News
The Chronicle - Centralia
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Man accused of choking woman during an argument about music in Centralia 
A man accused of putting a woman into a headlock during an argument about music in Centralia is facing a felony assault charge in Lewis County Superior Court. Officers with the Centralia Police Department responded to the dispute in the 3000 block of Borst Avenue just after 2 a.m. on May 3, according to police call logs. The disagreement reportedly began as “a verbal argument over music,” which escalated when the defendant, identified as Griffin Lee Russell Sr., 31, of Chehalis, allegedly placed the woman he was arguing with “in a headlock and squeezed her neck for about six seconds,” according to court documents. Responding officers reportedly observed “red marks on (the woman’s) neck and chest.” When asked to “go outside so (officers) could speak with him,” Russell allegedly “refused” and tried to enter a different room, which reportedly had children inside. “The officers had to restrain Russell, which he resisted, to get him outside,” according to court documents. When questioned, Russell allegedly “admitted he choked (the woman) after they got into a verbal argument over music,” according to court documents. Lewis County Jail records indicate he was arrested and booked into the jail just before 2:45 a.m. on May 3. He was charged that afternoon with one count of second-degree assault, domestic violence. |
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WDFW: 'Long season of uninterrupted digging' to end with final slate of clam digs
The final seven days of coastal razor clam digs of the season will proceed as planned from May 6-12, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) coastal shellfish managers confirmed Friday. “We are excited to send off a nice long season of uninterrupted digging with a closing tide series that contains the lowest tides of the year” said Bryce Blumenthal, a WDFW coastal shellfish biologist. “Between Sept. 29, 2023, through May 12, we offered a total of 250 digs on the four beaches across 100 days.” Not all coastal beaches are open for every dig, so diggers are encouraged to make sure their intended destination is open before heading out. Optimal digging occurs between one and two hours before the listed time of low tide. Shellfish and seafood enthusiasts can also start making plans to attend the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival on May 10-11. This long-running event celebrates the unique contribution of razor clams to Washington’s culture and coastal communities. The following digs will proceed as scheduled, after marine toxin results from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) showed razor clams are safe to eat. Confirmed dates during morning (midnight to noon) low tides:
As in past years, WDFW is asking beachgoers to avoid disturbing nesting snowy plovers — a small bird with gray wings and a white breast — by staying out of the dunes and posted areas along the southwest coast. Snowy plover nests are nearly invisible, and it is vital to give birds the space to live and thrive during nesting period, especially along the southern end on Twin Harbors — known as Midway Beach — the north end of Long Beach and the area north of Ocean City on Copalis Beach., according to WDFW. WDFW asks diggers to avoid leaving leftover food or trash — which attracts predators — on the beach and picnic areas, keep pets on a leash, stay out of dunes and avoid areas which are clearly marked with posted signs. When driving on the beach, the speed limit is 25 mph, and motorists should only access the beach from marked entry points. Motorists should stay on the hard-packed sand near the high tide line to avoid crushing clam beds and snowy plover nests. Several sections of coastal beaches are closed to driving now through Labor Day, except on days and hours when the recreational razor clam digging is open. These areas are clearly marked with signs. On all open beaches, the daily limit is 15 clams per person. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container, and all diggers must keep the first 15 clams they dig, regardless of size or condition, to prevent waste. To dig razor clams, Washingtonians must have a valid 2024-2025 recreational hunting and fishing licenses. Licenses can be purchased from WDFW’s licensing website, and from hundreds of license vendors around the state. All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach. WDFW plans to announce tentative digging opportunities in early fall for the 2024-2025 season via the WDFW razor clam webpage. This summer, WDFW will conduct population assessments and regularly monitor domoic acid levels, a natural marine toxin produced by certain types of marine algae, that can be harmful or fatal if consumed in sufficient quantities. More information about domoic acid, as well as current levels at ocean beaches, can be found on WDFW's domoic acid webpage and on the DOH webpage. |
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In focus: ToledoTel, county officials celebrate milestone in high-speed internet project in Winlock
