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Death notice: Oct. 4, 2024

• MARIA LOUISE BIRK, 76, Centralia, died Sept. 28 at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. Arrangements are under the care of Funeral Alternatives of Washington. more

10/4/24

Sirens: Maintenance building burglarized; man trespassed for public urination; assault, riot reported at Green Hill School

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Criminal trespass • A homeless Yelm man was trespassed from a business in the 300 block of West Main Street just before 3:10 p.m. on Oct. 3 after someone … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/4/24

Sen. John Braun in Olympia on Friday, Feb. 15, 2024.

John Braun: Approve I-2124 to get a pay raise while ending the government’s monopoly on long-term care coverage

All four of the citizen initiatives on the upcoming general election ballot would let people keep more of their own money. That alone is a good reason to support each. Initiative 2124 stands out … more

Commentary by Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia | 10/4/24

Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, speaks during the missing or murdered Indigenous persons solidarity event at Toledo Middle School on Sunday, May 5.

Commentary: The direction of public safety is on the ballot this November

If you missed the good news, according to recently released FBI statistics violent crime in the United States dropped the past year. This has been a positive multi-year trend since 2019. … more

By state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia | 10/4/24

Letters to the editor can be submitted to letters@chronline.com.

Letter to the editor: Paul Strophy an ideal candidate for superior court judge

I am writing to strongly endorse Lewis County Superior Court Commissioner Paul Strophy for the position of Lewis County Superior Court judge. In today’s complex legal environment, we need a … more

10/4/24

Elicia Shopfer places pumpkins in a bin after weighing them at the Rutledge Family Farm on Thursday, Oct. 3. The pumpkin patch is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Oct. 31.

In focus: Rutledge Family Farm open for the Halloween season

The Rutledge Family Farm is pictured on Thursday, Oct. 3, in these photos by Chronicle photographer Ridley Hudson. The pumpkin patch is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Oct. 31. … more

10/4/24

Lewis County District 6 and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources work to extinguish a brush fire off of southbound Interstate 5 just south of exit 77 on Thursday, Aug. 1.

Washington state tribes receive $800,000 for wildland fire training

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has initiated a program to enhance access to wildland fire training for tribal members, following the allocation of $800,000 in legislative … more

By The Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 10/4/24

Sen. Maria Cantwell listens during a roundtable discussion at Cascade Community Healthcare in Centralia on Thursday, Aug. 8.

Cantwell gains support for anti-fentanyl bill

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, has obtained support from the Spokane police chief and other Washington leaders for her Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act … more

By The Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 10/4/24

Providence Professional Center at 1010 South Scheuber Road in Centralia.

Providence to sell four Vancouver clinics to PeaceHealth

PeaceHealth has agreed to buy four Providence medical clinics in Vancouver by the end of the year, the two nonprofit Catholic health systems announced Thursday. PeaceHealth, which is … more

By Kristine de Leon / The Oregonian / TNS | 10/4/24

State Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Lake Sutherland, is pictured in this photo from his campaign website.

Van De Wege resigns Washington state Senate seat

Democratic state Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, who lost his bid for Washington public lands commissioner in August, resigned from his legislative office Wednesday, three months before the end of his term. … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington Standard | 10/4/24

Driver crashes car in a yard, then spits in officer’s face, Thurston County sheriff says

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said on social media Friday morning that a man was arrested in the Yelm area after crashing his car into someone’s front yard, then shoving and spitting in … more

By Ty Vinson / The Olympian | 10/4/24

The strange, putrid smell overnight between Tuesday, Sept. 24, and Wednesday, Sept. 25, throughout the region was tracked by the National Weather Service of Portland with wind patterns. The smell originated in Cowlitz County before burning the nostrils of Clark County residents but was also reported throughout the Portland area and north to Centralia and Chehalis

Last week’s Southwest Washington odor still remains a mystery

Officials say the source of the smell that reportedly caused headaches and sore throats from Centralia to Portland last week is still undetermined. Despite reports of negative reactions, Brittny … more

By Matt Esnayra / The Daily News | 10/4/24

An adult coho salmon launches itself out of the water at the top of the fish bridge located at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery at the Barrier Dam.

WDFW seeks public comment on strategy to prioritize fish passage barrier removal

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking public input on a draft statewide strategy to prioritize the removal of small-scale barriers that prevent salmon and steelhead from … more

WDFW | 10/4/24

A sea lion sticks its head above the water near the Barrier Dam in the Cowlitz River in April 2023.

Washington state researchers to use drones to survey seals and sea lions

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has finalized a drone use plan that authorizes staff to conduct pinniped research and management surveys in the state’s coastal and inland … more

WDFW | 10/4/24

Friends of Winlock Library hold silent auction to raise funds

The Friends of the Winlock Timberland Regional Library will hold a silent auction fundraiser 0ct 5 through Oct. 19. Auction items will be displayed at the library at 322 NE First St., Winlock, … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/4/24

Lewis County commissioner candidate Christina Riley looks at Commissioner Lindsey Pollock as she answers a question during a debate hosted by The Chronicle in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Local candidates for public office to face off again next week

Candidates for local office will again gather for a debate next week ahead of the general election in November. The debate, organized by the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce, will include … more

By Mitchell Roland / mitchell@chronline.com | 10/4/24

Wildland firefighters spray down a pile of burning brush as the Washington Department of Natural Resources assists Lewis County firefighters in responding to a brush fire off of Beaver Creek Road in Boistfort on Thursday, Oct. 3.

In focus: State, local firefighters knock down blaze in Boistfort

The Washington Department of Natural Resources assisted Lewis County firefighters from the Boistfort area in responding to a brush fire off of Beaver Creek Road on Thursday, Oct. 3. Lewis County … more

Photos by Kody Christen / kody@chronline.com | 10/4/24

A home undergoing renovations to be raised for flood resilience is pictured during the Chehalis Basin Strategy Legislative Site Tour in Bucoda on Friday, Sept. 27.

‘A huge piece of mind’: Office of Chehalis Basin project elevates Bucoda home to reduce flooding concerns

Shawn Selfridge’s house stands out among his neighbors in the small South Thurston County town of Bucoda. A homeowner for six years, a flood roughly five years ago sparked concerns that … more

By Mitchell Roland / mitchell@chronline.com | 10/4/24

The corn maze at the Huntting's Pumpkin Patch and Haunted Forest is pictured from above in Cinebar on Thursday, Oct. 3.

In focus: The Huntting’s Pumpkin and Haunted Forest offers a massive corn maze and more

The Huntting’s Pumpkin Patch and Haunted Forest is open now through Nov. 2 and offers a massive corn maze and much more. It’s located at 600 Cinebar Road. No reservations are needed. … more

10/4/24

‘Sadistic’ Oregon man gets extra-long sentence 44 years after college student’s murder

Louise Tucker opened the faded yellow cover of the baby book — her seventh — flipped past the milestone memories to a blank page and put down the words no mother should write. Her … more

Zane Sparling / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/4/24