Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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SPRAGUE - Authorities are investigating the death of a 26-year-old Moxee woman whose body was found in a Sprague backyard a week after she was reported missing. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office identified the woman as Aspen Jada Valdez. She was last seen Feb. 26 after exiting a family vehicle on state Route 23 near Sprague, saying she wanted to go to Spokane, according to a sheriff's office press release. Valdez's body was discovered about 10:05 a.m. March 3 by a resident...
DAVENPORT - Davenport High School's Future Business Leaders of America chapter dominated the regional competition last week, securing seven first-place finishes and qualifying 32 students for the state conference in April. The chapter excelled at the Washington FBLA Northeast Region Winter Conference on Feb. 6 at Spokane Falls Community College, competing against 389 students from across the region. Members earned 11 second-place finishes and 17 third- through sixth-place...
OMAK - Maveric Sobotta scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as Reardan pulled away to upset Okanogan 60-48 in a WIAA Class 2B boys basketball regional game on Feb. 28. The sixth-seeded Screaming Eagles built a double-digit halftime lead before the third-seeded Bulldogs rallied to tie the score at 40 entering the final period. Reardan ran off to a 17-point lead in the first half and held Okanogan to nine points in the first quarter, leading 35-24 at halftime. Okanogan closed...
DAVENPORT - A fire broke out at El Ranchito, a Mexican restaurant on Morgan Street, around 10:30 a.m. Monday, but was quickly extinguished by firefighters. The Davenport Fire Department responded to the call and contained the blaze, which originated from a malfunctioning stove, according to restaurant owner Pablo Gutierrez. No injuries were reported, and damage was minimal. Firefighters remained on scene until Avista utility workers inspected the gas connections and confirmed...
DAVENPORT — Broadband Director Margie Hall updated county commissioners Monday on progress in several high-speed internet projects, including completions in Wilbur and Davenport and upcoming bids for Seven Bays and Deer Meadows. Northwest Line Builders will return to finish two home drops disrupted by rock in Wilbur and Davenport, Hall said. The work falls under Phase 2 of the Davenport Wilbur Grant, as Phase 1 closeout has begun. Crews are heading to a Wilbur site near the golf course. In Odessa, invoices for underground a...
DAVENPORT — Lincoln County commissioners tackled safety concerns at the Mohler and Harrington-Tokio Road intersection Monday after a recent crash, amid calls for improvements via safety grants. Commissioner Jo Gilchrist noted worsening skid marks and speeding. “I just wish that we could address something with just the history of Mohler and Harrington-Tokio Road. It's awful to see all those skid marks and they’re getting worse. People are going faster, and people are bombing across the other way,” Gilchrist said. “So it...
HARRINGTON — The Harrington School District board accepted the resignation of longtime secondary teacher Sharon Kruger during its Feb. 25 meeting, honoring her decades of service in business, career and technical education, and Future Business Leaders of America. Board members praised Kruger for her extra efforts, including advising FBLA and overseeing the yearbook. “Thank you for many moons,” said Michelle Quigley. Justin Slack added appreciation for “all of the extra and FBLA and yearbook.” The board also approved...
ODESSA — Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center expects to receive about $700,000 in federal funding for rural hospitals this summer, while its board considers ending a costly sleep studies program that has attracted few patients, CEO Vince Oliver said at a Feb. 26 meeting. The funding comes from a $50 billion federal allocation to rural hospitals, with $10 billion distributed annually. Washington state got $181 million for fiscal year 2026, funneled through the Washington State Hospital Association for equitable distribution a...
DAVENPORT - The Davenport Lions Club hosted its annual Surf and Turf Dinner on March 3 at Memorial Hall, drawing a record 135 attendees for an evening of fellowship and community engagement. Club President Tim Hosking said the event, which opened at 5 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m., is not a fundraiser but an open meeting to invite spouses, family and potential new members. "It was started by Dean Anderson back in the day, Lion Dean Anderson," Hosking said. "It was kind of his...
ODESSA — The Odessa Volunteer Fire Department hosted its 16th annual consignment auction last Saturday, helping residents liquidate excess machinery, tools and other items while raising funds for essential equipment. Fire Chief Brian Schorzman said the event supports operations in the rural community by funding items the department cannot otherwise afford. “It’s been going 16 years, and it helps the community and neighbors liquidate some excess machinery and tools and different items that they have at their farms and estat...
ODESSA - The Odessa Tigers are gearing up for a youthful baseball and softball season, aiming to instill a stronger will to win amid thin pitching and motivational challenges. Head coach Joe Schlomer said the roster will feature 12 to 13 players, leaning on returning standouts Miller Stout, Aiden Villanueva and Travis Scherer for leadership. "We're going to be a little young and a little short in numbers," Schlomer said. He highlighted Sophia Martinez as a potential pitching...
DAVENPORT — Boosting local parades with lodging tax dollars, the Davenport City Council approved a $3,000 tourism grant Wednesday for float construction, emphasizing accountability amid state reporting requirements. The funds, via Resolution 2026-04, support the nonprofit Celebrate Davenport for materials and insurance. Council members Lance Strite and Michael Strite abstained, noting their wives’ committee ties. Council member Heath Becker called the amount reasonable. “The dollar amount they’re asking for is pretty reasona...
REARDAN — Newly elected Mayor Kathy Eastman is navigating early turbulence in her administration, defending her solo decision to hire a full-time deputy clerk while vowing to mend rifts with the City Council after a contentious meeting exposed divides over transparency and budget moves. In a follow-up interview after last week’s Reardan City Council session, Eastman explained her hiring of Juliet Richards without prior council approval, citing her authority as mayor to handle personnel matters. “The mayor is the one that...
