Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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DAVENPORT — The City Council approved $1,650 in funding for the Okanogan County Transportation and Nutrition for Senior Meals, also known as Meals on Wheels, during its regular meeting Wednesday, May 28. The out-of-county organization provides meals in Davenport and the funds will help support home-delivered meals for qualified homebound seniors here. “With the cost of food these days, it’s really important to help,” Mayor Jonathan Chapman said, noting the program’s significance and that it hadn’t requested funding in recent...
ODESSA - Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center plans to sell its underused mobile clinic and is bracing for financial pressures tied to declining Medicaid support and rising operational costs, hospital leaders said during a May 22 board meeting. During public comment, a resident questioned how cuts to Medicaid under the Trump administration would affect the hospital's bottom line. CEO Brett Antczak said certain provisions could have an impact, but the total dollar effect remains...
DAVENPORT — A new hardware store is set to open in Davenport later this summer, filling a long-standing void in the local market. Do it Best Hwy 2 Hardware is targeting a late August to mid-September opening, according to store co-owner Kerry Higgins. The business will be located at 801 Morgan Street, inside the building formerly known as Hardy Hardware and Davenport Building Supply. Business hours are still to be determined. “We’re still working with our supplier to finalize inventory and the overall product mix,” a spokespe...
DAVENPORT - Lincoln County commissioners opened a public hearing at 9 a.m. to discuss the proposed sale of used and surplus vehicles from the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. The hearing was held during the regular meeting on Monday, May 19. Following discussion, the board voted to close the public hearing and determined that the three surplus vehicles - all from the sheriff's office - will be sold through Stout Auctions with minimum bids as set by the sheriff's office and...
HARRINGTON - A Palouse woman charged in a crash that killed three Davenport men has reached a tentative plea agreement and will likely be sentenced in two weeks. Jade A. Ellsworth, 30, of Palouse, is charged with a single count of vehicular homicide in connection with a June 7, 2024, crash that resulted in the deaths of Alan Kysar, 26, Braedon Efraimson, 26, and Blake Wilson, 24, all of Davenport. Ellsworth is out of jail on her own recognizance. She initially pleaded not...
INCIDENT LOG Editor’s note: Most items in this section reflect the starting point for response by local police and emergency agencies. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. DISPATCH LOG May 11 Traffic Stops: 1 1:20 a.m. – A 38 year old male request assistance due to trouble breathing. 1:25 p.m. – A gray sedan with poor lane travel was reported traveling westbound on Highway...
FORD - A Ford man accused of illegally cutting trees and possessing stolen firearms was arraigned Tuesday, May 20, in Lincoln County Superior Court. Thomas Holt, 54, is facing three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm, and third-degree theft. His bail was initially set at $15,000, but Judge Adam Walser lowered it to $10,000 during the arraignment, noting that while Holt had a history of failing to appear in court, those incidents were...
REARDAN — The trial for a local woman accused of burglary and theft in Wilbur has been postponed until Tuesday, August 13. Justina Buffington, 40, appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court for a readiness hearing, where her public defender, David Hearrean, requested the delay, citing the need for two full days of trial preparation. A new readiness hearing was set for Tuesday, July 22. Buffington previously pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, March 18, to charges of residential burglary, second-degree theft, and third-degree m...
DAVENPORT — Lincoln County Superior Court judge Adam Walser ordered the complete removal of all legal financial obligations (LFOs) against Cody James Magruder, 40, of Carlton, after finding him indigent and unopposed by the state. At a motion hearing Tuesday, May 20, the court waived all collection fees, unpaid interest and the DNA fee, and directed that discretionary LFOs—except restitution—be stricken from collections. Because Magruder lacks income and remains incarcerated, the judge determined he cannot satisfy the fees. M...
DAVENPORT — Filings for the upcoming primary election closed Friday, May 9. The withdrawal deadline was Monday, May 12, and the primary election is scheduled for August. Below is a list of candidates who have filed for offices across Lincoln County. Countywide, Ty Albertson of Odessa filed as a Republican for the unexpired term of Prosecuting Attorney. In Davenport, three candidates filed for Councilman No. 1 (unexpired term): Libbie Klettke, Daniel Coriell and Michael Strite. Victoria Lynn Gunning and Lance Strite filed for...
DAVENPORT - The Davenport City Council approved a $1,000 tourism grant for the local Future Business Leaders of America chapter during its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 14. The funding will support the club's efforts in organizing this summer's town-wide yard sale. The grant will help pay for the creation of maps, signs and advertising to promote the event. FBLA members told the council the project will support both tourism and youth development, noting that five...
INCIDENT LOG Editor’s note: Most items in this section reflect the starting point for response by local police and emergency agencies. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. DISPATCH LOG May 5 Traffic Log: 8 6:58 a.m. – A call was received reporting a tilt deck trailer with no decking, no plates, pared behind a gravel pile near Alexander Rd. 7:31 a.m. – A Reardan woman fell an...
ODESSA — Following a rise in complaints over unsafe scooter use by children in Odessa, town officials passed a new ordinance aimed at regulating motorized foot scooters and improving safety throughout the community. Ordinance No. 741, adopted and implemented on April 28, prohibits scooters on sidewalks, in parks and on certain streets, and includes specific regulations such as helmet requirements, lighting standards, and age-based supervision rules. The ordinance was enacted after an increase in reports from schools and b...
