News
The Chronicle - Centralia
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Oakville man injured in Thurston County crash 
A 74-year-old Oakville man was injured in a crash that occurred at about 8:50 a.m. Sunday on U.S. Highway 101 in Thurston County, according to the Washington State Patrol. Richard L. Holmes was traveling north on U.S. Highway 101 just south of Black Lake Boulevard when his 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt left the roadway to the right, struck a guardrail, crossed all lanes of travel and struck a cable barrier, according to the state patrol. The vehicle came to rest on the left shoulder. Holmes was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital to be treated for unspecified injuries. The state patrol reported that a medical condition led to the crash. Holmes was wearing a seat belt. It was unknown whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, according to the state patrol. |
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Driver reportedly dead after fleeing from police in Cowlitz County
Authorities are investigating a fatal crash that occurred Friday night, where a driver fleeing from police struck a building on Ocean Beach Highway and rolled over, killing the driver. Sgt. Tim Deisher of the Longview Police Department said officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled from them. He did not say why the attempted stop was made. The vehicle struck a building located in the 800 block of Ocean Beach Highway, just across the street from Stuffy's II. Washington State Patrol is investigating the circumstances that led to the crash, Deisher said, and no identifying information about the driver has been released. As of 10 p.m., the overtured car remained on the road. Personnel from Longview Fire, Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office and Washington State Patrol were spotted near the area Friday, as portions of Ocean Beach Highway were blocked off from traffic. |
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Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders chases DUI suspect on highway, through woods and into a pond
Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders joined local law enforcement this weekend in chasing a suspect over the highway and through the woods — and into a pond. Sanders wrote on Facebook early Saturday morning that he personally participated in the late-night pursuit. The suspect, who had multiple warrants out for his arrest (including for assault and DUI), fled on I-5 after the Olympia Police Department tried to contact him. Sanders wrote that when he pulled up behind the car, which didn't have its lights on, the driver showed "signs of impairment with varying speed and lane travel." The suspect sped away after Sanders tried to get him to stop. The hour-long chase snaked throughout unincorporated Pierce County, Tacoma and Lakewood, Sanders wrote. Smokey, the Washington State Patrol's airplane, helped by tracking the pursuit. Each time the suspect drove into a dead end, he still kept trying to escape. Eventually the driver ran after striking a curb and ditching his passenger, Sanders said. "[Thurston County Sheriff's Office] deputies, K9 Bowie, Tacoma Police Officers and I were quick on his trail," he wrote in the 3:41 a.m. post. "With the assistance of Smokey, we were guided in through the woods on a trail where the suspect was hiding in a pond. I obtained a search warrant for his blood and into the vehicle as there was a substance consistent with fentanyl spilled on the front driver floorboard." The driver was then taken to the county jail on suspicion of attempting to elude, DUI, unlawful fentanyl possession and other charges, Sanders wrote. He added: "Huge shout out to Smokey's air support that undoubtedly mitigated significant risk to the public during this incident." Suspects booked on a felony can't see a judge when it's the weekend, Lt. Mike Brooks with the Thurston County Sheriff's Department told The News Tribune. The driver will remain in jail until a judge returns on Monday to determine bail. Brooks highlighted something else that stood out about this case: The fact that the State Patrol happened to have Smokey nearby in the sky. "We got lucky in the aspect the airplane was in the air and able to help," he said, "and basically track that pursuit instead of law enforcement trying to keep up with it." ___ (c)2024 The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) Visit The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.) at www.TheNewsTribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
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Natural gas regulation initiative might appear on Washington's ballot in November
OLYMPIA — Supporters of a statewide initiative to stop Washington's move to phase out natural gas use in buildings launched their signature-gathering campaign last week. Earlier this year, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a state law that mandated large utilities in the state — such as Puget Sound Energy — take steps to transition away from natural gas and decarbonize residential and commercial heating systems. Initiative 2066 would cancel some sections of that state law if it makes it onto the ballot and gets the green light from Washington voters in November. But before that can happen, signature gatherers have until July 5 to collect at least 324,516 signatures and submit the initiative to the Secretary of State's office for official certification. It is recommended that at least 405,000 signatures be turned in to allow for invalid signatures. Building Industry Association of Washington representatives and other supporters of the initiative gathered last week in Olympia to give public remarks to kick off their signature-gathering campaign. Greg Lane, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, said the initiative would not prohibit people from choosing to electrify their homes if it passes, but rather keep their choice intact. "Banning natural gas is a reckless policy that harms nearly everyone in our community," Lane said at a news conference Thursday. "That's why we strongly support Initiative 2066 to protect energy choice for everyone here in Washington." The state law signed by Inslee this year, House Bill 1589, did not ban natural gas in the state or forbid Puget Sound Energy from providing it to customers. "PSE has an obligation to serve any customer who wants natural gas," a spokesperson for Puget Sound Energy said in a statement Friday. "The recently passed legislation did not change that. ... It's disappointing to see continued misinformation about what the legislation requires. HB 1589 is fundamentally a planning requirement and some of the provisions in I-2066 strip out important mechanisms that help us to cost-effectively plan for the eventual decarbonization of our system in alignment with customer choices and state policies." If passed, initiative 2066 would also repeal recent changes to Washington's building code that require heat pumps be installed in newly built houses, apartments and commercial buildings. Some local environmental groups have been outspoken in their support of the new building code rules and the new state law phasing out natural gas. Leaders of the nonprofit Climate Solutions praised the Legislature's passage of the clean energy law this year. When the nonprofit's executive director heard signature gathering had been launched to repeal some elements of the law, he said he was "deeply disappointed." "(In) Washington state, we are on a really great track to get to 100% clean energy in a way that protects ratepayers," Small said in an interview Friday afternoon. "These initiatives strike at the heart of the progress we're trying to make on clean energy. He added, "While they are collecting signatures, we are going to be educating the public about positive things that are happening with clean energy in the state, and if the initiative passes, what it will do to roll that back." If supporters can gather the necessary hundreds of thousands of signatures in the next two months, Initiative 2006 will appear on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. ___ (c)2024 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) Visit The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.) at www.spokesman.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
Seattle Times Politics
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Obscure political group amps up massive spending against Oregon candidate for Congress
The negative ads are incendiary and somewhat misleading. They attempt to pin the failings of the Multnomah County Commission and its powerful chair on Susheela Jayapal alone. |
NYT Politics
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U.S. and Europe Move Closer to Using Russian Assets to Help Ukraine
Finance ministers from the G7 nations are hoping to finalize a plan ahead of the group’s leaders meeting next month.
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U.S. to Withdraw All Troops From Niger by September
The announcement spells out the terms of a pullout that the Biden administration unveiled last month and comes after a military junta ousted Niger’s president last July.
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Seattle Times Opinion
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Beware the pettiness of the powerful
Even though Trump is the arch example of someone who makes the political personal, he isn’t unique in the way he lets minor grievances drive policy positions. |
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Foster kids are left out of the reproductive health care system
There is widespread confusion about who makes decisions for youth when biological parents have lost custody but retain legal rights. |
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Rename the Hood Canal to reflect its true nature and splendor
Changing the name of this Northwest landmark would correct a misnomer, highlight its natural beauty and acknowledge ongoing restoration efforts. |
