Local News | The Daily Chronicle

Kitchen #2 is located along Fort Borst Park Road in Centralia.

Centralia Parks Board Expanded by Two Additional Members, Term Limits Changed

One can only imagine why the City of Centralia’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board frequently lacks the members present for a quorum. “It’s been three months in a row that … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 4/21/23

Wind turbine blades, roughly 220-feet in length, are pictured at the laydown yard just south of Rainier in this 2020 file photo.

Legislature Approves Wind Turbine Recycling Bill Sponsored by State Sen. Jeff Wilson

A wind turbine blade recycling bill sponsored by state Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, received final approval by the state Senate on Monday and is now headed to Gov. Jay Inslee to be signed into law. … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/21/23

A sign displayed at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

Mount St. Helens Institute Announces 2023 Base Camp and Family Adventure Camp Dates, Introduces Sliding Scale Pay Model

The Mount St. Helens Institute (MSHI) has announced a new sliding scale pay model for its Base Camp and Family Adventure Camp camping events on weekends throughout the summer. The events … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/21/23

Centralia College has named Andrew Thompson, left, and Ethan Myers to the 2023 All-Washington Academic Team, the college announced this week.

Two Centralia College Students Named to All-Washington Academic Team

Centralia College has named two students to the 2023 All-Washington Academic Team, the college announced this week. Each student will receive $250 in scholarships from Key Bank and are … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/21/23

Alderson's Awards West Printwares in Centralia now hosts an online shop to raise money for the Centralia K9 Foundation.

Alderson’s Awards West Launches Store for Centralia Police K9 Association

Alderson’s Awards West in Centralia recently launched an online store for the Centralia Police K9 Association to support police dogs and their needs. T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, … more

By Matthew Zylstra / matthew@chronline.com | 4/21/23

From left, Wade Pilloud, Officer Lance Martin with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Randy Lampman watch as hundreds of trout are released into Carlisle Lake in Onalaska on Friday.

Onalaska Aquaculture Program Releases 600 Trout in Carlisle Lake

The Onalaska School District aquaculture program released 600 trout in Carlisle Lake on Friday morning. The release coincides with the Saturday start of the statewide trout fishing derby. … more

By Matthew Zylstra / matthew@chronline.com | 4/21/23

Cowlitz Tribe Opens Cannabis Dispensary

COWLITZ RESERVATION — As rain cascaded from the sky, tribal drums beat to mark a 4-20 occasion — a new bright green brick and mortar cannabis dispensary, Q'anápsu, opening Thursday … more

Sarah Wolf / The Columbian (TNS) | 4/21/23

A sea lion, about 70 miles upstream from the Columbia River, pokes its head above the water on the Cowlitz River where hatchery salmon were released Monday.

Sea Lions, Seals Seen 70 Miles up Cowlitz River at Barrier Dam

For anglers who enjoy catching salmon near Astoria, the California sea lion is an established menace. The farther out one travels at the river’s mouth, the more they’ll see the … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com | 4/19/23

Commissioners Sean Swope, Scott Brummer and Lindsey Pollock attend a meeting at the Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis on Tuesday.

Outcry for Answers in Death of Aron Christensen Reaches County Commissioners

Thursday, April 20 marks eight months to the day since the bodies of Aron Christensen, 49, of Portland, and his puppy, Buzzo, were discovered near the Walupt Lake Trail, a camping and hiking … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com | 4/19/23

Crews work to construct bridge materials before raising support beams for a bridge over state Route 6 near Littell along the Willapa Hills State Park Trail on Tuesday, April 18. Flaggers have been alternating traffic in one lane on state Route 6 as work continues this week. Additional overnight closures are required for bridge deck casting and railing installation and are tentatively scheduled for May 1 to May 4, WSDOT announced last week. As with all highway maintenance and construction projects, travelers are asked to exercise caution when driving through the work zone. For safety, drivers are asked to drive at slower speeds, have patience, obey warning signs and look for instructions from flagging personnel.

