W.F. West Theft $1 Update: Man Midweek Edition Sentenced in Court Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013 / Main 7 Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com ARTrails Returns Adna Tops Montesano Local Artists to Offer Variety, Creativity Lady Pirate Keeper Nabs 15 Saves in During 12th Annual Studio Tour / Main 12 First Varsity Appearance / Sports 1 Police Investigate Robotic Milking Decapitated, STRESS REDUCTION: Oakville Farm Uses, Burned Dog Enjoys System Easier on Cows, Humans Found in Centralia NO LEADS: Police Say They Have No Suspects More Than Two Weeks After the Body of the Headless Dog Was Located By Stephanie Schendel [email protected] Police currently have no leads into who is responsible for cutting a dog’s head off, putting its body on train tracks, light- ing it on fire and then burying its head under a few rocks near downtown Centralia. Though the headless body of the dog was discovered shortly after 1 a.m. Aug. 31, its head was not found until earlier this week, said Officer John Panco, public information officer for the Cen- tralia Police Department. Firefighters discovered the dog — which was a large, brown lab mix — wrapped in cloth- ing placed in a plastic bag after someone called to report a small fire on the train tracks at the end of Walnut Street in Centralia on Aug. 31. Pete Caster / [email protected] After fire crews discovered it Jim Austin, left, and his son, Ron, look at each other as one of their two DeLaval robotic milking machines works on a cow at their farm near Oakville on Tuesday was a dog’s body that was lit on afternoon. fire, they contacted law enforce- ment, Panco said. By Lisa Broadt cows to local retailers. Panco said investigators are [email protected] On June 24, Jim used his confident that the dog was not hands to milk a cow for the last hit by a train. It’s not about taking naps. time. “It was intentionally decapi- Using a robotic milker, Then, the family put into ac- tated,” he said. farmer Ron Austin said, does tion its newly-installed $500,000 A few days later, a Centralia not decrease the volume of robotic milking machine, which, resident contacted police about work, but rather shifts it. It’s Ron says, creates a controlled losing their dog that they sus- more technical, less physical. system that’s less stressful for the pected was the one found on the Ron, 46, is a fifth-generation cows and the humans. tracks, Panco said. Unfortunate- farmer. He, his father Jim and Less stress for the Austins ly, the owner was unable to posi- his mother Janie own and man- means an easier approach to tively identify the dog’s body. age the 135-year-old Austin what can be a grueling lifestyle. About two weeks went by Family Farm in Oakville. Pri- “This hadn’t been something before the family that suspected marily dairy farmers, the Aus- we had even thought about, but the dead dog was theirs received tins sell the organic milk from their approximately 120 dairy please see MILKING, page Main 14 A cow stands outside a barn at Austin Familiy Farm near Oakville. please see DOG, page Main 14 Court: Driver of Crashed Bus Not at Fault CITED: Court Rules That It was the brakes after all. Winlock-Toledo soccer team back eled down the off-ramp, he shout- cer players, their two managers, The driver of the school bus from a game in Vancouver, Wash., ed for the passengers to hang on. two coaches and the driver re- Equipment Failure Caused that went down an embankment on April 9 when he said the school Immediately following the ceived superficial injuries, and Bus Carrying 32 High near Winlock last April while bus brakes failed as he took Exit accident, Withrow was praised no one was hospitalized. carrying 32 high-school soccer 63 on Interstate 5, causing him to by first responders for his ability Though the driver insisted School Soccer Players to players has been cleared of any speed down the off-ramp, through to keep the school bus upright as the brakes had failed, when Crash, Not Driver wrongdoing, according to court a stop sign, across state Route 505, it went down the embankment, Washington State Patrol troop- documents. and down into a ravine. preventing serious injury to any ers inspected the bus, they found By Stephanie Schendel The driver, 53-year-old Ron- When Withrow realized he of the 36 passengers. nothing defective with the brakes. [email protected] nie Withrow, was transporting the had lost control of the bus as it trav- The 32 Toledo-Winlock soc- please see FAULT, page Main 14 The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather Life Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 51 Webley, Betty Jane, 76, Olympia Follow Us on Twitter TOMORROW: High 70 Gardening