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The Pacific Mountain Regional Alliance for Youth, Lewis County (PMRAY.L) is a network of 30 stakeholders from 18 organizations in Lewis County. PMRAY.L is one of five counties implementing collective impact strategies. Grays Harbor, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties are also part of the greater Pacific Regional Mountain Alliance for Youth. PMRAY.L is in a unique position to support and help organize projects that engage and activate youth advancement in Lewis County. PMRAY.L’s current project is to sponsor 100 students from Lewis County for the Prevention Summit held in Yakima October 20-22, 2013: http://www.preventionsummit.org/. PMRAY.L is reaching out to local business and community leaders to support students from Adna, Centralia, Centralia Community College TEEN Program, Chehalis, WF West, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Onalaska, Pe Ell, Toledo, White Pass and Winlock middle schools, high schools and jr/sr high schools.

The following local students earned a 3.9-4.0 grade point average during summer quarter, 2013, at Centralia College. They were all full-time and completed a minimum of 10 college credits:

Toledo: Glenda Clark, Gloria Hunter, Judy Louderback, Angela Reed, and Connie Wells. Winlock: Dayna Hurtado, John Meyers, Albertina Payne, and Steve Swanson.

The second of two grand entries held during the 2013 Cowlitz Indian Tribe Pow Wow Saturday at Toledo High School the 14th such celebration to be organized by the tribe. Community members from all over the area were welcomed to the event, which featured traditional dancing and singing as well as crafts from indigenous artisans. To learn more about the 2014 pow wow, including how to contribute as a perform, vendor or benefactor, contact Committee Chair Suzanne Donaldson at (360) 280-2321.

The Olequa Senior Center, in Winlock, will be hosting a free estate planning presentation Wednesday provided through Jim Hammer of Farmer’s Insurance.

Hammer will be speaking along with an advanced life and retirement expert about new tax changes, conservative investing, and life options for seniors. The event starts at noon and those with questions can call Hammer’s office at (360) 785-3744.

Napavine students are being asked to help support a pajama drive for victims of domestic violence starting next week with the hope of collecting 100 pairs or pajamas for women, children and infants.

Organized by 12th grader Mackenzie Olson, the drive will involve students grades 7 through 12 (each with their own decorated box for donations) and the winning grade level will receive a pizza party.

Thursday saw the first Coffee House held at Toledo High School for the present school year and organizers said they saw regulars as well as new faces at the entertainment venue. The event, planned to be regularly held throughout the school year, featured live performances from students such as Tim Goodwin (left), Tia Stemley (center) and Kaitee Carney (right), as well as staff members such as organizer and music enthusiast Seth Martin.

Your Timberland library card is more than a pass to check out books or use a library computer. It’s a ticket for you and your family to a world of information, resources and entertainment. In conjunction with Timberland Regional Library’s (TRL) 45th anniversary of public library service to communities across Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties, TRL is having a 45-day contest. Every person who signs up for a new Timberland library card between now and Oct. 31 will be entered into a drawing to win an e-reader, donated by the Timberland Regional Library Foundation.

The Winlock School District has reported stable enrollment figures for the 2013-2014 school year after having endured an eight percent difference below projections last September.

Superintendent Shannon Criss reported 661 full-time equivalent (FTE) students were tallied on count day Sept. 13, 17 students above original projections of 644 for the year. This was a significant difference over last year when the count came in at 55 students below a projection of 700, causing a difference in funding which led to the elimination of 10 positions within the district including Winlock Miller Elementary School Principal, a role currently fill by Criss.

Now that Fall and increased rains are here, it’s time to change the wardrobe to long pants, long-sleeve shirts and vests. Maybe it’s time to go shopping… How soon before we turn on the heat?

Sunday’s FireWise Expo and upcoming fall Clean-Up will fulfill Ryderwood’s official FireWise Certification for another year. FireWise is a collaborative project of the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) and agencies such as the USDA Forest Service, the US Department of the Interior, and the National Association of State Foresters. The goal is to reduce the risk of wildfires in rural residential areas by educating and assisting rural property owners to "Think FireWise" when maintaining their property.

Toledo Class of 1968 is raising funds to purchase bricks for the Veterans Wall, honoring classmates who gave all and veterans of limited means. A challenge goes out to all graduating classes. Contact Bill Linn, wlinn@lcc.ctc.edu or (928) 446-1580.

