Chambers Prairie Grange May Be Saved – Again

Above: Chambers Prairie Grange building owner Tom Schrader arrives at his property at the intersection of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard in Tumwater. Instead of demolishing the former grange, Schrader now plans to turn it into a Starbucks. He is in the process of purchasing the adjacent property, above, from The Farm Homeowners Association.

Starbucks Still in the Picture, Possibly in the Grange

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com
A Little Hollywood Land Use Investigation - Continued

In late April, Little Hollywood broke the news that Chambers Prairie Grange property owner Tom Schrader was planning to demolish the 107 year old former grange and that he had entered into negotiations with Starbucks to build a new 4,000 square foot building on the Tumwater property.

The news surprised, confused, and angered many Tumwater city officials and community members.

In early May, City of Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet and several city staff members met with Schrader to discuss the future of the building and negotiated a series of understandings regarding right of way, new building requirements, a rezone of the adjacent acreage currently owned by The Farm Homeowners Association, a proposed drive thru, and setbacks.

Schrader has not yet filed a formal land use application or submitted final designs to the city but now, instead of demolishing the grange and building a stand-alone building, the grange is expected to be turned into a Starbucks, says Schrader.

Time will tell. The building is not listed on any historic register.

In his haste to move the project along, Schrader had filed a request for an emergency rezone of adjacent property belonging to The Farm in June but Mayor Kmet and the city didn’t see a way to declare it an emergency if Schrader was going to raze the grange and build a new building. 

City staff negotiated several sticking points with Schrader so, as far as the city is concerned, the former Chambers Prairie Grange can stay where it is, and does not have to be moved to accommodate future expansion to the Henderson Boulevard and Yelm Highway intersection.

Schrader purchased the grange building in 2015 and announced he wanted to save it and convert it into a neighborhood coffee and sandwich shop. After verbal miscommunications with the city and receiving a rezone of the property in late 2016, he declared that the building could not be saved and began dismantling the interior.

As part of the negotiations to spare the grange from outright demolition, the Tumwater city council approved the sponsoring of a comprehensive plan map amendment and the associated rezone of an adjacent property owned by The Farm Homeowners Association, but not without some questions and comment, at their meeting Tuesday evening.

Getting the amendment and rezone on the city’s work docket allows staff to study the issue.

The Farm and a Proposed Rezone

The area being considered for a rezone is part of The Farm Homeowners Association property to the west and south of the grange on Yelm Highway.

Once an agricultural area, the grange is now surrounded by a tangle of different zoning categories.

Schrader has long been interested in this property in order to have more space to develop his property.

The purchase is still not final, but The Farm Homeowners Association community approved the sale of its property to Schrader in concept on May 25. The vote was 81 to 8 in favor of the sale, said Schrader.

Depending on the outcome of a property survey, the property is between 18,000 and 22,500 square feet in size and will cost Schrader about $100,000.

A developer agreement between Schrader and The Farm is also being prepared and expected to be finished next month. The city is drafting the agreement and must approve it before the rezone is granted.

The proposed amendment would change the Comprehensive Plan map designation of a portion of the parcel from Single Family Low Density (SFL) to Public Institutional (PI) and the zone district designation from Single Family Low Density (SFL) to Community Services (CS) to match the comprehensive plan amendment and associated rezone done for the former grange property in 2016.

Once the docket becomes final, staff will review the proposed amendment as part of their 2017 long range plan work program. The final docket review will start with a Planning Commission review and recommendation process that will begin in September.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Councilmember Nicole Hill wondered about setting a precedent for rezoning an open space tract to a different use. Staff agreed that the question was a “worthwhile concern,” but said that it is not clear from the record how it became open space, and that it is a remnant area fenced off from The Farm subdivision.

Members of the council and the Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission have been polite, but have indicated that they felt duped into the 2016 rezone from single family low density to community service, having been swayed by Schrader’s enthusiasm and promise that the grange and its historic character and integrity would be saved.

At a previous council meeting, Kmet admitted they all should have asked more questions and asked for a developer’s agreement at the time of the rezone of the grange property.

Schrader says Starbucks is willing to wait for the proposed rezone process to be complete. A few months ago, they did not prefer to be in the old grange building, but now, he said, they may be open to ideas.

Schrader went to Seattle on Tuesday morning to meet with Starbucks representatives to discuss his latest architectural drawings and ideas. Schrader says he wants Starbucks on the top floor of the grange, and he will keep the basement for parties and events.

