News | The Daily Chronicle

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest a fugitive in 2020.

ICE flew Oregon asylum seeker to Guatemala, then turned around after realizing ‘mistake’

Federal immigration officers last month flew an Oregon asylum seeker back to his home country of Guatemala after a judge cleared the way for his deportation, but they refused to let him off once the … more

Maxine Bernstein / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/11/25

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem surveys South Portland from the roof of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Tues., Oct. 7, 2025.

Kristi Noem video blaming Democrats for shutdown delays won’t play at PDX security checkpoints

A video in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristine Noem blames congressional Democrats for travel delays during the federal government shutdown is expected to play at airport security checkpoints … more

Elliot Njus, Beth Slovic / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/11/25

Christopher Virdell’s suspected homicide remains unsolved.

Death of Pierce County teen unsolved 13 years later; remains found in Centralia in 2014

Melanie Virdell wasn’t known to wake up early when she lived in the Spanaway area of Pierce County, but on a cold February morning about 13 years ago, she was up with her son, 18-year-old … more

Puneet Bsanti / The News Tribune (TNS) | 10/11/25

Kevin McNugget Brownie Burt was killed by a hit and run driver on Yelm Highway Thursday night., Oct. 9.

Driver kills dog, injures owner in Thurston County hit-and-run

Thurston County deputies are investigating a hit-and-run collision that injured a pedestrian and killed a dog Thursday night. The incident occurred at a crosswalk near the intersection of Yelm … more

Martín Bilbao / The Olympian (TNS) | 10/11/25

Hens peck through dirt west of Chehalis on Tuesday night.

Fourth Washington state bird flu outbreak confirmed in large poultry farm

An outbreak of highly pathogenic bird flu has been confirmed at a large commercial poultry operation in Grant County near Moses Lake in Eastern Washington. It is the first outbreak of avian … more

v | 10/11/25

Former U.S. attorney for Western Washington and current state Attorney General Nick Brown answers a question during a debate between attorney general candidates hosted by The Chronicle in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Washington state will not require clergy to report child abuse learned through confession

Washington will not require clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect learned through confession or privileged conversations, following a legal settlement announced Friday. The … more

Mitchell Roland / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 10/11/25

Starbucks laying off almost 1,000 workers in Seattle, Kent

After Starbucks said last month that it planned to lay off hundreds of nonretail workers as part of a $1 billion restructuring plan, a new state filing shows what these job cuts mean for employees in … more

Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/11/25

Two teenagers charged with murder of 18-year-old in Federal Way

Two King County teenagers were charged with murder Friday, accused by prosecutors and police in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Nena Edmonds in her Federal Way apartment in February. Jelani … more

Catalina Gaitán / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/11/25

Seattle Police Department officers stand guard during protests in late May 2020.

Seattle’s police chief says he ‘will not be quiet’ if National Guard deployed

Should the Trump administration deploy the National Guard to Seattle, police Chief Shon Barnes knows what he'll say to his officers. I will ask them, 'Does anyone know who Willie Grimes is?'" … more

Mike Carter / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/11/25

Crowds attend Microsoft's Build conference at the Seattle Convention Center Monday, May 19, 2025. CEO Satya Nadella was the keynote speaker during the first day of the conference.

Microsoft to bring AI to Washington state classrooms amid urban, rural tech divide

Microsoft will supply its artificial intelligence technology to every public school district and community college in Washington next year, part of a nationwide campaign to spread AI training and … more

Alex Halverson / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/11/25

Father fatally shot in Pierce County — son in custody, sheriff’s office says

Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies responded Friday evening to a fatal shooting in Parkland that left a father, 63, dead and his son, 41, in custody, according to a social media post. The … more

By The News Tribune staff (TNS) | 10/11/25

Homecoming Queen Jasmine Shepherd and King Rafael Lamas Vera stand together after winning during a homecoming game against Oakville-North River at Winlock High School on Friday, Oct. 10.

In Focus: Homecoming in Winlock

10/11/25

The Washington state Capitol on April 18, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)

Another lawsuit filed over Washington state’s new taxes on services

Washington’s new sales tax on services faces a second lawsuit that could undercut the state’s moves to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. A Sequim-based security … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 10/10/25

A bust of George Washington lies tipped over on the third floor of the Washington state Capitol building in Olympia, after a vandal broke in and caused damage on Sunday night. (Photo courtesy of Department of Enterprise Services)

Man accused of vandalizing Washington state Capitol undergoes mental health evaluation

A Washington man suspected of breaking into and vandalizing the state Capitol is undergoing a mental health evaluation, an attorney confirmed Friday. Authorities initially arrested Gunnar … more

By Emily Fitzgerald and Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 10/10/25

Gov. Bob Ferguson, at podium, goes to shake hands with state Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, at the signing of a bill to make clergy mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect, on May 2, 2025 in Olympia. Standing between them is Mary Dispenza, a founding member of the Catholic Accountability Project. (Photo by Jerry Cornfield/Washington State Standard)

Washington state will not require priests to report child abuse disclosed in confession

Washington has abandoned its effort to force Catholic priests and other religious leaders to divulge information on child abuse and neglect they learn of in confession. With a pair of legal … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 10/10/25

Chehalis City Council Position 2 At-Large candidate Jack-Allen Snodgrass speaks during a debate hosted by the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce at O’Blarney’s in Centralia on Thursday, Oct. 9.

Round Two: Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce hosts yearly political debate

The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce brought local political candidates together for a round of debates for the second day in a row Thursday. The chamber debate opened its doors on the … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 10/10/25

Attendees watch as Centralia City Council District 2 candidates Ray Chapman-Wilson and Leah Sisemore answer questions during a debate hosted by The Chronicle in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Local candidates square off in second annual debate hosted by The Chronicle

Editor's note: Look for articles on each race in next week’s editions of The Chronicle. The series begins with the Port of Centralia Commission race, which you can read about at … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/10/25

Incumbent Port of Centralia District 2 Commissioner Julie Shaffley and challenger Ally Pickard look at each other during a debate hosted by The Chronicle in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Port of Centralia candidates trade jabs over taxes, cartoons and more

Editor’s note: Each debate held Wednesday night at Centralia College will be featured in an article in The Chronicle over the next week. See more coverage at chronline.com. Guests at … more

By Dylan Reubenking / dylanr@chronline.com | 10/10/25

State Patrol’s ‘One More Stop’ emphasis patrol: 5,300 motorist contacts in 73 hours

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) supported a multistate emphasis patrol in honor of fallen Trooper Christopher Gadd beginning on Friday, Sept. 26, … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/10/25

Jennifer McBride, content marketing editor at Rootstock, holds the phone as Maynard Mallonee introduces himself to viewers during a National Farmers Day livestream presentation with Organic Valley at Mallonee Farms in Curtis on Thursday, Oct. 9. The Chronicle traveled to the Mallonee farm in Curtis on Thursday morning for the National Farmers Day event. “Their farm uses many innovative practices (robotic milkers, apps to keep an eye on cow health and much more),” organizers wrote. “They are also leaders in sustainability initiatives — the Mallonee farm boasts the largest concentration of Kincaid’s lupine in Washington and represents the northernmost range of the flower.” The farm hosted two livestream sessions to highlight the operation on Thursday. The livestream included six farmers from coast to coast.

In Focus: Celebrating National Farmers Day at Mallonee Farms in Curtis

10/10/25