Editor’s Note: Each December, The Chronicle staff compiles a list of their biggest stories from the past year. Here’s our selection of the biggest stories from one of the most eventful years we can remember — 2020. Full stories are all available at chronline.com
January
Jan. 2
Imagination Library to Bring Free Books to Lewis County Children
By Eric Schwartz
eschwartz@chronline.com
To most, Dolly Parton is known as a country music legend known for belting out such hits as “Jolene,” “Here You Come Again” and “I Will Always Love You,” but to children and their families all around the globe, she’s the person responsible for the delivery of 130 million free books through her innovative Imagination Library program.
The program is now signing up participants in Lewis County.
The area’s three Rotary clubs have linked up with the United Way of Lewis County to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that delivers a brand new book monthly to participants ages 0 to 5 years old.
The age appropriate books — which include two bilingual titles a year — arrive in mailboxes free of charge for the children and families who enroll.
• The Imagination Library has taken off, blasting past its goals for the project’s first year. See more information at www.lewiscountyuw.com.
Jan. 4
Centralia Officer Shoots ‘Staff’-Wielding Suspect
By Natalie Johnson
njohnson@chronline.com
A Centralia police officer shot a man allegedly threatening officers with what was described as a large walking stick Thursday night in a parking lot in the 600 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia.
The man was shot twice and as of just before 10 p.m. Thursday was in surgery at Providence Centralia Hospital. As of Friday morning, his condition was not known.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is the lead agency investigating the incident, as part of the Region 3 Critical Incident Investigation Team.
Deputy Chief Stacy Denham of the Centralia Police Department said police initially responded at about 7 p.m. that night to a report of a trespasser in the 500 block of South Tower Avenue. The suspect reportedly had been previously banned from the shop.
Jan. 18
Man Who Died at Wind Farm Site Was a Young Father Who Saved a Coworker
By Eric Rosane
For The Chronicle
Jonathan Stringer, the 24-year-old Chehalis man who died Jan. 9 when a trench collapsed at the Skookumchuck Wind Project outside of Rainier, was a young father who attempted to save the life of another coworker, according to information on a crowdfunding website aimed at raising money for the family he left behind.
The GoFundMe campaign, created Monday by Evan Stichler in response to Stringer’s death, states that the young man was attempting to save the life of another worker from the collapsing trench when he was buried and killed.
“He succeeded. It was Jon’s nature — helping others,” reads the post.
February
Feb. 22
Centralians Turn Out in Droves for Meeting After Failed Levy
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
After Centralia School District’s bid for an increased levy failed with a 68.77 percent “no” vote earlier this month, a Centralia school board community forum Thursday drew a crowd of about 150 people interested in discussing the outcome.
Attendees shared concerns including a lack of trust and knowledge of how the levy money was planned to be spent and that the students are the ones who are going to suffer in this situation.
“Honestly, public school funding is one of the most complicated things to try to understand so we just want to bring some clarity to that. The board has not made any decisions yet as to what were going to do. That’s why we’re here tonight. We want to hear from you so we can consider your input,” said school board president Lori Fast.
Feb. 27
State Taps Maple Lane for Possible COVID-19 Isolation, Quarantine
By The Chronicle
The Washington State Department of Health has identified the Maple Lane corrections facility in southern Thurston County as a possible isolation and quarantine site for patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
There has been only one case of COVID-19 diagnosed in Washington, and none in Lewis County.
“The risk from COVID-19 to the general public in Washington remains low,” a press release from Lewis County Public Health and Social Services states. “There have been no suspected cases to date in Lewis County. However, by planning now, the site can be set up more quickly if needed.”
March
March 12
Nine People Tested for COVID-19 in Lewis County
By Colton Dodgson
cdodgson@chronline.com
Lewis County officials say it’s only a matter of time until there are diagnoses of novel coronavirus in Lewis County.
According to Lewis County Director of Public Health and Social Services J.P. Anderson, nine county residents have been tested for the novel coronavirus. Five tests have come back negative, while the department was still awaiting results on the other four Tuesday.
