2013 Stories of the Year

It’s been a whirlwind year in Lewis County.

As the region inches closer to emerging from the Great Recession, residents have grappled with a number of issues and changes that will act to define the area.

Marijuana is no longer illegal. Flood protection projects are underway. Centralia College is seeking a dynamic new leader. Interstate 5 is being reshaped through Centralia. Health reform has brought relief for some and headaches for others. A massive youth sports facility has been erected.

In short, there’s plenty to be excited about and there are many stories that have yet to be completed.

This year, The Chronicle brought you updates and analysis on these issues and more.

We’ve selected what we believe are the top stories of the year, from the good to the bad to the weird. In the past, we’ve limited our list of top stories to 10. This year, though, we’ve included a more expansive list to reflect the quantity of important developments in 2013.

Thank you for supporting your local newspaper. We look forward to following these stories in the new year while bringing you more of the quality journalism you’ve come to expect from The Chronicle.

 

Progress at Last: Flood Money Leads to Projects

For decades, the chief criticism of local government officials has been the lack of tangible action when it comes to flood protection.

That began to change in 2013.

The Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority spawned the Chehalis Work Group, a collection of four government officials who have worked directly with the governor to promote and progress important projects.

The Work Group — comprised of David Burnett, Karen Valenzuela, Vickie Raines, Jay Gordon, J. Vander Stoep and Keith Phillips — successfully lobbied for $28.2 million from the state. It passed through the state Legislature and now that money is at work. It includes $9.2 million for the study and design of a water retention dam; $10.7 million for local flood protection projects; $4.4 million for projects that both reduce flooding and benefit fish; and $2.2 million for project management and permitting.

Now, the Work Group is asking for $100 million from the state’s transportation budget.

Next year the Legislature will determine whether or not to grant that money.

 

Museum Stabilizes With New Leadership

The Lewis County Historical Museum was rocked to its core with the discovery in 2011 that director Debbie Knapp had drained its endowment and embezzled thousands of dollars. As Knapp was sentenced to prison for her crimes, the museum emerged from the scandal with renewed purpose and leadership.

Andy Skinner, 24, was hired this year to lead the museum back to prominence. By all accounts, he has been successful thus far.

The museum is now back on solid financial footing as it eyes exciting projects in the future.

 

College Seeks Dynamic New Leader

Centralia College President Dr. James Walton announced this year that he will be retiring at the end of the Spring Quarter.

His departure means the college will need a new leader as it pursues exciting new endeavors. Among them are plans to build a new student commons complete with state-of-the-art technology and amenities that are sure to impress the most cynical of college students.

Meanwhile, leaders at the college are pushing forward with the institution's second bachelor’s degree program. As the business management program reaches its second year, the college hopes to launch a one-of-a-kind diesel tech program.

The college is continuing its search for a new leader. The successful applicant will have the privilege of leading a cutting edge college with eyes ever fixed on the horizon.

 

Northwest Sports Hub Dream Becomes Reality

For years, the Lewis County Public Facilities District Board toiled with prospective projects that never came to fruition.

That changed when Thorbeckes owner Dale Pullin came forward with an idea for a public-private partnership to build the Northwest Sports Hub in Fort Borst Park. 

The city of Centralia partnered with the Centralia School Board, the Lewis County Public Facilities District and the Lewis County Event Center LLC to bring the $5 million sports complex to Centralia. 

The massive 70-foot-high structure looms over the park. It’s expected to be completed by March.

Already, the city of Centralia has reported positive economic news as a result of the improved sports facilities in Fort Borst Park. 

The completion of the sports hub promises to bring more in the way of hotel, motel and retail taxes in the future.

 

Children’s Museum a Resounding Success

There were many questions at the outset of what was expected to be a six-month pilot project for the Discover! Children’s Museum in Chehalis.

Most of them have been positively answered after the project was extended to 11 months due to its success and popularity.

The effort, led by the Chehalis Renaissance, has resulted in plans for a new, larger facility in the Twin City Town Center.

Volunteers and organizers will begin a fundraising effort in 2014 to make the museum a permanent fixture. It is expected to cost around $3 million.

That investment will be well worth it if attendance continues at the pace of the pilot project.

In all, more than 14,600 adults and children paid to walk through the doors of the museum. That’s triple the number of people organizers expected. 

 

Gail and Carolyn Shaw Aquatic Center

It started with plans to make a few repairs to a popular community pool, but now the city of Chehalis and others are planning to complete a $2.4 million aquatic center.