Ainsworth, Luellyn Azora, 93, @chronline Isolated Showers Pe Ell see details on page Main 2 Matthews, Kathleen Adele, 84, Find Us on Facebook Keeps Seniors Chehalis www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by Metcalf Alta Aileen, 95, Aurora, thecentraliachronicle Carmen Cleveland-Barrera, Young at Heart Ore. Onalaska Elementary, Arnold, Ralph Neil, 77, Chehalis Fifth Grade / Life 1 Stevens, JoniBon, 59, Ryderwood CH504787cz.cg Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Editor’s Best Bet Cooks Hill Run to Offer 10-Mile, 5k Events The Centralia Rotary Club load additional applications at and Corwin-Rey Farmers In- www.clubrunner.ca/centralia. Calendar surance Group is presenting the On the day of the event, Thursday, Sept. 19 Cooks Hill Challenge, Run for registration begins at 7 a.m. at WHAT’S HAPPENING? the Kids on Saturday, Sept. 21. Washington Orthopedic Center, The run is in conjunction 1900 Cooks Hill Road, Centralia. Workshop to Offer If you have an event you with the Wellness Roundup (see The 10-mile race starts at 8 a.m. Advice on Publishing would like included in the calendar page 11). and the 5k run/walk begins at Community Calendar, please For the 10-mile run, the en- 8:30 a.m. “From Author to Bookstore — email your information to try fee is $25 before Sept. 15th The 5K will be a mostly flat, Dream to Reality” is the subject [email protected]. and $30 thereafter. The 5K Fun stroller and dog-friendly course of presentations at the Southwest Include a daytime telephone Run/Walk is $20. for all ages. The 10-miler course number where you can be Washington Writers Workshop Plaques will be awarded for consists of beautiful rural scen- at 7 p.m. Thursday. The work- reached. There is no charge for these the top male and female 10-mile ery and two steep hills. shop is at the Unity Center, 800 finishers. Ribbons will be given The event is a fundraiser for S. Pearl St., Centralia. listings. For questions about to all 5K finishers. Snacks will Centralia Rotary. Each year, Ro- The discussion will feature calendar items, call Doug be served to everyone after the tary clubs across the world raise Jan Pierson, author of the recent Blosser at The Chronicle, (360) event. money to match the $100 mil- book “Prohibition, Prostitution 807-8238. Registration for the Cooks lion grant from the Gates Foun- and Presbyterian Pews,” and Da- Hill Challenge is being taken on- dation to eradicate polio around vid and Beverly Hartz, co-own- line at ACTIVE.COM, or down- the globe. ers of Book ‘n’ Brush, an inde- guaranteed the supplies to make a pendent bookstore in Chehalis. worm compost bin to make dur- Pierson will share the strug- ing the session. Call (360) 740-1451 gles of an author to publish or to pre-register for the class. Onalaska American Legion Post 508, Historic Lewis County Farmers Mar- get published and the marketing “We want to offer people the 6 p.m. potluck, 7 p.m. meeting, Onalas- ket, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., corner of North realities, pitfalls, technological instructions and tools to start ka First Church of God, (360) 978-5368 Pearl and Maple streets, Centralia, (360) challenges. The Hartzes will ex- worm composting right away,” Chehalis-Centralia Cribbage Club, 736-8977 said Melanie Case, recycling 6:30 p.m., Chehalis Moose Lodge, 1400 Bob Garcia and Melodies Recycled plain how to approach a book- Grand Ave., Centralia, (360) 485-2852 Band, 7-9:30 p.m., Twin Cities Senior store with a book, the math to program coordinator for the Center, $5, (360) 262-3041 determine a profit, and what sells Lewis County Solid Waste Util- Support Groups Art Show Opening Party, CloudPaint- in a bookstore, along with other ity, which is putting on the pro- “Up From Grief,” for those grieving er Gallery, 8 p.m., free, Matrix Coffee- marketing advice for writers. gram in conjunction with the the loss of a loved one, 1-2:30 p.m., As- house, Chehalis, (360) 740-0492 Jan Pierson, also known by WSU/Lewis County Master Re- sured Home Hospice, second floor, 1821 Fun Addicts, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Scatter her pen name “Calamity Jan,” is cycler Composter volunteers. Cooks Hill Road, (360) 330-2640 Creek Grill, Lucky Eagle Casino, (360) Debbie Burris, the volunteer Overeaters Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 273-2000, ext. 301 a freelance writer and author of p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church,1209 N. 11 books who was a resident of coordinator for the WSU/Lewis Scheuber Road, Centralia, (360) 736-9268 Public Agencies Lewis County for more than 25 County MRC program, will lead Twin Transit board, 8 a.m., Twin Tran- years and now lives in Olympia.