Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 61
Monday’s snow left a gentler scene around the county, like this lightly-blanketed vista of the Steptoe Butte “foot hills.” The storm that began Tuesday took a more aggressive approach, with wind pushing flakes quickly through the air and dumping inches upon homes, vehicles and trees....
Never before has president ‘Ronnie’s’ “Here we go again!” utterance been more appropriate than now, since two of our county commissioners have decided to go into the mall business! Apparently the fiasco over the county’s computer and record keeping event hasn’t taught them anything! But the taxpayers haven’t forgotten what it cost them! But you certainly can’t call them pikers! The computer venture was only around a million dollars, and this latest one fifteen times as much! Charging ahead valiantly, despite warnings from their own legal a... Full story
In his letter last week, Gary Kopf of Benton City wrote that expansion of utilities in the Moscow-Pullman highway corridor would cost half as much of the cost of the Hawkins infrastructure which the county has committed to pay. The word half was unintentionally omitted from the letter which was printed....
I have spent many hours doing my due diligence on the future of this shopping center. After reviewing many documents and asking the hard questions, the issue comes down to: Is this good for all the citizens of the county? The county is very large with the majority of the business revenue coming from farming. The county is ranked in the top three in the state for the amount of money it receives from the state and federal governments to help with county operations. This also is true when it comes to gas tax. We do not receive enough money from... Full story
I am shocked at the vote to commit a lot of money at the behest of a private party, to develop commercial real estate. I would love to see more shopping in our area, but believe that is the role of private investors, and not an “issue of state.” I urge the Commissioners and their staff to work together with the public and the developer to explore ways the developer might both proceed and succeed, without the use of public funds. The key to doing this is to make it easier and more attractive for anyone to start a business, build a house, and...
Lamont The recent Whitman county commissioners’ decision to borrow $15m instead of $9m for the Hawkins development doesn’t make economic sense. According to the article in the Gazette, they are expecting total tax revenue to increase somewhere between $11m and $18m over 20 years-if the project is successful. Let’s assume it is and I’ll keep the math minimal. The County has to pay at least 1% interest to upwards of 5% interest on the borrowed money. At 1%, that means $150,000 a year in interest payments alone or $3m over 20 years. Total cost (P...
W. Bruce Cameron Editor’s Note: The following column was originally published in 2006. You’re probably a lot like me: You would like to see me become fabulously wealthy. You’re also pretty sure you’d like to see this happen right away — this afternoon would not be too soon. As you fantasize about my wealth, you probably think about all the wonderful ways in which I will use that money to improve me. Picture Bill Gates, who made billions crashing people’s computers and who is now dedicated to using his vast financial resources to the betterm... Full story
Would you buy a new car or a new house without knowing how you’ll pay for it? Of course not. But Washington voters do something similar every time they approve a costly initiative without specifying how it will be paid for. That needs to change. In 2000, voters overwhelmingly approved two initiatives to hire more teachers and provide annual cost of living increases for all K-12 school employees and faculty at community and technical colleges. Even though the measures would increase spending by hundreds of millions of dollars, neither i...
OK, I MANAGED to scare up enough leftover stuff from 2011 to fill this space until the Legislature gets down to work and provides some copy. One of my favorite stories was the purse snatcher who was nabbed when his pants fell down while he was running away from his victim.The would-be thief was a 43-year-old Everett man who ripped the woman’s handbag off her shoulder at the Bremerton ferry terminal and ran to a nearby taxi to make his getaway. When his pants suddenly descended to his ankles he tripped and fell down. A pedestrian who w...
The state faces a continuing financial crisis, and only our elected leaders can get us out of the jam they have put us in. We have waited a long time for them to find some solutions to the problem. At long last, they have come up with an answer, and it is brilliant. Just create their own bank. Imagine. The state of Washington running its own bank. For years, state leaders have been trying to balance the budget. What was a $5 billion dollar deficit is now a $1.4 billion deficit. Without ever really approaching the roots of the problem and the ca...
1. SPACE: What did the Apollo 11 mission accomplish? 2. MOVIES: What literary character is featured in the movies “Casino Royale” and “Live and Let Die”? 3. HISTORY: In what year was the Magna Carta signed? 4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president instituted the Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America? 5. PSYCHOLOGY: What abnormal fear is represented by “odontophobia”? 6. TELEVISION: Who played the part of Trapper John McIntyre on “MASH”? 7. LITERATURE: What was the original title of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “This Side of Paradise”? 8. ENTER...
These reports are from the previous four issues of the Daily Bulletin in Colfax. They are reprinted here for the benefit of Gazette readers who reside outside of Colfax. Some accounts have been updated. THOMPSON SENTENCED TO 41 MONTHS Michael D. Thompson, Lewiston resident who was convicted of robbery by a superior court jury Dec. 20, was sentenced to 41 months in prison Friday afternoon in superior court. The term was the high end of the sentencing range under the state’s sentencing guidelines. Thompson, 21, was convicted of robbing Larry H...
• It was noted 20th-century poet T.S. Eliot who made the following sage observation: “Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.” • The United States’ first railroad was built in 1809 in Crown Creek, Pa., by a man named Thomas Leiper. It had wooden tracks. • When the now-classic television show “Gilligan’s Island” first aired in 1964, critics were not impressed. The review published in the San Francisco Chronicle said, “It is difficult to believe that this show was written, directed and produced by adults. It marks a new low in... Full story
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct three meetings over the next two weeks on its draft plan for managing elk in eastern Washington. The plan covers elk management in Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Ferry, Lincoln, Whitman, and eastern Okanogan counties. The department is considering changes to hunting seasons to increase the number of elk in eastern Washington. Meetings will take place from 7 to 9 p.m., Jan. 26, at the Okanogan County Public Utility District, Main Office; Feb. 1, at Center Place, 2426 N. Discovery Place in...
