News

CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT

Malicious mischief

• An unknown male reportedly threw four bricks at a parked car in the 200 block of South Pearl Street at 4:20 p.m. on Nov. 20.

Theft

• Several items were reported stolen from a residential porch in the 3000 block of Borst Avenue just after 5:10 p.m. on Nov. 20.

• Multiple juveniles were arrested for shoplifting from a business in the 1100 block of Harrison Avenue just after 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 21.

• A 40-year-old Seattle man was arrested on three counts of identity theft and three counts of second-degree theft in the 1100 block of Mellen Street at approximately 10:20 a.m. on Nov. 21.

• An unknown female reportedly stole items from a business in the 100 block of West High Street at approximately 7:25 p.m. on Nov. 21. The case is under investigation.

DUI

• A 30-year-old Centralia resident was arrested for DUI at the intersection of West Main and North King street at approximately 7:15 p.m. on Nov. 20.

Assault

• A possible fourth-degree assault reported in the 1200 block of Searle Drive at approximately 10:25 p.m. on Nov. 20 is under investigation.

• A 35-year-old Winlock man was arrested for identity theft and third-degree assault in the 1100 block of South Pearl Street at approximately 9:45 a.m. on Nov. 21.

CHEHALIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Theft

• Just after 11 a.m. on Nov. 19, a subject was cited for a theft of coveralls and laundry detergent that occurred at a business in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue two days prior.

• A woman was cited for third-degree theft after she allegedly attempted return stolen items to a store in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue at 2:55 p.m. on Nov. 19.

• A third-degree theft reported in the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue at 8:55 p.m. on Nov. 20 is under investigation.

Malicious mischief

• A case of second-degree malicious mischief reported in the 500 block of North Market Boulevard just after 2:15 p.m. on Nov. 19 is under investigation.

Assault

• A fourth-degree assault reported in the 500 block of Southeast Washington Avenue just before 6:10 a.m. on Nov. 20.

Suspicious circumstances

• Suspicious circumstances reported in the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue just after 10:25 a.m. on Nov. 20 are under investigation.

• A woman reported she was being followed inside a business in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue at approximately 12:20 p.m. on Nov. 20.

• Possible harassment was reported in the 500 block of North Market Boulevard at 5:20 p.m. on Nov. 20.

• A woman reported she was possibly being followed, “told she needs to be raped” and watched by law enforcement in the 100 block of Southwest Interstate Avenue just after 5:55 p.m. on Nov. 20.

• Just before 4:20 a.m. on Nov. 21, a facility reported that a client in the 600 block of Southeast Dobson Court said he would “bash his roommate’s head in, over and over again, until he died.” After being told assault was a felony and property crime was a misdemeanor, he reportedly “said he left to go on a walk and call crisis so he could calm down.” He reportedly “said he has no intentions to hurt himself nor others.”

Sexual misconduct

• Sexual misconduct reported in the 300 block of Southwest 11th Street just after 11:10 a.m. on Nov. 20 is under investigation.

Hit-and-run

• A hit-and-run was reported in the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue just before 11:25 a.m. on Nov. 20.

Criminal trespass

• A man who was selling oranges in the parking lot of a business in the 1700 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue at approximately 12:50 p.m. on Nov. 20 was moved along.

• A man accused of stealing a bottle of wine from a business in the 1400 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue was moved along just before 1:10 a.m. on Nov. 21.

DUI

• A subject was arrested for DUI in the 1700 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 20.

FIRE AND EMS CALLS

• Between Wednesday morning and Friday morning, Lewis County 911 Communications logged approximately 44 illness-related calls, 12 injury-related calls, seven fire-related calls, four non-emergency service calls, three vehicle accidents, two Lifeline medical alerts, three overdoses, one hazardous conditions report and two other calls.

JAIL STATISTICS

• As of Friday morning, the Lewis County Jail had a total system population of 137 inmates, including 124 in the general population and 13 in the Work Ethic and Restitution Center (WERC). Of general population inmates, 100 were reported male and 24 were reported female. Of the WERC inmates, 11 were reported male and two were reported female.

