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A commissioner for the Port of Centralia and a longtime resident of Lewis County have each filed to challenge Sean Swope for a seat on the Board of Lewis County County Commissioners.

On Monday, Port Commissioner Peter Lahmann filed to represent District 1 as a Republican, while warehouse worker Damian Bean filed as a Democrat. Swope, the Republican incumbent, also filed for reelection.

The formal filings with the Secretary of State’s office came on the first day of filing week when interested residents can declare for more than 400 federal, state, judicial, legislative, county and other offices. This year’s ballot will include all statewide offices, all congressional seats, a seat in the U.S. Senate and a majority of the seats in the Washington Legislature.

Candidate filing week will run through 5 p.m. on May 10. The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5. A top-two primary will be held on Aug. 6 to decide which two candidates advance to the general election in each race with three or more candidates.

Swope currently represents District 1, which encompasses much of Centralia and north Lewis County, and his is one of two commissioner seats that 

will appear on the November ballot.

In races with three or more candidates, the slate will be whittled down to two in the August primary. 

In District 2, which covers large swaths of south and west county, incumbent Lindsey Pollock, a Republican, filed on Monday. She also drew a challenger. Christina Riley, a Republican, formally filed her registration paperwork Monday. Riley has publicly declared her candidacy for the position.

First elected as a Port of Centralia commissioner in 2017, Lahmann touted his experience in serving Lewis County residents in a brief phone interview Monday. Lahmann was reelected to a second six-year term as a port commissioner last year.

“We have a lot of issues … just a variety of issues, and I think I can be helpful,” Lahmann said.

Bean, the sole Democrat to register as of Monday, said he would work to put “people above party” if elected to the board.

“I think at the county level we need to focus on the issues that actually affect our community, not culture war talking points,” Bean said.

While serving on the board, Swope said commissioners have “achieved significant milestones in public safety for the people of Lewis County” and said he would work to continue the momentum.

“It’s been a privilege collaborating with local and state leaders to create opportunities that will lead to generational wealth for all residents of Lewis County. We’re all feeling the impact of inflation while buying groceries, filling up our vehicles at the gas pump, and with the influx of new state taxes on the horizon,” Swope said Monday. “We’re doing everything we can to attract businesses to our county which in turn will lead to additional skilled job opportunities. In the next four years, our focus will be on prioritizing public safety, driving strategic economic growth, and ensuring housing opportunities for everyone.”

In the state Legislature, all three incumbents from the 19th District — Reps. Joel McEntire and Jim Walsh and Sen. Jeff Wilson — have filed for reelection. As of noon Monday, the trio of legislators do not face challengers.

In the 20th district, incumbents Sen. John Braun and Reps. Ed Orcutt and Peter Abbarno, all Republicans, filed for reelection Monday. Abbarno has one registered opponent, Melvin Kaleolani Apana, who identifies as a “Cultural Republican.”

Incumbents J. Andrew Toynbee and Joely Yeager have filed for reelection as Lewis County Superior Court judges.

Two candidates — Jilona Speer and Dave Fenn — have filed to run for Lewis County Public Utility District commissioner. As of noon on Monday, incumbent Ed Rothlin had not filed for reelection.

As expected, Third Congressional District incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, has drawn two Republican competitors — Joe Kent and Leslie Lewallen. 

To see up-to-date filings, visit https://tinyurl.com/2s3p7a79, where users can see which candidates are running in each county and in each race. 

To file by the Friday, May 10, deadline, candidates in Lewis County can go to https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/candidate-filing-information and select “online candidate filing.” Candidates can also file in person at the Lewis County Auditor’s Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The auditor’s office is located on the second floor of the historic courthouse at 351 NW North St. in Chehalis.

To withdraw, a signed request must be received by Monday, May 13, at 4:30 p.m. Filing fees are not refundable.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5. A top-two primary will be held on Aug. 6 to decide which two candidates advance to the general election in each race with three or more candidates.

For information specific to Lewis County, visit https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/.   

Look for updates on candidate filing each day after 5 p.m. at chronline.com through May 10. 

In the presence of Gov. Jay Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson and a packed church of law enforcement personnel from across Washington state, fallen Centralia Police Officer William Smith and two other fallen officers were recognized Friday, May 3 for their service.

Smith, who was fatally struck by a train on Dec. 23, 1910, was one of three fallen officers whose names were added to the Washington state Peace Officers Memorial in Olympia following the Behind the Badge Foundation’s annual Peace Officers Memorial and Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Ceremony in Olympia on Friday.

The other two officers were William M. Williams Sr., of the Tulalip Tribal Police Department, who went missing while patrolling on July 15, 1965, and was later found drowned; and Raymond J. Gutierrez, of Hanford Patrol, who contracted COVID-19 while performing his duties and died Oct. 3, 2021.

“It is imperative we recognize the significance of remembering those who have given everything, even if it’s not until years, decades or even a century later,” Centralia Police Department Volunteer Coordinator Naomi Hursh said at the ceremony, which was held at Evergreen Christian Community in Olympia this year due to ongoing construction at the memorial site on the Capitol grounds.

During Friday’s ceremony, Inslee read aloud a proclamation he signed earlier that day declaring the week of May 12 to May 18 as Law Enforcement Recognition Week.

“I urge all people in our state to join me in the special observance,” Inslee said.