In Focus: Willapa Hills Trail Bridge Taking Shape Over State Route 6

In these photos, crews work to construct bridge materials before raising support beams for a bridge over state Route 6 near Littell along the Willapa Hills State Park Trail on Tuesday, April 18. … more

4/19/23

Barbara Feigin, a 1955 graduate of W.F. West High School, is pictured along with her book, “My American Dream: A Journey From Fascism to Freedom.”

Barbara Feigin, 1955 W.F. West Graduate and World War II Refugee, to Speak on April 24

Barbara Feigin, a 1955 graduate of W.F. West High School, will be returning to Chehalis to speak in the W.F. West High School library at 6 p.m. Monday, April 24, to discuss her life. The event is … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/19/23

Lewis County to Host Repair and Sustainability Fair on April 22

Lewis County will be hosting its first Repair and Sustainability Fair on April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 108 of the Centralia College SWFT Center, located at 807 W. Pear St. in … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/19/23

From left, Hank Kirk, former president of Centralia College, Reverend Doctor Howard Matiya Nkhoma and wife of over 55 years, Mariya, Owen Singini, the chief of his village of 80 residents who has worked as a driver for over 35 years, and Jenny Kirk, who, with husband Hank, helped the Nkhomas to establish the University of Livingstonia in Malawi, pose for a photo in downtown Centralia on Thursday, April 13.

Love Between Two Communities Across the World Nurtures ‘The Whole Country’ of Malawi 25 Years Later

It’s been 25 years since the start of a friendship between communities on opposite sides of the planet that would blossom into the University of Livingstonia in Malawi, which turns 20 this … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com | 4/19/23

A deer sits in a yard under a madrone tree in Chehalis on Sunday.

WDFW to Discontinue Online-Only Hunter Education

Starting June 1, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will no longer offer fully remote hunter education courses. The Department will continue to offer in-person hunter education … more

4/19/23

Centralia City Council Increases the City’s Biennial Budget by $464,884

The City of Centralia’s 2023-2024 budget appropriations were increased by $464,884 by the Centralia City Council during its regular meeting last week. The council approved the budget … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 4/19/23

Work continues on the Centralia Station project along Alder Street in Centralia on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

Bids for Next Phase of Centralia Station Construction Unveiled

Contractors and Centralia residents were at the Port of Centralia Tuesday afternoon when the 2 p.m. bid acceptance deadline for phase two of the Centralia Station project arrived. Engineering … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 4/19/23

Caden R. Turner, 25, of Morton, appears in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.

Morton Man Accused of Breaking Into Woman’s Home, Threatening Her With Firearm

Bail has been set at $100,000 for a Morton man accused of breaking into a woman’s house and threatening her with a firearm on Saturday. The woman reported she was in bed Saturday … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 4/19/23

Sirens: Blood in the Bathroom; Counterfeit Bills; Assault; Business Burglarized

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Traffic Hazard • Officers received a report of a car stalled in the roadway at the intersection of Reynolds Avenue and North Pearl Street just … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/19/23

Crew members pose for a photo at Dawn’s Delectables Dessert & Sandwich Shoppe in Centralia during a 10-year anniversary celebration on Tuesday, April 18. Dawn Merchant, the owner, is pictured second from right

In Focus: Dawn’s Delectables Celebrates 10 Years of Business in Downtown Centralia

For Dawn's Delectables anniversary event in downtown Centralia, free cupcakes were provided and diners got a 10 percent discount on Tuesday. There was live music in the afternoon. Owner Dawn … more

Photos by Jared Wenzelburger / jared@chronline.com | 4/19/23

FILE PHOTO — Washington State Sen. John Braun

Braun Criticizes Police Vehicular Pursuit Bill Following State Senate Passage

State Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, released a statement on Monday following the state Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 5352, calling it a “half-step” toward … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/19/23