Warriors Edge Beavers Rochester Tops Evergreen Division Rival Tenino 5-4 / Sports 1 Fallen Logger Remembered / Main 3 $1 Midweek Edition Thursday, Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com April 3, 2014 Fire Chief Requests Layoff, Resigns REQUEST: Jim Walkowski is also the acting chief of the tached to any existing job offer Mead. His start date is May 1, sion. Chehalis Fire Department, on or opportunity elsewhere. according to the Facebook post. The Chronicle has requested Says Request Aimed at Wednesday asked the RFA Gov- Hours later, Spokane Fire By 11 p.m., Walkowski sub- a copy of Walkowski’s contract Improving Agency Finances ernance Board to lay him off as District 9 announced via its mitted a letter of resignation to with RFA. It’s unclear what com- a way to improve the financial Facebook page that the eight- the RFA board. pensation Walkowski would By Kyle Spurr condition of the agency. year member of the fire authori- During its meeting, the have been entitled to should he [email protected] When asked about his mo- ty had accepted a job as assistant board had tabled the request, have been removed as chief be- fore the contract’s completion. Riverside Fire Author- tivation for such a request, he chief for the Eastern Washing- choosing to collect more infor- ity Chief Jim Walkowski, who insisted it wasn’t necessarily at- ton fire department based in mation before making a deci- please see CHIEF, page Main 10 Ballots Age, Finances Spell End for 79-Year-Old Fraternity for Veterans Going Out for Tenino Last Roll Call at the Bond Election Toledo VFW Hall SECOND TIME AROUND: Bond Proponents Hoping for Supermarjority on $38 Million Measure By Christopher Brewer [email protected] Voters in the Tenino School District are beginning to re- ceive ballots asking them to once again vote on a $38 mil- lion bond. District officials are asking voters for their say on whether or not they will approve the bond, which the district states will expand and renovate the district’s elementary schools and Tenino Middle School, as well as provide essential securi- ty upgrades, increased technol- ogy capacity and new roofing systems as well. New student drop-off and pick-up areas, as well as a new gymnasium at Tenino High School, are also included in the proposal. The majority of voters, 56.8 percent to be exact, approved of the measure in the Feb. 11 election; however, that total fell short of the 60 percent su- permajority required for it to pass. According to official Pete Caster / [email protected] elections returns, 1,425 people Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3429 Commander Roy Huckleberry, left, and Auxiliary Post Secretary Doris Blum walk back inside after posing for a portrait in front voted to support the bond, but of the VFW's building in Toledo on Wednesday afternoon. An aging membership and low attendance will force Toledo to post to shut its doors as of May 31. 1,084 opposed the measure. Supporters of the bond went By Christopher Brewer The 66-year-old Vietnam veteran will and carries a lifelong VFW membership, back to the drawing board, [email protected] give up the charter for VFW Post 3429 just cites declining numbers and increased streamlining its message and north of Toledo at the end of May, effec- costs as the main reasons they’re closing. correcting a missed opportu- TOLEDO — Roy Huckleberry joined “It’s the age,” Huckleberry said. “Espe- the Toledo post of the Veterans of Foreign tively shutting down an 79-year-old frater- nity to reach voters in separate nity created to support war veterans, their cially in smaller communities, things like ZIP codes that did not get the Wars five years ago — but soon he must do the VFW are going by the wayside and the hardest thing he’s done as a member of families and their communities. Huckle- please see BOND, page Main 10 the group that he has drawn so close to. berry, who serves as Post 3429 commander please see VFW, page Main 10 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather Papa Ray’s No More Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 44 Longtime Wintermute-Knapp, Joyce Follow Us on Twitter TOMORROW: High 54 Emily, 80, Ethel @chronline Showers likely Business Beard, Audrey “Joyce” see details on page Main 2 Opens (House), 70, Napavine Find Us on Facebook Under New Grano, Alma Eva, 89, www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by Olympia thecentraliachronicle Ann Dexter, Evergreen Name, Old Academy of Arts and Owner / Sciences Main 6 CH518640cd.cg Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Thursday, April 3, 2014 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Editor’s Best Bet Community Garage Sale Coming to Fairgrounds lunch are available until 4 p.m. from The annual Spring Community - Garage Sale will be held on