$1 Midweek Edition Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com Thursday, April 4, 2013 Tenino Splits Twin Bill With ‘Wait Until Dark’ New Play at Evergreen Playhouse / Life 1 Elma / Sports 1 Signs of Economic Report Finds Schools Growth Dangerous for Gay Students in Lewis County GAINS: Lewis County Seeing Improved Numbers for Timber, Sales, New Construction By Lisa Broadt [email protected] The Lewis County Commis- sion on Wednesday celebrated small but promising indicators of economic growth, including moderate gains in timber sales prices, sales tax revenue and permits for single-family hous- ing starts. For the last five years, the county and its incorporated cities have watched each of those statistics decline — and along with them employment opportunities, residential and commercial development and government-provided services. Though the most recent data, based on this year’s first quarter, is far from definitive, even small improvement is a marked, and Pete Caster / [email protected] welcome, change, according to Brandon Meyers, 21, Centralia, stands near the spot of of Galvin Road where he was jumped while walking home from Centralia High School by three fellow students the County Commission. nearly six years ago. Over the last several months, The then Centralia High the Department of Natural Re- REPORT: Schools Can School sophomore suffered so sources has seen an estimated 70 to Be Hostile for Lesbian, 80 percent increase in timber sales much humiliation from the prices, according to Commission- Gay and Transgender beating he didn’t want to go er Lee Grose, who serves on the Students, but Some Say home and let his mother see his Board of Natural Resources. blackened eye and cut up body. Reports from throughout the Culture is Changing “How are you supposed to tell your mom you got beat up for the state show timber appraised By Amy Nile at $386,000 selling for $737,000; being gay?” the 21-year-old said. AmyJo Kaiser, 16, right, and timber appraised at $1.74 mil- [email protected] Though not the first attack, her girlfriend Kaylee Ward-Ti- lion selling for $2.74 million; and Brandon Meyers was walking Meyers said, it was the worst. tus, 19, pose for a portrait out- “It was really rough be- timber appraised at $753,000 home from class one day when side Centralia High School on cause I’m obviously a very selling for $1.23 million. he was jumped by two boys and Tuesday afternoon. Kaiser is a junior at the high school. please see GROWTH, page Main 11 a girl from his high school. please see REPORT, page Main 12 Court Upholds Chehalis Man’s Child Abuse Conviction AFFIRMED: Appeals Court In Steven G. Williams’ ap- assistance of defense counsel. jurors heard testimony from from your heart, or something pellant brief, He also argued that during several expert witnesses and saw you can know in your gut,” ac- Rejects Claims By Man he argued his his trial there was insufficient a series of photos that detailed cording to the opinion. Accused of Beating conviction of evidence for the jury to have the injuries of the boy, Williams The appeals court ruled that second-degree convicted him of the three ag- was successfully convicted and since Williams did not object 7-Year-Old Boy in 2010 assault, which gravating factors, which led to sentenced. to the alleged misstatement at By Stephanie Schendel included aggra- his sentence of 8 1/2 years in Williams argued in his ap- the time, he would have had to vating factors prison, which was at the high peal that the prosecutor commit- prove that the comment was [email protected] such as lack of end of the possible sentencing ted misconduct by misstating the so “flagrant and ill-intentioned” The Washington State Court remorse, de- range. law and appealing to the jury’s that an objection could not have of Appeals has rejected a former liberate cruelty Steven G. Williams In an unpublished opin- passions and prejudices during cured the prejudice, according Chehalis man’s appeal of a con- and a particu- serving 8-year ion filed Tuesday morning, the the closing arguments by saying to the opinion. The court ruled viction and prison sentence for larly vulnerable sentence court of appeals rejected all of that “reasonable doubt is not 100 Williams failed to meet the bur- abusing his girlfriend’s 7-year- victim, should his claims and upheld his con- percent” and “abiding belief is den of proof in his appeal. old developmentally delayed son be thrown out due to prosecuto- viction and sentence. something you can know in your in July 2010. rial misconduct and ineffective After a jury trial, in which mind, something you can get please see CONVICTION, page Main 12 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather Murder Suspect Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 49 Lawton, Virginia “Ginger,” 81, Follow Us on Twitter TOMORROW: High 57 Weston Miller Chehalis @chronline Rain