Lewis County commissioners, ToledoTel staff and others gathered at KR Rentals in Winlock Friday, May 3, to celebrate the first connection for an ongoing project to expand high-speed internet access in the area. In October, officials broke ground on a joint project with ToledoTel that will bring broadband service to more than 2,300 homes and businesses in the Winlock area. The project includes 134 miles of line construction, funded through a $23.5 million grant from the Washington State Broadband Office and an additional $2.35 million matching funds from ToledoTel. Dale Merten, ToledoTel vice president and CEO, said ToledoTel did not have direct access to the grant funding needed for the project, which required Lewis County involvement. During the groundbreaking, Merten estimated that the project would be completed in October 2026. Below is a news release on Friday’s event from the Lewis County commissioners: Representatives from ToledoTel and KR Homes joined Lewis County officials, Rep. Jim Walsh and others today to mark a significant milestone in the effort to improve rural internet service: the first fiber broadband connection resulting from the Winlock Broadband Expansion project. Commissioner Scott Brummer, who had the honor of plugging in the fiber to KR Homes in Winlock, hailed the symbolic event and local leaders’ commitment to bridge the digital divide and empower communities with robust, reliable internet access. “This is a unique partnership between local government and the private sector that has brought tangible results to the people of Lewis County,” Brummer said. “I am hopeful these collaborative efforts will bring additional broadband infrastructure improvements to benefit our communities.” Commissioner Lindsey Pollock echoed his sentiments. “Broadband access brings wealth of opportunity for our future,” she said. “New modes of working, learning, and collaborating with people near and far are now accessible to the residents of Winlock. Gone are the days of spending three nights downloading small business accounting software, explaining that we can’t access video, and inability to access the full breadth of training materials available online. This project enables thousands of people to enrich their lives and reach toward a brighter future.” |
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Outreach events planned at Mount St. Helens as eruption anniversary approaches
In observance of Volcano Awareness Month, several scientists and preparedness experts will commemorate the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens during a May 18 event at the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater. The event is just one of many scheduled for May in Washington, which was designated Volcano Awareness Month after the eruption that killed 57 people, spewed 540 million tons of ash and caused more than a billion dollars in damage. “May is Volcano Awareness Month, a time we want you to not just look at Mount St. Helens, but remember we have four other active volcanoes in our state — Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak,” Brian Terbush, volcano program preparedness coordinator for the Washington Emergency Management Division, said in a statement. “If there’s a volcano in your backyard, it’s a perfect time to understand how its eruption might impact your life and what you can do to prepare for it!” The May 18 event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater, located at milepost 43 on state Route 504, also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. For those unable to attend, volcano experts will tweet a screening of the movie “Skyfire” at 7 p.m. on May 8 through the @waShakeOut and @USGSVolcanoes accounts. “Starring Jason Isaacs, everything goes wrong at a theme park built on a volcano when the danger of the volcano is underestimated — basically, Jurassic Park but with a volcano instead of dinosaurs,” the Washington Emergency Management Division said in a description of the movie. The movie is available to stream for free on Amazon Prime with ads or to rent on Prime or YouTube. From 7 to 8:30 p.m. on May 16, the Washington state Emergency Management Division will host a Reddit Ask-Me-Anything through the account reddit.com/user/waquakeprepare/. On May 22, Cascades Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Jon Major will give a presentation titled “Lava, Mudflows and Ash: Volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest” at the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland. The event will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and tickets cost $25. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/yznbk85h. |
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In focus: Work at United Learning Center site begins in downtown Centralia
Work began Thursday on the downtown Centralia lot that will soon be home to the United Learning Center. When completed, the 12,800-square-foot educational facility will be located on the northwest corner of North Pearl and Maple streets in an area that is currently a city parking lot. Crews gated off the property and began initial site work on Thursday. The lot is no longer open for parking. The United Learning Center is a joint project to build a new educational facility involving the City of Centralia, the United Way of Lewis County, the Boys & Girls Club of Lewis County, Cascade Community Health, Discover! Children’s Museum and the Bezos Academy. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on June 8, 2021, but delays in funding and other setbacks prevented construction from actually beginning. A federal budget package passed in March included $4 million in funding for the project secured by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington. An additional $1.95 million was delivered through state funding secured by state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia. The Bezos Academy needs around 16 months to find and hire teachers and staff. Currently, the academy is hoping to have the United Learning Center fully staffed and open by September of 2025. Once open, the United Learning Center will offer at least 80 children free early learning education opportunities. The children will be from low-income families. For more information on the United Learning Center, visit https://www.lewiscountyuw.com/united-learning-center.
