Swingfest Results
Letters to the Editor
Page 2
Valley SD Changes
Pages 3, 4
Page 7
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S.POSTAGE
PAID
RAYMOND, WA 98577 PERMIT NO. 36
ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON
Willapa Harbor Herald $1.00 Vol. 40, Issue 29
USPS 455960
Cougar sightings in South Bend By GEORGE KUNKE, geoakunke@gmail.com SOUTH BEND - South Bend residents should be aware that there have been cougar sightings in the city limits on at least two reported occasions. “I didn't take the reports, but I heard about a couple of reports, which is something we do usually have at this time of the year, every year,” South Bend Police Chief Dave Eastham told the Herald from his home, while taking the week off.
Chief Eastham went on to say that the type of cougars to come into South Bend are, “the young, the weak, and the old ones,” adding, “They come in looking for food - dogs, cats, deer, fawns, to eat. Those are easy prey for them.” Chief Eastham offered a couple of family instances of cougar and coyote appearances, one recently. “Once, when my son, Wesley, was five See cougar Page 2
July 18, 2018
Your Independent Community News Since 1890
Weyerhaeuser and IAM Woodworkers W-24 talks end with both remaining silent By Jeff Clemens Weyerhaeuser and IAM Woodworkers W-24 engaged in negotiations on July 10 and 11 in hopes of reaching a compromise to avoid a strike. Union workers overwhelming had rejected the previous contract and authorized a strike. According to IAM Woodworkers President and Business Representative Noel Willet the talks concluded late in the evening on July 11.
“We were engaging in talks late into the evening,” he said. “Weyerhaeuser has given us their final offer and we will have no further comment until we thoroughly look it over and our union members have a chance to vote.” The details of the contract have not been made public and the union is refusing to speak about its content or make any comment whatsoever. Union members from Washington
and Oregon will be casting votes throughout the week with a final tally conducted on Saturday, July 21 according to Willet. Going into the negotiations the union and Weyerhaeuser have been at odds over health care, mandatory overtime, pay increases, pensions, and commitment to union logging crews. Neither side has been willing to give and uncertainty casted going into the negotia-
tions. Sources have stated that Weyerhaeuser has been pushing to decrease health care benefits and pensions with many members soon nearing the age of retirement and fear casting a shadow over their future with losing their benefits they’ve worked hard to achieve. This is a developing story and further details will be available in future editions.
Home invasion on SR 6 sends one to the hospital with gunshot wound By Jeff Clemens Thursday, July 12 at approximately 1:43 a.m. the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office along with an officer from the Raymond Police Department responded to a reported home invasion and shooting with an injured victim near the county line on SR 6 near Frances. The incident is being referred to as the Pluvius Shooting.
Founders Mary Irwin and Robin Davis have coordinated the opening of the Riverside Gallery near the public docks in South Bend.
Riverside Gallery now open By Melissa Vergara The Willapa Bay needs an art studio where community members can see the art created by others in the area and take art classes themselves. A group of people have come together to try and make that happen. The Willapa Bay Fine Arts Association is bringing the benefits of art to sev-
eral communities including Raymond. The Willapa Bay Fine Arts Association has organized itself and looked for a building to create a co-op art gallery. (The co-op gallery gives art enthusiasts the opportunity to see an artist in action in the gallery.) The goal of the Association is to exhibit local artists and have those local
artists teach classes to the community. “Willapa Bay Fine Art Association is a group of artists and craft persons in and around the Raymond, South Bend and Menlo areas. We welcome all fine artists to our group. We are a non-profit organization, and on occasion we hold fundraising events as See gallery Page 7
The Response According to Pacific County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Pat Matlock units arrived at around 2:30 a.m. and had to set up containment of the area to clear it before the victim could be rescued and transported to a hospital. A K-9 unit was able to track a scent believed to be the suspect back down the driveway of the home to the highway leading units to believe he left the area. After the area was cleared, a medic unit from the Raymond Fire Department was able to transport a female victim to Centralia Providence Hospital in Centralia with a non-life
threatening gunshot wound to her shoulder. She reportedly had to undergo surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. Emergency Alert Issued Residents in Lebam reported to the Herald their phones rang around 6:00 a.m. informing them to stay inside and lock their doors along with a brief description of the suspect and that he was believed to be armed and dangerous. The alert was issued 4 hours and 17 minutes after the initial dispatch was made. Few details known Details of the incident still remain blurry as the motive of the invasion and where abouts of the suspect still have investigators puzzled. The victim reported the intruder was wearing dark clothing with a mask and goggles or glasses and stood around 5’7”-5’8” with a skinny to not to stocky build. “What I can tell you is the suspect entered through a glass door,” Chief Deputy Matlock stated. “He didn’t
shoot out the glass, but that’s all we can really say right now to protect the active investigation.” In a separate incident a man was called into Lewis County dispatch as matching the description of the man wanted in connection with the Pluvius Shooting. He was located near Weyerhaeuser in Pe Ell and was found with a stolen firearm and a bindle of methamphetamine. “I was actually just speaking with our detective about the case. And saw that another paper reported he was caught,” Chief Deputy Matlock said.”Since we were already near the county line we went over and assisted them on that call. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the person we were looking for nor did the firearm he was found with match the one we were looking for. He wasn't our guy.” He was arrested for having the stolen firearm and possession of the methamphetamine and was later booked in Lewis County jail on multiple charges. See shooting Page 7