• As of Friday morning, the Chehalis Tribal Jail had a total system population of nine inmates, including five booked by the Centralia Police Department, two booked by the state Department of Corrections, one booked by the Tulalip Tribe and one booked by the Lummi Nation.

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Sirens are compiled by assistant editor Emily Fitzgerald, who can be reached at emily@chronline.com. The Centralia Police Department can be reached at 360-330-7680, the Chehalis Police Department can be reached at 360-748-8605. If you were a victim of physical or sexual abuse, domestic violence or sexual assault, call Hope Alliance at 360-748-6601 or the Youth Advocacy Center of Lewis County at 360-623-1990.

As Washington stares down a multibillion-dollar deficit, the state Department of Children, Youth and Families has proposed cutting about $77 million from two state early learning programs.

The state is projected to face a $10-12 billion shortfall over the next four years. Earlier this month, the state budget office asked agencies to recommend potential spending cuts.

DCYF has proposed cutting nearly $68 million from the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, Washington’s free preschool for 3- to 5-year-olds. And it has proposed eliminating an Early ECEAP program for babies and children up to 3 years old, a budget cut of $9.25 million.

The proposals aren’t a reality just yet. The Legislature has the final say on where state dollars go and could make different decisions before the session ends next spring. And Democrats are already talking about potentially bringing more money into the state by raising new taxes.

A department spokesperson said the proposed reduction to ECEAP for 3- to 5-year-olds would not affect current students and that Early ECEAP families are already receiving a separate, subsidized state child care program.

DCYF’s proposal suggests cutting 1,800 slots from ECEAP and eliminating Early ECEAP, which serves 178 children.

The department says 846 ECEAP slots are not filled because the state was unable to find providers to contract with for those slots. In addition, ECEAP has about 2,000 empty slots.

On Thursday, the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP criticized the proposed cuts to ECEAP, calling the program “an essential and highly effective service for thousands of low-income preschool-aged children.”

“Targeting some of the most vulnerable children of Washington for budget cuts is unacceptable and inequitable,” the association said.

When asked to suggest cuts, the department tried to minimize the impact by drawing from the number of non-contracted and unenrolled slots, said Allison Krutsinger, director of public affairs for the department.

“No one likes to make this cut, I want to be really clear,” Krutsinger said.

She also stressed that it’s early in the state budget process.

A spokesperson said all 178 children enrolled in Early ECEAP, the program for 0- to 3-year-olds, receive care through Working Connections Child Care, a state program that helps eligible families pay for child care. DCYF has not proposed eligibility or copay changes to that program.

Early ECEAP provides wraparound services for kids and families, supporting not only their child’s education but also their physical and mental health. That support would be eliminated if early ECEAP were cut, Krutsinger said.

Megan Pirie, of Spokane, said her youngest daughter had been struggling in child care settings before enrolling in ECEAP.

“I think that I was on my fifth or sixth child care center telling me that this little 4-year-old couldn’t come back, wouldn’t take a nap, kept throwing her shoes at people,” Pirie said. “And I remember posting on social media that I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Pirie’s adoption worker saw her post on Facebook and urged her to consider ECEAP. Her daughter, now 10, “did phenomenal” in ECEAP, which provided a learning plan and family supports, Pirie said.

When the pandemic hit, her daughter was in kindergarten. When schools sent students home, Pirie said they relied on things her daughter had learned in ECEAP, like social-emotional skills, learning online and how to calm herself.

Pirie believes providing services to kids eligible for ECEAP early in their lives is more cost-effective.

“It’s the largest impact we can make with our dollars,” she said.

About 14,000 kids are enrolled in ECEAP, according to DCYF.

Ninety percent of families served by the program live below 200% of the federal poverty level, according to the Washington Association of Head Start and ECEAP. For a family of four, 200% of the federal poverty level is an annual income of $62,400.

Sixty-eight percent are children of color and nearly 18% have an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, for special education services.

A Castle Rock man is facing possible vehicular assault and DUI charges after he allegedly struck a semi-truck head-on while driving the wrong way on southbound Interstate 5 near Longview on Thursday.