Regardless of the test results, Anderson and other county officials are expecting positive tests in the county soon.
March 14
All Schools Closed Through April 24
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
Governor Jay Inslee on Friday afternoon ordered all school districts in Washington to close from March 17 through April 24 in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“Of course with what’s been going on across the country and in the state of Washington we are not surprised. We’ve kind of been anticipating it and preparing for it,” said Chehalis School District Superintendent Ed Rothlin.
W.F. West High School closed on Friday, March 13 for a deep cleaning day, on advice from Lewis County Public Health and Social Services, after getting word that a staff member at the high school has an “unsubstantiated respiratory illness.”
March 17
Pandemic Preppers Leave Store Shelves Empty
By Jared Wenzelburger
jwenzelburger@chronline.com
As concerns over the novel coronavirus rise, businesses are taking measures to keep shelves stocked as community members anxiously wait in long lines to purchase essentials.
“You never know when there is going to be an issue like this,” said Alesha McDaniel, CEO of Fuller’s Shop’n Kart. “If they close everything down, I can come and eat here if I had to.”
In the past week, stores throughout Washington have seen residents stockpiling goods such as toilet paper, hand sanitizer and cleaning products.
March 24
Distillery Switches From Spirits to Sanitizer
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
Sandstone Distillery in Tenino has temporarily stopped making liquor and is instead distilling the alcohol to make hand sanitizer in an effort to help get supplies to those who need them during the shortage caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The demand is so high that if we had 1,000 gallons on hand it would probably be gone by next week,” said Justin Bourdon.
Sandstone Distillery started refining the ethyl alcohol for the hand sanitizer on Monday, March 16, and by Friday Bourdon said they had been giving out 100 to 120 bottles a day with a one-per-person limit. They have supplied the sanitizer to the Lacey Fire Department and various police departments and home-care facilities.
March 26
Trooper Dies After Being Hit By Vehicle in Chehalis
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste announced the agency’s 30th line-of-duty death since its inception — Justin R. Schaffer, 28, badge No. 646 — Tuesday night at a press conference.
He is the son of Chehalis Police Chief Glenn Schaffer. He is survived by wife Sandra, brother Brandon and his parents, Glenn and Sheila.
“With a very heavy heart, I announce to the citizens of the great state of Washington, we lost a great trooper today,” Batiste said at a press conference. “Justin Schaffer has been with the agency for seven years, he’s done a lot of great things for the agency. He was a K-9 officer, his dog Frankie, we are going to take very good care of, a husband, a son of a police chief in this community and a wonderful mother.”
According to Batiste, Schaffer was out of his patrol car deploying spike strips in an attempt to end the pursuit of a robbery suspect being chased on southbound Interstate 5 near mile marker 79 in Chehalis when he was hit by the suspect’s vehicle.
March 28
Prosecutors File Murder Charge in Trooper’s Death
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
An Olympia man accused of fatally hitting a Washington State Patrol trooper with his vehicle while being pursued by law enforcement will be charged with murder, Lewis County deputy prosecutor Will Halstead told The Chronicle Friday.
William D. Thompson, 39, will be charged with first-degree aggravated murder, first-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, malicious harassment, two counts of second-degree driving with a suspended license and failing to have a ignition interlock in the vehicle, Halstead said.
April
April 7
Lewis County Reports First COVID-19 Death
By The Chronicle
Lewis County Public Health and Social Services is reporting 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lewis County as of April 5, according to the department’s website, including the county’s first coronavirus death.
“On behalf of Lewis County, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones. Even though we knew this day was likely to come for someone in Lewis County, facing this reality today is still very hard,” said J.P. Anderson, Lewis County Public Health and Social Services director, in a statement.
April 11
Students, Teachers Say ‘I Miss You’
By The Chronicle
Teachers at elementary schools in the Centralia School District have been participating in “teacher parades” in which the teachers drive through the neighborhoods of their students with “we miss you!” signs and other encouraging messages.
