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Local News
 Judge Dismisses Cases Against Four of Five Codefendants Charged in Death of Skookumchuck Wind Farm Worker 
A Lewis County Superior Court judge has dismissed all charges against four of the five codefendants accused of being involved in the death of a Chehalis man who died in January 2020 when a trench …
Centralia Murder Suspect Intends to Use ‘Insanity’ as Defense, Says His Attorney
The attorney for Cristopher Gaudreau, a Centralia man accused of murdering his girlfriend on Halloween weekend, has filed a notice informing the court Gaudreau intends to “possibly rely upon …
Sirens: Dog Left in Car; Employee Assaulted After Stopping Thief; Hit-and-Run; Thefts
CHEHALIS POLICE DEPARTMENT Crashes • A non-injury, two-vehicle collision was reported in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue just after 3:10 p.m. on Jan. 14. • A …
Chehalis School District Unveils New Proposed Director District Boundaries
The Chehalis School District has presented its new proposed director district boundary maps following voters’ approval of a measure in November to rework the districts into three location-based …
Emergency Pavement Repair Work to Cause Delays on I-5 Between Centralia and Chehalis 
Travelers who use Interstate 5 through Centralia and Chehalis in Lewis County should plan for overnight delays this weekend as work to repave the highway continues, according to the Washington State …
At Least 2% of Lewis County Residents Test Positive for COVID-19 in January So Far
Since the beginning of January, at least 2% of the total Lewis County population has likely tested positive for COVID-19 as the omicron variant continues to cause new spikes in  caseloads …
Washington Democrats, Republicans Offer Differing Solutions for Catalytic Converter Thefts
With an unprecedented increase in catalytic converter thefts across the state in recent months, Republicans and Democrats in the state Legislature have introduced competing bills in an attempt to …
Two Inmates Charged After Fentanyl Found Inside Lewis County Jail
Two inmates in the Lewis County Jail have been charged for alleged possession of fentanyl after jail staff found paper straws containing the substance on Jan. 17. A deputy reportedly saw one of …
Centralia Man Charged With Assault After ‘Road Rage Incident’
A Centralia man is facing assault charges after he was involved in a “road rage incident” on Jan. 11 where he allegedly aggressively rear-ended another vehicle multiple times. …
Providence Hiring Events Jan. 25 in Lacey, Jan. 27 in Chehalis
Representatives from Thurston and Lewis County’s largest private employer, Providence Medical Group, will be hosting caregiver hiring events Jan. 25 and 27. All applicants for positions must …
Lewis County PUD Tables COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Policy After Supreme Court Ruling
The Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) has chosen to table a new COVID-19 vaccination policy outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) after the U.S. Supreme Court …
Mount Rainier Story Contest ‘Escaping the Ordinary’ Won by a Mossyrock Woman Coping With Grief
Last September, Bobbi Barnes’ partner, Lewis County Commissioner Gary Stamper, died after a long battle with COVID-19. The two were married and lived in Mossyrock. Her life turned upside …
Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Investigating String Of Burglaries to Local Markets
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a series of burglaries at four rural markets that occurred between Jan. 8 and Jan. 9. Investigators believe the same two males, driving a …
Centralia-Chehalis-Chamber: Community Support Sought in Seattle to Portland Bike Ride’s Return
The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce and the Cascade Bicycle Club are asking individuals with spare rooms or yards large enough for tents to consider donating space for an overnight lodger in …
Salkum Man Checking Mail on Gore Road Was Struck and Killed by a Vehicle on Jan. 4
An 80-year-old Salkum man was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was checking his mail on Gore Road near Equine Drive at approximately 5:20 p.m. on Jan. 4. The 51-year-old driver told …
State Rep. Peter Abbarno Introduces Proposal to Create Grant Program for Rural Fire Departments
Legislation sponsored by Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, and Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn, would provide a new grant funding source for rural fire departments whose buildings and equipment are …
Centralia Author Makes Print Debut With Action Thriller, ‘A Dangerous Man’
Loss. Challenge. Strength. Revenge. These are the themes that created J.L. Engel’s debut action thriller fiction, “A Dangerous Man.” Engel grew up in Centralia and is now …
Washington's Snow Response Snowballs Into an Ideological Storm
On this, there's no debate: The Washington State Department of Transportation is short on staff. But the explanation for it has transformed what may have once been a staid conversation about …
Local Sports
 Bearcat Boys Bash Visiting Black Hills in Dual Match
W.F. West boys wrestling lost just one wrestled-match and the Bearcats rolled to a 64-15, dual-match victory over visiting Black Hills on Thursday. “The guys wrestled tough,” W.F. West …
Pirates Sink Riverhawks on the Road
The Adna girls basketball team picked up its third straight win this week after dispatching Ilwaco and Winlock, defeating league rival Toledo, 44-32, Thursday night.  The Pirates (10-6, 4-2 …
Beavers Can’t Keep Up With Cruisers at Home
TENINO — Though it played the league-leading Eatonville Cruisers tough in the first half, trailing by just one, the Tenino boys basketball team couldn’t keep pace, dropping another league …
Warriors Grind Out Second-Straight Win 
Mandy Andree-Cordell scored a team-high 11 points and Rochester notched its second-straight victory in a 41-30 win over visiting Black Hills Thursday in 2A Evergreen Conference action. “We …
Thunderbirds Drub Bobcats on Senior Night
Four Tumwater players scored in double figures and the Thunderbirds had no trouble nabbing a win on senior night, drubbing visiting Aberdeen, 81-17, for a 2A Evergreen Conference victory on …

