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Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, has returned to Olympia for the start of the 2019 legislative session.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was celebrated on January 21. The Napavine ASB wanted to celebrate and honor the life of the famous civil rights activist.

At 4:58 a.m. on Sunday, January 20, 2019 Firefighters from Lewis County Fire Districts 15- Winlock, 20- Vader, 2- Toledo, 5- Napavine and 6- Chehalis responded to a reported structure fire at 185 Rarey Rd. in Winlock.

Friday, January 14 at around 10:10 a.m. a SUV driven by 64-year-old Vicky L. Johnson of Hoquiam was heading southbound on US 101 at milepost 62 when her vehicle collided with the trailer of a semi heading northbound. Johnson was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the tractor-trailer 62-year-old Keith A. Leitz of Toledo, Oregon was uninjured in the crash. The tractor-trailer was on its way to pick up more rock to be transported to the ongoing jetty project in Ilwaco after dropping its previous load off prior to the crash.

Multiple agencies respond

The Pacific County Sheriff's Office, Raymond Police Department, Raymond Fire Department and Washington State Patrol responded to the scene. A deputy from the Sheriff's Office was one of the first to arrive along with the Raymond Fire Department. They immediately began extricating the victim, but after performing CPR they were unable to revive her.

After the Washington State Patrol arrived on scene the roadway was completely closed and remained closed for approximately four hours while an investigation of the cause of the accident was conducted. The tractor-trailer driver complied with the investigation and voluntary consented to drug and alcohol testing. He was then taken to Willapa Harbor Hospital by a WSP trooper.

Traffic was detoured down Smith Creek and Butte Creek roads during the closure. Washington State Patrol wanted to limit the exposure of individuals to the scene and allow investigators more room to work.

SOUTH BEND - Ryan Michael O'Connor, 31, of Raymond was sentenced to 22 months in prison for the forgery of five checks totaling approximately $300. The sentencing took place December 11 at Pacific County Superior Court.

"Mr. O'Connor was offered a drug offender sentencing alternative, which could have reduced his time in prison by half if he had agreed to spend the other half under the supervision by the Department of Corrections with mandated treatment, but he declined and elected to serve the entirety in prison," Pacific County Prosecutor Mark McClain told the Herald.

The South Bend Library announced on Monday, January 21 that they got the all clear from the contractor that was performing the abatement that they could reopen. The library had been closed for nearly 5 months that included a proposal that it remains permanently closed. The citizens of South Bend along with city officials refused to give up on their library and thanks to an anonymous donor fought and kept it.