 11, the Olympia city council is expected to sign an interlocal agreement with the Port of Olympia and the LOTT Clean Water Alliance for the planning and assessment of sea level rise issues.

The city, Port of Olympia, and LOTT all own properties and have responsibilities in the area where sea level rise is expected to inundate downtown Olympia.

An international engineering firm, AECOM, has been chosen to help the city determine the plan’s scope of work and ensure a robust public involvement process.

The scope of work will focus on the development of a sea level rise plan and provide recommendations for capital projects, funding needs, implementation schedules, and emergency response protocols.

The plan will include a full analysis of options for responding to various sea level rise scenarios over a 100 year time frame, and look for ideas from other areas of the United States and the world.

The city, port, and LOTT will divide the costs for consulting services. The port and LOTT will pay up to $75,000 each and the city will pay at least $75,000. Total costs for consulting are not to exceed $250,000 without further negotiation and approval.

According to science based research and multiple reports, there is no doubt sea level rise will impact downtown Olympia as we know it.

Thad Curtz, former chair of the Utility Advisory Committee citizen advisory committee, was one of several community members who expressed concerns on Thursday about the plan’s scope of work.

“The staff presentation said that we’re eventually going to have eight feet of sea level rise. We ought to be thinking about (a plan) with respect to earthquake risk. If we have four feet of sea water outside of whatever we build, and we have an earthquake that impacts a dike or whatever, we’re going to have very serious costs. We need to be planning to deal with that.

“We’re talking about restoration of Budd Inlet at the same time we’re talking about seriously altering the shoreline from Priest Point Park to West Bay. We also have the whole Capitol Lake process going on. Those planning processes ought to be related to each other.

“We [also ought] to have a conversation about setbacks. How much room do we need between buildings and the shore if we’re going to have to deal with eight feet? We can’t just talk about sea level rise as if it’s something by itself,” said Curtz, who said he intends to stay involved with the conversation.

Former city planning commission member Judy Bardin said that adaptation for sea level rise will be a huge and costly undertaking, noting that city staff estimates that sea level rise adaptation for downtown Olympia will cost in excess of $60 million, and the pumping system alone could be $37 million.

“If the public is going to be asked to pay for sea level rise mitigation in any way, they need to be brought into the conversation now, especially in the scoping of the plan…we need to involve our neighborhoods and the environmental community,” she said.

Helen Wheatley of Olympia asked staff and the utility advisory committee members to think of all people who are impacted by utility decisions and plans.

“It includes everyone from low income apartment dwellers, to treaty tribe members struggling to preserve and enhance salmon habitat in the face of over a century of catastrophic assaults on the ecosystem,” she said.

Wheatley urged that the plan take a “safety first” approach that considers the realities of who lives there, who will live there in the future, and how we live.

“Is it fair or right to drive people into the flood zone because they don’t own a house?” she asked.

“Sea level rise will not happen overnight, but its progression will be relentless. We can choose to transition ourselves into a newer city by moving uphill. How long we hang on to different parts of downtown will involve tough financial, emotional, technical, and political decisions,” said Walt Jorgensen of Tumwater.

Sea Level Rise Community Update

Above: In what has become a familiar scene, the city's public works team, with Andy Haub, City of Olympia water resources director, in yellow jacket, stationed themselves near the Oyster House restaurant on Sylvester Street in downtown Olympia on the morning of March 10, 2016, to monitor the surge from nearby Budd Inlet.

Haub gave his annual sea level rise update to the community on February 8 at the Olympia Center. Over 100 people were in attendance.

Haub described how the city is currently needing to manage four to five significant downtown flooding incidents per year. To add to that scenario, downtown Olympia appears to be sinking at the rate of one inch per decade. 

A situation of low atmospheric pressure creates exceptional high tides, turning moderate tides into high tides, and high tides into extreme tides.

“That whole dynamic is absolutely fascinating…the intensity of storms will increase. Our downtown streets are flat, not deep, so water will spread far,” said Haub, who has long reported that the city could manage one foot, or maybe two feet of water, but no more than that. 

Vertical gates, flood barriers, elevated landscapes, and the strategic placement of planter box barriers will only work up to a certain point.

“We’re planning for two feet of sea level rise by 2050, but with two feet of water flooding downtown every other day, it just won’t work for long,” he said.

