Election 2013 Ony Wins Old Inside: Helmet • Centralia City Council • Chehalis City Council / Sports 1 $1 Seeking Shelter: Weekend Edition Homeless Numbers Saturday, Up in County / Life 1 Oct. 19, 2013 Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com After Three Overturned Murder Convictions Tribal Chairman, Slert Case Reaches Authority Member State Supreme Court to Talk Flooding PUBLIC DISCUSSION: David Burnett, J. Vander Stoep to Speak at Centralia College By The Chronicle David Burnett, chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, and J. Vander Stoep, a Chehalis at- torney and alternate to the Che- halis River Basin Flood Author- ity, on Monday, Nov. 4, will speak about the status of efforts to find solu- tions to reduce catastrophic flood damage and enhance fisheries in the David Burnett tribe chairman Chehalis River Basin. The presen- tation will take place at Cen- tralia College from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Both Bur- Pete Caster / [email protected] nett and Kenneth Slert's defense attorney, Jodi Backlund, speaks in front of the Washington State Supreme Court on Thursday morning at the Temple of Justice in Olympia. Vander Stoep J. Vander Stoep Backlund believes that her client should receive a new trial, which would be his fourth, based on a ruling from the Court of Appeals, Division II, deeming that his are members of flood authority third trial was unconstitutional. the Governor’s member Chehalis Ba- KENNETH SLERT: Thursday told the Washington head back to the courtroom for Ashford campground. sin Work group, which helped State Supreme Court that al- his fourth trial. Slert, 64, could wait a year develop a $28 million funding Attorneys Focus on leged murderer Kenneth Slert In a decade-long string of or longer for the Supreme package that was passed by the Public Trial Issue received a fair, public trial and legal mishaps, Slert has three Court decision. His is one in 2013 Legislature. urged the justices to re-exam- times been convicted of mur- a flurry of open, public-trial Underway now, as a result of By Lisa Broadt ine a Court of Appeals ruling der, and three times had his related cases currently under the funding, is in-depth plan- ning for flood damage reduc- [email protected] that overturned Slert’s convic- convictions overturned. He is consideration by the court. The tion. accused of shooting and kill- justices are expected to bundle tion and fishery enhancement. Lewis County Deputy If the Court of Appeals de- ing a 53-year-old man during a Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg on cision stands, Slert will likely whisky-fueled altercation at an please see COURT, page Main 14 please see TALK, page Main 14 Riffe Trial: The Traffic Stop That Didn’t Happen DAY EIGHT: Retired Deputy Tells came the focus Friday of the trial for the the two-week-old trial, detailing how he man accused of killing an elderly Ethel nearly stopped a vehicle he believes was Jury He Was on Verge of Pulling couple in 1985. carrying one of the Riffe brothers nearly 28 One of the Riffe Brothers Over in As prosecutors in Lewis County Supe- years ago, just after the grisly murders. rior Court continued trying to prove that 1985 After Killings, But Did Not Rick Riffe was responsible for the murders FORTH TESTIFIED that he was on duty in a By Stephanie Schendel of Ed and Minnie Maurin, they turned to marked patrol car in Adna when he saw a William Forth. four-door 1969 Chrysler Newport driving [email protected] The retired deputy provided perhaps RIFFE, Rick Riffe Rick Riffe A traffic stop that didn’t happen be- the most compelling testimony thus far in please see page Main 14 1986 2013 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather Park Opens After Shutdown Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 42 Cowan, Donald, 68, Follow Us on Twitter Businesses Face Centralia TOMORROW: High 62 @chronline Partly Cloudy Financial Repercussions Lewis, Harold “Bert,” 80, see details on page Main 2 / Main 6 Centralia Pillette, Hubert L., 89, Find Us on Facebook Centralia www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by thecentraliachronicle Matthew Batchelder, Hays, Jean, 85, Centralia Morton FREE FAN KIT $250 THE MOST EFFICENT WOOD STOVE IN NORTH AMERICA VALUE* CH508033bw.db UP TO 40 HOURS WITHOUT REFUELING *With the purchase of a Blaze King stove. Offer expires 10/20/2013 1331 NW Louisiana Avenue Chehalis, WA 98532 360.740.6910 OlympiaFireplace.com Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Editor’s Best Bet Wind Symphony to Play Music of John Williams The North- Williams has written mu- west Wind