$1 Midweek Edition Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com Climbing Mount St. Helens Chronicle Journalists Attempt to Summit Volcano Highway Washout U.S. Highway 12 Near White Pass Remains Closed / Main 4 in Remnants of Pacific Typhoon / Sports 2 Federal Government Shutdown Mount Rainier Closed Shutdown Saddens Visitors, Employees; Angers Local Businesses Corey R. Morgan Randle Man Gets 23 Years in Prison for Fiancee’s Murder BEHIND BARS: Corey R. Morgan Admitted Last Month to Beating and Pete Caster / [email protected] Strangling to Death His Visitors leave a recently closed Mount Rainier National Park on Tuesday. outside of Ashford. The national park was forced to scale down its operation to a skel- eton crew for potential rescues and basic maintenance after Tuesday’s government shutdown. Fiancee Brenda Bail- Burnside Last Summer By Lisa Broadt On Tuesday afternoon, By Stephanie Schendel [email protected] park employees paid quick vis- [email protected] its to park headquarters, most After traveling 3,100 miles leaving with furlough notifica- The former Randle man who from St. Petersburg, Fla., the tions in hand. admitted to beating and strangling Wisniewski family arrived in About 190 of the park’s his fiancee to death last July was Ashford to find the gates of 224 employees have been fur- sentenced to nearly 24 years in pris- Mount Rainier National Park loughed, and the temporary on Wednesday morning in Lewis chained and padlocked. cuts affect employees from County Superior Court. Though the family knew seasonal manual laborers to Corey R. Morgan previously that, if lawmakers could not Superintendent Randy King. pleaded guilty to second-degree pass a budget, a federal govern- murder and second-degree assault ment shutdown might close the “You tell them it’s not per- sonal, and on one level they for the slaying of his fiancee, Bren- park, the reality of it still was da Bail, last month. difficult to comprehend. understand that,” King said about employees’ responses to The courtroom Wednesday “When we came here and morning was filled with friends found out, well, it’s kind of the furlough. “But on another level, it’s extremely personal. and family of Bail, including her shocking,” Dora Wisniewski two teenage daughters. Your job is part of who you are said on Tuesday. “But what can Five family members of the vic- and what your life’s about, and you do?” tim spoke at Wednesday’s hearing, Local businesses and Na- these employees are very com- A sign is posted in the entry area of the Mount Rainier National Park adminis- and told the story of Morgan and tional Park employees shared mitted.” tration building informing employees where to get their furlough letters on Bail’s violent relationship troubled a similarly bleak, but resigned, Tuesday near Ashford. The park was forced to close its gates after Tuesday’s attitude. please see RAINIER, page Main 7 government shutdown. please see MURDER, page Main 7 Coalition Caucus Urges Transportation Reform INPUT: Legislators to reform state transportation. in a news release said around But exactly what to change, 400 people attended the Bellev- Touring State to Speak, and how to change it, they say, ue forum, the first, followed by Listen to Transportation requires input from voters. more than 200 in Everett. “If you’re going to ask for a dime for Sen. John Braun, R-Centra- “In Wenatchee and Yakima transportation, we need to make Ideas lia, on Tuesday said members of earlier last week, it was standing By Lisa Broadt the Majority Coalition Caucus room only,” King said, “and well sure we spend that dime well.” as well as a few Democrats are over 100 citizens turned out to [email protected] soliciting the needed input via a share their thoughts in Pasco.” Sen. John Braun The Washington state Senate’s 10-city, cross-state tour. R-Centralia Majority Coalition Caucus wants Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, please see REFORM, page Main 7 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather Shutdown Pay Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 39 Bush, Stephen Follow Us on Twitter TOMORROW: High 64 Herrera James, 69, @chronline Times of Clouds and Sun Winlock see details on page Main 2 Beutler to Long-Homan, Find Us on Facebook Wilma www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by Lanie Donate Salary Jean, 90, thecentraliachronicle McLaughlin, Onalaska Centralia Elementary, Fifth Grade to Charity / Main 3 CH506849cz.drb Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Editor’s Best Bet Used Book Sale at Lewis County Mall The Zonta Club of Centralia/ Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. all Calendar Chehalis will be holding its annual three days. used book sale at the Lewis County Proceeds will support Zon- Today