The Daily Chronicle

Gracie “Kyla” Johnston, daughter of Centralia Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston, uses a leaf blower to remove debris from the gravesites at the Greenwood Memorial Park. A formal rededication ceremony for Centralia’s Greenwood Memorial Park will occur at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 28. The public is invited to attend. The ceremony comes after years of restoration efforts by volunteers and the city. The damage done to the cemetery was synonymous with neglect, as former owner John Baker let the place fall into disrepair due to personal and legal troubles, according to previous Chronicle reporting. But since 2018, Centralia received $250,000 from the state to purchase the cemetery, subsequently obtaining an additional $500,000 from the 2019 state capital budget for its restoration. The cemetery had undergone quite the transformation as of 2021. The city and stakeholders removed dead trees, cut back the overgrown brush, power washed the headstones and repainted the concrete vaults, replacing those broken.

In Focus: Volunteers Put Final Touches on Greenwood Memorial Park Before Rededication

Following the cleanup event Saturday, a formal rededication ceremony for Centralia’s Greenwood Memorial Park will occur at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 28. The public is invited to attend. The … more

5/23/22

Dave Neiser smiles while standing next to his yellow Cessna 177 Cardinal at the Chehalis-Centralia Airport last week.

Flying Over the Chehalis River With a Former Lewis County Detective

Editor’s Note: This story is part of "Headwaters to Harbor," a project by The Chronicle to document the Chehalis River from Pe Ell to Grays Harbor while highlighting people and issues connected … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com | 5/23/22

Visitors mingle during a Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours event and open house at the Fox Theater Thursday in Centralia.

Fresh Look at the Fox Theatre: Tour Provides Rare Look at Restoration

There is still much work to be done in the Historic Centralia Fox Theatre before it can host movies and live shows like it used to in its heyday. But enough of the theater has been renovated that … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/20/22

Virginia Krausch smiles while holding Maria, a pygmy goat, at Woodland Village Concepts of Chehalis Thursday afternoon.

Pygmy Goats Steal the Spotlight at Woodland Village in Chehalis During Visit With Seniors

The staff at Woodland Village in Chehalis works to make sure the seniors who reside there are always the center of attention. But on Thursday afternoon, a group of furry visitors stole the show. … more

By Matthew Zylstra / matthew@chronline.com | 5/20/22

Alice Marie McKnight makes a video appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Thursday in Chehalis.

Toledo Woman Accused of Animal Cruelty Arrested and Released

A Toledo woman accused of animal cruelty was arrested on Wednesday and released on unsecured bail Thursday. Alice Marie McKnight, 75, was arrested on a $100,000 warrant on Wednesday and remained … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/19/22

Hens peck through dirt west of Chehalis on Tuesday night.

Thurston County Confirms Bird Flu in a Backyard Flock

Since its arrival in Washington state two weeks ago, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu, has now hit nine backyard flocks in seven counties, with Thurston County … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/18/22

Judge J. Andrew Toynbee presides over Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday at the Lewis County Law and Justice Center in Chehalis.

‘Horrific Conditions’: Arrest Warrant Issued for Toledo Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty

The stench emanating from 275 Lone Yew Road in Toledo quickly overwhelmed the three Lewis County Animal Control officers who toured the property alongside a veterinarian on March 31. They … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/17/22

Lisa-Marie Wilson poses for a photograph beside one of her mail delivery vehicles in this photograph captured last week in Pe Ell.

Longtime Pe Ell ‘Mail Lady’ to Pursue a New Career in Medicine

Delivering mail to 80 houses in the Pe Ell area started as a part-time gig for Lisa-Marie Wilson to earn some extra money as a stay-at-home mom. But in the nine and a half years Wilson has been … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/16/22

The site of the incident is identified in this photograph provided by the National Park Service.

Two Climbers Rescued by Helicopter at Mount Rainier

Two climbers were rescued by helicopter from the Kautz Climbing Route on Mount Rainier Friday, according to the National Park Service. A U.S. Air Force Chinook helicopter with the 304th Air … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/16/22

Paul Browning, CEO of Fortescue Future Industries North America, talks about a proposed project as a presentation is displayed during a meeting in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College.

