Eastside Resident – Tom Nogler


Janine Gates, Eastside resident,  just wanted the Eastside Neighborhood Association to be aware of the death of Tom Nogler, an Eastside resident and great guy who helped deliver the ENA newsletter for many years. He lived on the Eastside for at least 20 years. He passed away January 4. His community service will be held at the Capitol Theater on February 1 at 10:00 a.m. It would be nice if someone from the ENA could speak to his dedicated involvement with the ENA.

His obituary is at https://funeralalternatives.org/tribute/details/167160/Thomas-Nogler/obituary.html#tribute-start

When he passed away, this is what I wrote on a local list serv, to share the news:

Tom was a tireless community organizer and supporter of many political and social campaigns. He advocated for good causes. He volunteered and doorbelled for many political candidates, including my campaign when I ran for city council. He worked on the Thurston Public Power campaign, instrumental in getting that effort as far as it did. He delivered newsletters on the Eastside for the Eastside Neighborhood Association for many years, being a friendly greeter and neighbor everyone came to know. He spoke in front of city council on police/community issues and relations. He was a good son who took care of both his parents until they passed away. He was a good friend with a soft voice you could always call on if you were in need. He will be greatly missed.

Help the Art Crossings Program get to know our neighborhood!


The goal of City of Olympia’s Art Crossings program is to place public art into Olympia’s neighborhoods, contribute to a sense of community identity, and introduce place making elements that help to define and bring together different areas of our community.  Having worked through the process to design approval on West Bay Drive, we are now starting the process for Eastside Street at the bridge over I-5. Arts Program Manager Stephanie Johnson was at the ENA Annual meeting on August 25 to set the foundation for the new project by asking 4 questions:

-What do you value about your neighborhood? 
-What do you want people to know about your neighborhood? 
-How is the neighborhood connected to Olympia? 
-What else should the artist know?

This was a great exercise to do with neighbors, but if you didn’t make the annual picnic, we’d still like to hear from you!  Please complete the survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BV6T7ZT – by September 9.

More information is available at olympiawa.gov/artplan or by contacting at Stephanie at sj******@ci.us or 360.709.2678.

Plum Street Village – Community Advisory Committee – August Minutes

Another good meeting for the Plum Street Village , CAC. The biggest take away for me was the fact that the PSV needs internet. I have offered to donate equipment if the city gets Comcast to install Cable Internet service. The social workers currently use a mobile hot spot, and residents are limited to their cell phone plans, often going to McDonalds to use the free WiFi. Both could be solved with a small shift in the way internet is provided, maybe even being cheaper (if not donated) for the PSV.

The other take away was when villagers exit the village for more permanent housing they are often in need of items that go beyond the essentials. I pointed out that their local Buy Nothing group could be a great resource for them.

Here are the minutes.