Local News
Thurston County sheriff stops to answer call of nature, discovers domestic violence suspect
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders had a well-timed bathroom break Saturday night, according to his own post on social media. About 11 p.m. Saturday, his department was responding to multiple …
Thurston County deputies arrest man after he barricaded himself in home with weapons, tactical gear
Thurston County deputies arrested a 40-year-old man last Wednesday who is accused of violating a protection order and barricading himself in a home. The incident occurred July 10 near the …
Washington state politicians respond to attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Responses from Washington state politicians poured in following the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.  Trump …
Cleaning costs for Chehalis’ Coal Creek Settling Basin cleaning increased after regular cleaning not performed for more than a year
The cost to clean up and remove solid waste from the Coal Creek Settling Basin in Chehalis rose this year as regularly scheduled solid waste removal and maintenance had been neglected for a year and …
Local, state and federal officials announce latest burn bans amid dry conditions
Citing “bone dry” conditions that have left much of the state at high risk entering wildfire season, agencies throughout Washington have announced new fire restrictions set to take effect …
Former Toledo police chief responds after city terminates contract ‘without cause’
The City of Toledo has terminated Police Chief Duane Garvais Lawrence’s contract without cause, the city confirmed Wednesday. “I know there have been multiple discussions going on …
Nature Nurture Farmacy builds community through Enchanted Herbal Evening
For the third year in a row, Nature Nurture Farmacy in Chehalis will practice what they preach by creating community with the building blocks of fresh local food and inspired local chefs. Nature …
Sirens: Juvenile referred for assault charge after shooting with Orbeez gun; woman arrested after planning to sell drugs; burglar steals money from bedroom
CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Theft • A package was reported stolen from a residence in the 100 block of North Silver Street just after 11:30 a.m. on July 10. • A USB wall …
Death notices: July 12, 2024
• JEREMIAH DEAN RANDALL, 65, Onalaska, died July 9 at Prestige Post-Acute and Rehab Center in Centralia. Arrangements are under the care of Funeral Alternatives of Washington. • …
Centralia trading card and sports memorabilia shop to host free trade night for local card collectors
Whether someone is looking for a rare rookie card of their favorite player or just looking to browse fellow collectors’ cards to see if there’s anything they might want to trade for, …
City of Chehalis urges residents to prepare for traffic delays as North National Avenue pavement work begins July 22
Commuters driving between Centralia and Chehalis are urged to prepare for potential traffic delays on North National Avenue as pavement rehabilitation work on the road is set to begin on Monday, July …
Senate candidate to walk from Ellensburg to Seattle to raise awareness to fentanyl crisis
The chief medical officer of a hospital in Toppenish, Republican U.S. Senatorial Candidate Raul Garcia said he sees between two to five fentanyl overdoses every shift. Amid a rising number of …
Public comment period open for rule proposal to protect endangered foxes
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has filed a rulemaking proposal for a wildlife trapping restriction meant to protect endangered Cascade red foxes, according to a news …
General election ballots to be mailed Wednesday; ballot box moved
Ahead of the August primary election, the Lewis County Auditor’s Office will mail 54,982 ballots to registered voters on Wednesday, July 17. Ballots can take up to 10 days to arrive, and …
‘Big Cheeses’ honored as Toledo Cheese Days gets underway
Toledo’s 103rd annual Cheese Days festival kicked off with the Big Cheese Social on Thursday night at   Kemp Olson Memorial Park. There, this year’s Big Cheeses — …
Local Sports
Chehalis Little League team wins opening state contest
Ignited by shutdown pitching from Luke Hartley and Adam Elder, the Chehalis Little League baseball team out of District 3 defeated Pacific from District 1, 9-0 on Sunday afternoon at Aberdeen in the …
Family, friends join forces to honor Sally Otton
OLYMPIA – Summit Lake was going to be the future home for Tim Otton and his late wife, Sally. They were ready to move into a house and start a new chapter. In 2022, Sally Otton passed away …
Locals participate in Cheese Days Tennis Tournament
Centralia’s brother tandem of Jacoby and Zander Corwin triumphed in the men’s doubles division of the Toledo Cheese Days Tennis Tournament with a 6-0, 6-0 verdict. They were two of a …
Ramona Reinitz, Hornby miss Fargo medal podium
For Centralia High School’s Ramona Reinitz and W.F. West’s Lia Hornby, the chance to represent their programs at the summer’s most prestigious wrestling tournament came with …
Summer baseball: Late offense powers Dirtbags to blowout win
Thirteen runs came in the final three innings as the RBI Dirtbags continued their red hot numbers at the plate with a 17-6 victory over the R.A. Long Summer Jacks on Thursday. Toledo’s …

Chronicle Podcast

  • News Dump Ep. 194: Where do you even put 1,000 pills?
  • News Dump Ep. 193: Too many people’s champions, not enough crime
  • News Dump Ep. 192: A Star-Spangled Podcast (with CDA guests!)
Obituaries

