Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

An unoccupied house west of Centralia burned overnight, drawing firefighters from four area departments.

Nobody was hurt.

Firefighters were called at 3:40 a.m. by an individual on the 300 block of Manners Road who said the house next door had flames reaching 30 feet into the air from all doors and windows, and trees were catching on fire, according to Riverside Fire Authority.

Arriving crews found the one and half story wood frame home fully involved in fire, according to authorities.

Fire Chief Mike Kytta said they quickly contained it to the building of origin and declared it under control at 4:30 a.m.

The owners live about a half mile down the road, and the house was being renovated or remodeled, Fire Investigator Ted McCarty said.

“It appears at this point, it’s going to be an electrical cause,” McCarty said. He still has more to do in his investigation however, he said.

Kytta described the damage as heavy. McCarty described the home as gutted.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Deputies found evidence hash oil was being manufactured when they searched a shed and home in Winlock yesterday, following an ongoing drug investigation.

Two people were arrested.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office had obtained a search warrant for the property on the 200 block of West Walnut Street following undercover purchases of marijuana and prescription medications, according to the sheriff’s office.

The house was under surveillance and at about 5 a.m. after a detective saw the residents leave, they were detained during a traffic stop at the intersection of state Route 505 and Interstate 5, according to a department spokesperson.

During their search, deputies and detectives turned up what was described as a large amount of prescription narcotics, a stolen firearm and 10 pounds of marijuana, Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said.

In the shed, they discovered equipment and materials to make hash/honey oil, she said.

Arrested for multiple violations of the uniform controlled substances act and booked into the Lewis County Jail were Brett T. Watkins, age 37, and Gabriela Watkins, age 40, according to Brown.

A VUCSA case against a 21-year-old Winlock woman is being referred to prosecutors for evaluation of possible charges, she said.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Millions of people worldwide will practice how to drop, cover and hold at 10:16 a.m. today, in a drill to help prepare for ways to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes.

Sheriff Steve Mansfield, director of Lewis County Department of Emergency Management, reminds the public that practice makes perfect.

“Practicing is what helps ensure you will quickly move to your safe place instead of responding to the instinctive urge to run,” Mansfield states in a news release.

Today is the “Great Washington Shakeout” earthquake drill.

Here’s what to do:

• Choose a safe place to go, in each room of your home or office.
• Practice quickly moving to that safe place.
• After the drill, come together with others and discuss where each of you went and why it was or was not the safest place to go.

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For those looking for more information about safety during earthquakes, check the Washington Emergency Management Division’s website

Flames rise near Spooner Road. / Courtesy photo by Cyndi Lang

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Firefighters called this evening to a garage fire near Adna found heavy fire extension into a 100-year-old two story house.

Lt. Laura Hanson of Lewis County Fire District 5 reports in a news release the structure is considered a complete loss, but nobody was injured.

Lewis County Fire District 6 was called just before 5:30 p.m. to the 300 block of Spooner Road and joined by members of seven other fire departments, according to Hanson.

Crews were still actively fighting the blaze as of about 7 p.m., she stated.

The cause is under investigation.

The 1982 Dodge Ram wagon and what remains of a Vespa on U.S. Highway 12 near Morton. / Courtesy photo

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A Packwood man was seriously injured after his scooter-type motorcycle was involved in a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 12 near Morton today.

Troopers called just before 1 p.m. to the area near Priest Road about two miles east of town say charges are pending.

Michael W. Dearborn, 59, from Packwood, was heading west when an eastbound van turned into him in the westbound lane, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Dearborn was transported to Morton General Hospital and then transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to the state patrol.

Dearborn was riding a 2007 Vespa GTS250, and was wearing a helmet, according to the investigating trooper.

Ronald G. Goble, 83, of Mossyrock, was driving a 1982 Dodge Ram wagon which was impounded. He was injured as well and taken to the Morton hospital, the trooper reports.

The roadway wasn’t cleared until after 3 p.m., according to the state Department of Transportation.

The collision is blamed on failure to yield the right of way.

Update on Wednesday Oct. 8, 2014, at 4:30 p.m.: Haborview spokesperson reports Dearborn is in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – None of the finalists for Chehalis fire chief made the cut.

Chehalis City Manager Merlin MacReynold announced yesterday he appointed the city’s police chief as interim fire chief. Chief Glenn Schaffer will oversee the operations of both departments for the time being.

The city had identified three men as finalists for the position after a nationwide search and conducted extensive interviews early last month.

MacReynold said in a news release yesterday the process has concluded without him selecting a replacement.

“I am disappointed that we were not able to find the right candidate, but with a new city manager coming on board in a couple months it makes sense for them to determine how to proceed,” MacReynold stated.

The retiring city manager did not give a reason.

Recruiting efforts for a new chief came after the resignation about six months ago of half-time Fire Chief Jim Walkowski. Walkowski was also leading neighboring Riverside Fire Authority in Centralia, but moved to Spokane County to take a new job amid drastic budget cuts in Centralia.

The Chehalis Fire Department had a full time chief until April of last year.

MacReynold had said he believed it would take him a week or two to make a decision after Sept. 8 when the three finalists met with numerous panels and the city council. Two weeks later he said he was still waiting to hear from a couple of references.

The candidates were Gary Woodson, former fire chief for Pendleton, Ore. Fire and Ambulance Department who had been in the fire service since 1974; Joseph Sands, an engineer-paramedic in Billings, Montana, with experience as both assistant and interim chief; and Jeff Larson, who for 13 of the past 30 years of fire service was suppression battalion chief with the city of Lodi, California.

MacReynold had said finding the right fit for the community was his primary goal.

Schaffer’s new dual role begins Thursday, according to MacReynold.

Capt. Rob Gebhart who has been serving as interim chief since May will return to his captain duties.
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For background, read : “News brief: Meet Chehalis fire chief candidates” from Sunday Sept. 7, 2014, here