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The Chronicle - Centralia
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WIAA assembly votes against adding girls flag football
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association released the results of voting from its Representative Assembly on Monday morning, and girls flag football was not made a sanctioned sport in the state. The Rep Assembly is made up of 53 members from across the state and is largely populated with athletic directors. Flag football was one of 13 amendments, so called because they amend the state constitution (or rule book), that failed. Girls badminton was also not added as a sport, nor was eSports. An amendment needs 60% to pass. The vote was 26-27 against it. Several Seahawks threw their support behind it. Tyler Lockett even invited the Emerald Ridge team to join him at the NFL draft last month in Detroit to announce their third-round pick. Girls flag football remains a club sport in Washington, which schools still have the option to add, but it won't fall under WIAA supervision or have a sanctioned state tournament. The Rep Assembly passed 14 amendments, most of them on behind-the-scenes issues. Among the amendments that did pass: The number of practices (normally 10) needed to enter competition was reduced for all sports except for football and gymnastics. Also, all players and coaches who are ejected from a competition will be required to take a course from the National Federal of State High School Associations. Players will have to take a sportsmanship course and coaches a course on teaching and modeling behavior. ___ (c)2024 The Seattle Times Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. |
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Washington State Patrol issues Missing Indigenous Person Alert for woman last seen April 11
The Washington State Patrol on Monday issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert (MIPA) for Cayla Rosario, 24, of Bellingham. According to the alert, friends last heard from Rosario on April 11. Authorities do not have a description of the clothing she was wearing when last seen. Rosario is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. The alert was issued on behalf of the Bellingham Police Department. The case number is 24B25321. Please call 911 if you have any relevant information. (c)2024 The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Wash.) |
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Man who was severely injured at Washington water park last summer sues park's owners
A man who was severely injured last summer when his legs went through the side of the Hairpin, one of the four main slides at the Birch Bay Waterslides in Blaine, has sued the park's owners. Larry Baker, who was 43 at time of the accident, filed a civil tort lawsuit May 9 in Whatcom County Superior Court against Birch Bay Jun Yu Waterslides LLC, according to court records. Baker's lawsuit states that he visited the water park on Aug. 25, 2023, and that while he was on one of the slides, he "slid over a damaged or defective section, causing severe injury and other damages," the court records state. Baker's lawsuit accuses the park's owners of negligence, stating that they had a duty to "keep the common areas of its property safe and properly maintained for the benefit of the customers." The owners also failed in their duties to provide safe and adequate maintenance of the park's premises and grounds; to provide its customers with warnings regarding unsafe areas and hidden dangers; to have a system in place to inspect the premises for unsafe conditions; to have a policy of supervising employees, independent contractors and vendors to ensure they complied with all safety guidelines for the premises and other state and local safety regulations and statues; to inspect the premises of unsafe conditions once employees became aware or should have become aware of unsafe conditions and of complying with state laws regarding the proper operation and maintenance standards of water parks in Washington state, including routine inspections, maintenance, and repairs to the physical components to ensure all structural facilities are intact and free from corrosion, wear or stress, Baker's lawsuit alleges. Baker's lawsuit states he has suffered "severe physical injuries"; that he's incurred current and future medical expenses and that he's experienced and may continue to experience physical pain and suffering. He also claims he's suffered general damages, including a loss of enjoyment of life and a permanent injury, as well as economic loss involving past and future lost wages, the records show. Baker is asking for prejudgment interest on all medical and out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury he suffered while at the water park. He is also asking for monetary damages stemming from the park owners' alleged negligence and his subsequent injury. He is also asking for monetary damages in the form of past wage losses, medical expenses and attorneys fees, court documents state. The Bellingham Herald has reached out to Baker's attorney for comment. It's unclear at this time if Birch Bay Waterslides has retained an attorney.
Park closed Meanwhile, the Whatcom County Department of Health and Human Services has suspended the park's operating permit and it will be unable to open until significant repairs are made, spokeswoman Marie Duckworth told The Bellingham Herald in April. Iain Buchanan, general manager of the Birch Bay Waterslides, wasn't immediately available for comment.
