Detectives from the Washington State Patrol have determined that a combination of multiple factors led to the death of Trooper Sean O’Connell in a motorcycle collision in Skagit County earlier this year.

O’Connell’s motorcycle collided with a commercial vehicle known as a “box truck” shortly before 6 p.m. on May 31, at the intersection of Fir Island Road and Greenfield St. south of Mt. Vernon.

By GEORGE KUNKE

and SCOT PEARSON

ABERDEEN – Raymond advanced to the Elite Eight of the Class 2B State Football Championships with a heart-stopping 20-14 triumph over Wahkiakum in a game played with mean winds and steady rains Friday night at Stewart Field in Aberdeen. Alex Sida’s 9-yard TD run proved to be the game-winner with 11 seconds to play. Sida scored all 3 of Raymond’s touchdowns. Sida rambled for 150 yards on just 10 carries.

“The turning point was when we got the wind at our back,” Raymond HS Head Football Coach Rob Clements told the Herald. “You couldn’t throw the ball against that wind. The ball flutters and floats. Both teams had momentum and control when they had the wind at their backs.

“He (Sida) ran hard and didn’t get touched on that first run,” Clements said.

After 35 years

Offers insights on

state of education

By SCOT PEARSON

SOUTH BEND – At three years old, Mike Morris arrived in South Bend attended school and graduated in 1973. After 35 years in education, the current South Bend School District Superindentant is finishing where he started. Morris is retiring at the end of the school year.

A woman was killed in a vehicle accident east of Doty last Monday (Nov. 11).

The annual Willapa Harbor's free Thanksgiving Day meal sponsored by the Willapa Harbor

The Winter Blood Drive for Castle Rock High School saw 90 students signing up Friday, with more donors coming in from the community.

Held in partnership with the Puget Sound Blood Center (PSBC), the drive is one of two organized by the school’s Honor Society, along with a spring blood drive in March with the Red Cross.

Sacred Heart Parish, in Winlock, and St. Francis Mission, in Toledo, will once again offer their annual Free Thanksgiving Dinner, open to anyone who would not otherwise have a special day on Nov. 28.

Dinner will be served at 1 p.m. at St. Francis Mission (139 Spencer Rd., Toledo).  

Outstanding music students from across Washington have received top honors by being selected to participate in one of our 2014 WMEA All-State performing groups.

Among them this year is Toledo student and clarinet performer Promise Crossfield, who will join the All-State Wind Symphony for the second time this year. She is currently studying at the high school under the direction of Music Instructor Kathy Welch.

The annual silent auction at the Winlock Timberland Library has started and will be running through Nov. 27, the day before Thanksgiving.

The largest fundraiser held for the Friends of the Winlock Timberland Library, the auction features handcrafted items donated by local library supporters, and additional donations can be accepted until the auction is over.

Since the month of November has five weekends this year, there is one more week to prepare for Thanksgiving. That sounds like good news until the calendar reveals one less weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Consider taking advantage of this week and pick up items for the December holidays while out and about. It could be time and money well spent. While the lights are not yet lit, those who truly decorate for Christmas have already started.

In the dining department: Friday night’s Café Dinner will be “All U Can Eat” Pizza, Chicken Wings & Breadsticks. Call Linda at 360-295-0875 to make reservations. There will be no take-outs available for this meal. Meanwhile, call Jan at 360-295-0597 to make reservations for next week’s Nutrition Lunch, which will be Chicken Noodle Soup and Orange Couscous Salad. What is couscous anyway? The easiest way to describe it is “tiny pieces of spaghetti”.

Cats Meow SNAP! reports several new pledges last week, adoption days begins Nov. 20. Did you know they have a 14-day exchange? Lifetime return? Don’t miss: Second Bake Sale Nov. 23. Visit www.facebook.com/catsmeowoflc  or call (360) 623-0820.

Friends of the Toledo Library meets at Morgan Arts Centre with Vision:Toledo Arts, Rec and Events Tuesday 6:30 p.m. Join the Club! Friends, Contact Bill or Pat, CALDWELL@toledotel.com or (360) 864-6757.

Students of all ages are invited to the Winlock Miller Elementary School on Friday for Science Night. From 6 to 8 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria, they will be guiding all participating kids through some amazing experiments. Kids are asked to be accompanied by an adult. In addition to learning more about the Timberland Library system and the opportunity to sign up for a library card, the Title I program will also have information about math and reading.

I’d like to remind everyone one last time that the Olequa Senior Center’s annual Holiday Bazaar is all set for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They’ve got lots of vendors signed up, people, so quite the variety of craft items (and other goodies) will be for sale. Also, a lunch of chicken noodle soup, rolls, and pie will be available for purchase. Oh, and there will be homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning hours.  

Robert L. Brunstad, a longtime Raymond resident, died Friday, November 15, 2013 at the Willapa Harbor Care Center; he was 79. Bob was born November 23, 1933 in Hoquiam, Wash. to Bastian Leonard and Martha Viola Matilda (Gustafson) Brunstad.

The Castle Rock city council passed an emergency ordinance last week regulating recreational marijuana facilities and taking effect Nov. 13.

The ordinance, passed unanimously on its second reading during their Nov. 12 meeting, was given emergency status so it would become effective immediately after passage, rather than the normal eight-day waiting period for regular ordinances.

Individuals around the state are now able to apply for recreational marijuana licenses through the Liquor Control Board (LCB), and affected cities will soon be asked to weigh in on whether or not they should be issued.

Starting Monday and lasting until Dec.19, those who wish to establish a facility to cultivate, process or sell recreational marijuana may apply and will likely hear if they have been approved within the following 90 days, according to LCB Communications Director Brian Smith.

By GEORGE KUNKE

South Bend won one of three matches at the Class 2B State Volleyball Championships at the Yakima SunDome Friday and Saturday.

The girls come from different areas of the region, including

Willapa Valley

A Winlock man accused of raping a 61-year-old woman Nov. 9 pleaded not guilty in court Thursday and is scheduled to go to trial the week of Jan. 6.

Rupp W. Freece, 23, is being charged with first-degree burglary and third-degree rape after allegedly attacking a family friend at her apartment on the 200 block of Pine Tree Rd., east of Winlock.