Chronicle Podcast

  • News Dump Ep. 81: Giving “Centralia Man” His Due
  • News Dump Ep. 80: ‘Well, That Sucked’ — Covering the 2022 Flood
  • News Dump Ep. 79: Mystery Chickens and a Moment of Silence for Dennis Hadaller
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The Chronicle - January 20, 2022

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Obituaries

Death Notices: Jan. 20, 2022

• GEORGE ALLEN WITTAKER, 85, Rochester, died Jan. 14 at home. A celebration of life will be announced in the spring. Arrangements are under the care of Sticklin Funeral Chapel. • IVAN …

Gloria Jean Field (Lind): 1951-2022

Gloria Jean Field (Lind) died Jan. 12, 2022, at the age of 70.  Born in Sacramento, California, in 1951 to Albin and Hattie Lind, Mrs. Field grew up near Arlington, Washington before settling …

Carol Lynn (Rabung) Fleskes: 1946-2021

Carol Lynn (Rabung) Fleskes passed away on Dec. 23, 2021, at the age of 75 following a short battle with very aggressive cancer. She was born in Yakima, Washington, on Aug. 4, 1946, to Victor Leo and …

Rose Ann Charlotte Hadaller: 1940-2022

On Jan. 9, 2022, Jesus took the hand of Rose Ann Charlotte Hadaller at the age of 81 and led her home. Born on Feb. 9, 1940, in Chehalis, Washington, Rose was the fourth child of Paul and Kate …

Dan K. Miller: 1938-2021

Dan K. Miller, 83, of Pe Ell, Washington, passed away on Dec. 31, 2021 at Chehalis West Assisted Living Center. Dan was born in Dryad, Washington, on Oct. 12, 1938, to William and Rosabell (Belcher) …

In Loving Memory: Norma Trainor: 1927-2021

The Lord called Norma Lee Trainor (Lane) peacefully home on Dec. 24, 2021. She was 94. Norma was residing at Heritage House, Memory Care, in Morton, Washington. Family was by her side often along …