Robin Souvenir and Sean Eastham look to unseat Johnson as Pacific County Sheriff By Jeff Clemens
Robin Souvenir: “The Proven Leader” Sean Eastham: “The Determined Deputy” Robin Souvenir, the current Chief of Police for the Shoalwater Bay Police Department, has spent the last 20 years in law enforcement. He has been able to transform a struggling department to a success story along with being a mentor to young officers early in their careers. He has quickly become a popular name in North Pacific County and was recently endorsed by Raymond Police Chief Chuck Spoor among others. Souvenir hopes to bring immediate leadership to a struggling department if elected to be the next Pacific County Sheriff. He has experienced the ins-andouts of working within the sheriff’s department while working alongside them at Shoalwater Bay. What is your law enforcement experience? Souvenir: I have been in law enforcement for about 20 years. I started as a reserve deputy for the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office and did that for a couple years. I then took a full-time position out at Shoalwater Bay and was a police officer out there for about six years. Then, here I was again looking for more experience and went back to the sheriff’s office as a deputy for about six years. And once again looking for a bit more experience, went back to Shoalwater Bay to
be the chief of police for the last 8 years. Any other experience you feel will transition over to being Sheriff? Souvenir: Well yes. So one of the things we try to do is work really close with other agencies. We work really closely with our emergency management in particular. I have done a lot of ICS [Incident Command Course] courses and that kind of stuff. It’s just always been one of those trying to train your replacement kind of things and if one person has all the information and that person can’t make it there, that makes it kind of rough. So I try to know all that I can and co-mingle with other offices and agencies to learn as much as I can. On the personal side I guess, I do a lot of HAM radio stuff. And kind of the purpose of that whole thing is emergency preparedness. I am a part of the Pacific County Amateur HAM Radio Club. I volunteer for Pacific County as their Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Community Operations. I am also responsible for each fire department as each fire department has HAM radio equipment. If they need any help with training or anything like that I help out including maintenance. Why do you think
with some local community groups and local non-profits such as the South Pacific County Humane Society. I got on their advisory council and I am the law enforcement liaison. So I reach out to law enforcement for the humane society if they need that. With the humane society I have helped them right some policies, procedures, that kind of thing. I also am on the board of directors with a non-profit medical clinic What is your law en- in Oregon. forcement experience? Eastham: I got into law Why do you think enforcement right out of you’re the best option for high school when I gradu- Sheriff? ated from Naselle in 1995. Eastham: This is someThat fall I got on with the thing I have been working South Bend Police Depart- on for about two and half ment as a reserve officer. I years. So just about every did that while I was in col- day I have been working lege at Grays Harbor Col- at pursuing this position. lege and got my associates I think I have some sigdegree in criminal justice. nificant changes I want I then got on with the to make at the Sheriff’s City of Camas as an of- Office. I am in this for the ficer and I worked there long run and I care about for seven and a half years. law enforcement in Pacific After me and my wife had County and I don’t like the our first child we decided to direction that it’s headed. move back home and I got It just hit me one day on with the Sheriff’s Office about two and a half years in 2006 and been here ever ago when I saw the issues since. and I talk to the citizens every day and I hear their Any other experience concerns and I hear their you feel will transition complaints and it just got over to being Sheriff? to the point where I didn’t Eastham: I just finished see any change on the homy bachelor’s degree in rizon. business management and So I made the committhat was a great experience. ment to pursue this posiI’ve also gotten involved tion myself and make these Sean Eastham has been with the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office for the last decade in south county and wants to make immediate changes to the department if elected as Sheriff. He has worked his entire adult life in law enforcement. He also has seen firsthand what he feels are the weak points of the current administration and its shortcomings of providing Pacific County the proper service it deserves.
Robin Souvenir
you’re the best option for Sheriff? Souvenir: So I have experience with law enforcement obviously and I have kind of a unique leadership style. A lot of agencies start from the top and lead from the top, but I like to try and motivate my folks and try and get them involved in anything I possibly can including the budget and that kind of stuff. Sometimes that’s rare to see, but that’s kind of my thing to try and motivate people to want to come to work and be a part of the team. I think we can do the same thing with the community by trying to get them more involved. I think with that unique leadership style and wanting to get more people involved I can make some well needed change to the sheriff’s departments image and culture. See Souvenir Page 5
Sean Eastham
changes that the community is wanting and has needed. So I feel I am in the best position to make change since I work here and I notice the issues and I see some solutions. I am right up front and I am saying I am going to restructure the agency and I have a plan laid out to do that. Is there any particular vision or changes you would like to make to the Sheriff’s Office if elected? Eastham: Some shortterm goals I have is absolutely restructuring the sheriff’s office from the top down. Right now we are very top heavy in administration and it has not always been that way, but that’s where we find ourselves today. We had more deputy’s on the road a decade ago then we have See Eastham Page 7