The Washington State Patrol responded to the crash at milepost 42 on southbound I-5 at approximately 11:25 p.m. on Nov. 21.

Daren D. Bowlby, 58, of Castle Rock, was reportedly driving a white 2018 GMC pickup northbound in the right southbound when he struck the semi head-on, causing it to leave the roadway through the right guardrail and roll.

The driver of the semi, identified by the Washington State Patrol as Brian C. Campbell, 57, of Salem, Oregon, was transported to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview for treatment.

Bowlby was not injured.

The Washington State Patrol determined that drugs or alcohol were involved and that wrong-way driving was the cause of the crash.

Our nation celebrates Thanksgiving in late November, as a nation, because of an October 1863 proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln. Prior to that, states celebrated on the dates of their choice.

Using words you would more likely hear from a pulpit than a government leader these days, our 16th president invited his fellow citizens to set aside “a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

History has shown Lincoln to be one of our more quotable presidents, particularly on matters involving leadership and freedom. Within weeks of his Thanksgiving proclamation, he would deliver the Gettysburg Address, with its memorable reference to “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

As the people of Washington pause to give thanks for the many blessings we have received, it’s also a good time to give credit to those who helped to make our state what it is. Some of Lincoln’s other words of wisdom lend themselves to that.

Achievement has no color, Lincoln said. That would apply to familiar figures like Chief Seattle, who befriended settlers arriving in the Puget Sound area, and Centralia’s George Washington, born into slavery, who not only founded Lewis County’s largest city but kept it alive during difficult times through his courageous and compassionate leadership.

It also brings in people like George Washington Bush, who became one of the first black landowners in Washington when he settled his family in Thurston County, and was also legendary for his generosity to neighbors and new settlers.

Owen Bush, one of his sons, was among the most celebrated farmers in Washington. He was chosen in 1889 to serve in the first House of Representatives and would have an important role in the creation of a state agricultural college – today’s Washington State University.

Lincoln also spoke multiple times about the importance of perseverance: “The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion,” is an example.

Those words and his interest in discoveries and inventions call to mind both the historical and modern trailblazers of our state, from Mother Joseph, who led the founding of hospitals and schools across Washington, to industry leaders like George Weyerhaeuser, William Boeing, John Nordstrom, and Paul Allen.

In his 1863 annual address to Congress, Lincoln did not just lay out a plan for the reconstruction of the nation. He also called for welcoming those seeking to become naturalized citizens as a “source of national wealth and strength.”

While they are largely nameless today, the countless people who migrated here to become Americans – in Lincoln’s time and over the next century – also had a huge part in the growth of our state.

The influence of Hispanics, Ukrainians, Russians, Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Filipinos, Scandinavians, Germans, Sephardic Jews, East Indians, Eastern Europeans and others can be seen in communities throughout Washington. It should be celebrated.

Also, the day after Thanksgiving is designated as a legal holiday in Washington to recognize the immeasurable contributions of Native Americans and their remarkable cultures. In fact, this is the 10th anniversary of Native American Heritage Day, which was created by a state Senate bill.

Lincoln hoped he would be remembered as someone who “always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.”

That describes some of the elected officials who should be remembered for their efforts to put our state on a better path — like the late Sen. Jeannette Hayner, the first woman to lead a house of our state Legislature, and former three-term Gov. Dan Evans, who recently passed at age 98.

When Lincoln issued that first national Thanksgiving proclamation, the Civil War was just past its halfway point. Washington was only a territory, far removed from the fighting over the expansion of slavery.

The issues before the territorial legislators who met in Olympia in 1863 included selecting a public printer, deciding whether legislators could grant divorces, and the proposed construction of an “adequate” wagon road between Puget Sound and Walla Walla.

While those were important debates for a territory that was less than a decade old, they couldn’t compare to the strife in many of the 35 states that existed at the time of that first national Thanksgiving,

Lincoln referred to the consequences of the war in his proclamation, which went on to recommend that the people “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand” to do two things.

The first was to heal the nation’s wounds. The second was to restore the nation to the “full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

Washington has come a very long way in the 161 years since, especially when compared to other states.

For instance, U.S. News and World Report recently ranked our state eighth in the nation overall, based on scores in eight categories that include health care, education, and crime.

