News
Columbian Newspaper
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Washington hospitals lost $1.7 billion in 2023
YAKIMA — Nearly 85 percent of hospitals in Washington lost money in 2023, state hospital officials said Tuesday. |
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Ridgefield school bond still failing to get supermajority in second round of election results
District spokesperson Joe Vajgrt conceded the loss Wednesday but said the majority support shown for each measure indicates Ridgefield’s “ongoing recognition of the need for additional, permanent classroom space in the district.” |
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Strong pitching, energy help Prairie softball team grab pole position in 3A GSHL
Tuesday was a good day for Prairie softball senior Rylee Wall. |
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BowFlex, Vancouver’s longtime fitness company, is no more
Vancouver-based fitness company Bowflex is no more. |
The Chronicle - Centralia
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Candidate filing week set for May 6-10
The window for candidates in Washington state to run for public office in the November election will open on Monday, May 6. Candidate filing week will run through 5 p.m. on May 10. 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. Locally, there will be two Lewis County commissioner positions on the ballot in addition to Lewis County Superior Court judicial seats and Republican and Democratic precinct committee officers. For the first time this year, candidates for superior court and all legislative districts must file with the Office of the Secretary of State. Candidates are encouraged to go to sos.wa.gov/elections/candidates/filing-resources/file-office and submit declarations online. Candidates can also print a declaration form online and mail it with a check payable to the “Office of the Secretary of State,” P.O. Box 40229, Olympia, WA, 98504-0229. State candidates may also file in person at the Secretary of State’s office in the Legislative Building, located at 416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW in Olympia. “Filing for candidacy online is the easiest option, and you can do it from the convenience of home,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement. “This year, the candidate filing period is a week earlier than in prior years, so we’re providing notice to the public early to ensure everyone interested in running can get prepared.” For more information, call the elections office at 800-448-4881 or email elections@sos.wa.gov. “Serving as an elected official is an opportunity to help your community,” Hobbs said. “Holding office enables you to be involved with crucial decisions, whether at the local, state, or federal level. 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/. |
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Napavine FFA to host plant sale May 3-4
Napavine FFA will host a plant sale fundraiser at the Napavine High School greenhouse on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4. The sale will run from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Prices will range from $2.50 to $5 for plant starters, house plants and vegetables, $20 to $30 for flower baskets and $10 for honey. For more information, email drutherford@napavineschools.org or call 360-262-3301. |
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Spring Youth Fair set for May 3-5 at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds
Organizers and participants are gearing up for the Spring Youth Fair, set for May 3-5 at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. Visitors can view a wide variety of living and still-life exhibits, including art, science projects, baked goods and more from area youths. Attendees can also sample fair foods and fares from local vendors and partake in activities such as putt-putt golf and rock climbing. The fair operates on the motto “kids are special, fairs are fun” and aims to provide a fun learning experience for all youth — regardless of their background or where they live. Tickets are $5 per day for adults and kids 13 and up and $4 for kids 6-12, seniors and military members. Kids 5 and under are free. Entry on Friday is free for all. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit https://www.springyouthfair.org/. |
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Performers and dates announced for Chehalis Music in the Park series
With summer just over eight weeks away and temperatures beginning to warm up, organizers of the annual Chehalis Music in the Park concert series recently announced performers and concert dates for 2024. The concerts will be held on three consecutive Fridays — July 19, July 26 and Aug. 2 — with all three shows beginning at 7 p.m. All shows are free to attend. “These three weeks are historically the driest three weeks of the year in Western Washington. In the 20-plus (years) of hosting this event, we have never had significant rain,” a news release stated. “It was close a couple of times, but the large majority of the shows are warm and end under starry skies of a perfect Washington summer night.” Concerts will be family-friendly. They will be held at Recreation Park located at 401 SW Parkland Drive in Chehalis. The shows are expected to go until around 9:30 p.m. Concessions will be available to purchase at the park, though concert goers can bring their own coolers with food and beverages. Attendees must bring their own chairs and blankets to sit on. The first concert, on July 19, will feature the return of Kalimba: The Spirit of Earth, Wind and Fire, which performed in the Music in the Park concert series in 2022. “We had so much great feedback and requests for them to