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Japanese Festival set for on May 11 in Tenino
The Japanese Festival will be held in Tenino from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 11. The festival, hosted by the Tenino High School Japan program and Japanese Club, will be held at Tenino High School, 500 Second Ave. W. Admission is free and food will be available for $5. “Let’s explore Japanese culture at Tenino High School,” organizers wrote in an announcement. “We have many fun activities (photo booth-Samurai and Kimono, games), arts and crafts (Mother’s Day card, calligraphy, origami), yummy food (Japanese curry, gyoza, make your rice ball, tea ceremony), performances (Taiko, live calligraphy, Tenino students’ music performances) and workshops (samurai and Furoshiki and balloons) and more. Learn more at https://www.teninosd.org/o/high-school. |
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House of Representatives approves extension to landslide protection system
Bipartisan legislation to extend landslide protections has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will now head to the Senate for consideration. The bipartisan National Landslide Preparedness Act — which was cosponsored by Washington Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Suzan DelBene and Kim Schrier — would reauthorize the program through 2028. “Landslides are dangerous, damage our infrastructure, and can cut off access for emergency services,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement. “Southwest Washington has recently experienced several landslides, impacting Interstate 5, Amtrak operations, and access to Mount St. Helens. Small landslides occur frequently in the Columbia River Gorge where I live, and I know from my discussions that these can be crippling for small businesses, impact entire communities, and take all hands on deck to overcome. I’m glad the House overwhelmingly passed this bipartisan legislation to help our communities stay prepared and identify landslide-prone areas before it’s too late.” Passed in 2021, the legislation established an advisory committee on landslides, authorized new funding for landslide research and assessment, expanded early warning systems, established a National Landslides Hazard Reduction program through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and directed the USGS to use a 3D elevation program to increase data collection and landslide threat identification. In August, Gluesenkamp Perez visited the site of the state Route 504 debris slide, which damaged the 85-foot Spirit Lake outlet bridge at milepost 49. According to previous reporting by The Chronicle, the landslide, dubbed the “South Coldwater Slide,” occurred when an early May heatwave melted the mountain’s snow in record time, oversaturating the ashy, young soil near Coldwater Lake. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) hired an engineering firm to install a temporary, one-lane bypass road over culverts, which failed after four months “due to geotechnical and hydraulic challenges and the dynamic site conditions of this volcanic location.” WSDOT has estimated that permanent access will not be fully restored “at least until the latter part of 2026.” |
NYT Politics
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Biden’s Stance on Marijuana Has a Political Upside, Allies Say
The president’s allies say the Justice Department’s chill take on marijuana has a political upside.
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Seattle Times Opinion
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Israel-Hamas war: Israel has obligation to protect its citizens
Re: “The anatomy of an Israel-Hamas hostage deal” [May 2, Opinion]: Columnist Daniel DePetris presents a credible analysis of the situation, but he left out one very significant fact. This single fact changes the entire narrative. It is well-published that Hamas has promised that the events of Oct. 7 will happen over and over until […] |
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Ferries: Distance ‘from political interference’
Editorials and articles have sparked a Washington State Ferries food fight over our lack of operable boats and strategies to solve that. Clearly, ferry riders are paying the price for bad decisions. Whether you’re a pragmatist who wants working boats now or an idealist dedicated to climate action, to me this debate makes one thing […] |
