Remote Surveillance Trailer in Olympia, WA

For the first time in the 164-year history of the Olympia Fire Department, a woman is wearing the white helmet.

Hillory Flowers has been named the Fire Chief for the Olympia Fire Department, making her the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s 164-year history.

City Manager Jay Burney made the announcement at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“She’s a proven leader and relationship-builder, well respected by the fire community both locally and regionally,” Burney said Tuesday.

Flowers served 19 years at Lacey Fire District 3, holding roles including assistant chief of health and safety and interim medical services officer. She joined OFD in April 2025 as the assistant chief of EMS, then became deputy chief of operations. She took on the role of interim chief after Chief Matthew Morris retired in March.

She emphasized her appreciation for her team at OFD, expressing gratitude for the firefighters’ determination to serve the community. Her first goal is to develop the next generation of Olympia firefighters — around 40 percent of OFD’s crew holds less than three years of experience, Flowers said.

“Our priority is developing that next generation through strong training, mentorship, meaningful experiences,” Flowers told The Olympian. “So that they can have the confidence, knowledge and skills necessary to respond effectively and take care of our community.”

Following Tuesday’s announcement, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne spoke to the importance of female community leaders, like Flowers, in serving as role-models for young women.

“It’s so important for our young girls and young women to see someone such as yourself in a leadership role, like being the fire chief,” Payne said Tuesday.

Flowers said her promotion reflects a breakthrough of the glass ceiling within the fire department, where women can move up through the ranks.

“Anytime we can create an opportunity for people to see someone like themselves in a role, it creates an opportunity for them to see that they could join the same thing,” Flowers told The Olympian.

© 2026 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.). Visit www.theolympian.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

OLYMPIA, WA – A last-ditch legal effort nearly succeeded Thursday to knock a statement off ballots that characterizes how repealing Washington’s new income tax on high earners would affect the state budget.

The state Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 on Arthur West’s motion for an emergency injunction to prevent the secretary of state’s office from including the “public investment impact disclosure” for Initiative 645. Voters will consider the tax repeal measure in the Nov. 3 election.

Absent a majority, the motion was denied, ensuring voters will see the one-sentence disclosure — that West argues is government-crafted propaganda — on their general election ballots.

West said late Thursday he was “disappointed but hopeful” that the law requiring the disclosure statement will eventually be declared unconstitutional.

Justices Charles Johnson, Sheryl Gordon McCloud, G. Helen Whitener, and Theo Angelis voted to grant his motion, with Chief Justice Debra Stephens and Justices Steven González, Sal Mungia, and Colleen Melody voting to deny it.

Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis was ill, and the court proceeded because of the time-sensitive nature of West’s request, a Supreme Court spokesperson said.

West is fighting to overturn the 2022 law requiring the disclosure statements to appear on ballots. He argues it is unconstitutional because it allows the executive and legislative branches to improperly intrude on citizens’ power to make laws via initiative.

Statements are required for ballot measures that repeal, levy or modify a tax or fee, and if it would cause a net change in state revenue. State attorneys are required to write the sentence using “neutral, nonprejudicial” language.

West directed his attention to Initiative 645. It seeks to repeal the 9.9% tax on individual and household wage income above $1 million a year that Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law in late March. The tax takes effect Jan. 1, 2028 and is projected to bring in roughly $3.1 billion in 2029, the first year of collections.

The statement for I-645 crafted by state lawyers reads: “This measure would decrease funding for public K-12 education, higher education (including universities and community colleges), and human services (primarily healthcare).”

West has argued that language is not neutral and it will cause voters to reject the measure.

Thursday’s decision means the focus will shift back to the broader issue of the law’s legality. West said he is waiting to see if the Supreme Court will retain the case or require it to be considered by a lower appeals court.

West initially sought an injunction in Thurston County Superior Court to block the disclosure statement for I-645. On Aug. 7, Judge Chris Lanese upheld the statute, concluding that the state-authored statement “ensures voters are aware of trade-offs” and that, “There’s nothing unconstitutional about giving voters more information.”

West appealed directly to the Supreme Court. Last month, Court Commissioner Michael Johnston also turned West down, setting the stage for Thursday’s decision.

“The fact that four of the justices were in favor of granting a preliminary injunction augurs very well for the ultimate constitutional challenge because that is decided on a lesser standard than an emergency injunction,” West said.

Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com.

The Brief

SEATTLE - When Rhenda Strub bought Seattle Mariners season tickets, she was simply looking for a way to step back into the world after a tragic loss.

The backstory:

Three years ago, her son, Wyatt, died following a years-long battle with muscular dystrophy. To help heal and get out of the house, the Olympia grandmother bought tickets for the season, but when her husband was not up for traveling, Strub decided to make some new friends.

She launched the "Strangers to Friends" project, inviting dozens of people from around the world to join her at the ballpark.

What began as a personal effort to find fans quickly went viral. Hundreds of people requested to join Strub at home games throughout the 81-game season.

