The Chronicle

12/11/2025

GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY DAM SHOW SIGNS OF DISTRESS: A dam more than a century old in Lake Sylvia State Park in Grays Harbor County is “showing signs of increasing stress,” the county’s emergency management department said Tuesday.

The dam, which is east of Aberdeen and north of Montesano, hasn’t failed, “but could continue to worsen if weather conditions persist,” the department said.

The dam appeared to be a significant hazard to nearby roads and property, said Jimmy Norris of the Washington State Department of Ecology. There is no safety concern for people, should the dam fail, as there are no nearby residences at risk.

Nevertheless, Washington State Parks advised residents in the Sylvia Creek area downstream in Montesano to prepare for additional flooding and be prepared to move on short notice.

Full story from The Seattle Times: https://tinyurl.com/y9hnm885

12/11/2025

MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE RESCUED IN WASHINGTON FLOODS: At least 17 people were saved from floodwaters Monday and Tuesday while a powerful atmospheric river drenched Western Washington.

Those rescued were found trapped in their trailer homes and vehicles on watery roadways. Authorities are urging people to evacuate their homes if told by first responders, stay off watery roadways and respect road closures.

Twelve people and their dogs and cats were rescued from a trailer park off Highway 12 in Randle, next to the Cowlitz River, around 11:30 p.m. Monday, said Lewis County sheriff’s office chief Rick Van Wyck. Floodwaters were rising around the park and the residents, from six to eight different units, couldn’t get out.

The Cowlitz River at Randle began to flood Monday morning and crested into major flooding stage midday Tuesday with a water level of 23 feet, 5 feet above the flooding threshold.

First responders rescued a couple from another trailer park off Highway 131 near downtown Randle around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, also from rising floodwaters around their home, Van Wyck said.

Residents in both trailer parks were advised to leave beforehand by first responders who knocked on doors and called park management, but they chose not to evacuate, Van Wyck said. None were injured in the flooding and they were taken to the Packwood Community Center or set up accommodations elsewhere.

“We’re expecting far worse tonight,” Van Wyck said. “That was just a taste of what’s to come.”

Floodwaters receded Tuesday, but the sheriff’s department is gearing up for more rescues, Van Wyck said, anticipating floodwaters to peak Wednesday night.

Full story from The Seattle Times: https://tinyurl.com/5d46wkur

Photos by Ridley Hudson: A Swift Water Rescue Team rescues Barbara Bennett and Mel Romero from an inundated fifth wheel near the Cowlitz River in Randle on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

12/11/2025

CHEHALIS SHELTER PROVIDES SAFETY FOR FLOOD EVACUEES: The American Red Cross has opened a flooding evacuation shelter at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 2190 Jackson Highway, Chehalis, for those who have been displaced due to flooding. Anyone impacted by flooding is welcome to get a warm meal, connect with others and find support.

When The Chronicle visited on Wednesday afternoon, there were 15 people and nine pets taking shelter at the location, with several of them coming from the flooded Chehalis Avenue Apartments in Chehalis.

The Salvation Army delivered 110 meals for those using the shelter.

Other flood shelter locations open in Lewis County as of Wednesday afternoon are:
• Packwood Senior Center has beds available for those in or around Packwood who are displaced due to flooding. Call Ron Blankenship at 360-508-0470 for more information.
• The Salvation Army’s night-by-night shelter at 2015 NE Kresky Ave. in Chehalis is open as an emergency flood shelter. The Salvation Army’s Centralia location at 303 N. Gold Street is continuing its regular services.
• Valhalla Canine Rescue in Evaline has space for people to bring their livestock or themselves to get out of the floodwaters. The property has a pasture, fenced areas, kennels, crates and parking for RVs. Text 253-363-7908 or contact the organization via Facebook messenger for more information.
• The Evergreen State Fair Park in Snohomish County is also offering emergency stabling for anyone who needs to evacuate livestock due to flooding.

Photos by Chronicle Photo Editor Ridley Hudson.

12/11/2025

As catastrophic flooding continues to cause damage in communities across the state, the Washington National Guard will mobilize up to 300 personnel to help local agencies respond to the ongoing crisis.

“There will be significant impacts following this disaster. I want to thank the governor for signing an emergency proclamation which allowed us to get our Washington National Guard personnel ready to support those affected,” said Maj. Gen. Gent. Welsh, the Adjutant General.

As catastrophic flooding continues to cause damage in communities across the state, the Washington National Guard will mobilize up to 300 personnel to help local agencies respond to the ongoing crisis.

12/11/2025

Gesa, a leading credit union in the Pacific Northwest, has partnered with Lewis County Footsteps of Hope to support its “Backpack Buddies” program at Centralia High School, a recent news release stated.

As the exclusive financial institution sponsor, the credit union has donated $39,000 to provide students facing food insecurity with meal packs to take home over the weekend.

Centralia High School serves nearly 1,000 students, and many rely on free or reduced-price lunch during the week. The Backpack Buddies program helps close the weekend food gap by providing backpacks filled with shelf-stable items such as pasta, applesauce, beans, tortillas, peanut butter, crackers, tuna, granola bars and canned soups.

The first set of meal packs was assembled earlier this school year, and they will continue to be distributed weekly throughout June 2026.