return, and it worked out for Kalimba to make a return appearance,” the release stated. Kalimba is an internationally-touring Earth, Wind and Fire tribute band that has even partnered with former Earth, Wind and Fire band members to perform in the past. Some of those former band members include Sheldon Reynolds, a former guitarist and lead vocalist, Gorden Campbell, a former drummer who took over after Sonny Emory, David Romero, a former percussionist, and John Johnson, who was also a guitarist for Earth, Wind and Fire. To listen to a sample of Kalimba’s work, visit https://youtu.be/1M92d-qeTHI. The second concert, on July 26, will feature The Beatles vs The Stones: Abbey Road and Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Abbey Road, a Beatles tribute band, will play hits from the classic British music icons in a “battle of the bands” style performance with Rolling Stones tribute band Jumpin’ Jack Flash, which have been touring together since 2011. “The groups perform alternating sets of hits from the classic eras of both bands complete with authentic costuming and instrumentation before closing with a fantastic never before seen encore,” the release stated. To listen to samples of both bands performing, visit https://youtu.be/ibGtk0WbDbY. The final concert, on Aug. 2, will feature Gretchen Peters performing along with local Randy Linder, who will perform as the opening act. Linder handles all of the technical aspects for each Music in the Park concert and has also performed in the past both as a solo act and with his Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band Creedence Revelation. This year, he will be performing alongside his son, Jason, who will be playing the drums for him. Following Linder’s performance, Peters will take the stage. A two-time Grammy nominated singer and songwriter, Peters has written for multiple major pop and country music icons and is in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. “Peters is likely best known for … Martina McBride’s version of ‘Independence Day’ and Patty Loveless’ ‘You Don’t Even Know Who I Am,’” the release stated. Other artists Peters has written for include George Strait, Faith Hill, Pam Tillis, Andy Griggs, Michelle Wright, Shania Twain, Trisha Yearwood, Etta James, Anne Murray, Neil Diamond and Bryan Adams. Along with the City of Chehalis, sponsors for the series include the Eli Sports Network, The Mohney Show on the Eli Network, ABHS in Chehalis, the Emerald Downs Race Track, Interstate Honda of Chehalis, Lewis County NAPA Auto Parts, John L. Scott Centralia Realty, the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis, Centralia OK Tire Point S, Tyler Rental and Alderson’s Awards West Printwares. For more information, message the Chehalis Music in the Park concert series on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/chehalismip. |
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Food establishment inspection scores: From the Lewis County Public Health Department
Editor’s Note: These are reports from health inspections in Lewis County from March 27 through April 19, 2024. Red violations are those most likely to cause foodborne illness and must be corrected at the time of inspection. Blue violations relate to overall cleanliness and operational conditions and must be corrected by established deadlines or by the next routine inspection. Any establishment receiving 40 red points or any red point item repeated within an 18-month period is considered a high risk and must be reinspected. An establishment that receives 75 red points or 100 total points (red and blue) on a routine inspection or 40 red points on a repeat inspection will have their food establishment permit suspended. Food establishments with violations: Red/Blue/Total Nachos Family Mexican Restaurant., Mossyrock — 5/0/5 A food handlers card was expired. This was a repeat offense. (5 red) The kitchen was clean and organized, proper cooking methods were being used and no bare hand contact with food was observed. Inspection: March 27, 2024
Mossyrock Fuels, 748 Williams St., Mossyrock — 25/0/25 Hot holding foods were measured at 115, 110 and 125 degrees. Hot holding food items must be kept at 135 degrees or above. The temperature was turned up immediately. The temperature should be checked hourly until the problem has been solved. (25 red) The facility was clean and organized and employees had food handler’s cards and were following proper procedures. “Great procedures but please monitor hot case,” the health inspector wrote. Inspection: March 27, 2024
Papa Bear’s West, 110 U.S. Highway 12 — 15/0/15 A walk-in unit had mold and dust. The business was asked to clean it thoroughly. (10 red) Potatoes needed to be reheated and maintained at 135 degrees or above after they were found sitting at about 130 degrees. (5 red) A hand washing station was in place, good cleaning of a slicer was noted and storage was “great.” Food handlers cards were all up to date. Inspection: March 27, 2024
Great Cuisine of India — 10/5/15 A certified food protection manager was not in place at the facility. The business was asked to submit documents to the health department to correct this by April 30. (5 red) Food handler cards were not available for the cooks. Workers were asked to obtain the cards within three days. (5 red) Sanitizing solution was too weak. The concentration must be correct. The solution had to be discarded and replaced. (5 blue) A broken floor tile must be replaced. Workers were also advised on proper cooling techniques for food. Inspection: March 29, 2024
Lewis County Coffee Co. No. 1, 1349 State St. — 10/5/15 The facility was clean and organized, but there was a blender covering the hand washing sink. (10 red). The hand washing sink needs to be accessible at all times. Debris was removed during the inspection. (5 red) Inspection: April 1, 2024
