Sovereign Cellars Wine Tasting This Weekend

Posted on September 19, 2016September 19, 2016 by GriffinNeighbors

Sovereign Cellars, our award-winning local winery, is announcing its Fall Wine Tasting, this upcoming weekend. “All of our wines have received gold & double gold awards this year,” says vintner Dennis Gross. “Come visit with friends and enjoy great wine and tasty hor d’oeuvres.”

Sovereign Cellars Wine Tasting
Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25
1 PM to 5 PM each day
7408 Manzanita Dr. NW, Olympia 98502

For those of you in the Sovereign Cellars wine club, this would be a great time to pick up your wines.

This is a terrific opportunity to taste and buy some fabulous wines produced right here on the Steamboat Peninsula.

Click here to read some of what we’ve written about Sovereign Cellars. Or click the image above to visit their web site.

Thurston County Unveils Emergency Alert System

Posted on September 16, 2016September 16, 2016 by GriffinNeighbors

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Click to sign up for AlertSense notifications

Thurston County Emergency Management now makes available to all residents a system to send emergency alerts via text message, email, pager, or voice mail (in extreme cases), based on your preferences. “It is important that we collect this contact information because many households no longer utilize traditional land-based telephone lines,” reads one web page describing the system’s function.

This new notification capability – called the “AlertSense Notification System” – joins several other means available for the County to help keep the public apprised of hazardous conditions in our area.

Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts are broadcast on television, radio and NOAA weather radios. The alerts begin with a loud audible beep followed by specific instructions. You are also probably aware of AMBER alerts you can already receive through a smartphone. River flood notifications are available for public sign up, too. The new AlertSense system will help to provide localized information to you, using your preferred method(s) of contact.

The [AlertSense] system is intended to be used for emergency alerts, as well as non-emergency incidents that may have significant impacts to residents. Emergency Alerts could be related to specific hazards that require some kind of action be taken such as evacuation, shelter in place, boil water orders, etc. Non-emergency alerts could include significant transportation problems with prolonged impacts or significant ongoing police or fire activity. This list is not meant to be all inclusive, and demonstrates that this system will not be used for routine information. In addition to receiving information on your wireless device, you may also receive notification on your land telephone line (if you have one) depending on the type of incident or event.

Click here to learn more about the different means by which you can receive information about hazardous conditions in the area and how you can sign up for AlertSense.

Don’t forget this Saturday’s Emergency Preparedness Expo, at the Rochester Middle School.

Emergency Preparedness Expo
Saturday, September 17
10 AM – 3 PM
Rochester Middle School
9937 US Hwy 12, Rochester

For more information about the Expo, contact Vivian Eason, Thurston County Emergency Management, at 360-867-2825 or emaileasonv@co.thurston.wa.us

September is National Preparedness Month. There are easy steps you can take to help your family weather an emergency. And there are important steps you can take to help you and your neighbors make it through a disaster. Click here to learn more.

Thurston County To Install Shoulder Rumble Strips on Steamboat Island Road

Posted on September 8, 2016September 8, 2016 by GriffinNeighbors

This fall, Thurston County Public Works will be installing shoulder rumble strips, weather permitting, along portions of Steamboat Island Road. "While we work to make your community safer," a recent announcement reads, "construction activity and minor delays will occur."

Postcards have been mailed to residents near where this work will take place.

If you have any questions, contact Brandon Hicks at (360) 867-2358 or click this link to visit the web site of Thurston County Public Works.

Click the images below, to see larger versions of them.

Life at the End of the Powerline

Posted on September 7, 2016September 9, 2016 by James Nugent

Click the image for Puget Sound Energy's "downed power lines" web page.

Part of the charm of living on the Steamboat Island Peninsula is that it only takes 20 minutes to drive from the City to the wilderness. It means a lot to most people to throw your window open at night and listen to the oyster boats or the wind. I am in awe of the way eagles soar over our peninsula.

However, in the middle of cold and violent storms sometimes the lights go out. It can be out for less than an hour or up to 5 days or more! What should a homeowner do?

#1 Relax.

#2 Get, your flashlight with fresh batteries.

#3 Light your candles or oil lamp.

#4 Tune to any of these FM stations: KGY 95.3, KAYO 96.9, or KAOS 89.3. KGY, in particular, has a good backup generator.

#5 Bundle up with a loved one and read a book.

If it turns out that the outage was not caused by a drunk driver hitting a pole on Mud Bay drive, get emotionally prepared for life off the grid for a while.

