Local News | The Daily Chronicle

Overcast clouds float over the Gust Backstrom Park on Friday, March 28, in Morton.

Morton continues search for new live-in caretaker at Gust Backstrom Park

City of Morton staff are currently looking for a new caretaker to oversee RV camping operations and clean and maintain Gust Backstrom City Park and the RV camp sites and hookups on the grounds. … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 3/28/25

The Onalaska School District received grant funding to support the construction of an indoor play shed at Onalaska Elementary School this spring.

Onalaska School District improving playground with $200,000 grant

The Onalaska School District has secured a $200,000 Healthy Kids-Healthy Schools Grant to fund the construction of an additional covered play shed for Onalaska Elementary School. Fencing has … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

Three Scouts earn Eagle rank in Chehalis

Scouting America Troop 373 in Chehalis held an Eagle Scout Court of Honor earlier this month for three of its Scouts. Pictured from left to right are Braden Newman, Ezra Birchard and Ayden … more

3/28/25

Front row, from left to right, are Barbara Fourtner Overlin, Ron Keller, Jennifer Jackson, Ryan Moore, Jessica York and Molly Beaver. In the back row, from left to right, are Marcie Dingerson, David Overlin and Jeff Walker.

Bowling Association tournament benefits Onalaska Farm Sanctuary, Red Rose Animal Rescue and Cancer Care Fund

The Lewis County Bowling Association recently held its fourth annual We Love Animals and Hate Cancer Bowling Tournament, raising nearly $20,000 for three local nonprofits. The beneficiaries of … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/28/25

Tanner Tobin, of Chehalis, poses with the 7x7 bull she harvested with her youth elk tag that she drew through a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife drawing. The hunt location was near the former Centralia mine in 2023.

State Senate approves 38% price increase for hunting, fishing licenses

After more than a decade of holding steady, Senate Democrats voted Wednesday to advance a 38% “inflationary adjustment” that would raise the price of hunting and fishing licenses in … more

By Tim Clouser / The Center Square | 3/28/25

The Johns River Unit is managed for estuary restoration, primarily for waterfowl habitat, and some dryland agriculture for elk and waterfowl. Hunting occurs for deer, waterfowl, elk, bear, band-tailed pigeon, and forest grouse.

WDFW seeks public input on recreation at Olympic, Johns River, and Chehalis wildlife areas

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is asking for public input to inform a 15-year management plan for the Olympic-Willapa Hills Wildlife Area Complex, which consists of the … more

By The Daily World | 3/28/25

A SWAT vehicle is seen after police attempted to make contact with a suspect at a home on Thursday, March 27, in Longview.

Cowlitz County teacher under police investigation fatally shoots himself

Authorities report a Monticello Middle School teacher under investigation died after shooting himself at his Longview home Thursday afternoon when police came to interview him about the allegations. … more

Matt Esnayra / The Daily News | 3/28/25

Former congressional candidate Joe Kent speaks during a debate hosted by The Chronicle in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College on Thursday, Sept. 26.

Former congressional candidate Joe Kent was part of controversial Signal group chat

Joe Kent, the two-time Republican candidate to represent Washington’s Third Congressional District, was reportedly part of a recent high-level U.S. government group chat in which a journalist … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 3/27/25

Jeffrey Scott Coolidge, 47, of Tacoma, appears in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday, March 26. His hearing was delayed to Thursday, March 27, due to the absence of his attorney.

Bail set at $250K for man who evaded arrest after being charged in Lewis County with gun and drug offenses in 2023

A man charged for unlawful possession of guns and narcotics in December 2023 is back in custody at the Lewis County Jail after he posted bail, failed to return to court and evaded arrest for over a … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 3/27/25

Amtrak has not provided a timeline for when replacement train cars might arrive to replace the aging Horizon coaches that were abruptly pulled from service on March 26. Here a train is seen at the Olympia-Lacey station in 2022. (Photo by Tom Banse)

Corrosion problem knocks most Amtrak Cascades trains out of service

The years-long process to restore regional intercity rail service and build up train ridership in western Washington and Oregon was dealt a major setback this week when Amtrak suddenly withdrew … more

By Tom Banse / The Washington State Standard | 3/27/25

Lewis County PUD Commissioner Michael Kelly makes his first appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday, Dec. 2, in Chehalis.

