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Articles from the March 18, 2021 edition


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  • Rosalia, Malden libraries offer Arbor Day trees

    The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    MALDEN — The Malden and Rosalia branches of the Whitman County Library are sponsoring an Arbor Day planting. Reserved trees will be available for pick up at the temporary Malden Library April 2 from 2-6 p.m. and in Rosalia on April 3. The event is supported by Thunderhawk Ranch in Rosalia, Palouse Conservation District and Plants of the Wild in Tekoa. Supplies are limited. For more information, call Vanessa Place in Malden at 509-569-3350 or Marcy Campbell in Rosalia at 509-523-3109....

  • Tekoa phone warning system looming

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    TEKOA — It was two years ago when someone had seen a suspicious person walking on school grounds and a Tekoa school went into lockdown. Resident Wendy Sienknecht got a call at home from the school’s notification system, since her husband is a bus driver. “I locked the doors and looked out my windows all afternoon,” she said. Then her mother-in-law and her niece drove up. “Did you hear what’s going on?” Sienknecht said. “No, we were at Chicken Tuesday,” they said, referring to the special at the former Feeding Station restaurant. It wa...

  • Rosalia's Battle Days canceled this year

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    ROSALIA — Battle Days has been canceled for 2021. Its board of directors announced the decision for the annual town event, which marked its 50th anniversary in June 2019. “Public safety is number one in our mind. Given the rate of (vaccine) doses going out, we owe it to the public that the event is going to be safe,” said Pat Brown, chair of Battle Days Association. He noted organizers did not know how many people would feel comfortable to come to the event, to make the travel plans, for the vendors to know there would be a crowd – as well as...

  • Palouse fair 'Back in the Saddle'

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — “Back in the Saddle” is the theme for the Palouse Empire Fair 2021 and plans on moving forward one stirrup at a time. Scheduled to run from Sept. 9-12, the fair board began preparations while slowing down the process until things become clearer about what will be allowed regarding crowds come September. Fair Manager Janel Goebel reports the fair office held off as many normal expenditures as possible until April 1, as well as reservations for camp spots during the fair. The waiting is to give organizers a better idea of the impac...

  • Palouse man charged for child porn

    Bill Stevenson, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    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 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) told the sheriff’s office they found a person accessing and sharing child pornography through the internet in Whitman County. “It was later determined that the location and likely subscriber to the internet IP address was associated with an individ...

  • Tacoma man charged with choking Pullman woman

    Bill Stevenson, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    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 kill, in Whitman County Superior Court. He was booked into jail at 3:15 a.m. on Monday and appeared to be under the influence of a stimulant as he was “acting excited and not forming sentences,” according to court records. The Washington State University police arrested Robinson at the Residence Inn by...

  • Wrestling movie filmed in Garfield and Pullman

    Staff Report|Mar 18, 2021

    GARFIELD — A few scenes in the movie The Last Champion will be familiar to people living in Garfield and Pullman. The movie was filmed in 2016 in both locations and the story is set in Eastern Washington. It was released last December through various online streaming sources. The story is about a former state champion and Olympic wrestler, John Wright, returning home after 20 years to seek redemption and may have found it as the new wrestling coach, according to Internet Movie Database. W...

  • Downtown association streamlines storefront remodel grant program

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — The Colfax Downtown Association announced a Rural Regeneration Project Grant with applications due March 26. The funding is offered to Colfax business owners or building owners to improve storefronts in an effort to lift the aesthetic value of Main Street and the downtown corridor. Association Executive Director Whitney Bond noted the application process is simplified to make it easier than previous storefront grant programs from the association. A bid from a professional is not required to be attached this time. The association a...

  • Smith with Mrs. Washington Valerie St John and Miss Washington Beckie Takashima.

    Mrs. Colfax for America 2021 crowned

    Richard Byrd, Grant County Journal|Mar 18, 2021

    EPHRATA — Lorien Smith is one of those sorts of people that has so much going on that it makes you wonder when she has time to sleep. As a homeschooling mom, wife, volunteer emergency medical technician and active member of her community, it's a true accomplishment for Smith to have recently added the title of Mrs. Colfax for America 2021 to her already long list of responsibilities and passions. Smith was born and raised in Ephrata and graduated from Ephrata High School. Even though she d...

  • Colfax receives $280,000 to cover drop in students

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — The Colfax School District will receive $280,000 in federal relief funds to address its drop in enrollment and other costs attributed to COVID-19. Superintendent Jerry Pugh gave a report to the school board Monday night. The grant is part of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, part of the CARES Act passed by Congress last spring. A second round of ESSER funds was approved in December as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The Colfax district faces a budget gap of 26 s...

  • Malden shooters wrap up league

    Roger Harnack, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    MALDEN — The Malden-Pine City Gun Club wrapped up its winter league here Sunday, March 15, with a season-ending shoot and barbecue. For the season, Brad Bowman won high overall and Mike Koppel topped the AA Class. Bowman also won the HandiCap and Wobbles Classes. Diane Koppel toped the A Class, Dave Carroll the B Class and Dale Birchell the C Class. The Novice Class winner is Luke Guin. And the top Ladies Class shooter for the season is Kelli Broeckel and Rowdie Jo Broeckel was the top Junior Class shooter. The top season Veteran Class s...

  • Gesa buys naming rights to WSU field

    Roger Harnack, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    PULLMAN — Washington State University has sold naming rights of the field in Martin Stadium to Tri-Cities-based Gesa Credit Union. The university and financial business have signed a 10-year deal naming the field as Gesa Field. The value of the contract is valued at more than $11 million, officials said. "Washington State University was established 130 years ago to serve the citizens of our state," university President Kirk Schulz said. "That commitment to improving the lives of Washingtonians is in our DNA. For that reason, we are thrilled t...