Above: The basement of the Chambers Prairie Grange as seen in November, 2015.

Along with other changes, Schrader says that he has already taken out the floor and walls, and the stage will be taken out. In a 2015 interview, Schrader said he would save the stage.

With the historic integrity of the building and its surroundings slated to be dramatically altered, including the cutting down of at least three large Douglas fir trees and one maple tree to make a drive thru, it is uncertain whether or not the deal will be worthwhile to some historic preservationists.

At their last meeting, members of the city’s Tumwater Historic Preservation Committee discussed their desire to tour the property and see the inside of the grange.

Mike Matlock, community development director for the City of Tumwater, says the city is only interested in exterior appearances.

Dave Nugent, president of The Farm subdivision, says members of The Farm want the exterior appearance of the grange retained as a notable landmark, saying the grange is integral to his neighborhood.

Grange members built the hall on land donated by the Wickie Family, completing the structure in 1910, one of the first in Thurston County.

When Nugent was informed that Schrader visited Starbucks representatives with designs showing Starbucks in the grange, the news concerned him.

“Putting Starbucks in the grange without losing its historic integrity is something. The more he starts to modify the building the more he’ll lose the protections the city has offered him….It’s certainly gone back and forth. It is our hope that the grange is kept there. We want to see that corner taken care of,” said Nugent.

Nugent said Schrader has a lot to get done before The Farm sells their property to him, but strongly believes Schrader always intended to save the grange.

As for the building’s interior, he hopes Starbucks will want to tell the story of the grange and its history through pictures and design.

Nugent says he knows some trees will be lost and doesn’t think the neighborhood will be impacted. With the proceeds from the sale of the property, The Farm intends to create a barrier between the subdivision and the property to minimize noise and light pollution, and make other safety and beautification enhancements to the neighborhood.

“The sale of our property (to Schrader) is fortuitous. Neighbors are looking forward to the whole idea of going over there to get coffee and pastries and have it be a gathering spot,” said Nugent.

Above: A lot of traffic passes in front of the Chambers Prairie Grange on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard. Construction is ongoing for an active senior living facility across the street.

The Art of the Deal...Tumwater Style

In a development process that sounds a bit like learning how sausage is made, communications between Schrader and the city have improved in the last few months, particularly after an early May meeting resulted in negotiations laid out in print.

In a May 6 email, Mayor Pete Kmet wrote Schrader that if he wants to preserve the current building in place, the city is willing to support a vacation of a portion of the city's right of way on Henderson that the building encroaches on, in exchange for additional right of way on Yelm Highway where the stairs are, with removal of the stairs.

The city is also willing to support a waiver to the twelve foot sidewalk requirement along Henderson and Yelm Highway and reduce this to a six foot wide sidewalk and support a waiver to reduce the ten foot building setback and landscaping requirement so the grange does not need to be moved.

Regarding a drive thru, city code prohibits the placement of a drive thru window between a building and the street. Kmet said the city would not support a variance from this requirement. 

“With acquisition of the Farm’s parcel, it appears possible to achieve sufficient queuing to enable provision of a drive thru window on the west side of either the existing or a new building,” he wrote. 

The rezone of The Farm parcel and vacation of a portion of the right of way on Henderson Boulevard are dependent on city council approval. Similarly, any variances depend on a hearing examiner decision.

Schrader is thrilled with the negotiations with the city, and if he gets the rezone, says his intent is to combine the properties and provide full service access points with left and right ingress and egress on both Yelm Highway and Henderson Boulevard.

“This is huge - now the entrance and exit for this corner is much easier for everyone….Things sometimes have a way of coming back around for the good. I will be keeping the grange, and buying the extra property…I can now go back to doing what I had always hoped for, and that is to restore and keep the grange,” Schrader said.

For more photos and information about the Chambers Prairie Grange and its history, and Tom Schrader, and go to Little Hollywood, http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type keywords into the search engine.

Mistake on the Lake Redevelopment Plans Underway

Above: Built in 1965 and vacant for about eleven years, the blighted nine story building in downtown Olympia, known as the Mistake on the Lake, is not so visible from the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial on Thursday as Capital Lakefair wrapped up for the evening. The building is intensely disliked by many community members. Many have worked for years toward the building’s demolition to restore the scenic view north to Budd Inlet and the Olympic Mountains.  

