JOURNALIST/PHOTOJOURNALIST WANTED
Seeking a journalist/photojournalist to cover Eatonville’s July 3 festivities for The Dispatch
This is a $100 freelance assignment to attend the event, take publication-quality photos and provide a short local write-up capturing the celebration and community atmosphere.
Reliability, strong news judgment and clean, accurate writing are important. Photography experience is preferred. Additional assignments may be available for the right person.
To apply, send a brief note of interest, writing or photography samples if available, and your July 3 availability to: dispatch@pacificpublishingcompany.com
June 17, 2026
50¢
ISSUE 25
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‘Stronger Than We Look’: Eatonville Wrestler Shines on National Stage at Elementary National Duals
Community Mourns Graham Man Killed in Collision Involving Eatonville School Bus
By Skip Smith
A
SABRINA ELLIOT
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Jezlynn “Chicky” Battles lets the hardware do the talking. The Weyerhaeuser Elementary fifth grader earned two fourthplace medals — one in freestyle, one in Greco-Roman — competing for Team Washington at the Freeco USA Elementary National Duals in Elkhorn, Nebraska, last weekend.
ezlynn “Chicky” Battles has been chasing opponents across the mat since she was 6 years old. Last weekend, the Weyerhaeuser Elementary fifth-grader was chasing something bigger - a spot on the national stage. And she earned every bit of it. Battles, 11, represented Washington State as part of Team Washington at the Freeco USA Elementary National Duals, one of the premier youth wrestling tournaments in the country. The event, held June 5-7 at the Union Bank and Trust Sports Complex in Elkhorn, Nebraska, draws state and club teams from across the nation and features both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition for grade-schoolers from first through sixth grade. The invitation to join Team Washington came in March, and for Battles, it stopped her in her tracks.
WRESTLER, 3
What a Missing $150 Million Means for Domestic Violence Services By Jasmine Mithani and Mariel Padilla The 19th
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ur Sister’s House used to staff a 24-hour hotline. No matter what time of day a domestic violence survivor called for help, an advocate would be able to help them stay safe. But then a lack of funding meant that hours and staff had to be reduced. Now if someone calls for help overnight or on the weekend, no one picks up the phone. The organization has been focused on helping Black survivors of gender-based violence for 30 years. But now
many critical services it has provided in Pierce County, Washington - which has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the state - have been pared back due to delays in federal grant funds. Our Sister’s House is waiting to hear back about an application for money that should have been distributed by October 1 - eight months ago. The lapse comes as the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women withholds $150 million in taxpayer dollars meant to be distributed in fiscal 2025 to help survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and trafficking. The 19th reached out to over 250 organizations and municipalities that had previously received funding from the Office on Violence Against Women to ask how the delay in fiscal 2025 funds and the stalling of fiscal 2026 grant applications
AFIF AHSAN- STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Graham man was killed and an Eatonville Middle School student was taken to the hospital after a June 11 collision involving an Eatonville School District bus. According to Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, crews responded to the collision in Graham. Fire officials said 35 students were on the bus at the time. One student was transported to a local hospital with injuries described as minor, and all other students were evaluated at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. The students were Eatonville Middle School eighth graders returning from a field trip celebrating their upcoming middle school graduation. The district said staff responded immediately and worked closely with emergency responders to ensure the safety and care of students at the scene. All students involved were later safely reunited with their families. Counseling support was made available at the school the following day for students, families and staff who needed help processing the incident. The collision has deeply affected the Eatonville school community, where students witnessed a fatal incident on what should have been a celebratory end-ofyear trip. According to information released by the Washington State Patrol, the collision occurred around 4:30 p.m. Thursday near milepost 18 on SR 161, near Eustis Hunt Road and the Frontier Park exit in Graham. The other vehicle was identified as a 2007 Ford Explorer. WSP detectives were continuing their mechanical and reconstruction investigation to determine the exact sequence of events. Drugs and alcohol were not believed to be factors. The collision has also prompted an outpouring of grief and support for the family of the victim. Community members have mourned Frankie, the victim’s 5-year-old dog, who also died. Daisy, another dog that was in the vehicle, survived and is home recovering. A vigil organizer who has been in contact with the victim’s widow said she is aware of the community support and is thankful to those who helped after the collision. Organizers of the 253 Night Market have announced that two upcoming night markets will be held in the victim’s honor. The first event is scheduled for 4 to 9 p.m. July 2 at Glacier View Park in Eatonville. The second is scheduled for 4 to 9 p.m. July 9 at Frontier Park. The victim’s widow is anticipated at both events. Donations will be collected both nights, and a candlelight vigil is planned for 8:30 p.m. at each event in honor of the victim and Frankie. The Eatonville School District thanked first responders, law enforcement officers, fire and rescue personnel, emergency medical teams and district staff who responded to the collision. The community continues to await additional information as investigators work to determine what led to the collision. According to WSP, troopers generally have up to four weeks to complete an initial collision report, though the broader investigation will likely continue longer.
“I was so surprised and shocked,” she said. “My goal was to be able to travel with my wrestling when I got older, but I made it before I even reached middle school.” She was selected to compete at 145 pounds, a call that made sense to anyone who has watched her compete. Her folkstyle résumé already includes a district championship, a runner-up finish at the league championships and a third-place finish at state. She is a regular placer and champion on the local tournament circuit, the kind of competitor that coaches notice. But the Freeco Duals would test her in ways she had never faced before. Unlike traditional individual bracket tournaments, the Freeco Duals uses a team format, with wrestlers competing head-to-head in dual meets. Every match carries weight not just for the individual,
has impacted them. The 48 that responded shared stories of layoffs, diminished services for survivors and sacrifices among advocates, who have
taken voluntary pay cuts to make sure survivors get the life-saving support they need.
$150 MILLION, 3