After Gov. Jay Inslee’s recent order for schools to stay closed through the rest of the school year, teachers and students will not be heading back to the classrooms together and did not get to say goodbye before the unexpected end to the school year.
“It’s important to our kids — who we miss the most right now and to see their smiling faces. They are going to be so excited,” said Christine Chamberlain, a second-grade teacher at Fords Prairie Elementary School.
May
May 5
Church Comes Together to Mark Milestone Birthday
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
Surely it would be a crime to reach 100 years old without getting a birthday party.
Peace Lutheran Church came through for one of its longstanding members in a major way on Saturday to mark that milestone at a time when large gatherings have been banned due to the novel coronavirus.
The church’s congregation formed about a 70-car caravan that paraded around the front entrance of Stillwater Estates Retirement Community to celebrate the birthday of one of its beloved constituents, Margaret Schwarzkopf,
On Saturday, Schwarzkopf, a member of Peace Lutheran since 1947, was planning on celebrating her 100th birthday. Except due to the coronavirus pandemic, a wrench was thrown into her birthday party plans.
May 16
Echoes From the Eruption — Former Deputy Says Events of May 18, 1980, ‘Embedded on My Brain’ as He Shares His Account and Radio Traffic
By Eric Trent
etrent@chronline.com
March 27, 1980, Longview, Washington. Four Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office detectives, including 30-year-old Bob Nix, are walking out of a restaurant after having lunch when they hear a blast in the distance. The detectives don’t know it at the time, but it’s the first of a series of small discharges over the next two months leading up to the eruption of Mount St. Helens.
“We heard this tremendous explosion,” Nix said. “It was a kaboom. We determined later that it was the mountain.”
June
June 2
‘I Feel Like I’m Protesting For My Life’ — Peaceful Centralia Protest Took Place Sunday at Statue of City’s Founder
By Eric Trent
etrent@chronline.com
“End police brutality,” “We stand for all oppressed people!,” and “Only white people can cure racism” were just a few of the dozens of signs on display at George Washington Park in Centralia Sunday as about 40 people protested the killing of George Floyd by police on May 25 in Minnesota.
It was a fitting location as George Washington, the founder of what is now Centralia, was the son of an African American slave. Protestors gathered around the bronze statue of Washington and his wife, Mary Jane, which sits near the sidewalk on North Pearl Street.
Elise Charles, 32, of Centralia, was one of those standing near the statue with a “Black Lives Matter” sign.
“I’m here because I feel like I’m protesting for my life,” Charles said. “I think about all the people who wrongfully died at the hands of police. I can’t be naive to think it can’t happen to me.”
June 4
More Than 300 Kneel in Chehalis Monday
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
The second Black Lives Matter demonstration in as many days in the Twin Cities took place at the Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis Monday evening, with the number of supporters growing by the hundreds from the initial demonstration in Centralia.
The gathering was relatively short in duration, lasting less than an hour. Organizer and Chehalis resident Joanie Linder, who said she is not a part of any organization, just a concerned Lewis County resident, wanted to ensure everything remained peaceful and everyone went home safe.
“This shows that in this area, we are paying attention, we’re outraged and we’re ready for change,” Linder said in regard to the sharp increase in demonstrators from Sunday.
June 11
‘Uncle Sam’ Under Fire Again
By Colton Dodgson
cdodgson@chronline.com
Controversy surrounding the Hamilton Corner Uncle Sam billboard along Interstate 5 in Napavine is again garnering attention.
On June 4, Centralia resident Nicholas Baum started a petition to Chehalis City Hall — which he later changed for Napavine City Hall — lobbying for the removal of the billboard, citing the sometimes controversial nature of the messages and its representation of Lewis County from I-5. The sign, in place for decades, has long been a point of debate. Past efforts to order its removal have not been successful.