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

The nine story building in downtown Olympia is not going away. It’s going to be redeveloped and it’s going to be great.

That was the message by local developer Ken Brogan and his architect, Ron Thomas, who presented their land use plans and architectural drawings at a city organized community meeting held on Wednesday evening at Olympia City Hall.

The project at 410 5th Avenue is bounded by 4th Avenue West, 5th Avenue SW, Simmons Street SW, just south of Bayview Market, and Sylvester Street NW, which is next to the Heritage Park Fountain.

It is planned to provide 138 new residences and a mix of ground floor restaurant and retail spaces. A vacant single story structure will be demolished and two new mixed use buildings will be built with onsite parking.

City staff kept a tight lid on the evening, allowing plenty of time for questions and answers, but also making it clear that the meeting was not a visioning process or a conversation about whether or not the city should buy the building from Mr. Brogan.

About 75 people were in attendance, many of whom seemed to be supportive of Brogan’s plan, but certainly not all.

“When will you be taking reservations?” a man enthusiastically asked Brogan. After considerable laughter, Brogan responded that he hopes to break ground by the end of the year, and have construction complete by the end of 2018.

The project will be subject to a State Environmental Policy Act review, a multi-permit process, and decided by a hearings examiner, which can be appealed.

Above: Plans for the proposed Views on 5th by architect Ron Thomas were shown at a community meeting Wednesday evening. 

Brogan’s architect, Ron Thomas, did most of the speaking, showing conceptual drawings, and answering questions. He quickly preempted known community concerns about sea level rise and risks of liquefaction in the event of an earthquake by highlighting the building’s features to address those issues up front.

City staff made the point of stating at the outset of the meeting that the project was not within the city’s shoreline jurisdiction. The area is zoned Waterfront Urban – Housing.

The project will have to plan to accommodate a 16 foot sea level rise, the city’s new standard for new construction for projects that are in a flood zone. The elevation in that area is 14.85 feet, said Thomas. The area is currently known to flood during minor storm surges.

Thomas said that in the event of flooding, a rapidly deployed barrier called a Flex Wall that rises up out of the ground 24 to 36 inches will be installed to protect the building.

Steel pilings up to 70-80 feet deep will be needed to support the new buildings, and the tower building is currently undergoing seismic upgrading, said Thomas.

For nearly an hour, Thomas presented his drawings, pointing out the obvious for any new construction, such as access for refuse and fire trucks, and public transit opportunities that already exist in the area, and all the “very Olympia things to do,” such as long term bicycle storage and colored pavers to delineate pedestrian walkways, without acknowledging the most obvious: that the nine story tower building is staying.

In response to that observation, he assured the audience that the “psychology of the building” will change with the application of a special glazing that will appear to reduce the size of the tower. A drawing on one side of the tower showed Native inspired salmon artwork that he said he hoped could be designed in collaboration with local tribes.

He also said that Brogan is committed to creating a vertical green wall and seek a LEED Silver certification, making the building highly energy efficient.

“I'm sitting here trying not to scream at the fact that we're not even talking about the elephant in the room, which is that people in Olympia have been working for years to make this area a park. A green wall does not compensate, and enclosing the tower does not hide what's there,” said Ann Holm, a member of Friends of the Waterfront.

Community questions included how the flood barriers and automated compact parking mechanisms will work in the event of an earthquake or a loss of electricity, whether or not the building will get a multifamily residential tax credit (it will not), whether or not the building can accommodate low income individuals (it will not), the building’s impact to stormwater systems, the difference between the use of steel vs. wood pilings, estimated traffic patterns and impacts, the process of assessing impact fees, job creation and overall tax revenue to the city, and the possible regulation and code enforcement of blighted commercial property.

Above: The proposed Views on 5th development in downtown Olympia.

City planner Nicole Floyd said staff has received about 70 comments so far. The first deadline for public comment was July 7, but comments will be taken throughout the land use process, she said.

A city advisory committee, the Design Review Board, will review the plan’s designs to determine if it meets the city’s design criteria on August 10, 6:30 p.m. at Olympia City Hall. Public comment will not be taken at that meeting.

Little Hollywood wrote a detailed article on October 19, 2016 at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/10/new-plans-for-olympias-mistake-on-lake.html about Brogan’s plans to purchase the building, its history, and his initial plans. Some ideas, such as a swimming pool, have gone by the wayside. The article also features an interview with Jerry Reilly, chair of the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation.