However, it’s important to know the same publication had ranked Washington second overall in 2023.

The drop in this year’s overall ranking is due largely to crime rates. Our state sank to 39th in that category for 2024, compared to 19th the previous year.

In the “opportunity” category, which covers affordability along with economic opportunity, our state fell to 37th in 2024. That’s down from an already troubling 31st in 2023.

In turn, “affordability” is defined by the overall cost of living and the cost of housing. In that specific category, only California, Hawaii and New Jersey ranked worse than our state.

In the education category, the publication ranked Washington 13th. I believe many K-12 parents would be skeptical about that, especially those who have seen their children suffer from post-pandemic learning loss.

Sure enough, a closer look shows Washington ranking 32nd for “pre-K-12” and a dismal 40th place for college readiness.

To use Lincoln’s words, these examples help show where our state needs healing.

Our communities have been wounded by violence and lawlessness. Our families and employers have been wounded by the high cost of living. Our children have been wounded by misguided priorities.

Republicans are working on policy and budget proposals to address all of this during the 2025 legislative session, which convenes in less than two months.

In the meantime, the list of blessings received by our state since that first national Thanksgiving is a long one. Let’s offer thanks and praise for it.

After the results of the general election came in, I observed the voters had spoken, and it was now time to get to work.

Simply healing our state will take a great deal of work. Restoring it to Lincoln’s definition — the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union — means reaching an even higher bar.

Getting to that standard will take more leadership and vision from both sides of the political aisle than we have seen in some time. But it’s how we make our state better.

•••

Sen. John Braun of Centralia serves the 20th Legislative District, which spans parts of four counties from Yelm to Vancouver. He became Senate Republican leader in 2020.

There seems to be a lot of misinformation finding its way into the opinion columns in this paper recently.

So much so I almost wanted to recommend a change to the section they are posted in all together to make at least something in the section factually accurate.

“Stoccastic terrorism by-proxy” would be a more appropriate term.

I understand a great deal of the readers to this publication are quite used to and enjoy disinformation, but don’t the journalists outside of Fox News and OAN have a shred of duty toward making sure the things they decide to print are factually accurate?

The commentary from former Sheriff John McCroskey from the other day I thought was my tipping point until I just read the leter to the editor printed for Nov 21. There wasn’t even an opinion in the entirety of the prose. Just a bunch of disinformation and insulting statements that came from some other right wing nut job.

The exact terminology and insults you hear daily out of the right wing echo machine, not a lick of the individuals own ideas or thoughts, just lib-owning crap. I’m not upset because it expresses right wing view points so much as I expect to run across a lot of them living in Lewis County, but the fact that the opinion section is being used to express what grievances Tucker Carlson has been airing on his show for the last few incarnations of it.

While it is humourous to read someone referring to a man as a “queen” and accuse those he is critical of of having difficulties in their abilities to identify what gender a person is, the Dunning Krueger effect is a real thing, newspaper people.

Just because they are confident sounding when they say things didn’t mean they have anything to say that’s worth printing or reading. Stop kissing keister and do better.

Brian Slater

Mossyrock

No breaks for juveniles.

No more sheltering minors who are arrested for felonies.

This protects gang members and their parents, but does not protect the public.

Murder is murder, whoever does it.

A murder should automatically make a person, regardless of age, subject to the same laws.

Jon Coulter

Chehalis

The recent revelations about Centralia Police Department Interim-Commander David Clary’s actions during the Oct. 11 incident demand swift and decisive accountability.

Commander Clary reportedly responded to a high-risk tactical situation while under the influence of alcohol, a decision that not only endangered lives but blatantly violated department policies.

Even more alarming is the assertion that Interim Chief Andy Caldwell knowingly allowed Clary to participate despite being informed of his alcohol consumption.

For these reasons, Commander Clary must be terminated, and Chief Caldwell must face accountability for his negligence.

Alcohol and law enforcement are an unacceptable combination, particularly in situations involving firearms, a violent suspect, and innocent bystanders.

Clary’s impaired judgment potentially led to critical tactical errors.