June 13
Centralia’s Varsity-Only Sports Plan for Upcoming School Year Is ‘Worst-Case Scenario’
By Eric Trent
etrent@chronline.com
With the current school levy expiring in December 2020, the Centralia School District is planning for worst case scenario mode for its athletics and activities programs this upcoming school year.
If the new levy, which is up for vote on Aug. 4, fails, the school district is planning to run only varsity high school sports during the 2020-21 school year.
Part of the projected $12 million shortfall is due to the failure in February of a levy priced at $2.50 per $1,000 in assessed value, a full dollar more than the previous rate of $1.50 per $1,000, which the district says forced it to lay off 90 employees in May.
Now the Associated Student Body is helping cover overhead costs for athletics that the levy normally covers, which includes transportation and some other expenses.
It does not include funding for JV, C-squad and middle schools teams. Those programs will likely not be offered this school year, or in the future, if the August levy fails.
• The school district experienced a double levy failure in August.
June 25
Lewis County Elected Officials Take Stand Against Wearing Masks
By The Chronicle
Hours after Gov. Jay Inslee issued an order Tuesday directing all Washington residents to wear masks to fight the spread of COVID-19, two Lewis County elected officials took public stands against the order.
Lewis County commissioner Bobby Jackson — who is up for reelection this year — announced on Facebook that he would work from home rather than wear a mask at the Lewis County Courthouse.
Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza made it clear during a rally south of Chehalis Tuesday night that he was also not in favor of the governor’s order.
“Gov. Inslee in his infinite wisdom has decided after 100 odd days that we should all wear facemasks inside and out,” Snaza said. “Here’s what I say. Don’t be a sheep.”
July
July 18
Narcotics Enforcement Team Seizes 24 Pounds of Meth, More Than 1,000 Grams of Heroin and 26,000 Fentanyl Pills in Two Separate Busts
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
Members of the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team reportedly seized 24 pounds of methamphetamine as well as $535,000 worth of fentanyl pills and heroin in two separate busts just six days apart from each other, according to two JNET press releases.
The first bust came on July 7 during a traffic stop of a van on Interstate 5, according to a release.
Norberto Becerra, also known as Alberto Perez Gutierrez, 40, and co-defendant Gabriel A. Noriega-Diaz, 31, were both charged with possession of meth with intent to manufacture or deliver.
August
Aug. 15
Centralia, Chehalis Schools to Begin Year With Distance-Learning Model
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
The Centralia School District School Board approved the reopening plan for the upcoming school year which plans to begin with a full distance learning model at their special board meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
Earlier this month, Lewis County Health Officer Dr. Rachel Wood recommended that all public and private schools in the county offer only distance learning to start off the 2020-21 school year.
Aug. 18
Morton Hosts ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Rally After Antifa Rumors Swirl
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
About 150 people were in Morton Sunday afternoon voicing their support for law enforcement and, for a certain crowd, their opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement at what was dubbed the “Blue Lives Matter Rally.”
“Our focus today is we are here to show support for law enforcement nationwide,” said Jennifer Hedge, the rally’s organizer. “Law enforcement needs our support. There is so much publicity in Black Lives Matter, there is so much publicity in Antifa, my feeling is all lives matter … every single person’s life matters and right now we need to support law enforcement.”
Aug. 22
Partners Hope to Begin Construction on United Learning Center
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
The City of Centralia and other partners, including the Early Learning Center, the Boys and Girls Club, the Discover! Children’s Museum and United Way of Lewis County have begun discussions and started moving forward on the United Learning Center (ULC).
The ULC has been described as an “innovative nonprofit center that connects parents and caregivers to an affordable early learning atmosphere for children ages 18 months to 5 years.”
The facility is planned to have a gym with a basketball court, a playground and multi-purpose rooms for various activities.
• The City of Centralia later pledged their support for the project, which will be constructed kitty-corner to Centralia City Hall at the corner of Pearl and Maple streets.
Aug. 25
Jail: 11 Inmates, Two Officers Test Positive for COVID-19
By Jackson Gardner
jgardner@chronline.com
After the Lewis County Jail had managed to not have a single COVID-19 case for the initial six months of the coronavirus pandemic, 11 inmates and two corrections officers tested positive for the virus last week.