According to the Behind the Badge Foundation, Smith was crossing multiple railroad tracks at a poorly lit crossing in the dead of night when he was struck by a train car that was backing up along the tracks.

“Reports state that Smith was the oldest officer in the department and one of the oldest in the state at the time of his death,” the Behind the Badge Foundation stated, adding that The Tacoma Daily Register reported, “Smith was a veteran of the Civil War and was regarded as one of the nerviest men among officers of Lewis County. He was small in stature but of great physical strength and courage."

His age was inconsistently reported in various online sources.

He was survived by his wife and 20-year-old daughter.

Smith’s name was not submitted for inclusion on the Washington state Peace Officers Memorial when the Behind the Badge Foundation erected it about 30 years ago, “which is not uncommon for historical death,” Behind the Badge Foundation Director of Programs and Services Meg DiBucci said in an email to The Chronicle.

“As historical deaths become known, they can be submitted for consideration for inclusion. In the case of Officer Smith, an individual noted he was not included and brought it to the attention of the agency, and subsequently to (Behind the Badge Foundation),” DiBucci said.

No officer deaths from 2023 were submitted for inclusion on the memorial this year, Puyallup Chief of Police Scott Engel said during Friday’s ceremony.

“We are thankful for our officers and their actions. We are thankful for no new names from 2023, and we remember, we honor and never forget each and every name inscribed on our memorial wall here in Olympia,” Engel said.

The Behind the Badge Foundation began as a small group of people who, about 30 years ago, “Decided that it was time that Washington state had a fitting monument to its fallen officers,” said Behind the Badge Foundation Executive Director Brian Johnston. “We’ve moved to many, many, many attributes that we are able to support our fallen officers, their families and our officers that are currently serving, but core to our mission has always been the Washington state Law Enforcement Memorial. The names on it, inscribed, ensures that their stories and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.”

The memorial wall is located on Washington state Capitol campus in the shadow of the Temple of Justice and facing north to Heritage Park and Puget Sound.

A Centralia man was arrested Thursday for allegedly grabbing a woman by the throat when she declined to go on a hike with him on April 30.

The victim reported the incident to the Centralia Police Department at about noon on May 2, according to police call logs.

The defendant, Cedric Howlitz, 27, is accused of running down a hallway toward the woman and grabbing her by the throat when she declined to go on a morning hike with him and two children in their care, according to court documents. Howlitz then allegedly threw her down twice, causing a bruise on her shin when her leg hit a dish on a bed.

She reported she “walked away from the home on May 2 ... and headed to the hospital to get her leg looked at.” She reportedly agreed to report the incident after talking to hospital staff, according to court documents.

The responding Centralia officer noted the woman had a 10-inch bruise on her leg and a “finger-sized bruise” on her neck, according to court documents.

During the investigation, officers learned that Howlitz controls the woman’s cellphone account and allegedly “shuts off her cellphone when he gets upset.”

When questioned, Howlitz reportedly told officers he and the woman did go on a hike on April 30 and “denied any argument before leaving.” He additionally “denied knowing anything about a mark on (the woman’s) neck and denied throwing her onto the bed.” He later provided other possible sources for the bruising, according to court documents.

When asked about the woman’s phone, Howlitz reportedly “stated it was a technical issue” through the phone company. He later allegedly admitted to shutting her phone off about once a month.

Howlitz was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 3:45 p.m. on May 2, according to court documents. He was charged May 3 with one count of second-degree assault, domestic violence.

Bail is set at $20,000 and arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, May 9. A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place. The court has also issued an order for Howlitz to surrender all weapons.

Tony Karniss, a lifetime Lewis County man, was recognized for his volunteer work for Back Country Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Onalaska Fire Hall on May 2.

“Currently, Tony is president of the Lewis County BCHW,” wrote Carolyn Stella, of Chehalis. “Leading Lewis County’s 165-member organization, he is known for his collaborative work with other outdoor recreation organizations in this county and the Pacific Northwest to clear and maintain trails, such as Packwood Lake for Memorial Day weekend, horse camps and the Keenes and Cody area trails as soon as the snow level rises.”

Back Country Horsemen of Washington is a nonprofit dedicated to keeping trails open for all users, educating horse users in leave-no-trace practices, and providing volunteer service to resource agencies.

He was awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by BCHW President Dana Chamber.

Below is the message she read while making the presentation to Karniss:

“The recipient of this Lifetime Achievement Award joined BCHW in 2006 and is a member of the Lewis County Chapter, where he has held positions of leadership up to chapter president. He is also a past BCHW Lopper and President’s Diamond Award recipient. This person has spent a lifetime working in the wilderness as a professional logger, timberman and trail maintenance volunteer. During his 18 years of volunteering for BCHW, he has logged more than 7,500 hours of volunteer time. He works closely with federal and state land managers as well as groups such as PNTA, WTA and numerous other user groups. As BCHW’s lead instructor, coordinator and manager, he has personally coordinated, conducted and certified more than 2,000 students in BCHW’s benchmark program. He is the driving force behind the BCHW/USFS Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Certification Program. He continues to encourage volunteerism at all levels and embodies safety first, which has led to an outstanding safety record. For this volunteer, the mission statement rings loud and clear. Whenever we get to work alongside this person, we all know it’s all about the trail. His gentle soul, kind heart, warm personality and willingness to get involved are the model for us all.”

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