Countdown: Bricks purchased by first week of October installed by Parade Day. Download form: www.toledolionsclub.org or contact Bob Schmid, dearoldbob@toledotel.com or (360) 864-8335.

The Winlock United Methodist Church’s new minister will begin on Sunday, Oct. 6. Her name is Pam Brokaw, and the congregation is ready to welcome her with open arms. First, however, they would like to say farewell to their interim minister Ava Barry. They’ll miss her kindness as well as her Texas drawl.

Currently, the Olequa Senior Center is seeking more volunteers. Particularly to help with their lunches, which are now served five days a week. Please contact the center at (360) 785-4325 for more information.

Severin "Harry" Erickson, of Winlock, died Sept. 11, 2013. Born Jan. 19, 1925, he was 88 years old.

He was preceded in death by parents Sam and Julia, as well as siblings Kalma, Olga, Stan, Clarice, Hjalmer, Albert and son-in-law Chip Haase.

He is survived by sisters Eileen Bond and Norma Nelson, daughters Sandy and Carolyn, Severin, David, Erik, Mike and Chris, multiple grandchildren, great-grandchildren and one expected great-great-grandchild. A private service was held at Lone Hill Cemetery, in Toledo. Arrangements care of Cattermole Funeral Home.

A presentation from Blue Array to the Toledo City Council Sept. 16 left officials with more questions than answers as they were told their efforts to build a new $9.6 million sewer plant may be in vain.

Blue Array CEO and co-owner James Reilly said he has found errors in statistics published by engineering firm Gray and Osborne and told the council there was no legal basis, according to his findings, for the city to invest in a new wastewater treatment plant, despite years of effort and more than a million dollars already spent toward such a goal.

A discussion between the Toledo City Council and Park Caretaker Ric Kindle Sept. 16 about his surviving an attack at Kemp Olson Park last month has turned the focus away from Kindle’s statements to the press and onto continued safety at the park.

Kindle had been attacked Aug. 16 by a stranger in the park after hours, and told this newspaper the attacker followed Kindle back to his trailer after being told to leave and assaulted him, resulting in grievous injuries to Kindle’s forearm. But statements by Kindle to police and Toledo officials, according to such entities, have differed from Town Crier’s report of the attack, and Kindle was asked to account for these differences during his meeting with the council.

Vader officials have said they are willing to pursue the option of home foreclosure against those with delinquent sewer accounts as several such accounts have gone years without being paid.

During a discussion at their Sept. 17 meeting, it was reported more than a dozen accounts have not been paid since 2010 after Lewis County acquired Vader’s water service due to the city’s inability to financially support the system. Without being able to deny water to delinquent sewer customers, and being unable to shut off sewer service, the city has had no form of immediate recourse to correct such problems and has been experiencing shortfalls in the sewer budget due to late accounts.

There are many high school athletes that find themselves in a challenge, but it is how they respond that makes the person they become.

Darren Ayoub is a senior at Castle Rock High School. He is currently the place kicker on the CR football team, but had and has much higher aspirations for this year in not just football, but also on the hardwood in a few months.

Chase Lam ran for 88 yards as the Rockets earned their second Trico League victory on Friday night on the road.

Lam took over for Nate Willimason at running back but not before Williams gathered in a 58 yard scoring pass from QB Mason Klingberg. Williamson rushed 63 yards before he left the game just before halftime with a sprained knee, Talib Meeks scored a safety in the 4th quarter before Lam found the end zone offensively.

Multiple electronics were reported stolen from a Toledo area home Saturday, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to an alarm activation around 4:45 p.m. on the 200 block of Howe Rd., northeast of Toledo, and found an unknown number of suspects had forced entry into the house. After contacting the 71-year-old male victim, it was learned a computer and other electronic devices had been stolen.

Good or bad for our world, bees can be a pain. Sometimes, quite literally.

This summer, like the end of most summers, find our favorite short-tempered insects ready to sting at the slightest bit of agitation.

When the temperature starts to drop and rain begins to pour in earnest, it is not uncommon for pests to seek shelter in our homes. Whether in the basement or our kitchen cabinets, it can be very useful to make sure you keep an eye out for the warning signs of an infestation and know how to respond appropriately.

A new rule adopted in both Washington and Oregon allows anglers to catch Chinook salmon through the end of the year as more salmon are returning to the Columbia River than any time in the past 75 years.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has said new regulations have extended the Chinook season past September and were put in place specifically for the record-breaking return.