The Chehalis Foundation and the city of Chehalis started a simple pool improvement project with about $200,000 last year. After various community donations along with a $250,000 federal grant and two other $250,000 state grants, the partners have more than $2 million for the ambitious endeavor. 

It will include new slides, water toys and a beach-entry style pool connected to the original swimming pool. The new aquatic center will also have new fencing, concrete walkways and benches. The current pool building will be demolished and rebuilt 1,000-square-feet larger.

The amenity will add yet another landmark of youth entertainment to the Mint City.

 

Justice at Last: 1985 Maurin Murders Solved

Lewis County Superior Court erupted into a sea of tears and hugs after a jury in late November found Rick Riffe guilty of the 1985 kidnapping, robbery and murder of Ed and Minnie Maurin.

The elderly couple from Ethel were abducted from their home, forced to empty their bank account and then shot to death on a remote road near Adna.

For nearly three decades, the family sought answers as the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office continued to pursue leads.

Riffe was arrested in Alaska in 2012, though his brother John — believed to have been an accomplice — died before he could be arrested.

Riffe was sentenced to 103 years in prison, effectively a life sentence. 

 

Reshaping the Corridor: Interstate 5 Project at Full Steam

Interstate 5 through Centralia began to morph before residents’ eyes this year as the Washington State Department of Transportation accelerated plans to ease congestion through the area.

So-called collector distributor lanes are under construction on each side of the freeway. They’ll eventually allow for local traffic to commute between Harrison Avenue and Mellen Street without getting on Interstate 5. Airport Road, meanwhile, will connect the Twin City Town Center with Centralia, and the Mellen Street interchange will be reworked to allow for smoother traffic flow.

The entire $188 million I-5 widening project is scheduled to be complete in late 2015.

 

Health Reform Brings Improvement, Headaches

Call it Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act.

Regardless of the name, health care reform has been a resounding success or an abject failure, depending on who you ask.

It will take time to determine which side is most correct, but either way, the reform has changed the status quo when it comes to seeing your doctor or visiting the emergency room.

Washington was not immune from nationally prevalent problems as its health exchange website struggled to stay online in the latter part of 2013.

Still, others reported received increased coverage at a decreased price. Will reform shine as an example of positive governmental change, or will it be seen as a historic failure?

Only time will tell.

 

State Champions in Toledo and Chehalis

Toledo won its first state basketball championship in school history this year.

The Indians put up perhaps their most impressive defensive performance of the season, in the biggest matchup of the year, upending King’s 38-27 in the State 1A Boys Championship Game in the Yakima Sundome. 

W.F. West followed suit with a state championship season of its own on the baseball diamond.

The Bearcats defeated Tumwater 12-0 to end a dominant season that may be an early sign of a dynasty.

The win gave W.F. West its second state championship in four years.

 

Morton-White Pass Continues Football Dominance

For the third straight year, the Morton-White Pass football team reached the state 2B championship at the Tacoma Dome.

For the third year, they lost in heartbreaking fashion.

But the success of the program appears indicative of the wisdom behind the decision to combine the White Pass and Morton football programs.

The combination has brought wide-ranging success for the East Lewis County football team.

 

Generous $1.8 Million Donation for Chehalis Foundation

In April the Chehalis Foundation received its largest donation ever — $1.8 million — to benefit children and the community alike.

Ray and Mary Ingwersen created a trust that the foundation will use for a permanent endowment to continually fund Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education in the Chehalis School District.

Ray Ingwersen died in 2008 and his wife, Mary, died in 2012. The couple joined other far-sighted local benefactors such as the high school’s namesake, William F. West, and John Coffman, who left part of their estates for scholarship funding and furthering education.

 

Peace Arrived in Tenino After Strawn Resignation

An era of scandal and government dysfunction appears to have come to an end with the departure of former Mayor Eric Strawn.

The long-haired, tattooed Tenino resident was accused of sexual impropriety, using his position to further his own stand-up comedy career under the stage name “Mayorjuana,” violence at a city council meeting and a litany of additional grievances.

He stepped down in May, allowing for new, perhaps more level-headed leadership to fill his place.

Since then, the Tenino council has garnered few headlines for scandal as a new council works together to improve the Thurston County city.

 

Marijuana Market Emerging After Legalization

Voters in 2012 decided that marijuana should no longer be illegal for individuals to possess.

The state is now in the process of creating a regulated market for cannabis, with plans for state-run stores and private growing operations.

