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A log truck drive along a gravel roadway near the Chehalis River and proposed dam site upstream of Pe Ell ion 2022.

Lewis County’s Concerns, Funding Continue Hand-in-Hand for Pe Ell Flood Retention Proposal

Despite concerns, the Lewis County commissioners in a special meeting held Wednesday morning approved funding for the next step in a proposed flood retention dam 1 mile up the Chehalis River from Pe … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 5/31/23

An official ballot drop box sits inside the Lewis County Courthouse in Chehalis.

There’s Still Time to File for Unclaimed Candidacies in Lewis County: Three-Day Special Period to Open Next Week

Though they don’t get the notoriety and attention granted for some elected officials, directors of school, water, fire and cemetery districts play a valuable role. During this … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/31/23

Tansy ragwort is invasive and will establish itself readily in disturbed areas. It is toxic and can be lethal to livestock. The toxic properties remain when the plant is cut and dried in hay, where it is difficult for animals to avoid eating it. The toxins accumulate in an animal’s body, causing irreversible liver damage and poor health or death. The toxic properties may also be a threat to humans, because honey or milk can be contaminated if bees or goats utilize tansy ragwort plants. All parts of the plant are poisonous, but flowers have the highest concentration of toxins. Tansy ragwort is a Class B Noxious Weed. Control is required county-wide.

Free Tansy Disposal Days Upcoming in Second Weekend of June

Six spots in Lewis County will open sequentially for the collection of the noxious weed tansy ragwort on the weekend of June 16 and 17, according to a news release from the county’s noxious … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/31/23

Seniors on the W.F. West equestrian team pose with their coaches for a photo during the final district meet of the season in Tacoma last April. From left, Coach Lea Elder, Savanna Dorning, Liberty Smith, Josey Majors, Reagan Olson, Madison Smith, Allie Sutich, Jeznee Journee, Raylee Andseron and Head Coach Adam Kasper.

W.F. West High School Equestrian Drill Team Plans Car Wash to Raise Money for Regional Competition

To raise money for their upcoming regional competition, the W.F. West High School Equestrian Drill Team will hold a car wash at Ace Hardware in Chehalis, located at 771 S. Market Blvd., from noon to … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/31/23

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez speaks with members of the press inside her auto repair shop, Dean's Car Care, INC. in Portland last summer.

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Failed to Pay Property Taxes On Her Portland Auto Repair Shop

Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and husband Dean Gluesenkamp owed nearly $6,600 to Multnomah County after a business entity created by the couple missed a Nov. 15 tax deadline for Dean’s Car Care at 1506 N.E. Lombard Street in the Woodlawn neighborhood, records show. more

Shane Dixon Kavanaugh / The Oregonian/OregonLive.com (TNS) | 5/31/23

Lewis County Historical Society President Peter Lahmann speaks to attendees of a Memorial Day ceremony at George Washington Park in Centralia Monday. Lahmann is also the owner of America’s Team Museum in downtown Centralia.

Fallen Service Members Honored During Memorial Day Ceremony at George Washington Park

Members of American Legion Grant Hodge Post 217, the Lewis County Historical Society and America’s Team Museum hosted a Memorial Day ceremony Monday afternoon at George Washington Park in … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 5/31/23

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez answers questions from members of the press following a town hall meeting at the TransAlta Commons in Centralia on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Gluesenkamp Perez Breaks With Dems to Oppose Student Debt Forgiveness

Congressional Republicans on Thursday passed a joint resolution to try to block President Joe Biden’s student debt relief program. Just two of Congress’ Democrats sided with the Republicans, including Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who represents Southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District. more

By Sami Edge / The Oregonian/OregonLive.com (TNS) | 5/31/23

Seven Washington Juvenile Escapees Now in Custody, Including Four Arrested in Clark County

All seven teenagers who escaped from a Snoqualmie, Washington, juvenile detention center Sunday have been found and taken into custody – with three of them arrested in Clark County, the … more

Savannah Eadens / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 5/31/23

Lincoln Clayton Smith, 52, who has been charged with driving under the influence, seven counts of manslaughter, reckless driving and third-degree assault after a crash on I-5 earlier in the month, briefly appeared in Marion County court on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