Quality Cafe and Pizza, 1133 state Route 6, Chehalis — 20/10/30 Food handlers cards were expired. (5 red) There was mold growing in a prep cooler. There was no food in the container at the time, but workers were told to clean the cooler and maintain it regularly. (10 red) There was no sanitizer available. The business was advised to have sanitizer available at all times and change it frequently. (5 blue) Raw chicken was found in a bucket on the floor of a walk-in unit. The food was discarded. The business was asked to keep food off the ground. The food was discarded. (5 red) The inspector explained the need for Department of Health documents and a certified food safety manager. (5 blue) Inspection: April 3, 2024
Pioneer Express No. 2, 1325 S. Gold St., Centralia — 35/10/45 A hand washing sink was blocked by buckets of oil. This was corrected. The business was asked to keep the sink clear and accessible at all times. This was a repeat offense. (10 red) Several hot holding foods were measured between 120 and 122 degrees. The hot case is not maintaining safe temperatures. These foods must be kept at 135 degrees or hotter at all times. This is a repeat offense. (25 red) Chlorine solution was too strong and no test strips were available. (10 blue) Kitchen needs to be cleaned and organized. Inspection: April 3, 2024
Chehalis Fiddlers Coffee, 101 Interstate Ave., Chehalis — 5/0/5 The facility was clean and organized. Food handlers cards were up to date. A hand washing sink, sanitizer and proper storage were all noted. The air in a minifridge with baked goods was reading high at 55 degrees. The food was measured at 43 degrees. The items had been moved into the minifridge earlier in the day. The items were moved to a walk-in unit. Workers were asked not to store items in the minifridge until it can maintain 41 degrees or below. (5 red) Inspection: April 4, 2024
Arby’s, 1206 Belmont Ave., Centralia — 5/0/5 Multiple workers were missing food handlers cards. The employees were asked to obtain them by the end of the week. (5 red) The inspector noted the facility was clean and organized and that other requirements were all met. Inspection: April 8, 2024
Fuji Teriyaki, 512 W. Main St., Centralia — 5/8/13 A certified food protection manager certificate was not in place. The business was asked to complete the proper forms by May 8. A digital thermometer’s batteries were dead. The business was asked to replace the batteries or thermometer the same day. (5 red) Sanitizing solution was too strong. Workers were asked to change the solution or add water. (5 blue) The entire kitchen must be thoroughly cleaned and organized. (3 blue) Inspection: April 8, 2024
Taqueria Juquilita II, 705 N. Tower Ave., Centralia — 20/0/20 A certified food protection manager certificate was not in place. The business was asked to complete the proper forms by May 8. A worker’s food handlers card was expired. They were asked to obtain a new one within two days. (5 red) A hand washing sink was blocked by raw meat. Hand washing sinks must be clear and accessible at all times. The meat was removed from the sink. The business was asked to sanitize the sink before using it. (10 red) Fruit was sitting near the raw meat at the hand sink. The meat was moved away from the ready-to-eat foods. Fruit was washed immediately. The business was asked to keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods at all times. (5 red) Inspection: April 8, 2024
Pearl Street Grocery and Deli, 2312 N. Pearl St., Centralia — 15/0/15 Food was found cooling at a temperature restricted by its risk category. The food was discarded. (10 red) There was no certified food protection manager in place. (5 red) Inspection: April 8, 2024 Food establishments with perfect scores: Chehalis Eagles No. 1550, Chehalis La Perla Mexican Store, Centralia Judy’s Country Kitchen, Centralia La Tarasca, Centralia Guadalajara, Winlock Cowlitz Tribal Senior Nutrition, Toledo Pizza Hut, Centralia Rite Aid, Centralia La Doña, Chehalis Lewis County Coffee Co. No. 3, Tower Avenue, Centralia Tacos El Rey, Centralia White Pass Ski Area, White Pass High Camp Lodge at White Pass Somsiri Thai Restaurant, Chehalis McDonald’s, 15 NE Meridian St., Chehalis Market Street Market, Chehalis Get & Go, Chehalis La Mexicana No. 1, Chehalis Vicky's Salvadorian Restaurant, Centralia El Amigo, Centralia O’Blarney’s, Centralia Town Center Liquor and Wine, Chehalis Dollar Tree, Chehalis Little Caesars, Chehalis Interstate Chevron Food Mart, Chehalis Lewis County Coffee Co. No. 9 McDonald’s, 1201 Lum Road, Centralia Taco Bell, Centralia Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme, Chehalis Logger Bar, Onalaska The Carlisle, Onalaska Newaukum Valley Country Store, Chehalis Brenda’s Country Market, Onalaska Good Fork Nutrition, Chehalis Good Buzz Brewing, Chehalis Safeway China Express, Chehalis Safeway Starbucks, Chehalis Safeway meat and seafood department, Chehalis Safeway bakery, Chehalis Safeway grocery and produce, Chehalis Safeway deli, Chehalis Jack in the Box, Centralia Taqueria Juquilita, Chehalis Subway No. 5, 109 Interstate Ave., Chehalis Avenue Espresso, 166 S. Market Blvd., Chehalis Subway No. 2, 1545 NW Louisiana Ave., Chehalis Stillwaters Colonial Residence, Centralia Eagans Diner, Ethel Taqueria Las Lupitas, Centralia |
Portland Business News
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Center for Black Excellence ED on turning equity talk into action
Aryn Frazier said she's been energized since moving to Portland by "the positive movement to make talk about racial equity and racial justice into something tangible."
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