The Daily Chronicle

Man Attempts Carjacking in Tacoma, But a Witness Shot Him in Leg, Court Records Show

A Tacoma carjacking suspect who lured the victim out of his vehicle by telling him he had a flat tire was then shot by a witness who intervened, according to charging papers. The 29-year-old … more

Alexis Krell / The News Tribune | 7/22/21 | 1 comment

Suspect Chased by Witnesses, Held at Gunpoint After Hit-and-Run, Charges Say

A hit-and-run driver was chased by witnesses and briefly held at gunpoint after a South Hill wreck that injured another driver, according to charging papers. The 25-year-old pleaded not guilty to … more

Alexis Krell / The News Tribune | 7/22/21

A cart full of plastic bags filled with groceries waits to be taken out to the parking lot at Bailey's IGA in Rochester in this Chronicle file photo.

Plastic Bag Ban Coming to State Covers Curbside Pickup, Too

When the state's ban on single-use plastic bags takes effect Oct. 1, another type of bag will be affected, too. You'll be charged for using a store's paper bags if you choose to use them. Many … more

Debbie Cockrell / The News Tribune | 7/22/21

This aerial view shows the P4 laboratory, at left, on the campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on May 27, 2020. Opened in 2018, the P4 lab conducts research on the world's most dangerous diseases and has been accused by some top U.S. officials of being the source of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

China Opposes Lab Leak Study in Any New Virus Origins Probe

China pushed back against the World Health Organization’s call for another probe into the coronavirus’s origins that includes examining whether it leaked from a lab, saying there’s … more

Bloomberg News (TNS) | 7/22/21

Sandra Presley (left) interviews for a job as a hotel front desk staff member with a human resources manager during a Zislis Group job fair at The Brew Hall on June 23, 2021 in Torrance, California. - Employers at the job fair for Zislis Group boutique hotel and restaurant management company, offered hiring incentives, including a $500 signing bonus and $200 per month for medical benefits after 90 days of employment. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

Surprise Gain in Jobless Claims Shows US Labor Market Churn

Applications for U.S. state unemployment insurance rose unexpectedly last week by the most since late March, underscoring week-to-week volatility in an otherwise improving labor market. Initial … more

Peyton Forte and Olivia Rockeman / Bloomberg News (TNS) | 7/22/21

The Coast Guard Cutter Healy, a 420-foot polar icebreaker, off Alaska on July 20, 2021. The Healy and its crew are currently on a 133-day deployment into the Arctic as part of a circumnavigation around North America to conduct Coast Guard missions and to support scientific research. (U.S. Coast Guard/TNS)

Seattle-Based Icebreaker Will Make Northwest Passage Transit in New Arctic Mission

SEATTLE — A Seattle-based Coast Guard icebreaker damaged by a shipboard fire in 2020 is back at sea this summer on a lengthy mission that will include an Arctic transit through the Northwest … more

Hal Bernton / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/22/21

Carol Lewis and her brother Jeff Green walk away from a podium on Independence Mall in October after sharing the story their father, Hiram Green, who died of COVID-19 at 86. (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)

Life Expectancy Fell by 1.5 Years in 2020, Mostly Due to COVID-19

Life expectancy declined 1.5 years in the United States in 2020 and by twice that much for Black and Hispanic people, largely due to the surge in deaths from COVID-19, federal health officials said … more

Tom Avril / The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) | 7/22/21

The Peace Arch sits on the border between the U.S. and Canada on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. (Greg Gilbert/Seattle Times/TNS)

US Extends Travel Restrictions at Canada, Mexico Borders

The U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed at land and ferry crossings for at least another month as the pandemic continues to pose a threat to “human life or national … more

Nelson Oliveira / New York Daily News (TNS) | 7/22/21

The Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Monsoor leads a formation including the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald, Spruance, Pinckney, and Kidd, and the Independence-variant littoral combat ship Coronado during U.S. Pacific Fleet's Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem 21 on April 21, 2021. (Chief Petty Officer Shannon Renfroe/U.S. Navy/TNS)