His failure to secure the suspect promptly, mishandling of a weapon within the suspect’s reach, and disregard for basic safety protocols endangered his officers, the suspect and a hotel receptionist.

These errors were compounded by his decision to allow the suspect to dictate the terms of his arrest, a clear violation of standard operating procedures.

Clary’s decision to respond after consuming alcohol shows a fundamental lack of judgment and respect for the responsibilities of his position.

Driving a city vehicle, issuing commands and handling firearms under the influence not only violate department policies but also erodes public trust in the Centralia Police Department.

His actions jeopardized the safety of everyone at the scene and created unnecessary risks in an already volatile situation.

Even more troubling is Interim Chief Caldwell’s role in this failure of leadership.

By allowing Clary to respond despite knowing he had consumed alcohol, Caldwell showed gross negligence and a disregard for public and officer safety. A police chief’s duty is to uphold the highest standards of accountability and professionalism. Caldwell’s decision to enable Clary’s recklessness undermines the department’s integrity and raises serious questions about his fitness to lead.

Termination of Commander Clary is not just warranted — it is essential.

His actions represent a severe breach of trust, and allowing him to remain in his role would send a dangerous message that such behavior is acceptable.

Moreover, the Centralia Police Department must strengthen its policies to ensure that no officer, regardless of rank, is allowed to respond to critical incidents under the influence of alcohol.

Implementing mandatory substance testing for officers called to high-stakes situations would be a good starting point.

Public trust in law enforcement hinges on the belief that officers will act with professionalism and sound judgment. Clary’s actions, and Caldwell’s complicity, have violated that trust.

Accountability is non-negotiable, and the department must act decisively to rebuild its credibility.

Terminating Clary and holding Caldwell accountable are necessary steps to demonstrate a commitment to the community’s safety and to the integrity of the Centralia Police Department.

Centralia deserves better from its police leaders.

Anything less than Clary’s termination would be a failure to address this egregious misconduct and a disservice to the citizens who rely on law enforcement to protect them.

Bo D. Rupert

Centralia

The last Sears store in Washington state is not even going to make it through the holiday season.

The former retail giant’s store at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila is closing Dec. 15. Store closing signs are on display at the store, and advertised sales show items at clearance from 20% to 70% off.

An online sub-Reddit thread about Sears stores and related news first posted images of the in-store ads announcing the closure Nov. 15. Earlier posts indicated portions of the store already were lean on inventory or empty altogether.

The Seattle Times confirmed the closure this week. Calls to various departments of the Southcenter Sears by The News Tribune on Thursday were not answered.

Parent company ESL Investments and its subsidiary Transformco no longer announce store closures. The last such announcement posted on Transformco’s website was Jan. 21, 2022.

When Sears merged with Kmart in the mid-2000s, thousands of stores were in operation. Now, there are fewer than 10 Sears stores remaining nationwide in four states and Puerto Rico; Kmart closed its last full-sized store in the continental United States last month.

Bloomberg News in October reported that Sears was seeking rent concessions from landlords for its remaining sites.

Meanwhile, conditions at the Southcenter site have earned poor online reviews. One customer’s review on Google, posted a week ago, stated, “Nothing is left. Soon, it is going to be closed,” while others noted escalators that were shut down and an empty top floor.

The Southcenter store’s demise follows Sears’ shutdown in September of its other Washington state store at Valley Mall in Union Gap. It also follows news of American Freight closing its U.S. stores, including its one in Tacoma, which was previously a Sears Outlet store, on Sixth Avenue. American Freight merged with Sears Outlet in 2020.

Sears exited the Tacoma Mall in 2018, the same year its Puyallup store at South Hill Mall was added to closures amid the retailer’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The end of Sears in Washington state is a spectacular fall from its history as one of America’s primary retailers, with its mail-order catalogs offering home shopping convenience to Americans and its annual Wish Books enticing generations of kids with pages of toys before the holidays.

The catalogs generated so much nostalgia that online archives are devoted to preserving them.

But nostalgia only goes so far, as a USA Today headline stated in October 2018 amid the retailer’s bankruptcy: “Sure, you remember Sears fondly, but why aren’t you shopping there?”