Small Town Blues

[DaveinOlyWA]

Olympia is a very nice place to live. its centrally located to the coastal beaches, Seattle, the Cascades, etc. it has its own waterway accesses and views and has the benefits of small town living with big time state budgets for support.

but events of the past week have begun to show the slow march of "progress" or maybe some growing pains as this area becomes more and more crowded.

for the first time since i moved here in 1986, we have had two double homicides in less than a week. yes this is the same area that not so long ago, went 3 years without a single homicide at all.

*sigh* i only hope that the "curse of the I-5 corridor" isnt as bad here as it has been elsewhere.

[Starbug]

Trust me, you've got it good there. The area I live and work in was once concidered "the boonies", out in the middle of nowhere and to be avoided. Now it's THE place to be! A good thing? No. We now have horrible traffic, 3 rapeists that live here, theft, distruction of private and public property, and I think a few people have been killed as well. Once upon a time one could leave the house doors unlocked without fear of danger; now you don't dare.

[DaveinOlyWA]

i will say your traffic definitely sucks~!!

it should be better after that construction is finished on that exit to the hobby shop.

but our traffic is almost as bad especially around the downtown, I-5, Hiway 101 interchange.

[Starbug]

Well, I think they've pretty much finished that construction at the exit, and you know what? The traffic still sucks there. The traffic if horrible even on the other end of Gilman Blvd (all along Front Street). You can't get away from it. Redmond is just as bad, and Sammamish is getting really close to being as bad too. There is no escape!!! *dies* Do you know how much gas I waste in Beast as I idle forever at each and every frick'n light?! *twitch* Heh, maybe I should turn the truck off at every light like the Prius does.... only bad thing is that it uses up a lot of gas restarting. ARGH! SUVs suck!!

[DaveinOlyWA]

yep and winter time in cold weather your gas mileage be sucking at an enormous amount of gallons per mile!!

[Frank Hudon]

It's no better up here. I read where we've had 24-5 homicides here this year, b'n'e's all the time and destruction of public and personal property is just like your's. You think your traffic is bad, it took me 45 minutes to go 21 blocks two weeks ago when I did the stupid thing, go across town in the afternoon. Had the BSOC so low the ICE ran all the time took the mileage up to 8.4 l per hundred 28US MPG At least you guy's have freeways the only one we have was built in 1962, and the Gov is intent on not allowing any more freeways into the city. Dumb and stupid comes to mind. All I can say is IT SUCKS.

[hdrygas]

Boy I don't think that either of these mean anything. Every community has it's share of Wacko's. This is also the time of year. Ask the Psych folks, Police, and ER folks. I am on call New Years Eve and I am dreading it. My worse call days have all been on New Years it seems the pot boils over this time of year. Christmas is bad New Years worse. Men beating women and worse. It is dark and cold and it is hard to reestablish your balance and belief in the over all humanity of the species . The only thing I can say is that at times like this folks like me see the worst and we need to remind ourselves of that. Most people are good, kind, and caring.

[DaveinOlyWA]

well i will say that double homicide #2 was solved quickly and cheaply financially but cost another life in the process.

apparently, the killer was a roommate of the owner of the house where all 3 were living. the killer got mad when the owner of the house decided to sell the house and the killer had to move which apparently was the reason for the killing...(sick sick sick!!!)

after the killing, he stole one of the victims car and headed to Oregon where he got stuck in a snowbank. he then killed the tow truck driver who pulled him out, went to a rest stop just down the road and killed himself.

and as far as driving across town during midday traffic... cant remember the last time i tried something that futile...one good thing about having lived in the same area for over 15 years is that i know all the back roads and yes; the backroads are farther, lower speed limits, and at least TWICE as fast!!

[Frank Hudon]

I've lived here since 1977 and did local p+d for 5 of those. I was on my third backstreet. I've given up using the alleys in my old age. Younger, I'd be truckin down them. Already made 2 u-turns in traffic only to get caught the 3rd time. Then gave up and went with the "flow". Henry one of the main problems is a drug, it's called alcohol. As far as the rest .0001% of the population is "wacked" and the more people the more wacko's. Went past the ambulace depot today and I see one of the attendants now has a Seaside pearl Prius and on the way home saw a Tideland. Two more people who "got it".

[hdrygas]

I will not give up. Over all people are good and care. I think the people (not the govements) have responded to the disaster in Asia. The people in these countries and over the world are helping. Volunteers from the NW and everywhere are flying in to help, sending money and supplies. Unfortunately our government did not "get it", they may yet be shamed into helping.