Monday, May 9, was not your typical Winlock City Council meeting. In fact, there were quite a few citizens there to discuss the recent annexation letters they received. Unfortunately, the actions of a few have made the citizens quite upset. The meeting was attended by friends of the Mayor of Winlock Brandon Svenson. Not only is the annexation a concern for citizens, but the actions of these few, and the Mayor are.

The letter regarding the annexation was delivered to residents the previous week. In the annexation application, it is being funded by a large foreign company, CHI. Why would a large foreign company want the annexation of Winlock? Has the city of Winlock become another Kent Valley, where the companies rule and the citizens have no say? This is not the first time CHI has paid to annex in a city, will Winlock be their next casualty?

The City of Napavine Treasurer Mary Wood has decided to start a new chapter in her life and move out of state. Mary has been with the City of Napavine for over 25 years. She has had many roles in her tenure, clerk and treasurer being her two last positions.

Rachelle Denham stated, "Mary will be truly missed. I wish we had more time together since she is a wealth of knowledge, but I'm so happy that Mary can enjoy the next chapter in her life."

The Vader May Day committee did an awesome job as several hundred enjoyed their May Day festivities. This year the weather was cooperative for the parade but shortly thereafter it rained.

The Mayor of the City of Winlock Brandon Svenson, Chairman of the Lewis County Republican Party has been asked to resign over the bullying of a Republican candidate. The Washington State Young Republicans removed Mayor Svenson in March for bullying, name calling and working against the organization.

On Monday, May 2, the Mayor and Chairman got into a heated discussion, eventually throwing a piece of paper at Sheriff Candidate Tracy Murphy. There are specific rules that must be followed, Chairman Svenson refused, even after several discussions by the Republican Party Executive Board. Tracy Murphy's alliance to the Republican Party has been called into question by Svenson, but in a document from the state party states he voted Republican in 2020. Candidate Murphy is indeed a Republican.

The first official parade of the year in Lewis County begins this Saturday. Vader May Day is back again this year and there are several fun activities planned. It's always a treat that Vader is the first parade of the season, because they always make it look seamless. We know it's not an easy task but Vader Lions Club and the volunteers do a wonderful job!

There are a lot of activities throughout the day, from a free breakfast to a cakewalk. It's all part of the fun.

To start your morning off right, Vader Assembly of God is offering a complimentary pancake breakfast. Pastor Tracy Durham and the group will be ready at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until 10:00 a.m. when the Parade Lineup begins. There is also the judging of the parade entries at 10:00 a.m. so be lined up to count! There is also a Silent Auction starting at 10:00 a.m. and running until 2:00 p.m. Don't forget to purchase your tickets.

The Toledo and Winlock Senior Centers are up and running at full speed. Since they opened, Tess and Nicole have been busy creating new classes and scheduling fun for everyone.

From Tess at the Toledo Senior Center:

We are back open and ready to hit the ground running. We look forward to seeing you back. Come in and join us.

Our pancake breakfast is back also. We hold it on the second Saturday each month. The cost is $7 for all you can-eat-pancakes, breakfast meat and eggs. Or you can get biscuits and gravy with eggs (not all you can eat). This is a fundraiser for our center.

Many of us who have attended the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds know that they have an issue with their old and decrepit water system. Pipes are breaking, and repairs arre not enough, they need something more. They need a replacement of all their pipes.

Commissioner Dr. Lindsey Pollock is looking into improving the infrastructure throughout the county. She understands the need for water banks, she knows the water systems or lines need to be updated, especially those over 100 years old.

"Lewis County Commissioners continue to work on how they will distribute American Rescue Plan Act funds," Pollock said. "At the May 20 meeting, the BOCC allocated $1 million towards replacement of the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds water system. ...

On Friday evening at 4:00 p.m. Toledo High School had its ribbon cutting ceremony. The event was for the community and it was wonderful to see so many people coming to the opening. The pride Toledo has is impressive, they have always been proud of their schools, sports and programs.

This Friday started off with Superintendent Chris Rust, giving the introductory speech. He stated in a separate quote, "We are excited to dedicate this new school for the Toledo community. Thanks to a $10 million grant and State Construction Assistance Program funding, the community is able to realize the dream of having a new school for a total local commitment of $7 million. We expect to deliver a savings to the community of nearly $2 million. We are grateful to the taxpayers for the trust that they placed in us as stewards of public funds and we look forward to the new Toledo High School continuing to be the hub of community events."

This has been an interesting year for weather, we have had our fair share of snow and also power outages. During all of this, we need to remember who is out there putting the lines back together when the power goes down, the employees at the PUD.