Serving Whitman County since 1877

Articles from the July 18, 2019 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 25 of 65

  • Gazette Full Issue: July 18, 2019

    Jul 18, 2019

  • New doctor to serve county clinics, ER

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    Dr. Peter Edminster will take the place as a family practitioner and OB for Dr. Anthony Lundberg, who has practiced in St. John for 19 years. Dr. Lundberg plans to move to St. George, Utah, where he will join the Veterans’ Administration program. Dr. Lungberg and wife Kelly have five children, and two of them, Wilson and Cooper, graduated from SJE while the family resided in St. John. Dr. Edminster is certified in family practice and OB. He has completed his residency with Family Medicine of Spokane with a rural training track at Colville. T...

  • BOCC eyes support for airport runway

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    Whitman County commissioners discussed funds for the Moscow-Pullman Airport runway project and received an update from the facilities director during a workshop session Monday, July 15. Commissioner Art Swannack said he talked informally with Tony Bean, Moscow-Pullman Airport executive director, about funding the last part of the airport runway construction project. The project recently received a $24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Swannack reported the airport is about $900,000 short of the funding required for the...

  • Summer splash

    Jul 18, 2019

  • Runaway hay truck, trailer crashes in alley next to channel

    Jul 18, 2019

    A semi truck and trailer, which sustained brake failure while descending the Palouse Highway hill into Colfax early Monday morning, came to a halt in the west alley behind the Almota Elevator Co. office. The driver was able to turn the truck, which was headed for the S. Palouse River channel, into the alley. The trailer of the semi with a load of hay collided with the front of a flatbed GMC truck which was parked along the curb at the corner leading into the alley. Driver Ken Meldrum, Richland,...

  • Palouse on-call police pay dispute goes to committee

    Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    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 Chief Jerry Neumann and Officer Joel Anderson, the two officers remaining after Leighton Cox was terminated June 20. After Cox’s dismissal, it fell to Neumann and Anderson to cover the shifts until the return of Reserve Officer Terry Snead in late August....

  • Grant for $24 million said last for Pullman-Moscow runway project

    Jul 18, 2019

    Fifth District Congressional Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers announced July 8 the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport received a $24 million grant from the Department of Transportation to help construct a new runway. This grant secured the last needed funding to complete the runway project. The runway is planned to open in October, after a month-long construction in September. The grant will fund a taxiway, stormwater infrastructure and earth grading. In 2018, DOT awarded the airport a $16 million grant to assist with runway construction. In...

  • Clean water projects receive state funding

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    Washington State Department of Ecology announced Whitman County will receive about two million dollars in grants for clean water projects. Jessica Self, Palouse Conservation District grants and development manager, said the Whitman County Conservation District received three grants totaling $1 million. She said $500,000 was awarded for direct seeding, a restoration process where farmers use a special drill to seed crops. “It is a ‘not-killing-the-ground’ option,” Self said. The grant is for a span of three years, and 12 landowners county-...

  • Keep pets, youngsters out of locked cars during summer

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    The National Weather Services advises to never leave a child or pet in a locked car during the summer because temperatures inside a car can increase to 140 degrees in a matter of minutes. According to the Animal Legal & Historical Center, a law enforcement officer who believes an animal is suffering can remove the animal if the owner is not present. Calling law enforcement or animal control is a first option, Colfax Officer Perry Tate wrote in an email. He also wrote if the owner is nearby try talking to them because “the fastest option is t...

  • Empty gas tank alters birth plan

    Jul 18, 2019

    A Colfax ambulance crew was dispatched at 12:07 p.m. July 9 by a report of a pending birth of a baby on the Airport Road at mile one west of Colfax. The crew learned upon arrival at the scene that the couple had run out of gas on the way to the maternity room. They had reportedly been en-route to the Pullman hospital. The mother was transported to Whitman Hospital and Medical Center, and the father taken to a station in Colfax to purchase fuel....

  • Old Time Fiddlers play seniors' picnic

    Jul 18, 2019

  • Thornton Bridge close to done

    Jul 18, 2019

    Assistant County Engineer Dean Cornelison reported to county commissioners Monday only one guardrail remains to be put in for the new Thornton depot bridge. County workers will install the guardrail this week. “We're hoping to have the bridge open Thursday,” said Cornelison. Workers started staging at the site, a wood bridge on Sunset Road in Thornton, June 13, and put a temporary bridge in place, posted signs for road work and a detour, for which they built just off to the side, through private land to the temporary bridge. The old bridge was...

  • St. John boutique: Gracie Miller will retire for sure this time around

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    Gracie Miller, owner of T.O.G. Boutique in St. John, will say farewell to her shop at the end of August as she moves on to retirement. The T.O.G. Boutique has provided St. John residents with clothing, jewelry and footwear for seven years. Before moving to St. John, Miller ran her boutique in Colfax at Grady's Corner. Miller said when the building sold in Colfax, she found the opportunity to move back to her hometown when a storefront was up for sale in St. John. She said she resides only seven...

  • Junk site removed after 17-year county effort

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    Troy Henderson, Whitman County Public Health Director, reported a 17-year long solid waste issue was resolved at a Board of Health meeting Monday afternoon. Henderson said the first complaint about a property just off of Highway 27 between Oakesdale and Garfield came in 2002. Environmental Health Director Chris Skidmore said after a solid waste issue complaint is filed, a site visit is conducted to verify the complaint. An employee takes photos of the site, and a file is started for the property...

