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By SCOT PEARSON

 For his senior project Raymond Seagull Zach Hagain is looking to help six-year-old Ryker Matthew Halpin by holding an on-line auction to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, and is looking for donations.

SOUTH BEND – South Bend Police Chief Dave Eastham announced that he is endorsing Mark McClain for the office of Pacific County Prosecutor.

Historic Fox Theatre Restorations is proud to announce the next film in their 2014 Movie Series, The Wizard of Oz, sponsored by Book ‘n’ Brush. Showtimes on Saturday, May 31, are at 2 and 7 pm at the Fox Theatre in Historic Downtown Centralia (123 South Tower Ave.). Dress as your favorite character and be ready to have a day of family fun!

Admission for the movie is $8 per person, $7 for Members, and $20 per family (three to four persons).

Local veterans groups will be holding a number of Memorial Day ceremonies at local cemeteries this coming Monday, and local residents are welcome to attend.

Participants are encouraged to gather at 8:30 a.m. at the Veterans Hall (575 Nevil Rd., Winlock) with a flag lowering ceremony to begin at 9 a.m. Cemeteries and time will then be as follows:

More than 100 local teens gathered in Vader Thursday for the North County Youth Leadership Summit, aimed at improving their already-developing leadership skills.

Organized by the Castle Rock CARE Coalition, students from middle schools and high schools in Wahkiakum, Toutle, Castle Rock, Toledo and Winlock gathered at the Vader Assembly of God for guest speakers and breakout sessions to teach them about team building, defining yourself, and a “warrior mindset” among other topics

More than 1,000 team members and individual competitors were on hand for the fourth annual Ash Kicker obstacle race in Castle Rock Saturday.

Organized by Longview-based Bigfoot Community Events, organizer Shannon Wickham said participants with all levels of experience, and ranging in age this year from 12 to 70, had come to join the 5K race over, under, around and through more than 30 obstacles.

Mike Oullette (left) hangs drywall with the help of sons Thomas Oullette (center) and Marcus Oullette (right) Saturday at the proposed site of the Toledo Library, as efforts continue to hopefully open the facility during Cheese Days. Donations of books have been accumulated for a community-run book exchange, while resources from the Timberland Regional Library District will be made available through a Kiosk located in the building.

Saturday’s Kid’s Fishing Derby was a rousing success for the Toledo Lions Club, with 131 participants turning out at Wallace Pond (South Lewis County Park) for this fist-time event.

Forecasts of rain held off for much of the morning as kids raced to catch the biggest fish they could, while being assisted and cheered on by family and volunteers.

In the latest cleanup day organized by the Winlock Cleanup Committee, volunteers took to painting old storefronts downtown, with a growing list of buildings to address.

The works of local high school students are on display now through Sunday for Battle of the Cowlartz, an annual art expo hosted by Toledo’s Morgan Arts Center. Organizer Mike Morgan, who used to teach art at Toledo High School, said the concept of an art expo was intended to help young creative minds display their works and pieces currently featured include paintings, sculpture, sketches, collages, and other media.

Here’s a head’s up concerning the Community Hall: It will basically be a construction zone this week while all the flooring (except the Auditorium) is replaced with the same vinyl laminate that was recently installed in the Café. At the same time, the bathrooms will be remodeled with improved handicapped access. The goal is to have the project finished in time for next Tuesday’s Nutrition Lunch.

This major maintenance expense has been budgeted from Town dues. You know, the $35 a month that residents pay for such necessities as streetlights and weekly garbage pickup. But since volunteers contribute so much to the upkeep of the Town, that $35 goes a very long way. (All the volunteers who have done the prep work for this job saved the Town a bundle!)

Memorial Day Reminder: Pick up your application for a Brick to honor your Veterans, living and past, when you visit Toledo’s Wall of Honor. Orders filling fast. Deadline: June 15. Bricks installed before Cheese Days. Download apps at www.toledolionsclub.org, pickup apps at The Wall, email dearoldbob@toledotel.com or call (360) 864-8335.

New Food Bank in Toledo: Toledo New Life Assembly now has a food bank, open the last Tuesday and Wednesday of each month, 10 a.m. - noon at the Church, 420 Silver Street. Phone (360) 864-4366.

