Mother’s Day is just around the corner and what better way to show appreciation than by treating mom or the… Washington state lawmakers on Sunday approved a $77.8 billion two-year budget to fund schools Meetings are intended to strengthen community engagement Watch today's top stories and most popular videos which provide you with features like past/future radar and customizable layers Trust us to help you plan the best day possible with the most accurate weather forecast available We recognize our responsibility to use data and technology for good We may use or share your data with our data vendors The Weather Channel is the world's most accurate forecaster according to ForecastWatch, Global and Regional Weather Forecast Accuracy Overview Washington State University continues to enhance its relationships with Native American Tribes across the Pacific Northwest The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation became the 14th Signatory Tribe to join a memorandum of understanding with Washington State University during an official signing ceremony Friday on the Pullman campus chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation spoke to the positive impact Native students who pursue higher education can have on their families as well as the larger community “Educated tribal members are good for the tribe He and his family are keenly aware of the benefit of higher education Klatush’s wife Beth advanced in her career after earning her degree this past spring from WSU Global campus exemplifying to their children “what a strong educated and driven Native woman can achieve,” he added By strengthening his tribe’s bond with WSU Klatush is hopeful that WSU staff will continue to engage with Native high school students in southwest Washington to potential degree programs across the university system The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation has just shy of 1,000 members with approximately 30% of them being under the age of 18 Two Chehalis members are already enrolled at WSU Pullman with Klatush hoping to see that number grow in the years to come The opportunity for Chehalis members to be a part of the development of the hydrogen fuel sector along the Interstate 5 corridor also interests Klatush which depicts an eagle carrying a basket of fish was added to the flag line of Tribes and Native Nation who’ve pledged to work alongside WSU Klatush and WSU President Kirk Schulz added their signatures to the document as part of the formal event the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community became the 13th Native Nation to formally signed WSU’s MOU WSU first signed its MOU with six local Tribes in 1997 and celebrated the 25th anniversary of that agreement in 2023 An amended MOU was enacted on April 28, 2023 The ceremony was held during a biannual meeting of the Native American Advisory Board to the President which is comprised of representatives of Tribal Signatories alongside university leaders That board works hand-in-hand with WSU’s Office of Tribal Relations a Nimíipuu (Nez Perce) tribal member who serves as vice provost for Native American relations and programs and tribal liaison to the president “I’m very proud of the work that’s being done with our Native students “Zoe and her team are always looking for new opportunities to enhance our work with our Native partners.” members and WSU staff discussed the future of the Native Coug Scholars Fund a pilot scholarship program that received $1.7 million in one-time state appropriations in the last budget biennium WSU is seeking $2.2 million in the 2025–27 biennium to further support the program The program has already helped 108 students with financial support with an average contribution of $4,500 per student More information about WSU’s Office of Tribal Relations and its ongoing initiatives is available online Find a list of activities at WSU’s Office of Native American Programs website and more — listen to podcasts from Washington State University About WSU: A selection of programs about Washington State — Nearly two dozen vehicles were involved in a series of crashes in Lewis County that hurt six people amid snowy The collisions happened at around noon Thursday on southbound Interstate 5 in Toledo PHOTOS | Six hurt in 22-car pileup in Chehalis Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn said 22 vehicles were involved The six people who were hurt were taken to three area hospitals Video from the scene showed the freeway lanes covered with snow and ice and a string of crashed vehicles along the shoulder Finn said traffic was backed up 10 to 12 miles After three hours ,the right lane reopened The scene was finally cleared and all lanes reopened around 5:30 p.m This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Deputies are investigating a dog attack which occurred inside a residence in the 400 block of River Road in Chehalis on Wednesday afternoon aid personnel and deputies were dispatched to a dog bite of a 91-year-old female they discovered the victim had been attacked by two of her own German Shepherds resulting in major trauma to both of her lower arms The victim was transported by aid personnel to the Adna High School to meet Life Flight and later passed away on the flight to the hospital The following day deputies met with the co-owner of the two involved dogs who voluntarily turned the dogs over to law enforcement to be euthanized Anyone having