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State & Regional News
Oregon Bookkeeper Who Embezzled More Than $1 Million From Adoption Agency Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison
A former bookkeeper for an international adoption agency who stole more than $1.6 million from her employer and her own family was sentenced Wednesday to four and a half years in federal …
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Unlawfully Commuted Sentences of Nearly 1,000 Inmates, Lawsuit Claims
Two Oregon district attorneys and the relatives of three homicide victims on Wednesday accused Gov. Kate Brown of unlawfully freeing nearly 1,000 inmates, filing a new legal challenge that seeks to …
Man Shoots Person Who Stole His SUV on Key Peninsula, Deputies Say
Pierce County deputies are investigating after a vehicle theft on Key Peninsula led to a shooting Tuesday when a 70-year-old man located his stolen SUV and opened fire on the man driving …
Deputies Seek Help From Public to Find Man Charged With Child Rape; Could Be in Ashford Area
Pierce County Sheriff's Department deputies are asking the public for help locating a 30-year-old man who was charged in November with sexually assaulting his girlfriend's 15-year-old …
Most Eligible Washington Residents Have Gotten COVID Boosters, But Work Still Ahead, DOH Says
About 53% of eligible people have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, according to Washington state health officials. Secretary of Health Umair Shah shared the statistic for the 12 and older …
14-Year-Old Charged With Murder for Two Separate Shootings in Renton
King County prosecutors on Wednesday filed murder charges for two separate Renton homicides against a 14-year-old boy and indicated they will seek a hearing to have the cases moved from juvenile to …
Omicron Flips 'Big Switch' at Seattle-Area Hospitals as ICUs Are Spared From COVID Surge
Amid the beeping of machines and chatter between nurses and patients at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, a quiet drilling noise filled the brightly lit hallway as one of the hospital's carpenters …
Southwest Washington Man to Serve 89 Months in Prison in Sex-Crimes Case
A Vancouver man who preyed on intoxicated women at bars and later recorded their sexual contact was sentenced Wednesday to more than seven years in prison. Samnang Touch, 33, pleaded guilty in …
How Did the Pandemic Impact Kids' Test Scores in Washington? Early Numbers Don't Look Good
Families will need to wait a bit longer to find out how much learning has been lost at their child's school during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the numbers, when they finally come out, will …
Lawmakers Hit Brakes on WA Cares Payroll Tax, Plan Big Changes
OLYMPIA — Washington House lawmakers Wednesday approved a pair of key bills to delay the payroll tax collections for WA Cares until July 2023 and make broad changes to the first-of-its-kind …
Nation/World News
Congress Considers Banning its Members From Buying, Selling Stock Following Burr Scandal
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers have renewed their interest in the past week in banning members of Congress from buying and selling stock. The bipartisan push comes as the Securities and Exchange …
Cal State System Adds Caste to Anti-Discrimination Policy in Groundbreaking Decision
LOS ANGELES — The California State University announced it has added caste as a protected category in its systemwide anti-discrimination policy, a hard-fought policy deeply meaningful to Dalit …
Native Americans Want to Ditch the Name Squaw Valley. A County Supervisor Says Context Matters
LOS ANGELES — As white settlers made their way west, so did the word "squaw." Eventually, it took root in nearly 100 California place names, possibly more — Squaw Creek, Squaw Peak, …
Judge Rejects Effort to Stop Jan. 6 Panel From Using Bank Records
WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington rejected a request Thursday to stop a House committee from using bank records it obtained through a subpoena as part of the investigation into the …
‘Heartbroken and Angered’: Safe Streets Worker Dies in Quadruple Shooting in East Baltimore
BALTIMORE — A quadruple shooting in East Baltimore on Wednesday night left three people dead, including a Safe Streets worker, and one person injured, police said. Three others were injured in …

Toledo Middle School First Trimester Principal’s List and Honor Roll

Business Stories
Par 4 Sports to Host Virtual Golf Tournament to Benefit Centralia Community Foundation

On Saturday, Feb. 6, Par 4 Sports, a golf and sport simulator business in the Northwest Sports Hub in Centralia, will host a virtual golf tournament to benefit the Centralia Community Foundation. …

After 10 Years, Alicia Fox Leaving Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce
Up to 85 Jobs Possible as Georgia-Pacific Acquires Centralia Property

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Commentary
Memories on Wheels: A Look Back at Moeller Means of Conveyance

Perhaps no one else is interested in this but I recently started trying to recall the number of cars I’ve owned in my lifetime. The list doesn’t contain the 1923 three-door sedan I …

Jason Mercier Commentary: Should Citizen Ballot Measures Be Banned in Odd Year Elections?
Julie McDonald Commentary: Sweden Native in Chehalis Celebrates a Century of Life

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Letters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Please Restore Chronicle's Online Comments

I’m disappointed and disheartened by the direction the Chronicle is taking. In the past I found it to be a valuable resource for local information and a forum for community dialogue. With the …

Letter to the Editor: Brunell Off Base on Pumped Storage Electricity
Letter to the Editor: Thank You to Responding for Seniors’ Wish List
Letter to the Editor: Why Do We Continue Voting for These People?

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Outdoors
Outdoors
 Oregon Angler Catches Massive Mountain Whitefish, Sets State Record and Possible World Record
Alex Dietz of Bend, Oregon, was fly fishing with an egg pattern on the Deschutes River outside Warm Springs on Dec. 19 when he hooked a 5-pound, 12-ounce, 24-inch long mountain whitefish with a …
Severe Winter, Diseases Have Biologists Concerned About Regional Wildlife Populations
Snow and cold weather have biologists worrying about regional wildlife, particularly after Eastern Washington deer herds were hit hard by two deadly diseases this summer. Washington Department of …
WDFW Offers Special Hunt Drawing for Early Hunter Reporting
Hunters who report their 2021 black bear, deer, elk or turkey hunting results by Jan. 10 will have the opportunity to win one of nine deer and elk incentive permits for fall 2022, Washington …
History
 Photo: Chehalis From Above in October of 1950 — Before Construction of Interstate 5
The Chronicle History Project: Mossyrock Pioneer Days in 1956
Chronicle History Project: Eisenhower Stops in Centralia in 1952
Editor’s Note: The following news item was published Oct. 7, 1952, as Dwight Eisenhower pursued the presidency. It likely reflects an earlier stop than the one depicted in the photos included …
The Chronicle History Project: 1955-56 Bearcat Basketball
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