HARRINGTON — In a small rural town where global adventures might seem worlds away, Harrington High School educator Justin Ikehara is set to bridge continents as a Fulbright Teacher Exchange award recipient, heading to Romania this April to share knowledge and foster international connections. Ikehara received the prestigious award for the 2025-2026 cycle from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, according to a district announcement. He is among approximately 400 master teachers and a...
DAVENPORT - As a phone call between alarmed superintendents in Davenport and nearby Colfax, highlighted mounting fears over state budget cuts that could strip rural districts of up to $250,000 in funding, the Davenport School Board on Monday approved retirements, sports cooperatives and a new calendar while decrying threats to early learning and levy equalization aid. Superintendent Chad Prewitt, during the meeting at the high school media center with in-person and Zoom...
DAVENPORT — A woman who accused her estranged husband of threatening to kill their family and attempting to burn down their home asked a judge to lift a domestic violence no-contact order, saying she wants to reconcile. Megan Edgerton appeared Tuesday in Lincoln County Superior Court to request rescission of the order against Nicholas Gene Finch, 39, who was arrested last year on charges of felony harassment with a threat to kill and attempted first-degree arson, according to court records. Prosecutor Ty Albertson o...
ODESSA — Odessa School District faces potential funding challenges from proposed state budget cuts to K-12 education, but Superintendent Steve Fisk told the school board Tuesday the district remains financially stable thanks to conservative budgeting and strong local levy support. At the Feb. 24 regular meeting in the high school library, Fisk reported that recent state revenue figures came in about $814 million higher than earlier projections. Despite the boost, both the Senate and House proposed reductions to public s...
TACOMA - The WIAA Mat Classic wrestling championships wrapped up Feb. 21 at the Tacoma Dome, with strong performances from Reardan and Davenport in the small-school divisions. Reardan finished 13th with 89 points. Logan Valdez took third at 285 pounds, Carson Kline placed fourth at 132, and Owen Pendell earned sixth at 138. Three Eagles reached the semifinals. "All of the boys wrestled extremely hard with grit and determination," Reardan Coach Carson Durbin said. "Our boys...
SPOKANE VALLEY — A second-half surge turned an early deficit into a season-extending victory in a winner-to-state, loser-out matchup at the District 6 2B girls district basketball tournament. Davenport erased a 14-12 first-quarter hole to defeat Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 43-37 on Friday at West Valley High School in Spokane Valley, clinching a berth in the district tournament. The Broncos built early momentum with crisp ball movement, including two quick passes to Zoe Galbreath for a finish off the glass. Lin...
ALMIRA - A paperwork mix-up led to the brief detention of a woman convicted in a small-town burglary, but a judge released her to a relative after attorneys confirmed she had complied with court-ordered treatment. Thea Rose Wenz, 29, of Moses Lake, appeared in restraints Tuesday in Lincoln County Superior Court for a status conference before Judge Dan B. Johnson, according to court records. She was released to her mother without bond or additional conditions, with a follow-up...
DAVENPORT — Persistent vandalism including slashed tires, loosened lug nuts and stolen tools has plagued a local resident for months, leaving her feeling unsafe and frustrated with inadequate law enforcement responses. The issues were raised during the Davenport City Council meeting Wednesday, Feb. 11, where the resident detailed ongoing harassment she linked to neighbors since October 2024, including blocked driveways, vehicle tampering, rock-throwing and surveillance. The resident described repeated incidents of air b...
DAVENPORT — Tiny dancers will soon twirl under the lights at the fourth annual Itty Bitty Prom, transforming Davenport High School’s auditorium into a magical evening for the community’s youngest residents. Hosted by Growing Gorillas, a nonprofit cooperative preschool, the event welcomes Davenport School District students from preschool through fifth grade, accompanied by parents, guardians or loved ones. It runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Tickets are available at the door via cash or Venmo, with children 2 and...
ROCKFORD - Fourteen wrestlers from Davenport and Reardan advanced to the state Mat Classic after placing in the Top 9 Saturday, Feb. 14, at the District 6 1B/2B tournament at Freeman High School. The Davenport contingent includes Lincoln Holmberg, Daman Gale, Wayland Holmberg, Malachi Hoff, Gabe Carey, Solomon Holmberg and Conner Horwath. Wrestlers on the road to the Tacoma Dome from Reardan are Owen Pendell, Malachi Hoff, Carson Kline, Terry Ough, Parker Grallapp, Alex...
DAVENPORT - Lincoln County commissioners approved voucher payments totaling more than $482,000, declared surplus property from multiple departments and advanced broadband infrastructure projects during a Tuesday meeting, Feb. 17. The session began at 8 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance in the commissioners' chambers at the county courthouse. Commissioners Jo M. Gilchrist of District 1, Chairman Scott Hutsell and Rob Coffman of District 3 were present. Under consent agenda...
ODESSA — In his 25th season coaching the Odessa Tigers track and field team, Travis Schuh aims to extend a streak of sending at least one athlete to state every year, with a bolstered roster including three boys from Wilson Creek joining the program. “Our goal always is to try to take as many kids to the state competition as I can,” Schuh said. “It’s a little bit different this year with Wilson Creek joining us for track, kind of like football.” The girls’ team leads the way with returning standouts. Senior Alexis Eden placed...