SPRAGUE — A recent national survey of more than 3,000 long-haul drivers and travelers has named the Sprague Lake Rest Area on Interstate 90 as the best public restroom in Washington state. The survey, conducted by American River Wellness, ranked Sprague Lake at No. 81 out of the top 100 public restrooms across the country. Nestled east of Spokane, the rest area received high marks for its cleanliness, scenic lake views, spacious parking and tranquil atmosphere. The survey reflects responses from 3,017 drivers and truckers w...
WATERVILLE — The state Public Records Act collided with a parental claim of privacy Friday morning, May 2, during an hour-long online hearing in Douglas County Superior Court. At issue is whether public records routinely available for a vehicle crash should be provided to the media or if a third party could block disclosure because a minor was involved. In this case, Free Press Publishing owner Roger Harnack is seeking Washington State Patrol documents officially identifying two 17-year-olds who died in the crash, as well a... Full story
ALMIRA - A 72-year-old Almira man charged with two counts of fourth-degree assault with domestic violence and sexual motivation was sentenced Thursday, May 1, in Lincoln County District Court to 728 days in jail after pleading guilty. Kenneth Earl Burda Sr., 72, appeared before Judge Dan B. Johnson at 11:27 a.m. as Johnson informed the court he had reviewed the pre-sentencing report, probable cause documents and other materials prior to issuing the sentence. Burda received...
DAVENPORT — A total of 36 candidates have filed for 31 open positions across Lincoln County ahead of the Tuesday, August 5, primary election. The candidate filing week opened Monday, May 6, with contested races appearing in multiple jurisdictions, including city council and mayoral seats, school and fire districts, and hospital and park boards. The following individuals had filed for office by press time: In countywide races, Ty Albertson, of Odessa, filed as a Republican candidate for Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney. T...
REARDAN – Mayor Gail Daniels swore in Barbara Werner as the town's new chief of police at the town council meeting Thursday, May 1. Werner replaced former chief Mike Suniga who resigned his position to become the chief of police in Ritzville. Werner grew up in Sacramento, California and joined the Army in 1988. She served as a military police officer at Fort Richie, Maryland, Giessen Army Depot in Giessen, Germany, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, before leaving the Army in 1...
DAVENPORT — Lincoln County commissioners opened four broadband infrastructure bids during their regular meeting Monday, May 5, as part of an effort to expand fiber optic access through several communities. The meeting began at 8 a.m., with bid openings scheduled for 9:15 a.m. The bids, for fiber-to-the-premises (FTTx) service to Odessa, Reardan and Sprague, as well as mid-mile fiber between Creston and Hawk Creek Road, were submitted by four companies. Zero DB submitted the lowest bids at $1,930,052.15 for the FTTx portion a...
INCIDENT LOG Editor’s note: Most items in this section reflect the starting point for response by local police and emergency agencies. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. DISPATCH LOG April 28 Traffic Stops: 18 12:11 a.m. – A 73 year old female requested assistance after a fall. 10:05 a.m. – Violation of a court order was reported. 11:44 a.m. – Damage to a road was reported...
ODESSA — The Odessa Town Council convened for its regular meeting on Monday, April 28, at the community center, where councilmembers approved building permits, reviewed ongoing public works projects, and discussed community concerns, including a potential railroad Quiet Zone. Mayor Bill Crossley called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. The meeting was held both in person and via Zoom, with access information posted publicly. During public comment, a resident introduced the idea of establishing a Quiet Zone to reduce train n...
HARRINGTON - A local man is accused of unlawfully possessing a firearm during a domestic disturbance in April, and pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Tuesday, May 6, in Lincoln County Superior Court. Aaron Timm, 43, was appointed public defender Dave Hearrean, after he was found indigent by Superior Court judge Adam Walser. Timm faces one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree stemming from an April 16 incident at his parents' home in...
ODESSA - The Odessa Fire Department responded to its first wildfire of the season on Thursday, May 1, around 4 p.m., north of Batum on Batum Road. According to the Odessa Fire Department, the fire burned approximately 2.5 acres and was quickly contained. The fire began when a farmer, who was spot-spraying weeds along a Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) border with a Polaris Ranger, accidentally sparked the blaze. No injuries or structure damage were reported. "It took longer...
ODESSA - Financial concerns and allegations of leadership misconduct were raised during the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, April 24. The meeting opened at 5:30 p.m. with public comments from concerned community members. Billy Vie told board members he had filed claims with Labor and Industries over alleged leadership violations. "There have been claims made with L&I," Vie said. "The leadership did not follow the rules. They lied...
ODESSA — A Lind woman has filed a second formal ethics complaint against Odessa attorney Victoria Iverson. She also filed to have Lincoln County Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore Jeff Barkdull removed from her custody case in Lincoln County Superior Court. Kristina Keys, 41, of Lind, submitted the complaint Sunday, April 27, to the Washington State Bar Association Disciplinary Counsel and the State Attorney General’s Office, claiming Iverson engaged in professional misconduct and ethical violations during legal pro...
