Nov. 29, 2018

Thursday, November 29, 2018

PROCRASTINATORS: LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS CAN SOLVE YOUR LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING NEEDS — Page 4

BEST BARTENDER WINS WILD COMPETITION — Page 10

WHERE TO FIND YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE — Page 6

TRUCK STOP SHOPPING

CALENDAR

2 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

OF EVENTS NOV. 29 — DEC. 9 THROUGH DEC, 21

The Polar Express Train Ride at Mount Rainier departs from

Elbe at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on select days through the holidays.

For the third year in a row “The Polar Express” will be making round-trip treks from Elbe to the North Pole. Those inspired train rides based on “The Polar Express” children’s book and movie will be leaving numerous times per week through the end of the year.

Each experience lasts about 90 minutes from start to finish and the careening adventure is capped by a personal visit from Santa Claus to each child aboard the train. For reservations call the Mt. Rainier Railroad and Logging Museum at 360.492.6000.

THROUGH DEC. 22

The Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum presents “The Polar Express” train ride. These

train rides feature the reading

tap into the scene

of the popular book “The Polar Express” during the trek to the North Pole, where we will pick up Santa for the return trip. Each child will be given the first gift by Santa on the way back to the depot.

Children are encouraged to come in their pajamas like in the movie.

There will be cocoa and cookies provided on board, as well as singing and other entertainment.

The train ride is approximately 1 hour. Most runs are at 5 and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $38 adults, $28 children.

Info: 360.748.9593.

FRIDAY, NOV. 30 THROUGH SATURDAY, DEC. 8

The Roxy Theater in Morton presents “Into the Woods, Jr.”

Follow the Baker and his barren wife as they seek help from classic Grimm’s Fairy Tale characters to break their curse and live happily ever after, in the junior version of Sondheim’s critically acclaimed musical. Friday, Nov. 30 and Friday, Dec. 7 performances start at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 8 shows start at 2 p.m. Cost is adults $10 at the door; children under 12 $5. Info: 360.496.0541, roxy@lewiscounty.com. The Roxy Theater is located at 233 West Main Ave., Morton.

FRIDAY, NOV. 30 THROUGH SUNDAY, DEC. 16 ON THE COVER

By Weekender Photographer Jared Wenzelburger

PACIFIC NORTHWEST ORCHESTRA

The Evergreen Playhouse presents “Scrooge the Musical.” No holiday season is

complete without a retelling of

Dickens’ beloved A Christmas Carol, and in 1970, renowned writer/composer/lyricist Leslie Bricusse adapted the classic short story into the hit musical Scrooge.

With the goose and holly of a Victorian Christmas surrounding him, miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge rejects the companionship of his fellow men and women for the sterile pleasure of gold. He is saved from this loveless life by the intercession of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, who take him on a fantastic trip through the times of his life and show him a glimpse of the tragic future that awaits him should he not mend his ways. In the end, a transformed Scrooge realizes that “mankind should be my business” and that one little boy is of greater weight than all of the gold in his strongbox. Most showings are at 7:30 p.m., with some 2 p.m. matinees. The Dec. 6 show is a “pay what you can.” Cost is $15 adults, and $12 for students and seniors. Info: 360.736.8628, theevergreenplayhouse@gmail.com The Evergreen Playhouse is located at 226 West Center St., Centralia.

FRIDAY, NOV. 30

Centralia College Jazz Ensemble 7 to 9 p.m. at Corbet

Theatre. Come hear talented college and local musicians play jazz, including music by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Kris Berg and more. Directed by Louie Blaser.

Appropriate for all ages. Free and

SANTA PARADE

open to the public. For information, contact Beth May at 360.623.8487 or email beth.may@centralia.edu.

Thorebeckes Dive In Theater takes place every Friday beginning at 7 p.m. Bring an inflatable floatie and a friend for a movie on the big screen over the big pool. Free for members and fun for the whole family. The junior pool is also open during the weekly “Dive In Movie” event. The show this week is “The Peanuts Movie.”

SATURDAY, DEC. 1

69th Annual Santa Parade in

downtown Chehalis 11 a.m. The theme this year is Gingerbread Village. The Grand Marshal is Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza.

City Farm in Chehalis presents Chris Guenther’s live acoustic holiday Americana concert “Christmas in My Hometown” starting at 1 p.m.

City Farm is located at 456 N. Market Blvd., Chehalis.

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LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 3

FROM PAGE 2.................................

Historic Downtown Centralia Open House 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Activities, lights and magic. Come enjoy the spirit of Christmas.

MONDAY, DEC. 3

Pacific Northwest Chamber Orchestra with the Centralia College Choir performs 7:30 to

10:30 p.m. at Corbet Theatre. They will perform music by Tchaikovsky, Dukas, Bach, and others along with festive holiday favorites.