In loving memory of Richard Melvin Hatfield: May 30, 1944 - June 30, 2024

Richard Hatfield, son of Jimmie and Marie Hatfield, has two sisters, Susan Sargent and Kaye Wood. He married Lyla Myhre, of Winlock, on March 19, 1971. They had two sons, James Martin Hatfield (May …

In loving memory of Cynthia Kay Louise Duff: 1947-2024

Cynthia Kay Louise Duff, 76, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Lacey, Washington. She was born Aug. 24, 1947, in Oakland, California, to the late Sheldon and Ruth (Cornelius) …

In loving memory of Roland Badavinac: 1933-2024

Much loved, Roland (Rolly) Badavinac passed away peacefully at the age of 90 on June 20, 2024, with family by his side. He was born Nov. 5, 1933, in the family home in Pengilly, Minnesota, to Peter …

In loving memory of Ehrenfried 'Fred' Wolf: 1937-2024

Ehrenfried “Fred” Wolf passed into the arms of Jesus on July 1, 2024, at the age of 86. His devoted wife, Martha, was close at his side, as she has been for the past 24 years.  …

In loving memory of Michael Price: 1955-2024

Michael “Mike” Allan Price, age 68, passed away peacefully at his home early Saturday morning, June 29, 2024.  Mike was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, on Oct. 22, 1955, to …

In loving memory of Beth Ann Fullerton: 1945-2024

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Beth Ann Fullerton (nee Dickey) on June 4, 2024, in Centralia, Washington, surrounded by love. Beth was born in Tacoma, Washington, on Feb. 23, …
State & Regional News

One dead, two missing, two rescued after boat capsizes in Columbia River bar

Good Samaritans rescued two people in the Columbia River bar on Saturday after their 26-foot pleasure boat capsized, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. An additional person pulled from the water …

Schools
Winlock educator celebrated as she retires after 39 years of teaching
The end-of-the-year assembly at Winlock Middle School included a special surprise for a longtime teacher on Friday, June 28. The gathering of students and staff honored retiring educator Lisa …
Toledo High School trimester three honor roll 
Following are members of the Toledo High School trimester three honor roll. Students are listed in alphabetical order.  12th grade  Principal’s list: 3.75 to 4.0  …
Onalaska High School second semester honor roll 
Following are members of the Onalaska High School second semester honor roll.  12th grade  Highest honors: 4.0  Conner I. Blair, Rylan R. McGraw, Baiden S. Munter, …
Mossyrock Jr./Sr. High School second semester honor roll 
Following are members of the Mossyrock Jr./Sr. High School second semester honor roll. Students are listed in alphabetical order.  12th grade  Perfect 4.0  Koltin S. …
White Pass Jr./Sr. High School second semester honor roll 
Following are members of the White Pass Jr./Sr. High School second semester honor roll. Students are listed from highest to lowest GPA. Students with the same GPA are listed in alphabetical …
Business Stories
Updated: Yard Birds property sold to investor for $2.4 million

After attempting to sell the property where the now-vacant Yard Birds shopping mall stands at 2100 N. National Ave. in Chehalis, a sale has finally been closed, according to longtime owner Darris …

Letters to the Editor
Letter to the editor: Are you sick of seeing large, ugly clearcuts?

Are you tired of seeing large, ugly clearcuts where once there was beautiful forest? The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is required by state law to manage our public lands to produce money for …

Commentary

John Braun: Ferguson double-speak illustrates Democrats’ public-safety problem

When Jay Inslee first ran for governor, he made a no-new-taxes promise. We know how that turned out. The many tax bills Inslee has supported and signed have taken billions of dollars from …

Commentary: All Americans should be concerned about trends in agriculture

Every five years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does a “Census of Agriculture” to look at agriculture in the United States. They gather a lot of statistics from …

John McCroskey: ‘We’ll figure it out’ isn’t an adequate answer to the big issues of our time

Just a few days ago, I received a text message from what appeared to be a legit government agency representative from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s “good to …

Commentary: Proposal to shut down public working forests threatens critical Washington state services and jobs

Washington faces significant social and economic risks if anti-forestry groups succeed in persuading the Board of Natural Resources and candidates for commissioner of public lands to close an …

Julie McDonald: Although death changes holidays, we forge new traditions

When my husband and I married 33 years ago, we knew we’d celebrate the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving near Bellingham with his family because those were the holidays he had his two children …
Outdoors
Outdoors
Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan protected under Endangered Species Act
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined the Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan is a protected species under the Endangered Species Act. The determination came in response to a …
Windy Ridge and visitor centers at Mount St. Helens open July 4
Those looking for stunning views close to the crater of Mount St. Helens are in luck: The Windy Ridge Interpretive Site and nearby visitor centers will open to the public Thursday, July 4, according …
Many sockeye not enough to protect a few, prompting closure on Columbia River
All sockeye fishing closed Thursday evening in the mainstem Columbia River from the mouth up to Pasco, Washington. Despite an apparent record return of sockeye across Bonneville Dam, nearly all …