Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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FRUITLAND - Hunter Jarod Bierman of rural Adams County captured this video of four cougars on the hunt along a trail near Fruitland....
EASTERN WASHINGTON -- A cold front moving through the region beginning Monday night is expected to bring more rain and windy conditions to the area Tuesday. Rain is expected in the morning, with winds picking up through the afternoon and into the evening. Forecasters at the National Weather service are predicting potentially damaging wind gusts from 40 --60 mph peaking between 4 -- 8 p.m., with 60 mph gusts possible locally. A High Wind Watch has been issued for Tuesday afternoon and evening from the Wenatchee area east...
REARDAN – A dispute between a local grain cooperative and a national grain miller is under litigation in U.S. District Court, with the grain miller claiming the cooperative wrongfully terminated a contract between the two. Archer Daniels Midland, also known as ADM, claims that the grain cooperative Columbia Plateau Producers wrongfully cancelled a processing contract on claims the miller failed to deliver services as promised. ADM has milling locations in Spokane and Cheney. ADM claims that after a 14 year contract, C...
WILBUR – A wildfire that started Labor Day weekend in Lincoln County still has residents working to recover from the blaze long after the fires have gone out. The Whitney fire burnt over 123,000 acres in Lincoln County, burning homes, outbuildings and range land. Two residents who lost their homes, (who), have had friends and neighbors establish Go Fund Me pages online as fundraisers. Lee Baynes, who lived north of Odessa, lost his home in the Whitney fire. Baynes, who grew u...
MOSES LAKE – The incumbent in the Legislative District No. 13 Position No. 1 race has collected about six times more in campaign contributions than his competitor. According to state Public Disclosure Commission documents, incumbent Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, has amassed $121,250.21 in campaign contributions and loans as of Sept. 28. Challenger Eduardo Castenada Diaz, D-Quincy, has received a total of $20,755.32. Dent has spent $94,494.71, leaving him with cash on hand of $26,755.50, documents show. Castenada has spent $...
OLYMPIA – Despite the economic downtown due to coronavirus quarantine orders, the state’s minimum wage is set to increase again Jan. 1. The state Department of Labor and Industries announced last week that the minimum wage will jump 19 cents, from $13.50 per hour to $13.69. In addition to the standard minimum wage, the state will allow a training wage to be paid to young workers. The minimum training wage for workers ages 14-15 will be $11.64 per hour beginning Jan. 1. That’s an increase of 16 cents per hour from the curre...
REARDAN – Three options for the 2021-2024 levy were discussed at the school board meeting Sept. 30. Currently, the levy is set around $1.3 million per year, which equates to $2.08 per $1,000 of assessed property value within the district. All three options would set the rate at 2.10 for 2021, before a change in 2022-2024. The first option would be a significant tax reduction. The rate would decrease to 1.75, which would put the levy amount at $1,133,402 in 2022, $1,184,405 in 2023 and $1,237,703 in 2024, according to a levy a...
REARDAN – A school bus within the Reardan School District was involved in a crash when a pickup truck struck the bus around 7 a.m. Sept. 24 with eight students on board. No one was injured. Reardan School District Bus 16 was transporting eight students when the pickup made a left turn, pulled in front of the bus and crashed into the passenger side near where students enter the bus, according to director of transportation Mike McCain. The driver notified dispatch, verified no students were injured and also called 911, as is p...
COULEE DAM – The National Park Service has found that a planning effort for nine sites along Lake Roosevelt will not have any significant environmental impact. The finding, released Sept. 20, concludes that efforts to diversify camping amenities and improve boat launches, roads, parking areas and trails will not be detrimental. The environment assessment also included plans to improve fish cleaning areas and other visitor amenities, officials said. The plan dates back to 2017, and included multiple options. The findings r...
OLYMPIA — Republic Police Chief Loren Culp came out swinging and kept incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee on the defensive during their only planned gubernatorial debate Wednesday night, Oct. 7. Culp, R-Republic, blasted Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, for mismanaging state agencies, violating state and constitutional rights, and a lack of leadership. "What we have right here in Washington is a leadership crisis," Culp said as the one-hour debate kicked off. Rather than defend his r...
RENTON—More tweaks have come to the benchmarks for playing high school sports, as the WIAA updated its return-to-play guidelines Oct. 6 following new guidance given by Gov. Jay Inslee. Sports have been grouped into three categories based on the “risk level” they provide in regard to possible transmission of COVID-19: low-risk, moderate-risk and high-risk. Various sports can return based on their risk level compared to COVID-19 transmission within their community. Local COVID-19 activity will also be measured in three categori...
LINCOLN COUNTY – The crisp fall air is beginning to arrive, and with it comes hunting season. The hunt is well under way for many animals, while others are just about to start. Lincoln County hunting areas fall under Game Management Units (GMU) 133, which is north of Highway 2, and 136, south of Highway 2. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife released hunting prospects specific to District 2, which GMU’s 133 and 136 fall into. Hunting District 2 has seven GMU’s and covers Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman count...