Audience members were at all different levels of understanding about sea level science, and peppered Haub with questions about sea level rise projections for downtown, Budd Inlet flood dynamics, and the city’s plan in relationship to other plans, such as the multi-year, $250,000 study called the Downtown Strategy.

The Downtown Strategy has a 20 year planning horizon, leaving many to wonder why the city is encouraging downtown development, and how sea level rise fits in.

Although port commissioners and city council members were present in the audience, Haub stood alone, fielding questions while facilitating a complicated conversation during his PowerPoint presentation. Lacking support, he lost control of the meeting about 20 minutes into the program.

Frustrating some audience members, Haub unquestionably defended the city’s stance that downtown must be saved. Several audience members expressed their opinion that the best solution is to retreat to higher ground. Haub responded that a retreat is not consistent with the city’s Comprehensive Plan.

Haub did not have answers for many questions, including the impact of sea water salinity on downtown’s underground and above ground electrical systems.

“Downtown is vulnerable. We have to accept and acknowledge the risk. This plan will start addressing how we balance and manage new development. There’s a way we can do it, it’s just not cohesive at this point,” he said, adding that the city has a lot of investments in downtown Olympia, most notably the region's LOTT water and wastewater system, which is valued at $1.2 billion.

Above: During times of high tide and favorable atmospheric pressure, certain areas of downtown Olympia are inundated with storm surge from Budd Inlet, overloading storm water systems. The area on State Street in downtown Olympia near the former Les Schwab tire store building at 210 State Street experiences flooding several times a year. The vacant building lies mere feet from Budd Inlet and is now owned by developer Walker John, who proposes to turn the property into a restaurant and 40 unit housing development. Photo taken March 10, 2016.

For numerous articles about sea level rise and flooding incidents in downtown Olympia, the management of Capitol Lake, current sea level rise projections for Olympia with photos and maps, go to Little Hollywood, http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

The city's Utility Advisory Committee meets on the first Thursday of the month, at 5:40 p.m., in Olympia City Hall, Room 207, 601 4th Avenue East. For more information, go to www.olympiawa.gov.

Olympia Temple Saves Star of David

Above: Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia points toward a broken window pane on the Star of David, recently obtained from the congregation's original Temple, which was built in 1938. The Star will undergo a full restoration.“I had no idea what color it was – I just saw it from afar. I never realized it was green and purple. It’s beautiful,” said Goldstein.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Temple Beth Hatfiloh just accomplished a financial goal to preserve an 80 year old stained glass Star of David, recently removed from its original synagogue in downtown Olympia.

Through a brief GoFundMe effort, $1,608 was raised by 41 people in 13 days. The goal was to reach $1,500 goal by mid-June to receive a matching grant.

“The funds raised were not necessarily just from our congregation. I didn’t recognize some of the names of those who donated. Some may have been interested in historic preservation. Some I knew and some were from other faith communities,” said Temple Beth Hatfiloh’s Rabbi Seth Goldstein, in an interview with Little Hollywood on Friday.

“It was amazing. It’s not like this is just for us. This is for the whole community,” he said.

The Star of David is an important piece of Olympia and Washington State Jewish history.

It is in need of overall restoration and one window pane is broken, but that will be easy to replace, Goldstein said. After its restoration, it will be put on display in the synagogue.

Above: The original Temple Beth Hatfiloh at 802 South Jefferson in downtown Olympia as seen on Friday. The building is currently for sale and under contract with an undisclosed party, says the property’s listing agent.

Established in 1937, Temple Beth Hatfiloh serves the Jewish community of greater Olympia.

In 2004, the growing congregation sold the single story, wooden building at 802 South Jefferson to Calvin Johnson of K Records, and moved three blocks west to their more spacious, current location at 201 8^th Avenue.

A clause built into the Temple’s sale of the building to K Records, and any future owner, states that if there were any major renovation to the building or a demolition, the synagogue would retain possession of the Star of David and the building’s four memorial cornerstones.

“It was bittersweet when we moved, knowing we couldn’t hold onto the building. We were glad to sell it to Calvin, who we knew wouldn’t knock it down. We obviously had no control over what people did to the building, but we could at least include this one piece into the contract, reclaim the Star, and bring it back to our community,” said Goldstein.

A few months ago, someone with K Records unexpectedly informed Rabbi Goldstein that the area around the Star of David had structural issues, causing leakage issues. The Star was removed, and the area was boarded up.

