Whitman County Gazette - Serving Whitman County since 1877

TEKOA — A 31-year-old Tekoa man faces criminal charges for threatening and attacking his grandparents despite their insistence he is mentally ill. Ryan G. Keller was arrested on March 30 after he allegedly resisted Whitman County deputies and...

LEWISTON – Whitman County deputies tried to pull over a car for speeding and it led to a pursuit ending in Idaho early Sunday morning. Jamie L. Westman, 40, of East Wenatchee, was booked into the Nez Perce County Jail for felony eluding,...

ROSALIA — Brett Baum and Joe Beckford toured schools and were interviewed by the School Board and school staff, as part of the process to be the next schools superintendent. Baum is the Liberty (Spangle) School District superintendent. The...

PALOUSE — Child pornography was found on a computer and a thumb drive in a Palouse home. Karl J. Wesley, 63, of Palouse, was charged in Whitman County Superior Court with five counts of possession of child pornography on Monday. Moscow police’s...

PULLMAN — A woman declined to unlock her phone and was allegedly choked for it. Demetrius R. Robinson, 34, of Tacoma, is charged with assault in the second degree, assault in the fourth degree, unlawful imprisonment, and harassment – threats to...

COLFAX – A man allegedly stole a shower at Pullman Planet Fitness. Justin N. Jorgens, 37, of Pullman, was charged with burglary in the second degree and theft in the third degree in Whitman County District Court on March 4. Pullman police were...

COLFAX — Colfax Junior-Senior High School went on lockdown for less than five minutes Wednesday after an anonymous call claimed a student was bringing a gun. “We determined there was never a threat at any time,” said Whitman County Sheriff...

COLFAX – A Pullman man is accused of raping his girlfriend, slapping her twice, and fighting with her neighbor until he was covered in bear spray. James S. Olson, 28, of Pullman, is charged with rape in the second degree – domestic violence and a...

COLFAX – A Tekoa man is accused of claiming to be a contract killer, kicking a deputy, and not letting a teenager out of his car. Rocky C. Disney, 37, of Tekoa, was charged with kidnapping in the first degree, assault in the third degree, and...

COLFAX — People return to Whitman County Superior Court for a criminal trial on March 15 after a nine-month hiatus. Last July, members of the Whitman County Health District, prosecutor’s office, and defense attorneys, determined to stop...

PALOUSE – Child pornography was allegedly found on a computer in a Palouse home after it was shared on the internet. Karl Wesley, 63, of Palouse, was booked March 12 into the Whitman County Jail for five counts of possession of child pornography....

COLFAX – A Pullman woman claims her ex-boyfriend sexually assaulted her twice after they broke up and he now faces charges of indecent liberties. Kaybean C. Anderson, 24, of Olympia, is charged with two counts of the felony indecent liberties in...

COLFAX — A registered sex offender faces felony charges for sending sexual text messages to a Moscow teenager while staying in LaCrosse. Austin T. Johnson, 23, of Moscow, Idaho, is charged with two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral p...

A new proposed law smells like tyranny. House Bill 1283 would make it illegal for three people or more to open-carry firearms if someone else “feels threatened.” It would be a gross misdemeanor. If a person in “any way participates” in...

COLFAX — A stolen pistol was recovered when Whitman County deputies arrested a couple for possession of drugs on Saturday. Deputies found a stranded vehicle on Crumbaker Road, just north of Colfax, according to Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers....

OLYMPIA – Changes are coming to hunting and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is asking for feedback on their proposals. Rule changes are expected concerning: • Deer • Small game • Waterfowl • Elk • Antler Point...

I have learned to shop on Amazon after spending years living in very small rural communities like Omak and Oroville. It beat driving two hours to find what you needed. Not groceries, hardware or general things for home, but the online giant could fin...

Newspapers ask people to vote in every election. This time we didn’t have to and it’s looking like a silver lining in a contemptuous aggressive ugly political era. Election day has come and gone. The political ads are finished. No more campaign r...

COLFAX –– Punching a nursing assistant in the face got an 18-year-old Clarkston woman a felony charge in Whitman County. Jessi L. Betts, 18, of Clarkston was charged with assault in the third degree on Oct. 26, according to court records. Betts...