Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sorted by date Results 2719 - 2743 of 5664
OTHELLO — A local man has died of injuries he sustained in a crash July 22. Jose Erivas Chama, 51, of Othello, died Aug. 4 at a Spokane hospital, the Washington State Patrol reported. Chama was in a crash at 10:40 p.m. July 22 on state Highway 17 in rural Grant County, the patrol reported. He was southbound in a 1993 Nissan Service truck when he crossed the centerline and struck a northbound 2007 Kenworth truck towing a potato trailer. Jacob E. Vooge , 29, of Pasco, was driving the tractor trailer, the patrol reported. The c...
CHENEY — Gov. Jay Inslee “strongly recommends” public and private students in 34 of the state’s 39 counties stay home this fall. His recommendation came during a press conference this afternoon, Aug. 5, in which he was joined by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and state Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy. The governor said he was not issuing legally binding orders, but would expect school districts to heed his advice and that of state health offices as it relates to returning to campus while the Wuhan coro...
RENTON—It may sound weird to say, but “Friday Night Lights” won’t be taking place until March this year. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) announced a new, tentative schedule which includes four sports seasons for the 2020-21 season due to Corona virus restrictions. The four seasons are classified numerically: Season 1, 2, 3 and 4. Most notably, football, volleyball and girls soccer were all moved to Season 3, which begins at the end of winter....
GRAND COULEE — In the height of the summer camping season, many campers are frustrated to find campsites on the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area are limited or closed due to COVID-19. A complete reopening of the campsites administered by the National Parks Service that administers the campgrounds does not seem to be on the horizon. There are 17 developed campsites on Lake Roosevelt, but only four are open. The Spring Canyon, Fort Spokane, Kettle Falls and Keller F...
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Dr. H. George Frederickson, the lightning rod president who oversaw the transformation of Eastern Washington State College to Eastern Washington University, passed away July 24 at his home in Lawrence, Kan. having just recently turned 86. Frederickson, a 1961 graduate of Brigham Young University, and who earned his master's in public administration from UCLA and a doctorate down the road at USC, was chosen to replace Emerson Shuck who had served Eastern...
COLVILLE — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife killed an adult, non-breeding female member of the Wedge wolf pack July 27. The pack has repeatedly preyed on cattle on public and private grazing lands in Stevens County, officials said. Agency Director Kelly Susewind authorized the removal of a wolf from the Wedge pack July 23 after staff confirmed five depredation incidents in the previous 30 days. Staff confirmed two additional depredations two days after Susewind’s authorization, bringing the total number of doc...
DAVENPORT--In working to respond to resident complaints about smells coming from a marijuana farm outside of Davenport, officials from Lincoln County discovered something that “blew them away.” At the Happy Trailz marijuana farm on Sterritt Road, Lincoln County Commissioner Rob Coffman said he was “completely blown away” by the level of production. “There were over 30 greenhouses full of plants when the business only has a permit for a small, indoor grow operation...
REARDAN — Police Chief Andy Manke was expecting to enjoy the local firework show on July 4. Instead, he ended up making a felony arrest that got him recognition from the Secret Service. Manke observed Stephen A. Dalin, 34, driving a white 1995 Geo Metro eastbound with expired license plates, according to the arrest report. “The back window was broken out,” Manke said. “A $3,000 mountain bike in the hatchback that just looked out of place, and the tabs were expired in March....
DAVENPORT--The Lincoln County Commissioners are starting to collect bids for improvement projects at the county fairgrounds that they hope will make the short list for legislative funding in 2021. Several of the fairground buildings are showing their age and need torn down or fixed, said Lincoln County Commissioner Scott Hutsell. "Some of our buildings are really showing their age and we would like to make improvements to the fairgrounds so it can be multi-use," Hutsell said. "We are collecting bids on the various projects...
REARDAN – Under a proposed contract change, the Town of Reardan may end up paying substantially higher jail fees to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, a cost that Reardan Police Chief Andy Manke said isn’t feasible for the town of 623. While the town has its own police force, it contracts with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for jail and dispatch services. The contract between the town and the county is currently under negotiation and set to renew in January. Under t...
OLYMPIA – Congress recently extended waivers that permit Washington WIC to offer remote services through September 30, 2020. WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. While the rules normally require in-person meetings, the waivers allow WIC to enroll new applicants, provide nutrition education and breastfeeding support, and issue food benefits by phone or video chat. Since WIC started offering remote services, program participation grew by about 4 percent and the rate of missed a...
OLYMPIA - The Department of Social and Health Services received a federal grant of nearly $890,000 to provide work-based job training for low-income, unemployed older Washingtonians. This grant will help prepare hundreds of older adults in Washington state for a post-COVID-19 economy. DSHS will use the money to provide remote training opportunities and job preparation and coaching. Training will focus on gaining and retaining employment, digital literacy and technical training skills to prepare participants to return to the...
HAY — The Whitman County Sheriff’s Office is looking for an overdue motorist/missing person. William “Bill” Betcher, 81, of Hay, is described as a white male approximately 6-foot-2 weighing 270 pounds. He may be wearing a large straw sombrero-type hat and shorts. Betcher left Hay at about 4 p.m. July 21 to buy a horse in the Ford area north of Reardan, he's been missing since. He was seen eastbound on U.S. Highway 26 east of Hooper and on the morning of July 22 in the Almira area. Betcher may be experiencing memory issues...