Consider the following:

Fire up your generator a few hours in the evening if you need a little heat from your electric fireplace.
Use a couple cups of your 50 gallons of emergency water supply for a sponge bath if you smell.
Cook a meal or 3 on your propane BBQ.
Dig into your no-cook food for a snack.
Stay warm and healthy and go to work tomorrow if the roads are passable.
If you are trapped, read a couple good books and huddle up with someone you love.

by James Nugent

Griffin School Foundation Benefit Auction Moves to New Venue and Online, Too

Posted on September 5, 2016September 5, 2016 by GriffinNeighbors

Every other year, the Griffin School Foundation holds its annual benefit auction. The ninth of these biannual auctions will be held on Saturday, September 24 at the Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club. Two years ago, nearly 300 community members joined celebrity host/auctioneer Pat Cashman under a big tent in front of the Tin Cup driving range. In what was the most successful auction to date, the 2014 auction raised over $140,000.

The Foundation’s auction is a fun event, with a purpose. The GSF funds a variety of grants and scholarships, educational and training opportunities for Griffin School employees and Board members, and raises money to make capital improvements and purchase equipment in our school district. The GSF also hosts community events, including breakfasts honoring local seniors.

The emphasis this year is funding grants supporting teamwork, arts, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) at Griffin School.

The theme of this year’s auction is is “TEAM STEAMBOAT: It’s for the kids!” Attendees are invited to come dressed in sports or team spirit gear. This year’s auction will be held at the Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club. So, please wear no cleats or heels.

A new feature this year is an online auction. Online bidding starts on September 16th at noon and closes on September 23rd at 10pm. An online auction means friends and relatives near or far can support our local school district and snatch up some great auction items.

For more information, auction tickets, and to register for the online auction, click this link. But don’t delay, as there are a limited number of tickets available.

Griffin School Foundation Auction
Saturday, September 24th
Kickoff is 5:30 PM
Steamboat Tennis & Athletic Club
3505 Steamboat Island Rd NW, Olympia

The GSF thanks this year’s Presenting Sponsor.

“30 Days 30 Ways” Kicks Off September Emergency Preparedness Month

Posted on September 2, 2016September 2, 2016 by GriffinNeighbors

“30 Days, 30 Ways” is a disaster preparedness game that started in 2010 in Vancouver, Washington. It’s an easy way to use September (Emergency Preparedness Month) to get your home and neighborhood prepared for an emergency or disaster*. Each day the web site at 30days30ways.com have a different emergency preparedness theme and a daily winner will be selected from among the participants. You can also follow along on Facebook or Twitter.

Sure, it’s a game, but here in rural Thurston County, we know preparedness is no laughing matter. Each day’s activities highlights an important step you can easily take to become better equipped to weather out anything from an extended electrical power outage to The Big One we know is going to come, someday.

On Saturday, September 17, Thurston County Emergency Management will present it’s annual Emergency Preparedness Expo. This year it’s at the Rochester Middle School. This free event is a terrific way to hear speakers and meet with vendors with information about preparedness.

Click to download the event flyer.

Emergency Preparedness Expo
Saturday, September 17
10 AM – 3 PM
Rochester Middle School
9937 US Hwy 12, Rochester

For more information about the Expo, contact Vivian Eason, Thurston County Emergency Management, at 360-867-2825 or email easonv@co.thurston.wa.us

On Thursday, September 15, Thurston County Emergency Management will present a free class on “Map Your Neighborhood.” Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) is a program designed to help neighborhoods prepare for disasters. According to their web page, MYN will help you to:

Learn the 9 steps to take immediately following a disaster to secure your home and protect your neighborhood.
Create a neighborhood map identifying locations of natural gas and propane tanks.
Create a contact list that helps identify those with specific needs such as elderly, disabled or children who may be home alone during certain hours of the day.
Identify the skills and equipment each neighbor has that would be useful in effective disaster response.
Work together as a team to evaluate your neighborhood during the first hour following a disaster and take the necessary actions.

Map Your Neighborhood
Thursday, September 15
6 PM – 7:30 PM
Tumwater Fire Department
311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater

Please RSVP at easonv@co.thurston.wa.us

Click here for more information about this class. Or contact Vivian Eason, Thurston County Emergency Management, at 360-867-2825 or email easonv@co.thurston.wa.us

When an emergency strikes, you’re going to be glad you planned ahead. When disaster strikes, you’re going to be glad if both you and your neighbors have planned ahead.

*What’s the difference between an “emergency” and a “disaster”? Click here to check out our own disaster preparedness page, for the answer.