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Local News
 Port of Centralia commissioner requests investigation into actions of leaders of Facebook group critical of the port
During the Port of Centralia commissioners’ regular meeting on Wednesday, May 7, it was revealed that Commissioner Kyle Markstrom has asked Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer and Sheriff …
Sheriff Rob Snaza speaks on rumors surrounding his six-week absence
Amid claims that his recent purchase of a home in Arizona and a six-week absence from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office were indicators of an early retirement and potential abdication of …
Sirens: Police, firefighters help child off roof; stolen motorcycle found 'in pieces'; wiring stolen from work site; Lewis County Superior Court proceedings
CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Criminal trespass • A trespass at a business in the 1200 block of Alder Street reported at 11:20 a.m. on May 14 is under investigation.   …
Death notices: May 16, 2025
• JACOB R. DUNNAGAN, 24, Chehalis, died May 10 at Morton General Hospital. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home. • LARRY L. GROVES, 76, Toledo, died May 13 at his …
Mother who gave birth in Centralia hotel, failed to get baby medical care, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 17 years in prison
A woman who was arrested in October 2023 for giving birth to a baby in a Centralia hotel room in August 2022 and not getting the baby, who died of drug toxicity, timely medical care has been …
Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad continues with launch of new RailCycle route after devastating bridge fire
Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad is still reeling from the fire that destroyed its 28-span wooden trestle bridge between Mineral and Morton on April 30, but the railroad hasn’t lost any steam. …
A Look Back in Time: Twin Cities residents start liquor club; boys steal three cars before being arrested in Packwood; a duck in a Chehalis man’s Offut Lake summer home
In this installment of A Look Back in Time, the Friday, May 17, 1935, edition of The Chronicle featured a story about Twin Cities residents participating in a new liquor letter club, where they would …
Drivers, beware: Some Lewis County roads will face slowdowns and closures as road construction season arrives
Spring is here and summer is on the way, and with this time of year comes the season of road work as crews attempt to get projects done before the rain comes back in full force during the fall. …
Adna Grange to hold potato bake fundraiser to raise money for bathroom renovations
The Adna Grange has announced it will host a potato bake from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on May 24. Entrees are $7 and include a large baked potato, 10 different toppings, fresh green salad, a …
Gifford Pinchot introducing ‘scan and pay’ option at many recreation sites in national forest
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest will be implementing a “scan and pay option” at many recreation sites across the forest beginning May 16, according to a news release from the U.S. …
Winlock Middle and High School honor rolls
The Winlock Middle and High School principal’s and honor’s list for the third semester of the 2024-2025 school year has been announced. Students named to the principal’s list …
Food Establishment Inspection Scores:From the Lewis County Public Health Department
Editor’s Note: These are reports from health inspections in Lewis County between December 2023 and March of this year. Lewis County Public Health’s inspections happen at various …
Travelers could see miles-long backups for daytime lane reductions on southbound I-5 in Thurston County
Daytime travelers who don’t change their plans could see 7-mile backups on southbound Interstate 5 in Thurston County, a news release from the Washington State Department of Transportation …
Centralia Downtown Association designated as a 2025 affiliate program by Main Street America
The Centralia Downtown Association has been designated as an Affiliate Main Street America Program for meeting significant performance standards, according to a news release from Main Street America. …
The American Legion Band coming to the Raymond Theatre for free concert
The Department of Washington American Legion Band will perform at the historic Raymond Theatre, located at 323 Third St., Raymond, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 22. This concert will take place …

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Local Sports
 Walks, errors send Tenino into final winner to state game
Eight combined free passes, three errors in the field and allowing three runs in the top of the seventh doomed the Beavers in a 5-3 stunner against Castle Rock on Friday night in a winner to state …
League track roundup: Onalaska boys, Rainier girls win at C2BL Championships
The Onalaska boys and Rainier girls track teams took home C2BL league titles on Friday in Rainier, taking first place at the C2BL Championships. The Onalaska boys dominated the throwing events, …
W.F. West’s Hamilton qualifies for first state tournament
From the pigtail to the state tournament, Emma Hamilton turned her season around in the span of three days to place fourth and nab the final state spot in singles from the Class 2A District 4 …
Prep softball: Ferguson stifles Mark Morris, leads Tumwater to district title
She’s had no problems blowing by hitters with her rise ball. She’s a power pitcher every day of the week and twice on Sunday. So when Tumwater High School ace Ella Ferguson spins her …
Centralia College's softball season ends in Portland
The Centralia College softball team’s season came to an end at Delta Park in Portland on Friday, as the Trailblazers were defeated by Clackamas 4-2 in an elimination game at the NWAC …

