Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Thurston County Sheriff-elect John Snaza has announced his leadership team.

Undersheriff Tim Braniff will serve as Snaza’s second in command, according to a news release today.

Bureau Chief Brad Watkins will be assigned to lead a new support services bureau, combining the current services bureau with the detectives division.

Bureau Chief Dave Pearsall will be assigned to the new field operations bureau and Bureau Chief Todd Thoma will be assigned to the corrections bureau.

“These outstanding leaders round out a strong management team and will help provide the leadership, vision, management, depth and discipline we need to provide quality service to the people of Thurston County,” Snaza said in the news release.

The changes will take effect Jan. 3.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Centralia College is hosting a panel discussion for the public on emergency preparedness tomorrow at 7 p.m.

The free presentation comes as some forecasters say this winter is going to get a lot worse, according to the college’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society which is coordinating the event.

The presentation will outline winter weather predictions, the possible consequences and what individuals need to do to protect themselves, according to a news release.

Centralia Police Department Chief Bob Berg will lead the panel that includes Fire Chief Jim Walkowsi speaking on local government response to disasters, Centralia police Cmdr. Jim Rich talking about personal preparedness and weatherman Dean Dahlin.

It will be held in Corbet Theater in Washington Hall, with a short question and answer period to follow.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

This news story was updated at 10:26 a.m.

A blaze that gutted a small vacation cabin at Mayfield Lake earlier this month is “very suspicious”, according to the fire investigator.

Fire broke out the evening of Nov. 12, destroying the 600-square-foot unoccupied  structure on the 100 block of Tanglewood Drive.

The owner, who resides nearby, was out of town when it happened; no injuries were reported.

Fire investigator Ted McCarty said he is working with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the homeowner’s insurance company and they are still interviewing people so he couldn’t say too much.

However, among the reasons for suspicion, he said, were no other other sources of ignition in the room of origin, nothing electrical was plugged in, nothing was left turned on and nobody had been there.

“There’s just no reason why a fire would start in the bedroom on the floor,” McCarty said this morning.

He estimated the loss at about $75,000. The owner had remodeled after a a big freeze broke water pipes and flooded the cabin about two years earlier, he said.

It was originally a hunting cabin and used mainly for friends and family, according to McCarty.

The cabin had been for sale for some time, according to McCarty.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

The (Tacoma) News Tribune conducted an analysis of police use of force in the year that has passed since four Lakewood officers were gunned down and concluded local agency procedures and behavior have changed little in response.

Read news reporter Stacey Mulick’s story here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – There are now four drop off sites locally where the public can safely get rid of old, unused or unwanted prescription medications, something authorities hope will reduce the potential for them to fall into the hands of children, teenagers or adults who might misuse them.

Prescription drug disposal bin

The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family and friends, with the home medicine cabinet a primary source, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Their misuse now ranks second only to marijuana as the most common form of drug abuse in the country, according to the D.E.A. In 2008, more than 500 individuals in the state lost their lives to accidental overdoses.

The program, announced last week, is a partnership with the three law enforcement agencies and the Lewis County Public Health and Social Services Department. Funding came from the the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Bins for safe and anonymous disposal are located at:
• Lewis County Law and Justice Center, (inside) 345 W. Main St., Chehalis
• Centralia Police Department, (outside) 316 N. Pearl Street, Centralia
• Morton Police Department, (outside) 260 Main St., Morton
• Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Packwood substation, (inside) 12990 U.S. Highway 12, Packwood

In a joint news release, the four local agencies stated they hope citizens will take full advantage of the opportunity to safely dispose of these drugs.

Additionally, the bins will help protect the environment and drinking water supply, something that is harmed when unused medications are flushed down toilets or put in the trash, according to the news release.

Lewis County is one of only seven counties in Washington with an unused medicine return program, according to the news release.

For further information, contact Lewis County Public Health and Social Services at 360-740-1223.