Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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After a life of taking care of dozens of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and hungry farm crews, Mabel Wheeler will mark her 100th birthday Saturday with fitting grace. “That’s just how her life has been,” said granddaughter Sue Gilchrist. “She’s so considerate for everybody else that she just had to have her 100th birthday fall on a Saturday.” Ms. Wheeler was raised alongside 15 siblings in the Moscow mountains and has lived a down-home farm girl life ever since. She remembered packing half-gallon and gal...
Bob Bates officially took his place as Whitman County Library’s newest trustee during the January 18 board meeting in Colfax. Bates was appointed to a five-year term by Whitman County Commissioners and joins board members Rebecca Dickerson of St. John, Teresa Myott of Palouse, John Aune and Jon Kehne of Colfax. Bates has operated an insurance office in Colton for more than 25 years. A graduate of WSU with a bachelor and master’s degrees and a veteran of the Vietnam War, Bates was a teacher and coach at Tekoa for seven years and then moved to... Full story
Residents of Tekoa are now feeling the direct effect of the USDA Rural Development loan and grant taken out by the town last fall for upgrading the water system. Tekoa water rates increased $5 at the end of December. The base rate of $38.50 paid by most citizens is now $43.50 each month. There are 365 active water connections charged each month in Tekoa which has a population of 820. The aim of the project is to replace most of the aging lines in the city’s water system. City Clerk Kynda Browning said surveyors from Century West, the engineerin...
Should the damaged CETC building in Colfax be fixed, razed or sold? That was the question discussed by Whitman County leaders in a workshop session Monday. Commissioner Michael Largent called the meeting after discussing the future of the building last week with Facilities Manager Bob Reynolds and County Engineer Mark Storey. “I think the key question we have to answer before we pick a direction is, is the CETC part of the core mission of the county?” Largent asked his fellow commissioners. A heavy load of ice and snow caused the roof of the...
THURSDAY Delta IV Heavy, the largest rocket ever launched from the U.S. West Coast, blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, carrying a top secret satellite into orbit, military officials said. The rocket stood 23 stories tall and produced 2 million pounds of thrust. FBI agents arrested 121 organized crime suspects in four northeast states. Some of the suspects named were “Tony Bagels,” “Vinny Carwash” and “Junior Lollipops.” A Pennsylvania appeals court denied prisoner Daniel Goodson’s $75,000 claim that watching the...
The Port of Whitman, which manages the airport as its Business Air Center, issued a call for bids last week for construction of a 60 X 80-foot hangar. The hangar, which was requested by Steve Mader of Pullman, will be built along the airport’s taxiway, to the east of the existing hangars. Mader operates an ag plane as part of his farming operation in the Pullman area. Debbie Snell, port properties and development manager, said the agency is seeking bids for both a pole building and a traditional stick-built unit. Estimates for each will d...
Even though the program may be discontinued by the state, Whitman County is looking at awarding .09 economic development grants to local jurisdictions this year. With almost $800,000 in undedicated .09 funds, commissioners discussed in a workshop session Monday the possibility of assigning $100,000 for local projects this year. “Given where we’re at with it, I think we may have room to give out $100,000,” said Commissioner Greg Partch. Each year, the county receives a .09 percent share of the state’s portion of sales tax revenues to use on...
Milton Taylor, the Australian cowboy poet who has performed in this area for 10 years, has had to call off his visit this year because of sickness. Taylor, who is from the Kanimbla Valley of New South Wales had been slated for a visit here after making his annual stop at Elko, Nev. He and Dick Warwick of Oakesdale had been scheduled to make a return performance at the Budding Rose Gallery in Rosalia Feb. 13 and at other area locations. Diane Nebel of Rosalia is collecting get well cards from area fans for Taylor. Residents who wish to mail the...
Garfield native Jim Miller announced last week he is leaving his post as the United States Department of Agriculture’s Undersecretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services to join the staff of Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N. Dak. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a news release praised Miller for his work at USDA, calling him a trusted advisor. Miller has served as undersecretary since being confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the job in September, 2008. In the post, Miller was responsible for administration and oversight of the farm service a...
Only a pile of rubble remains of what was one of the oldest structures in the North Flat section of Colfax. The vintage house was razed last Thursday, Jan. 20. The two-story house at 1511 Cedar was constructed in 1890, according to records in the county assessor’s office. The house at one time was the home of Bill Henderson who was known for his Henderson’s Horseradish operation in Colfax. Bill Henderson, who was an uncle of Don and Joe Henderson and Pat Bailey of Colfax, also at one time operated his Vita Sealed potato chip business from ano... Full story
The Washington Grain Commission named Randy Fortenbery to WSU’s Endowed Chair in Small Grains Economics last week. The position is funded by the Washington Grain Commission in cooperation with WSU. Fortenbery is currently working as an economist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Key focus of the chair is to address economic issues on the ground for growers. Fortenbery is expected to be in his new post at Washington State University in August. The endowed chair is in the WSU School of Economic Sciences....
