Archive for February, 2017

News brief: Nighttime fire chases eight occupants out of house

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017
2017.0222.kingsthousefire

The scene on South King Street in Centralia. / Courtesy photo by Riverside Fire Authority

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Four adults and four children are displaced after a house fire during the night in Centralia, which started as a clothes dryer fire.

Firefighters called at 12:43 a.m. to the home on the 500 block of South King Street found all the occupants had gotten out and were uninjured, according to Riverside Fire Authority. Two cats perished, according to Fire Chief Mike Kytta.

“Firefighters quickly attacked the main body of fire which was located in the utility room and kitchen,” Kytta stated in a brief summary of the incident.

Firefighting efforts were challenged for short period of time by a live electric power line that was in the vicinity of the utility room, according to Kytta.

The fire department Tweeted it began in the laundry room where the dryer was in use at the time and heavily damaged the rear of the home. It left smoke and heat damage throughout, according to Riverside.

Riverside was assisted by the Chehalis Fire Department. The residents are they are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

News brief: Attempted robbery of delivery man

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralia police were called at 2:10 a.m. today after an individual said he was confronted by two masked males who tried to rob him as he was making a delivery to an auto parts store on the 1100 block of West Main Street in Centralia.

The males were armed with knives, demanded his money and he refused, according to the Centralia Police Department. The victim ran to get help, police said.

“Upon returning to the scene it was discovered that the suspects entered the victim’s vehicle and stole his backpack,” the police department stated in a brief summary of the incident.

This case is under investigation.

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Tuesday, February 21st, 2017
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

UNRULY CUSTOMERS

• A 21-year-old Chehalis man allegedly entered a business, stole a bottle of alcohol and pushed an employee there just before 8 a.m. yesterday at the 500 South Tower Avenue. After he was arrested he was found to be in possession of methamphetamine, according to the Centralia Police Department. Eric J. Stevens was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• Centralia police were called about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday to a business at the 100 block of South Tower Avenue where a man had been asked to leave, and punched the store’s owner in the chest, according to the Centralia Police Department. Matthew E. Eastman, 32 of Centralia, was arrested for fourth-degree assault and booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

• A 35-year-old man was arrested for third-degree assault after he allegedly slammed the victim to the ground in a bar dispute around 1 a.m. on Monday at the 100 block of South Tower Avenue in Centralia. Timothy R. Babcock, of Centralia, was subsequently arrested also for first-degree malicious mischief after he allegedly kicked out a window in the back of a patrol car, according to the Centralia Police Department. Babcock was booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to police.

VEHICLE THEFT

• A deputy was called to the 200 block of Big Hanaford Road outside Centralia after a woman woke up about 10 a.m. on Sunday and discovered her truck was missing from the driveway. She said she’d parked the silver 2011 Ford F150 about 10 p.m. the night before, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.

GAS THEFT

• A business reported that two male suspects used an unknown tool to bypass the pay system at the fuel pump on the 1200 block of Mellen Street and stole an undetermined amount of fuel yesterday, according to the Centralia Police Department. Police are investigating.

OTHER ARRESTS

• Kyle L. Davidson, 31, of Centralia, was arrested for first-degree trafficking stolen property on Sunday night. Officers contacted him at a dispute on the 400 block of West Main Street in Centralia and arrested him based on probable cause established on another case which occurred last week, according to the Centralia Police Department.

• A 22-year-old Chehalis woman who allegedly gave police a fake name after they contacted her about suspected shoplifting incident about 5:45 p.m. on Saturday at the 1700 block of North National Avenue in Chehalis was arrested for second-degree identity theft. Kristina S. Bailey booked into the Lewis County Jail, according to the Chehalis Police Department.

OTHER THEFT

• Cash, coin collections and a wedding band were discovered stolen from a residence on the 1000 block of Roosevelt Avenue in Centralia after a houseguest was asked to leave, according to a report made to police about 4:40 p.m. on Saturday.

• Police were called about 12:50 p.m. yesterday to the 1600 block of Mellen Street where an individual reported the theft of a ring described as a heart shaped solitaire in yellow gold.

• Centralia police were called about 5:30 p.m. on Friday to the 300 block of Hemlock Street in Centralia regarding the theft of golf clubs and sports memorabilia from an unlocked shop.

• Centralia police were called to the 600 block of West Pine Street about 10 a.m. on Friday where someone had stolen cement planters and a white angel figurine from the yard.

• Chehalis police were called by an individual about 4:25 p.m. on Friday whose wallet was lost and then turned in to a business on the 1600 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue, but was minus its cash.

• Centralia police took a report about 3:20 p.m. on Friday of the theft of a bank card that had been left in an ATM machine at the 100 block of South Pearl Street and then used later by someone.

• Chehalis police were called just before 10 a.m. on Friday to the 2000 block of Northeast Kresky Avenue where sometime during the night someone stole a heat pump off the side of the building.

VEHICLE PROWL

• A pressure washer, paint sprayer and a variety of hand tools were reported stolen out of the back of a truck at the 1400 block of Harrison Avenue in Centralia, according to a report made to police just before 1 p.m. on Saturday.

ON THE ROAD, OFF THE ROAD

• Centralia police are investigating a hit and run collision to a building on the 600 block of North Tower Avenue.  The suspect vehicle is described as a blue truck, according to police who were called just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for drugs, warrants, trespass, shoplifting, probation violation, protection order violation, misdemeanor domestic assault, driving under the influence, driving with suspended license; responses for alarm, dispute, harassment, hit and run, dine and dash, civil issue, vehicle collision, malicious mischief, suspicious circumstances … and more.