Gesa, a leading credit union in the Pacific Northwest, has partnered with Lewis County Footsteps of Hope to support its “Backpack Buddies” program at Centralia High School, a recent news …

12/11/2025

Closing arguments in the retrial of Nicholas Denham began the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 10. The jury was expected to begin deliberations either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.

The trial began on Monday, Oct. 27.

Denham was originally convicted by a jury in 2022 for the aggravated first-degree murder of his former girlfriend, Charlene Van Auken, and her 4-year-old daughter, Zoey Peetz, in 2020.

A couple walking their dogs found the victims’ bodies at about 6:30 p.m. March 10, 2020, on a trail near Tolmie State Park in northeast Thurston County.

Denham was arrested two days later following an investigation by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

The Thurston County Coroner’s Office later determined both victims died from gunshot wounds to the head.

Denham received two consecutive lifetime sentences without the possibility of parole, but appealed his conviction to the Washington State Court of Appeals shortly after his sentencing in May 2022.

The Court of Appeals issued an unpublished opinion in December 2023 siding with Denham, finding that Thurston County Superior Court wrongly overturned the defense’s objection to a potential juror being dismissed during jury selection.

Closing arguments in the retrial of Nicholas Denham began the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 10. The jury was expected to begin deliberations either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. The …

12/11/2025

FROM LEWIS COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 2 IN TOLEDO: "Tacoma Power water release notifications for the Cowlitz River for Thursday 12/11/2025: Tacoma Power will be increasing discharge from Mayfield Dam from 14,600 cfs to approximately 23,000 cfs, maybe higher. And estimated 2.5 ft rise in water level. Ramp up scheduled to begin Thursday afternoon and will reach 23,000 near midnight.

"We are being advised that we may expect to see higher risks of flooding in our low-lying areas as a result."

12/11/2025

Here's what Tumwater Falls looked like today.

Video by the Washington Department of Emergency Management.

12/11/2025

A 40-year-old Chehalis man faces felony charges after investigators with the Washington State Patrol allegedly found him in possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Grayson T. Hart was booked into the Lewis County Jail at about 10:53 a.m. Dec. 5. He made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday, Dec. 8.

Hart was charged with one count each of first-degree dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct and first-degree possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Both felonies are considered Class B offenses, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.

In its affidavit of probable cause, the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office detailed the undercover investigation led by detectives with the state patrol’s High Tech Crime Unit (HTCU).

According to the affidavit, the suspect — whose identity was then unknown — had allegedly been using the peer-to-peer file sharing network known as BitTorrent to distribute CSAM.

As part of the investigation, detectives made a connection to a device with the suspect’s Internet Protocol (IP) address. The IP address had reportedly been associated with a particular torrent file that referenced thousands of files, “at least one of which was identified as being a file of investigative interest to CSAM investigations,” according to the affidavit.

After connecting with the suspect’s device, investigators successfully downloaded a portion of a file that was reportedly made available for sharing.

The downloaded video allegedly depicts a suspected minor engaged in a sexual act with an adult male whose face is not shown.

According to the affidavit, investigators determined the IP address was registered to Comcast Cable Communications and applied for a search warrant with the Thurston County Superior Court to locate the subscriber’s information.

After obtaining the warrant, state patrol detectives reviewed Comcast’s records and allegedly discovered that Hart was the account’s sole subscriber.

On Nov. 21, detectives located Hart at his residence in Chehalis.

A 40-year-old Chehalis man faces felony charges after investigators with the Washington State Patrol allegedly found him in possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Grayson T. Hart was …

12/11/2025

The company says it expects to continue using most of the major infrastructure already in the facility. The main boiler, turbines and electrical transmission systems used previously will continue to be used. The facility will need to install a new 1,500-foot underground natural gas pipeline to connect the facility to an existing natural gas pipeline.

Construction and conversion work for the facility will require all hands on deck. Conversion is expected to create up to 700 temporary jobs at the peak of the work. Once finished and operating as normal, the facility will require roughly 40 people to operate day-to-day.

That represents a continued reduction in workforce at the facility for a site that once employed hundreds of people and laid off more than 60 employees when its first boiler went offline in 2020.

In the past, the company has raised concerns over the economic side of converting to natural gas, painting it as uncertain. According to TransAlta staff, the conversion is made possible in part by the agreement with PSE and in part because the reuse of parts in the current facility will cut down on costs, especially when compared with the cost of constructing a new facility.

“The Tolling Agreement provides long-term contracted cash flow through 2044,” reads a statement from the company. “By utilizing and repurposing existing infrastructure, the conversion is a cost-effective, lower-emission solution compared to building a new facility and supports regional grid reliability.”

However, the site remains uncertain until TransAlta and PSE receive the necessary approval from regulatory agencies. Its future beyond the agreement with PSE’s end date in 2044 means it is especially uncertain as a long-term energy production facility.

Local stakeholders are observing the development with cautious optimism.

A long awaited natural gas conversion for the TransAlta power plant in Centralia is now in the works as the plant's last coal-fired generation unit prepares to go offline this month as part of a …

12/11/2025

The National Water Center has issued an updated Key Messages for the expected Catastrophic flooding impacts this week across portions of the Pacific Northwest. More info: https://water.noaa.gov