Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

If you missed the candidate forum in Adna last night but still want to hear from the individuals running for Lewis County sheriff, prosecutor and coroner, mark this coming Friday night on your calendar.

Winlock will host a “meet the candidates” event beginning at 6 p.m. tomorrow evening at the Winlock Community hall on Kerron Avenue.

American Legion Post 101 has organized the gathering.

They’ve invited local candidates in contested races and most plan to be there, according to Wendy Carolan of the American Legion.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A 73-year-old motorist died this morning when he “rolled through” a stop sign in Onalaska and his car was struck in the driver’s side by a Sport Utility Vehicle, according to the Washington State Patrol.

A trooper called about 8:30 a.m. reported Buster Maggard, 73, of Onalaska, was dead at the scene of the two-vehicle crash.

Maggard was traveling west on Gore Road and was hit by a 2002 GMC Envoy headed north on Leonard Road, according to the state patrol.

The GMC’s driver, Annette Hamilton, 38, of Toledo, and a 6-year-old girl in her vehicle were taken to Providence Centralia Hospital, according to the state patrol. Hamilton suffered scrapes and bruising and the child was transported as a precaution, the state patrol reported.

Her vehicle and Maggard’s 1997 Chevrolet Lumina were both described as totaled. The collision is still under investigation.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Police say personal information stolen from mailboxes, cars and other places ended up at a Centralia residence where it was used to write phony and forged checks, based on the items they found when they conducted a search today.

The Centralia Police Department SWAT team assisted detectives when they served a search warrant today on the 1700 block of Harrison Avenue, in space 30, according to a news release.

The action followed a lengthy investigation into forged and counterfeit checks passed in the greater Centralia area, according to police. The news release described the number of victims or potential victims only as as numerous.

Police said the checks were written against existing accounts without the knowledge of the account holders. Detectives traced the checks to individuals residing at the home, according to the news release.

Three people were arrested. They include Erica D. McCleary, 33, of Centralia, for forgery and identity theft and Ronald W. McNeal, 50, of Centralia, for possession of methamphetamine.

A third person was arrested for an unrelated outstanding bench warrant, according to police. She is April L. Busby, 34, of Rochester.

Among the items detectives discovered were computers, hard drives, so-called thumb drives, CDs and documentation consistent with the suspected operation, according to police.

Also found in the home was identification of victims and would-be victims such as credit cards, tax returns, social security numbers, the news release noted.

Presley Town, a first-grader in Mrs. Cearns' class at Edison Elementary School in Centralia is this year's grand champion in the younger grades.

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CENTRALIA – It’s fire safety week and the grand champions in the Lewis County fire prevention poster contest have been chosen.

The winner in the younger age group is Presley Town, a first-grader in Mrs. Cearns’ class at Edison Elementary School in Centralia.

Presley’s art work features a family safely leaving a fire, carrying bags of pets out with them.

Among the older students, Rachel Germann, a fourth grader in Mrs. Ethell’s class at Onalaska Elementary School took the top prize.

Rachel’s winning entry portrays a burning house with one sleeping occupant presumably about ready to be woke up by a fire alarm.

“Smoke alarms: a sound you can live with” is their slogan.

Scores of childrens’ colorful fire prevention posters can be viewed all this week at the north end of the Outlet Mall outside the Eddie Bauer store, off Lum Road on the west side of Interstate 5.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is reminding the public this week it advises smoke alarms should be installed on every level of a home, outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom.

They offer the following tips to make sure smoke detectors can do their jobs:

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.
• If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.
• Never remove or disable a smoke alarm.
•••

To find out more about fire prevention week, check the web site of the National Fire Protection Association here

Rachel Germann, a fourth grader in Mrs. Ethell's class at Onalaska Elementary School is the grand champion among the older students.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Lewis County Fire District 5 which protects the greater Napavine area is holding a series of town meetings, beginning tonight, for the public to find out more about a ballot measure to increase the fire department’s budget.

District 5 asked for a fire levy lid increase in August which voters turned down.

Fire Lt. Laura Hanson notes the upcoming meetings are a great forum for asking questions, getting feedback from the public and hearing first-hand from the fire department.

• Tonight at Forest Grange, 7 p.m.
• Next Tuesday Oct. 12 at Marys Corner fire station, 7 p.m.
• Thursday Oct. 14 at the District 5 administrative office in Napavine, 7:30 p.m.