Rabbi Goldstein walked to the building, thinking he would just carry the Star back to the Temple.

“It was a lot bigger than I thought and I had to go back and get the car,” he laughed. 

The Star measures about 3 ¾ feet in diameter, and was scheduled to be picked up by professional stained glass restorers on Friday.

When it is returned, Temple staff will plan a dedication ceremony of its restoration in memory of Ben Bean, who passed away this past summer. Bean was present at the Temple’s original dedication in 1938. His father, Earl Bean, headed the Temple’s building committee, along with Jacob Goldberg and Rube Cohn.

There is no place to install the Star in the current Temple on the outside of the building, so it will be placed in an interior alcove facing the front doors of the synagogue.

Above: A close up of the Temple's stained glass Star of David with a broken window pane.

According to a Thurston County historic property inventory report, the original Temple was built in 1938 using the Centralia synagogue's architectural plans. At the time it was built, the Olympia area Jewish congregation numbered sixteen. The property was purchased for $537.12.

Above: The siding of the former Temple shows damage from a fire on the Fourth of July last year. The cornerstone memorials on the building are for Isaac and Minnie Cohn, Helen Bean, Fanny Goldberg, and Getz Neishuler.

Membership grew to about 80 families during the 1970s and 1980s, due, in part, to the establishment of The Evergreen State College. 

The congregation later affiliated itself with the Reconstructionist Movement in 2001. Reconstructionists define themselves as progressive, pluralistic, democratic, and communal, according to the Temple’s website.

The Temple’s membership now numbers about 160 families and serves other community members as well, said Rabbi Goldstein.

Acknowledging the many sweet memories associated with the original Temple, Goldstein said that the congregation once explored keeping the original Temple as an annex.

“We even thought, for about five minutes, that we could move it to our current location, similar to what the synagogue in Boise did,” Goldstein laughed. “They moved their building - it’s gorgeous - but, for us, it just wasn’t feasible.” 

The building was damaged in a Fourth of July fire in 2016, and is in need of repairs. K Records moved out, and the building is currently for sale. The listing price is $399,000 and is now under contract, said Brad Kisor, the property’s Coldwell Banker listing agent, on Friday. Kisor declined to disclose the interested buyer.

The building is listed on the City of Olympia’s inventory of historic properties, but is not on any local or national historic register.

Blintzapalooza

Temple Beth Hatfiloh has a wide variety of spiritual life and learning events and classes for its members and the community.

The Temple’s popular Blintzapalooza, an annual fundraiser for local nonprofit organizations, is on Sunday, March 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 201 8^th Avenue.

Temple members and community volunteers will serve blintzes and bagels with lox and cream cheese in the synagogue’s social hall. A used book sale in the synagogue’s second floor classrooms will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Frozen blintzes by the dozen and canvas grocery totes will also be for sale. Only cash and checks will be accepted.

The event also features a cooking/baking competition for the region’s best kugels. Awards designed by local artist Jean Mandeberg will be presented to the bakers of the winning kugels. Judges for this year's competition are Abbie Rose of Bagel Brothers, Jeremy Schwartz of San Francisco Street Bakery, and Lisa David of Nineveh Assyrian Food Truck.

The beneficiaries of the proceeds from this year's event are Cielo Project/Radio Ranch, Nisqually Land Trust, Thurston County Teen Council of Planned Parenthood, and League of Women Voters of Thurston County.

For more information about Temple Beth Hatfiloh, go to www.bethhatfiloh.com or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/bethhatfiloh

First Day of Spring 2017

Above, left to right: Reed Tomita, 5, with his cousin, Connor Stephenson, 4 ½, and Alexander Kahn, 4, had a blast creating and chasing bubbles on the first day of spring at Percival Landing in downtown Olympia.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Folks aged four to ninety braved uncertain weather to welcome the first day of spring at the 25th annual community bubble blow. 

Held near “The Kiss” statue on Percival Landing in downtown Olympia, the celebration goes on, no matter what the weather - come wind, rain, hail, sleet, snow, high tide, sea-level rise, or maybe even sun. 

Luckily, the rain held off during the noontime event and a good time was had by all.

Several batik windsocks from the nearby Procession of the Species studio added to the festive frivolity. Bubbles and bubble wands are provided.

Above: Connor Stephenson, 4 ½ , with his mom, Susan, is amazed by a monster bubble.

