Chehalis Man Accused of Beating Ex-Girlfriend, Child / Main 16 Weekend Edition Saturday, Local Prep Aug. 24, 2013 Football Begins $1 Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com / Sports 1 Phil Smith’s New Venture Home of the Month Embattled Developer Moves Forward Caretakers for History, Owners Carry on With Winlock Community / Main 4 Traditions of Chehalis Home / Life 1 Accused Morton Murderer to Plead Guilty CHANGE OF PLEA: Corey will likely plead guilty next week after Morgan’s arrest. Morgan’s iting their special spot” on For- after reaching a plea agreement sentencing will take place at a est Service Road 73 a few miles R. Morgan Indicates with prosecutors. later date, O’Rourke said. northwest Morton when three He Will Plead Guilty in Deputy Prosecutor Shane The 32-year-old called 911 men randomly “jumped” them, Relation to the Death of O’Rourke confirmed Thurs- on July 19 to report his fian- court documents state. The day morning that prosecutors cee, Brenda Bail, had stopped three men badly beat up Bail, His Fiancee, Brenda Bail reached a plea agreement with breathing after a supposed car Morgan told investigators, but Corey R. Morgan, but declined accident at 1:30 a.m. on a rural Morgan said he used his martial By Stephanie Schendel arts training to thwart the at- to elaborate on the specifics forest road, a few miles from tackers. [email protected] of the deal. The change of plea Morton. The Randle man accused of hearing is set for 9:15 a.m. Mon- Morgan told police deputies strangling his fiancee to death day, a little more than a month that he and his fiance were “vis- please see GUILTY, page Main 14 Corey R. Morgan Dirt Work at Last Prank After Years of Inaction, Flood Mitigation Projects Are Call Underway Throughout the Chehalis River Basin Brings Secret Service PRANK: Two Lewis County Teenagers are Being Investigated for Making Threatening Phone Calls About President Obama By Kyle Spurr [email protected] Two teenage boys, one from Che- halis and the other from Napavine, are being investigated by the United States Secret Service after making threatening phone calls that referred Pete Caster / [email protected] to President Barack Obama three A Sterling Breen Crushing crew spreads dirt on top of the Airport Road levee in Chehalis on Tuesday afternoon. weeks ago. A Secret Service agent from the PROTECTION: A Wider, Interstate 5 and the complex of Seattle office came to Lewis County retail stores that generates about Stronger Base Will PROGRESS CONTINUES ON LEWIS, SOUTH on Thursday to find the owner of the $550,000 of income per day. cellphone that was used to make the Support Future Elevation The wider levee will protect THURSTON COUNTY FLOOD PROJECTS threatening calls, according to Lewis against 50-year flood events Work at Airport Levee By Lisa Broadt County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Rob Snaza. similar to the 2009 flood, the The agent and Lewis County [email protected] By Kyle Spurr fourth highest flood of record in Sheriff's Office deputies spent Thurs- Lewis County. [email protected] At its August meeting, the Chehalis River Basin Flood day afternoon searching the county “It’s a tangible project for Authority approved a recommendation that funding be before finding the teenagers in the Before the Airport Levee in flood control,” Airport Man- released by the state Office of Financial Management to Napavine area. Chehalis can be raised to protect ager Allyn Roe said. “It’s going two flood protection projects: the Pe Ell Wastewater Treat- “The Secret Service checked vari- against 100-year flood events, it to make the levee stronger and ment Plan Flood Prevention Dike Project and the Bucoda ous locations and were finally able to first must be widened to support protect the airport and freeway.” Levee Project. track down the owner of the phone,” the future elevation. Sterling Breen Crushing, of Work continues on projects in Adna and Chehalis; Snaza said. “The juveniles did con- The two-part, $1.2 million Centralia, the contractor for the both were previously approved, according to the Flood fess that they made the prank phone project, has completed retain- Authority. calls. They were very well educated Airport Levee Project is under- The four projects are funded through state dollars. way near the Chehalis-Centra- ing walls and is in the process of by the time the Secret Service left.” hauling and placing the new dirt. In the Legislature’s 2013-15 Capital Budget, $28.2 mil- lia Airport with crews adding The Secret Service interviewed About 15 percent of the dirt has lion were award to Chehalis River Basin Flood mitigation 50,000 cubic yards of dirt to projects, including $10.7 million earmarked for local the boys. No arrests were made. already been hauled in to the levee. Snaza said the boys prank-called a