Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 26 - 46 of 46
Donation are overwhelming facilities, so great has been the outpouring of support from people within and out of Whitman County for the victims of last week’s firestorm. So many items have been given, so many tangible blessings, cups are overflowing. Now that the adrenaline has worn off and the imminent physical danger is past, the community, friends and family, need to be as willing to support the emotional and mental needs of those who have been traumatized. It’s not surprising, nor is it any...
The heyday of the Republican majorities in Congress occurred in 2017. They spent their political capital to reduce taxes, mostly for the rich and the ultra rich. Money is power, power is money, and both work to undermine democracy. All of this is being done to weaken our system of checks and balances, to give Trump and Republicans more power and more money. When Trump was elected, though shocked, some people said that his worst instincts would be kept in check by our system of checks and balances. Let’s review this: Appointees who reported T...
After reading and watching the news online and on TV, it appears that our country is divided into those who care about property and those who care about people, and most astute observers could easily identify which political party caters to each group. Since I have traveled and lived in many different countries of the world – some “developed” and some “developing “ which President Trump called “shithole countries”, I have never seen such wretched living as some people experience in certain parts of the United States. The disparity in...
"Are you guys ok?" It's the first thing we say to each other in the Malden/Pine City area these days. Once that question is answered, it is immediately followed by, "Is your house ok?" We lost so much on Labor Day. Our community's heart got burned up. Malden and Pine City are more than a collection of buildings. They were where we fought for years to get a library and finally got one. It was where we met, all of us for miles around. The Masonic Lodge Hall that burned held every bit of history...
COLFAX—The Colfax School Board met Monday night to field a variety of items, including a drop in enrollment and subsequent impact on the budget, a construction update and the resignation of longtime junior high/high school girls basketball coach Corey Baerlocher. The district’s September enrollment stands at 485.5 full-time equivalent students, down 56.5 from its forecast – which determines money coming from the state. “That’s a big deal for us, a big financial hit,” said Jerry Pugh, Colfa...
MALDEN - Local leaders called for unity and cooperation Tuesday in the "arduous" task of rebuilding the community in the wake of the Babb Fire. More than 150 people turned out Tuesday afternoon for a post-fire planning meeting at the makeshift Town Hall on a grassy field next to Mayor Chris Ferrell's home. Whitman County commissioners, Mayor Ferrell, Town Council members, residents and volunteers attended. Endicott pastor Fred Tribble led the discussion on recovering from the Babb Fire, which...
MALDEN — Angry residents wanted an answer Tuesday on why the city's fire siren never sounded on Labor Day when the Babb Fire swept through town. During a meeting that attracted more than 150 residents, volunteers and government officials, several residents loudly demanded an answer. Among those residents is Vanessa Place, whose home was destroyed, leaving her, her husband and four kids living out of a travel trailer in the burned-out town. "It (the siren) goes off at noon every day," she said. "...
MALDEN — Don't call them wildfires. Call them "climate fires." That was the message Gov. Jay Inslee gave reporters during a brief appearance about noon today, Thursday, Sept. 10, in one of two cities nearly wiped out by the Babbs Fire. That press conference followed a presentation he made to town residents and leaders only minutes before, a presentation in which he requested all media be excluded from. Inslee arrived in a black SUV via Pine City-Malden Road, passing numerous "Culp for Governor"...
COLTON — A wildfire in Wawawai Canyon was reported about 1 a.m. Sept. 12. No structures were damaged and no one was hurt by the blaze which was state mobilized and is now 100% contained, officials said. The fire was located near Boone Hill Road, just north of Wawawai County Park, according to a Whitman County Sheriff’s Office release. Fire districts from Colton, Uniontown, Pullman, Albion, Colfax and Palouse responded. The response was state mobilized and more resources from outside the area were brought in, officials said. Crews were able to...