Saturday Coumbs Concessions. A giant carni Calendar - at the Southwest Washington Fair val slide ride will also be open for a grounds. small charge. Today WHAT’S HAPPENING? Early-bird shoppers can enter on The popularity of the event has If you have an event you would like sale day at 8 a.m. for $5. The general led to both summer and fall dates public can enter from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. AAUW Women to Hear included in the Community Calendar, for additional sales. For more infor- please email your information to Adult admission is $1; ages 12 and - Stained Glass Artist under are free. mation on the April 5 Spring Com [email protected]. Include a - The American Association of Univer- daytime telephone number where you Parking is free in the fairgrounds munity Garage Sale, call the fair of sity Women, Lewis County Branch, will can be reached. parking lots. fice at (360) 740-1495 or go to www. meet at 6:45 p.m. tonight at The Gath- There is no charge for these listings. Breakfast will be available from southwestwashingtonfair.net. ering Place at Stillwaters Estates, 2899 For questions about calendar items, 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Snacks and Cooks Hill Road, Centralia. call Doug Blosser at The Chronicle, (360) 807-8238. The meeting will feature stained glass artist Marcy Anholt, who also is an AAUW member. She will show some of Overeaters Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Im- her work and tell about her designs. So- manuel Lutheran Church, 1209 N. Scheuber Road, cial time is at 6:45 p.m. and Anholt’s pre- Centralia, (360) 736-9268 and open to the public. As the trails could Sunday, April 6 sentation begins at 7 p.m. Multiple sclerosis, 6-8 p.m., Providence be wet, attendees should wear hiking boots Centralia Hospital chapel conference room, Guests are welcome. For more details, (360) 736-5394, Facebook page: Lewis County Mul- or other sturdy footwear. call Judy Lyon, (360) 245-3999, or Kristi tiple Sclerosis Support Group The walk is sponsored by the Friends of Rain Festival Nelson, (360) 748-4203. the Seminary Hill Natural Area. To learn Coming to Morton If the main Stillwaters gate on Cooks more, email [email protected]. Hill Road is closed, enter the complex Friday, April 4 The 3rd Annual Rain Festival will be through the Colonial Residence gate off at 2 p.m. Sunday at Morton’s Roxy The- Bob Garcia and Melodies Recycled Band, Miss Yard Bird Prom and ater. Enjoy vocal and dance performanc- Scammon Creek Road. 7-9:30 p.m., Twin Cities Senior Center, $5, Open Mic, 6:30 p.m., Matrix Coffeehouse, Che- (360) 262-3041 Pageant Nears es, large screen sing-alongs, a rain fashion halis, (360) 740-0492 Radio 80, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Scatter Creek Grill, Lucky show, armchair aerobics, a Mossyrock Chris Guenther, 7:30 p.m., PJ’s Pizza, 1232 Alder Eagle Casino, (360) 273-2000, ext. 301 The Miss Yard Bird 2014 Prom and Drama preview, door prizes and mud St., Centralia, (360) 736-0101 Pageant will be at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Libraries puddle cookies. Public Agencies Yard Birds Mall. Also, there will be a showing of “Red Preschool Story Time, for children 3-6 years, Prizes will be awarded for the most Lewis County Mental Health Coalition, 10- River,” starring John Wayne and Mont- 10 a.m., Chehalis unique prom dress and cutest couple. gomery Clift. Open seating admission is 11:30 a.m., Lewis County Public Health building, Family Story Time, for children, 10:30 a.m., Also, there will be a twist contest. second-floor conference room, (360) 740-1430 Winlock $7 for adults, and $5 for seniors and kids. Reducing Underage Drinking Coalition, 2 p.m., The event will be hosted by Vincent Tickets are available at BCJ Gallery, at the PageTurners Book Discussion, for adults, Drambuie and deejay will be DJ 7Eight. Lewis County Public Health building, second- “Defending Jacob,” by William Landay, 12:30 p.m., door or at mortonroxy.org. floor conference building, (360) 740-1424 Winlock Admission is $10. Proceeds will be Bingo, doors open 5 p.m., bingo starts 6:30 p.m., Libraries Show Me a Story Puppet Crafts, for all ages, split between the Yard Birds mainte- Forest Grange, 3397 Jackson Highway, Chehalis 3 p.m., Teninio nance fund and The Cat’s Meow. Dancing, Jack & the Roadrunners, Book Babies, for babies birth-24 months, Dancing, Country Four, 7-10 p.m., South 1:30-4:30 p.m., Swede Hall, Rochester, (360) 807-1761, 10 a.m., Chehalis, 11 a.m., Centralia Support Groups Union Grange, 10030 Tilley Road S., Olympia, (360) 520-6518 Family Story Time, for children age 3-third H.O.P.E., all addictions, 7:30-9 p.m., Heritage (360) 352-2135 Community meal, 1-3 p.m., Rotary Riverside grade, 11:45 a.m., Randle Baptist Church of Tenino, 1315 Sussex Ave.