possible information about the incident is encouraged to call the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286 or Lewis County Communications at (360) 740-1105 "INCIDENT: The River Explodes Sending A 18-Foot Wall Of Water Through West Lewis County." A pair of German shepherds killed their 91-year old female owner in Chehalis Please review our comment policy The link “under scrutiny in 2012” doesn’t work – not found Sorry about that, two links got combined. “under scrutiny in 2012” should be: https://www.chronline.com/stories/foxhounds-seized-in-doty-were-wading-in-their-filth,118042 Lewis County Sirens has more background: https://lewiscountysirens.com/?s=Nancy+Punches excellent photos of the dogs and kennels – there’s that standing water they were talking about Looks like a commercial-grade dog-farming setup Uhm so someone who hoarded dogs for profit and treated them miserably was eaten by said dogs It’s sad she was a senior and maybe she didn’t have all her faculties But does anyone else see the dramatic irony Then that begs the question of how she was allowed to obtain more animals to neglect…I guess If she was having more than six litters born per year One of my acquaintances was shooting BB guns at his GSDs He was critically ill and was aware that if he went down Large dogs can be too dangerous for elderly people to handle handling dogs which are too big and too strong for a single elderly woman to handle is stupid That teaches the dogs that they can do as they want which will require additional training to fix The woman who raised him might have taken him out once daily She shoved sticks up his rectum in order to get him to eliminate when and where she wanted She would never have admitted she was wrong Chompers was biting over brushing him out and baths He was placed in a different home and was doing well The information came from her adult son many months later I could have helped him if I had known I can’t believe someone isn’t mentally ill to do something like that Proof some people should be banned from having animals This story doesn’t surprise me in the least some nearby neighbors owned a German Shepherd that they kept in a cage next to the house We were told that the dog was a “police dog” and it was there for “protection.” In reality it was one of the nastiest dogs I have ever seen I was afraid of it — and very relieved when that family left the neighborhood Simple answer: Because it was too dangerous to be let out of the cage I don’t know what police force this dog was part of Many folks have called German shepherd dogs police dogs A police dog is a dog owned and trained by the police Most often people are referring to a dog used for bite work as a police dog Would most people refer to a Labrador retriever that only does drug searches for the police to be a police dog Chaining and/or confining GSDs in small areas with lots of stimulation such as cars The dog’s only entertainment is in acting aggressive but the neglect can cause serious aggression We have confirmed the victim’s address with the audio dispatch log files It’s unfortunate whatever was going on that caused her to create such poor living conditions for the foxhounds and too bad she didn’t stick with that breed Maybe her health and age led to her no longer being able to care for the dogs properly Breeding operations can turn into hoarding situations too quickly but I would suspect she had 2 German shepherds for “protection.” How sad An elderly person would be better off with a security system instead of animals that have minds of their own I continue to long for a day when we update our thinking around so many paradigms And if she had wanted a dog for companionship something small and calm that has never killed a person would have been a much better choice The only dog breed any of my family members have ever been bitten by is a German shepherd (2 different people in my family But I’m thankful my family has chosen to own dog breeds that have never killed people If AC would have banned her from owning any dogs as part of the plea deal from her hording case she would still be alive Glad there were no kids or innocent elderly involved The lady found her self at the intersection of F around and find out I would ask why Adult Protective Services was not brought into this situation long ago The 2012 incident was a big red flag that her judgement was not sound which was probably too much for her to maintain anyway she should have been required to relinquish the dogs and convinced to move to senior housing So the poor old gal died for someone else’s profit I worked for one of the orgs that seized the 72 dogs from the 2012 rescue I later adopted three of those severely traumatized Foxhounds I’ve seen the conditions they were living in they were living in 12″ of their own feces and urine There were dead dogs inside the “barn” (more like a garage) and 20 puppies inside with parvo – they didn’t make it All three of my girls have since passed after a beautiful life spent knowing nothing but love and compassion post rescue But they were all traumatized in their own way None of those dogs deserved the hell they endured from Nancy Punches Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" DogsBite.org is a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks. Through our work, we hope to protect both people and pets from future attacks.  |  Make a donation today » Copyright © 2007-2025 DogsBite.org   |   Published by Lynn Media Group Subscribe to our email list Funding intended to attract and expand manufacturing activity and job creation in rural Washington WA—The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded $2 million in grants to eight projects that will expand the state’s portfolio of project-ready industrial sites The one-time grants will help publicly owned sites become more competitive for business attraction and investment port districts and tribal governments submitted proposals to support specific industrial site projects “We’re delighted to award these grants to support some exciting projects envisioned in rural communities around the state,” said Commerce Director Mike Fong “These sites have the potential to attract manufacturers with good jobs that can be a catalyst for additional economic activity.” “This grant will kickstart our master plan and prepare the Chehalis-Centralia AIrport for the design and construction of the Chehalis Hub for Aviation Innovation and Sustainable Energy (CHAISE),” said Airport Director Brandon Rakes “The grant funds help us complete environmental studies and pre-design tasks enabling a biological assessment that will likely put us 12 months ahead of schedule.” Rakes said CHAISE will be a place for emerging aviation technology companies to demonstrate their technology and workforce development opportunities in the community while simultaneously reducing the airport’s carbon footprint and generating clean energy © 2025 Washington State Department of Commerce Milestone memorandum of understanding formalizes areas of partnership; seeks to remove administrative barriers WA —  Chehalis Tribe Chairman Dustin Klatush and Washington State Department of Commerce Director Mike Fong today signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing government-to-government relations between the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and the department in a ceremony at Talking Cedars in Rochester The agreement seeks to remove administrative barriers implement culturally appropriate data privacy and security measures I am inspired by the words of Sitting Bull the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun and we shall soon see the results of their love!’ These words echo the spirit of our tribal sovereignty – a force that fills us with hope and resilience,” said Chairman Klatush “Our sovereignty isn’t about just laws; it is about who we are as a people Klatush said entering into an MOU with Commerce will have practical benefits like expedited contracting and also includes areas of partnership integral to the expression of tribal sovereignty “Having the opportunity to voice our preferences around tribal consultation and data sovereignty is a refreshing and greatly appreciated change,” he added declaring: “Let the power of our sovereignty move us forward; may it guide us to a brighter future for our tribal communities and the next seven generations “I am honored to join Chehalis Tribe Chairman Dustin Klatush in forging this groundbreaking relationship,” said Commerce Director Fong vibrant tribal nations and tribal communities strengthen all Washington communities in many ways This agreement marks a pivotal moment in how Commerce works in accord with tribal communities in our state.” Fong said the MOU is the first of more similar agreements with tribes in Washington state anticipated in coming weeks “These agreements reflect our values as an agency We take a holistic approach to working with all communities to access the continuum of resources available through Commerce from capital funding for affordable housing community facilities and energy infrastructure to support for community services and economic development and job creation.” who recently marked his first year leading Commerce meeting with tribal leaders and community members listening to understand how Commerce can improve collaboration on top priority issues Commerce created a standalone Office of Tribal Relations led by Michelle Gladstone-Wade established tribal liaisons across the department for critical programs added funding for technical assistance around applying for funding and streamlined clean energy grant opportunities Fong has made it a priority to pursue a high-touch holistic approach that seeks to remove unnecessary bureaucracy in Commerce processes and procedures and provide more technical assistance to tribes and all communities the agency works with throughout the state This is especially important to smaller tribes all of which may lack the administrative and financial resources to navigate complex pathways to access funding available to them through Commerce To learn more and follow Commerce’s work with tribal communities in Washington state, visit the Office of Tribal Relations webpage Get photos and video from the event (flickr) Some might breeze past the twin towns of Chehalis or Centralia or maybe pull over for a fuel-up Yet Centralia and Chehalis offer enough for a solid the small-town charm of both includes a bustling featuring a mix of contemporary and quaint an abandoned mall and a county museum’s UFO exhibit.  with a slightly older and larger population count Both feature thriving communities with shopping you’re unlikely to find elsewhere.   To stretch your legs, exit I-5 and stop by the 121-acre Fort Borst Park to stroll the arboretum or spot the historic Borst homestead and one-room schoolhouse Or visit Rotary Riverside Park for a walk along the Skookumchuck River’s waterfront.  