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The Napavine High School girls basketball team was honored by the Napavine City Council during its meeting on Tuesday night. Napavine won the school’s first 2B state championship on Saturday, March 2. The Tigers defeated Okanogan, 41-40, to win the title.

Photo: Champion Napavine girls basketball team honored by city council

3/27/24

A rainbow shows above cherry blossom trees off of Reynolds Avenue in Centralia on Monday, March 25. To submit photos to The Chronicle for potential publication, email news@chronline.com.

Photo: Rainbows and cherry blossoms as spring arrives in Southwest Washington

3/27/24

Starting on the left, Aviation Planning Group Project Manager Leah Whitfield, Tanisha Harris, Southwest Washington outreach director for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, Chehalis Mayor Tony Ketchum and Chehalis-Centralia Airport Director Brandon Rakes talk about proposed upgrades to the airport at a master plan update open house on Wednesday, March 20.

Chehalis-Centralia Airport master plan update process approaches conclusion

The last of three open houses for the Chehalis-Centralia Airport’s master plan update process was held on Wednesday, March 20, inside of the airport’s Scott Crossfield Terminal. … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 3/27/24

Pirate players surround home plate as Kendall Humphrey rounds the bases after a home run during Adna’s 2-0 win over Rochester on Wednesday March 13

Sports Dump: Welcome to Spring, Enjoy the Weather

The sports crew (Dylan, Zach, Kody and Aaron) discuss the early goings-on in the local baseball and softball leagues, while also covering W.F. West’s hot start on the soccer field and … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/27/24

News Dump hosts Associate Editor Aaron VanTuyl and Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Eric Schwartz.

News Dump Ep. 181: It was that damn sasquatch

On the 181st episode of The Chronicle News Dump, hosts Aaron VanTuyl, Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Eric Schwartz and photographer Kody Christen discuss the Rochester cross country bigfoot fiasco, one … more

3/27/24

Gov. Jay Inslee and Trudi Inslee walk down to the governor’s office on the last day of the 2024 Legislature at the state Capitol on Thursday, March 7.

Inslee signs bill allowing liquor at adult entertainment venues

Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a Washington bill that allows adult entertainment venues the ability to serve alcohol to customers. Senate Bill 6105 , sponsored by Sen. Rebecca … more

By TJ Martinell / The Center Square | 3/27/24

Gov. Jay Inslee speaks to the media on the last day of the 2024 Legislature at the state Capitol on Thursday, March 7.

No more statute of limitations in civil child sex abuse cases in Washington

A bill that removes the statute of limitations for civil claims on child sexual abuse has been signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee. Rep. Darya Farivar, D-Seattle, sponsored HB 1618. … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 3/27/24

A 9-year-old boy was transported a Portland hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after colliding with an Evergreen Public Schools bus early Tuesday morning. Vancouver Fire crews used wooden blocks to suspend the bus off the ground Tuesday morning to extract a child who had been trapped underneath.

9-year-old boy on bike gets caught under bus in Vancouver and survives

A 9-year-old boy on a bike survived after getting pinned under the rear axle of a school bus Tuesday morning in Vancouver, police said. The boy was taken to a Portland hospital with … more

Catalina Gaitán / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/24

Washington firefighter accused of strangling wife wanted to hide affair, divorce plans, court records allege

A high-ranking firefighter charged with strangling his wife to death told investigators he was a happily married man — but he actually was having an affair and had planned to move out the day … more

Zane Sparling / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/24

Uncertified ballistic gear sold to more than 100 police, fire, military agencies by Washington company

BulletProof-It, a Vancouver-based body armor supply company, advertised on its website that its helmets and vests were made in the United States, had undergone testing and met national standards. … more

Maxine Bernstein / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/24

Islands off the Washington coast are seen through a driftwood log at Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park.

This Pacific Northwest national park is one of the country’s most Instagrammed

The Pacific Northwest is home to a lot of Instgrammable spots – lakes, bookstores, vacation destinations – and now, one of the top 10 most Instagrammed national parks. We get a lot … more

Julie Evensen / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/24

Two hospitalized after Army helicopter from JBLM crashes in Thurston County

Two pilots were taken to the hospital Monday night after their Army helicopter crashed on Joint Base Lewis-McChord property in Thurston County Monday night. The "aviation mishap" involved a U.S. … more

Puneet Bsanti / The News Tribune (TNS) | 3/27/24

Jury issues verdict for accused Washington serial rapist in multiple sex worker attacks

A jury convicted a Tri-Cities activist on Tuesday of being a serial rapist who targeted sex workers for two years. After day and a half of deliberating, the Benton County jurors convicted … more

Cameron Probert / Tri-City Herald (TNS) | 3/27/24

The U.S. Supreme Court building as seen on Sunday, July 11, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

What the Supreme Court abortion pill case could mean for Washington state

As the country parsed U.S. Supreme Court justices' questions in a case that could restrict access to abortion pills, local Planned Parenthood leaders and Democratic elected officials said Washington … more

Nina Shapiro / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/24

Gov. Jay Inslee signs new gun laws, including ban at transit facilities, libraries

Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law several bills on Tuesday, adding to Washington's growing heap of gun restrictions. At a brief signing ceremony with supporters at the state Capitol, Inslee … more

Jim Brunner / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/24

Attorney General Bob Ferguson talks to members of the press during a legislative meeting inside the John A. Cherberg building in Olympia in February 2023.

Commentary: Coming about! What it means that Bob Ferguson just tacked right on cops

About a year ago, Bob Ferguson made what looked at the time to be a political blunder. For his burgeoning governor's campaign, the Democrat sent out an endorsement announcement that went down … more

Danny Westneat / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/24

A pod of orcas swims through the Saratoga Passage near Camano Island. The killer whales target chinook salmon for their diet, and they use echolocation — sound — to find their food. (Orca Network)

These Puget Sound orcas could be designated as distinct species

For more than a century, killer whales have been understood to be just one worldwide species, Orcinus orca, with many types. But now, after decades of work, scientists have determined the … more

Lynda V. Mapes / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/24

A small group of citizens in Columbia County are debating closing the library in Dayton over a long-simmering dispute about the placement of a few young adult books, about gender, sexuality and race.

Washington passes bill to protect libraries, as other states target them

SEATTLE — Washington has passed legislation intended to safeguard its public libraries, after a small city in the southeastern corner of the state nearly became the first community in the … more

David Gutman / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/24

In loving memory of James Wilfred Tharp: Aug. 9, 1944 - March 15, 2024

In loving memory of our husband, dad, papa, basketball and football coach, teacher and mentor James Wilfred Tharp. He passed away peacefully March 15, 2024. We have to say goodbye to a … more

3/27/24

Tumwater's Malachi Vuong (16) attempts a header during a soccer game at Rochester High School on Tuesday, March 26.

Prep boys soccer: Tumwater gelling at right time with new group

ROCHESTER — There’s a wide-range of soccer backgrounds on Tumwater High School’s boys soccer team. From club to rec to just high school, then there’s players that are on … more

By Zach Martin / zach@chronline.com | 3/26/24