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Articles written by Roger Harnack


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  • Caller threatens to bomb hospital

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Nov 7, 2024

    DAVENPORT — The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an Oct. 31 bomb threat that prompted the lock down of medical facilities in Davenport and Reardan. According to law enforcement records, at about 2:37 p.m. Oct. 31, an employee at Lincoln County Hospital received a forwarded call in which the caller said a bomb had been planted at Reardan Clinic. The employee reported a man’s voice saying “that bomb will go off soon,” records show. The call was made to the Reardan Clinic, 550 E. Broadway Ave., Reardan,...

  • Our advice on ballot measures

    Roger Harnack|Updated Nov 2, 2024

    Four measures on the Nov. 5 general election could make a difference in your lifestyle and your wallet. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when you cast your ballot: Initiative 2066 This initiative would repeal regulations that attack your ability to use nature gas use dryers, stoves, heating systems and more in your home and business. It would also restrict government agencies from implementing policies and programs that promote the use of electric appliances over natural gas. The measure comes after the so-called ...

  • Reardan man faces trial in babys death

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 31, 2024

    REARDAN — A local man accused in the death of a 5-month-old boy last year appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court in Davenport for a readiness hearing Oct. 29. Jordan Russell Mills-Jay, 30, is facing a 9 a.m. Nov. 12 trial for first-degree manslaughter and second-degree murder in the June 21, 2023, death of “Zander” at the 52186 Euclid Road home he shares with the baby’s mother, Kayla Anthony. Mills-Jay is listed as Zander’s father on the birth certificate, but court records show another man may be the father of the decea...

  • Rathdrum, Idaho, man arraigned in Wilbur burglary

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 31, 2024

    WILBUR — A Rathdrum, Idaho, man was arraigned Oct. 29 in Lincoln County Superior Court on multiple charges stemming from a burglary. Jacob Micheal Hewitt, 31, of Rathdrum will be tried for first-degree theft, residential burglary and two counts of theft of a firearm at 9 a.m. Dec. 18. A readiness hearing is scheduled for Nov. 26. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Sept. 22, court records show. At the time, he was serving time in the Washington Corrections Center-Receiving/Diagnostic Center in Spokane. He was t...

  • Skau appears for resentencing

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 31, 2024

    DAVENPORT — A Yelm man appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, Oct. 29, for a resentencing hearing on 17 felony convictions. Erik Norman Skau, 44, of Yelm, was previously convicted on 17 felonies after he burglarized a Grand Coulee home on Nov. 4 or 5, 2021. The convictions included crimes of first-degree burglary, first-degree malicious mischief, first-degree theft, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and 12 counts of theft of a firearm. According to court records, Skau allegedly used a sledgehammer to b...

  • Tigers dominate Redskins for Homecoming

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 31, 2024

    ODESSA - The Odessa Tigers cruised to an easy Homecoming victory Friday, Oct. 25, over the visiting Wellpinit Redskins. In an 8-man football game with playoff implications, the Tigers rolled to a 62-14 win, with the Redskins scoring only on their first and last possessions of the game. "Wow. I did not expect it to go that way," Coach Joe Schlomer said. "Last year, they beat us twice. They handled us very well twice." Not this time. The Redskins brought nine seniors into the...

  • Man sought for tractor burglary

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 24, 2024

    DAVENPORT — An arrest warrant has been issued for a man whose DNA was found on a Mountain Dew bottle found at the scene of a rural theft northeast of Davenport. Deputies are seeking information on the whereabouts of Shawn M. Willhite, 44, who may be in Whitman or Spokane Counties. The arrest warrant was issued Oct. 15. According to court records, Willhite was identified from DNA as the suspect in a theft reported May 24 at 19501 N. Boyk Road. At the time, the victim, Weston Sellars, told investigating deputies someone had s...

  • Three men arrested in Sprague burglary

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 24, 2024

    Three men were booked into the Lincoln County Jail in Davenport in connection with the burglary of a cell phone tower building near Sprague. Jail records show Jason John Trickel, 44, Justin Curtis Himes, 48, and Joshua M. True, 44, all of Oregon, were arrested Tuesday, Oct. 22. Trickel and Himes are being held in the Lincoln County Jail on a burglary charge and True is in custody for second-degree burglary. The men’s ages and hometowns were not immediately available. At press time, they were being held without bail. A...

