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RITZVILLE -- One person is dead in an early morning shooting here at a home at the corner of Seventh Avenue and Washington Street. Police Chief Dave McCormick said the shooting occurred about 5:30 a.m. Dispatchers received a call at 5:39 a.m. from a neighbor who heard gunshots, he said. Officers arriving on scene found one person deceased. McCormick was still on the scene, along with Adams County Sgt. Garcia, at 9:30 a.m. No other information was immediately available....
Editor's note: This story has been updated on May 13 at 11:01 a.m. to add "state appropriations" to Athletics Director Lynn Hickey's statement on the estimated loss of revenue sources. CHENEY – Eastern Washington University’s Athletics Department is eyeing an estimated $2.1 million loss in revenue, Athletics Director Lynn Hickey said during the weekly “Lunch & Learn” show on the department’s Facebook page. Hickey told host Larry Weir on Tuesday, May 12, that the estimated loss comes from an anticipated reduction in state app...
OLYMPIA — If you test positive for conoravirus, be prepared to be quarantined at home. That’s the message Gov. Jay Inslee shared during a Tuesday afternoon press conference on his plan for “contact tracing” of the virus. Under his plan, anyone who tests positive will be quarantined at home. Moreover, anyone in their immediate family and anyone with whom they’ve had contact, will also be quarantined in their homes. While the governor called the plan “voluntary,” he also acknowledged that the state will be keeping tabs...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS — The owners of a local tavern plan to be open from 2 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday despite the coronavirus quarantine. Village Tavern co-owner Jean Moore hopes other bars and restaurants will join her in opening in defiance of Gov. Jay Inslee's order shutting so-called "non-essential" businesses. The seating is spaced out, she said, noting she's planning to open those same 12 hours daily. The tavern is at 13119 W. Sunset Highway. Gov. Inslee's staff has not approved of any in-restaurant dining in the city or surrou...

ODESSA - A surgeon at Lincoln Hospital will begin offering services at Odessa Clinic on may 26. Last fall, Dr. Raaj Ruparel moved from Rochester, Minn., to Davenport, where he leads general surgery services and performs lumpectomies, appendectomies, port placements, mastectomies, hernia repairs, colonoscopies, endoscopies and more. He previously finished his residency at Mayo Clinic as chief general surgery resident. He also completed a general surgery internship and a...

Palouse Falls State Park has reopened for day-use activities. Location just south of Washtucna of state Highway 261, the park features two waterfalls, one is the 20-foot upper falls, the other is the 198-foot main falls....
RITZVILLE — Ritzville Golf Course was scheduled to open Tuesday for those who reserved a tee time. The municipal golf couse at 104 E. 10th Ave. also limits use to two players, or four if they are family members living in the same household. Only one person may be on a golf cart on the course, officials said. To reserve a tee time, call 509-659-1930. Greens fees can be paid over the phone, dropped off in the City Hall drop box, or mailed to 216 E. Main Ave., Ritzville, WA 99169....
COULEE DAM – Fishing resumed in Washington and within Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area on Tuesday in coordination with state officials. The reservoir had been closed to fishing and boating by federal officials in cooperation with Gov. Jay Inslee’s quarantine on outdoor recreation. That quarantine also included a ban on hiking on public lands, golfing and camping, which remains closed statewide. But as of Tuesday, boat launches reopened on lakes statewide, including Lake Roosevelt. Docks at Seven Bays and Kettle Fal...
LIND – The Lind Combine Demolition Derby has fallen casualty to the coronavirus pandemic. During an April 28 Town Council meeting, Mayor Paula Bell said the Lions Club has cancelled the event for this year. The news reached Sen. Mark Schoesler quickly. “As a past champion of the Lind Lions Club Combine Demolition Derby, I was sorry to learn this past weekend that one of the local casualties of the Inslee shutdown is the 2020 derby,” Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said May 1 while also responding to the governor’s decisio...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee is now facing four lawsuits over his “unconstitutional” overreach in using the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to quarantine healthy Washingtonians. Two new lawsuits were filed Tuesday with attorneys Joel B. Ard and David K. DeWolf representing the plaintiffs in both suits. One of the new lawsuits was filed by Republican lawmakers Reps. Andrew Barkis of Olympia, Chris Corry of Yakima, Drew McEwen of Union and Brandon Vick of Clark County, among others. The lawsuit alleges that Gov. Inslee violated t...

DAVENPORT - Lincoln County is in the midst of filing for a variance to reopen businesses and services. County Public Health Administrator Ed Dzedzy said Wednesday morning that he expects to submit an application to the state Department of Health later that day to move on to Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee's four-phase plan to open the economy. The reopening plan comes in response to the governor's "stay home" quarantine ordered in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Inslee...
DAVENPORT — Lincoln County Superior Court Judge John Strohmaier announced this week that he will not seek a fourth term. Strohmaier, who has served since 2008, will leave the bench in January. Strohmaier says he and his wife would like to be able to travel while they are still in good health. “I went back and forth on this,” Strohmaier said. “I thought, ‘Well, I can go longer. I’m heathy.’ But then I thought, ‘Maybe it’s a good idea to retire while you’re still healthy.’” Strohmaier, 64, said he would have been interested in...

