The Columbia Basin Farmer published the following report February 3, 2012:

“In December, the Washington Supreme Court issued a decision in the matter of JZ Knight v. City of Yelm, finding that Knight had the legal right to challenge Yelm’s approval of residential subdivisions without first obtaining adequate water supply. The Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CELP) filed a “friend of the court” brief supporting Knight by arguing that ownership of water rights in a watershed can serve as a basis for challenging land use decisions.”

‘Water is a key component of land use and if a city doesn’t have sufficient water rights to supply prospective hook-ups, then it has no business approving developments,’ said Rachael Paschal Osborn, staff attorney for CELP.”

“Concern over water rights continues in Yelm. The City of Yelm recently obtained approval of new water rights from the Washington Department of Ecology. A group of landowners in Yelm, the Thompson Creek Downstreamers, have appealed Ecology’s decision out of concern that additional pumping by Yelm will harm their own water rights and instream flows.

The Court’s decision in the JZ Knight case complements an August 2011 water and land use decision involving Kittitas County. In that case, the Court held that the Growth Management Act requires the county to protect the quality and quantity of groundwater supplies when making land use decisions.

‘Water scarcity is an increasing problem throughout Washington state,’ said Osborn. “Improved legal linkages between water availability and land use decisions will protect public values in our rivers and aquifers.’”

Read more

“The opinion of the Supreme Court of the State of Washington was filed on December 15, 2011, and became final on January 4, 2012. This cause is mandated to the superior court from which the appeal was taken for further proceedings…,” quoting Ronald R. Carpenter, Clerk of the Supreme Court, State of Washington.

What does this mean?
“This is a formality – issuance of the “Mandate” – which means that the appeal proceedings are over and the case is returned to the Superior Court (Thurston County Judge Chris Wickham). The effect of this is that the decision of the Superior Court will be reinstated (as if there had been no appeals).

The Superior Court decision required the City to change the language of the water availability condition of approval for these five plats and required that Knight receive special notice prior to final plat approval of any one of these five subdivisions [WINDSHADOW, LLC; WINDSHADOW II TOWNHOMES, LLC; PETRA ENGINEERING, LLC; SAMANTHA MEADOWS, LLC; TTPH3-8, LLC (Tahoma Terra)],” quoting Knight’s attorney Keith Moxon.

This is a final victory for Knight.

Read more from the letter of the Clerk of the Supreme Court, State of Washington.

This anonymous phone message was left on a voicemail message for JZ Knight Friday, December 16, 2011.

“Hi, I’m a non-student, however in the Tacoma News Tribune today on page 3 there was a wonderful article and I think everybody should be dancing in the street to know that the water rights issue that JZ and everybody associated has fought; I know she spent a lot of money. She has a voice that speaks also for non students. I just was so happy to read that!

It’s a wonderful article and I’m very happy for everybody that was involved with this fight.

I’m an old-timer here. I’ve lived here 35 years and there have been many things that have happened in this town that have been shoved down the populace’s throats and now there’s a voice that represents a lot of us out here.

I’m really thankful that this came this way that the decision was made this way.

And I thank her and everybody whose mind was set and focused on this issue. It came out in a positive manner for all of us.

So, I recognize the good work that the people in school have done for this community.

The school seems to be our only voice here. Unfortunately Steve Klein never got to be mayor. This city would have just risen up instead of this group of jerks that we have representing the city of Yelm.

So, good on all of you and thank you and have a great and very Merry Christmas!

My husband and I are really pleased with the outcome of this!”

– Knight’s win was posted on Yahoo Finance! with 67,604,000 daily readers.

Read more from the WA. Supreme Court opinion: Knight v. City of Yelm, No. 84831-9.

Read more from JZ Knight’s Press Release in response to the Supreme Court decision.

“The Supreme Court has ruled that mystic teacher and author JZ Knight has standing to oppose several proposals to subdivide property into single-family residential lots in Yelm. The hearing examiner granted preliminary subdivision approvals in five decisions. Knight later filed a Land Use Petition Act challenge, and the trial court ruled in her favor. On appeal, the Court of Appeals held that Knight could not show she would personally be harmed by land use decision, thus requiring dismissal of her LUPA petition. In a 7-2 decision by Justice Charles Wiggins, the Supreme Court held that Knight established that the land use decision is likely to prejudice her water rights and satisfies the statutory standing requirement.”
Read more from the Supreme Court of Washington Blog, published by the Constitutional Law Center of the Freedom Foundation, a not-for-profit public policy organization in Olympia, Washington.