Hydrogen Plant Proposed for Industrial Park at TransAlta

During its first "Hydrogen Symposium," the Economic Alliance of Lewis County announced on Thursday afternoon it is facilitating a partnership between TransAlta and Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com | 5/13/22

Toledo Mayor Steve Dobosh claps alongside attendees of the Big Toledo Community Meeting at Toledo High School on Thursday.

Toledo Residents Share Updates and New Ideas for Community at Annual ‘Big Meeting’

The forced two-year hiatus of Toledo's annual gathering known simply as the “Big Meeting” did nothing to reduce residents’ enthusiasm for their community. If anything, … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/13/22

Reward Fund For Missing 5-Year-Old Oakville Girl Oakley Carlson Passes $20,000

A reward for information regarding missing 5-year-old Oakville girl Oakley Carlson passed $20,000 this week, according to the fund’s organizers. The reward is for credible information that … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/13/22

Speakers present during a "Hydrogen Symposium" in the TransAlta Commons at Centralia College on Thursday.

Economic Alliance Announces Potential $400M to $600M Hydrogen Plant Coming to Centralia

During its first "Hydrogen Symposium," the Economic Alliance of Lewis County announced on Thursday afternoon it is facilitating a partnership between TransAlta and Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) … more

By Isabel Vander Stoep / isabel@chronline.com | 5/12/22

Barbara Sommer Feigin smiles for a photo with her book “My American Dream” while standing outside W.F. West High School in Chehalis.

Chehalis Graduate Who Fled Nazi Germany Gives Back to Students

Holocaust escapee Barbara Feigin, 84, a 1955 graduate of what was then Chehalis High School, earlier this week returned to the town that took her family in as refugees from Nazi Germany in … more

By Daniel Warn / dan@chronline.com | 5/11/22

The exploded ATM is pictured in this photograph provided by the Centralia Police Department.

Prosecutor, Centralia Police Continue to Question How Evidence in ATM Explosion Suspect’s Case Was Delivered Late

The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office and the Centralia Police Department are continuing to look into how a significant amount of evidence in the case against a man accused of exploding an ATM … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/9/22

Heather Matthews gestures while playing The Witch during dress rehearsals for “Into The Woods,” presented by the Centralia College Theatre program.

The Time is Finally Right to Go ‘Into The Woods’: Long-Postponed Musical Caps Centralia College Drama Season

“Into The Woods” was supposed to be presented at Centralia College two years ago but its premiere was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the wait was not her choice, director Emmy … more

By Carrina Stanton /For The Chronicle | 5/9/22

K-9 units and officers search for a suspect outside of Chase Bank in Chehalis Friday afternoon.

Officers Still Seeking Suspect in Chehalis Bank Robbery

Police have so far been unable to locate a man suspected of robbing Chase Bank on South Market Boulevard in Chehalis Friday. The robbery was reported at approximately 1 p.m. None of the bank … more

By The Chronicle staff | 5/6/22

Former Tenino teen Serean Kim, 15, acts on Disney+ show "The Quest," streaming on May 11.

Former Tenino Teen Lands Part on Disney+ Show

Many have encountered a small-town community theater actor who says they’re destined to perform on the world stage, but it’s not every day those dreams become reality. Former Tenino … more

By Daniel Warn / dan@chronline.com | 5/6/22

Lewis County Republicans Chair Brandon Svenson, who is also the mayor of Winlock, has been enrolled in the Morton Police Department Reserve Academy since Jan. 10 and is training to be a reserve police officer for the Toledo Police Department. He's pictured here last month in Morton.

Lewis County Republican Officers Call for Chairman’s Resignation Following ‘Inappropriate Behavior’

Several precinct committee officers with the Lewis County Republicans have called for local party chair Brandon Svenson’s resignation, citing an ongoing pattern of “inappropriate … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/5/22

Ryan Thomas Moulder, top left, was released from the Lewis County Jail this week after a judge dismissed his charges related to an explosion at a Centralia bank ATM last year.

Suspect in Centralia ATM Explosion Set Free as Judge Dismisses Case

The day after a jury trial for the Olympia man accused of exploding an ATM at a Centralia bank was supposed to begin, a Lewis County judge dismissed the case due to mismanagement of evidence. … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 5/4/22