For interior photos and information about the Capitol Center Building, aka the Mistake on the Lake, or Views on 5^th, previous hotel plans, the isthmus, scenic views, the Olympia Capitol Park Foundation, the city’s Downtown Strategy, king tides and sea level rise, go to Little Hollywood and type key words into the search button.

Project plans and documents provided by the City of Olympia can be viewed online at http://olympiawa.gov/news-and-faq-s/construction-news/views-on-fifth.aspx . For more information, contact City planner Nicole Floyd, nfloyd@ci.olympia.wa.us or (360) 570-3768.

Above: The Capitol Center Building has been purchased by developer Ken Brogan, above, who has mixed use and residential plans for the property. He stayed to answer one-on-one questions after the formal presentation on Wednesday evening.

New Ballot Box at Olympia City Hall

Above: A new ballot box was dedicated at Olympia City Hall on Tuesday.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Thurston County ballot boxes are now open and available to take your ballot. 

The primary election is August 1 and ballots began to be mailed out Wednesday. Almost three-fourths of registered voters in Thurston County use a drop box to cast their vote, said Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall.

Hall and other elected officials were on hand Tuesday to dedicate a new drop box, located in front of Olympia City Hall at 601 Fourth Avenue. The county now has 27 drop boxes.

“Access to voting strengthens our democracy, and my goal as county auditor is to break down barriers and make sure it’s easy for citizens to cast their vote,” she said.

In an interview after the dedication, Hall said that there are about 175,000 registered voters in Thurston County. 

Unfortunately, more than two thirds of voters will choose, forget, or delay until it's too late, and not vote this election. For those who have not registered, the deadline to do so is July 24.

Hall encouraged voters to check out the candidates.

“We have a lot of primaries, which is really exciting – the most we’ve ever had. People are stepping up to run,” she said.

Above: Eleven candidates running for Olympia City Council Positions 4, 5, 6, and 7 met community members at Little General Food Shop on June 5 in downtown Olympia. The cities of Tumwater and Lacey and Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey school districts also have primary races on the ballot.

Left to right: Daniel Marsh, Allen Miller, Lisa Parshley, Michael Snodgrass, Clark Gilman, Heather Wood, Renata Rollins, Max Brown, and Deborah Lee. Councilmembers Jeannine Roe and Jim Cooper, who are both running for re-election, were unable to attend the event due to a council related meeting. 

In a ceremony on Monday, Hall and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson honored 100 people who have a record of voting for 50 years or more.

Two had voted for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

For more information, or to receive a voter’s pamphlet, go to www.thurstonvotes.org, or email elections@co.thurston.wa.us or call (360) 786-5408. The Thurston County Auditor’s Office is located at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Olympia.

Above: Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall and Olympia city council members pose in front of the new ballot box at City Hall. 

Left to right: Councilmember Nathaniel Jones, Councilmember Jim Cooper, Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall, Councilmember Jeannine Roe, Mayor Cheryl Selby, Councilmember Julie Hankins, Councilmember Jessica Bateman, and Councilmember Clark Gilman.

Olympia Considers Trump Impeachment Investigation

Above: Supporters of Puget Sound Communities 4 Impeachment call for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump outside Olympia City Hall on Tuesday evening. 

Council to Send Letter to State Congressional Delegation Asking for Investigation into Trump’s Activities

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

https://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A resolution calling upon the House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings and investigate President Donald J. Trump’s alleged wrongdoings was up for consideration at Tuesday evening's Olympia city council meeting. 

Fourteen cities nationwide, from Los Angeles, California to Newton, Massachusetts, have passed resolutions calling for an the initiation of impeachment proceedings.

But in a 4 - 3 vote, council members voted to send just a letter to Washington State's congressional representatives asking them to call for an investigation into impeachment. 

Mayor Cheryl Selby and Councilmembers Hankins, Bateman, and Roe voted for just sending the letter, with Councilmembers Nathaniel Jones, Clark Gilman, and Jim Cooper voting for the resolution and letter.

Council entertained the possibility of spending more time drafting a resolution after gathering more public input.

With the item pulled from the consent calendar, Councilmember Julie Hankins proposed a motion to not pass the resolution and instead send a letter to Washington State congressional representatives asking them to call for the investigation.

