Archives

Area residents will be getting together Saturday for the fifth annual I Topped the Rock fundraiser in Castle Rock, with proceeds going to the Castle Rock PTO.

Featuring a 5K walk-run as well as a raffle, kids games, live entertainment, vendors and family fun, this year’s fundraiser is hoping to provide new lockers at the Castle Rock High School, as the current lockers are said to be on their last hinges.

The Winlock School District will be taking part in the Simplified Summer Food Program for Children this summer, providing breakfast and lunch between June 23 and Aug. 14.

This program will be made available at no charge to local children 18 years of age and younger at the Winlock Miller Elementary School Cafeteria. Breakfast will be served between 8 and 8:30 a.m., while lunch will be served between 12 and 12:30 p.m.

I must take some space here to report on the recent survival of a resident in Sudden Cardiac Arrest. This is where the “victim” collapses, is not responsive, and is not breathing. It is one of those “Golden Hour” situations where survival requires that all systems come together and mesh flawlessly.

Here are some of the pieces that came together to make this particular “Golden Hour” possible:

As Cheese Days 2014 draws near I mark progress in Toledo's rise from the ashes of the Christmas Day fire 2010. Other towns might not survive the aftershock. It's not the first time.

Vision:Toledo posted their first report of a pulse in February 2011. My arrival in March marked a new start for me as well. From locally grown libations and comestibles to the art scene, recovering and emerging businesses, Toledo has the heart of a champion. Both of us appear to be making progress with support from our community. Thank you. Visit www.visiontoledo.org/welcome for calendar and review of recent events. Also see www.hometowndebate.com for Town Crier online.

It’s almost the Fourth of July and local residents are getting ready for this burgeoning community event. It was reported last week more than $1,800 has been raised for the fireworks display, while other events such as kids games and a lawnmower parade are being planned as well. Auditions are also going on for young people to sing the National Anthem, and those interested in giving it their best can call event organizer Judy Costello at (360) 295-3036.

Regrettably, this year’s Gravity Races, which had been scheduled to coincide with the Fourth of July celebration, has been cancelled due to a lack of available racers, and organizers are planning to give it another try next year. However, a new event has risen to take its place as Mayor Ken Smith has announced there will be a Watermelon Bust, which is scheduled for after the parade and featurs a seed-spitting contest.

With Egg Day right around the corner Winlock is definitely showing the signs of a festivity coming. The signs are up reminding us that Egg Day is June 27 and 28. The flower baskets are hanging and the town is getting geared up for the big weekend. As we all get ready to celebrate the big weekend, it’s important to remember those who volunteer their time to make the celebration happen. The amount of time the volunteers spend getting ready says a lot about the kind of people they are!

Failure to meet a special use permit deadline has led to the indefinite closure of the Cowlitz Public Shooting Range a little more than a year after the facility officially opened.

Announced June 10 during the Cowlitz County Commissioner’s meeting, the shooting range, located north of Castle Rock off Exit 52 on Toutle Park Rd., had been subject to a May 29 deadline to complete its second phase of construction, which involved building restrooms, a kitchen and classroom space in an enclosed building. By the time the deadline approached, Phase II was reportedly 10 working days away from completion, and construction was shut down May 30.

Local residents have spoken out against what they see as the un-permitted use of agricultural land for mining purposes as the landowner in question seeks a zoning change from the county.

During a meeting of the Lewis County Planning Commission June 10, more than 20 residents from the Toledo area spoke against a request by Lemmie Rockford, owner of 57 acres of agriculturally-zoned land along the Cowlitz River west of Exit 59, to re-zone the land for mining, despite Rockford’s establishment of an un-zoned gravel mine in 2012 at the location.

Reggie Smith (left) and Vader Assembly of God Pastor Tracy Durham (right) present a new flag to Vader Mayor Ken Smith (center) on Thursday to replace a flag burned at the Vader City Jail May 25.

The Winlock City Council has chosen to increase the city’s sewer and water hookup fees as part of ongoing efforts to revise and update their utility billing practices.

Approved during their June 9 meeting, the council chose to increase water hookup fees from $2,500 to $3,000 for connections within the city limits, from $3,800 to $4,000 for connections outside the city limits, and sewer hookup fees from $3,500 to $4,000 for connections inside and outside the city limits.

A Tacoma man stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been arrested for allegedly raping a young Toledo woman last month, according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.

Timothy R. Warner, 21, was contacted June 9 after a warrant was issued for his arrest following an investigation into a rape occurring May 3 on the 600 block or Gore Rd. in Onalaska.

Authorities are seeking help to solve a burglary taking place in Randle last month.

Sometime between 2 p.m. May 22 and 2 p.m. May 24 an unknown number of suspects broke the locks off of three storage units located on the 9500 block of Hwy. 12 and stole a Lincoln wire feed welder, three ring-type crab pots, a Craftsman pressure washer, a Mantis rototiller and a Poulan chainsaw with 16” bar. The estimated loss is $710.

Members of Lewis County Fire District 15 fit fourth grade students at Winlock Miller Elementary School last week with bicycle helmets. Every year, District 15 provides bicycle helmets to every fourth grade student at Winlock Elementary and Evaline schools, and distributed approximately 45 this year.

Local fire and EMS calls between June 9 and 15.

Lewis County Medic One has accepted the resignation of two paramedics since last month, though officials say the public should expect no interruptions in local ambulance services.

Accepted by the Medic One Interlocal Board on May 20 and June 17, the resignations, which had reportedly come about for personal reasons, leave the agency with seven full-time paramedics out of nine, and Operations Chief Grant Wiltbank said his remaining employees are working extra shifts to continue 24/7 coverage.

Local firefighters are among those responding to Cottonwood 2 Fire in Yakima County as part of a state-wide effort to mobilize wildfire strike teams.

Captain Tracy Summers, of Lewis County Fire District 2, in Toledo, was dispatched as a strike team leader and will be working with teams and equipment from Toledo, Napavine and Thurston County.

Members of Lewis County Fire District 2, based in Toledo, put their firefighting skills to the test Saturday during a live fire exercise on Sareault Rd., just north of town. These drills, intended to provide hands-on firefighting practice, take place regularly for the district thanks to the donations of properties from local residents willing to have their building burned down.

The Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce held a breakfast meeting at Parker's Steakhouse Thursday to celebrate a number of new members as well as an incoming president.

Part of their annual get-together to encourage community among local businesses, then-president Bill Davis allowed time for around a dozen new members of the chamber to introduce themselves, all of whom had joined since last year and included local restaurants, retailers and a an area winery.

A new tour company has opened for business in the Winlock area. Local resident Diane Byrnes said she chose the city as a geographically-convenient location for the over-55 community.

“We will pick up passengers all along the I-5 Corridor,” says Byrnes of her plans for the business, which began hosting tours in May.