Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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COLFAX – Drawings adorn the walls in The Courtyard at Colfax to brighten the assisted living residents' days during the pandemic. Third-grader students from Jennings Elementary School created the art and dropped them off, said Executive Director Jennifer Broeckel. "It brightens our hallways and special to the residents," she said. "They bring them to us to brighten our hallways." Since COVID began the students started delivering artwork during the holidays. Before the pandemic of COVID, the f...
COLFAX — Colfax High School’s “Top Dog” winners for March were announced. They are as follows. Anna Cocking, junior, fine arts; Jacob Brown, senior, science; Drew Van Tine, sophomore, math; J.D. Petersen, sophomore, history; Jaisha Gibb, sophomore, language; Lucas McAdams, senior, PE; Kari Largent, senior, character; Katherine Tate, junior, career and technical education. The Top Dog program honors students who excel in each department for effort, attitude, hard work and helping others. Teachers in each department nominate students and vote on...
LOWER GRANITE DAM - An annual water spill began on the Snake River to aid juvenile steelhead and salmon migration to the Pacific Ocean. The spill operation began April 3 on the lower Snake River dams. The purpose of the juvenile fish passage is to reduce the number that passes through turbines and cut down on passage delay at the dams. Fish travel time through the Snake River is reduced. Specific "Flex Spill" operations at the dam are put in place by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Spilling fo...
COLFAX — A total of 17 single-family home building permits were applied for in Whitman County for the first quarter of 2021, a boost contributing to $6.3 million in total valuations. Total fees amounted to $76,774. The jump in home-building is attributed to the Feb. 1 start of new statewide building codes regarding residential energy. “We got most of the years building all in January,” stated Dan Gladwill, Whitman County building inspector. Three of the new houses are in Malden. The county averages 12-20 new single-family homes per year. The p...
COLFAX — The filing period begins Monday for political candidates in Whitman County to be on the ballot for the November election. A series of deadlines take effect for people wanting to run for election or re-election. Candidates may file by mail from May 3-21 or in-person at the county elections office. Online filing runs from May 17-21. If any offices have no declared candidates, a three-day special filing period is from May 25-27. Offices open for election in November include: • Albion – 2 councilmembers • Colfax – 2 councilme...
PALOUSE — Palouse City Administrator Kyle Dixon is leaving to become the finance director for Liberty Lake. Dixon worked for the City of Palouse since he was hired by former mayor Michael Echanove in 2016. He started as city clerk and then city administrator. "A real kudo to him and the quality of work he does," said Echanove. "He is going to be missed sorely in Palouse. He's a natural." Dixon's last day is April 30....
COLFAX — The Colfax city council approved a $5,000 grant from the hotel-motel (lodging) tax fund to the Colfax Rotary for improvements to their fast-pitch softball field, adjacent to the Colfax Golf Club. Total work includes a new backstop, bleachers moved to a concrete pad, fencing, and more. The full project is estimated to cost about $13,000....
COLFAX — The Colfax Junior-Senior High School FFA holds its annual plant sale Friday and Saturday at the ag shop parking lot. FFA students have tended to the plants in the greenhouse since January. Varieties include Wave Petunias, Ivy Geranium baskets, Coleus, Succulent boxes and more. New basket varieties and bedding plants are also on offer. The sale starts at 3 p.m. Friday, to run until 6 p.m., resuming Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m....
COLFAX — The Port of Whitman rescheduled its strategic planning meeting to May 6 at 12:30 p.m. It will be a combination of remote and in-person meeting. In another change, the port commissioners have a joint meeting on May 3 with county commissioners. The meeting starts at 4 p.m., an hour later than originally scheduled....
TEKOA — Tekoa city council agreed to gather pricing on internet services to add it to the newly remodeled community center. A few groups using the center need access to provide presentations, said city Clerk Kynda Browning. Once prices from all of the available internet service providers is gather, the council can select one to use. Council also to set wages at $15 per hour for part-time city employees, designated to clean the center after the extensive remodeling. The center was remodeled for $62,000 from a Whitman County economic d...
HARRINGTON – Tekoa-Rosalia Golf played 18-holes at the Harrington Golf & Country Club on April 22. "It's a very hard course," she said. "Some of them are new and this is their first year golfing anywhere other than Tekoa." Three days earlier four members of the team played Chewelah Golf & Country Club for an 18-hole match on April 19. They were senior Ava Rambo, junior Josh Bonham, sophomore Kellen Tee, and freshman Maddie Haas, according to Coach Angie Rambo. "It was a fun ... learning e...
The Colfax Men’s Club Spring Golf League 2021 began its nine-week on April 15 after cancellation last year. A total of 14 teams of four players each are divided into an A-League and B-League. Week eight will be the playoffs followed by Ace of Aces on the final June 17....
PULLMAN — Washington State University will require COVID-19 vaccination for employees, students, and volunteers for the 2021-22 academic year. The announcement was made Wednesday by WSU President Kirk Schulz. Exceptions will be permitted for religious, medical, and personal reasons. For students participating in activities or classes on campus, proof of vaccination will be required, by the start of the fall semester in August. Students, who live on campus, will also need proof of vaccination, or an approved exemption by Aug. 6. People living o...