Farmworkers Killed in Interstate 5 Crash Sought Homes, Horses, Fields of Their Own

One man hoped to buy a small ranchito with a few cows and a horse in his hometown in Nayarit, Mexico. Another planned to construct a house in his village in Chiapas, near the border with … more

Gosia Wozniacka / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 5/31/23

Police Shoot and Kill Armed-Robbery Suspect in Dramatic Gun Battle in Southwest Washington

Police in Vancouver shot and killed an armed-robbery suspect Tuesday evening, the Vancouver police department said. A police detective spotted a car at about 5:30 p.m. headed west on East Mill … more

Douglas Perry / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 5/31/23

Signs in Thurston County Tagged With Hate Speech, Hate Symbol Over the Weekend

Visitors to the Woodard Bay conservation area in northeast Thurston County near Henderson Inlet over the holiday weekend received a rude welcome, confronted by two signs that had been tagged with a … more

Rolf Boone / The Olympian (TNS) | 5/31/23

Insurers Seek Rate Increases in Individual Health Plans for 2024

OLYMPIA — The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner announced on Tuesday that health insurers who offer individual plans in Washington are asking for a roughly 9% across-the-board … more

Charles H. Featherstone / Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 5/31/23

Attorney General Bob Ferguson talks to members of the press during a legislative meeting inside the John A. Cherberg building in Olympia last February.

Washington Attorney General Sues PFAS Manufacturers, Seeks Money for Cleanup of Drinking Water

The state attorney general's office has filed a lawsuit against nearly two dozen manufacturers of so-called "forever chemicals," asserting the companies knew about their risks to the environment and … more

Isabella Breda / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/31/23

Governor Jay Inslee smiles and shakes hands during a meeting at the Chehalis Tribe Community Center in March.

Federal Judge Dismisses Inslee, Chun From Former WSU Football Coach Nick Rolovich's Lawsuit

A federal judge Tuesday dismissed Gov. Jay Inslee and Washington State University athletic director Patrick Chun from a lawsuit brought by ex-WSU football coach Nick Rolovich against his former … more

James Hanlon / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 5/31/23

Governor Jay Inslee looks on before taking questions from members of the press inside the John A. Cherberg Building in Olympia earlier this year.

Investigation Sheds Light on Tenure of Fired Director of Washington Equity Office

OLYMPIA — A monthslong investigation into Karen A. Johnson, the former state Office of Equity director, found several issues with how she treated workers, including that at times her conduct … more

Claire Withycombe / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/31/23

Washington's Population Is Aging; The Trend Is Most Striking in These Counties

Washington is an aging state. This is part of a broader trend happening across the nation: The median age in the U.S. jumped from 37.2 in 2010 to 38.8 in 2020, census data showed. And new … more

Gene Balk / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/31/23

Alleged Drunken Driver Who Struck Motorcyclist in November Accused of Vehicular Homicide

A man has been charged in connection with a three-vehicle collision that left a man motorcyclist dead in November. Prosecutors have charged Jeff Braetan Downing, 53, with vehicular homicide. … more

Jared Gendron / The News Tribune (TNS) | 5/31/23

Man Accused of Killing Two Federal Way Bartenders Still at Large, Prosecutors Say

An arrest warrant has been issued for a 31-year-old man believed to have fled the state after fatally shooting two bartenders and injuring a patron last week outside Federal Way's Stars Bar & … more

Sara Jean Green / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/31/23

Caution tape surrounds a scene at Visiting Nurses in Centralia after a vehicle crashed through windows, destroying shelves full of items at the location Thursday morning.

Visiting Nurses Centralia Thrift Store to Reopen May 31 Following Repairs

After damage from a car crash forced the Visiting Nurses thrift shop in Centralia to close last week, Visiting Nurses announced Tuesday the building would be safe to reopen on Wednesday, May … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/30/23

FILE PHOTO — Confetti and silly string flies through the air over graduates as they turn their tassels in Centralia in June 2022.

Lewis and South Thurston County High School Graduation Dates and Times

The Chronicle has compiled a list of this year’s graduations at area high schools. Information provided here has been forwarded from each specific school district. Please contact the schools … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/30/23