'Code Red' called An injury report from Aug. 29, 2023, conducted by Whatcom County health officials describes the incident and a dramatic effort to save Baker's life. Baker is described only as "the victim" in the Health Department's report, but he is named in the lawsuit. According to the report, Baker smashed a hole in the side of the Hairpin, severely cutting his left foot and right leg, and continued sliding down at 12:52 p.m. Aug. 25, 2023. "Victim strikes slide riser panel on turn 4 (turn to the rider's left) with both feet/legs, calls out, and continues down slide," according to the report. At 12:53 p.m., lifeguards called a "Code Red," activating the park's emergency plan, and were keeping riders off the slides. A manager called 911 at 12:54 p.m. and went for medical supplies. In an effort to control the bleeding, a bystander with medical training and a lifeguard started to bandage and apply pressure to Baker's wounds. At 12:54 p.m., the bystander applied a tourniquet to each of the man's legs. The bystander and a lifeguard kept pressure on Baker's wounds. Other lifeguards were keeping bystanders away and closing the attraction. Firefighters arrived at 1:01 p.m., and EMS personnel assumed patient care. An ambulance left at 1:08 p.m. An Aug. 30 follow-up to the initial report indicates that firefighters took Baker to St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he had undergone two surgeries with more expected. Additionally, Health Department officials found that documentation of emergency response training was unavailable. Regular inspection reports were unavailable at the time of the incident. Park management was told to develop a record-keeping and documentation system. In a report dated April 12, the Health Department's Environmental Health Supervisor Tom Kunesh noted that while Birch Bay Waterslides officials had supplied inspection and repair reports that were requested at the time of the injury, none of the reports specifically mention inspection or maintenance work on the fasteners (nuts, bolts and washers) that were holding the failed slide section together. According to the April 12 report from Kunesh, for the water park's operations permit to be reinstated, officials must:
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Centralia man accused of wielding realistic-looking BB pistol faces felony charges; bail set at $150,000
A Centralia man accused of pulling a realistic-looking BB pistol on another man during a dispute on Thursday, May 9, was charged Monday with felony harassment and second-degree assault. The victim reported he was walking home on Harrison Avenue on May 9 when he observed two women and a man across the street who “appeared to be arguing,” according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court. The man, who was later identified as Kyle Houghton, 24, allegedly approached the victim, pulled out what appeared to be a black Glock pistol and said, “run your pockets,” according to court documents. The victim later told law enforcement “he thought the male wanted him to empty his pockets” and said “felt scared and that anything could have happened.” The victim reported he put out his arm and said, “Dude, just chill out man, c’mon,” then walked away. Houghton reportedly continued in the opposite direction. A responding officer with the Centralia Police Department identified Houghton as the suspect based on the victim’s description and the fact that the officer “knew Mr. Houghton to have a BB or pellet gun that looked like a Glock pistol,” according to court documents. Houghton reportedly denied any involvement when questioned by officers on May 9, saying he had been inside the dorms at Centralia College for the last few hours. He did allegedly admit to owning a Glock BB pistol. When asked “if someone was going to identify him as the male who pulled out a gun,” Houghton allegedly “stated there was an argument with a male wearing a multi-colored sweatshirt,” which is what the officer noted the victim was wearing at the time of the incident. Houghton then allegedly admitted to walking up to the victim and said the victim “had something that resembled a Sharpie or a baton in his hand, and that it looked like something he could poke him with,” according to court documents. He allegedly admitted to pulling out his BB pistol, holding it “at the low-ready” and saying, “I’ll run your chin into the ground,” according to court documents. When asked why he pointed the BB pistol at the victim, Houghton allegedly said “it was in self-defense.” The officer reportedly “asked Mr. Houghton how he would feel if someone he did not know was following him, and he said ‘good point,’ “ according to court documents. An officer noted the BB pistol “appeared completely real” and said “the only way to tell it was a BB pistol was to pull the slide back or to remove the magazine.” Houghton was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at noon on May 10, according to jail records. Charges were filed on Monday, May 13. Bail was set at $150,000 over the weekend. |
Columbian Newspaper
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Two of three people who filed to run for governor under name Bob Ferguson withdraw from race
Washington’s candidate filing week ended in chaos — and more than a few jokes on social media — when the field of candidates for governor increased by two more Bob Fergusons. |
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Pro-Palestinian demonstrators who blocked road near Sea-Tac airport plead not guilty
SEATAC — More than three dozen pro-Palestinian protesters accused of blocking a main road into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last month pleaded not guilty on Monday to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and failing to disperse. |
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Law enforcement on lookout for man who broke into east Vancouver home, threatened resident with gun, stole car
Local law enforcement officers are looking for a man who broke into an east Vancouver home Saturday and threatened the resident with a handgun before stealing his SUV. |
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Feds OK rule for transmission of renewable energy
WASHINGTON — Federal energy regulators on Monday approved a long-awaited rule to make it easier to transmit renewable energy such as wind and solar power to the electric grid — a key part of President Joe Biden’s goal to eliminate carbon emissions economy-wide by 2050. |
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Blast brings down Key Bridge span in Baltimore
BALTIMORE — Crews set off a network of linked explosives Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, and with a boom, the steel section crumpled into the water in seconds. |
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Federal judge dismisses hate crime, battery claims filed against Clark County Fire District 6 by Black former firefighter
A federal judge dismissed claims of hate crime and battery in a lawsuit where a Black former Clark County Fire District 6 firefighter alleges a white recruit acted out a lynching by placing a noose around his neck during a knot-tying training in June 2022. |