Giorda Elie
Photo Copyright © 2011 Giorda E. Used with permission.

You are invited to join JZ Knight as she shops locally at Giorda E. Thursday, Dec. 15, at 4 PM.
Knight will also be in her Yelm Shop JZ-Rose Thursday, Dec. 15 @ 2:30PM.

Read more from JZ Knight’s e-mail: Come Join Me Shopping!

– JZ Rose – For All Things Beautiful
207 1ST Street South
Yelm, WA 98597
Phone: 360-458-4618

– Giorda E.
Designer & Owner
301 Yelm Avenue E.
Yelm WA 98597
Phone: 360-400-1125

About Giorda E.
“Giorda E. is a treasure trove where fashion is vibrant and style flourishes. Giorda famously dresses women and men to cultivate their individuality in a wide range of selections from every day elegance to absolute extravagance. Indulge in the Giorda E. experience to freshen up your wardrobe with classic styles, current trends, and accessories with flair!” quoting the Giorda E. website.

Click here to bring this cheer to life.

Linda in Florence, Italy, Oct. 7, 2011
Photo courtesy: Linda Evans Facebook page

JZ Knight and Linda Evans have just returned from Florence, Italy on the eve of Linda’s book debut October 11 Recipes for Life: My Memories published in hardcover from Vanguard Press.

Upon hearing the news, Knight said, “I have known Linda for over 25 years and am honored to have her as one of my dearest friends all of these years. I wish her grand success with the book and acknowledge her for sharing with the world a grand life of enriched experiences.
And she included in her book my lemon meringue pie recipe.”

Photo credit: Linda Evans Official Website

Click here to order Recipes for Life or purchase your copy in Yelm exclusively at JZ-Rose.

“The making of Recipes for Life has been a colossal task and an immense labor of love for Linda. And now, she is overjoyed to share her story with all of you,” quoting Linda’s official Newsletter.

Read more from LindaEvansOfficial.com.

In response to the public comment period ending September 28, 2011 for the Dept. of Ecology’s DRAFT REPORT OF EXAMINATION FOR WATER RIGHT APPLICATION for the City of Yelm, JZ Knight’s legal team filed a letter on her behalf.

The City of Yelm is requesting an additional 942 acre feet a year from the city’s new test well, which if approved, would more than double Yelm’s current annual water allocation withdrawn from our local aquifer. Knight submitted comments about this DRAFT plan.

Read more of the full text of JZ Knight’s September 28, 2011 public comments to Ecology, .

Read more of the full text of JZ Knight’s April, 2009 letter to Ecology about Yelm’s Water Rights Application, referenced in the September 28, 2011 letter.

Urban Male Magazine, the leading men’s interest magazine in Canada (Similar to Maxim and Details). JZ’s excerpts were published throughout a six-page, color spread, including a cover quote on the title page of the story! The website and magazine will post the interview in October.

Information about Urban Male Magazine:

· The newsstand circulation is just under 100,000 and since 4.5 men read each copy, the overall circulation is about 460,000 Canadian men.

· UMM is distributed nationwide to all newsstands including Wal-Mart and 7-Eleven.

Read more from the advance copy of JZ’s interview in Urban Male Magazine, used with permission.

JZ Knight and granddaughter Sydney Hess attended President Obama’s Paramount Theater function in Seattle.

KING 5 TV News (NBC) in Seattle reports:
“President Barack Obama spent about four hours in Seattle on Sunday [September 25, 2011] , raising money from a small group of wealthy donors in Medina before rallying a larger audience gathered at the Paramount Theater.”

“He spoke for about a half an hour. Before leaving, he shook hands with supporters both inside and outside the theater.”

“A Democratic Party official told KING5’s Joe Fryer that 2,000 people total were in the Paramount to hear the president speak.”
Read more

Knight has been a member of President Obama’s Presidential Partners and the Obama Victory Fund of the Democratic National Committee since 2008.