sic for numerous TV programs Calendar Symphony will and movies, including “Gil- open its 22nd ligan’s Island,” the movie “Su- Today season tonight perman,” as well as the Indiana WHAT’S HAPPENING? at Corbet The- Jones, “Star Wars” and Harry College to Host Expanding If you have an event you atre on the Potter movies. He also has com- Your Horizons Conference would like included in the Centralia Col- posed music for “Sunday Night Community Calendar, please John Williams lege campus Football,” the past four Olym- The 20th annual Expanding email your information to Composer with a musical pic Games and “NBC Nightly Your Horizons Conference will be [email protected]. salute to one of News.” today at Centralia College. Include a daytime telephone America’s most The concert begins at 7 p.m. The event, which will be held 8 number where you can be prolific composers, John Wil- Admission is $12 for adults. Chil- a.m.-noon, provides career explo- reached. liams. dren are free with a paying adult. ration in STEM (science, technol- There is no charge for these ogy, engineering and mathematics) listings. fields for young women in grades For questions about calendar items, call Doug Blosser at The 7-9 and a concurrent workshop for Chronicle, (360) 807-8238. parents and educators. The sched- the Chehalis Moose Lodge tonight. The class will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. ule for the day is: A dinner will be 5-7 p.m. and in WAH 109. Students: today. Fred Beeks will return to the show is at 8 p.m. Admission is 8-8:25 a.m.: Check-in, Wash- play the theater organ before both $10 to each event. ington Hall, Foyer showings. The program will include a Dick Young Memorial 8:30-9:30 a.m.: OMSI assembly: Pre-sale tickets for “Planet of Golden Bell ceremony, in which the Is Tonight Altered States, Washington Hall the Apes” are available at Debbie’s story of the Loyal Order of Moose The Dick Young Memorial Theatre Boutique, HUBBUB, Holley’s Place is told. Also, Tommy Mooses will Bowl & BBQ, a benefit for Pope’s 9:40-10:30 a.m.: Career Work- and Santa Lucia Coffee in Centra- be presented to the Lewis County Kids Place, will be 4-9 p.m. tonight shop 1, various locations lia and Book ‘n’ Brush in Chehalis. Sheriff’s Office. The Tommy Moos- at Dick’s Brewing Co. 10:30-10:55 a.m.: Break/snack, Tickets are $7 for members, $8 for es are given to children in crisis The event will include eating Student Center Cafeteria individuals or $20 for a family of situations. barbecue, listening to music by the 11-11:50 a.m.: Career Workshop 3-4 persons. More information is available Backfire Band, drinking Dick’s 2, various locations The Fox Theatre has popcorn, by calling (360) 736-9030. Beer and bowling. Admission is $15. Parents and Educators: and other treats are for sale at Hol- The Chehalis Moose Lodge is 8:00-8:25 a.m.: Check-in, Wash- ley’s Place Frozen Yogurt, next door Bowling begins at noon at located at 1400 Grand Ave., Cen- Fairway Lanes, Centralia. Cost for ington Hall, foyer to the theater, tralia. 8:30-9:30 a.m.: OMSI assembly: All proceeds from the event go the bowling is $225 per Swiss trio, Altered States, Washington Hall toward the ongoing restoration which includes the barbecue and Theatre of the 1930s art deco Fox Theatre. Class Will Give Instruction in music. 9:40-11:50 a.m.: Parent work- Advertising opportunities are still Playing Guitar in One Day For more information, call Jo or shop, Washington Hall, room 103 available on the big screen. Ike, (360) 748-3202. The sponsors host a luncheon Californian Marlene Hutchin- son is returning to Centralia Col- Games Day, traditional and modern for the presenters at the conclusion board games, card games, 1 p.m., Matrix of the workshops, Science Center ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ lege today for her “Learn to Play Coffeehouse, Chehalis, (360) 740-0492 Guitar in a Day!” workshop. foyer, 12:10-1:15 p.m. Cast Members to Visit Autumn Leaves, Mt. Rainier Scenic Rail- There are typically about 200 The one-day workshop, which road, 10 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Elbe- students and 70 parents who par- Discover! Children’s has been seen on PBS, is for busy Mineral, (360) 492-5588, reservations (888) ticipate in this event. The cost is adults who want to learn to play STEAM11 Museum Soups and Stews, 11 a.m., Fort Borst Park $5 per family, but scholarships are guitar but don’t have time for week- ly lessons. Participants will learn Kitchen 2, Centralia, Lewis County 4-H Food available for anyone who requests Cast members of “The Sorcer- Safety Volunteers, (360) 740-1212, http:// one.