COLFAX — Jennings Elementary School will hold its Scholastic Book Fair May 3-7 at the school library. Only students are allowed to shop in person. Parents may send money with kids to shop during school hours. Parents can also set up an eWallet and purchase books online at www.scholastic.com/bf/jenningselementaryschool1....
COLFAX — Plans are set for a June 10 opening of the Colfax city pool. Regular admission prices are in place after no charges last year, due to COVID-19. The city is hiring lifeguards now and has received a $75,000 grant to renovate the pool’s mechanical room – with a new filtration system, pump, and more after this year’s swim season. The grant money comes from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation office....
MALDEN — Free trees are available to people impacted by last year's Babb Road Fire on Wednesday at the Malden library. The Pine Creek Community Restoration Long Term Recovery Organization is giving away 250 Red Oak trees and 250 Ponderosa Pine trees from noon until 2 p.m. "The trees were donated by Bartlett Tree Experts with organizational support from the Urban Forest Citizen Advisory Committee," stated organizers. The trees are being distributed at the temporary library and food bank in the c...
COLFAX — The principal search for Jennings Elementary is moving ahead. Applications were being accepted until May 4 with interviews to be set for at least three candidates on May 11. “I’m really pleased with the applicant pool,” said Jerry Pugh, Colfax School District superintendent. “There is good experience with many of the candidates there. On paper, it is looking to be pretty competitive.” As part of the interview process, a community forum will be held with in-person and virtual opt...
PULLMAN – The “COVID Ambassador” Michael Donnenwerth took it upon himself to threaten businesses in Pullman with fines for “violating” state COVID-19 proclamation restrictions. “We tracked down the person in question and it appears the person attended some type of COVID-19 informational meeting and may have misconstrued some of the information presented about how to report violations,” said Pullman police Chief Gary Jenkins. The man identified himself as Michael Donnenwerth to police, but they c...
Borders resigns from Jennings grade school COLFAX — Jennings Elementary School principal Andrew Borders submitted his resignation, effective June 30. It was accepted by the school board April 12. Borders has been in the job since July 2020. The school district is advertising the position with a closing date of May 4. Superintendent Jerry Pugh will organize interviews to include staff, community members and perhaps students. He said he hopes to have a recommendation for the school board by the end of May. Efforts to reach Borders for comment wer...
PULLMAN — A plane crashed in a Pullman field, ended upside down, and the pilot walking away. The pilot was the only person in the single-engine plane and was not injured. It crashed around 6:340 p.m. on April 14 near Kamiak Elementary School in Pullman and ended on its top. Big Country news reported witnesses saying it was flying low and gusty wind may have been a factor. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating....
WILBUR — The first golf match for Colfax High School was more of a practice round since the team didn't keep scores. The six Bulldogs traveled to Wilbur to play 9-holes on April 15. Two players did not attend. The team consists of two girls and seven boys. Leading the Colfax boys was Hayden Ewing and leading the girls Kennedy Schmidt. "We didn't really track scores," said Coach Michael Heitstuman. "None of my kids have been in an official golf match because we got shut down last year (due to C...
COLTON – The Colton Wildcats baseball team continues their learning season with two losses against Sunnyside Christian on April 17. "Coming off the COVID year, I think it's hard for a lot of teams. When the kids don't get a chance to hone their skills, it takes a while to get them back," said Coach Steve Judy. The young team is comprised of freshmen and sophomores. Four players drive from Garfield and Palouse to play with six teammates in Colton. Colton lost both games of the doubleheader, 2...
COLFAX — A total of 17 single-family home building permits were applied for in the county for the first quarter of 2021, a boost contributing to $6.3 million in total valuations. Total fees amounted to $76,774. The jump in home-building is attributed to the Feb. 1 start of new statewide building codes regarding residential energy. “We got most of the years building all in January,” said Dan Gladwill, Whitman County building inspector. Three of the new houses are in Malden. The county averages 12-20 new single-family homes per year. The previ...
COLFAX — Enrollment in the Colfax School District continues to increase. They are now just 4.84 full-time equivalent students under its forecast from last July. Student counts dropped significantly in the fall as the junior high and high schools were online-only until October, then hybrid until Feb. 1. The school district was granted an extra $280,000 payment from the federal CARES Act to cover the student count gap. School funding is based on the forecast of students created each summer b...
PULLMAN — An April snowstorm led to three vehicles colliding, sending three people to hospitals. A vehicle going north on State Route 195, about 8 miles south of Pullman, went out of control in the snow, according to Sgt. Michael Jordan, of the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office. It crossed into oncoming traffic and sideswiped a car heading south, turned sideways in the southbound lane, and was struck by a pickup pulling a trailer. “Deputies believe along with the slick conditions, speed and worn tires were a cause in the collision,” stated...