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Washington Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Michael Cazenavette tapes an entrance sign to a door on Tuesday, April, 27, welcoming clients to Wednesday’s Public Walk-in Covid-19 Vaccine Clinic to be held in the former Sears location in the Lewis County Mall. The clinic was developed with help from the National Guard — which will staff the event — the Washington State Department of Health, the Lewis County Division of Emergency Management, and Lewis County Public Health and Social Services.

Lewis County Moving to Smaller, Community-Organized Vaccine Clinics

Lewis County residents can now help organize community COVID-19 vaccine clinics staffed by the National Guard — as long as they can find 19 friends or family members also looking for a … more

By Claudia Yaw / cyaw@chronline.com | 4/28/21

Lewis County Fire District 6 firefighters carry a colleague from the building they used for training on Monday.

Lewis County Fire District 6 Trains for Rescues and More

A team of firefighters with Lewis County Fire District 6 burst out the front door of an unoccupied residence on Jackson Highway, dragging the limp body of their incident commander out of the smoke. … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 4/28/21

An early rendering of what the United Learning Center might look like was released last year. The plans are subject to change.

Bezos Academy Explores Tuition-Free Learning Site at United Learning Center in Centralia

The Seattle-based nonprofit Bezos Academy is looking to get involved in early-learning education in Lewis County. The Centralia City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a memorandum of … more

By Eric Rosane / ericr@chronline.com | 4/28/21

Seattle rapper Lil Mosey, born Lathan Moses Echols, appears in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday.

Rapper ‘Lil Mosey’ Pleads Not Guilty to Second-Degree Rape Charge in Lewis County

Seattle rapper Lil Mosey, born Lathan Moses Echols, has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree rape charge stemming from a January 2020 incident in Randle. Echols appeared in Lewis County … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 4/27/21

Debbie Nix smiles while holding her cat KJ as he sports a feathery hat in her Centralia residence.

With $8M on the Line, a Debate Over Permanent Supportive Housing Unfolds in Centralia

Centralia senior citizen Sue Wallace spends a lot of her days painting and coloring in her one-bedroom unit with her canine companion, Scooter. Before moving into Centralia’s Reliable Place … more

By Claudia Yaw / cyaw@chronline.com | 4/26/21 | 4 comments

Sheryl Hall, right, and other Gifford Pinchot Trash Force members take a group photo during a cleanup of an illegal roofing dump out on the Forest Service Road 21. It took about three hours to get it cleaned up. The trash is believed to have been dumped seven years ago. It cost about $115 to dump the material at a nearby transfer station.

Gifford Pinchot Trash Force Are Stewards of the Forest

The Gifford Pinchot Trash Force goes the extra mile — 22 of them and counting, to be precise. Dedicated to the environmental stewardship of their namesake national forest and surrounding … more

By Eric Rosane / ericr@chronline.com | 4/26/21

Hererra Beutler Far Ahead of Pack in First Quarter Congressional Race Finances

The first quarterly filings for Washington’s Third Congressional District race are in, and incumbent Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler has a strong fundraising lead among five challengers, three of … more

Rick Bannan / For The Chronicle | 4/26/21

The Thurston County Sheriff's Office responds to the discovery of a body on 12th Avenue Northeast Sunday near Olympia.

Thurston County Homicide Victim Identified as Chehalis Man

A 37-year-old Chehalis man has been identified as the victim of an apparent homicide, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. The body of Jose Alejo Tamayo was found on the … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/26/21

Washington Legislature Final Budget Raises Taxes, Boosts Spending by More Than $5 billion

OLYMPIA — For much of last year, the COVID-19 pandemic and related job losses made Washington's budget forecast look dismal, with billions in projected shortfalls leading to calls for swift … more

Joseph O'Sullivan and Jim Brunner / The Seattle Times | 4/25/21

Clouds drift over Mount St. Helens at sunset on Thursday.

Photos: Spirit Lake Memorial Highway Now Open

Warmer spring temperatures mean that the gates to the upper level of state Route 504, also known as Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, are now open. The Washington State Department of Transportation … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/23/21

Jasen Wenzelburger, a 2020 graduate, throws up his graduation cap last June at Centralia High School.

Local Schools Eye the Outdoors for Graduations

High schools in Lewis County are eyeing the great outdoors — specifically football stadiums and fields — for more traditional graduation ceremonies this year following relaxed COVID-19 … more

By Eric Rosane / ericr@chronline.com | 4/23/21

Jason Sobczynski uses a cutting torch while working to remove pieces of metal from No. 15 Thursday afternoon in Chehalis.