  • Davenport man faces voyeurism charge

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 24, 2024

    DAVENPORT — A local man is facing a voyeurism charge in Lincoln County Superior Court after allegedly filming sexual acts with his girlfriend over the summer. Austin Andrew Anderson, 24, of Davenport, will be arraigned on a first-degree voyeurism charge Oct. 29. He is currently being held in the Lincoln County Jail on $10,00 bail. Anderson was arrested at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Oct. 22, court records show. The case began on July 24 when his then-girlfriend, 19, contacted deputies about Anderson record...

  • Almira man charged with trying to steal car

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 24, 2024

    ALMIRA — A local man will appear in court on Nov. 5 to answer a vehicle theft charge. Billy Jack Bragg, 27, of Almira, has been issued a court summons to answer to the charge of attempted theft of a motor vehicle. Bragg is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Superior Court in Davenport at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 5. He was arrested Oct. 10 at his mother’s house at 115 N. Fifth St., Almira In a probable cause statement dated Oct. 10, Bragg allegedly attempted to steal a car from a driveway at 124 S. Seventh St. Records show res...

  • Three area runners finish in the Top 5

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 24, 2024

    REARDAN - Two Davenport girls and one Reardan boy finished in the Top 5 of the Northeast 2B league cross country meet here, punching their tickets to regionals. Reardan senior Gabe Branstetter posted the fastest time among Lincoln County runners on the 5,000-meter course. Branstetter took second in 17:02.00. In the girls race, it was Davenport junior Josie Wynecoop and freshman Charlotte Soliday pacing local runners. Wynecoop finished third with a time of 20:41.30 and Soliday...

  • License shortage is highway robbery

    Roger Harnack|Updated Oct 16, 2024

    Motorists in Washington state are sometimes handing over hundreds of dollars for licensing of their vehicle, but only receiving paper plates in return. According to an Aug. 28 legislative report, the state is had a backlog of at least 230,000 standard license plate orders, 10,000 specialty orders and 5,000 personal vanity orders. More than 20 counties (30 counties now) statewide are out of or nearly out of license plates. Still, the state is collecting money for plates it...

  • Woman arraigned, booked in deaths

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 10, 2024

    DAVENPORT — A Palouse woman was arraigned in Lincoln County Superior Court in Davenport on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in connection with the deaths of three local men. Jade A. Ellsworth, 29, of Palouse was arraigned for vehicular homicide, booked into the county jail and then released on her own recognizance. She is prohibited from leaving the state and required to live in Palouse, records show, noting a trial is set for 9 a.m. March 5. A readiness hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Feb. 11. Public defender David Hearrean was a...

  • Banko moved to mental hospital

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 10, 2024

    ODESSA — A local man accused of threatening to kill another man has been transferred to Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake to undergo competency restoration treatment and evaluation. Arthur James Banko, 68, of Odessa, is being held at the mental hospital without bail while health officials provide competency restoration treatment. His trial date of Nov. 6 was canceled during a hearing Tuesday, Oct. 8. According to court records, Banko is now in the custody the state Department of Social and Health Services, which will c...

  • Young love leads to Montana arrest

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 10, 2024

    WILBUR — Young love landed a local boy in Martin Hall Juvenile Detention after he allegedly stole his parents car and attempted to drive to New York to see his girlfriend. Brody Carstensen, 14, of Wilbur, was arraigned Oct. 8 in Lincoln County Superior Court for theft of a motor vehicle. His bail was set at $2,500 and he is scheduled to appear in court again at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 29. Cartsensen has pending charges in Spokane County, as well, court records show, noting authorities believe he is a flight risk. According to court r...

  • There's no doubt community newspapers still matter

    Roger Harnack|Updated Oct 10, 2024

    It’s a bit premature to say the bell tolls for community newspapers. Sure, big city media printing the same diatribe you see on television is declining. (That’s because the city media moguls have forgotten their place in society.) And sure, with the Googles of the world, cellphones and social media have impacted our advertising, which, by the way is how we pay our bills. But in our community newspapers, we haven’t forgotten our place. Our reporters shop in the same stores, eat...

  • Davenport man arraigned for second-degree rape

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 10, 2024

    DAVENPORT — A local man remains in the Lincoln County Jail following his Tuesday, Oct. 8, arraignment in connection with an alleged rape. Daniel R. James, 24, is being held on $50,000 bail on a charge of second-degree rape-forcible compulsion. James appeared before elected Judge Pro Tempore Dan B. Johnson on Oct. 8; the hearing was continued until 10:30 a.m. Oct. 15. He was arrested Saturday, Sept. 28, after a local woman told police he raped her. Records show she was out drinking with friends, then asked James for a ride hom...