DAVENPORT — The Lincoln County Superior Court is planning to resume their in-person jury trial schedule next week, but with restrictions to the public due to COVID-19. The public and press will only be allowed to view the jury trials if they are willing to submit to multiple temperature checks and wear a mask or a face shield. No virtual or remote option to view the trial will be available. Members of the public who are called for jury duty will also be required to submit to the temperature taking and the face masks. N...
OLYMPIA — The governor today followed Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s lead today, July 23, in cracking down on restaurants, bars and gyms, as well as expanding mask-wearing requirements. During a press conference, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a shutdown of indoor service at bars effective July 30. He also said bar and restaurant alcohol sales will not be allowed after 10 p.m., and ordered arcade, gaming and cardroom areas shuttered. State Secretary of Health John Weisman added an expanded mask order, requiring face coverings to be wor...
WENATCHEE — Since February, Washingtonians have experienced a dizzying set of mandates and orders related to the Covid 19 virus from the governor’s office. From business shutdowns to stay at home orders and mandating masks, the ongoing emergency declaration from Governor Inslee has caused frustration throughout the state. One group says they have had enough. Restore Washington, an activist group that includes former 12th Legislative District Rep. Cary Condotta, R-Wenatchee, has worked on several issues in the past, inc...
DAVENPORT – Ballots for the Aug. 4 primary election are set to be mailed out to the 7,548 registered voters in Lincoln County this week in preparation for what Auditor Shelly Johnston called a "nominating" election. "This is an election that essentially winnows down the number of candidates for the offices that are open," Johnston explained. Washington State has a "top two" primary system that allows the top-two vote getters, regardless of party, to advance to the general e...
Wheat fields north of Davenport are starting to show their golden harvest color, but High Line Grain Growers Manager Beau Duff said even after the fields turn color, it is usually another 15 days before the grain is ready to harvest. Duff noted most fields are roughly five days or more behind this year due to the moisture and the cool weather. He anticipates harvest for fields north of Davenport will start around Aug. 5....
MOSES LAKE — Two candidates-Eduardo Castaneda-Diaz (D) and John Malan (Classical Democrat)-are running to unseat three-time incumbent Tom Dent for state representative Pos. 1 in District 13. District 13 represents a mostly rural and agricultural area that includes portions of Lincoln, Kittitas, Yakima and Grant counties. Ballots are expected to be mailed the week of July 17 for the primary election on August 4. The top two vote-getters from the primaries will advance to November’s general election. Incumbent Dent focuses on...
DAVENPORT - A "Black Lives Matter" sign on the lawn of Lynn Leslie was defaced with spray paint last weekend, marring the sign that Leslie said was meant to bring awareness to the goal of the BLM movement. A vandal sprayed over the word "black" and changed the word "matter" to a mis-spelled version of "murder" on the sign located along 3rd street in Davenport. "The Black Lives Matter movement is about change, it is about acceptance, it is about forgiveness, it is about...
DAVENPORT – The Lincoln County Economic Development Council recently received a $50,000 grant to study broadband capabilities in Lincoln County with the hopes of bringing fiber internet to the area. The $50,000 was a combination of $37,500 in state development funds and $12,500 in matching funds from Lincoln County. The study will determine how to bring fiber internet to residents in the eight towns in Lincoln County, eliminating coverage gaps in unincorporated areas and evaluate a management plan that would include a long t...
HARRINGTON — The City Council met July 8 via conference call with the following participants: Mayor Nathan Luck; council members Stephen Hardy, David Buddrius, Peter Davenport, Levi Schenk and Justin Slack; Clerk Janice Cepeda; Margie Hall of the EDC, Steve Marsh of TD&H and identified citizens Geoff Talkington, Marge Womach, Jess Silhan and Cherie MacClellan. A public hearing was opened with Steve Marsh talking about the Community Development Block Grant. Davenport wanted to know what the time-line would be, and Marsh r...
BASIN CITY - What do you call it when more than 3,000 rural residents get together for the Fourth of July to rodeo, parade, dance and shoot off fireworks? Well, rodeo clown turned Freedom Rodeo announcer J.J. Harrison calls it a "cowboy protest," a protest in which ruralites build up America instead of tearing it down. Harrison, of Walla Walla, emceed the inaugural Freedom Rodeo on July 3 and 4 in this city of 1,100 people in Franklin County. The mask-optional "protest" rodeo...
DAVENPORT — A man who was pulled over for creating an eight-car backup on Highway 2 in Lincoln County has been charged with possession of methamphetamine that was discovered by officers during a traffic stop. Jebediah Willyard, 38, was stopped by a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy on Feb. 11 for causing an eight-car backup of traffic with his 1988 Chevy pickup. The officer, who was at the end of the line of cars, noted the truck was only driving 50 miles an hour an a 60 mph zone. Upon stopping the truck, Deputy Cuzzetto not...
GRAND COULEE — Starting on July 13, the National Park Service will be conducting geotechnical work on the Spring Canyon boat launch seawall. Core samples will be taken to evaluate the soil structure for future repairs of the existing seawall. During this time, the lower parking lot of the Spring Canyon boat launch will be closed for the staging of drilling equipment. The upper parking lot will remain open. The public is asked to ensure that all vehicles are moved from the lower parking lot of the Spring Canyon boat launch n...