Navy, Air Force Defend Plans to Retire Planes and Ships

WASHINGTON — Retiring almost $3 billion worth of planes and ships is driven by both the need to invest in future capabilities and to get rid of equipment well past its service life, Air Force … more

Andrew Clevenger / CQ-Roll Call (TNS) | 7/22/21

Winlock Man Killed After Crashing Into Guardrail on Interstate 5 in Centralia

A 34-year-old Winlock man died in a fatal collision at mile marker 81 on Interstate 5 just before 11 p.m. Wednesday. The vehicle had reportedly been in the left lane on northbound I-5 when the … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/22/21 | 2 comments

Missing Hiker at Mount St. Helens Found Dead

A hiker who was reported missing earlier this week at Mount St. Helens has been found dead. On Wednesday at about 1:50 p.m, hikers in the Mt. Whittier area called Cowlitz County 911 to report they … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/21/21 | 1 comment

Chloe Phillips, left, sits down and is met with a hand to hold after making a speech at W.F. West in support of BP 3211 during a public meeting Tuesday in Chehalis.

Chehalis School Board Passes New Gender Policy Amid Passionate Opposition

A vocal and at times angry crowd of community members on Tuesday watched as the Chehalis School Board passed a new gender-inclusive school policy that aims to better socially integrate transgender … more

By Eric Rosane / ericr@chronline.com | 7/21/21 | 7 comments

Visualization of proposed Chehalis River dam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKTejUE3WsU&feature=youtu.be

$70 Million Chehalis Basin Board Budget Stalled

With $70 million allocated by the state Legislature, regional partners still can’t agree on how to divide funds for flood reduction and aquatic species restoration in the Chehalis River Basin. … more

By Eric Rosane and Claudia Yaw / The Chronicle Staff | 7/21/21 | 1 comment

Lewis County PUD Commissioner Michael Kelly.

‘We’re Overspending’: Lewis County PUD Commissioner Calls for Cutbacks After Rate Hike Suggested

Lewis County residents could face another price hike in their utility bills if the local Public Utilities District (PUD) heeds the warning of a new consulting report. Washington-based FCS Group … more

By Claudia Yaw / cyaw@chronline.com | 7/21/21 | 6 comments

Maximilian Macdonald cuts through pipes, brackets, and wires all in under a minute with an electric reciprocating hand saw to demonstrate how catlytic converter thefts occur.

Ease of Selling Catalytic Converters Off-the-Books Driving Theft Wave, Car Expert in Chehalis Says

Law enforcement officials have described catalytic converter theft, a crime that has skyrocketed this last year due to the surging price of precious metals, as a “crime of … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / emily@chronline.com | 7/21/21 | 2 comments

Sirens: Arrest for Assault; Hit-and-Run and DUI; Shooting Complaint; Crashes

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Crashes • A non-injury, two-vehicle collision was reported at the intersection of South Pearl and West Pear streets just before 4 p.m. on July 19. • … more

7/21/21

TransAlta's Centralia plant as seen from the air in October 2019.

Ohio Think Tank Says Centralia, TransAlta Transition Grants Could Be Economic Model

An Ohio-based think tank says Centralia could be a national model for rural communities with “anemic” economies suffering after the closure of coal mines and power plants. This … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/21/21

The sun shines above the awning to the main entrance of Arbor Health, Morton Hospital.

Arbor Health, Morton Hospital Receives Safety Accreditation

Arbor Health, Morton Hospital has successfully achieved accreditation by DNV. This status signifies the hospital meets or exceeds patient-safety standards set by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/21/21

Herrera Beutler Heralds Columbia, Cowlitz River Funding From Congress

U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler has secured more than $1.2 million in funding for two projects within the Columbia and Cowlitz river systems, a news release from her office stated Wednesday, July … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/21/21

Man Airlifted After Falling Asleep at Wheel, Crashing Into Pickup Truck on U.S. Highway 12

A man was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a pickup truck on U.S. Highway 12 at mile marker 69 early Wednesday morning. Lewis … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/21/21