In This Issue....
County Employment Opportunities for COVID-19 Response
Monthly Board of Health Meetings Resume
Auditor's Office Offers Drive Thru Voter Services at SPSCC
But first....
"The COVID-19 pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint, and I look forward to running it with you." Meet Dr. Dimyana Abdelmalek, Thurston County's new Health Officer! Dr. Abdelmalek sent out her first Letter to the Community on Wednesday, July 8. You can read her letter at: https://bit.ly/38CvKnG.
1
COVID-19 Update
From Friday, July 3, to Thursday, July 9, Thurston County Public Health and Social Services confirmed 39 additional Thurston County residents were diagnosed with COVID-19. This brings the total of confirmed cases in the county to 321. There have been a total of 37 hospitalizations since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and 231 have recovered or are recovering. You can find more data on COVID-19 in Thurston County at: https://bit.ly/ThurstonCOVID19Data .

The highest number of COVID-19 cases in Thurston County are in the 98512, 98513, 98503, and 98501 zip codes. You can learn more in the latest COVID-19 weekly update at: https://bit.ly/38Hh72t .

Thurston County has several employment opportunities to help the county respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Opportunities include community based outreach and support positions, isolation and quarantine facility staffing, facility inspectors, and more! You can find all employment opportunities at: https://bit.ly/3e8b1te .
2
Auditor's Office Offering Drive Thru Voter Services During COVID-19 Pandemic
The Thurston County Auditor's Office Elections Division will host its Voting Center at South Puget Sound Community College's (SPSCC) Mottman Campus for the August primary and November general elections. At the Voting Center, Thurston County residents can register to vote, get a replacement ballot and vote without leaving their car. Auditor Mary Hall says her office shifted to a drive-up model to protect employee and public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Voting Center at SPSCC will be open:
  • Wednesday, July 15, through Friday, July 31, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, August 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Monday, August 3, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

On Election Day (Tuesday, August 4), the Voting Center at SPSCC will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Any voter in line at the Voting Center by 8:00 p.m. on election day will be allowed to vote. You can find more information on the Voting Center at SPSCC at ThurstonVotes.org or by calling the Elections Division at (360) 786-5408.
3
Board of Health Meetings Resume
Tuesday, July 14

On Tuesday, July 14, the Board of Health will resume their monthly Board of Health meetings. Residents can attend the meeting in person and provide public testimony to the Board on Tuesday, July 14, or at any regularly scheduled meeting thereafter. Board of Health meetings take place on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:30 p.m in Building One, Room 280 of the Thurston County Courthouse Complex at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, in Olympia. 

Due to COVID-19 and the need for physical distancing, capacity in Room 280 is limited. An overflow room has been designated where residents may still participate. All Board of Health meetings, Board of County Commissioners meetings, and work sessions will continue to be live-streamed on the county's YouTube channel at: https://bit.ly/2VgplJr .
4
Chehalis Western Trail Undercrossing Complete
Construction on a key undercrossing along the Chehalis Western Trail (CWT) near Rainier Road SE is complete. The project connects the final two sections of the CWT, resulting in a continuous 22-mile trail. The CWT is part of a national rail to trail initiative to preserve unused rail corridors by transforming them into trails for pedestrians and bicyclists. The CWT is built upon an abandoned Weyerhaeuser logging rail line named the Chehalis Western Railroad. 

“We’ve been waiting a long time for a chance to complete this project,” said Kerry Hibdon, Parks and Trails Manager with Thurston County Public Works. Hibdon has been persistently pushing to connect these two pieces of the trail for nearly 30 years. You can read more about Hibdon and the work he and Thurston County Public Works put in to connecting the CWT at: https://bit.ly/2Z9m8O6 .
5
Free Masks Available for Low Income
Individuals and Families
Thurston County residents who are low-income can get a cloth face mask at no cost at South Sound YMCA branches in Thurston County. They are located at:
  • Briggs, 1530 Yelm Highway SE, Olympia, 98501, 360-753-6576
  • Plum Street, 505 Plum Street SE, Olympia, 98501, 360-357-6609

Low-income residents can also obtain cloth face masks at all Thurston County Food Bank locations . Thurston County Emergency Management (TCEM) is distributing close to 128,500 cloth masks to local organizations to aid in the distribution to local families and individuals that fall below the 200% federal poverty level. You can find information about the other organizations TCEM is distributing masks to at: https://bit.ly/2BBUfoI .
Before you go....
On Tuesday, June 30, the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) resumed their weekly 2:00 p.m. BoCC meetings in Building One, Room 280 of the Thurston County Courthouse Complex at 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, in Olympia. The public may attend BoCC meetings in person. Individuals wishing to provide public testimony to the Board during regularly scheduled meetings will have the opportunity to do so. Due to COVID-19 and the need for physical distancing, capacity in Room 280 is limited. An overflow room has been designated where residents may still participate.
On Thursday, July 9, the Washington State Department of Transportation removed existing restrictions for southbound traffic on Marvin Road (State Route 510) in Lacey as crews continue to transform the existing overpass into a diverging diamond interchange. Northbound Marvin Road lane restrictions will create backups for up to 24 days. You can learn more at: https://bit.ly/3gLwr18.