In contrast to the frenzied energy of several children, first-time bubble maker Dawud Al-Malik demonstrated a calm demeanor. His strategy served him well, earning his bubbles several ooh’s and aah’s from supportive bubble makers.

“The technique that I use to create the bubbles is being in harmony with the forces of the wind,” he explained as he held his arm high. 

“I was fortunate enough to get the right angle with the wind, turning the wrist slowly,” he added with a smile.

Above: First time bubble maker Dawud Al-Malik of Olympia was in harmony with the forces of the wind on Monday.

The annual event is sponsored by People-Who-Know-We-Live-In-A-Great-Place. 

Barner Fire Relief Efforts Begin After Home Loss

Above: George Barner, Jr. is helped to the scene by Olympia Deputy Fire Chief Greg Wright while his home was on fire on January 29. Fire relief accounts to help Barner have been set up at TwinStar Credit Union and GoFundMe. There are other ways to donate clothes and small items to help Barner get reestablished.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

“They called it Stormy Monday, but Tuesday’s just as bad…Wednesday’s even worse, and Thursday’s awful sad…” goes the old blues song, “Stormy Monday.”

“….The eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday, I go out to play…Sunday, I’m going to church, where I’ll kneel down and pray, ‘Lord, Have Mercy On Me….’”

Former port commissioner, local rock n’ roller, and beloved community member George Barner Jr., 75, lost everything he had in a house fire January 29, and has often sung those lyrics on stage.

Barner is doing well, but he’s tired, grieving the loss of irreplaceable family and personal photographs and papers, antiques, rock n’ roll records and memorabilia, his collection of leather jackets, and an astounding collection of items of significance to Olympia and Northwest history.

He is also dealing with the harsh realities of complying with a city ordinance to clear his property of the home’s remaining debris, completing insurance paperwork, and replacing personal records and information.

People have been stopping by his westside property on 5th Avenue SW to look at the remains and friends have been calling to extend their condolences.

Barner appreciates the calls and knows his voice mail box is full. He says he needs some time and privacy to readjust and greatly appreciates the community efforts now underway to help him restart his life.

Barner had been staying at a local hotel at the time of the fire due to an attempted burglary at his home a couple of weeks prior, and had few clothes and items with him. The hotel provides a small continental breakfast, and since the fire, he has been going out to eat for lunch and dinner.

The green coat he’s been wearing this week was donated by a friend.

Barner’s home and property was insured. So far, there have been no hiccups in getting the appropriate paperwork completed, but processing the forms will take several months. In the meantime, Barner is still on the hook for paying his monthly mortgage and outstanding household bills.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Ways to Help George Barner Jr.:

A fire relief account to help Barner has been set up at TwinStar Credit Union. The account number is 474453. Deposits can be made at any branch.  

A GoFundMe account has also been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/6at3a8-george-barner-fire-relief-fund.

Clean, new, or gently used donations for setting Barner up in an apartment are also being gathered.

Please do not contact Barner regarding these donations. For pick up/drop off arrangements, and for larger items such as a couple of bookcases, lamps, a microwave, and other items, please contact Janine Gates, Ja9gates@aol.com or (360) 791-7736. 

Above: A donation box for small household items for Barner is set up with a sign near the checkout stand at Olympia Supply. Thank you Jeff and Tom Bean!

For a short time only, community members may donate small household and personal items for Barner at Olympia Supply at 625 Columbia Street in downtown Olympia. Store hours are Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Specific items that would be appreciated are kitchen items such as a coffee pot with an automatic turn off control, a whistling tea pot, aluminum foil and food storage containers, a cheese grater, an electric can opener, pots and pans, baking pans, a wok with a stove top ring, a cookie sheet, a blender, a colander and paper towels.

Other appreciated items include bedding sheets for a queen sized mattress, blankets, bed pillows, a large heating pad with an automatic turn off control, warm and waterproof coats, sweaters, warm shirts, socks, scarves, gloves, and hats.

Bathroom supplies may include a couple throw rugs, toilet paper, washcloths, and towels.

Other items include a flashlight, nightlights, a clock/radio, and cleaning supplies such as dish soap and laundry soap.

Any items received that cannot be used or don’t fit will be donated to a local homeless advocacy organization or shelters such as the Interfaith Works daytime warming shelter or Emergency Overnight Shelter.

