Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 26 - 48 of 48
PALOUSE — The Palouse Chamber of Commerce will host a double feature drive-in movie night at the RV park at 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19. The movie will show on the side storage building as the screen. The Palouse Federated Church will loan its radio transmitter for audio. Films shown will be “A Charlie Brown Christmas” followed by “White Christmas”. Earlier in the day, at noon, Santa Claus will appear at the Community Center. In other Palouse events, a gingerbread house decorating contest will be from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Dec. 19 with participant...
MALDEN — President Donald J. Trump should have received a letter yesterday from city officials asking for federal assistance in the wake of the Babb Fire and other Sept. 7 wildfires statewide. Malden Mayor Dan Harwood and Pine Creek Community Restoration Long-Term Recovery Group Director and City Councilman Scott Hokonson signed the letter Dec. 8. The letter follows ones from Gov. Jay Inslee and state congressional delegation requesting a federal disaster declaration for the eligible counties, i...
COLFAX — Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness has invested $4.5 million in three new million-gallon tanks to the distribution facility at Central Ferry. The move increases the storage capacity from 500,000 gallons to more than 3.5 million gallons there. “This is a significant investment for Wilbur-Ellis and re-confirms our commitment to our grower customers in the Inland Empire and Palouse,” Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness Vice-President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Klaveano said. The upgrade includes building three new million-gallon tanks for storage of urea a...
COLFAX — New statewide building codes take effect Feb. 1. Items the new code will affect include types of heat pumps, water heaters, insulation, heat-recovery ventilation and the amount of required panes in windows. “The significant changes are with the Washington State Residential Energy Code,” State Building Code Council Managing Director Richard Brown said. The updates stem from a 2009 state mandate to target energy reduction by 2030. In energy credits, this takes it from 3.5 energy credits to six required for a 2,000-square-foot house...
PULLMAN — A local man will be arraigned Dec. 18 following his arrest for assault. Cole McPherson, 21, was booked Dec. 12 for second-degree assault and third-degree malicious mischief, according to Whitman County Superior Court records. He was released from jail on his own recognizance. Records show officers were called to Pullman Regional Hospital’s emergency room, where Erik Uden was being treated for injures from the alleged assault. Uden told officers the argument started late Dec. 11, when McPherson became upset about having to take out...
COLFAX — The Police Department next month will be certified as in compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive regarding the use of chokeholds. Under the June order, chokeholds are banned except in a use-of-lethal force situation. “That’s the way our policy was already,” Chief Bruce Blood said, noting certification is by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs. To be eligible for federal grants, departments must be certified as in compliance, he said. The department received a $250,000 federal grant earlier this year...
COLFAX — The Office of State Auditor Pat McCarthy has released findings on its accountability audit of Whitman County for 2018 and 2019. For internal control over financial reporting, the state reported “no deficiencies in design or operation of internal control over financial reporting.” The office also noted no deficiencies in material weaknesses. In federal awards, for internal control over major programs, the state saw no defencies in operation or design, and no material weaknesses. Whitman County now has three consecutive years of appro...
COLFAX — Whitman County expects to receive its first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this week. Gov. Jay Inslee said the first shipment arrived in the state Dec. 14; the first in line for vaccinations are health care workers (Phase 1a), the elderly in long-term care centers and American Indian communities. “Everything is moving pretty fast,” county Interim Public Health Director Chris Skidmore said. The first shipment is the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It is a two-dose vaccine, with the second dose administered 21 days after the first...
COLFAX – Several school officials across Whitman County have signed a letter calling for 1B/2B/1A sports to resume. The letter was written by superintendents Eric Sobotta of Reardan and Jim Kowalkowski of Davenport. Colfax’s Jerry Pugh and David Gibb have signed onto the letter as have 17 others from Whitman County. As of Tuesday afternoon, 71 Eastern Washington coaches and educators had signed onto a compact calling on Gov. Jay Inslee to allow local sports leagues to compete. The letter is als...
In a two-hour and 15-minute virtual work session Monday, Whitman County commissioners got into the particulars of what may be voted on next week about marijuana. With county prosecuting attorney Denis Tracy joining on screen - approaching a Dec. 21 public hearing on the planning commission’s proposal for a marijuana ordinance - commissioners put forth amendments regarding lot-size requirements, sensitive use areas, acreage allowed to marijuana businesses in the county, total operations allowed and more. All would potentially modify what the p...