Appropriate for all ages. Free and open to the public. Info: Beth May at 360.623.8487, beth.may@centralia. edu and pncoa.org.

characters. A young boy, JoJo, discovers a red-and-white striped hat. The Cat in the Hat suddenly appears and brings along with him Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuss, the Whos, Mayzie La Bird and Sour Kangaroo. The musical runs Fridays, Dec. 7 and 14, starting at 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays, Dec. 8 and 15, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the ASB Office or at the door. Info: 360.807.7235 Ext. 5508.

FRIDAY, DEC. 7

Thorebeckes Dive In Theater

takes place every Friday beginning at 7 p.m. Bring an inflatable floatie and a friend for a movie on the big screen over the big pool. Free for members and fun for the whole WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5 Centralia College Faculty Recital family. The junior pool is also open during the weekly “Dive In Movie” at Corbet Theatre, starting at event. The show this week is “Ice 7 p.m. Come hear music faculty Princess.” from Centralia College performing chamber works and holiday favorites.

Featuring Lesley O’Donel, flute, SATURDAY AND Kathleen Scarborough, violin/viola, SUNDAY, DEC. 8-9 Daven Tillinghast, guitar, and Beth The Historic Downtown May, Piano. Appropriate for all ages. Centralia’s Christmas Market Free and open to the public. Info: features artisans, food, music Beth May at 360.623.8487, beth. and holiday cheer. The event is 9 may@centralia.edu. a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m.

THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, DEC. 6-8

Morton presents its 12th Annual Festival of Trees at Barbara

Clevenger Johnson Gallery and the Roxy Theater, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. Refreshments, raffles and door prizes while you bid and vote for your favorite tree. Silent auction to benefit Barbara Clevenger Johnson Gallery. Check out the Living Nativity Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Centralia Train Depot, 210 Railroad Ave., Centralia.

SATURDAY, DEC. 8

world of Dr. Seuss and his colorful

100 entries decked out in holiday splendor with a minimum of 1,000 Christmas lights each as they ramble through downtown Centralia.

This year is also the second-ever Christmas Market featuring unique, one-of-a-kind handcrafted and upcycled holiday gifts and décor.

The Lucky Eagle Casino presents Vince Neil live in concert. Doors open at 7 p.m. with

the concert starting at 8 p.m. Neil will play all the hits of Mötley Crüe.

Tickets start at $25 for club members at Players Club. Tickets also available for sale at Players club or by phone at 800.720.1788.

Offut Lake 6th Annual Boat Parade. Gather at the dock at 6

p.m. Offut Lake Resort is located Centralia Lighted Tractor Parade at 4005 120th Ave SE, Tenino, WA starts at 6 p.m. and features around 98589.

If you want your event listed in Lewis County Weekender’s calendar, email items to mwagar@chronline.com.

LEWIS COUNTY

WEEKENDER Editor-In-Chief Michael Wagar mwagar@chronline.com/360.269.7979 Assistant Editor Eric Schwartz eschwartz@chronline.com/360.807.8217 Design Director Nicole Kiourkas nkiourkas@chronline.com Media Specialist Tyler Beairsto tbeairsto@chronline.com/360.807.8212 The Lewis County Weekender is published in conjunction with The Silver Agency and is a property of Lafromboise Communications, Inc., the parent company of The Chronicle.

Editorial and Advertising Mailing Address 321 N. Pearl St., Centralia, Washington, 98531

Pat Slusher’s

COIN SHOP

FRIDAYS, DEC. 7, 14, AND SATURDAYS, DEC. 8 AND 15

W.F. West Theatre Presents “Suissical,” featuring the amazing

TRACTOR PARADE

VINCE NEIL

107 N. TOWER AVENUE CENTRALIA, WA 98531 (360) 330-8052

4 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

Truck Stop Shopping Christmas Eve Shopping On a Deadline At Love’s Travel Stop Weekender Editor’s Note: We asked reporter Katie Hayes to pretend it is Christmas Eve, one hour before she needs to be at the family present giving gathering. She hasn’t bought one item. The solution? You can buy everything you need to fulfill your shopping list in under an hour at your typical truck stop such as Love’s Travel Shops. So, if you find yourself in that predicament a month from Jared Wenzelburger / jwenzelburger@chronline.com now, don’t fret, The Weekender Representative Henry Caywod points to a replica gladiator helmet he plans to buy a family member for Christmas, at the Love’s Travel Stops in shows you how it can be done. Katie Napavine. did a run through Love’s Travel Shop for us last week. card. He wanted to know why the hell I thought it was acceptable to give my father pot. The following

By Katie Hayes KHAYES@CHRONLINE.COM year, I gave him a two-pack of pens from Walmart.

It’s Christmas Eve and I’m on the I don’t like buying terrible gifts — hunt for my family’s gifts at Love’s it just sort of happens. Unless I’ve Travel Stops in Napavine. With limited put months of thought into a gift, it’s time, and a $20 budget per person typically disastrous. This year (under that I have no hope of keeping, I this fake scenario), already late for ask a Love’s employee what’s the Christmas Eve at home, Love’s is strangest Christmas present she has my last hope for my mom, dad and seen someone buy at the store. brother’s gifts. I have friends, too, I “Well, condoms can be a guess, but they’ll cut me some slack Christmas present,” says the woman if I buy an apology beer next week. who prefers I call her either Diva A man in sunglasses and a Santa of Darkness or Goddess of the costume walks through the store as Fashion Girl dolls are seen on display with a sign that reads “Large Animals” at the Love’s Universe. “It’s the gift that keeps I browse. He is roughly 100 pounds Travel Stops in Napavine. giving until the box runs out.” shy of being an impressive Santa, A $10 calculator catches my eye (I’m guessing) placed above a sign I don’t buy my mom condoms, but but still catches attention as he walks for my mother, who is a certified that says “large animals.” These I can sense Goddess’ wisdom will be past the candy isle. public accountant.

After 0.5 seconds an invaluable resource in my search.

Goddess shakes her head. I can won’t work either, but I’m impressed of self reflection, I decide I’m under My parents already have imagine she thinks, “Only in Lewis with the stockers’ sense of humor. qualified to buy presents for other appropriately low expectations of County.”

Outside, the lead truck driver for my gift-giving capabilities. One year, I return to my mission, determined humans. the Napavine Love’s tells me he buys On a top shelf sit $20 dolls that to buy Christmas presents that won’t I baked my dad a chocolate cake stand two feet tall and are mistakenly SEE PAGE 5.................................... for his birthday and put a joint in his make my family hate me.

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 5

Road Tested Movies are seen on display at the Love’s Travel Stops in Napavine.

FROM PAGE 4.................................

Kim, if she has any advice. Kim likes the stuffed animals. It’s part of a drones for his 12 grandkids and, this large section of toys that the store year, a race track for one of them. has. A $30 tiger head is enticing, but He’s been driving trucks for the last I’m not sure my mom will find a tiger 44 years, and specifically driving head as funny as I do. for Love’s the last eight. This pretty I ask Goddess what she would buy much makes him an expert on travel her family for Christmas. stops in my mind, but drones freak “I don’t celebrate Christmas,” me out.

Goddess says. “I celebrate Yule.”

I consider myself a forwardI pretend to know what this is and thinking individual, but I’m not nod. After a quick Google search, convinced that drones aren’t part of I see it’s “a festival observed by some sort of the historical government Germanic conspiracy to peoples.” watch over Some of the us. I’ll be Northern damned if I Europeans buy someone and followers I actually like a of the liberal drone. religion I decide Unitarian to put less Universalism thought into observe Yule. government I don’t find Clearance items are on display at the Love’s Travel conspiracies this particularly Stops in Napavine. and do a helpful, but lightning round of gift picking. as I look around, I see my mother’s Without thinking: BAM. A $2 straw gift. It’s a Stanley Classic Vacuum hat for me. BAM. A $10 Die Hard Bottle for $39.99. It’s essentially an DVD for my dad. Sorry, Dad. At least insulated cup that’s good for travel this is better than the pens? and doesn’t look like it came from a “Closer — I’m getting much gas station.

Feeling uncertain about what closer,” I begin to tell myself. to buy my brother, and running My mother is the next person on out of time, I ask a man stocking my list. Ah, Mom — what will I buy Little Debbie snacks if he has any you instead of condoms? suggestions.

I ask another Love’s employee,

Jared Wenzelburger / jwenzelburger@chronline.com

A miniature gladiator helmet replica is displayed at the Love’s Travel Stops in Napavine.

A young girl looks for her name amongst assorted novelty lanyards at the Love’s Travel Stops in Napavine.

“Say I am very late for Christmas, and I’m trying to get something for my family, and I’m very cheap, so I only have a $20 budget for everyone I love,” I say.

He responds with an “oh my goodness,” gives a quick PR spiel about Little Debbie products and ends with an endorsement of pistachios (his favorite snack).

“I know, I’m a terrible human,” I say. “But that’s where I’m at. I give them the snack, then they’re not hungry and they’re less upset when I give them the junk presents. What do I pick out?”

The rep pulls out Christmas Cakes that are $1 each — I’m sold.

“I’ll tell you what I think is cool, but

it’s not exactly cheap,” the rep tells me. “I’m getting it for my son in law — these Viking helmets over there.

When they first came in with them, I happened to be here and people were putting them on their heads and walking around with them. It was pretty cool.”

With my $20 budget already dashed, I head to what are actually gladiator helmets. For my younger brother, I select a miniature gladiator helmet that is about $25.

My final purchase is a gladiator helmet, a Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle, Die Hard DVD, three Christmas cakes and a straw hat. It totals $80, and I’m barely late for Christmas Eve with the fam.

6 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

We Live In Christmas Tree Central

Get It Fresh: You Should Buy Your Yuletide Tree From an Area Farm weekends 9 to dusk. Mistletoe Mistletoe Tree Farm is located at 268 Stearns Road, Chehalis. Info: 360.748.0758.

Tree Farm

They offer Douglas Fir, Nobles, Fraser Fir and Nordmann Fir in Christmas Valley U-cut and pre-cut. Price is by the foot. Hand saws are available, Tree Farm no chainsaws. They also have fresh wreaths and garlands. Hot chocolate and coffee served daily. Santa will be available on the weekends from noon to 2 p.m. Open everyday through Dec. 9. Weekdays 11 to dusk and

Selection of Noble, Doug and Blue Spruce. Long lasting Mistletoe Tree Farm Trees are lined up for the choosing at Mistletoe Tree Farm in Chehalis. On weekends from Nordmann Fir and fragrant Grand noon to 2 p.m., Santa will be there to greet the kiddies.

Fir. Trees four to 15 feet high.

Holly and Wreaths. Located one mile west of Rochester on Highway 12. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, through Olympia. Info: 360.508.8111.

Dec. 24. Info: 360.273.6196.

Hick’s Christmas Trees

Come stock up this holiday on footwear!

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525 N. Market St. • Chehalis • 748-7178

Monday- Saturday 9:00 am- 5:30 pm, Sunday 11:00 am- 4:00 pm

U-cut, pre-cut, custom flocking and fire retarding available.

Thousands of trees to choose from. Open seven days a week.

Located at 3631 113th Ave. SW,

Lund’s Holiday Acres U-Cut Trees

Come enjoy a walk in the country. Noble Firs, Grand and Douglas, $20 to $25. Free holly with each tree. Open daily.

SEE PAGE 7....................................

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 7

to 8 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Directions: Exit 68 off I-5 go Located one half mile Northwest east on Highway 12. approximately of Napavine of Highway 603.

11 miles to Salkum. Turn left on Left on Romerman Road. Info: Stowell Road, go 2 miles. Farm 360.748.8619 or 360.508.0752. on left at stop sign. Trees was established in 1980. It is a family owned and operated Christmas tree farm. On the weekends there are wagon rides out into the trees.

Saws and other equipment are Christmas trees you choose available if you decide to cut your and cut, you choose and they own tree. The pre-cut trees are cut, precut Christmas trees, living displayed in a lighted and covered Christmas trees (to plant later), area. Once you pick a tree we Christmas wreaths, Christmas can bale it so it will be easier to boughs, tree shaking provided, transport it. We have Christmas trees baled, saws provided, located wreaths for sale in several sizes. at 812 Nevil Road, Winlock. Info: Located at 356 Shanklin Road, 360.880.8820. Fax: 360-785-8641. Onalaska. Info: 360.985.2828.

FROM PAGE 6.................................

Columbia Tree Farm

Logan Hill Tree Farm

Christmas trees you choose and cut, or you choose and they cut, located at 611 Logan Hill Road, Chehalis. Info: 360.748.8997.

Directions: From I-5 North or South: Exit 76 to l3th Street. Turn left on Jackson Highway to Logan Hill Road (5 miles). Turn left. Go 2 and 1/2 miles to tree farm on left

Mill Creek Trees

You choose and you cut, saws are provided. Wreaths, coffee/ beverage, cutting assistance, restrooms, Trees baled. Open through Dec. 24 weekdays noon

Aldrich Berry Farm & Nursery

Everyone in Lewis County knows Aldrich Berry Farm and their famous blueberries. But if you didn’t know, they also sell gorgeous living Christmas trees.

The family has been raising trees since 1965, so they know what they are doing. The trees are very selectively pruned, Glen Aldrich says, so they grow up looking more natural, rather than sheared trees that grow up with a “funny dense bottom and a natural top.

Selective shaping avoids that issue.” Species available include Nordman fir, Turkish fir, Corkbark fir, Siberian fir, Colorado spruce

Mistletoe Tree Farm

Wreaths are available at many of the U-cut Christmas tree farms, such as this one at Mistletoe Tree Farm.

and Serbian spruce. They do not pot the trees until a customer orders one, so call or email them via the Aldrich Berry Farm website to set up an appointment. Prices

start at around $40 for a beautiful tree you can enjoy long after the holiday season. Located at 190 Aldrich Road, Mossyrock. Info: 360.983.3138

360-736-0277 • pricklypearprimatives@gmail.com 712 W. Main • Centralia, WA 98531

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8 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

DIY: Blow Glass, Paint Pottery in Immersive Experiences For the Holiday Giving Season, Consider Spending Time Creating Inside Local Studios

BY THE WEEKENDER

In its last issue, The Weekender urged readers to shop local because of its benefits to the local economy and to local businesses.

In this issue, we add to the effort by reminding you that not only do you help the local economy when you shop the downtowns, but you also could have a lot of fun, create your own Christmas gifts, and as an added bonus, it can be quite affordable.

In the downtowns of the Twin Cities there are plenty of quality, quirky shops where you can spend your holiday dollars. The Weekender visited two shops this past week that not only offer great gifts, but also an immersive experience.

We visited Black Dog Pottery on Tower Avenue in Centralia, and just a few blocks north and a half block west, Central GlassWorks.

Kevin Regan owns Central GlassWorks. On a recent morning he was scuttling about his glass blowing shop, along with an apprentice and his head teacher Jesse Clark. Regan has been blowing glass since he was 16 years old. It started when he took a six-week glassblowing class with his father at the famous 5th Avenue Glass Studio located under the Monorail in Seattle. He was hooked. He traded janitorial work at the studio for training. He then embarked on a journey across the world as he embraced the art of glass blowing. Despite 24 years as a glass blower, he said he continues to learn.

“You perfect one thing, and you move on to another thing,” Regan said, adding his love of glass blowing comes in part because “you can do anything with glass. You can create anything with glass. The possibilities are never ending.”

Regan is attracted to abstract art.

Step inside his studio and you’ll find plenty of examples, from glass roses to glass Christmas ornaments.

This holiday season Regan teamed up with the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, which commissioned him to make 300 perfect Christmas ornaments. They sell for $50 each and can only be purchased at the Tacoma location.

For a more affordable price, The Weekender suggests you head down to the Centralia studio and purchase ornaments at a much lower rate.

Regan said he loves just about every aspect of his job, but there are a few drawbacks to owning your own art shop.

“Deadlines are the most difficult thing in the biz, also accounting,” he said. “Other than that I love my job.”

Tassja Ralph is an apprentice at Central GlassWorks. This past summer she took a one-day class with her brother blowing some glass after someone gave her a gift certificate for a few hours. Soon after she took Regan up on his offer of becoming an apprentice.

“Absolutely it grips me, I love it,” she said. “I really believe it captures the attention of anybody who does it. It’s stirring.”

She said working with heat and fire makes the process come to life.

“It dances, I love it, I think it dances,” she said of the creative time when it is just her, glass, heat and fire.

Up the road Gabby Solum, a 12-year-old Adna girl, is with some of her classmates painting plates

Central GlassWorks

Central GlassWorks owner Kevin Regan blows glass in his Centralia studio.

Michael Wagar

Gabby Solem, 12, Adna, paints a snowman on a plate at Black Dog Pottery in downtown Centralia.

at Black Dog Pottery. They are painting snowmen that will end up as Christmas gifts.

“I like it, just getting to do what you want,” she said.

Black Dog Pottery owner Jessica Kinney opened her paint-your-own pottery studio this past summer. This holiday season she has a wide variety

of pottery ready to paint, from Christmas trees to Nativity scenes to tree ornaments. People can simply come in, pick out an item and get to painting. She offers a relaxing environment, including drinks and snacks and even craft beer and hard SEE PAGE 9....................................

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 9

FROM PAGE 8........................

cider. After painting, Kinney fires the objects in her kiln. A few days later the items are ready for pick up.

Both studios offer space for groups to sign up. For Christmas giving, you can walk in and purchase an item, buy gift certificates or create your own item as a present.

The Weekender suggests getting a group of family and friends together to experience first-hand creating art, and then giving it away.

What better way to enjoy the holidays, enjoy time together, and also support your local merchants?

BLACK DOG POTTERY

You can simply show up, pick out an item to paint, pay for it and get creative. After purchase of the item, the

paint and kiln drying are free.

The studio provides all the paints and other materials to make what could be a great Christmas present.

Black Dog Pottery is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The studio is located at 218 N. Tower Ave. in downtown Centralia.

Info: 360.669.0054, www. blackdogpottery.net.