art galleries and bookstores primarily cluster along Tower Avenue and can easily take an afternoon to explore Around a dozen antique stores (some multi-story) can be found along the avenue For example, you can get your corsets, candles and costume wear at The Victorian & Steampunk Emporium The tiny shop is stuffed with all manner of geeky goodness from D&D dice to whimsically named tea blends such as “My Dreams Are Your Nightmares” Warlock tea (aka black tea with vanilla and chamomile) Or get your next line-dance outfit at this boutique with cowgirl-cool contemporary Insert Coin offers more than 100 retro and modern machines and Lewis County’s only self-serve tap wall with 26 taps. Or skate along at Centralia Rollerdrome’s weekend rollerskating sessions; the building opened as a dance hall in 1904 and converted to a roller rink in 1907 Centralia offers two great hotel options within a walk of the town’s numerous restaurants Spend the night in one of 27 vintage-vibe guest rooms at the Olympic Club Hotel at McMenamins Centralia Catch a movie in the living-room-like theater a live show or practice your shot in the billiard parlor.  Another historic, downtown option is the restored 1920s-era Centralia Square Grand Ballroom and Hotel which is replete with clawfoot tubs and hardwood floors.  break your overnight fast at one of Centralia’s numerous country-themed diners The portion sizes offer the right fuel for your next small-town exploration.  Options include Berry Fields Cafe’s three-egg omelets, Country Cousin’s chicken-fried steak, or Judy’s Country Kitchen’s cornflake French toast inside a log-cabin-style building.  Then, drive along South Gold Street to reach Chehalis. The route takes you past Seminary Hill Natural Area’s two miles of well-maintained walking and hiking trail loops surrounded by evergreen shrubs and 100-year-old trees.  sad relic about two miles south of Seminary Hill 305,000-square-foot building is roped off and guarded by an even more curious and extraordinarily large (60-foot-tall) seated bird designed to be spotted from I-5.   Within a 1912 Northern Pacific Railway depot, the Lewis County Historical Museum describes the Yard Birds’ backstory with memorabilia eclectic malls before experiencing a seemingly endless series of natural disasters.  the museum features the expected and unexpected There’s the history of the Upper and Lower Chehalis Tribes and the Cowlitz Tribe and recreated vintage town shops But there’s also an exhibit focused on local UFO sightings including 19th-century bottles found by a scuba diver and an authentic pallbearer’s horse-drawn coach for funeral use.  It’s a leisurely block’s stroll from the museum to Chehalis’s downtown featuring preserved and restored late 19th and early 20th-century buildings home to an impressive collection of bookstores a yarn shop and several restaurants.  Don’t miss Northwest Salmon Smokehouse and Artisan Market which are worth a drive from Seattle for in-house salmon smoked weekly and tuna fish salad with fresh Westport tuna.  Finally, end your afternoon at the 22,000-square-foot Veterans Memorial Museum which retells military history through individual service members’ clothing and memories Get dinner in town from one of downtown’s many restaurants.  Then, take your (reserved) tickets to McFiler’s Chehalis Theater which puts on a fun set of all-ages and adult-only upcoming events Centralia and Chehalis are a BOGO deal for a unique weekend road trip you’re unlikely to forget.   Whether you’re looking to make an environmentally conscious choice with a hybrid or to save cash with our new car lease deals, Western Washington Toyota Dealers can help you find a new car that keeps up with your lifestyle dependable sunbreaks and longer daylight hours offer the perfect excuse to get on the road Art beckons from nearly every corner of the town enlivening escape on even the most dreary Northwest days a spot for Mexican-American fusion and more Known as “Little Norway,” Poulsbo’s seaside Scandifluence is felt almost everywhere — from Finn Hill Road to Viking Avenue Washington beaches reveal glimpses of migrating gray whales — bring binoculars to the coastal bluffs for the best whale-watching views alpine passes and more — but you’ll have to slow down a bit Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser The 2,700 square-mile Chehalis River watershed is one of the state's only major river drainage systems with no salmon species listed as threatened or endangered. However experts studying the basin report that some salmon runs have declined as much as 80% due to a combination of lost and damaged habitat and technical specialists say if no action is taken in the basin we could lose Chehalis River spring Chinook salmon entirely in 60 years We could also lose a significant percent of the economically vital steelhead runs in that same period.  