widen the levee. A storm pipe, built in 1943, that projects. The widening work will set a woman who formerly lived in Wash- pumps water outside the levee was PROGRESS, base for eventually raising the le- please see page Main 14 ington but had moved to Washington, vee and help protect the airport, please see WORK, page Main 14 please see PRANK, page Main 14 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather One Year Later Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 53 Follow Us on Twitter TOMORROW: High 73 Chehalis Foundry @chronline Mostly cloudy see details on page Main 2 Labor Union Find Us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by Frustrated With thecentraliachronicle Hank Rider, fourth grade, Onalaska Elementary Negotiations / Main 6 School IT’S BACK-TO-AWESOME HAIR TIME. Kids Cut Kids Cut Plus Backpack Drawing Fantastic Sams - Chehalis 1549 NW Louisiana Avenue, PH: Tel: 360-740-4775 ENTER TO WIN A M-Thur 10 to 8, Fri 9 to 8 $8.95 $12.95 BACKPACK AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES Sat 9 to 6, Sun 10 to 6 Professional Haircut Professional Haircut & Style Fantastic Sams - Lacey 4660 Whitman LN #D, PH: 360-493-1751 Expires 08/31/13. Kids through age 12. Expires 08/31/13. Kids through age 12. Limit one person per Expires 08/31/13. No appointment necessary. Mon-Thur 10:00 - 7:00 pm, Fri 9:00 - 7:00 pm No appointment necessary. Limit one person per coupon. coupon. No appointment necessary. Not valid with any other Not valid with any other offer. Photo for illustration only. Valid only at Chehalis and Lacey location. offer. Valid only at Chehalis and Lacey location. Valid only at Chehalis and Lacey location. Sat 9:00 - 6:00 pm, Sun 11:00 - 5:00 pm FREE WITH EVERY HAIRCUT. Most salons independently owned an operated. ©2012 Fantastic Sams Franchise Corporation www.FantasticSams.com CH504714bw.db Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Calendar Editor’s Best Bet Today WHAT’S HAPPENING? ‘American Graffiti’ to Be If you have an event you would like included in the Shown at Fox Theatre Community Calendar, please Historic Fox Theatre Resto- email your information to rations and Centralia-Chehalis [email protected]. Chamber of Commerce are pre- Include a daytime telephone senting “American Graffiti,” the number where you can be next film in the 2013 film series reached. at The Fox Theatre in Centralia. There is no charge for these Showtimes are at 2 and 7 listings. p.m. today. Pre-sale tickets for For questions about Pete Caster / [email protected] calendar items, call Doug “American Graffiti” are avail- Paul Downing, left, and Jason Mattson use a cherry picker to put the inal touches Blosser at The Chronicle, (360) on the Yard Bird’s face Tuesday afternoon in Chehalis. Downing painted the origi- able at Debbie’s Boutique, HUB- 807-8238. BUB, Holley’s Place, and Santa nal Yard Bird statue in the 1970s and gave Mattson some helpful pointers on in- Lucia in Centralia and Book ‘n’ ishing up the face of the bird on Tuesday. Brush in Chehalis. Tickets are The open house will run $7 for members, $8 for individ- from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Le- Birdfest to Include Unveiling of Restored Yard Bird uals or $20 for a family of 3-4 gion hall, 112½ Main St., Cen- persons. tralia. Hot dogs, hamburgers The newly restored Yard Bird Also included in the event The Fox Theatre has pop- and beer will be sold all day. will be unveiled at noon today will be free popcorn and hot corn, and other movie treats are as part of a Yard Birds Birdfest dogs, live music, a bounce house, for sale in Holley’s Place Frozen Tenino Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. pirate shows, exotic animals, Yogurt. p.m., Tenino Elementary School, (360) Included in the Birdfest will the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, All proceeds from the event 515-0501 be a Kids Day from 10 a.m. to 2 safety seminars, time capsule go toward the ongoing restora- Games Day, traditional and modern p.m. and Yard Birds employee dedication, a coloring contest tion of the 1930s art deco Fox board games, card games, 1 p.m., Matrix reunion, with group photo at 1 and cartoons at Shankz Mini Coffeehouse, Chehalis, (360) 740-0492 p.m. Golf. Theatre in downtown Centralia. Chehalis-Centralia Railroad, coach Advertising opportunities are trains, excursion to Milburn, 1 and 3 p.m., still available on the big screen. 1.25 hours, 1101 Sylvenus St., Chehalis, For more information, call 748-9593, www.steamtrainride.com Scott White, (360) 880-8053 or Chehalis-Centralia Railroad, coach Restoration of historic wood-framed The event, which is free, is train, excursion to Ruth, 5 p.m., 1.75 windows, workshop, 1-3 p.m., Borst sponsored by the Chehalis-Cen- email him at scottdwhite1969@ Home, Fort Borst Park, Centralia gmail.com.