Aug. 29
‘The Magic of Jimmy’ — Chehalis Man Receives Hundreds of Birthday Cards From All Over the Country
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
The unexpected kindness of strangers is powerful and has shown up in full force in Chehalis over the past week as hundreds of letters from all over the country have been delivered to the Chehalis Post Office — all addressed to Jimmy Armfield.
It started with a Facebook post calling for some friends to send Armfield a birthday card. That post now has over 6,000 likes and has been shared almost 9,000 times, reaching people from all over the country and world. Susan Gonzales, who created the Facebook post, and her husband Gene have known Armfield, who is 72 years old and living with developmental disabilities, for over a decade.
“I thought maybe he’d get 10 or 20 cards — not hundreds — and cookies and shirts and presents. It’s so amazing,” said Gonzales. “It’s just the magic of Jimmy. It really is.”
• In November, Jimmy Armfield was hit by a car while crossing the street. He is still recuperating. Check out the Meet Jimmy Facebook page for updates.
September
Sept. 22
Visibility as Activism’: How the Lollipop Guild Is Trying to Make Lewis County More Inclusive
By Claudia Yaw
cyaw@chronline.com
On Friday, a large rainbow pride sign was erected in Chehalis, with the words “LEWIS COUNTY WELCOMES EVERYONE.” Before the weekend was over, it was torn down and destroyed.
In response, the organization behind the sign — the Lewis County Lollipop Guild — posted a photo on Facebook. In it, founder Kyle Wheeler stands tall where the sign once was, waiving a large pride flag.
“Y’all may have torn down our sign last night, but we’re here to build people up,” the post reads. “And we’re not going anywhere.”
Wheeler hoped that the sign would counter the decades-old Uncle Sam billboard nearby, which has famously projected messages criticized as racist and or bigoted in the past. He got the idea from a commentary in the Chronicle, in which Julie McDonald wrote, “people who object to the messages on the Hamilton sign are free to purchase property along the freeway to share opposing views.”
Sept. 24
As Lewis County Schools Move Toward Hybrid Models, Educators Prepare to Straddle Two Worlds of Teaching
By Claudia Yaw
cyaw@chronline.com
Despite the state’s recommendations, more Lewis County schools are moving toward a hybrid model, with support from county commissioners and a push from a group of unhappy parents. According to Lewis County Public Health and Social Services Director J.P. Anderson, more detailed guidelines for bringing back all grade levels will be released in the coming days. As teachers prepare to tackle two worlds of teaching at the same time — virtual and in-person — some say their work is about to double.
Sept. 29
Prestige Confirms 56 COVID-19 Cases Among Patients and Staff
By The Chronicle
Lewis County Public Health and Social Services announced it will begin confirming outbreaks at congregate care facilities reporting it on a weekly basis.
“We have three outbreaks right now, all in congregate care settings, long-term care I should say,” said public health Director J.P. Anderson at a Lewis County commission meeting Monday morning. “We have three in long-term care facilities in Lewis County, and we have one in another congregate setting, a treatment center. Those are associated with many of the positives, not all of them.”
One of those outbreaks is occurring at Prestige Post-Acute and Rehabilitation Center, parent company Prestige Care confirmed in a statement.
Prestige, as of 9 a.m. Monday, has 36 patients and another 20 staff who have tested positive at its Centralia facility.
• Since September, a number of other facilities have experienced outbreaks, including Riverside Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
October
Oct. 3
Spanning the ‘Digital Divide’ — Some Families Still Lack Reliable Internet for Distance Learning
By Eric Trent
etrent@chronline.com
Amanda Linwood, a seventh grader at Chehalis Middle School, was just about to complete her first week of the 2020-2021 school year on Sept. 3 when her internet suddenly went out.