Colfax Supt. Michael Morgan told school board members Monday night the district’s survey forms will be posted on the district’s web site today. The district has prepared four different surveys for district residents to consider over a “three-week” window. The district has opted for a web site process to avoid the time and expense which would be involved to enter data off a paper survey into a computer format. A printed version of the survey will be made available at school offices. Supt. Morgan Monday night advised board members on alterations... Full story
The aftermath of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day flood in Palouse was minimal. Two 16-foot swales raced down the channel of the North Palouse River and flooded Hayton Green Park and downtown basements. Palouse police chief Jerry Neumann last Thursday told the Gazette very little damage was sustained in town. Some specialized playground bark laid under the playground set at Hayton Green Park was picked up by flood waters and dumped around the rest of the park. “The bark was all retained inside the park. I don’t think much of it washed dow... Full story
Florence Teitrick of Colfax last Tuesday night, Jan. 18, revived the deer problem topic with a visit to the city council session. Teitrick, who resides on Cromwell, said she believes the deer population in the town is blooming and that she has counted 14 to 15 on her property. “They are ruining the quality of life,” Teitrick said. She noted seven shrubs on their property were taken out by deer last year. Teitrick suggested deer could be tranquilized and re-located. Councilman Earl Leland said such an operation would be costly and probably not... Full story
A ruling which involves approximately $8 million in payments for Kentucky Bluegrass delivered last fall was issued by Whitman County Judge David Frazier Friday afternoon. The judge ruled in favor of Seeds, Inc., Tekoa, on their motion for a partial summary judgment against Scotts Company of Ohio. The judge ruled terms of a supply agreement between Scotts and Seeds, Inc., required Scotts to make the two rounds of fall payments for crop production delivered from the 2010 seed harvest. His decision was announced in a 75-minute session Friday...
The Gazette’s Jerry Jones was awarded the 2010 Silver Helmet by the Washington State Football Coaches Association. Colfax Coach Mike Morgan received the award for Jones at the association’s annual banquet Friday night at Bellevue. “I’ve always been a sloppy typer; half of my action pictures are out of focus, and I miss a lot of the big plays,” Jones wrote in his acceptance and thank you letter. “Sports Illustrated never called.” He has been covering Colfax and Whitman County news and sports for the Gazette for 45 years. The award is presented... Full story
Bank under operating orders from state, feds Jim Tribbett, chief executive officer, and Craig Conklin, chief lending officer, stepped down from their positions with the Bank of Whitman Jan. 14. The bank is currently operating under orders from state and federal regulators. Bill Knox, chief financial officer, said Tuesday Tribbett and Conklin decided to “pursue other opportunities.” Knox said their departures were unrelated to state and federal orders that the bank change some of its management practices. Bank of Whitman has been operating und... Full story
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS Whitman County, State of Washington February 8, 2011 Special Election The Canvassing Board of Whitman County, pursuant to RCW 29A.60.160, will hold public meetings at the dates and times listed below. The meetings of the Canvassing Board are open, public meetings under the applicable provisions of chapter 42.30 RCW, and each meeting shall be continued until the activity for which the meeting is held has been completed. January 19 – February 8, 2011 - Processing of Ballots 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Whitman County Pro... Full story
Colfax River’s Edge 4-H Club constructed pillowcases on Monday, Jan. 16, at the Public Service Building auditorium. Twenty-one sewers made 40 pillowcases with the goal being to have one to take home and one to donate to the pillowcase challenge. The challenge is to have 1 million pillowcases to donate to charity. Their pillowcases will be donated here locally....
Lately, there has been much ado about wind power on the Palouse. What energy source are you most in favor of?...
A Colfax school bus was hit on N. Mill Street Tuesday, Jan. 18, while tranporting youngsters home after school. Bus driver Brook Rohner and youngsters on the bus were unhurt. According to the city police report the back end of the bus on the driver’s side was struck by a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old male. The pickup driver was turning onto the northbound lane of Mill from Park Street and failed to see the southbound bus after checking for oncoming traffic in the northbound lane. Another city route bus looped back to t... Full story
An accident at the North Pullman bypass of Highway 195 last Wednesday, Jan. 19, took the life of a Canadian man who was traveling through the area. Peter A. Denney, 66, Sundre, Alberta, was pronounced dead at the scene which was just north of the bypass on 195 west of Pullman. According to the Washington State Patrol report, Denney stepped in front of a northbound pickup truck after stopping to take photos of a winter scene from the north side of the highway. The accident happened about 9:06 a.m. Denney and his wife, who were on a vacation in...
Whitman County’s juvenile justice department is struggling to meet an increased workload after the county’s budget crunch has kept the agency from employing a full-time case worker to speak for youths in court cases. In 2009, the department lost its full-time Court-Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA, agent. To hold down expenses, remaining staff patched that hole. Unfortunately, where the CASA agent had time to properly train volunteers, the staff found it more time-efficient to handle cases themselves. Handling those cases, in addition to... Full story
When I was in seventh grade, I was a scrawny boy with no muscles, so I went out for wrestling. My intention was to develop secret wrestling skills so that if I were jumped by a bully, I’d shout “ha!” and he’d be on the ground in a headlock. Bully: How did you do that? Me: I used skills. Bully: Well, from now on and all my bullying friends will live in abject fear of you, plus you’ll have your pick of the eighth-grade girls. Me: As it should be. The problem was that there actually aren’t any secret wrestling skills — basically, wrestling is...
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. DOWNEY FACES SIX CHARGES Six charges were filed Friday against Frederick N. Downey, 61, Pullman resident who was jailed last week after a lengthy investigation which included installation of a GPS tracking device on his car. Downey is charged with burglary of an office in the Professional Mall at Pullman Oct. 24 and attempted burglary Jan. 18...