WASHTUCNA — The Washtucna School principal may be getting a pie in the face, if students collect more than 400 pounds of food. Principal Michael Amend will get a pie if students are able to collect 400 pounds of donations for the Washtucna Food Bank. As of last week, students on-campus had collected 314.5 pounds. He may not be the only one to taste a pie. If students hit the 500-pound mark, they will have an opportunity to select a teacher to join the principal. The food drive also includes additional benchmarks. At 600 pounds, the principal a...
PULLMAN — The city is implementing parking restrictions in the College Hill area to allow maintenance crews to keep roads plowed over the Washington State University winter break, Dec. 21 to Jan 8. Parking will not be allowed from 2-9 a.m. daily in the following areas: • Northeast Colorado Street from Northeast D Street to Northeast Opal Street • Northeast Campus Street from Northeast Opal Street to Northeast B Street • Northeast B Street from Northeast Colorado Street to Northeast California Street • Northeast California Street from Northeast...
ALBION — A 14 year-old-boy received a big shout-out from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office for donating his bicycle to a victim of the Babb Fire. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Douglas Gibbs’ full-suspension Giant Anthem mountain bike was stolen from outside his home this summer. The bike was recovered several weeks later after Gibbs’ family had already purchased a new one. “After learning many people lost their homes and all their belongings in the Malden and Pine City Firestorm back in September, Doug decided he would donate his...
LaCROSSE-A happenstance meeting last Christmas is bringing some cheer this year. "I'm just excited about this whole project and this it will be good for everybody involved," David Soderstrom, CEO of Bainbridge Manufacturing, said. Bainbridge Manufacturing is in a five-year lease for a Main Street building and has already hired one local man to being assembly work. It is a gift for the small town, the stars aligning to get the business to come to expand into LaCrosse, Jeff Pietila, president of...
COLFAX - The Thrifty Grandmothers hosted a record number of children at its annual Kids' Shopping Day on Dec. 9. The organization had 53 youth come to shop at the store during the event. Each child was given a $5 gift certificate to use for items that were reduced in price to be in their budgets. "We've had a lot of positive feedback from the parents and kids that participated," Thompson said. Parents were not allowed inside the store during the event. Children were assisted by Grandmothers...
PULLMAN — Washington State University students will be required to take a coronavirus test to return to the campus for the spring term. Testing will take place in Beasley Coliseum. Following testing, they will be quarantined in their rooms until results return, officials said. Results are expected to come back in 48 hours. University officials said students will be required to carry proof on smartphones that they have taken a coronavirus test and have it came back negative. Students who test positive for the virus will be quarantined in M...
PULLMAN — The Depot Heritage Center accepted donations from the Pullman Civic Trust for $2,000 and from the College Hill Association for $1,000 toward their Fix the Bricks campaign. “This show of support from community organizations is very gratifying,” center co-Chairwoman Linda Hackbarth said....
COLFAX - A local bar and grill targeted by the Liquor and Cannabis Board earlier this month has now received a warning from the state Department of Labor and Industries. Hyde Out Bar and Grill owners Dale and Liz Mann confirmed they have received a warning letter mailed Dec. 11 from Olympia. In the letter, the agency alleges the business is in violation of a Nov. 16 gubernatorial proclamation ordering restaurants and bars to shut down inside services. That prohibition now extends to Jan. 4. Dale...
REARDAN--71 school superintendents, principals and athletic directors across Eastern Washington, including 20 from Lincoln County, have signed onto a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Legislature requesting the return of extra and co-curricular activities for all students, including sports. The letter was written as part an effort headed by Reardan superintendent Eric Sobotta and Davenport superintendent Jim Kowalkowski and argues that...
COLFAX — The Fireman's Toy Box give-away last week provided toys to more than 200 Whitman County youth, according to organizer Bill Knox. While down some from last year's 267 total, Knox said volunteers met their goal. Fundraising this year was very successful, Knox said. He has been overseeing the Toy Box for more than 30 years. More than $10,000 was received in donations - the exact number was unknown at press time as Knox was still calculating donations. People also brought in toys. Knox, h...