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Chronicle Podcast

  • News Dump Ep. 235: Slapping Mr. Yuck stickers on local elected officials 
  • News Dump Ep. 234: Chris Judd introduces us to Dolly Parton
  • News Dump Ep. 232: It’s actually OK to boo your representatives

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E-Edition

The Chronicle - May 17, 2025

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Obituaries

In loving memory of Betty Fine: 1933-2025

Betty Allene Fine, lovingly known as "Gramma Great" to her family, passed away quietly at her Rochester home of 52½ years on April 24, 2025, with a son, daughter and great-grandson by her …

In loving memory of Julie Ludvigsen: May 1962 - May 2025

Julie Ludvigsen is survived by her mother, Esthey Robson; brother, Alex, and his family; and brother, Bill, and his family. She was a very happy soul, full of friends who loved her and enjoyed her …

In loving memory of Joshua Robertson: 1996-2025

Joshua Oran Robertson, 28, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with MS. He was raised in Chehalis, where he attended W.F. West High School and enjoyed some of …

Death notices: May 14, 2025

• DANNIS ANN HURLEY, 84, Tenino, died May 12 at Magnolia Woods Adult Family Home in Olympia. Arrangements are under the care of Funeral Alternatives of Washington. • HARLEY MILLER, 88, …
"Ty, age 2, gave his family the fright of their lives when he, enamored by all the exciting sights and sounds, wandered away from them at Disneyland."

In loving memory of Thomas Tyler Herd: 1968-2025

Thomas Tyler (Ty) Herd, 57, passed away unexpectedly of cardiac arrest on April 28, 2025, at Multicare Capital Medical Center in Olympia, with his partner, Jana, at his side. He was born on March 18, …

In loving memory of John Core: 1935-2025

John Marvin Core passed away peacefully on April 28, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. John was born to Susie and Marvin Core on Nov. 20, 1935, in Morton, Washington, and was an honest, …

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State & Regional News
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signs Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill No. 1912 on May 15, 2025, in Kennewick. The bill is related to the exemption for fuels used for agricultural purposes in the climate commitment act. The legislation's primary sponsor was state Rep. Tom Dent.

A promise finally fulfilled; Ferguson signs bill exempting ag from CCA fuel taxes

Years after Washington farmers were promised they would be exempt from fuel taxes related to the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed a bill into law to finally fulfill that …

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Schools
 Memorial Day ceremony to be held at Centralia College
Centralia College will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 22, near the statue honoring student-veterans on campus, between the Hanson Building and the Kirk Library. The …
W.F. West students' ‘takeover’ of Lewis County Co. Coffee stand in Chehalis raises funds for DECA program
W.F. West High School students took part in the Crimson & Gray Lewis County Coffee Co. takeover fundraiser at the company’s coffee stand on Jackson Highway in Chehalis on Tuesday, May 13. …
Centralia third grader wins annual state poison control poster competition
Every year, the Washington Poison Control Center invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to participate in a poster-making competition for National Poison Awareness Week. …
Thurston County teen to graduate at age 19 with degree in quantum information science from USC
Liv Coverdale, an Olympia teen who graduated from Pacific Lutheran University at age 16, is set to graduate May 16 from the University of Southern California with a master’s of science degree …
Centralia College’s 2025 Legacy Award honoree once opened for Elvis Presley 
The Centralia College Foundation has selected Don Rich, who was born Donald Eugene Urich, for its 2025 Legacy Award.  The award honors his dedication, commitment and contribution to music, …
Life

