News | The Daily Chronicle

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners run through the agenda for the Jan. 7 meeting.

Thurston County commissioners might ask to forgo raises due to a budget shortfall

Thurston County commissioners may ask to forgo salary raises this year due to an ongoing budget shortfall. The request is laid out in a draft letter to a citizen's commission that's tasked with … more

Martín Bilbao / The Olympian (TNS) | 3/29/25

A sandy beach on the Columbia River runs to Warrior Point on the northern tip of Sauvie Island. Two Oregon lawmakers have revived a proposal to potentially construct a highway bypass through the area as an alternative to Interstate 5.

A proposed bill could reignite the long-running battle over new Oregon-Washington highway bypass

Two lawmakers have revived an old proposal to potentially construct a highway bypass between Oregon and Washington as an alternative to Interstate 5, which they say would ease congestion in the … more

Carlos Fuentes / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/29/25

Employees of the U.S. Forest Service and members of the North Country Volcano Rescue Team hike through the Spirit Lake drainage tunnel in March 2016. The Forest Service is reviewing ways to update or replace the aging tunnel.

U.S. Forest Service eyes updating or even replacing Spirit Lake tunnel 45 years after eruption of Mount St. Helens

The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing ways to prevent Spirit Lake from overflowing by updating or replacing an aging tunnel built to drain the lake after the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption . The … more

Henry Brannan / Murrow News | 3/29/25

Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn, speaking to his bill to amend Hope Card program for those granted protection orders.

Bill would improve Washington state’s domestic violence Hope Card Program by making them free

A Washington state lawmaker is backing a bill to tweak a program he helped establish that offers wallet-sized cards with information about a protection order. The Hope Card Program , enacted in … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 3/29/25

Idaho Gov. Brad Little gives a press conference after delivering his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, in the Lincoln Auditorium in the Idaho Capitol. (Photo by Pat Sutphin/ Idaho Capital Sun)

Idaho governor signs bill criminalizing public breast exposure and ‘truck nuts’

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill that criminalizes the public exposure of breasts. House Bill 270 updates Idaho’s indecent exposure law , which already bans public exposure of … more

By Kyle Pfannenstiel / Idaho Capital Sun | 3/28/25

Sate Rep. Matt Marshall, R-Eatonville, spoke at a Yelm town hall event on Thursday, March 20, at Yelm Community Center.

Washington state Dems’ proposal to close schools for developmentally disabled draws GOP ire

As the debate heats up in Olympia over competing budget proposals, one of the cost-cutting ideas offered by majority party Democrats in the state Legislature is getting some Republican pushback. … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 3/28/25

President Donald Trump signs an executive order to keep trans women out of women's sports in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Title IX, trans athletes and $31M: Washington state school board files civil rights complaint

As several states go to war with President Donald Trump, filing lawsuits against his directives — some prohibiting transgender athletes from competing against girls — one rural school … more

Tim Clouser / The Center Square | 3/28/25

News Dump hosts Eric Schwartz, left, and Aaron VanTuyl.

News Dump Ep. 228: Mint City, Stone City, Cheese Town and a dustup on the streets of Morton

On the 228th episode of The Chronicle News Dump, hosts Aaron VanTuyl and Eric Schwartz discuss the ol’ dusty trail running through Morton , new baseball fits in Chehalis, the distinct lack of … more

3/28/25

Man accused of crashing into Centralia building in December arrested, charged with attempt to elude, possession of cocaine

Bail is set at $10,000 for a man arrested in Centralia on Thursday for allegedly crashing into a building and eluding police in December and for having cocaine in his possession at the time of his … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 3/28/25

Death notices: March 28, 2025

• FLORENCE J. CUNNINGHAM, 96, Centralia, died March 12 at Providence Centralia Hospital. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home. • JANET L. FOSS, 68, Chehalis, died … more

3/28/25

Sirens: Patient in ambulance steals trauma shears, flees on foot; Marijuana found at middle school; man with knife swings sharp stick

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Drug violations • A juvenile was referred on charges for allegedly bringing marijuana to Centralia Middle School in the 900 block of Johnson Road just after … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

Veterans Memorial Museum Executive Director Chip Duncan talks with Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez outside of the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System American Lake Mobile Medical Unit in Chehalis on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023.

U.S. Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez urges VA to reopen clinic in Lewis County

This week, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins urging the agency to reopen a Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic in Lewis County after … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

American Association of University Women’s annual used book sale volunteers, from left, Kristi Nelson, Donna Loucks, Jeanna Nygard, Jan Snider, Muriel Tosh, Natalie Vedder and Betty and Steve Garrett pose for a photo during the opening day of the sale at the Moose Lodge in Centralia on Thursday, March 27.

Lewis County AAUW used book sale continues through Saturday

The Lewis County branch of the American Association of University Women's (AAUW) annual used book three-day extravaganza got underway on Thursday. The sale continued Friday and will be open from … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

Port of Chehalis Executive Director Lindsey Senter

Port of Chehalis maintains same ‘flood mitigation’ support to Economic Alliance after Port of Centralia questioned disparity

The Port of Chehalis will continue supporting flood mitigation efforts undertaken by the Economic Alliance of Lewis County at the same amount it has annually since 2019 — $5,000. The decision … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 3/28/25

From left, state Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, and state Reps. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, and Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama.

‘This is a priorities crisis, not a budget crisis’: 20th District lawmakers discuss state budget deficit and more at town hall

State Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, and Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama, hosted an hour-long virtual community town hall Tuesday, March 25, over Zoom. 20th Legislative … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 3/28/25

Centralia Deputy City Manager and Parks Director Amy Buckler delivers a presentation about the city's ongoing tree planting efforts during a presentation on Tuesday, March 25, at the Centralia City Council meeting inside Centralia City Hall.

Arboretum improvements, removals, plantings among Centralia tree projects underway

As Arbor Day approaches on April 19, the City of Centralia has a plethora of tree-related projects underway and planned for the future in 2025. Amy Buckler, deputy city manager and parks … more

By Dylan Reubenking / dylanr@chronline.com | 3/28/25

A Centralia neighborhood is pictured near Seminary Hill Natural Area from above on Thursday, March 27.

Centralia leaders plead case for renewal of transportation tax

As the City of Centralia’s Transportation Benefit District (TBD) fund approaches the end of its 10-year cycle, the city public works department presented a list of the sales tax’s … more

By Dylan Reubenking / dylanr@chronline.com | 3/28/25

59th annual Lewis County Home Show will return April 11-12

The Lewis County Home Show returns for its 59th year April 11-12 at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, according to a news release from the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

Mad Hatter Play Cafe owner Lisa Sills is pictured in this photo provided by the chamber.

Mad Hatter Play Cafe celebrates grand reopening at new downtown Centralia location

The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce has announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Mad Hatter Play Cafe to celebrate its reopening at a new location in downtown Centralia. The event will … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

Katie Strozyk, Thurston County opioid and overdose response program manager, outlines the allowable uses of opioid settlement funds during a Board of County Commissioners work session on Wednesday, March 26.

Thurston County outlines priorities for spending opioid settlement funding

Thurston County and its jurisdictions are “ahead of the curve” as they begin to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlement funding from state and county lawsuits against opioid … more

By Dylan Reubenking / dylanr@chronline.com | 3/28/25