What they're saying:

She says the process has helped other people dealing with hardships find outlets, just like her.

"People who are looking to share a game with and people who are looking for someone to share their pain with come together in this setting," said Strub.

The massive impact Strub's Strangers to Friends Project created also got the attention of the Mariners.

Strub was named season ticket holder of the year, and gifted a jersey with her name on it and got the chance to throw the first pitch on July 31.

However, her ballpark streak was temporarily paused in June when her husband suffered a medical emergency. Doctors discovered a mass in her husband's brain that required immediate surgery.

Even while away from the stadium, the community Strub built rallied behind her, with the Mariners organization sending flowers to support the family during his recovery.

With her husband now doing much better, Strub has returned to the stands. This upcoming Friday, Strub is taking a fan from Alaska to the game.

If you would like to attend a game with Strub, you can fill out information here.

While Strub is unsure what the future holds for the "Strangers to Friends" project next season, her ballpark journey this year is far from over. She has already secured a postseason ticket package, ready to bring new friends along if the Mariners make a playoff run in October.

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Looking for a fully immersive moviegoing experience?

Filmgoers have been flocking to theaters with IMAX to see some of the summer’s biggest releases on massive screens with state-of-the-art sound systems.

Where can you find a theater that offers this high-quality viewing experience?

Which movies were made to be seen in IMAX?

Here’s what to know:

What is IMAX?

Advertised as the “world’s most immersive movie experience,” IMAX features ultra high-resolution cameras, special screening rooms, supersized screens and integrated sound systems with speakers placed in precise positions.

IMAX auditoriums are “customized for optimal viewing experiences,” the company said. “Only IMAX uses acousticians, laser-alignment and custom theatre geometry to ensure every element is immersive by design.”

“Seeing a movie in IMAX is so much more,” Regal Cinemas said on its website. “Every element in these specialty theatres is planned, designed and positioned with exacting standards to create total impressiveness.”

For its Filmed For IMAX program, IMAX said it “partners with filmmakers to harness IMAX’s technology, from pre-production to release.”

Filmmakers shoot with specific aspect ratios in mind, “using expanded scenes that open vertically to fill the entire IMAX screen,” The IMAX website says.

Which movies have been filmed for IMAX?

A number of movies have been specifically filmed with IMAX theaters in mind, including Marvel movies “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” and “The Fantastic 4: First Steps.”

“Supergirl,” “Superman” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” were also made for IMAX screenings.

Other blockbusters filmed for IMAX include both “Dune” movies, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Project Hail Mail” and “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”

See ‘The Odyssey,’ ‘The End of Oak Street’ on IMAX

Movies filmed for IMAX include Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” based on Homer’s epic poem of the same name.

The critically acclaimed blockbuster, which stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland, has grossed more than $1.1 billion worldwide.

It recently became the highest grossing IMAX movie of all time, Screen Rant reported on Friday, Aug. 14.

“The End of Oak Street,” starring Hathaway and Ewan McGregor as a family battling dinosaurs in the suburbs, was also filmed for IMAX. The sci-fi thriller was released in North American theaters on Friday.

Upcoming movies filmed for IMAX include “Resident Evil,” in theaters Sept. 18; “Street Fighter,” out Oct. 18, and “Dune: Part Three,” being released Dec. 18.

Where can I watch IMAX movies in the Olympia area?

Want to see a film in IMAX? There is only one option within a 30 minute-drive of Olympia.

According to the official IMAX website, here’s where to go:

Visit the theater website to find local showtimes.

Unemployment in the Olympia, WA area was at 4.1% in June 2026. That's a 0.5 percentage point increase from a year before. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work but not currently employed. It helps indicate the overall condition of the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metro area job market.

In June 2026,

of the labor force was unemployed in Olympia, WA area

June 2026 had a

+0.5

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Metro area-level unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not account for fluctuations due to seasonal employment patterns, such as tourism or agriculture. That means the data may show large changes month to month. It’s important to view this local data with a long-term lens.

Unemployment rate by month, not seasonally adjusted, 2019-2026 (YTD)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment rates differ between urban areas due to various factors. The types of industries present in an area may affect unemployment rates. Seasonal work in industries like tourism can cause unemployment to go up and down. Population changes and local policies also play a role in how many people are employed.

How does unemployment in the Olympia, WA area compare to other metros?

Among 115 metro areas with 100,000 to 250,000 people in the labor force, the Olympia, WA area had the 42nd lowest unemployment rate in June 2026.

Other areas with similar unemployment rates to the Olympia, WA area's 4.1% unemployment rate were the Bellingham, WA area (4.1%) and the Philadelphia, PA area (4.1%).

In June 2026, the Olympia, WA area had the 42nd lowest unemployment rate among metro areas with 100,000 to 250,000 people in the labor force.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted (Circle size corresponds to the size of the labor force)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment rate, by metro area (June 2026)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.