Barner, who has diabetes and had all his toes on his right foot amputated in 2012, had several pairs of shoes and boots that contained specially made inserts that were designed for each pair. These will need to be replaced with the funds raised. He currently has one pair of shoes and no warm or waterproof clothing.

Barner has also set up a post office box address. It is P.O. Box 7157, Olympia, Washington 98507. Well-wishers may send him correspondence and gift cards and certificates to stores such as Fred Meyer, Target, Goodwill, or Value Village and local restaurants.

Besides his long careers in public service, which included work with the State of Washington and the Thurston County Commission, Barner has long contributed his musical talents for fun and worthy fundraisers to the community.

To watch George Barner Jr. belt out two of his favorite rock classics, “Lucille,” and “Louie, Louie,” go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHPZplaMGrg and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fqOX-x81-Q . Both tunes were recorded in October 2015 with the Lee Franklin Express Blues Band at Frankie’s Sports Bar in Olympia.

Editor’s Update, February 19: Thank you Olympia community members! It is difficult to express just how caring our community is, and how quickly we came together to support George. He now has pretty much everything he needs: warm clothes and coats, blankets and bed sheets, kitchen items, and household furniture. The quality of the donated items is simply heartwarming. All donations are much appreciated. Incredibly, there were few to no duplications and all are being used.

Due also to incoming financial donations to the TwinStar and GoFundMe accounts, George’s situation is stable and he has paid off some household bills. 

I’d especially like to thank Olympia Supply for providing a conveniently located space for folks to drop off their donations. It was a huge help. Not only that, Olympia Supply staff took a warm, personal interest in George’s situation and also provided donations. 

Again, thank you!

For more information about George Barner Jr. and his house fire on January 29, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

Above: Olympia firefighters responded to the scene of George Barner's home within minutes, but were unable to save it due to interior obstructions and ammunition stored inside that was heard to be going off for quite some time. The home was a total loss.

Barner’s Home a Total Loss Due to Fire

Above: The home of beloved community member George Barner, Jr. was engulfed in flames Sunday morning. Barner, who has lived at the home for several decades, was not home at the time. Barner arrived at the scene during the fire and was greeted and assisted by many friends.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The westside home of former port commissioner and beloved community member George Barner, Jr. is a total loss due to fire. 

The burning home, located in the 800 block of 5th Avenue SW, was first called into the Olympia Fire Department by a neighbor Sunday morning at 11:11 a.m. Barner was not home at the time.

Barner has been staying in a local hotel awaiting some repairs on the home, which was the scene of an attempted robbery two weeks ago. It took time to determine where Barner was located.

After that was determined, while the house was still on fire, Barner was brought to the scene and was greeted and assisted by many friends, who had also arrived and gathered on the street.  Barner said he had been home on Saturday and nothing was out of the ordinary.

According to a report by Olympia Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Greg Wright, fire units reported seeing a smoke column at 11:14 a.m. before their arrival on the scene at 11:16 a.m. 

Several community members initially speculated that the nearby Capitol House Apartments, the former St. Peter’s Hospital on Sherman Street, was on fire.

Firefighters were unable to enter through the front door due to obstructions inside but did make access from a side door.  Smoke was down to the floor of the second story as firefighters tried to enter. Unable to make any progress due to the amount of items inside and the heavy fire, crews switched to a defensive mode from outside the house at 11:30 a.m.  

 

Ammunition for guns in the home that Barner kept for target practice was stored in the house and were heard going off for a significant amount of time, also keeping firefighters back. The fire continued to burn despite water being applied from a crane on the fire engine.

Above: Firefighters were unable to enter the home while the home burned. A considerable amount of ammunition stored in the home, heard going off for quite some time, also kept firefighters and the public back from the scene.

 

The brick walls of the 1920’s vintage home held the fire in and firefighters kept the fire from spreading to nearby trees and other buildings.  An attached lower level garage was relatively undamaged by fire.

The Olympia Fire Department responded with four engines, one ladder truck, two medic units, and a command unit.  There were no reported injuries.

Fire crews worked the fire until about 3:00 pm. One fire engine and crew will remain on the scene to watch for hotspots and secure some vehicles that were in the garage and driveway. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire will begin on Monday.  

Above: George Barner, Jr. speaks with Olympia fire fighters Sunday afternoon. Barner's house, with the roof collapsed, is a total loss. Little Hollywood told Barner that he is loved and the community will help him with whatever he needs.