Mall today through Saturday. ta’s scholarship programs and WHAT’S HAPPENING? Thousands of used hardcover community charities, as well as Author’s Talk If you have an event you and paperback books will be for international projects. would like included in the sale: fiction, nonfiction and text- Zonta awards a full tuition Rescheduled to Tonight Community Calendar, please books. There also will be a small se- scholarship to a student attend- Because the September meet- email your information to lection of movies and music. Prices ing Centralia College each year. ing of the Lewis County branch [email protected]. will start at $1 for paperbacks and In addition, financial support of the American Association of Include a daytime telephone $2 for hardback books. Prices will is given to Human Response University of Women was can- number where you can be decrease each day. A “closeout sale” Network and the Food Bank, as celled because of the bad storm, reached. will begin at 2 p.m.on Saturday for well as other local charities and Olympia author Jan Pierson There is no charge for these special bargains on books. needs. instead will be speaking to the listings. For questions about group tonight. calendar items, call Doug Pierson, a former Lewis Blosser at The Chronicle, (360) County resident, will talk about 807-8238. her latest book, “Prohibition, Prostitution, and Presbyterian Pews,” at 6:45 p.m. at the Gath- Support Groups ampunk fashion. Highway, Chehalis, (360) 748-3401 or email [email protected] ering Place at Stillwaters Estates, “Up From Grief,” for those grieving Tickets are available at ever- 2899 Cooks Hill Road, Centralia. the loss of a loved one, 1-2:30 p.m., As- greentempest@brownpapertick- Support Groups Pierson will tell stories from sured Home Hospice, second floor, 1821 ets.com, Santa Cooks Hill Road, (360) 330-2640 H.O.P.E., all addictions, 7:30-9 p.m., the early life of Robert W. Kenn- Lucia and Sterling Bank in Heritage Baptist Church of Tenino, 1315 Overeaters Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 icott, who grew up in early Che- Centralia and Book ‘n’ Brush Sussex Ave. E., Tenino, (360) 480-0592, p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church,1209 halis. Guests are welcome. [email protected] N. Scheuber Road, Centralia,(360) in Chehalis. Tickets also can be For more details, call Snider 736-9268 reserved by emailing theever- Life Recovery Group, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Dayspring Baptist Church, 2088 Jackson at (360) 807-8391. Multiple sclerosis, 6-8 p.m., Provi- [email protected]. Highway, Chehalis, (360) 748-3401 dence Centralia Hospital chapel confer- The Evergreen Playhouse Open mic, 6:30 p.m., Matrix Coffee- ence room, (360) 736-5394, Facebook is located at 226 W. Center St., house, Chehalis, (360) 740-0492 page: Lewis County Multiple Sclerosis Centralia. Clarissa Gifford, noon-1 p.m., Jer- Support Group Saturday, Oct. 5 emy’s Cafe, 576 W. Main St., Chehalis, Lonestar, 8 p.m., Lucky Eagle Ca- (360) 748-4417 sino, tickets start at $20, Ticketmaster or Hospital Foundation Bazaar, Wedin Farm & Friends, soups Friday, Oct. 4 Lucky Eagle Box Office, (800) 720-1788 and sandwiches by Dawn’s Delectables, Bob Garcia and Melodies Recycled Plans Benefit Dinner 4-8 p.m., 560 Spooner Road, Chehalis, Evergreen Playhouse Band, 7-9:30 p.m., Twin Cities Senior The Eastern Lewis County (360) 704-0083 Center, $5, (360) 262-3041 Hospital Foundation will be Public Agencies Present ‘The Tempest’ Randy Linder, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Scatter Creek Grill, Lucky Eagle Casino, (360) holding its annual benefit din- Lewis County Mental Health Coali- The Evergreen Playhouse 273-2000, ext. 301 ner auction on Saturday at the tion, 10-11:30 a.m., Lewis County Public will present William Shake- Song Circle, 7 p.m., Matrix Coffee- Morton Lions Hall. Health building, second-floor confer- speare’s “The Tempest” the first house, Chehalis, $2, (360) 740-0492 A silent auction will be ence room, (360) 740-1430 three weekends in October. Bazaar, Wedin Farm & Friends, soups 5-6:30 p.m., a roast beef dinner Reducing Underage Drinking Coali- and sandwiches by Dawn’s Delectables, tion, 2 p.m., Lewis County Public Health Performances will be Oct. at 6:30 p.m. and a live auction 4-6, Oct. 10-13 and Oct. 18-20. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 560 Spooner Road, Che- building, second-floor conference halis, (360) 704-0083 to follow. building, (360) 740-1424 Friday and Saturday shows are Admission is $20, or $5 with- Libraries Libraries at 8 p.m., Sunday shows at 2 p.m. out dinner. The theme is “Viva and a special Thursday, Oct. 10, Family Story Time, for all ages, 10 Las Vegas.” Costumes are wel- Book Babies, for babies 12-24 months, show at 7:30 p.m.