Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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IRBY — Start your engines! The 52nd annual Stumpjumpers Desert 100 race takes over the sage-steppe area north of State Highway 28 on Sunday, April 7. Several thousand dirt bike racers are expected to compete in 50-mile, 100-mile and relay races. The major event of race weekend — April 4-7 — takes place Sunday. Following an 8:30 a.m. riders meeting, racers will make there way to the start line, which will span more than a half-mile. Once on the line, dirt bike racers will be awaiting the firing of a cannon to signal the start...
LAKE ROOSEVELT - The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a "rapid response" plan to take extraordinary measures to kill northern pike found in waterways like Lake Roosevelt. Released last week, the plan would allow state officials and tribes to draw down reservoirs, using Rotenone to poison the fish, netting and seining, quarantining waterways and more after declaring a northern pike emergency. State Aquatic Invasive Species Policy Coordinator Justin Bush...
Let’s take a few words that should be on the minds of all Eastern Washingtonians concerned over efforts to breach Snake River dams — agreement, restoration and sovereign, to name a few. Last Thursday in the White House, President Joe Biden signed onto the “Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six Sovereigns” agreement. The so-called “sovereigns” refers to the states of Washington and Oregon, and four tribes — th...
Funny how it took a move into the country before a Democrat would support efforts to clean up our forests. Last week, Senate Bill 6121 passed the Senate unanimously. The bill sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege — a Democrat who now lives at Lake Sutherland — encourages the removal of downed timber and other “fuel” that could feed a wildfire. He should be commended for being the first Democrat to step out of the party box and recognize the importance of removing downed timber,...
Two years ago, Washington State Parks bureaucrats in Tumwater hatched a plan to address so-called “overcrowding” at Palouse Falls. The plan was to close and relocate the campground to Lyons Ferry, require permits to visit Upper Palouse Falls and to end hiking and exploring in and around the main Palouse Falls basin. The effort also eliminated kayaking access on the upper Palouse River. And to make the effort sound legitimate, those city-dwelling bureaucrats called Palouse Fal...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Two Reardan boys brought home bronze medals from the Tri-County Classic wrestling tournament Thursday, Dec. 21. Sterling McLaughlin was third at 190 pounds and Carson Durbin third at 215. Other Screaming Eagles winning medals included Alex Matusik, fourth at 120, and Joey Matusik, sixth at 113. As a team, Reardan amassed 83 points, good enough for an eighth-place finish out of 20 teams. Mead won the tournament with 169 team points, followed by Central V...
SPOKANE – Two Gorilla girls represented Davenport at the M2 Mallet Girls on Saturday, Dec. 23. But neither Stormy Conway nor Emma Cash brought home a medal. Wrestling at 110 pounds, Conway lost her first two matches. She was pinned by Hunter Edmondson of Sand Point in 51 seconds and then eliminated from the tournament by Layla Smith of Hanford, who pinned her in 17 seconds. Cash, wrestling at 135 pounds, faired better. She opened with a major decision victory, 12-3, over H...
The Christmas tree is decorated. The gifts are wrapped. There may not be snow outside, yet, but it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And I, for one, am looking forward to our family traditions. Every family has its own traditions; our starts with cutting down a tree, something we did a week or two ago. With the tree up and the lights already on, we’ve moved onto music and movies. Oh, the Christmas movies … Break out the classics – “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Mir...
Aren’t you sick and tired of hearing Gov. Jay Inslee and his ilk routinely blame Columbia and Snake River dams for the decline in Puget Sound salmon and orca populations? Despite voluminous information to the contrary, Inslee, Sen. Patty Murray and other extremist environmental politicians continue to push a narrative on salmon decline that is patently false. There should be penalties for being so disingenuous. While there isn’t a penalty for false statements made to app...
SPRAGUE – Drugs and/or alcohol were factors in two unrelated crashes that left one person dead and three injured Saturday and Sunday. At about 12:28 p.m. Saturday, a driver was injured and his passenger killed when their vehicle overturned in the median of Interstate 90. Then on Sunday night, a wrong-way driver caused a head-on crash near Milepost 240; two people were injured. The Washington State Patrol listed alcohol or drugs as factors in both crashes. In the Saturday c...
Like many businesses across Eastern Washington, Free Press Publishing is going to winter hours. Effective Nov. 8, our Whitman County Gazette office will resume Wednesday closures through cold-weather months. And beginning Nov. 10, our Cheney Free Press office will be closed Fridays. Our Lincoln County Record-Times and Ritzville Adams County Journal offices are already closed Fridays. Closing our offices one day a week for the winter doesn’t mean you have any less news coverage...
OLYMPIA – It took only a minute Friday, Aug. 11, for the state Fish and Wildlife Commission to reject a petition to resume spring bear hunting in 2024. The commission’s almost-immediate, unanimous rejection of spring bear hunting followed a very short presentation by state Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Division Manager Anis Aoude. “From our position as a department … we’re recommending you deny this petition,” he said. “There really isn’t a reason to revisit.” The state’s presentation and commissioner’s fast...