Councilmember Jeannine Roe, who said she is troubled by the actions of the president in “style and actions,” asked staff for clarification on the difference between the resolution and the letter.

Olympia city manager Steve Hall admitted that the resolution was hastily written with firm statements of criminal wrongdoing by President Trump that have not yet been verified, saying the resolution “goes deeper” than a letter.

Several councilmembers said they wanted it put on the record that they have heard constituent’s concerns about President Trump’s activities.

Saying he found no joy in discussing the issue, when it comes to matters of law and misconduct by an elected leader, “it’s our responsibility to voice our concerns into possible illegal activities and obstructing justice,” said Councilmember Nathaniel Jones.

“It’s clear to reasonable people that laws are being broken,” said Councilmember Clark Gilman.

During public comment, several community members spoke in favor of combining the power of a resolution and a letter to congressional representatives.

Phil Schulte was the lone speaker who said that the whole matter was a federal issue, not a city issue, and suggested that the question of a resolution in support of calling for an investigation be placed on the ballot so citizens can decide if it’s appropriate or not.

Bonnie Jones, of Olympia, started a group called Puget Sound Communities 4 Impeachment and was the first to speak before council. 

The group's mission is to ask the Olympia City Council to adopt a resolution calling on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment investigation of President Trump, based on his alleged violations of the U.S. Constitution.

Jones told Little Hollywood before the council meeting that she has been politically active before, but has never been the leader of an organization. She felt compelled to act because she feels the country is in peril. She hoped Olympia would be the first city in the Pacific Northwest to recommend impeachment proceedings. 

Her husband, Marc Jones, also spoke in support of the resolution and a letter to congressional representatives.

“…So why an impeachment resolution six months into a presidential term? The resolution addresses two matters: emoluments and obstruction of justice….Emoluments….Is it skin cream? Is it candy?” he began, eliciting chuckles from the audience in the packed council chambers.

“The issue of emoluments was serious business to the writers of our Constitution. They feared Presidents using the office to enrich themselves. They feared foreign interests influencing the President through bribery….They put clauses into both Article I and Article II of the Constitution that basically said ‘no’ to emoluments. Since then, many statutes and ethics rules have been put in place to reinforce this….

“Our problem is we now have a President who acts as if he is not bound by any of this. He refuses to reveal the extent of his financial interests here and abroad. He refuses to divest those interests…He claims it sufficient to turn things over to a trust run by his sons. But the sole legal beneficiary of that trust is himself. That is not a blind trust.  That is not divestment.

“He can take actions that benefit him financially. Foreign entities have paths to either enrich or financially threaten him. That is what the Founders feared. This is what the Emoluments Clauses were meant to prevent. I believe this situation is not just illegal. I believe it is dangerous. This situation must be investigated,” said Jones.

The Olympia city council often comments and acts upon national and international issues.

In early June, the city stated that it was “highly disappointed” in the decision of the Trump Administration to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. 

“The City was proud to participate in the Paris Climate Summit and remains strongly committed to the global effort against climate change. In 2015, the City joined the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. In doing so, Olympia joined with more than 7,000 other cities all around the world committing to bold action on climate change. The decision by the Trump Administration only strengthens our resolve that leadership must continue to come from local communities,” said a press release.

By resolution in December, 2016, the City of Olympia declared itself a sanctuary city that will serve and protect its residents regardless of their immigration status, and refuse any requests that are an extension of any federal immigration policy enforcement actions.

Above: Sharon Herting and Robert Lovitt, members of the South Sound Buddhist Peace Fellowship, made their opinions known outside Olympia city hall Tuesday evening. Herting's sign says, “We want positive leadership.” Lovitt's sign says, “Sending him prayers and loving kindness - resisting his policies.”

Lovitt, who was wearing a “Nixon Now” button, said Nixon was a sweetheart compared to President Trump.“It’s not about hating Trump. I really feel sorry for him, actually, because he is so unaware of how he harms others. I support democracy and don’t want to see its erosion,” said Lovitt.

Olympia’s Star of David Returns Home

Above: A newly restored Star of David is unveiled at a ceremony at Temple Beth Hatfiloh on Sunday afternoon. The 80 year old Star of David was removed several months ago from the Temple’s original building on Jefferson Street and returned home to the Temple at 201 Eighth Avenue in downtown Olympia.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

An intimate, emotional dedication ceremony for a recently restored Star of David was held Sunday afternoon at the Temple Beth Hatfiloh in Olympia.

