By Christina Crea Business to Business

Every day counts as the Governor’s Chehalis Basin Work Group continues coming up with the best

recommendations to present to the governor in December regarding flood prevention.

“What we’re leading up to is an important moment when the Governor’s Chehalis Work Group presents the recommendations for flooding,” said Flood Authority member J. Vander Stoep at a flood prevention effort presentation in the Cherberg Building’s Senate Hearing Room 3 in Olympia on Jan. 26.

A total of 289,983 acre feet of water was measured for the catastrophic 2007 flood – that’s enough to cover 59 percent of Thurston County.

Every few years flooding trends continue to rise.

“The trend is going in the wrong direction of flooding (getting worse),” Vander Stoep said.

However, Vander Stoep said all of the flood efforts are changing the long

history of political failure and no action on flooding.

“Now, we are doing research and things are happening to prevent flooding,” Vander Stoep said.

A prime example of flood efforts put to the test during minor flooding took place in February.

The Adna Levee, the Montesano WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant) and Airport

Levee are a few examples of successful projects that helped prevent high flood waters from going into the streets and houses.

“With this last flood, our recent projects have shown that they have worked (to prevent flooding),” said David Burnett, chairman of the Chehalis Tribe. “Typically what will happen when the flood gauges hit Grand Mound at 15.5 feet, the emergency law enforcement would provide evacuation plans, which would mean getting people out of the casinos and hotels…and those are never fun times. However, even when the flood gauge at Grande Mound hit 16 feet, Anderson Road was never flooded over.”

Burnett said that example, among others, shows the beneficial byproducts of various Work Group and Flood Authority projects.

“Big problems require big solutions,” Burnett said. “As we’re putting the money to work we’re seeing results right now, not having to wait 20 to 30 years. We shouldn’t lose sight that we are making some progress.”

Vander Stoep said the water doesn’t care if you’re rich, poor, Republican or Democratic.

April 2014 Vol. 19, No. 4Single Copy $2.50

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On The Inside

Celebrating 43 years of leadership at Centralia College Page 6

Glass Guru's first year in ChehalisPage 12

Lee Grose not running for re-electionPage 2

(Please Turn To Page 2)

By Christina CreaBusiness to Business

Picked from the farm, served to your table – Jeremy’s Farm to Table aims to bring the freshest local farm food

straight to the customer.Owner Jeremy Wildhaber moved back to

Lewis County around 2012, his hometown community, to open up a restaurant

business.His family has owned the fruits,

vegetables and market portion of his current business for over 20 years,

specializing in providing farm fresh fruits and vegetables and later adding cheese,

wines, beers and other products.

In March 2013, he opened Jeremy’s Bistro & Market, but closed it a few months later in

June.

Wildhaber said he closed because he needed a bigger kitchen to keep up with the demand.

“It was a growing business, I was getting too busy and it was taking too long to get people’s food out – we weren’t able to stay on top of service,” Wildhaber said.

Jeremy re-opened his business on Feb. 5 with a new name and new renovations.

“I ended up purchasing some of the insides of five restaurants and three bars,” Wildhaber said.

Furniture, lights, bar equipment and other items were purchased in order to give Jeremy’s Farm to Table a whole new look and feel.

“We want to support local, local farms and local businesses because that’s the heartbeat of our community,” Wildhaber said. “And we also want to provide the freshest, best-tasting food. The fresher you can get, the better the product.”

Customers can come in for coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner or a drink on the second-floor bar. They can also still visit his marketplace, which sells fresh and local ingredients.

Various locally-owned products he sells in his market and uses his cooking include Twin Oaks Creamery (Chehalis), Black Sheep Creamery (Adna), Rosecrest Farm Cheeses (Chehalis) and Kalama Sourdough

Renovating Jeremy’s Farm to Table

Photo by Christina Crea / Business to BusinessJeremy Wildhaber prepares an omelet at his restaurant in Chehalis.

Photo by Christina Crea / Business to BusinessDavid Talbot assembles a pizza at Jeremy's Farm to Table on Friday, March 21, 2014.

Photo by Christina Crea / Business to BusinessJeremy's Farm to Table buzzes with activity on Friday, March 21, 2014.

Flood efforts show success, preparing governor recommendations

Photo by Christina Crea / Business to BusinessSenator John Braun commented on the flood prevention effort presentation in the Cherberg Building’s Senate Hearing Room 3 in Olympia on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2014.

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