Likely Mayo, Vicki “Star” Lynn, 55, see details on page Main 2 Pleads Guilty Centralia Find Us on Facebook to Firearm Davidson, Mary Ellen, 92, www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by Piper Centralia thecentraliachronicle Rhodes, Mossyrock Charges Meurer, Michael D., 60, Elementary, First Grade / Main 6 Centralia CH494434cz.cg Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Thursday, April 4, 2013 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Editor’s Best Bet Calendar Spring Community Garage Sale Set for Saturday The Spring Community Ga- from closing retail stores, even a Today rage Sale at the Southwest Wash- couple of bake sales. WHAT’S HAPPENING? ington Fair & Expo Center in Spring 2012 required open- Centralia College If you have an event you Chehalis is slated for Saturday. ing two additional buildings to would like included in the Over the past nine years, this accommodate a record-breaking President to Speak at Community Calendar, please event has grown to be the big- 462 vendor booths. Average an- AAUW Meeting email your information to gest of its kind in the area. Buy- nual attendance for the sale is [email protected]. ers and sellers make their annual 5,000-plus. James Walton, president of Include a daytime telephone trek from all parts of Washing- An early bird shoppers pass is Centralia College, will be guest number where you can be ton, Oregon and beyond. There available for $5 at 8 a.m. Public speaker at tonight’s meeting of reached. are 350 vendor booths, spread hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Adult the Lewis County branch of the For questions about between nine buildings across admission is $1. Children ages American Association of Uni- calendar items, call Doug the fairgrounds. 12 and under are free, but must versity Women. Blosser at The Chronicle, (360) The event attracts all kinds be accompanied by an adult. The meeting will be at 6:45 807-8238. of sellers — people having their Parking is free in fairgrounds p.m. at The Gathering Place, annual garage sale, non-profit lots. To get a space for the Spring Stillwaters Estates, 2899 Cooks the loss of a loved one, 1-2:30 p.m., As- organizations raising money, Community Garage Sale, call Hill Road, Centralia. sured Home Hospice, second floor, 1821 antique and second dealers re- (360) 740-2655 or go online at Walton’s topic will be “Re- Cooks Hill Road, (360) 330-2640 ducing their inventories, down- www.southwestwashingtonfair. claiming an Ecosystem, the Overeaters Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 sizing senior citizens, inventory net KNOLL Project.” The Kiser p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church,1209 Natural Outdoor Learning Lab N. Scheuber Road, Centralia,(360) at Centralia College is a living 736-9268 tribute to Rufus Kiser and Russ Multiple sclerosis, 6-8 p.m., Provi- dence Centralia Hospital chapel confer- Mohney, two Centralians who ence room, (360) 736-5394, Facebook Support Groups brought a love of nature to the page: Lewis County Multiple Sclerosis Saturday, April 6 community. The KNOLL was Support Group H.O.P.E., all addictions, 7:30-9 p.m., Heritage Baptist Church of Tenino, 1315 constructed to illustrate all of Senior Centers Improv Workshop the major habitats in the state of Sussex Ave. E., Tenino, (360) 480-0592, Washington. Twin Cities Senior Center, (360) [email protected] Ticketed for Matrix Guests are welcome to attend 748-0061 Life Recovery Group, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Lunch, noon, $3 suggested donation Dayspring Baptist Church, 2088 Jackson Coffeehouse the talk. For more information, Highway, Chehalis, (360) 748-3401 call Lynn Rash, (360) 807-4199, Pinochle tournament, 1 p.m. An Improvisation and Char- or Margo Richert, (360) 748- Morton Senior Center, (360) 496-3230 Senior Centers acter Building Workshop will be 6378. Open recreation, pool, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Twin Cities Senior Center, (360) held by veteran actor and drama “Soup Kitchen” enrichment lunch, 748-0061 coach Toni Lawrence a 6 p.m. noon, $3 donation Open mic, 6:30 p.m., Matrix Coffee- Music with Carlean and Dean, 10-11 Saturday at the Matrix Coffee- house, Chehalis, (360) 740-0492 Olequa (Winlock) Senior Center, (360) a.m. 785-4325 house in Chehalis. Lunch, noon, $3 suggested donation Libraries Cook’s choice lunch, noon, 12:30 p.m. There is a $25 fee for the Pinochle tournament, 1 p.m., Book Babies, for babies 12-24 months, Bingo, 12:30-2 p.m. workshop. Dance night, Bob’s Melodies Recy- 10 a.m., Chehalis Lawrence’s workshop is Packwood Senior Center, (360) cled, 7-9:30 p.m. Book Babies, for babies birth-24 494-6331 based upon the theater games of months, 11 a.m., Centralia Morton Senior Center, Entertainment, presentation or mov- (360) 496-3230 Viola Spolin, which spawned the Family Story Time, for children 3-6 ie, 12:30 p.m.