The Country Cruisers Car Club has scheduled their spring car show for June 7 at McMurphy Park. To enter your vehicle, or to reserve vendor space, call club president Al Banks at (360) 295-3417.

If you haven’t been yet, be sure to check our Vader’s newest business: Little Falls Vintage Design Studio, located at 618 A. St. Co-owners Dianne and Elizabeth primarily sell their custom designs online, but wanted to see what sort of response they could get out of a physical location. To find our more, be sure to drop by, or give them a call at (360) 560 –9253.

A big “Thank You” goes out to the Winlock Lions Club for leasing the Community Building. Over the years, the Community Building has hosted many events. Each year, of course, there is the big weekend for Egg Day where they have the coronation of the Queen along with the Veterans breakfast but I remember it for many other events I witnessed throughout the years. I remember as a kid going to the Community Center for the big haunted house at Halloween and there was not a better place to have it than a big “scary” building (or that’s what it seemed like as a kid). Then there were the sponsored events like the Reno night I remember as a young adult. It had all the games, dessert and punch, it was so much fun I will never forget the amount of people that showed up for it.

Joseph Michael John "Bud" Sparks, 27 of Winlock, died May 9, 2014.

A service for him has been scheduled for 1 p.m. May 31 at Cattermole Funeral Home, in Winlock.

Castle Rock is considering the possibility of establishing an off-leash dog park within the city after receiving a letter encouraging officials to help provide such a facility for local dog owners.

In the letter, resident Aneilia Moore describes how she and her dog, Gus, enjoy taking walks outdoors in the city, but how his exercise may be interrupted by outbursts of curiosity for new places, smells and other dogs.

A number of local elected offices will be headed to the August Primary Election, particularly races for County Commissioner if Lewis and Cowlitz Counties.

In Lewis County, six individuals have joined the race after incumbent Lee Grose declined to seek re-election, and include John Roe (R), of Onalaska, Michael Messmore (R), of Toledo, Jerry Pratt (R), of Toledo, Rich Bainbridge (R), of Chehalis, Gary Stamper (R), of Silver Creek, and Harry Bhagwandin (R), of Onalaska.

The Winlock City Council has approved an annexation agreement with the Timberland Regional Library District in preparation for presenting annexation to voters during the November Election.

Approved during the council’s May 12 meeting, the agreement, which was passed unanimously, defines the terms by which funding obligations for the library would transfer from the city to local property owners, if annexation into the district should pass.

The Winlock City Council has scheduled a workshop for May 27 to discuss the possibility of increasing fees related to new water and sewer connections, with officials stating current fees are far below the norm for cities in the area.

Mayor Lonnie J. Dowell presented potential revisions to Ors. 954, governing such fees, during the council’s May 12 meeting, including increases to hookup fees and various other utility-related charges, as well as pro-rated fees for those reactivating abandoned hookups.

During the life of many athletes, goals are out there for the taking. They are seen and grabbed, but other athletes take advantage of opportunities and achieve big things because their personality allows them to.

Castle Rock Senior Joe Merrill falls into both categories. He quietly worked in two sports throughout his high school career achieving more and more success each year. On Thursday, he won the Trico League championship in the Discus with a personal record throw 126' 5" in the meet at Stevenson. He also qualified for the 1A District IV meet at Vancouver in the shot put with a 4th place throw of 40' 10". The latter was also a personal best.

A rundown of recent local games during the week of May 12.

Castle Rock Mayor Paul Helenberg (right) congratulates Police and EMS Champlain Flip Eiland (left) for the declaration May 11-17, 2014, as National Police Week during the May 12 Castle Rock City Council meeting. The proclamation had been part of national recognition of officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, with the proclamation stating Castle Rock wishes to “salute the service of law enforcement officers in our community and communities across the nation.”

Authorities are seeking help solving a burglary taking place in Chehalis last month.

Local EMS and Fire responses between May 12 and 18.

Law enforcement officers will be out once again in the coming weeks searching for not only unbuckled drivers but distracted drivers as part of the annual “Click it or Ticket” patrols.

Between May 19 and June 1, motorists in Lewis County can expect to see extra seat belt and distracted driving patrols.

Two sentences and three warrants were issued by Judge Steven Buzzard during Winlock Municipal Court on Thursday.