Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

An unmarked Thurston County Sheriff’s Office vehicle, complete with police radio and emergency lights, was stolen sometime before 5 o’clock this morning from the home of an employee of the sheriff’s office.

The theft of the black 2002 Chevrolet Impala occurred sometime after 5 p.m. last night, the sheriff’s office reported this afternoon.

It had been parked in the area Eskridge Way and Maringo Street Southeast in Olympia, according to a news release.

It has a license plate reading 503 NUV.

The theft is being investigated by the Olympia Police Department.

The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information to contact law enforcement immediately or call Crime Stoppers at 360-493-2222.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Northbound Interstate 5 near Maytown was the scene of three different two-vehicle accidents due to ice beginning about 3:30 this morning.

There were no injuries, according to Battalion Chief Jacob Yake of West Thurston Regional Fire Authority.

A winter storm warning issued this morning predicts heavy snow today affecting areas around Chehalis and Olympia and continuing into the evening.

Accumulations of 2 inches to 5 inches are expected, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service expects:

Northerly winds of 15 to 25 mph will develop tonight in the Southwest Interior bringing overnight temperatures down into the mid-teens.

Today’s high in Chehalis is expected to reach only 32 degrees.

In Morton, the high is forecast at 26 degrees.

Seven to 12 inches of new snow are expected in the Morton area, with the higher amounts over the the Central Cascade Mountains.

Washington State Patrol Sgt. Jason Ashley said this morning while there is snow and ice on the roads in East Lewis County, motorist have been driving carefully and slowly and as of 9:30 a.m. troopers had encountered no problems.
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Read the winter storm warning here

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”

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Joanna D. McKenzie was jailed overnight after police say they found methamphetamine and stolen property from a shoplifting spree during a traffic stop in Centralia last night.

The 32-year-old Morton woman was sentenced last month for attempted burglary in connection with the night in April when an Onalaska property owner opened fire on her and her husband after he discovered them outside his house.

McKenzie escaped uninjured but her husband Thomas McKenzie, 56, was fatally shot.

Police contacted Joanna McKenzie and Patricia R. Smathers, 33, also of Morton, about 11:20 p.m. last night on the 1000 block of Harrison Avenue, according to the Centralia Police Department.

The woman were allegedly in possession of stolen property from the Olympia area and drugs. They were arrested for possession of methamphetamine and booked into the Lewis County Jail about 2 a.m. today.

Centralia police are continuing to investigate and will be working with other agencies to return the stolen goods, police reported this morning.

A trial date is set for early next year for Ronald A. Brady, the Onalaska man charged in the death of Thomas McKenzie and assault of Joanna McKenzie.
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Read recent story about Ronald Brady here
Read  recent story about Joanna McKenzie here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Expect winter driving conditions on Monday.

Snow is expected in places it hasn’t already hit, according to the National Weather Service.

A special weather statement issued today for Western Washington, including the Southwest interior and the west slopes of the central Cascade Mountains says another colder surge of Canadian air is expected Monday and Tuesday.

The forecast now is for one to three inches of snow to fall on Monday south of Olympia, according to the weather service.
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Read the special weather statement here

Check the National Weather Service’s Forecast Office in Seattle 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”