Lincoln County is one of five counties that the state Department of Health approved Friday to move on to Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s plan to reopen the state economy, Health Administrator Ed Dzedzy confirmed to The Times. “We got approved,” Dzedzy said. “Phase 2, for everything except businesses, begins now. Businesses can open as soon as the governor announces his guidelines.” Once guidelines have been released, businesses such as barbershops and nail salons can reopen. R...

CHENEY – Eastern Washington University officials announced that they will continue with the current online instruction format created about seven weeks ago in response to measures imposed to slow the spread of the acute respiratory disease COVID-19. "Eastern is moving forward with an online first approach to the fall terms," EWU Provost Dr. David May said during a Tuesday, May 5, morning telebriefing. "We want to keep our students, faculty and community safe." May outlined f...

PASCO – Franklin County cherry orchardist and pilot Dave MacHugh was landing his private airplane at Tri-Cities Airport after a four-hour trip to Tacoma and back Friday afternoon, May 1. Unbeknownst to him, as his plane touched down and taxied to the hangar, Gov. Jay Inslee was in the process of ordering Washington state to remain under quarantine until at least May 31. Although the weather was ideal for a general aviation flight, MacHugh wasn't on a pleasure trip. He had f...

KAHLOTUS - Washington State Parks has released a list of the parks that will be opening May 5 for outdoor recreation, provided visitors keep their distance. In Eastern Washington, the initial list of openings include: Alta Lake Bridgeport Columbia Plateau Trail Conconully Ginkgo Petrified Forest Goldendale Observatory Lake Chelan Lake Wenatchee Lincoln Rock Lyons Ferry Mount Spokane Nine Mile Falls Recreation Area Palouse Falls Perrygin Lake Potholes Reservoir Riverside...

ODESSA - Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday gave a thumbs up to resuming outdoor recreation close to home, as long as participants keep their distance. During his press conference, he said residents could resume golfing, fishing, hunting and hiking and other outdoor recreation May 5. That's good news to small recreation venues in Eastern Washington that never fully shutdown under his quarantine orders due to the coronavirus quarantine. The governor declared a statewide emergency on...
ODESSA — The town has been awarded a $1.3 million grant to make critical water infrastructure improvements. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the agency’s Economic Development Administration grant last week. The funds will be used in an “opportunity zone” with a $326,401 local match. “The Trump Administration is committed to helping American communities obtain the modern infrastructure they need to encourage business growth in Opportunity Zones,” Ross said. “This project will provide Odessa with the water inf...

RITZVILLE - Eastern Washington potato growers donated 20 tons of spuds to area residents Wednesday rather than throw them away. The potatos were grown primarily for restaurants. But with Gov. Jay Inslee shutting down dine-in eateries statewide, the demand for potatos has dwindled, leaving farmers with tons of spuds to give away or throw away. The quarantine orders have essentially shut down the economic engine of local potato farmers. On Monday, the first of several potato...
ODESSA — The Town Council is studying creation of a Park District as a means to cover swimming pool costs. The council met digitally Monday, April 27, to discuss the pool and other issues. The cost of maintaining the pool, paying for lifeguards and covering all the other costs related to the pool has reached the $70,000 annually, according to Town Clerk Denise Snead. Pool-use fees generate $3,000 per year, and the Friends of the Pool non-profit group donates about $10,000 each year. The remainder is paid by the town. The L...

DAVENPORT - At least two county lakes will open May 5 to fishing. Lake Roosevelt and Sprague Lake will open the same day Gov. Jay Inslee is allowing state-managed outdoor recreation to reopen. While Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is federally managed, officials said they will follow the guidance offered by Inslee, who announced the opening of fishing, hunting, hiking and golf during a April 27 press conference. Until further notice, all camping remains closed at Lake...

DUSTY — A duststorm caused near-zero visibility and led to at least three crashes in the area Monday, April 27. According to the Washington State Patrol, three people were cited in a four-vehicle crash for allegedly driving too fast for conditions on state Highway 25 three miles west of town. The crash occurred when one driver slowed due to thick dust blowing off adjacent farm fields, the patrol reported. That vehicle was struck by another motorists, who was then struck by a...
DAVENPORT — Schools across the state are not closed down; classes have just moved online. That’s part of the message Davenport schools officials hope parents understand. And while students can’t earn a failing grade in the final quarter of the year, they can earn an incomplete. When Gov. Jay Inslee announced schools would not reopen for in-person education for the rest of the school year, he also announced students would not receive an “F” in the spring. While many students and parents may believe that means summer vacation s...
DAVENPORT — Davenport High School recently received three awards for academic achievement. The state Board of Education and Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recognized the school for excellence in achievement in mathematics, English, graduation rate and keeping ninth-graders on track. The school was also recognized by U.S. News and World Report....
AIRWAY HEIGHTS -- Citing entertainment and hospitality as essential businesses needed to run their government, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians announced today (April 29) that they will be reopening all of their facilities on May 5 -- including Northern Quest Resort & Casino on the West Plains. The announcement came just before Gov. Jay Inslee said in a press conference that similar restrictions that have closed Washington businesses such as restaurants, movie theatres and other entertainment facilities would likely be extended...