COLFAX—Work continues this week on Whitman County jail sewer lines, fixtures and electrical, along with roofing improvements at the courthouse, marking $2,084,097 in projects. At the jail, a crew from McKinstry Co. of Spokane has begun to install a new sewer line from the first and second floor to the street, followed by putting in new stainless steel sinks, faucets and toilets in inmate areas. Also replacing copper and iron pipes behind the walls as needed. “We’ve had leaks from (behind the w...
COLFAX—The Manning Fire was reported 100% contained Tuesday. The fire destroyed three single family homes, the Manning Covered Bridge and one other structure, according to the Southeast Washington Type 3 Inter-Agency Team which is managing the fires. The train car which was moved out to the Manning area this spring has been reported as okay. The fire burned 3,063 acres stretching from the Green Hollow Road area to Endicott Road....
MALDEN — Eight days after the firestorm that brought a little bit of hell on earth to Whitman County and destroyed homes around the county, all fires are considered 100% contained and state mobilization forces have packed up and left. The Babb/Malden Fire is now credited with burning 15,266 acres, 1,000 of which were in Spokane County. Crews were performing their final assessments of the Malden and Pine City communities late last week. Tally from the Northwest Interagency Incident Management Tea...
COLFAX—Volunteers spent the weekend sorting and dispersing donations which have overwhelmed locations in Colfax and Rosalia. Volunteers report there is no need for used clothing, linens or underwear. Fire survivors do not have space in which to store furniture, appliances, dishes or a surplus of used clothing at this time. Items currently needed are of a more utilitarian variety. Specific items needed are: construction bags, trash bags, batteries, flashlights, first aid items, totes/bags, paper plates/bowls/towels, plastic utensils, u...
CHENEY – While education is their preferred first choice of enforcement, Cheney and Eastern Washington University law enforcement are prepared to take sterner measures with students who continue to violation safety protocols spelled out by the state and/or Spokane County Health District to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In a joint statement today, police officials with both agencies said – while not anticipating arrests, issuing citations or taking individual to jail – officers “will intervene with more punitive actions to address violati...
MALDEN – While the Honeycrisp apples Gov. Jay Inslee brought here last Thursday continue to sit in the bin he presented the mayor with, others he delivered to Bridgeport and Omak contain maggot larvae. Those apples were dispersed and Douglas County officials are now trying to locate them. This morning, Wednesday, Sept. 16, Chelan-Douglas Horticulture Pest and Disease Board Director Will Carpenter called on anyone with information about the contaminated apples to call or email him details on t...
MALDEN – The Honeycrisp apples Gov. Jay Inslee brought to Babb Fire victims here were infested with maggot larvae. Whitman County Washington State University Extension Agent Stephen Van Vleet confirmed the infestation this morning, Friday, Sept. 18, following testing. "I picked them up on Wednesday evening," he said. "We photographed and secured them. And yes, they are infested." The governor presented the apples locally Sept. 10 as the state's "first installment" on support to victims of the B...
COLFAX—During the Drive By Vintage Fashion Show at the Perkins House Saturday, Sept. 19, 1-3 p.m. a portion of the donated funds will be given to The Whitman County Fire Relief Fund for local fire victims. The outdoor event will have more than a dozen vintage outfits being worn by models engaged in period activities such as croquet and a tea party. Self-guided tours of the Perkins House will be available, but all vignettes will be visible from the street....
Whitman County Health Department’s recommendation regarding class learning has been revised for the Rosalia School District. Following the wildfires that occurred in the Malden and Pine City area, the department now supports hybrid or in-person learning for middle and high school students directly impacted by the fires. According to the update, the recommendation was changed in recognition of the challenges facing those impacted by the fire. After a period of limited operation, consideration will be given to fully support middle and high s...
PULLMAN - The Police Department has released the body-video camera footage of Washington State University basketball coach Kamie Ethridge issued a $150 citation Aug. 28 for violating Gov. Jay Inslee's coronavirus quarantine orders. The municipal ticket was written as a civil infraction under the city's nuisance party law, which prohibits parties in the city. Pullman and Washington State University, as well as the city of Cheney and Eastern Washington University, have announced crackdowns on...