•••
MOTHER NATURE DANGER
• Firefighters were called at 1 p.m. yesterday when lightning strikes to trees caused two brush fires along Lincoln Creek Road west of Centralia. Firefighters with the state Department of Natural Resources were already on the scene at the 2100 block and both fires were small and contained quickly, according to Riverside Fire Authority. It was fortunate it was continuously raining at the time, preventing anything larger from developing, Capt. Erik Olson indicated. Conditions are still very dry and the fire danger remains high, despite the small amount of rain that fell, according to Olson.
CAR PROWL
• Police were called about 10:25 a.m. yesterday to the 2500 block of Kristine Court in Centralia about a flashlight getting stolen from a vehicle.
FAKE BILL COLLECTOR THREATS
• Police and the Centralia Utilities Center are warning customers of a scam involving bogus collection calls. Authorities have gotten several complaints from customers who reported receiving a phone call from a male who said if they didn’t pay their bill immediately, their utilities would be shut off, according to the Centralia Police Department. Anyone who gets such a call is urged to hang up and then phone 360-330-7657. Police detective Patty Finch said that is the only valid number for the utilities customer service department. Finch indicates it’s a rare occasion the utility will call a customer, and that would be after both a statement and a past due letter have been sent out.
CRIME STOPPERS
• Crime Stoppers of Lewis County and the Chehalis Police Department are seeking help with a burglary investigation involving some $3,000 worth of Ray-Ban and other brands of sunglasses stolen from an optometry business at the 100 block of Boistfort Street in Chehalis. The break-in occurred between 6 p.m. on July 30 and 4 o’clock the following morning, according to authorities. More than 30 pairs were taken. Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 for information leading to the clearance of crimes. Anonymous calls can be made to 1-800-748-6422 or information may be shared online at www.lewiscountycrimestoppers.org
AND MORE
• And as usual, other incidents such as arrests for warrants, misdemeanor assault; responses for collision on city street, collision on Interstate 5 … and more.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter