Klog

After more than a year of mental examinations and other delays, the murder trial of Daniel Butts, 22, of Kalama will move forward, after Columbia County Circuit Court Judge Ted Grove rules that the man accused of killing Rainier Police Chief Ralph Painter is competent to stand trial. Grove says he’s examined the evidence, and in his opinion, Butts is faking at least some of his symptoms. Grove says that it’s also clear that Butts has some mental health issues, and he doesn’t understand why he isn’t being given drugs to help control those. He’s ordering that Butts be treated with anti-psychotic medicine, while directing the attorneys involved to prepare for setting the trial schedules. After yesterday’s hearing, Butts’ father, Mikel, minced no words, claiming that Painter brought the shooting onto himself. Mikel Butts claims that Painter “suckerpunched” his son, setting the fatal fight into motion. He claims that his son is being “held hostage,” and is being abused while he’s in custody. When asked directly if his son is mentally ill, Butts says that his son “needs help.” The schedule for Butts’ formal arraignment on the 24-count indictment that’s been filed hasn’t yet been set, not has the trial date been announced.

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After three days of camping out in the woods west of Longview, Evan Byman, 15, walked back into his house yesterday morning, apparently unaware that anyone was looking for him. Cowlitz County Chief Administrative Deputy Corey Huffhine says that they first heard that Byman might be back when someone spotted a teenager walking along Eufaula Heights Road at about 8 am yesterday, carrying what appeared to be a gun case. A few minutes later, Byman’s parents called to report that he was back at the house, none the worse for wear. After coordinating the search for the previous three days, Huffhine says that they’re pleased that the situation has had a positive resolution, and he thanks all of the volunteers involved for the dedication and effort.

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Dave Andrew with the Cowlitz PUD reports that the line crew foreman injured Wednesday when a large chunk of utility pole fell on him is improving. Andrew says that Paul “Cole” Wade, 56, of Longview was upgraded from critical to serious condition yesterday, and could be moved out of ICU in the next day or tow. Andrew says that Wade is a veteran journeyman lineworker, with more than 30 years of experience with the Cowlitz PUD. He says that Wade is highly respected by his co-workers, who are now pulling together to support Wade and his family. Andrew also says that they appreciate the support from the community during these difficult times for Wade and the family. PUD employees have opened up an account, to help the family with expenses over and above those paid by health insurance. You can help out with donations by going to the PUD Credit Union, which is located at 960 Commerce Avenue in Longview.

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Portland Police say that two of the three suspects in a gang-related killing back in November are from Woodland. A grand jury handed down indictments that charge Samuel Vasquez, 18, and Ezequiel Vasquez, 16, with aggravated murder, along with Josefina Jasmin Ramirez, 15, of Portland. All three are being charged in the November 6th killing of Julio Cesar Marquez, 13, of Portland. His body was found near an apartment complex on Northeast Halsey; an autopsy shows that the boy had been shot and beaten. Tips from community members led to the arrests; Marquez is the youngest victim in a recent spate of gang-related shooting in Portland.

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Weyerhaeuser is out with its fourth-quarter report today, and while net income fell some 62 percent when compared to last year, the report of $65 million to the black did exceed the analysts’ expectations. Weyerhaeuser reports net income of $65 million, or 12 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to earnings of $171 million, or 32 cents per share in 2010. After other adjustments, Weyerhaeuser made 14 cents per share in the fourth quarter, while analysts had been predicting only seven cents per share. The report gave traders a boost; Weyerhaeuser closed at $20.41 at the close of trading yesterday. In pre-market trading, the share price moved up $1.31, an increase of 6.5 percent. Looking ahead at the first quarter, the company is predicting upswings in the timber segment, along with a smaller loss in the wood products segment. On the other side, they expect a substantial loss in the cellulose segment of the company, along with a loss in single-family homebuilding.

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After another “not guilty” verdict involving supporters of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in a case connected to last summer’s protests outside of the EGT grain terminal, union officials say that it’s time to pull the plug on the cases pending against other workers and union supporters. On Wednesday, jury verdicts of “not guilty” were delivered to Erica Bryant Farland, Jennifer Woodard, Kahne Kuanoni Witham and Cara Lindeman. The four women are members of the ILWU Women’s Auxiliary number 14, and were arrested on September 21st, as a group of women and union leaders attempted to stop a train from entering the EGT facility. ILWU Local 21 President Dan Coffman says that there have now been three jury trials involving the protestors, with three acquittals. He says that they hope that we can now move ahead, and quit wasting taxpayer dollars on the prosecution of people who were putting their bodies on the line to try and protect local jobs. He says that the state should now promote reconciliation, and help the community put this dispute in the past.

