PODCAST

The Olympia Standard

A podcast about politics in Olympia, WA

news politics

All Episodes

1:06:15

#149: What do we think about when we think about...

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/04/04

As we enter budget building season for the Olympia School District, Erika Lari sits down with veterans (both students and parents) about the debate just a couple of years ago over closing some elementary schools.You can also listen to this old episode: #105: Do we want to close Madison and McKenny schools?

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37:00

#148: Neighborhood Associations

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/03/21

For decades, official neighborhood associations have been an essential part of Olympia’s civic fabric. This week, we examine how these associations operate with Michael Craw from The Evergreen State College, a scholar in the field. Then, Daniel sits down with Grace Fletcher to discuss the new generation leading the Council of Neighborhood Associations and their evolving approach to civic engagement.

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35:05

#147: Planning for a Better Olympia

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/03/07

Daniel sits down with Greg Quetin, Chair of the Olympia Planning Commission, to talk about the city’s recently approved Comprehensive Plan and the role of the planning commission in guiding Olympia’s growth.

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40:10

#146: How to Understand the Fine Grain of Olympia...

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/02/21

We are in the season where, in the Olympia School District, you can choose a different path for your kids. In this episode, we sit down with OSD4All’s Erika Lari to talk about the new guide the group recently released to describe, in fine detail, all of the different programs around the district: https://osd4all.org/district-guide/

en-US

32:34

#145: Intercity Transit

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/02/07

Daniel visits with leadership at Intercity Transit. Emily Bergkamp, General Manager, and Nick Demerice, Chief Marketing, Communications & Outreach Officer, cover the recent history of our local transit agency, what is going on with the change in routes and how transit will grow.

en-US

34:57

#144: Olympia School District Tech, Safety and...

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/01/24

You’ve already received your ballot, so this week Erika sat down with Superintendent Mr. Dr. Patrick Murphy and Marc Elliot, Chief Information Officer, to talk about the replacement levy. Don’t forget to vote by February 10!

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58:15

#143: Legislative Preview

The Olympia Standard ·

2026/01/17

What is Olympia going to get from Olympia this year? Erika sits down with Maria Flores from the school board and Daniel visits with State Senator Jessica Bateman. We dive deep into what schools need from the legislature and what we should expect this session as a community.For further discussion on school funding, please see episode 105: Do We Need to Close Schools?

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55:09

#142: 2025 Holiday Special

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/12/27

We sit down with Mayor Dontae Payne and City Councilmember Dani Madrone (also host emerita) to walk through the formative issues in Olympia of 2025 and how they lead into 2026.

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27:21

#141: Sarah DeStasio looks back at 2025

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/12/06

Daniel sat down with Sarah DeStasio to round out our campaign coverage for this year. Destasion worked on the Caleb Geiger and Robert Vanderpool campaigns and takes us through 2025 from the progressive lens.

en-US

32:03

#140: Justin Stang Exit Interview

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/11/22

Not that we expect Justin Stang to exit civic life, but Daniel sat down with him following the election to reflect on how it went for him and the future of Olympia.

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54:59

#139: The Last 2025 Election Episode

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/11/16

This is the last election 2025 episode! We are joined in the first segment by Danielle Westbrook, long time friend of the podcast and political consultant. In the second segment, the 2025 election crew comes together one more time with Rob Richards.

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27:49

#138: Did I-5 Kill Downtown Tumwater (the definitive...

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/11/01

Whether Interstate 5 "killed downtown Tumwater" will never actually be answered, mostly because we don't have a time machine and we can't really settle on what "kill" or "downtown" means in this context. But the premise is one of the most widely accepted historical facts of our area. I take the counter-narrative position that downtown Tumwater was killed by a road, but it wasn't I-5. In this episode, I take a walk with David Scherer Water to discuss the historical conflict and what it tells us about

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38:23

#137: Ballot 2025 Roundup

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/10/25

Emmett is joined by Erika Lari and Daniel Garcia to make a complete rundown of your Olympia ballot for this election. Erika and Daniel dissect the interviews we've been running for the last several weeks to help you make your decisions this fall.

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28:17

#136: Berendt vs. Geiger (Position #7)

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/10/19

Daniel Garcia returns to interview Paul Berendt and Caleb Geiger for Position #7 on the Olympia City Council.

en-US

30:14

#135: Workers’ Bill of Rights (Prop 1)

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/10/15

Mayor Dontae Payne and Caleb Geiger debate the pros and cons of the Workers' Bill of Rights (Prop 1), which will be on your ballot this week! This discussion was hosted by Daniel Garcia, who runs the Heal Olympia project.

en-US

29:37

#134: Vanderpool v. Stang (Position 6)

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/10/11

Daniel Garcia from the Heal Olympia project is back on the podcast, this time sitting down with Robert Vanderpool and Justin Stang, who are competing for the Position 6 seat on the Olympia City Council.

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12:06

#133: Olympia City Council Position #4 (Gilman, no...

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/10/04

This episode was supposed to feature Daniel Garcia from Heal Oly sitting down with two city council candidates for a conversation. But at the last minute, we had to cancel. We offered the candidates a chance to record their responses on their own, but only Clark Gilman was able to get his in. We’ll be back next Saturday with a full recorded conversation between two candidates running for another city council seat.Fortunately, you can get a direct compare and contrast with Clark and Wendy over at

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50:37

#132: Renee Fullerton and Rhyan Smith (Olympia School...

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/09/27

Erika Lari from OSD4All again takes the wheel to talk with Renee Fullerton and Rhyan Smith, who are facing off for the position in District 3 on the Olympia School Board.

en-US

31:14

#131: Gil Lamont and Emily Leddige (School Board)

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/09/20

Erika Lari from OSD4All rejoins the podcast to talk with Gil Lamont and Emily Leddige, who are facing off for the position in District 5 on the Olympia School Board.

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26:13

#129: Reparations and Olympia

The Olympia Standard ·

2025/09/06

Olympia’s history is deeper and more connected to the larger American story than many people realize. From the city’s founding to its role in shaping regional and national events, Olympia carries with it legacies that are still being reckoned with today. In this episode, we sit down with Mayor Dontae Payne to talk about how Olympia’s past informs its present, and how the city is beginning to address questions of racial justice and repair. Mayor Payne shares his perspective on the city’s recent

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