 

News brief: Centralia utility payment box burgled

Monday, February 20th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Police got a call about 6:25 a.m. today from a citizen who reported the Centralia City Light payment drop box had been broken into and everything taken.

An officer responding to the 500 block of North Pearl Street found it was opened and empty, according to the Centralia Police Department.

A representative of the utility was contacted and advised items from inside the box had been collected on Friday, according to police. They will be checking with other employees tomorrow to determine if anything was taken, according to police.

The case is currently under investigation.

New earthquake analysis leads to lowering Riffe Lake reservoir

Friday, February 17th, 2017
2017.0217.twomossydam.final

Mossyrock Dam on the Cowlitz River sits at the west end of Riffe Lake. / Courtesy photo by Tacoma Power

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Recently revised earthquake predictions, which portend failure of the spillway gates of the Mossyrock Dam have prompted the the dam’s owner to begin considering seismic retrofits.

In the meantime, Tacoma Power plans to keep less water in the reservoir which is Riffe Lake to reduce the amount of downstream flooding if a big one should strike.

Tacoma Power announced this week the changes it is implementing.

They want to keep the level of Riffe Lake 30 feet lower than normal, according to Chris Gleason, the community and media services manager for Tacoma Public Utilities.

The United States Geological Survey recently revised its earthquake predictions for the Cowlitz River basin, information that was passed along to the owner of the hydroelectric dam in November, according to Gleason.

Riffe Lake, more than 23 miles long, is 778.5 feet when full.

The probability of a large earthquake is low, and the issue isn’t the dam itself, according to Tacoma Power.

But, preliminary analysis concluded that specific seismic events could render the spillway gates useless, which could cause considerable downstream flooding, according to the utility.

A spillway is the part of the dam that water flows through. The four spillways are located high in the middle of the dam.

According to Gleason, they’ve submitted their plans to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission which will review and accept or modify the proposal.

They are required keep the lake below 745.5 feet during December and January, so it’s currently close to their lower level proposed, and they will maintain it there for the foreseeable future, according to Gleason.

The new lower level is expected to be in place into the next decade.

Mossyrock Dam, a concrete structure completed in 1968 is the state’s tallest dam. It produces enough electricity for 78,000 homes.

No concrete arch dams have failed due to earthquakes, according to Tacoma Power.

Boating, swimming and fishing will remain possible on Riffe Lake, but access could be limited.

Two Tacoma Power-owned boat launches are anticipated to be usable during the summer, but two others will be closed. They are considering a new swim beach at Mossyrock Park.

The seismic retrofits they are beginning to consider won’t take place for years. The development and implementation of possible solutions involves substantial analysis, planning and federal approval, according to Tacoma Power.

2017.0217.spillwaypiersmossydam

On the east side of the dam are the piers that hold the spillway gates in place. / Courtesy photo by Tacoma Power

Sirens: Daily police and fire roundup

Friday, February 17th, 2017
2015.0518.2013.1113.sirenslights5860.secondone

•••

BUSTING IN

• Centralia police were called at 2 o’clock this morning to the 300 block of North Tower Avenue on a report of forced entry to an apartment. Several persons of interest were contacted and the investigation continues, according to the Centralia Police Department.

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

• A 34-year-old man was arrested yesterday after allegedly forcing his way into his significant other’s home, taking two cell phones, car keys and a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am and leaving her with a swollen lip. The victim at the 200 block of Roe Road in Winlock called the sheriff’s office shortly after 6:30 a.m. yesterday and a deputy arriving at 7:38 a.m. found the woman also had a sore right hand from the encounter, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. A mirror and two doors had been broken, Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said. The suspect, Adam C. Sullivan, was located a short time later and the items recovered, according to Breen. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail for first-degree burglary.

KID ASSAULT

• Police responded to the 900 block of Johnson Road in Centralia following an 11:50 a.m. call yesterday about a fourth-degree assault involving two juveniles. No arrests were made, as of this morning, according to the Centralia Police Department.

VEHICLE PROWL

• Chehalis police were called to 100 block of Southwest Cascade Avenue yesterday evening where someone had stolen fuel from a vehicle sometime during the previous two days.

VANDALISM

• Centralia police were called just after 11 a.m. yesterday to the 400 block of North Pearl Street where someone had spray painted graffiti on a building sometime during the previous week.

• Police were called to the 600 block of West Center Street in Centralia yesterday regarding damage to a window.

• A deputy called over to the Lewis County Jail yesterday regarding a kiosk in a housing unit getting broken viewed video and then talked with a suspect who stated he just got frustrated and blew a fuse, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Kirk D. Jackson, 54, of Olympia, was re-booked for second-degree malicious mischief, according to the sheriff’s office. The damage is estimated at $1,000.

AND MORE

• And, as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, obstructing, protection order violation, misdemeanor domestic assault; responses for alarm, dispute, harassment, trespassing, shoplifting, theft of a meal, civil issue, suspicious circumstances … and more among 135 calls for local law enforcement and / or fire-emergency medical services in the 24-hour period ending about 7 a.m. today.

News brief: Short gunshot investigation

Friday, February 17th, 2017

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Centralia police this morning began investigating after they were advised a hospital in Thurston County had a victim of a gunshot, who claimed he was shot in the Centralia area, but couldn’t provide an exact location.

Officers were notified about 5:35 a.m. but by the time they arrived to the hospital, the patient had already left, according to the Centralia Police Department.

Police Sgt. Kurt Reichert said it’s starting to look as though the incident actually occurred in the Seattle area, and they are reaching out to police there.

The male is associated to an address up north and local officers learned an incident did occur up north, according to Reichert.

Hospitals are required to notify police of gunshot wound patients, and sometimes such victims intentionally provide misinformation, Reichert said.