More than 40 individuals and companies have applied for licenses to process or produce marijuana in Lewis County. It will take the state months to process the applications and provide licenses.

Many questions remain unanswered as 2013 comes to a close, but 2014 will no doubt include the completion of the standards and processes that will be used to regulate the sale and consumption of a formerly illegal drug.

 

Randle Man Kills Fiancee

Something about Corey R. Morgan’s story just didn’t add up.

The Randle man initially claimed his fiancee, Brenda Bail, died July 13 in a car crash on a rural forest road near Morton after the couple was attacked by a group of unknown assailants.

Investigators didn’t buy the story, and Morgan eventually admitted to beating and strangling his fiancee to death.

He was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the murder.

 

Henderson in the News for Good, Bad

Centralia City Councilor Dan Henderson found himself in the news for a good deed, an alleged crime and a lost election this year.

In June, Henderson came across a robbery suspect hiding in a vacant lot next to his house and held him at gunpoint until police could arrive.

In August, he was accused of using his former position as a Lewis County veterans specialist to help one of his own tenants pay for a delinquent account at Centralia City Light. He denies the accusations, and has not been charged.

In November, Henderson lost his quest for a new term on the Centralia City Council. He was handily defeated by Lee Coumbs.

 

Shutdown Impacts State and Region

Partisan bickering in Washington, D.C., had wide-ranging impacts across the nation, with notable difficulties in Lewis County and the rest of Washington.

The temporary shutdown in October led to the closure of Mount Rainier National Park, a fact that inconvenienced tourists and struck down the bottom lines of many businesses on the outskirts of the park.

With a new federal budget compromise in place, the likelihood of a similar shutdown in 2014 is small.

The negative impacts of the shutdown, though, cannot be denied.

 

Centralia Station Moving Forward

A proposed 43-acre development on the south end of Long Road in Centralia continued weaving its way through the permitting process this year.

Already, change is visible in the area as the Port of Centralia buys up property and continues marching toward its goal of creating more jobs and economic development in the area.

In July, the project received $750,000 for its stormwater project in the state budget.

Studies on the expected impacts on flooding and traffic have not yet been made public.

Those important hurdles will be crossed in the coming year.

Centralia Station businesses could potentially employ more than 350 people permanently, according to the port and the Lewis Economic Development Council.

 

Mother Sentenced for Inaction Before Toddler’s Death

One of the more horrifying stories in recent Lewis County history reached a conclusion in May with the sentencing of a murdered toddler’s mother.

Becky Heupel did not report the numerous, severe injuries of her 2-year-old daughter, Koralynn Fister, before her eventual death at the hands of Heupel’s boyfriend in May 2012. The girl died due to prolonged abuse and torture by James Reeder, who was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 37 years for the crime.

Heupel pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal mistreatment and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.

 

New Era for Chehalis-Centralia Airport

Lewis County gave up its stake in the Chehalis-Centralia Airport, handing sole ownership over to the city of Chehalis.

Chehalis in turn dissolved the Airport Board and created a new department to manage the facility within the city of Chehalis budget.

Allyn Roe, already the manager of the airport, was tabbed to lead the new department.

 

Aadland Celebrated for Humor and Wit

Longtime Chronicle columnist, former Centralia College employee and unbridled supporter of Lewis County Gordon Aadland died at the age of 92 on Oct. 27.

For nearly 12 years, Aadland brought readers eloquent and insightful columns detailing his life in South Dakota, the successes of local residents, growth at Centralia College and many other issues.

His death brought forth heart-felt remembrances and drew a packed sanctuary to his funeral in Centralia.

Aadland will be remembered for years to come. The Chronicle is currently producing a book that will be comprised of hundreds of his columns.

 

Iconic Yard Bird Gets New Lease on Life

The Yard Bird had seen better days.

The iconic, enormous fowl outside Yard Birds in Chehalis received a makeover this year, compliments of a team of steadfast volunteers and Darris McDaniel, the supportive owner of Yard Birds.

The entire renovation project had a price tag of about $30,000, including an $8,000 donation from McDaniel.

The Yard Bird is now fully enclosed with new fiberglass siding, a new tail and a fresh black coat of paint, including white stripes of paint to outline new feathers.

It took lead organizer Jason Mattson three years to complete the project, which was funded in part by McDaniel, the owner of the Yard Bird along with Yard Birds Mall and Event Center and Shop’n Kart.