While trying to reconnect, her first-period class ended and her second-period class started. Linwood’s mother, Teresa Linwood, received an email from the school saying her daughter was absent from class. So Teresa was forced to to clear up the absence while heading into the four-day Labor Day Weekend.
The Linwoods live two miles from Centralia Safeway and have been fighting for years to get stable, reliable high-speed internet at their home on Goodrich Road.
• The Chronicle’s three part series “Spanning the Digital Divide” explored how the existing problem of slow internet service became a crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more at Chronline.com.
Oct. 20
Nightly Homeless Shelter to Open Nov. 1 at Fairgrounds
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
Lewis County Public Health and Social Services has partnered with the Salvation Army to operate a night-by-night homeless shelter that will be open every night from Nov. 1 to March 31, replacing the severe weather shelter which was open only on nights when temperatures dropped below 38 degrees.
The night-by-night shelter will be at the same location as the severe weather shelter at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds in Chehalis. The new shelter will not be run by volunteers like the severe weather shelter but by paid employees.
“The Salvation Army determined that the volunteer-based shelter isn’t going to work with COVID-19. A great number of volunteers are in the high-risk category,” said Lewis County Social Services Manager Meja Handlen.
November
Nov. 5
Abbarno Looks to Be 20th District’s Newest House Rep
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
State Representative candidate in the 20th District, Peter Abbarno (R-Centralia) holds a strong lead over candidate Timothy Zahn (D-Toutle) after the first count of the votes on Tuesday evening in the Position 1 race.
In the 20th district, Abbarno is leading with 69.7 percent of the vote to Zahn’s 30 percent.
In Lewis County, Abbarno received 72.4 percent of the vote to Zahn’s 27.3 percent.
Sean Swope Comes in 10 Percent Above Incumbent Edna Fund
By Claudia Yaw
cyaw@chronline.com
Lewis County election results as of Tuesday night indicate a likely victory for challenger Sean Swope — so far, the first-time candidate is leading by a 10 percent margin. Although results will continue to roll in, the county auditor’s office has already reported massive amounts of ballots turned in days before the election — 2016’s numbers were surpassed days before the deadline.
For now, it looks like Swope, a former youth minister with marketing experience, will take over for district 1, encompassing most of northern Lewis County, including Adna, Galvin and Centralia. Tuesday night, Swope celebrated with family and friends at his friends’ home in Chehalis.
“I’m feeling awesome. Pumped it paid off,” he said.
Landslide Win For Challenger Lindsey Pollock Over Incumbent Bobby Jackson
By The Chronicle
In a landslide vote of 60.12 percent to just 38 percent, Dr. Lindsey Pollock will unseat County Commissioner Bobby Jackson. Although the margin is significant, the victory is unsurprising considering August’s primary election, when the local veterinarian beat Jackson by nearly 20 percentage points. Pollock also handily outspent her opponent by $17,000.
“I honestly didn’t know how it was going to turn out, and I was not expecting this wide of a margin,” Pollock said Tuesday night. “I knew it would be favorable, but wow.”
Nov. 7
Centralia TransAlta Reports the Layoff of 64 Employees; First Coal Unit to Shut Down by End of Year
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
TransAlta has reported through the Washington Employment Security Department the permanent layoff of 64 employees as the power generating plant makes moves toward shutting down one of the two coal-burning units at the Centralia site at the end of 2020.
The first coal-burning unit will retire no later than Dec. 31, 2020. There will be approximately 115 employees left to operate the second coal-burning unit until 2025 when that too will be shut down.
“It’s a tough transition because TransAlta has been a really good employer that pays really good wages and benefits and trying to replicate that is difficult,” said Lewis County Commissioner Edna Fund. “We knew it was coming but it doesn’t make it any easier when it’s affecting families.”
Nov. 24
Gruesome Randle Murder Case Comes to a Close With Sentences
By Natalie Johnson
njohnson@chronline.com
For more than two years, friends and family of Ben Eastman have sought justice for the 16-year-old, who was found beaten and buried in a shallow grave in July 2018, in one of the most brutal killings in recent Lewis County memory.