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Earlier this week, 19th District Senator Brian Hatfield expressed his support for Senate Bill 6239, the gay marriage measure, then cast a pivotal vote in the bill’s passage. Now, his opponent in the upcoming election now says that Hatfield is on the wrong side of the issue. In a statement released yesterday, former Kelso-Longview Chamber of Commerce CEO Rick Winsman says that Hatfield is “out of touch” with the people of the 19th District, also claiming that the Senator has flipped from his previous position. Winsman says that marriage is between a man and a woman, which is a “bedrock foundation” of our society. He also says that this new bill will not protect those who have a deeply held religious opposition to same-sex marriage. Winsman also criticized Hatfield’s failure to offer an amendment that would have put the bill to a referendum of the people; he says that Hatfield should have voted against the bill, if he truly believes that the people deserve the final say. The bill is expected to pass the House in the next few days, and Governor Chris Gregoire says that she will sign it in short order. Opponents are already gearing up for an initiative campaign; they have to collect 120,577 valid signatures by June 6th to put the measure on the ballot.

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Friday:
The Friends of the Kelso Public Library are holding a book sale, running Friday and Saturday at their facility in the Three Rivers Mall. Hours are 10 am to 4 pm each day. Proceeds will help with children’s programs at the Kelso Library

Donations for Saturday’s Beacon Hill Extreme Team Garage Sale will be accepted on Friday, from 4 to 7 pm at Beacon Hill Elementary School. They’re looking for clean, gently-used items that are in good working order. The sale itself will run from 8 am until 2 pm on Saturday in the gym at Beacon Hill Elementary. The money that they make will support the school’s Extreme Team performance group.

There’s a special country music concert tonight at the Monticello Hotel, featuring Kelso’s own Cort Carpenter and the Triple C Band. The Country Cure for Cancer will start at 8 pm, with a portion of the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. Grace Harris will also be a special guest performer. Doors open at 7 Friday night; tickets will be available at the door, and you can also purchase “VIP tables.” This is a 21-and-over event.

Saturday:
The fourth annual “Guns-n-Hoses” charity flag football game is set for Saturday at Ed Laulainen Stadium at Schroeder Field. Cowlitz 2 firefighters will take on Washington State Patrol troopers in a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Along with the action on the field, they’ll have fire equipment and patrol cruiser on display, and it looks like the weather will be favorable for a LifeFlight helicopter landing at halftime. Gates open at 4 pm on Saturday, kickoff is scheduled for 4:30. Admission is a one-dollar donation, which also gets you two raffle tickets.

There’s a 12-vendor, multi-party Rummage Sale planned for Saturday at the Kelso Senior Center. The sale will run from 9 am to 3 pm, with proceeds helping to support the Kelso Senior Center Association. The Kelso Senior Center is located in the Catlin Hall, at 106 Northwest 8th Avenue in West Kelso.

Head up to the Beaver Homes Grange near Goble on Saturday, as they host a benefit dinner in honor of Nichole Sherman, the LCC student killed in a November car crash near her home on Apiary Road. The spaghetti dinner will run from 4 to 7 pm on Saturday, with proceeds going to the Nichole Sherman LCC Scholarship Fund.

You can bring the kids down to Woodland High School on Saturday, as the Diamond Dust Drill Team puts on a family Dinner and Bingo night. Cards are just a dollar apiece, with all kinds of cash and prizes available to win. They’ll also be selling baked potatoes with all the fixings for dinner. The doors at the Woodland High School Commons will open at 4 pm Saturday, and Bingo starts at 5.

Sunday:
Former Kelso Hilander and Washington Husky football star David Richie is hosting a fundraising party prior to Sunday’s Super Bowl, running from 10 am to 1 pm at the U-Dub Pub and Grub on Washington Way in Longview. Proceeds from the event will go to the David Richie Foundation, supporting local youth sports programs. They’ll have prizes, raffles, sports memorabilia and other fun stuff to win. You can get ticket at the door, but you’ll get a break on ticket prices and “VIP treatment” by buying in advance. U-Dub Pub and Grub is located at 934 Washington Way in Longview.

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The effort to find Evan Byman, 15, of Longview ended this morning, when the Mark Morris High School student who’s been missing since Monday walked back into his home. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office has been coordinating a search effort since Monday morning, when Byman’s parents reported finding a note, with the teen saying that he was going on a week-long camping trip, also saying that they shouldn’t look for him. Corey Huffhine with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office says that a teen was seen walking along Eufaula Heights Road at about 8 am, then a few minutes later, Byman’s parents reported that he was back at home. Evan Byman says that he’d gone up off the end of Eufaula Heights, camping in a shelter that he’d built. Byman says that he wasn’t aware than anyone was searching for him. Huffhine says that they’re glad that things worked out positively, and he thinks all of the volunteers who helped out with the search effort.

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