Climate change is bringing more frequent and intense fall and winter storms and rising water temperatures to the basin five of the largest floods in the Chehalis basin’s history have occurred in the last 30 years Washington State, local leaders, and people of the Chehalis Basin are able to help address these challenges through the Chehalis Basin Strategy. The Strategy is an ambitious collection of potential actions to improve and restore river habitat and reduce flood damage It is a basin-wide strategy that includes near- and long-term actions as well as small- and large-scale projects The long-term goal of the Strategy is to make the basin a safer place for families and communities impacted by flooding and to improve and restore aquatic species habitat now and for future generations To help address the downward trend of salmon runs representatives from the Quinault Indian Nation Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and other technical experts developed a draft aquatic species restoration plan aimed at protecting and restoring aquatic habitat in the basin Together, the team worked with farmers, foresters, conservationists, the Department of Ecology’s Office of Chehalis Basin and local governments to help shape the plan The science-based draft restoration plan identifies potential actions with the voluntary support of willing landowners that offer the best chance to: The work outlined in the plan will allow river flows to connect with side channels and wetlands This will help cool water stay in the rivers when fish need it most enhance salmon spawning grounds up and down the river and support overall ecosystem resiliency.  Visit the Aquatic Species Restoration Plan page for more information the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) initiated the design process for four “reach-scale” habitat restoration projects in different river sub-basins throughout the Chehalis Basin a tributary to the South Fork Chehalis River These four projects intensively restored up to 13 miles of aquatic and riparian habitat Funding was provided by the Washington State Legislature through the Department of Ecology’s Office of Chehalis Basin In addition to these four “early action reach” projects, WDFW and the Recreation and Conservation Office are working closely with local organizations, project sponsors, and community members to implement restoration projects that will improve habitat and water quality and protect against flood damage across the basin.  The Chehalis Fish Passage Barrier Prioritization web app is a tool to help inform which fish passage barriers should be corrected first in the Chehalis Basin Correcting fish passage barriers such as undersized culverts helps restore access to salmon spawning and rearing habitat Request translations or interpretation Click to display full size or right-click to save to your device Contact: Victoria Knorr, 360-480-9130Media contact: Bridget Mire and restoration professionals for two days of interactive learning focused on western Washington’s Chehalis Basin at the 2024 Aquatic Species Restoration Plan (ASRP) Symposium “Our team is excited to share how we’re providing habitat benefits for a wide range of aquatic species while also addressing the community needs in the Chehalis Basin,” said Victoria Knorr Chehalis Basin ASRP program manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) “We look forward to hearing feedback and ideas from local communities as we continue to develop and implement the plan.” and the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Office of Chehalis Basin Symposium participants will explore planned and ongoing aquatic habitat restoration in the Chehalis Basin and learn more about aquatic species in their watersheds The second day of the event will include a guided tour of the nearby China Creek restoration site featuring project co-benefits to mitigate flood damage and improve habitat.  The science-informed plan is designed to improve and restore aquatic habitat as well as protect communities and landscapes from a predicted increase in flooding disasters The Chehalis Basin is comprised of nearly 3,400 miles of streams and rivers that provide critical habitat to fish and amphibians including salmon and the federally endangered Oregon spotted frog Representatives from Quinault Indian Nation drafted the plan to help address declining salmon and steelhead runs and local governments to shape the plan and develop an implementation strategy The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.  Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 833-885-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov ASOS/AWOSNOAA The web cam images are being provided as a service for pilots to view current airport conditions. They should not take the place of a pilot’s responsibility for obtaining a regulatory compliant weather briefing prior to flight from automated resources or from Flight Service Excessive speed was a top cause of work zone collisions in 2024 96% of people hurt in work zones are drivers   Sign up for email updates Subscribe to customized emails to help you know before you go - The Lewis County Sheriff's Office says they are investigating an incident that left one officer injured and a man dead following an attempted arrest in Chehalis Friday The Lewis County Sheriff's Office says the Pierce County Sheriff's Office was attempting to arrest a 32-year-old man for investigation of Rape of a Child in the 2nd degree at a residence in the 400 block of NE Adams Ave in Chehalis Friday morning the sheriff's office says the man appeared to reach for a weapon A Pierce County deputy fired their gun and the man ran off Law enforcement responded and a K9 was able to locate the man just after 12 p.m the sheriff's office says the man reportedly stabbed a Centralia Police Officer in the head and back Officers from the Centralia