RICHARD GERE BOUGHT A WHAT?

• Centralia police were called about 11:50 a.m. yesterday to the Bank of America on the 100 block of South Pearl Street where a 29-year-old man had allegedly choked a family member during an argument about the purchase of a gerbil. Jason R. Ferris, of Centralia, was booked into the Lewis County Jail for fourth-degree assault, according to the Centralia Police Department.