Whitman County Gazette - Serving Whitman County since 1877

A matter of on-call pay for the Palouse Police department – which also covers Garfield – is in the hands of the city’s policy and procedures committee to study, after an extensive debate at the July 9 city council meeting. At issue is pay for...

By Garth Meyer Gazette Reporter It starts in August with a first meeting two weeks after the previous year’s celebration. Then, in the fall, calls start coming in to Oakesdale school Superintendent Jake Dingman’s office asking when Old Mill Days...

The Whitman County Cougars pushed further into the American Legion season (ages 13-16) with a series of wins and losses in the past week to put their record at 20-10-1, (12-2 league). On Monday, July 8, they beat the Moscow Junior Blue Devils 6-5....

Fourth of July events around Whitman County include the following annual rites: the impromptu Johnson parade, Albion parade, fireworks and bands at Pullman's Sunnyside Park and the day-long events and fireworks at Endicott. In Johnson, on the...

Whitman County commissioners took in comments Monday from a rural county resident regarding the Beeson Cut-Off Road and Estes Road, halfway between Pullman and Palouse, toward the Idaho border. John Chaplain, a longtime WSU track coach, noted that...

The Palouse Police Department, which also covers Garfield, is down to two officers again after Leighton Cox, hired on April 3, was terminated June 20 for violating department policy. “There was cause,” said Chief Jerry Neumann. “There were...

The Washington State Parks Department has begun a process to evaluate the 1915 concrete Rosalia trestle after concerns about pieces falling onto the road below. The trestle, owned by State Parks as part of the Palouse-to-Cascades Trail (formerly...

What segment of voters will decide the next presidential election? The same people who always do – the mainstream. Two decisions in the last two weeks may underline this. Joe Biden's announcement to change his longtime support for the Hyde amendmen...

Whitman County commissioners approved interlocal agreements on a new five-year county Solid Waste Management Plan with seven towns Monday. The list includes Colton, Lamont, Oakesdale, Palouse, Rosalia, Endicott and Colfax. The plan, required by the s...

The City of Palouse awaits a Shoreline Substantial Development permit from the Washington State Department of Ecology before going out to bid on a revamped plan for trail work along the river to be paid for by a county .09 fund grant. Palouse receive...

By Garth Meyer Gazette Reporter For the 92nd year, Tekoa Slippery Gulch Days arrived Monday and will culminate this weekend with a series of events, both new and perennial. It all started June 10 with the kids’ Fishing Derby in Hangman Creek....

The Colfax school board approved a raise May 28 for district principals and administrative year-round staff. They include the superintendent, principals at the high school and elementary school, transportation supervisor, technology director,...

A new store has opened in Tekoa at the site of the former Thompson Barn – which continues as a 10x20 space within Homestead General Store, open since May 8, on Crosby Street. The store is owned by Jim and Diedre Lee, along with Chet and Susie...

Nightly highlights for Major League Baseball ran on ESPN Wednesday, June 5. An impossible throw from third to first for an out in Toronto, a catch against the fence in Philadelphia, Boston's Chris Sale striking out a series in Kansas City. Then...

The Colfax school board Monday approved hiring David Gibb of Selah as principal for the junior/senior high school. Gibb spent the past four years as assistant principal/career and technical education director at Selah, a 2A school of 1,100 students....

Colfax Superintendent Jerry Pugh reported to the school board Monday about summer construction, now that students and staff have cleared out of the buildings. The top backside of the Jennings Elementary has been stripped of siding for roof...

Those taking recycling to the Colfax drop-off center on Sumner Street next to Empire Disposal may have noticed a difference. The dumpsters for glass, plastic and aluminum are gone. They were taken away April 1. “The market is really bad right...

Discussions are underway between county commissioners and Mark Storey, Public Works director, about putting the question to voters whether to raise the road tax collection rate for residents of unincorporated areas. The county’s annual road levy...

Last agreements are coming in on the delayed Almota Four road work, including one which county agents obtained from a hospital patient in Puget Sound. On Tuesday, two county representatives, one of which is a notary, drove west, where an Almota Four...