Police Department then shot and killed the man according to the Lewis County Sheriff's Office Officials say the officer who was stabbed was taken to an area hospital for surgery and is in stable condition The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is the primary investigating agency however and the Washington State Patrol are all assisting Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office at (360) 748-9286 Dan Ayres, 360-470-3557; Jason Wettstein 360-704-0258 recreational Dungeness crab fisheries on the Washington coast from areas south of Point Chehalis will reopen to crab fishing -- including the popular waters of Willapa Bay. Inside the Columbia River inside Grays Harbor and coastal areas north to Cape Flattery also remain open for crabbing Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery managers are able to reopen these areas after testing showed domoic acid levels in crab met standards for safe consumption “We are hoping that the drop in marine toxin levels holds and our recreational fishers will have plenty of opportunity to put some crabs in pots,” said Dan Ayres Recreational crab fishing has been closed over recent months in many areas due to marine toxins a natural toxin produced by certain types of marine algae can be harmful and even fatal if consumed in sufficient quantities Cooking or freezing does not destroy domoic acid in shellfish working closely with the Department of Health will continue marine toxin sampling in all marine areas,” said Ayres Crabbing in marine areas east of the Tatoosh-Bonilla line; including that portion of MA 4 (Neah Bay) and all of MAs 5-13 in Puget Sound remain closed razor clam digs throughout Washington also remain closed the tribes opened Talking Cedar in 2020 and will begin distilling their own spirits next week Copper stills are the heart of Talking Cedar’s enormous distillery The array of pilot stills will be used for classes for the public The Indian Intercourse Act of 1834 — intended to regulate trade and “preserve the peace on the frontiers” — made the manufacturing of liquor in “Indian Country” illegal reservation land opened in Washington state The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation will begin distilling their own spirits at their Talking Cedar distillery next week after a long fight with the federal government to move beyond the control of that 1834 law and the racism that surrounded it David Burnett was surprised but remained determined.  “I like to just keep going and, if something comes up, it's something to either go through or around or over,” said Burnett, the previous tribal chairman and current CEO of Chehalis Tribal Enterprises “It was just another barrier and I didn't really contemplate what that might necessarily mean for Indian Country.” After receiving the letter from the Department of Interior the tribes found out that the military would forcefully destroy any distillery on a reservation under the 1834 law So the Chehalis tribes put the project on hold and spent almost a year working on overturning the federal regulation One of several well equipped bars at Talking Cedar a brewery and distillery owned by the Chehalis Tribe is the first legal alcohol production facility on tribal land following a repeal of a 185-year old law meant to oppress Native Americans some Chehalis tribal elders and some youth brought up concerns about opening such a large alcohol-related business The business plan called for a 35,000-square-foot complex projected to create at least 130 jobs Stereotypes of the “drunken Indian” have  persisted since first contact and stemmed from the idea that Indigenous people were inferior and therefore more susceptible to alcohol abuse This racist stereotyping was what emboldened federal lawmakers to pass the 1834 law while offering soldiers stationed on reservations daily whiskey rations.  A 2016 study found that Indigenous people’s binge and heavy drinking rates match those of whites, and that Native Americans are actually more likely to abstain from alcohol use. Although drinking rates are the same, Indigenous people die at much higher rates than any other group from alcohol-related issues safe housing and quality food amplifies health problems connected to alcohol and the stereotyping could contribute to the failure of health care providers to treat the real problem.  The Chehalis General Council talked through concerns related to the lingering stereotype and the potential harm to the community and agreed that Talking Cedar would benefit the tribes and decided to move forward.  The Chehalis tribes don’t pay federal income taxes on any of their businesses but, according to Burnett, it’s like they pay a 100% tax to the tribal government. All earnings from Chehalis businesses, including the new distillery, go toward tribal schools and academic development programs for Native youth, quality health care and wellness programs, like the Caring for Each Other House which focuses on healing from violent trauma and on other services the tribal government provides Left: Barrels and kegs of Talking Cedar beer in their new 35,000 square foot facility in Grand Mound the Chehalis tribes opened the $25 million  Talking Cedar craft brewery gastropub-style restaurant and event space.  but to get one changed in that short of a time frame is a rather heroic lift by our people,” Burnett said.  