‘Repairing the Arteries and Heart’: Work Begins on Repairing Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum's Steam Locomotive

Jason Sobczynski is quick to forget names. But model numbers? Well, those are easy to remember. “I’m horrible with names. If everyone had a number I would be so golden, but I … more

By Eric Rosane / ericr@chronline.com | 4/23/21

Mount Rainier is seen over a ridge from TransAlta Centralia on last week.

Herrera Beutler Joins Opposition to WDFW’s Proposed Wildlife Refuge

Southwest Washington’s U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler joined local officials this week in opposing a proposed wildlife refuge in Centralia. Multinational power company TransAlta announced … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/23/21

Gov. Jay Inslee hosts a press conference outside of the governor’s mansion Thursday, April 15, to announce the new “take it outside” initiative intended to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Inslee Worries Over Vaccine Hesitancy; Officials Say Fourth Wave Hitting Younger People Harder

With COVID-19 activity rising across the state, Gov. Jay Inslee and health care leaders are urging those who haven’t received a vaccine for the disease to get their shots as Washington sees a … more

Rick Bannan / For The Chronicle | 4/22/21

Ron Bolan talks about the Bolan “Hangout” Barrel at his home in the Boistfort Valley on Tuesday as Rod Rector holds up a Rector Planter branding iron.

Bolan’s Barrels of Fun Launches in Boistfort Valley

For about a decade, Ron Bolan worked for high-end cabinetry companies in the area. He says he learned to be handy from his stepdad, who would regularly use his skills to transform the cheap rentals … more

By Claudia Yaw / cyaw@chronline.com | 4/21/21

Herrera Beutler Comes Out in Opposition to WDFW’s Proposed Acquisition of TransAlta Land

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler has come out against a plan by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to acquire nearly 10,000 acres currently owned by TransAlta. The proposal … more

By The Chronicle staff | 4/21/21 | 1 comment

FILE PHOTO — At least 150 people attended the Gun Rights Coalition's Rally 4 UR Rights at the state Capitol in Olympia in this photo taken in 2018.

Washington Legislature Approves Ban of Open Carry of Guns at Demonstrations, State Capitol

OLYMPIA — Gun-rights demonstrations and other protests at the Capitol have long drawn large crowds of individuals, many of whom sport handguns on their hips or semiautomatic rifles slung over … more

Joseph O'Sullivan / The Seattle Times | 4/21/21 | 2 comments

Helen Holloway, 93, discusses her life during World War II as a “Rosie the Riveter” Monday morning in Centralia.

Service and Spunk:: Helen Holloway, Dedicated Volunteer and ‘Rosie the Riveter,’ Dead at 95

When I first met Helen Holloway almost 20 years ago, she was Lewis County’s most vocal advocate for senior services. By her mid-70s, she had already been volunteering with seniors for three … more

By Brian Mittge / For The Chronicle | 4/19/21 | 1 comment

From left, Cheyenne and Sarah Anfeldt, Shirley Tax, Icy Counts and Elena Kaye hold signs to bring awareness for the missing Matthew Anfeldt during a honk-and-wave event in Grand Mound on Saturday. Attendees gathered at the park-and-ride on Southwest Tenino Grand Mound Road and held signs and fliers with information on three unsolved missing or murdered victims: Anfeldt, Logan Schiendelman and Karen Bodine. Anfeldt was last seen at the Speedway Grocery on Old Highway 99 in Grand Mound just before 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2019. Shiendelman was last seen by his grandmother on May 19, 2016, at their home in Tumwater. Later that same day, his car, a black 1996 Chrysler Sebring convertible, was towed from the shoulder of southbound Interstate 5 near milepost 92. Bodine was found dead at the entrance to a gravel pit off of Little Rock Road Southwest in Rochester on Jan. 22, 2007.

Photos: Honk-and-Wave Raises Awareness for South Thurston County Cold Cases

4/19/21

Castle Rock resident Jeran Keogh recently captured this photo of the Milky Way over Mount St. Helens. It was captured at about 2 a.m. April 12 from State Route 504. “(It was a) freezing cold night at mountain but (I was) highly determined to get the best shot I could,” he wrote. Check out Jeran Keogh Photography on Instagram and Facebook to see more of his work.

Photo: The Milky Way Shines Over Mount St. Helens

4/19/21