CENTRAL GLASSWORKS

Central GlassWorks has a plethora of ornaments in the gallery, available for you to peruse and purchase. They make wonderful Christmas gifts. During their ornament sale, you can get 12 ornaments for $100. One ornament is $14, but if you buy two or more, they drop to $10 each.

Glass blowing classes are available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday through Sunday.

They offer two basic glass blowing classes: Saturday morning for one person for $70, and private lessons for one to 10 people where you create your own or bring a group and make it a party for $170 from Wednesdays through Sundays. The Weekender believes that is quite a deal — 10 people for $170 comes to $17 per person. You have fun, dance with hot glass, get creative and walk away with your own glassblown item.

The studio is located at 109 W. Main St. in downtown Centralia. Info: 360.623.1099, www.centralglassworks.org.

Central GlassWorks

Right: You can purchase these gorgeous Christmas ornaments, or better yet, try to make your own at Central GlassWorks.

Friday, December 14 7:30 pm Saturday, December 15 2:00 & 7:30 pm Sunday, December 16 1:00 & 5:30 pm

Corbet Theatre Thursday, December 13th 6:00 pm “Pay What You Can” seats, available only at the door at 4:30 pm.

Limited Seating.

For Tickets & Information Online at www.swwdance.org or SWW Dance Center • 360-748-4789 After Dec. 9 tickets available Online or at Corbet Theatre Box Office from 1-8 pm or by telephone.

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10 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

Michael Wagar

Chris Agee of the Lucky Eagle Casino creates a cocktail during the recent Fall Bartenders Competition organized by The Weekender and hosted by Coconuts Island Grill. Agee won first place, good for a $500 prize.

VE

WE’

GOT

NFL Sunday Ticket 9 HD TV’s 4K Projector Happy Hour specials during every Hawks game Karaoke Nightly Live Music Nov. 2nd and 3rd Stir Crazy 21000 Old Hwy 99 SW Centralia, WA 360.273.7586

Mixologist Fight Won by Lucky Eagle Barkeep

It Was Coconuts: First-Ever Weekender Event Packs Restaurant/Bar

BY THE WEEKENDER

The Lewis County Weekender, in existence for about a month, put

on its first event — a bartenders’ SEE PAGE 11....................................

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 11

Judge Vincent Askew, a former Seattle Supersonic player, at right, judges during the bartender competition. At left is judge Lindy Waring. Checking out the results at center is emcee Richard DeBolt.

Selena Revel from Ramblin’ Jack’s RibEye mixes a drink during the competition.

FROM PAGE 10................................

competition — and man, it was a boozy, floozy whale of a night at our host restaurant and bar Coconuts Island Grill on a recent Friday night.

Walking up to Coconuts, the parking lot was crammed full, as was the bar inside. Ten bartenders entered the competition. There were four rounds: In round one, contestants went head to head after pulling from a pool of drinks.

Competitors had three minutes to make the drink. Round two was the speed round. Competitors had one minute to make four drinks in order — a Long Island Iced Tea, a Cuba Libre, a Kamikaze and a beer pour into a pint glass. In the third round, competitors again drew from a pool of drinks. They had three minutes to make that drink with the top scores moving to the final round.

In the finals, the remaining two bartenders had three minutes to make their own “signature drink.”

After that, they were given three minutes to make a drink drawn from the pool of possibilities.

Judges scored the bartenders throughout the competition on creativity and innovation, speed and efficiency, presentation and style and flavor.

Tiebreakers, and there were two, were decided by blindfolding the bartenders who then made a simple Cuba Libra.

SEE PAGE 12...................................

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12 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

FROM PAGE 11.................................

It came down to the top two — Chris Agee from Lucky Eagle Casino and Stephanee Stedham, who was the home favorite as she works at Coconuts. Agee, with his signature cocktail the “Wild Pixie” won it all, good enough for a check for $500 from The Weekender. Second place got $200. Other establishments that entered were The Junction Bar and Grill, Ramblin’ Jack’s Rib-Eye and Bub’s Pub. Sponsors included Althauser Rayan Abbarno Attorneys at Law, Junction Sports Bar & Grill, Grand Mound Liquor, radio stations KMNT Country 104.3 and KELA AM 1470, Coconuts Island Grill and The Chronicle.

Richard DeBolt, representing The Weekender, emceed the event.

“I think people had a great time, and everyone learned a lot about making drinks. I tasted my first Mint Julep. I loved the competitive spirit of all the bartenders and how much fun they had.”

Lindy Waring, who helped organize the event and was one of the judges, was wowed by the turnout and the coming together of so many bartenders. She also thanked Coconuts for letting The Weekender invade its space.