Chehalis Timberland Library sees growth in numerous metrics in 2024

Business Stories
Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards $14,000 to Washington

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has announced the award of $14,000 in literacy grants to Washington nonprofit organizations, libraries and schools. The funds are a part of a donation of …

Holiday Inn Express in Chehalis to hold ribbon-cutting in celebration of new renovations
Colvin Ranch Day: Tenino ranch to host celebration for conservation easement’s 20th anniversary
Lewis County Coffee Co. supporting W.F. West club behind Crimson & Gray coffee shop with fundraiser

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Letters to the Editor
Letter to the editor: Investigation into railroad trestle fire has been inadequate

I am a Mineral Creek neighbor of the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad (MRSR) and logging museum. I am a forester with years of experience walking and working in the woods along the railroad right-of-way …

Letter to the editor: Second guessing the president
Letter to the editor: It’s time to give our TransAlta Centralia coal plant new life
Letter to the editor: Republican Party obstructing efforts to promote fairness, equity and due process

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Commentary

John Braun: When the government takes more, remember this: Democrats see paying taxes as a ‘privilege’

The people of Washington are about to watch their new governor make what would seem to be the most important and revealing choice of his short time in office. No later than Tuesday, Gov. Bob …

Wayne Fournier: The yellow bicycle revolution — when public art meets politics

In politics, there are formal campaigns, and then there are revolutions made with spray paint, garage-sale bicycles and a little inspiration from the likes of Banksy and Sun Tzu. Before I was a …

Peter Abbarno: Honoring the duty and sacrifice of Washington’s law enforcement officers

As we recognize National Police Week (May 11-17, 2025), we pause not only to honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers across our country, but also to reflect on the vital role …

Julie McDonald: AI is here to stay, but debates ensue over ethics of using it

It’s everywhere — artificial intelligence. On the phone. In the car. On the television. Call it Siri. Alexa. ChatGPT. Or Roomba. But it’s here to stay. The question is, what …

Richard Stride: Early May reminds us that triumph and tragedy go hand in hand with living

May 5. For many, it's a day of joy — Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of resilience and victory, marking the triumph of Mexican forces over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Across …