1. Who holds the Giants’ record for most career RBIs? 2. The Houston Astros had four different managers during the 1980s. Name two of them. 3. When was the last time before 2010 that Army's football team played in a bowl game? 4. In the 2009-10 season, the New Jersey Nets became the fifth team in NBA history to lose at least 70 games in a season. Name two of the other four. 5. How many times has Jamaican runner Usain Bolt won Athlete of the Year from the International Association of Athletics Federation? 6. Chris Osgood is one of six NHL g... Full story
St. John/Endicott wrestlers will be in Colfax tonight to join the fray for the Bulldog home meet. Last week the Eagles wrestled at Ritzville and then joined the 14-team lineup at the Royal City Rumble. The Eagles returned with three sixth-place finishes in the big Royal meet which is waged on four mats. SJE also plans to travel to Kittitas for another big mid-state meet. They plan to depart Friday and sleep on the mats before an early weigh-in Saturday morning. ROYAL RUMBLE 113-Rowdy Brown pinned by Chris Dellarosa-RC, 1st; bye; pinned Joey...
Colfax girls cranked up the defense and booked two more league wins over the weekend to remain in the hunt in the Bi-County league which starts a second round this week. The Bulldogs girls took wins at St. George’s and Mary Walker of Springdale to advance their league mark to 6-2. After the first half at St. George’s Friday, the Bulldogs went on a defensive shutdown that allowed just 15 points over the last two quarters of the St. George’s game and the four quarters against the Chargers at Springdale Saturday night. Scores for the Colfax wins...
Colfax boys added two wins over the weekend to build a solid second-place notch in the Bi-County league. The Bulldogs are now 7-1 in the league race with their lone loss sustained at hands of Northwest Christian. The Crusaders posted heavy wins Friday over Kettle Falls and Tuesday over Liberty to remain undefeated on the season at 14-0. Colfax Friday battled the St. George’s Dragons for three quarters and then pulled out a 24-point fourth quarter for a 59-44 final score. Justin Berarducci again led the Bulldogs with 23 points, hitting 10-16 fro... Full story
Colton’s sibling story pushed the league leaders to a double win weekend in league play. In the SE bouts, the brothers Patchen and Straughan out-dueled each other to down league opponents. Saturday, the Straughan brothers backcourt combined for 42 points and 13 assists in a 81-52 win over Pomeroy. Younger brother Jake led the Wildcats in scoring with 24 while elder Josh put up 18 of his own. Colton rolled out of the gates, posting an 11-point lead in the first quarter and never let the Pirates up. Dustin Patchen put up 22 points, and brother D...
Colton’s defense kept the gate shut over another league weekend to extend their domination of SE 1B hoops. The Wildcats picked up dominating wins at Palouse Friday night and at home against Pomeroy Saturday. The Wildcats also added another win Tuesday over another Idaho power team, Kamiah. Score for the non-leaguer at Colton was 75-36. Rosalia remained in the hunt with two wins, a big edge at LaCrosse Friday and a cruncher over Touchet on the Spartan court Saturday. Tekoa/Oakesdale girls also cranked two league wins over the weekend and made a... Full story
Washington Agriculture and Forestry Foundation has received a $100,000 gift from Jack Felgenhauer to endow the Jack Felgenhauer Agriculture Issues Seminar and help secure the long-term sustainability of the foundation’s leadership program. Felgenhauer, who operated a 2,000 acre farm in the Fairfield area where he raised wheat, barley, blue grass and lentils, is a former president of the National Association of Wheat Growers. He is a long-time member of the state association and served as its president in 1970. Ten years later he served as natio... Full story
Frank R. Toupal, 61, a resident of Tucson, Ariz., was arrested Friday night at a Spokane hotel after being the object of an area search by Whitman County deputies and area police. Toupal was sought after he allegedly threatened to shoot his ex-wife with a pistol at her home in Steptoe. He is now being held in the Whitman County jail pending a first court appearance Tuesday. According to a report by Sheriff Brett Myers, deputies responded to a call at about 6:50 p.m. Friday from a woman who said she had discovered her ex-husband, Toupal, in her...
Gazette Reporters Union employees in the Whitman County courthouse will receive $550 bonuses this year, commissioners officially decided Tuesday. County employees working without unions will also receive the bonus. Commissioners signed a 2012 contract with the 46 Teamsters who work in the courthouse Tuesday which includes the one-time bonus in lieu of raises to base pay. Courthouse employees are represented by the Teamsters Local 690 out of Spokane. Last week, commissioners voted to extend the same payment to the county’s 64 non-union e... Full story
A fire Friday night destroyed the former Rosalia Gun Club building which had been donated to the school district. The fire took the lives of three pigs which were being raised as student projects in a lean-to on the side of the building. Rosalia Fire Chief Bill Tensfeld said that the fire started off a heatlamp in the lean-to and spread to the gun club building which contained haybales. Oakesdale sent a crew to assist at the scene. After stopping the structure fire the crews had to take the smoldering hay bales out of the building and douse... Full story
THURSDAY Confederate Civil War vessel H.L. Hunley, the world’s first successful combat submarine when it sank a Union ship in 1864, was unveiled in full and unobstructed for the first time. A pair of French metal detector enthusiasts returned the lost dog tag of Private Kent Potter, an American Army soldier who fought in WWI, to his family in Kansas after unearthing it from its 90-year resting place. Private Potter, who worked on an Army supply train that consisted mostly of mules and horses, survived the war but returned home without the tag....
