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Last Wednesday, a national investigative report was released by the U.S. Department of the Interior identifying more than 400 federally-run schools for Native American children, including 15 in Washington state. Beginning in the 1880s and continuing into the 1960s, federal officials forcibly removed children from their families and placed them with educators who suppressed the use of Native language and any learning of Native cultures and beliefs. This included changing their Native names, cutting their hair, wearing uniforms and more.

The report is the first step for the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative launched by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland last June following stunning revelations of hundreds of unmarked graves at Indian residential schools in Canada.

"The federal and state governments of the United States have dealt tremendous loss and suffering to the Native and Indigenous people throughout generations, including the horrific and systematic erasure of their culture and their children," Inslee said in response to the report. "It is difficult to confront such hard truths about our past, but it is necessary for healing and progress. Washington state stands ready to do what we can to acknowledge the trauma and harm these schools caused, and uplift the efforts of those who fight to ensure the many Tribal languages, cultures and knowledge persist and flourish."

The City of Napavine Treasurer Mary Wood has decided to start a new chapter in her life and move out of state. Mary has been with the City of Napavine for over 25 years. She has had many roles in her tenure, clerk and treasurer being her two last positions.

Rachelle Denham stated, "Mary will be truly missed. I wish we had more time together since she is a wealth of knowledge, but I'm so happy that Mary can enjoy the next chapter in her life."

Monday, May 9, was not your typical Winlock City Council meeting. In fact, there were quite a few citizens there to discuss the recent annexation letters they received. Unfortunately, the actions of a few have made the citizens quite upset. The meeting was attended by friends of the Mayor of Winlock Brandon Svenson. Not only is the annexation a concern for citizens, but the actions of these few, and the Mayor are.

The letter regarding the annexation was delivered to residents the previous week. In the annexation application, it is being funded by a large foreign company, CHI. Why would a large foreign company want the annexation of Winlock? Has the city of Winlock become another Kent Valley, where the companies rule and the citizens have no say? This is not the first time CHI has paid to annex in a city, will Winlock be their next casualty?

On Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 3:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., a rally was held for #BansOffOurBodies, one of thousands of events in cities worldwide in response to leaked supreme court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade and the constitutional protections for abortion.

This day of action was in support of abortion access and reproductive freedom.

The American Legion Post 150 Auxiliary have put together a basket raffle to help raise funds for the Ukrainian Refugee Relief. Originally the drawing date was to be held on May 21 Armed Forces Day, but is now moved to Flag Day June 14. The reason for the move of the drawing is that the baskets and tickets were at the Legion building and they have been open at sportic hours lately.