  • The undefeated Oakesdale Nighthawks 2020-21 varsity girls volleyball team.

    Oakesdale ends season unbeaten

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    OAKESDALE - The Nighthawks wrapped up the 2020-21 season undefeated by sweeping Colton at home March 13. The 11-0 girls lost only one set of 33 played this season. The set loss was to Colton. "It was a good season," Assistant Coach Ken Lindgren said. "Glad we got to play. We were getting stronger as the season went on." At home March 13 against Colton, the Nighthawks won 25-10, 25-13, 25-19. Jessie Reed had 12 kills and LouEllen Reed had 36 assists. Gianna Anderson contributed 17 digs. For...

  • Colfax girls sweep Dragons

    Staff Report|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — The unbeaten Colfax High School volleyball team (6-0) was set to travel to Chewelah on Tuesday night followed by a home match March 11 against Davenport. Results were not available at press time. The Bulldogs have an added date — March 20 at Clarkston — before its last two matches of the season: at Liberty (Spangle) on March 23 and at home March 25 against Reardan. Colfax played at St. George’s in Spokane on March 9, winning 3-0. Set scores were 25-6, 25-11, 25-14 as Asher Cai delivered nine aces and Jaisha Gibb 10 assists. Anni Co...

  • Correction

    Mar 18, 2021

    St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse senior running back Doug Stach scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown after an 86-yard reception play in the 102-8 loss to the defending two-time state champion Odessa Tigers on March 3. Sophomore quarterback Tanner Fleming added the 2-point conversion. The story published on Page B1 of the March 11 edition of The Gazette was incorrect....

  • Hunting class available online

    The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    OLYMPIA — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering hunter education online just in time for spring turkey season. The hunter certification class is available to hunters 9 years and older. Younger hunters can take the class, but will still have to complete a field skills evaluation before certification. Information is online at www.wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/reqirements/education/basic. The online program is offered due to coronavirus restrictions....

  • Bulldogs Pep Band returns to football field

    The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — The live sounds of the band returned to the football field today for the Colfax versus Reardan game last week. An arrangement was made to bring out a distanced band to play near the action for the last home game of the abbreviated season. The Colfax pep band recorded the school fight song and the national anthem in the Jennings Elementary gym, which was then played over the loudspeakers during the Asotin game March 5. “They’re not at mid-season form, just like the football team,” said Mike Morgan, the longtime band director and hea...

  • Colfax alters coaching assignments

    The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — The School Board changed coaching assignments. A list of coaching changes was approved by the school board March 8. Bo Claassen was hired as a junior high football assistant coach, Phillip Morgan as a high school football assistant coach, Shawna Kneale as a high school assistant volleyball coach and Dan Bodey, as a volunteer high school football assistant. For resignations, the board approved Mollie Druffel leaving as junior high assistant girls basketball coach and Linnea Vantrease as the assistant softball coach....

  • Colfax to face Jenkins

    The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    CHEWELAH — Colfax football will travel to play the Jenkins (Chewelah) Cougars at 7 p.m. Friday. The Cougars have won the 2B Bi-County league for four consecutive years. “They’ve got a running back equal to Jacob Brown, but smaller and faster,” Coach Mike Morgan said. The last time the two teams met was in the crossover round of the 2018 playoffs. Colfax lost and it’s season ended. “Chewelah has big kids. These kids move well. They’re fast, they're agile,” Morgan said....

  • Jacob Brown leaps over a Reardan defender during 46-6 win on Friday, March 13.

    Bulldogs devour Reardan

    Garth Meyer, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    COLFAX — The Bulldogs chewed up yardage and the scoreboard in a 46-6 route of the Reardan Indians on Friday, March 13. Jacob Brown was among the offensive leaders for Colfax, running up the middle for a Bulldogs touchdown to put the score at 38-0 before halftime. Colfax kept the Indians scoreless until the third quarter. "One touchdown before the half, guys," said a Reardan player afterward in the huddle at the sidelines. In the third quarter, a bungled Colfax snap and an Indians recovery on t...

  • TR Kale Struble and Cole Peterson tackle Wilbur-Creston/Keller Beckett Odegaard.

    Timberwolves win one, lose one

    Roger Harnack, The Gazette|Mar 18, 2021

    WELLPINIT - The Tekoa-Rosalia Timberwolves finished their football season Saturday on a high note by topping the 0-4 Wellpinit Redskins 66-20. Details of the game were not available. The season-ending win was the first victory on the gridiron for the Timberwolves (1-3) this year. And, it was the second game for Tekoa-Rosalia last week. On March 9 a late charge by the Timberwolves came up short as the football team fell, 64-42, to the Wilbur-Creston/Keller Wildcats (4-1). "It was a good game,...

  • Sign-ups are underway for Pullman Civic Theatre

    Staff Report|Mar 18, 2021

    PULLMAN — Pullman Civic Theatre (PCT) hosted its first “Carpe Diem,” a one-day theatre festival, last year and this year it’s back virtually. “Have you been missing that creative bug?” asks Aryn Allen, PCT production manager. “Need a break from the world? Come to PCT’s first virtual theatre festival.” On March 27, actors, writers, and directors will gather virtually to start the day. Directors will select actors who have auditioned via www.pullmancivictheatre.org, and writers will be given their challenges to incorporate into their scripts. Cha...

  • Transformer fails at dam, oil leak contained

    Staff Report|Mar 18, 2021

    STARBUCK - An electrical incident at Little Goose Dam March 18 resulted in an oil loss, which was captured in a secondary containment and has not reached the Snake River. The cleanup is underway, along with oil recovery operations. A T2 transformer lost oil as a result of the electrical malfunction, stated representatives the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District. "We are committed to identifying and correcting the system failure that caused this spill. We take our responsibility to...