Browsing the blog archives for July, 2009.

Ecology REVERSES the decision of the Thurston County Conservancy Board

Yelm and Thurston County Issues

Mayor Ron Harding stated in his July 17, 2009 monthly column in the Nisqually Valley News (NVN) that the City of Yelm is attempting to secure additional water rights though what he says is “a difficult task, compounded by outside interests who would stymie our efforts and stop all progress.”

Harding did not state what outside interests he was referring, yet the inference was clear. I took out a full-page paid-advertisement in the NVN July 8, 2009 to set the record straight about the City’s misleading comments and disparaging remarks about citizens who speak out against improper and unlawful conduct printed in copious amounts of space in the NVN May 22 and May 29. Interesting to note the city’s and newspaper’s silence about my advertisement correcting their misinformation.


See that ad here.

What Mayor Harding needs reminding is that property owners inside city limits and owners peripheral to the city who are using the same aquifer as the city are all affected by the illegitimate use of local aquifer resources because the city has not been following procedures put in effect to preserve the use of those resources for private use, without impairment.

The City of Yelm has continued to maintain in their Draft Water System Plan, their MDNS & DNS that the huge increases in pumping water will have no environmental impact. The city has been relying on adding more water rights through the application to transfer the McMonigle water rights to the City of Yelm and has been using these requested but not approved additional water rights to justify they have enough water the last few years for increased city expansion. On July 20, 2009, Ecology REVERSES the decision of the Thurston County Conservancy Board and now says the City of Yelm is not approved to use the privately contracted water from the McMonigle water rights, leaving Yelm in a precarious position where their Draft Water System Plan may not be viable and the city could already be pumping more water than their allocated 796 acre feet per year.

The lack of regard for the environment by the City of Yelm has finally been noted in a landmark decision rendered by Ecology.

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The Heart and Soul of a Collector The JZ Knight Collection at Bonhams & Butterfields in September

Press, The JZ Knight Collection

LOS ANGELES, CA.- Bonhams & Butterfields is pleased to announce the September 27, 2009 auction of The JZ Knight Collection. Amassed over a decade, the Collection will feature eclectic and unique examples of period furniture, decorative arts, carpets and paintings from the 17th through 20th centuries with a particular focus on European and American elegance.

Each item on offer during the 500-lot sale has been personally selected by Knight to reflect her passion for rare and unique items. Featured works from the Los Angeles-based auction include a discerning selection of 20th Century design as well as a diverse array of European furnishings, decorative arts, carpets and paintings.

“The JZ Knight Collection symbolizes the heart and soul of a true collector. Knight’s passion for beauty and quality are represented throughout the offering, in all facets of the auction,” said Andrew Jones, Los Angeles Director of European Furniture and Decorative Arts at Bonhams & Butterfields.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON www.artdaily.org

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A Citizen Responds:
JZ Knight Sets the Record Straight on the City of Yelm Water Issue in Public Ad

Yelm and Thurston County Issues

A Citizen Responds…

As you may recall:

Back in May, the City of Yelm issued a baffling MDNS (Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance) for an incomplete and unapproved draft Water Mitigation Plan –

in which the City of Yelm determined

– that a proposed five-fold increase in pumping City water “will not have a probable significant adverse environmental impact on the local aquifer”.

JZ Knight bought space for full page ads in the Nisqually Valley News (NVN) & The Olympian to alert citizens to the City’s failure to protect the local aquifer and to provide a reasonable opportunity for citizen input. [see that ad here]

JZ Knight, the Squaxin Island Indian Tribe, and the Yelm Aquifer Preservation Society have appealed the MDNS. Over 100 comment letters were written by citizens – all opposing the City’s improper MDNS. [see all of the comments here]

The NVN used copious amounts of space in its May 22nd and May 29th editions to publish the City’s misleading comments and disparaging remarks about citizens who speak out against improper and unlawful City conduct;

and now

JZ Knight buys space in the NVN and NVN Shopper the week of July 8th, yet again, to set the record straight:
See Full Copy of Ad Here

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