DAVENPORT – Differences in the way the candidates who filed for an upcoming vacancy on the Lincoln County Superior Court bench show District Court Judge Dan B. Johnson outpacing Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Barkdull in campaign contributions. Barkdull and Johnson are vying for a Lincoln County Superior Court seat being vacated by retiring Judge John F. Strohmaier; the election is Nov. 3. According to the state Public Disclosure Commission, Johnson has campaign contributions totaling $12,684.85 in addition to $5,000 in loans. I...
MOSES LAKE - A group of cowboys and cowgirls supporting gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp hit the road over the weekend, riding along Interstate 90. Thirteenth Legislative District lawmakers Rep. Tom Dent and Sen. Judy Warnick, both Moses Lake Republicans, joined the event. Organizer Lucia Clemetson said she hoped the event will encourage people to "take action." "Basically, I formed the group 'Cowboys for Culp' as I am a horse trainer myself. I wanted the group to represent...
WILBUR – The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspicious vehicle report in Wilbur this week that resulted in recovery of a stolen car and a drug bust. On September 29, Sheriff Magers and Chief Paul Bowden (from Coulee Dam) responded to concerns that people were sleeping in a car near a Wilbur business. By running the plates, the sheriff’s office found that the car was stolen. The stolen black Acura Legend had the ignition broken and the pair had left their drugs...
MOSES LAKE – How can Washington state address a $4 billion budget shortfall if the governor will not call a special legislative session to discuss the problem? This was one of many issues discussed during a media call Monday, Sept. 28, hosted by Republican legislators. Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, expressed frustration that the governor has not called a special session to address the budget. “Not in the history of this state have we been unable to meet. Other states have met and called a special session,” she noted...
REARDAN – Every summer, local fire districts are called on to help battle blazes that threaten to consume homes and property. In rural areas, those districts are largely made of volunteers who stand by their neighbors in a time of need. Fire District 4 is one of those districts. On South Lake Street sharing a building with the post office lies the headquarters of Lincoln County Fire District No. 4. One of eight fire districts within the county, the district provides fire and e...
DAVENPORT — Lincoln County is looking for volunteers to serve on the Lincoln County Solid Waste Advisory Committee. Participation from residents, public interest groups, businesses, the waste management industry, and local elected officials is encouraged. Volunteers chosen to serve on the committee will play a key role to assist in updating the Lincoln County Solid Waste Management Plan; review and comment upon proposed rules, policies, or ordinances prior to their adoption; assist to address critical garbage, recycling, a...
In order to help meet social distancing guidelines, the fourth grade class at Davenport Elementary has been meeting in the K-8 library where desks could be situated five feet apart. The district recently moved to half days as COVID-19 numbers have dropped in the area. School days are now Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m.-noon. Superintendent Jim Kowalkowski said staff have been taking on extra COVID-19 related duties this year including cleaning, using kiosks to take student's...
REARDAN—Reardan-Edwall Community Alliance for Prevention (RECAP) Coalition is hosting a six-week series for parents and children titled “Strengthening Families Program” beginning Oct. 12 from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The program is designed for parents or caregivers with children aged 10-14 and will help families work on strengthening the relationship between caregiver and child. “One of the things that we know through statistics is that strengthening families helps to keep kids … from abusing drugs and alcohol,” coalition f...
OLYMPIA – With salmon spawning season in full swing at many state hatcheries, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reminds the public that hatchery facilities remain closed statewide due to the continued spread of COVID-19. Many people visit hatcheries in late summer and early fall to observe spawning activity, or to take advantage of available parking to fish nearby for returning salm on. However, WDFW hatcheries remain closed at this time to ensure the health and safety of hatchery employees, and v...
LINCOLN COUNTY – Physical education and is important for students. It provides a chance to not only develop physical fitness, but has been shown to be beneficial for mental and emotional needs as well. However, when social gatherings are discouraged and even prohibited based on COVID-19 virus guidelines, getting those students the physical activity they need looks a little different. At Reardan Middle-High School, athletic director and P.E. teacher Eric Nikkola has faced the challenges of virtual learning and air quality p...
Lincoln County Commissioner Rob Coffman recently presented a “Standards of Good Practice” certificate to Lincoln County Public Works Director Rick Becker. The certificate from the state County Roads Administration Board was gained by ensuring that roads within the county allowed for the “safe and efficient movement of people and goods over county roads.” Lincoln County also had to meet standards of engineering, design procedures, maintenance and other professional qualifi...
OLYMPIA – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) released an updated process on necessary steps to potentially return to organized competition in the fall, the organization announced in a press release Sept. 19. The press release detailed five requirements needed to return to athletic competition: • Gov. Jay Inslee must recommend a return to play. • The Department of Health must provide guidance regarding required health steps to take before commencing athletics. • Risk management teams must review the r...
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reopening all recreation lands east of the Cascades to recreation beginning Friday, Sept. 18. Eastside recreation was initially closed on Sept. 8 due to critical wildfire danger. While fire danger overall has decreased slightly, it is extremely important to stay diligent when it comes to fire safety. “We are optimistic the weather will continue to cooperate, allowing us to reopen eastside recreation areas closed due to extreme wildfire danger and the risk...
