Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Now if you’re out in the woods and come across a poacher you want to turn in, it’s as easy as sending a text message.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering a text tip system to report fish and wildlife violations directly and anonymously to its dispatch center, according to a news release.

With a limited number of WDFW officers in the field, the public plays a critical role in protecting natural resources by reporting illegal activity, according to Chief Bruce Bjork, head of the WDFW enforcement program.

Tips should be sent to 847411 (TIP411); the message must begin with WDFWTIP followed by a space and the a brief description of the violation and the location, according to authorities.

Enforcement officials advise against confronting a suspicious person, but say helpful information includes a license plate number, vehicle color and make, the type of suspected violation, time it occurred and a brief description of the persons involved.

For more information about various ways to report violations, go to http://wdfw.wa.gov/poaching/

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Accidental overdose deaths from prescription pain medications have surpassed automobile crashes in Washington state as the leading cause of injury deaths of residents between the ages of 35 and 54, the Washington State Department of Health reported yesterday.

With these types of drugs being prescribed so much more often since the late 1990s, misuse and abuse has grown, the state agency said in a news release.

“Taking these powerful drugs with alcohol, illegal drugs and other prescription medications can be dangerous, and even deadly,” the Wednesday news release says.

The statewide death rate from accidental pain medication overdoses increased 90 percent between 2003 and 2008, according to the DOH.

Parents, patients and others can find more information on ways to prevent such deaths at the Department of Health website “Take as directed”

The state agency reminds the public the recently passed Good Samaritan Law allows immunity for anyone witnessing or experiencing an overdose when they call for help.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Six local fire districts have been awarded what totals up to thousands of dollars meant to help rural fire districts pay for equipment, training and protective gear.

The Volunteer Fire Assistance grant funds are provided by the U.S. Forest Service and administered by the state Department of Natural Resources.

Districts which serve fewer than 10,000 residents and provide wildland fire protection to private, state and federal land are eligible for the money, according to a news release from DNR.

Lewis County Fire District 1 serving the Onalaska area was awarded $3,861, according to the news release. Others are:

• Lewis County Fire District 5, Napavine area: $2,597
• Lewis County Fire District 15, Winlock area: $2,393
• Thurston County Fire District 16, Bucoda area: $1,589
• Lewis County Fire District 2, Toledo area: $1,147
• Lewis County Fire District 4, Morton area: $565

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

A pair of Longview women escaped serious injury but their Suburban was destroyed when it struck a cow standing on U.S. Highway 12 in Randle yesterday.

“It was a black cow of course, at night,” Randle-area Fire Chief Jeff Jaques said. “And by the time they saw it, they were pretty much on top of it.”

Aid and troopers were called about 11:50 p.m. to the scene about three miles east of Randle.

The driver of the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban, Michelle A. Wallace, 42, was reportedly not hurt. Passenger Sarah N. Wallace, 18, was taken to Morton General Hospital with an injured knee, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The vehicle continued eastbound about 300 feet, crossing the oncoming lanes and coming to rest on the opposite shoulder, according to authorities. The cow didn’t survive, Jaques said.

State Patrol Sgt. Jason Ashley said it’s not uncommon in the roughly three mile stretch on the flats for troopers to have to chase cattle of the highway.

“It’s a fence issue I think,” Ashley said this morning.

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Firefighters were called to a business on North National Avenue in Chehalis just before 3 p.m. today when material from a chop saw caught fire.

Employees at Industrial Specialties used garden hoses and fire extinguishers to douse the flames, according to the Chehalis Fire Department.

Firefighter Derek Pedersen said sparks ignited the material, like rubber dust, inside the ventilation system. There was smoke damage, as smoke filled the building, Pedersen said.

The business on the 1500 block of North National Avenue makes hydraulic hoses and fittings, and sells Arctic Cat ATVs, according to Pedersen.