DAVENPORT - Cowboys and cowgirls from across the region turned out Friday and Saturday nights, Aug. 25 and 26, for the open Lincoln County Rodeo. In fact, so many turned out for the event that a third performance - slack - took place after the Friday night show. The slack performance featured nearly 75 additional competitors who didn't make it into the main events. Saturday night's rodeo featured a full card, including 11 bullriders and 9 bronc riders. A local gal, Zoe...
EDWALL - With the Gray Fire growing along Interstate 90 between Cheney and Medical Lake, state transportation officials are detouring traffic through Lincoln County. With the fire active along Interstate 90 near the Tyler, Salnave Road and Four Lakes exists, the roadway was closed at Geiger Heights and Sprague Saturday afternoon, Aug. 19. Westbound traffic was being diverted onto U.S. Highway 2 west through Airway Heights to Reardan, the south on state Highway 231 through...
Like most Americans, I enjoy watching – and lighting – fireworks on Independence Day. America’s “birthday” should stand out among all national holidays. And the colorful, aerial explosions showcase the freedom and independence for which the U.S. stands. But why then do only tribes have the ability to sell and use the “good” fireworks – you know: firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, mortars and more. There’s nothing magical about the imaginary line on a map suggesting...
CHENEY – An Odessa-Soap Lake area cowboy was named All-Around Cowboy at the Cheney Rodeo. Caleb McMillan won the title and with it, $2,193 for his performance in bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. McMillan was the top bull rider, scoring 80.5 points atop Day Time Crime. He was the only bull rider with a qualifying time. So, he took home a $6,748 purse. McMillan was eighth overall in steer wrestling with a time of 6.3 seconds, which earned him an additional $...
A short three years ago, motorists in Eastern Washington could buy regular unleaded gasoline for as little as $1.97 per gallon in several areas – George, Pasco, Quincy, to name a few. Diesel didn’t cost much more. Farmers could afford to fill their fuel tanks and shipping companies could keep their trucks moving at a reasonable price. And you and I could afford to drive personal vehicles – a necessity when you live and work in Eastern Washington. As a result, rural resid...
From cars to bigfoot to high-speed sprint boats, you don’t have to look very far to find something to do this weekend. But dad won’t care if you take him somewhere or just spend time with him. For dad, Father’s Day isn’t about spending money, it’s about time – time to connect, reflect and enjoy each other’s company. Dads spend a lifetime taking care of the needs of their children. Through their children’s formative years into college, fathers bring structure, discipline, log...
LIND – The city roars to life Friday and Saturday, June 9 and 10, as the 34th annual Combine Demolition Derby Days brings thousands of residents and visitors out for a weekend of smashing fun. The highlight of the event is the Lions Club Combine Demolition Derby, in which area farmers, fans and others put their fortified combines to the test in a demolition contest, with the last combine running crowned the victor. But the weekend also includes a car show, barbecue, car and pickup truck racing, grain truck racing, camping, m...
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee won’t be seeking a fourth term. Inslee, a Democrat from Bainbridge Island, announced Monday, May 1, that he’s ready to move on. “Today I announced I will not seek a fourth term,” he said. “We’ve made Washington a beacon for progress for the nation, and now it’s time to pass the torch.” Born and raised in Seattle, he was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1989, then elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993. The 72-year-old Inslee was elected to lead the state in 2013...
IRBY -Two Davenport dirt bikers were among the racers to complete the grueling Desert 100 on Sunday, April 2. Codi Williams and Curtis Tanner each took more than four hours to complete the 100-mile course through sagebrush, basalt ridges and grass. The race was the culminating event for several days of poker runs and races that started just off Irby road, about 10 miles west of Odessa. Williams placed 65th overall and 21st in Open Class racing with a time of 4:26:15.548....
IRBY - This year's start line faced north, away from State Highway 28. On the line, racers spread out a half-mile wide, awaiting the boom of a cannon and the ensuing cloud of pink smoke. The 921 course took competitors on a northerly route through sagebrush to a slight left-hand turn through the first gate, which was only about 50 feet wide. Once through, they raced down an embankment to Ott Road and Crab Creek. There, racers jostled for position to cross one of two, small...
Washington state has high tax rates — gas, property, you name it. Government agencies billions of tax dollars annually from residents and businesses here. So why then are government agencies taking Washington taxpayer dollars and buying goods and services out-of-state, goods and services that are readily abundant in Washington? Those agencies are penalizing state taxpayers (residents and businesses) for paying the high taxes the agencies collected under burdensome r...
As a youngster, I looked forward to Christmas. I loved the food, the traditions and especially the presents - what kid doesn't? In high school and college, the luster subsided. As a wrestler, Christmas was a time for fasting so I didn't have to move up a weight class. I dreaded running extra bleachers, doing additional up-downs and all the "fat man" jokes from teammates. Christmas would become just one of those "OK" holidays for me after college. As a journalist, I would be...
RITZVILLE—The Adams County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the thefts of multiple traffic signs last week. Investigators received information that led them to a location in the 1800 block of East Franz Road. During execution of a search warrant there Nov. 23, deputies recovered several signs, records show. “Deputies recovered stolen road signs that belonged to the Public Works Departments of Adams County, Franklin County and Lincoln County,” Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said. “Also recovered were road signs belonging...