“Mah tovu,” began Rabbi Seth Goldstein of Temple Beth Hatfiloh.

Tovu, meaning fine, fair, or beauty in Hebrew, fit the restored Star of David, which Goldstein described as a simple yet striking piece of art that defines the Jewish community in Olympia and serves as a link between the past, present and future.

The Star's restoration was dedicated to Ben Bean, the son of one of Temple Beth Hatfiloh’s founders, Earl, who was instrumental in the 1938 construction of the original Temple on the corner of Jefferson Street and Eighth Avenue.

At the time of his death one year ago, Ben was one of the only original members of the congregation to have been present at the original building dedication, said Goldstein.

Saturday would have been Ben Bean’s 94th birthday, and Rabbi Goldstein and the Bean family dedicated Bean’s headstone early Sunday morning.

“Ben was our star, a beacon of light, and warmth, and joy,” said Goldstein. “Now, we dedicate the Star, for our entire community.”

About 35 Temple and community members were present, including the Bean and Goldberg families.

Dan Bean, son of Ben Bean, spoke with emotion to those gathered.

“Knowing that this Star is back home...and that members of the Bean and Goldberg families are here...is a testament to what this community means to all of us. Although Ben wasn't a particularly religious man, he was a fierce member of this Temple. He's looking down on us and he's really proud of what this community and this Temple has become,” he said.

The restoration work was done by two local businesses, Eco Woodworks and Mansion Glass, who worked in tandem on the woodwork frame and glass pieces, said Goldstein. The funds for the restoration were raised through a brief GoFundMe effort.

The Star of David will stay in the Temple's interior alcove that also serves as a nook for the Temple’s historical items of significance, such as the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Light, which was saved from the original Temple.

In closing, Rabbi Goldstein offered a prayer of dedication, in part, saying:

“…May this Star continue to be our link to the past while serving as a guide to our future. May the spirit of those who created it inspire our lives. May their hopes and dreams of a vibrant Jewish home become our hopes and dreams. May their dedication to community and tradition become our dedication, and may their prayers for continuity and commitment become our prayers.

“May this beautiful Star inspire us to live into our lives to work for justice, to explore our heritage, to build community, to laugh and cry, to eat and drink, to sing and pray, to learn and teach, together, L’dor va dor, from generation to generation. Amen.”

Above: Three generations of the Bean Family in front of the restored Star of David at Temple Beth Hatfiloh on Sunday. Left to right: Steve Bean, Dan Bean, Alec Bean, Linda (Bean) Georges, Edie Bean, Tom Bean, and Susan (Bean) Poplack.

For more information about the history of Temple Beth Hatfiloh and the Star of David restoration effort, go to Little Hollywood’s March story, “Olympia Temple Saves Star of David,” at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2017/03/olympia-temple-saves-star-of-david.html

In the Mood for Jazz

Above: Everyone was in the mood for jazz, swing, and boogie-woogie at a concert held at the Olympia Country and Golf Club Friday night. The Jazz Senators were joined by a group called Somewhere in Time, above, who performed a tribute to The Andrew Sisters. The concert was open to the public.

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

With Mount Rainier and Budd Inlet as a stunning backdrop, the 17 member Jazz Senators gave a lively, open air, big band concert at the Olympia Country and Golf Club on Friday night. The concert was open to the public.

They were joined by a group called Somewhere in Time, who performed an energetic tribute to The Andrew Sisters. The three women, Melanie Bee, Alita DeLaCruz, and Gretchen Blair, made several costume changes throughout the show.

Bee and DeLaCruz have performed in several USO tours together, and Blair is a retired Army and Navy veteran who has performed for President George W. Bush.

Above: The Jazz Senators, led by band director Tracey D. Hooker, performed at the Olympia Country and Golf Club on Friday night.

“I’m completely delighted! This is my first time here - what great energy! What a beautiful night! I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks,” said band director Tracey D. Hooker during a break.

The Jazz Senators formed in 2005 as a backup for dentists performing at a benefit for the Olympia Union Gospel Mission. The group is comprised of active and retired military members, middle and high school band directors, and musical instructors.

Since that time, the group has performed at Rhythm & Rye in downtown Olympia, Panorama in Lacey, Music in the Park, and the Capitol Theater.

Above: Musician Gary Scott, lead alto saxophone player with the Jazz Senators.