  • Bulldogs bring down Gorillas, 33-13

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    DAVENPORT - The Gorillas drew first blood, but the Bulldogs answered the next three times to win a Northeast 2B football game Friday, Sept. 27. The Colfax Bulldogs topped the Davenport Gorillas, 33-13. The Gorillas marched down the field on their first possession of the game, with 5-foot-10 junior running back punching the ball in on Davenport's first possession to take a 6-0 lead. Colfax responded on the Bulldog's next two possessions on the running of senior John Largent,...

  • Davenport man to be arraigned for rape

    Roger Harnack, Record-Times|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    DAVENPORT — A local man will be arraigned Tuesday, Oct. 8, after being accused of raping a local woman in his vehicle. Daniel R. James, 24, is being held on $50,000 bail on a charge of second-degree rape-forcible compulsion. James appeared before Judge Pro Tempore Dan B. Johnson on Oct. 1, three days following his arrest Saturday, Sept. 28. According to a probable cause statement filed with the court, the woman notified law enforcement officers of the rape. The woman told police she had been out drinking with friends and aske...

  • Tax levy to fund hall, water park on ballot

    Roger Harnack, Record-Times|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    DAVENPORT — Voters who reside within the boundaries of Lincoln County Parks and Recreation District No. 3 are being asked to renew a maintenance and operations levy to fund the Davenport Water Park for the next six years. The $135,000 levy will also be used to fund operations of Davenport Memorial Hall, 511 Park St., over the same time period. Voters will have an opportunity to weigh in on the measure in the Nov. 5 general election. Parks and Recreation District officials said the levy is a replacement levy; the current l...

  • Coalition forms to push back on predators

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    RITZVILLE - Law enforcement agencies, ranchers and rural counties are forming a coalition to push back against the state Fish and Wildlife Commission's failure to manage large predators effectively. The coalition was announced Sept. 17 following a meeting here on large predators issues. The meeting attracted about 16-20 law enforcement officers, as well as two ranchers speaking about the effects of wolf, cougar and bear depredation on farms, ranches and rural communities....

  • Demand access to elected officials

    Roger Harnack|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    There’s a disturbing trend among tax-payer funded agencies that needs to be nipped in the bud. If you haven’t noticed, public agencies like hospital and utility districts, school boards, city councils, and others have been taking steps to insulate — dare I say isolate — elected board members. Have a concern about something in your local school district? Don’t like a utility rate increase? Want to know if your local public hospital is making a profit? Have questions about cit...

  • Man killed in Sprague-area crash

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    SPRAGUE — A Spokane Valley man was killed in an early morning crash Saturday, Sept. 28, on Interstate 90. Craig E. Richardt, 61, of Spokane Valley, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at 4:42 a.m. near Milepost 236. According to the Washington State Patrol, the crash occurred about 11 miles west of Sprague, near the south end of Sprague Lake in Adams County. Lloyd O. Arbaugh, 89, of Moses Lake, was westbound in a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup when he struck Richardt’s westbound 2009 Toyota Corolla, the patrol reported, not...

  • Gorilla boys runners take fifth at league meet

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    CHEWELAH — The Davenport boys finished fifth as a team in a Northeast 1B/2B league meet at 49 Degrees Mountain Resort. The Gorilla boys had 136 team points; Jenkins (Chewelah) won with a team low score of 32, followed by Valley Christian with 75, Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame with 91 and Northwest Christian Colbert with 121. Davenport’s fastest runners finished 27th, 28th, 29th and 31st in the 5,000-meter race. Senior Tommy Furman was 27th with a time of 21:50.90, followed by junior Kyler Davenport with a time of 21:...

  • Tigers overpower Shockers, 68-14

    Roger Harnack, The Record-Times|Updated Sep 26, 2024

    ODESSA - The community celebrated the Odessa Tigers on Friday night, as the local boys overpowered the visiting Waterville-Mansfield Shockers, 68-14, during the Sausage Bowl. With Odessa leading 34-6 at halftime, students took to the field for the Chicken Dance, a tradition at both the game and downtown when Deutchesfest is celebrated. The Shockers (1-2) opened the scoring on their first possession of the game, putting 6 points on the board on a Max Murison off-guard run with...

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