The American Legion Post #150 is now accepting membership of most U.S. veterans due to the LEGION act. This act was signed into effect on July 30, 2019, and honors U.S. service members that were killed or wounded during previously undeclared periods of war.

"It used to be that you had to serve during a time of war like the Vietnam Conflict or Korea," said American Legion Adjutant-Finance Officer Gordon Aleshire. "There were gaps in between those conflicts where those guys weren't eligible to join. The LEGION Act said that since December 7, 1941, if you served in the military, you can join the Legion."

The act gives approximately 6,000,000 veterans access to the American Legion programs and benefits. The main change was to reduce the seven war categories down to two: April 6, 1917, to November 11, 2918, and December 7, 1941, to a date to be declared later.

On the evening of Sunday, October 27, the Chehalis Steam Train hit a local Francis man. The Lewis County emergency responders rushed to the scene of the accident at the 300 block of Spooner Rd.

The Chehalis Steam Train was backing up on the tracks and struck a vehicle driven by 69-year-old John Hodel. The intersection is equipped with a sign only. There are no lights and no crossing bar.

MENLO - Pe Ell-Willapa Valley (PWV) was on task with its ball control plan as the offensive line dominated Ocosta in the trenches with the result being another divisional championship for the Titans, who uprooted any thoughts of a Wildcat upset during the 42-7 manhandling before some 500-strong at Crogstad Field in Menlo on Senior Night Friday. The previously unbeaten Wildcats (7-1), who had visions of a division title themselves no doubt left the field realizing they have a ways to go to catch up to the Titans (5-3).

"I really thought we played with a lot of fire," Peterson said. "Everybody was really emotional, it was good to see."

'Good to see' for Titan fans were running backs Max Smith and Kollin Jurek running into and out of wide open spaces while amassing 323 yards and 5 touchdowns between them. Smith, who was wearing a cast on one hand because of broken thumb, thumped, bumped and scooted for 173 yards on 25 touches and 4 TDs, while Jurek sped about for 150 yards on 24 journeys and a 10-yd score. Smith also picked off a pass on defense and ran it back 36 yards, and totalled 209 all-purpose yards.

On Wednesday, October 23, the Raymond Fire Department responded to a report that there was a fuel leak at the 101 Quick Stop on the corner of Hwy 101 and Heath St. Soon after their arrival, the pumps were stopped, and Heath St. was blocked off to traffic.

"There was someone who stopped by the station and told us that there was a leak of some kind going on," said Raymond Fire Department Chief Todd Strozyk. "We responded over there and did our best to contain the fuel that was present on the ground. We got all the people who were getting gas from the fuel lines out of there safely. We cordoned off the area and then called the Department of Ecology."

It's trick-or-treating time and you don't even have to wait until dark to go get the goodies.

On Thursday, October 31 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m is the now traditional downtown trick-or-treating. Look for orange paper pumpkins in the windows and doors of participating businesses. Check around South Bend and Raymond for businesses passing out candies and other treats.

During the Raymond City Council Meeting on Monday, October 7, 2019, at 6:00 p.m., Mayor Tony Nordin announced that the city received a large grant.

"We received a CDBG grant for $750,000," Nordin said. "This is to create seed money to move the project [the Willapa Center] forward."

The Willapa Center has been in the planning stage for a couple of years now. The cost of the center is estimated to be $8,695,000. It is being designed as a three story building that will provide more housing options in the area.

"We won't know if we will have full funding for the Willapa Center until February of next year, if all the different resources of money will be available for us," said Nordin. "If that happens then they will start breaking ground either in the fall of 2020 or the spring of 2021. It is going to be in the space where the festival takes place."

In 2014, Deb Bronnes Sturgill was volunteering at her grandson's school in Portland, Oregon, when she saw a semi-truck pull up full of food. Curious about it, she learned the truck came from Northwest Harvest and supplied food items that school staff members and volunteers used to fill backpacks for kids who didn't have food on weekends.

"I thought what a wonderful idea," Sturgill said.

More than 30 percent of South Bend's population live below the poverty level, including an estimated 187 students in the South Bend School District. In 2016, the South Bend school board voted to provide breakfast and lunch meals to all students, regardless of income, said Schools Superintendent Jon Tienhaara.

The South Bend Timberland Library is in the middle of launching a pilot program for kids on the Autism Spectrum. On Friday, October 18, they will be hosting their second Sensory Friendly Movie Night. All kids are welcome between the hours of 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m to join in socializing while viewing a new-release animated movie.

"We had a pretty good crowd for the first one," said Library Manager Jenny Penoyar about the first movie night that took place on September 20. "It was an early release day for South Bend. So we had a bunch of kids in the library already, and they were happy to stay after hours for the movie. We ended up with about 10 kids."

Last year over 1.3 million Washingtonians participated in the nationwide ShakeOut drill in October. This year, the 2019 Great Washington ShakeOut is scheduled for October 17 at 10:17 a.m. Be prepared for the All Hazard Alert Broadcast (AHAB) sirens to go off, as millions of people Drop! Cover! And Hold On!

South Bend City Council met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, September 23, at 5:30 p.m. at South Bend City Hall.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, South Bend resident Joseph Stepp addressed the council regarding motorists who do not use their signal when exiting Highway 101 on to Water St.

"I've almost [been] hit a couple of times," Stepp said. "I thought I'd bring it up before something does happen and someone gets hurt."
Mayor Julie Struck responded to Stepp's concerns, saying "the only thing we can do is just watch for it."

South Bend Police Chief Dave Eastham responded by saying, "The guys that are doing that, 98% of them are local. We'll write one or two of them some tickets and they'll start spreading the rumor."