“It was great to team up with a new business in town in Coconuts,” Waring said, adding this is a first of many coming Weekender events. “Already a couple of establishments want to do it next year.”

Tyler Beairsto, the media specialist for The Weekender, was on hand making sure everything flowed freely.

“I think it was very successful,” he said. “We had an amazing turnout. We packed the place. It was messy but everyone had fun and it was a blast.”

Possible future events include more bartender competitions, perhaps a waiter competition, a barista pour off and even some sort of dating game. The

Michael Wagar

Stephanie Stedham with Coconuts Island Grill, right, came in second place in the competition, good for a $200 check.

Weekender is even thinking about putting on a “battle of the bands” contest.

“The Weekender is planning on doing quarterly events,” Bearisto said. “This bartender competition, I talked to some people in the crowd and they want to see this event happen every year.”

Right: Bartender contestant Rebecca McCleskey from Junction Sports Bar & Grill enters the tiebreaker blindfolded competition. Helping her is Tyler Beairsto, who coordinated the event for The Weekender.

Ganja Moms:

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 13

‘Something Wasn’t Clicking’ WSU Study Shows Offspring of Pregnant Rats Exposed to THC Have Impaired Development SEATTLE TIMES STAFF REPORTER

At Washington State University, researchers placed pregnant rats in a small transparent chamber, and 60 times a day, for 2 minutes at a time, the moms-to-be got hit with a blast of vaporized cannabis extract.

Photographs show the white haze, sometimes shooting right at the nostrils of the curious animals, sometimes engulfing their tiny heads. The female rats began getting stoned during the week of their mating period, and then for the 21 days of gestation.

The results were another warning for mothers-to-be who like to light up.

The offspring of the rats that ingested marijuana during pregnancy showed slowed development. Or, in layman’s terms, “It was like something wasn’t clicking with them,” explains Ryan McLaughlin, an assistant professor in WSU’s Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience.

Rat offspring exposed to THC — tetrahydrocannabinol, the chief psychoactive ingredient in cannabis — and others that were not had to learn how to press one of two levers to get a sugar pellet reward. The correct lever was the one nearest a light.

But then, the next day, there was a change. The rats had to press a right or left lever to get a reward, not the one closest to the light.

The offspring of rats that never inhaled only took 50 to 70 attempts to figure that out and get 10 correct in a row, says McLaughlin.

The THC-exposed offspring had trouble adjusting. A lot more trouble adjusting.

Says McLaughlin, that when the THC-exposed offspring had to deal with pressing either lever giving them a reward, “They had a deficit in flexibility in their ability to update

strategies. They were significantly impaired.”

They needed 100 to 120 attempts, twice as many, to get 10 correct in a row.

How this research translates to people is that rats share with us 90 percent of their genome, an organism’s complete set of DNA. Nearly all diseaselinked human genes have equivalent genes within the rat genome.

Although only a small percentage of pregnant women say they smoked pot in the past month, their use has dramatically increased, according to a 2017 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Nationally, it has jumped by 62 percent from 2002 to 2014, to 4 percent of total pregnant women.

In Washington, the discharge papers for pregnant women staying at hospitals — presumably for delivery but perhaps other reasons — indicate whether they had used drugs. The number of moms who said they had used marijuana but not any other drugs has “been steadily rising,” says a 2016 report by the state’s Health Services Research Project.

Between 2011 and 2014, that number jumped by 24 percent to a high of 8 per every 1,000 cases, says the report. Marijuana was legalized in Washington state in November 2012.

The highest rates were in southwest Washington, in rural counties like Pacific and Cowlitz counties; and in northeast Washington, places such as Ferry and Pend Oreille counties.

Seattle and the north Puget Sound counties were among the lowest.

“Now that it’s legal, use of marijuana for medical purposes is commonly accepted,” says McLaughlin. “Yet we don’t know the long-term effects of cannabis use, especially in developing brains.”

An August story in Kaiser Health

Henry Moore / Washington State University

At WSU, pregnant rats were placed inside a closed container into which vaporized THC was pumped in. The results were striking, when comparing baby rats from moms not exposed to such a high dose of THC, and moms who inhaled.

News tells of online communities of groups like “Ganja Mommies” and “CannaMoms.”

“The chats are filled with women asking not whether marijuana could be harmful, but rather whether smoking marijuana could put them at risk of involvement from Child Protective Services,” according to the story.

A posting: “I live in Georgia. … I’m only 5 weeks but I plan to keep smoking since there’s no evidence of it

being harmful. Has anyone given birth here without being tested?”

We should be flooded with warnings for pregnant women about pot use, said Susan Astley, a University of Washington epidemiology professor.

