$1 Independence Early Week Edition Tuesday, Celebrations July 7, 2015 / Main 3 & 13 Journey on the Cowlitz Inslee Signs Rapids Are Liquid Gold in the Braun’s Tuition Cut Upper Reaches of the Cowlitz Legislation By The Associated Press and The Chronicle SEATTLE — Surrounded by children, Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday signed bills to help kids on both ends of the education spectrum: a comprehensive new early learning bill and a mea- sure that will cut college and university tuition. The College Affordability Program will cut tuition at all of Washing- ton's public col- lege and uni- versities over the next two years. Four- year schools would see their Sen. John Braun tuition cut by R-Centralia 15 to 20 percent, and two-year schools would see tuition drop by 5 percent. The measure was sponsored by state Sen. John Braun, R- Centralia, as part of Senate bill Dameon Pesanti / [email protected] 5954. Throw bag in hand, Jared Page watches as Travis Lee drops down 18-foot Ohane Falls on the Ohanapecosh River on June 26. Known for its technical rapids, crystal clear water and stunning scenery, the Ohanapecosh is considered a world-class whitewater run and a favorite among extreme kayakers in the Paciic Northwest. please see TUITION, page Main 11 PADDLING: Cowlitz by the modern world, and the waters tumbling off the shoul- Tributaries Offer ders of Mount Rainier are seen Fire Chiefs: Extreme, Virtually firsthand only by the most expe- rienced whitewater explorers. Unspoiled Whitewater The Muddy Fork of the Residents By Dameon Pesanti Cowlitz, Ohanapecosh, the Clear Fork of the Cowlitz and Respond to [email protected] even the uppermost stretches Editor’s Note: The Chronicle of the Cispus rivers often run Warnings on will publish a 40-page special sec- through old-growth forests and tion dedicated to Dameon Pesan- into deep craggy canyons that ti and Pete Caster’s 105-mile offer class V rapids and water- Fireworks Journey on the Cowlitz River in falls sometimes up to 40 feet tall. Saturday’s edition. In some places, the trunks of By Natalie Johnson petrified old-growth trees with [email protected] some bark still remaining poke The uppermost reaches of the In the days leading up to the Cowlitz Basin has a landscape out of the water. Travis Lee paddles into a small slide on the Ohanapecosh River on June 26. The “It’s one of the most scenic Fourth of July, authorities in like that from another time in 16-mile-long glacial river is widely known and loved in the extreme kayaking Lewis County and throughout history. It’s virtually untouched please see COWLITZ, page Main 14 community of the Paciic Northwest. the Northwest urged people to refrain from lighting personal fireworks, citing extremely dry conditions. Bethel Church Celebrates “Due to the dry conditions, I believe people were using a lot Financial Independence of restraint and a lot of caution,” said Chief Gregg Peterson, of BURNING THE MORTGAGE: independence, but the church's Lewis County Fire District 5 in independence from debt as Napavine. “We didn’t have the Congregation Pays off well. number of fires that I thought Mortgages Hundreds gathered at we would see.” Bethel's Chehalis location on Between Friday and Sunday, By Luke Kilgore Kirkland Road on Sunday to about 13 brush fires were re- [email protected] celebrate the final payments on ported in the county. the mortgages and, ultimately, Assistant Chief Rick Mack Bethel Church's third annu- financial freedom for both the of the Riverside Fire Authority al Freedom Sunday symbolized more than just the country's please see CHURCH, page Main 11 please see WARNINGS, page Main 11 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater New Chief in Town Cheese Days Approaches Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 Toledo Fire Enjoy a Walczyk, David Paul, 61, Follow Us on Twitter Rochester @chronline District Hires South Lewis Swinney, Cecilia Legat Man Not County Rarey, 101, Chehalis Find Us on Facebook Festival Like Janke, Udo, 91, Chehalis www.facebook.com/ Afraid to Reitz Sr., Michael Joseph, thecentraliachronicle Speak His a Local With 60, Chehalis Condos, Cecil E., 83, Mind / Main 4 This Guide / Life 1 Chehalis PASSENGER GREAT BUY! STARTING 99 AT 39 P155/80R-13 SALE! TREAD DESIGN MAY VARY 736-6603 • 1211 Harrison • Centralia 748-0295 � 36 N. Market � Chehalis CH543229cbw.jd Main 2 • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Tuesday, July 7, 2015 PAGE TWO News of the Daily Outtake: All Smiles Weird Police Seek Help After Large Wave Washes Nut Theft, Post Mug Out Jersey Shore Town’s Shot of Squirrel Fireworks Display SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (AP) — Police in suburban