Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – A spaghetti dinner and auction fundraiser is set for next Saturday night to assist a pair of Chehalis Police Department employees with medical expenses for their daughter.

Keeton Elder

Nine-year-old Keeton Elder has an undiagnosed condition. Her parents are Jeff and Angie Elder.

Their search for answers has become expensive, according to friends, and not all of it is covered by her parent’s health insurance.

The benefit will take place at the Chehalis Eagles at 1993 South Market Boulevard, with dinner served between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children and $25 for a family of four.

Tickets can be purchased from Jenny Warstadt at 360-942-8405 or myhebo@live.com or Julie Hampson at 360-748-9722 or theranch@compprime.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Firefighters spent all night long at a fire on a large dairy farm in between Onalaska and Salkum that destroyed several tons of alfalfa and grain, but was prevented from spreading to an adjacent loafing shed for cattle.

Lewis County Fire District 8 Assistant Chief Don Taylor said he didn’t know how many animals were inside the shed because the electricity was out.

Members of three fire departments responded to the 6:26 p.m. call yesterday evening on Jorgensen Road near Gore Road.

The commodities shed – an approximately 120 foot by 40 foot three-sided building where the feed was stored – was burning, apparently having ignited after a large field tractor caught fire, Taylor said.

Leo Zylstra’s Misty Morning Dairy is an operation that milks 24 hours a day, according to Taylor.

It only took about 45 minutes to knock the fire down, but the last of the crews didn’t depart until about 5:30 a.m. today after pulling out and extinguishing the smoldering feed, he said.

The tractor, Taylor estimated was valued at as much as $175,000, was hooked up to a grain grinder. The tractor was destroyed, he said.

Taylor was meeting with a fire investigator this morning to try to determine what caused the fire.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Slippery roads won’t be taking a holiday.

A winter storm watch issued this afternoon for areas including Morton, Randle, Packwood and Ashford says up to a foot of new snow is possible beginning tomorrow and will increase in the afternoon and continue into the night as a cold front approaches.

Lewis County Emergency Management is urging those who travel this holiday weekend to be sure to carry a vehicle disaster kit.

Also, a winter weather advisory for the lowands including the lower Chehalis Valley and Southwest interior is in effect from 6 p.m. this evening until 1 p.m. tomorrow, according to a news release.

Expect light snow on Thanksgiving morning, then possible sleet or light freezing rain in the afternoon and then more cold as night falls.

The National Weather Service cautions snow, sleet and freezing rain will make roads slippery
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Check the National Weather Service’s Forecast Office here for the forecast in your area.

Note: a link for the weather forecast website can also always be found on the right-hand sidebar of Lewis County Sirens’ homepage. It’s labeled “Weather forecasts”