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Outdoors
Outdoors
 WDFW approves final six days of coastal razor clam digs beginning May 10
The final six days of the coastal razor clam dig season will proceed as planned beginning May 10, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) shellfish managers confirmed on Tuesday. …
Hundreds of anglers compete at Mineral Lake Fishing Derby
More than 400 anglers registered and tested their luck and bait, hoping to hook the “legendary 10-pound trout” Mineral Lake is known for during the 32nd annual Mineral Lake Fishing Derby …
In focus: Young anglers dip hooks at Fort Borst Park Pond fishing derby
History
"Eastern Railway, Lumber Firm Was Once Biggest: Organized in 1903, the Eastern Railway and Lumber Company of Centralia reigned as an industrial landmark for nearly 40 years. During its heyday, it was one of the largest mill operations in the state although by the time it was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1939, much of its equipment had become outdated in comparison to the mill giants that had sprung up at Longview, Everett, and Grays Harbor. The record is not entirely clear, but the location was first by the Ballard and Bond mill, built about 1888 and one of Lewis County's early mills. It operated until 1903, when F. B. Hubbard purchased the plant with the assistance of eastern capital. He enlarged its operations and gave it the name it carried for almost 40 years. The Eastern became Centralia's largest payroll, employing more than 500 men at one time. The Eastern firm. also acquired what was the H. H. Martin Lumber Co., and named it the Western Mill. It was located northwest of the Eastern plant and on the west side of the mainline Northern Pacific railroad tracks. For a short time, both plants combined their railway and logging operations, giving jobs to about 1,000 men. Mention history of the Eastern Railway and Lumber Co., and in most of it is Sam Agnew, who rose from foreman to be its general manager and owner of the principal amount of its stock. The Eastern also figured in the history of Centralia's municipal light system. In the middle 1920s, the city and the Puget Sound Power and Light Co., which supplied the city-owned system, tangled over a raise in power rates. Under a corporation arrangement, the mill firm built large generators at the Western Mill, coupled them with the mill's generators and provided power for the city. The arrangement lasted for about 10 years, when the city utility entered its hydroelectric project on the Nisqually River near Yelm. When the Eastern was lost in the fire, Sam Agnew headed an organization to lease the Western properties from the Eastern corporation. That was the S. A. Agnew Lumber Co., which continued production until the 1950s. By 1965, the plant equipment was sold off and work started to remove the mill's structures. Mr. Agnew, with more than 70 years in the industry, died in 1965, He was 86 and regarded as one of the Northwest's last lumber kings." — originally published by The Daily Chronicle on Oct. 10, 1966
A Look Back in Time: Strike shuts down Centralia sawmill; Burglar accidently gets into police car; Tumwater woman honored as Mother of the Year at WSU
In the Tuesday, May 3, 1955, edition of The Chronicle, it was reported that Cookie, a 2-month and 1-week old Pomeranian puppy, was “proving almost as much work to raise for her owner as a baby.” Owned by Pearl Heinricher, of Centralia, the 12-ounce puppy — which was featured on the front page in a photo sitting next to a phone that was bigger than her — required a lot of attention. Heinricher “has to feed the mite” four times daily including once at 1 a.m., with each meal consisting of two teaspoons of Pablum, an old cereal made for infants by Mead Johnson & Company to combat malnutrition. “When a real tiny puppy, veterinarians had trouble finding proper pills small enough for her to swallow.”
A Look Back in Time: An affair ends in murder on Salzer Valley Road; squirrel knocks out the power in Packwood and Randle; Mossyrock Dam blasting begins
"When Mossyrock Dam is completed in 1967, the ramified channels of the Cowlitz River east of the construction site will slowly rise, converging until the whole valley is covered. In the far foreground is what was Riffe, the community whose residents have moved away because of the Dam. The White Pass Highway, which now travels to the right of the river, will be rerouted through Morton. Work on the road is continuing as the dam is being built." — originally published The Daily Chronicle on Dec. 10, 1966
A Look Back in Time: Tacoma moves to purchase Mayfield Dam land; Construction begins on Mossyrock Dam; NASA engineer from Pe Ell arrives in Soviet Union
FROM THE ARCHIVES: "Lewis County Defensive All-Stars are pictured above with the certificates they were awarded at the annual Daily Chronicle all-star football banquet held Saturday at noon at St. Helens Hotel in Chehalis. Team members pictured are, front row, from left, Jim Elliott, Pe Ell, Quarterback; Alan McGee, Onalaska, guard; Jerry Nehring, Onalaska, halfback: Richard Moeman, Mossyrock, center; Sherm Porter, Winlock, fullback; and Leo Girosky, Pe Ell, guard. In the back row are, from left, Don Derkacht, Onalaska, end; Leonard Birdwell, Onalaska, tackle; John Raupp, Toledo, tackle; Roland Wallace, Toledo, end; Jim Mann, Winlock, guard; Don Bond, Toledo, halfback; Wally Bowers, Winlock, end, and Cecil Knutsen Toledo, halfback." — originally published by The Daily Chronicle on Dec. 12, 1955
A Look Back in Time: ‘Pioneer resident’ dies in Oakville; Centralia B-25 pilot promoted in WWII; Orin Smith’s bike is stolen; Centralia College gets ag instructor
From the Monday, April 12, 1965, edition of The Daily Chronicle. Centralia College forensics team students dominated the Washington Community College Forensics Commission debate tournament in Vancouver over the weekend, The Chronicle reported, winning their second state title in three years. “The Centralia team totaled twice as many points as any other school in the tourney to bring home the traveling sweepstakes trophy.” Centralia Colleges students took first and second place in debate and had finalists in every one of the individual events. Shirley Petropoulos and Jim Bacon won the debate championship, with Mike Dugaw and Mike Roewe taking second in debate. “The two Centralia teams found themselves in a strange situation in debating among themselves for the crown.”
A Look Back in Time: Chehalis resident claims ‘inhumane treatment’ at Alcatraz; FBI arrests Centralian for illegally wearing military uniform; an abundance of smelt
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