Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 613
DAVENPORT — With Santa Claus expected to arrive in Lincoln County between 9 p.m. and midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 24, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is preparing for a busy Christmas Eve, reminding residents that patrols will be active while also ensuring Santa’s annual mission proceeds without interference. “With Santa expected to arrive this Wednesday, I’d like to take a minute to remind you that patrols will be covering the county, keeping watch for those who might qualify for the naughty list,” Lincoln County Sher...
DAVENPORT — A Brewster woman facing the possibility of years in prison was instead sentenced under a joint recommendation after entering a guilty plea Tuesday, Dec. 23, in Lincoln County Superior Court. Kira Esmerelda Darle Oregon Hernandez, 24, pleaded guilty during a readiness hearing to one count of possession of a controlled substance while in a correctional facility. Superior Court Judge Adam Walser accepted the plea agreement and found Hernandez guilty as charged. The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years, t...
DAVENPORT — A man involved in a Washington State Patrol pursuit was sentenced and released Tuesday, Dec. 23, after changing his plea to guilty in Lincoln County Superior Court. Marquis Andrew White, 33, pleaded guilty to attempted eluding and third-degree assault under a negotiated agreement. Superior Court Judge Adam Walser accepted the plea and found White guilty. Walser said the charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, though the standard sentencing range is one to three months. P...
DAVENPORT — County public works officials told Lincoln County commissioners on Monday, Dec. 15, that recent weather has tested road conditions and trees but crews remain in a relatively stable position heading into winter. Public Works Road Operations Manager Dave Sanford said crews will revisit roads that were recently bladed and then impacted by heavy rain, noting windstorms have also brought down trees across the county. Sanford said crews dealt with several downed trees earlier in the week, though none were reported a...
Last week, I made what I thought was an innocent, wholesome decision: I took my dog, Winnie, to get her Christmas photo taken with Santa at the local doggy day-care center. I imagined a tasteful holiday keepsake. Maybe a gentle paw on Santa's knee. A framed photo I could send to relatives to prove I'm a functional adult with festive priorities. Instead, Winnie treated Santa like an obstacle course. The moment she was placed on his lap, she clawed at his beard like it owed her...
DAVENPORT - Five main county roads, Harker Canyon Road, Mill Canyon Road, Welsh Creek Road, Miles Creston Road and Baldridge Road, were temporarily blocked as strong winds swept through Lincoln County Tuesday and Wednesday, prompting crews to pull workers out of canyon areas during the worst conditions. "We pulled a lot of the guys out of the canyons during the worst part of the winds," Public Works Director David Orvis said. "We did have a lot of branches, limbs and debris....
DAVENPORT - County public works officials told Lincoln County commissioners on Monday, Dec. 15, that recent weather has tested road conditions and trees but crews remain in a relatively stable position heading into winter. Public Works Road Operations Manager Dave Sanford said crews will revisit roads that were recently bladed and then impacted by heavy rain, noting windstorms have also brought down trees across the county. Sanford said crews dealt with several downed trees...
DAVENPORT — A man accused of possessing a large quantity of methamphetamine and other controlled substances with intent to distribute appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court Tuesday, Dec. 16, where a trial date and readiness hearing were discussed. David Randall Priest, 57, requested a new trial date of Feb. 4, while prosecutors and Superior Court Judge Adam Walser discussed the upcoming speedy trial deadline. Walser stressed the importance of the date, warning Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bruce Cox that failure to meet t...
REARDAN — Even Santa needs a quick break during the busy holiday season, and this weekend he is making time to roll into Reardan for an evening of hometown cheer with local families. The Reardan Lions Club and Reardan Fire & Rescue have teamed up to bring a Hometown Christmas to the Reardan Community Hall from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20. Santa is scheduled to arrive at about 6:15 p.m., riding in on a Reardan fire engine after a festive loop through town with sirens and holiday music. The free event will include h...
DAVENPORT - Lincoln County commissioners on Monday, Dec. 15, received an update on public defense services, including caseload pressures, statewide standards and a contract adjustment for the county's public defender. Public defender Dave Hearrean told commissioners his workload is manageable but requires careful monitoring to remain sustainable. Hearrean said he currently carries 83 cases and is working with judges to resolve certain low-level matters efficiently. "If I get...
DAVENPORT — A man accused of leading law enforcement on a dangerous, multi-county pursuit in a rented moving truck was found competent to stand trial in court on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and has a readiness hearing set for Tuesday, Dec. 23. Marquis Andrew White, 33, pleaded not guilty in Lincoln County Superior Court in November to third-degree assault and attempting to elude a police vehicle in November. Both charges carry maximum penalties of five years in prison and/or $10,000 in fines, along with restitution, assessments, and c...
DAVENPORT — A Spokane man accused of driving under the influence in Lincoln County was found competent to stand trial, with a readiness hearing set for Tuesday, Dec. 23, and a trial scheduled for Jan. 7 at 9 a.m. Freddie L. Franklin, 45, is charged with felony DUI, first-degree driving while license suspended, and violation of an ignition interlock device after a police stop on Oct. 31, 2025. The charges carry enhanced penalties due to Franklin’s prior DUI convictions, including one felony conviction in 2021. During his Dec...