  • Second quarter building registers four-year high

    Jul 18, 2019

    Whitman County Building Inspector Dan Gladwill delivered a second quarter 2019 building report to County Commissioners Monday, highlighting a jump in numbers from recent years. “A high average,” said Gladwill. “The last couple have been a little bit dismal.” He noted a total of five single family homes, one manufactured home and five commercial properties, part of a $3.63 million total valuation, which is the second highest second quarter in the past six years. The 2015 second quarter boom totaled $12 million. “Still got houses coming th...

  • Colfax grad opens chiropractic office

    Madysen McLain, Gazette Reporter|Jul 18, 2019

    Nicole Heilsberg, a member of the Colfax High School class of 2003 opened the doors of her chiropractic office in April for the first time after running her business out of her home since 2015. "It's been a huge learning lesson," Heilsberg said. "The business aspect was not something we were taught in school, so I had to learn how to manage the business side." She is the only employee at Chiro Health Connection, located at 116 N. Main St. Her family helps with the business-side of the...

  • Nominees sought for NASS annual award

    Jul 18, 2019

    Each year, the office of the Secretary of State calls for nominations for the "Corporations for Communities" award. Now in its 10th year, the award program recognizes for-profit businesses that give back to communities. “One of the highlights of my job is bringing attention to companies throughout Washington that go the extra mile for not only their customers, but their communities,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman. “I want to encourage anyone who knows of a business active in charitable causes to nominate them for the award.” Secreta...

  • Primary to feature new security system

    Jul 18, 2019

    Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman is reminding lawmakers of emerging cybersecurity threats in an open letter to legislators and county election officials. The state’s top election official underscored why modernizing technology this year is imperative. “As a state, we cannot combat the national cyber threat to our election system with aging technology,” Secretary Wyman wrote. “Washington has launched an important tool to combat cyber threats. All 39 counties have already begun using this tool, the VoteWA system.” Wyman’s remarks wer...

  • Adelyn Little

    GPOP defeats Colfax, Pomeroy in second swim round

    Jul 18, 2019

    The GPOP combo swim team picked up another win after rolling out 555.5 points last Thursday at the Colfax pool. Host Colfax team totaled 416 points, to place second and Pomeroy placed third with 330.5 points. The win here for GPOP (Garfield/Palouse/Oakesdale/Potlatch) follows a win over Colfax in the league opener at Plummer. Maddie Johnson again booked a sweep for six races in the 14-under class for GPOP. Josh Huber took five wins in the senior boys class. He was edged by Issac Anderson of...

  • Patriots earn top slot in Legion AAA playoff

    Jul 18, 2019

    Palouse Patriots finished on top of the Spokane Legion AAA baseball campaign and will start the district playoffs today against the number-two Shadle Park Shockers at 7:15 p.m. The winner will advance to the district championship game which will be Sunday at 5 p.m. A loss wll put them in the double elimination playoff format with the top finisher emerging as the other foe for the title game. The Patriots compiled an 8-2 record in the league campaign. The top four finishers out of the district action will advance to the state Legion playoffs...

  • W.C. Cougars take no. 1 seed in American Legion postseason play

    Jul 18, 2019

    The Whitman County Cougars got two more wins in Spokane on Friday, July 12, to finish the American Legion (ages 13-16) regular season for first place in the standings. They beat Mead 21-2 and 12-1. The first game ended after six innings when the Cougars scored 11 runs in the top of the sixth. Whitman County got 17 hits in the game, including three from Nick Robison, with a double and triple. Tyler Ebracht and Cody Inderrieden pitched as Mead got only two hits. In the second game of the doubleheader, Whitman County won 12-1 with 12 hits, the...

  • Oakesdale draws athletes

    Jul 18, 2019

    Oakesdale hosted the Old Mill Wheatman Triathlon Saturday as part of the Old Mill Days festivities. The race involved a 340 meter swim, 10 mile bike ride and 5K run. Top three finishers Old Mill Wheatman Triathlon were Ronnie Crenshaw, Spokane, first; Noah Kroeze, Spokane, second; Brett Myers, Pullman, third. Kids Triathlon Old Mill Days top finishers were Bradyn Henley first, and Sam Dingman, second. First place finisher for 5-mile run was Ethan Cook of Palouse....

  • LaCrosse will host Rutgers bike riders

    Jul 18, 2019

    LaCrosse is now making plans to host 11 students from Rutgers University in New Jersey who plan to stop in LaCrosse Aug. 7. The group is making a 3,500-mile cross country bicycle ride from New Jersey to Portland to raise funds and awareness for Elijah’s Promise, a social service agency and soup kitchen in New Jersey. They contacted LaCrosse for permission to stay overnight in the town park. LaCrosse plans to host a barbecue for the guests that night and offer the riders use of the swim pool for an hour so they can cool off. The Rutgers group w...

  • Tennis court closures

    Jul 18, 2019

    Tennis courts at Kruegel and Sunnyside Parks will be closed July 17 until Sept. 1 while construction takes place to refurbish the existing tennis courts and install pickle ball courts in both locations....

  • Colfax Junior Golf

    Jul 18, 2019

    July 11 results: 11-12 years playing from yellow tees: Jacob Ward 65, Cooper Phillips second. 8-10 years from junior tees: Kaitlyn Ward 49, Cody Phillips second....

Page Down