De- (AP) — A large wave washed out troit are having a little fun while the Fourth of July fireworks show asking for help from the pub- in a Jersey shore community. lic in figuring out who swiped Seaside Heights officials say roughly 28,000 pounds of pack- a wave ran so far up the shore aged nuts. on Saturday night that it soaked The Shelby Township Police all the fireworks set up on the Department says a truck and beach. trailer packed with 18 pallets of Town officials say the fire- walnuts and other snack nuts works were set up closer to the Pete Caster / [email protected] were taken the weekend of June surf than usual this year in an A player smiles during the Babe Ruth 15-Year-Old District Tournament championship series Monday, July 6, at Bearcat 27. effort to satisfy state regulations Stadium in Chehalis. The story and many more photos are available to subscribers at www.chronline.com. See Police say the truck and trail- requiring spectators be kept a more at www.lewiscountysports.com. er were found July 1 in Detroit, specific distance away from the but the nuts worth more than fireworks. $128,000 were gone. They reported that beach The department on Tuesday erosion caused by Superstorm Notable Quote issued an appeal for information Sandy has made fulfilling this on its Facebook page — posting requirement a challenge in re- a mug shot of a squirrel along cent years. with details of the case. Some residents and others “We don’t want dogs interested in poop. We Police in the Macomb Coun- took to social media to complain ty community have had a few about the cancellation. want dogs that are obsessed with playing noteworthy animal encounters The town plans to stage a recently, rounding up a goat in a makeup show on Sunday night. ball. These are the easiest dogs to reward parking lot and capturing a stray and train to do the job.” pig. Friends Trying to Hand Off Rice Cooker Cause Police: Man Breaks Julianne Ubigau Scare at Casino describing program in which dogs track animal scat Into Berlin Restaurant, LINCOLN, R.I. (AP) — Po- (see page Main 9 for the full story) Drinks Tabasco lice say two friends trying to hand off a rice cooker at a Rhode BERLIN (AP) — A man is in Island casino caused a brief se- hot water after allegedly stealing curity scare. a bicycle, pitching it through a The Twin River Casino in Editor’s Pick Berlin restaurant window, then Lincoln wasn’t evacuated but entering and quaffing half a the parking lot was temporarily Silent Night: Independence Day Edition bottle of Tabasco sauce — telling closed Saturday morning until authorities he was thirsty. police determined there was no Police spokesman Jens Berg- threat. I spent the Fourth of July down the contact information own mutt panted and darted er said Tuesday the 34-year-old WPRI-TV reported a man back in my adopted hometown for those lighting them off, pro- around our property in frantic was intoxicated, but it wasn’t told casino security he saw the of Forks on the Olympic Penin- viding a word of caution that fashion at the sound of a single clear why he went for the bottle cooker next to a car in the park- sula. went something like this: firecracker. Fortunately, she was of Tabasco to quench his thirst. ing lot at about 9:40 a.m. Ca- Emergency workers there “It’s not illegal to light these able to wait out the storm in the He said that the man may sino security, officers with the found an inter- off, but we’ll be coming to you safety of her kennel. have mistaken it for a tiny bottle Lincoln and state police, and esting bypass first when we investigate any Others weren’t as fortunate. of liqueur, which are popular in the state fire marshal’s office re- of regulations fires in the area,. See page Main 6 for a short story Germany. sponded. that prevented It was the quietest Indepen- detailing reports of lost dogs at Neighbors alerted police Police reviewed surveillance officials from dence Day on record. the Lewis County Animal Shelter. overnight after hearing the win- video and located the woman calling for an See some great photographs dow smash. The man was arrest- who left the cooker. She said she outright ban on of Summerfest from freelance WILL THE Legislature ever end? ed inside the restaurant. was meeting a friend who want- personal fire- photographer Jesse Smith on I am beginning to have doubts. Berger says after telling po- ed to borrow it. works displays. Eric Schwartz page Main 3, and more coverage At least there is some progress lice he had broken in because he The friend had already gone Word editor on page Main 13. being made, though, much by was thirsty, he said all he wanted inside, so they agreed over the around town the hands of our local legislators.