DAVENPORT — Local food banks in Lincoln County are expected to see increased demand in 2025 as major changes to federal and state food assistance rules take effect, officials said at a County Commissioner meeting Monday, Dec. 15. Denise Porter, a liaison with Lincoln County Workforce Services, said the changes stem from new federal rules under the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which expand the age range and tighten exemptions for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) who receive SNAP benefits. Adults aged 55-64, as we...
This week, Winnie and I made our annual pilgrimage to the vet in town. You know the routine: smiles, treats, betrayal. Winnie has spent the last few days deeply offended by her updated shots, while I have been informed, through dramatic sighs and side-eye from her, that this was entirely my fault. Our recovery plan has involved Christmas decorating and extreme lounging. Mostly for Winnie. While she has been roasting herself in front of the fireplace like a gas-station hot dog that’s been on the roller too long, I’ve been han...
ODESSA - A 2026 Odessa High School senior was selected from a national pool of more than 25,000 applicants and matched with her second-choice university for a full four-year scholarship. Kieu Tran, 17, of Odessa, learned she had been awarded the scholarship on Monday, Dec. 1, through the QuestBridge National College Match program. "I was really surprised and excited because I didn't think I would get it," Tran said. QuestBridge initially selects about 7,000 finalists from...
ODESSA - If there's one thing Santa never misses, it's a good Lincoln County celebration. And according to locals, he has a soft spot for Odessa, the kind of place where he can slip into Deutschesfest undercover, grab a German stout, and then swap it for milk and cookies during Christmas Fest without anyone batting an eye. This year, Santa made his most recent stop on Wednesday, Dec. 3, swooping into Odessa for the annual Christmas Fest, where, according to 4-H leader and...
ODESSA — For anyone who loves dazzling Christmas displays and a little holiday competition, several Lincoln County communities are gearing up for their annual lighting contests, each offering its own traditions, prizes, and hometown pride. The Odessa Lions Club will judge its yearly Christmas lighting contest on Monday, Dec. 22, with increased cash prizes this season: $200 for first place, $150 for second, and $100 for third. “For the Lions Club every year we do a light competition and we go out and judge the lights from aro...
ODESSA - A Wenatchee man accused of restraining his mother inside their Odessa home appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, Dec. 9, where he pleaded not guilty to unlawful imprisonment. Thomas Emerson Ray, 37, of Wenatchee, was arraigned before Superior Court Judge Adam Walser. David Hearrean was appointed as his public defender. Prosecutors requested no bond and asked that Ray refrain from alcohol and drugs and have no contact with the victim, his mother,...
HARRINGTON — Many residents noticed spotty or low water pressure on Wednesday, Dec. 10, after a communication relay connected to the city’s wells abruptly failed, city officials said during the regular council meeting held later that evening. Mayor Joe Armand told the council the relay, which was aging, caused the unexpected pressure drop. A replacement was already on hand, and early worries about a larger electrical malfunction at the new well were resolved when workers found the issue to be far simpler than ant...
ODESSA — The Odessa School District Board of Directors approved multiple resolutions, winter coaching contracts, and a pilot cell phone program during its regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 25, while also recognizing outgoing board member Janie Steward. The meeting was held in the high school library at 6 p.m. and was open to the public. Board members present were Chris Crossley, Zach Schafer, Sheena Starkel, Carmen Weishaar, and Janie Steward. Superintendent Steve Fisk, District Secretary Holli Eden, and Operations Supervisor Jus...
DAVENPORT — Innovia Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2026 Community Grants Program, which awards more than $1 million annually to nonprofit organizations serving Eastern Washington and North Idaho. This year’s theme, “Building Stability and Belonging,” emphasizes programs that provide access to basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, childcare, and education, as well as initiatives that foster community connections and inclusive spaces. Shelly O’Quinn, CEO of Innovia Foundation, said the grants ai...
This past weekend brought another round of Army National Guard shenanigans, the kind where you spend half the time training and the other half realizing you are, in fact, stronger than a kid who hasn’t even unpacked his ruck from AIT. I talked a brand-new private into trying one day of my bodybuilding routine from Barb, and I’d love to tell you the story ends with grace and humility. It does not. I outlifted him and then outran another soldier who still had that fre...
HARRINGTON - Holiday planning took center stage Wednesday night as the Harrington Chamber of Commerce reviewed preparations for its annual giving programs and the fast-approaching Hometown Christmas celebration. Chamber members reported that the Tree of Sharing effort is already underway, with gift tags available at Harrington Haus for the past two weeks. Volunteers were granted access to the basement of the Catholic church, allowing space t`the school so families could...
While most people spent Thanksgiving worrying about overcooking the gravy or forgetting the rolls in the oven, I spent mine on my knees praying to the culinary gods that my turkey wouldn't explode. Yes, explode. Not because that's a normal concern, but because I've seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and if you think I'm above imagining my bird turning into a puff of Thanksgiving confetti, you're wrong. In that movie, Cousin Eddie's wife's turkey is cut into at the...
DAVENPORT - Santa Claus made his grand entrance in true small-town fashion Saturday, Nov. 29, hitching a ride with the local fire department for Davenport's time-honored Hometown Christmas celebration. He hasn't missed the event in decades, calling it one of his favorite stops for warm chili, sweet treats and carnival games, though this year he had unexpected company, as the Grinch and Max roamed the festivities with mischief of their own. Debbie Meserve, president "queen" of...
