Item: Tenino toddler Dies After being Hit by Car
It caused all of us to physically shudder when we heard of the tragic death of 1-year-old Rowyn Johnson of Tenino Tuesday morning. She was accidentally run over by a car in the family’s driveway. She died instantly.
It was hard to even discuss in the office this week. For some with small children, it is unfathomable. We can’t make sense of such a loss. We can, however, show as much support for that family and their friends as we can muster.
A fund has been set up to help the family with unforeseen expenses. If you are interested, go to www.gofundme.com/emp27o. Every bit helps, and just the act of caring by giving a financial gift will let the family know the entire community mourns alongside them.
Item: Jim Vander Stoep Honored
It speaks to the impact Jim Vander Stoep made in life that he is still being honored in death.
The former Chehalis attorney was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Washington State Bar Association during a ceremony Thursday in Seattle.
Vander Stoep died at the age of 88 in March, leaving behind him a legacy unlike any other. His contributions to the city of Chehalis would take days to discuss in full, as he threw himself behind dozens of efforts for more than five decades.
Whether it was a public pool, a new library, youth athletics or the myriad projects of the Chehalis Rotary, Vander Stoep could be counted on to contribute to success and growth.
That’s all aside from his prolific work as an attorney.
The community needs more leaders like Vander Stoep, who selflessly used his personal success to bolster the people and causes around him.
Item: National Voter Registration Day
Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day.
While we shouldn’t need an unofficial holiday to tell us of the importance of voting, it’s a welcome reminder.
Voter turnout in the August primary election was abysmal across the state, and only slightly better here in Lewis County.
In the coming weeks, The Chronicle will gear up for election previews, detailing the many important races that will mark the ballot in November.
There are contested races for auditor, assessor, sheriff, state representative and Congress. In addition, dueling initiatives would either require backgrounds for all firearm purchases or ban such checks entirely.
We’ll do our best to present as much pertinent information in helping you decide who to support in each race, but you won’t have a voice if you don’t register.