Once the law was overturned, the door opened to other tribes interested in starting their own distillery businesses. To help other tribes diversify their economic ventures, the Tribal Beverage Network was created The network is a concept of Heritage Distilling Co. which worked with the Chehalis tribes to overturn the 1834 law Heritage Distilling is also partnering with the Chehalis tribes to use their distillery now one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest Talking Cedar has the capacity to produce 10,000 barrels of whiskey per year and nearly 1.5 million gallons of other spirits according to the Heritage Distilling site.  “They can come to our facility and see what we're doing,” Burnett said Since working with the Chehalis tribes to open Talking Cedar other tribes from around the country have reached out to Heritage Distilling to express an interest in doing the same Heritage Distilling is currently reviewing agreements with tribes in Arizona and has also been contacted by tribes in Louisiana and Oregon “I think we're viewed as a trusted partner on how to help tribes get a distillery started and to have success early on,” said Justin Stiefel Heritage Distilling will be licensing its brand to each tribe so that each can produce Heritage Distilling products with their recipes while also working to create their own unique brand and products “For us this is also about partnering with the tribes to help them to exercise sovereignty,” Stiefel said.  all future Heritage Distilling locations will be a partnership with a tribe “It's how we want to move our company forward —  in partnership with as many tribes as are looking to partner across the country,” Stiefel said Canning beers was always the end goal of the Talking Cedar brewery A shelf on a fridge inside the 35,000 square foot brewery and distillery is filled with their Eagle One IPA The Talking Cedar brewery and distillery can be seen from two different bars within the 35,000 square foot facility in Grand Mound head brewer and quality manager of Talking Cedar brewery poses for a portrait at the Chehalis Tribe’s new 35,000 square foot facility in Grand Mound Right: Barley malt flows into Talking Cedar’s brewery from one of their half-dozen silos A stocked fridge sits in the center of the facility Because of the challenges of starting a new business during the pandemic — including supply chain issues — Talking Cedar has been preparing to distill spirits for the past six years but will begin producing its first product next week under the Heritage brand with capacity to do other labels once production ramps up Among the challenges have been importing distilling equipment from Italy one of the early epicenters of the pandemic and skyrocketing steel prices resuslting from a trade war with China.  The Chehalis tribes coped by replacing a lot of steel elements with wood “We essentially had to design this project twice,” Burnett said They have started hiring more workers and are ready to go “We are excited for the spirits production to begin and to see that space come to life,” Burnett said.  Opening a brew pub during pandemic restrictions made introducing a new craft beer into a crowded market a challenge But now that things have begun to open up a bit Talking Cedar’s Pacific Northwest IPA and Raspberry Blond IPA can be found packaged and in kegs in bars and retail outlets all over Washington and northern Idaho and an Eagle 1 IPA are also being distributed right now but Talking Cedar plans to change its product lineup to meet demand for innovation in the market.  Talking Cedar’s 35,000 square foot distillery-brewery houses a restaurant a 60 barrel production capacity brewery and a 3.2 million bottle-a-year distillery Talking Cedar is also working with Stillwater Artisanal which distributes beer in 35 states and five countries “It's a pretty big deal for us,” said Ryan Myhre “It's gonna allow us to use a lot of this capacity We've got way more here than Talking Cedar could probably use in 10 years so it's really imperative to bring a partner who's got a really big distribution footprint and Stillwater is that person.”  through the Talking Cedar partnership with Stillwater alone the operation should be producing 6,000 barrels of beer and Talking Cedar may begin growing its own hops.  “When we talk to some of our elder tribal members they can remember as children that in our valley there used to be hop production,” Burnett said The elders remember their parents going out into the hop fields and picking hops for extra money “So we know that this region can grow hops and we would like to try to do that and truly create some unique flavors that are distinctly from our reservation,” he said Talking Cedar’s Pviek IPA is photographed on one of many built in bar lights that showcase the color and clarity of beers We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Cascade PBS's in-depth reporting on issues crticial to the PNW Enjoy a few extra bites with your favorite guests as host Rachel Belle shares fresh audio from the cutting-room floor of Children of the Setting Sun helps publish Reefnetters of the Salish Sea the final thesis of world-renowned anthropologist Wayne Suttles Luna Reyna is Crosscut’s former Indigenous Affairs Reporter. Reach her at luna.reyna@crosscut.com or follow her on Twitter @lunabreyna As Republican legislators opt for ballot harvesting Democrats lean into town halls in predominantly red districts to engage new or reluctant voters.