Lewis County PUD vacates seat held by commissioner charged with felony bribery

The Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) has seemingly vacated the seat held by an elected commissioner who was charged with felony bribery last year. Commissioner Michael Jay Kelly, … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 3/27/25

Dive team recovers body of missing man in Chehalis River in Centralia

A 60-year-old man was found dead in the Chehalis River under the Galvin Road bridge in Centralia on Wednesday, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. The man, a Rochester … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 3/27/25

Passengers wait on the platform outside the Centralia Train Station as an Amtrak train arrives on Monday, Jan. 23, 2020.

Amtrak pulls most of its Cascades railcars out of service

Round-trip train service via Amtrak Cascades is down to just one train set in the Pacific Northwest, affecting nearly all daily service to its 18 stops between Eugene, Ore., and Vancouver, B.C. … more

By Mike Lindblom / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/25

Sophomore Jordyn Hill labels a Chehalis apple tree she grafted during the Natural Resource class at Onalaska High School on Wednesday, March 26.

Onalaska High School natural resources students learn fruit tree grafting

Onalaska High School natural resources students had an opportunity Wednesday to learn a practice utilized by fruit growers for thousands of years: tree grafting. “We’re … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 3/26/25

Glenn Swearingen sits in his chair inside of his room at Centralia Point Assisted Living on Monday, March 24.

WWII U.S. Army veteran who hid asthma diagnosis to join turns 100 in Centralia this weekend

While he may have grown up with asthma, Glenn Swearingen was able to hide his diagnosis from U.S. Army doctors and, together with all of the other boys in his Pe Ell High School graduating class, was … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 3/26/25

State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, expresses his support for residents affected by high levels of nitrates in water during a town hall at Centralia High School on Monday, March 24.

Lawmakers, Centralia mayor decry WDFW’s inaction on unsafe water linked to pheasant farm

State lawmakers and the mayor of Centralia are demanding immediate action by the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the WDFW-operated Bob Oke Game Farm as concerns continue to grow … more

By Dylan Reubenking / dylanr@chronline.com | 3/26/25

Senator John Braun speaks during Cascade Community Healthcare’s 11th annual Legislative and Governmental Forum on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Republicans blast Dems’ proposal for new taxes to solve budget shortfall

Washington state Senate and House Democrats held news conferences to announce operations and transportation budget proposals on Monday, March 24. Republicans quickly condemned the budget … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 3/26/25

Brady Hinds, left, who was named Chehalis Police Department traffic safety officer of the year, poses for a photo with Zack Searby outside of Chehalis City Hall after Searby was sworn in as a Chehalis police officer during a city council meeting on Monday, March 24.

New Chehalis police officer sworn in, second officer honored for traffic safety enforcement

Zack Searby, the Chehalis Police Department’s newest officer, was sworn in by Police Chief Randy Kaut during a Chehalis City Council meeting Monday, March 24. Searby recently graduated … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/26/25

Sirens: Student knocks teacher unconscious; robbery involves juveniles; people seen rummaging through mailboxes; dogs left in hot vehicles

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Possession of stolen property • Two Vancouver residents reportedly had stolen property in their possession when they were contacted for sleeping on private … more

By The Chronicle staff | 3/26/25

Gas prices on the rise: A look at national and Washington trends

As of Monday, the average price of gasoline in the United States has observed a notable increase, rising 6.3 cents from the previous week to settle at $3.08 per gallon, according to data from the … more

By Nance Beston / The Columbia Basin Herald | 3/26/25