By state law, marijuana packaging has to have attached, or the customer has to be given, a warning that includes, “Should not be used by women that are pregnant or breastfeeding.”

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14 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018

Now playing:

4 Movies Opened for the Holiday Season Reviewers Weigh In on ‘Creed II,’ ‘Green Book,’ ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ and ‘Robin Hood’

BY THE SEATTLE TIMES

The holidays bring a couple of new sequels, a sort of reverse “Driving Miss Daisy” and the latest version of “Robin Hood” — all playing at multiple theaters around the area. Here are snapshots of what our reviewers thought of them. (Star ratings are granted on a scale of zero to four.)

“Creed II” ★★★ (PG-13; 128 minutes)

Sometimes a formula works just fine — and such is the case for the “Rocky” franchise, currently in capable hands. “Creed II,” in which Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) takes on the son of the Russian boxer who killed his father Apollo in a long-ago match, isn’t quite as magical as Ryan Coogler’s rousing 2015 “Creed.” But it’s got the always mesmerizing Jordan, and Sylvester Stallone wandering around mumbling his lines as if he just made them up (maybe he did?), and a sweet romance continuing with Tessa Thompson’s Bianca, and a lot of inyour-face boxing action, and a very cute baby, and … yes, at some point “Gonna Fly Now” started playing and damned if I wasn’t all in. You know every step of this story already, and it doesn’t matter. This franchise just might go on forever, and I kind of hope it does.

“Green Book” ★★★ (PG-13; 130 minutes)

Director/co-writer Peter Farrelly’s likable tale of a real-life friendship lets us spend two hours in the company of two electric actors. Viggo Mortensen plays Frank Anthony Vallelonga, better known as Tony

Barry Wetcher / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures

Patti Perret / Universal Pictures

Sylvester Stallone, left, returns as Rocky Balboa and Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed in “Creed II.”

mated hit from Disney, sends the

A bouncer from the Bronx (Viggo Mortensen) two main characters from the origigets hired to drive a renowned classical nal — good-hearted, arcade-game musician (Mahershala Ali) through the Jim Crow South on a concert tour in “Green Book.” lunkhead Ralph (voiced by John C.

Lip, an Italian-American bouncer from the Bronx. Mahershala Ali plays Dr. Don Shirley, a black American of Jamaican descent and a renowned pianist and leader of the Don Shirley Trio. It’s 1962, and life conspires to throw these two very different men together: Don needs a driver for his upcoming concert tour, someone who can handle the kind of trouble that a black man in the Jim Crow South might face. (The title refers to a popular guide used in that era by black travelers, to help them find welcoming lodging in the often hostile South.) Tony needs the work and agrees. And off we go, on a sort of reverse “Driving Miss Daisy.”

You watch “Green Book” wishing it were a little better but nonetheless enjoying how very good much of it is, thanks to Mortensen and Ali, who make every moment sing.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” ★★½ (PG; 112 minutes)

When it’s good, it’s very, very good. When it’s not, it’s annoying, cloying and LOUD! The sequel to “Wreck-It Ralph,” the 2012 ani-

Reilly) and his precocious pint-size best bud Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) — into the internet to search for a rare replacement component for Vanellope’s outdated racer game back in the real world. This allows the filmmakers to run wild, packing the picture with bright, colorful imagery studded with a profusion of real-life online corporate presences.

Under the direction of Phil Johnston and Rich Moore (“Zootopia”), it’s overflowing with humorous observations about the online universe. But the best animated movies are those that feel timeless. “Ralph,” with its right-now storyline, seems already dated, a product of thinking that’s five minutes ago.

“Robin Hood” (PG-13; 116 minutes)

There have been a lot of movies made from the Robin Hood legend, and the 1938 “Adventures of Robin Hood,” directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, remains the best. Its 100 or so minutes just breeze by; although packed with conflicts and cliffhangers, there’s no sense of strain about it. To con-

Larry Horricks

Taron Egerton, left, and Jamie Foxx team up for a new version of “Robin Hood.”

trast, “Robin Hood,” directed by Otto Bathurst from a script by Ben Chandler and David James Kelly, huffs and puffs right off the bat, expending a lot of energy to tell you this isn’t your father’s, or your grandfather’s, Robin Hood movie.

Taron Egerton’s Robin of Loxley struts and pouts through his manor before being sent to the Crusades, where he stands up for the Moor who will become this version’s Little John (Jamie Foxx). On returning to England, Robin sets his sights on avenging the injustices committed by the Sheriff of Nottingham (Ben Mendelsohn). The plot is twisty in a perfunctory way, the action predictably explosive, the sought-after exhilaration nonexistent. (The New York Times does not provide star ratings with reviews.)

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, November 29, 2018 • 15

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