Midweek Edition Thursday, April 11, 2013 $1 Reaching 110,000 Readers in Print and Online — www.chronline.com Centralia Organ Donor’s Family Prep Baseball Roundup Napavine Sweeps Ony; W.F. West Tops Black Hills / Sports to Meet Recipient / Main 5 Rescue Funding Finalized for Team Lewis County Event Center to Train at Pe Ell River Run SAFETY: Sheriff’s Office Will Have Presence at Event Where Man Drowned Last Year By Kyle Spurr [email protected] The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Swift Water Rescue Team will hold a training session dur- ing the Pe Ell River Run on Sat- urday as a way to have a presence at the event where a 24-year-old Olympia man drowned last year. “They will be out there and available to respond if needed,” Lewis County Sheriff’s Of- fice Commander Steve Aust said. “Typically, people on the river have a hard time explain- ing where they are at. Hopefully, with our presence, it’s going to enable us to respond quicker.” Daniel Kuhn, 24, an Iraq War veteran, separated from Pete Caster / [email protected] a group of friends during the Edwards Gibbs holds a tape measurer at the southwest corner of the Lewis County Event Center as work crews prepare for trenches to be dug where the foundation river run last April. He told his can be placed for the steel beams that will hold up the structure in Centralia on Wednesday afternoon. friends he would meet them at the Chandler Road Bridge but ‘QUANTUM LEAP’: Lewis year despite the fact that the never arrived. PFD did not have the funds to When Kuhn did not show up County Public Facilities ‘‘We have to keep moving forward. We are not finish the project. by 8 p.m., the rest of his group District Accepts a The PFD has $4.1 million left. They thought he may have going back.’’ to cover the $3.9 million cost left with other friends, the sher- $1.1 Million Partial of building the metal structure iff’s office said. Loan and Grant From with concrete floors in the first The swift water rescue team Tom Lerchen phase. found Kuhn’s body five days Lewis Economic PFD Vice Chair However, the 70-foot-high, later, and the coroner's office de- Development Council 75,600-square-foot complex termined he drowned. Kuhn’s death was the first County Public Facilities District “We have to keep moving would remain empty if the PFD By Kyle Spurr didn’t receive the $1.1 million reported in the 34-year history accepted a $1.1 million partial forward,” Lerchen said. “We are [email protected] Lewis Economic Development of the Pe Ell River Run. The grant and loan to fully fund the not going back.” Council’s 0.09 percent county event takes place on the sec- The largest question facing final stage of construction. The first phase of the event sales tax grant to cover the final ond Saturday in April every the Lewis County Event Center PFD Vice Chair Tom Lerch- center construction, underway interior phase. year. Hundreds of participants and Sports Complex was an- en called the approval a “quan- on Pioneer Way and Allen Street swered this week when the Lewis tum leap.” in Centralia, began earlier this please see FUNDING, page Main 14 please see RIVER, page Main 14 Toledo-Winlock School Bus Crashes Down Embankment NO SERIOUS INJURIES: Bus foot embankment near Winlock to the area from a game in as the bus was taking the exit, more serious incident, accord- late Tuesday night. Vancouver, Wash., according said Trooper Will Finn, spokes- ing to the release. Was Carrying 37 People; The players, their two man- to the release. man for the Washington State Washington State Patrol in- None Were Transported agers, two coaches and the driv- When law enforcement and Patrol. spectors are in the process of er received superficial injuries, firefighters arrived shortly after The driver shouted for ev- examining the bus, which was to Hospital and no one was transported to 10 p.m. Tuesday, the school bus eryone to hold on, and the bus taken back to the Winlock bus By Stephanie Schendel the hospital, according to a press was at the bottom of the Inter- continued down the off-ramp garage, Finn said. release from the Winlock Fire state 5 Exit 63 embankment, ac- and went through a stop sign as Additional buses from the [email protected] Department. cording to the release. it crossed state Route 505 and Winlock and Toledo school A school bus transporting 32 The bus, which is owned The Washington State Pa- went down the ravine. districts were called to trans- soccer players from the Toledo- and operated by the Winlock trol is still investigating the The driver of the school bus port the students back to their Winlock high school team went School District, was trans- cause of the accident, but the was able to keep the bus upright schools Tuesday night, accord- off the road and slid down a 75- porting the soccer team back bus driver said the brakes failed as it slid, which prevented a ing to the release. Lewis County Local The Chronicle, Serving The Greater Weather Deaths Lewis County Area Since 1889 TONIGHT: Low 35 Adna Man Planning Motorcycle Hokanson, Verda C., 93, Follow Us on Twitter TOMORROW: High 55 Trip to South America / Main 6 Chehalis @chronline Mostly Cloudy Walter, Dolores Jean, 84, see details on page Main 2 Cinebar Find Us on Facebook Johnson, Leona Irene, 72, www.facebook.com/ Weather picture by Chehalis thecentraliachronicle Renate Prazak, third grade, Harris, Ivan Dale, 88, Oak Onalaska Elementary Harbor School Parsons, Ray Allen, 71, Winlock CH495137sz.ke Main 2 The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, Wash., Thursday, April 11, 2013 COMMUNITY CALENDAR / WEATHER Community Editor’s Best Bet Rotary to Host Wine and Cheese Festival The Twin Cities Rotary An- Agate, Birchfield, McMenamins, nual Wine & Cheese Festival Mill Lane and M&K Market. In Calendar will be 6-9 p.m. Friday at the addition, the following chee- Today Washington Hotel in downtown semakers will be there: Wil- WHAT’S HAPPENING? Chehalis. lapa Hills Creamer. Black Sheep Open mic, 6:30 p.m., Matrix Coffee- The festival brings together Creamery, Twin Oaks Creamery house, Chehalis, (360) 740-0492 If you have an event you local wineries, cheesemakers and Rosecrest Creamery. Others Ribbon cutting, Washington Federal, would like included in the and others for a night of conver- are still being confirmed. noon, 110 N. Pearl St., Centralia Community Calendar, please sation and sumptuous fare. A new addition this year Libraries email your information to The cost is $20 for 10 tickets. will be local makers/distribu- [email protected]. Wine samples will require one Book Babies, for babies 12-24 months, tors of balsamic vinegar and Include a daytime telephone or two tickets. More tickets can olive oil. 10 a.m., Chehalis number where you can be Book Babies, for babies birth-24 be purchased during the event, For more information, visit reached. which is for adults only. https://www.facebook.com/ months, 11 a.m., Centralia For questions about Crafternoon @ the Library, for chil- calendar items, call Doug Participating wineries in- events/515967598442043/ or call dren, 3:30 p.m., Chehalis Blosser at The Chronicle, (360) clude: Heymann, Stottle, Bateau, (360) 880-0568. Junior PageTurners, for children 807-8238. grades 1-3, “The Mouse and the Mo- torcycle,” by Beverly Cleary, 3:30 p.m., Winlock Olequa (Winlock) Senior Center, (360) PageTurners book discussion, for 785-4325 adults, “Strength of What Remains: A Cook’s choice lunch, noon, 12:30 p.m. control of the situation, throw- Senior Centers Journey of Remembrance and Forgive- Bingo, 12:30-2 p.m. ness,” 5:30 p.m., Centralia ing the con men off their game. Twin Cities Senior Center, (360) Packwood Senior Center, (360) While the audience knows the 748-0061 Public Agencies 494-6331 secret of the con before Susy Entertainment, presentation or mov- Music with Carlean and Dean, 10-11 Centralia Planning Commission, 6 does, it remains unclear whether a.m. p.m., council chambers, City Hall, 118 W. ie, 12:30 p.m. Quilting project class, 3:30 p.m. her plan to foil Mike, Carlino Lunch, noon, $3 suggested donation Maple St., Centralia, (360) 330-7671 and Roat will work. Pinochle tournament, 1 p.m., Centralia College Board of Trustees, Toledo Senior Center, (360) 864-2112 Low-impact exercise class, 3:30-4:30 “Wait Until Dark” is directed Dance night, Bob’s Melodies Recy- 3 p.m., Centralia College East, Morton, cled, 7-9:30 p.m. 736-9391, ext. 231 p.m. by Norma Rogers. Morton Senior Center, (360) 496-3230 Zumba, 6-7 p.m. Tickets are available at Book Organizations Tai Chi exercise, 8:30-9 a.m. Cook’s choice lunch, 11:30 a.m. ‘n’ Brush, Chehalis; Santa Lucia Bucoda Rebekah Lodge 144, 7 p.m., Wood carving class, 1-3 p.m. Coffee and Sterling Bank, Cen- Open recreation, pool, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Bucoda Oddfellows Community Center, Quilt class, 1-3 p.m. tralia; and brownpapertickets. Pinochle, 10 a.m. 202 S. Main, Bucoda, (360) 273-9724 com. Crafters 10 a.m.-2:20 p.m. United Women in Business, 5:30 Olequa (Winlock) Senior Center, (360) p.m., Kit Carson banquet room, Chehalis, Friday, April 12 The Evergreen Playhouse is 785-4325 (360) 388-5252 located at 226 W. Center St. Nutrition lunch, noon-1 p.m.