On Monday, Jonathon Adamson was sentenced to 563 months, or nearly 47 years, to life in prison for convictions for first-degree murder, first-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and witness tampering in Eastman’s death.
His brother, Benito Marquez, was sentenced to a total of 360 months, or more than 26 years, for charges of first-degree murder and first-degree assault. Due to his age at the time time, 16, he will be eligible for early release after 20 years.
“I can’t really express how sorry I really am,” Marquez said. “I’m not the monster that I was that night. … He was my best friend, I don’t know how I did what I did. It’s unforgivable, but holding that hate in your heart is just going to hurt you more and more and more.”
December
Dec. 1
Mossyrock ‘Will Not Recognize’ Statewide COVID-19 Restrictions
By Claudia Yaw
cyaw@chronline.com
Mossyrock restaurants may continue offering indoor dining this week despite Gov. Jay Inslee’s new sweeping restrictions after the city passed an ordinance in November saying the city “will not recognize” Inslee’s proclamation until “sufficient COVID-19 information and data is presented to the City that establishes a state of emergency exists within the City.”
“If we had good data saying Mossyrock should be doing what we’re doing, that’d be fine,” Mossyrock Mayor Randall Sasser said Monday.
According to Sasser, the ordinance was met with broad community support and was spurred by frustration that the town of about 800 hasn’t seen many positive cases, yet is under the same restrictions as cities seeing bigger outbreaks.
“Throughout this whole thing, we’ve always been asking our citizens, ‘do you know of anyone in our area with the virus?’” he said. “We don’t know of anybody who has it.”
Dec. 5
Spiffy’s Becomes Lightning Rod for Protest of State’s COVID-19 Restrictions
By Claudia Yaw
cyaw@chronline.com
The parking lot of Spiffy’s in Napavine was full Wednesday night — partly with customers, and partly with residents waiting for Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) officers to return to the restaurant, which reopened indoor dining Monday, flouting statewide orders meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. By Thursday morning, the crowd had grown larger and included some individuals in tactical gear toting semi-automatic rifles.
According to Facebook posts and owner Rod Samuelson, L&I staff arrived at the restaurant Wednesday afternoon, telling staffers to close up shop, and that they would return in two hours. Samuelson has been vocal about his reopening of the restaurant in defiance of state COVID-19 orders. In an interview this week, he said he had a “plan b” ready for when L&I decided to come and address the restaurant’s violations.
Dec. 8
Southern Power Flips Switch on Skookumchuck Wind Farm
By Eric Rosane
For The Chronicle
A 38-turbine wind farm on the Thurston-Lewis county line recently started producing electricity, its owners say.
Southern Power, the majority stakeholder of the 136-megawatt Skookumchuck Wind Facility located south of the town of Rainier, made the announcement in a Tuesday, Dec. 1 news release.
The wind farm is the Atlanta-based company’s first in Washington state. The project’s energy and associated energy credits will be sold to Puget Sound Energy under a 20-year contract.
The project reportedly went live on Nov. 7, according to minority owner TransAlta.
“Skookumchuck Wind Facility is our first wind project in the state of Washington, and we are pleased to see this project achieve a commercial operation,” Southern Power President Bill Grantham said in a statement. “The addition of this facility showcases our commitment to the development of wind energy and is an excellent addition to our growing renewable fleet.”
Dec. 12
‘I’ve Been Praying For This’: Lewis County Prepares for Vaccine Distribution
By Claudia Yaw
cyaw@chronline.com
As Washington state prepares to receive its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines — a Pfizer product expected to receive emergency use authorization from the FDA in coming days — Lewis County officials say they’re preparing for local distribution while grappling with several unknowns.
“Honestly, we’re all waiting for what the final plan is. That comes out of the CDC, which will inform the final plan that comes out of the Department of Health, which will then allow the local jurisdictions to operationalize as needed,” said Ed Mund, emergency preparedness coordinator for Lewis County Public Health and Social Services.
