Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sorted by date Results 5522 - 5546 of 5798
On Friday, R-CALF USA commented on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') proposed rule titled Traceability for Livestock Moving Interstate (proposed rule). In its 41-page comment supported by 27 exhibits, R-CALF USA urged USDA-APHIS (APHIS) to immediately withdraw the proposed rule and to, instead, proceed in a cooperative effort with states, tribes and individual livestock producers to develop best practices guidelines. The group states that states and tribes could...
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Department of Commerce today announced that help is on the way for our state’s small businesses seeking new sources of financing to grow and create jobs. Commerce was recently awarded $19.7 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to launch the Washington Small Business Credit Initiative – three new programs designed to spur investment and lending to businesses throughout the state. “About 95 percent of Washington businesses are small businesses, and they need help right now t...
Odessa’s town council voted to approve a budget of $1,579,553 at their December 12 meeting. Council members have been working on the budget for approximately three months. Mayor Doug Plinski distributed a letter from Okanogan County, providers of Odessa’s senior meals program. The letter stated that, due to reductions in funding and declining attendance at the meals, the program would be reduced to two days per week beginning in 2012. Okanogan County requested the council to...
Based on the numbers, Christmas Fest 2011 was even more successful than last year’s event. A total of 275 people signed in at the door to be eligible for the 32 available door prizes (see box for winners’ names). Names of winners were drawn throughout the day. In 2010, 216 had signed in for a chance at one of 20 prizes. There may have been others who visited but did not bother to sign in, but the number was nevertheless a good indicator of the crowd size. Of the 32 door pri...
The Risk Management Agency reminds producers of winter and spring sales closing dates for the Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) programs, the Adjusted Gross Revenue Pilot (AGR) available in select Northwest counties, and the Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite) programs available throughout the Pacific Northwest. AGR and AGR-Lite cover most farm-raised crops, animals, and animal products. Upcoming regional sales closing dates: January 31, 2012. Final date to obtain or change AGR insurance in select counties in Idaho,...
Stephen McFadden of Ritzville has been appointed to the Big Bend Community College Board of Trustees by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire. McFadden is the publisher/owner of the Ritzville Adams County Journal. He has been a print journalist since 1985 and is a past President of the Washington Newspapers Publishers’ Association. He has also been president of the Ritzville Chamber of Commerce and served on the Adams County Development Council. Trustee Katherine Kenison stepped down November 30 after serving 13 years on the B...
The Odessa Drive In was forced to shut down December 1 and 2 due to a break in the water main leading to the restaurant. Owner Maxine Ferderer said that "first we had water, then we had dirty water, and then we had no water," when asked about the event. Staff at the restaurant first noticed the problem at about five o'clock Thursday evening. Ferderer said that town employees Jerry Monroe and Rod Webster had arrived by 5:10. According to Ferderer, as soon as the crew began to...
Kathy Taylor, an employee of Schmidt Insurance in Odessa, has written a children’s book. With much input by other Odessa people, the book, in the works for about the last nine months, has gone to print and will be available for Christmas delivery. Lexi Watkins, recent Odessa High graduate did the illustrations for it, and the graphic design was provided by Briana Whitcher (also of Odessa). Final proof reading was performed by Odessa High English teacher Dr. Duane Pitts, and t...
Farmers are invited to attend a workshop to learn about innovative Ag research in Lincoln County on Thursday, December 15. The agenda will feature Odessa High School student Kira Powell talking about her work with water-absorbing polymers. Other topics include alternative crops such as winter pea (Howard Nelson), weed management (Ian Burke), wireworm and Wilke Farm crop rotations (Aaron Esser), Conservation District projects (David Lundgren), and potential pests (Diana Roberts). Participants will also help set goals for the...
Big Bend Community College is the recipient of the Governor’s 2011 Best Practices Award for its innovative program to help farm workers move from the field to behind the wheel of a commercial truck. The Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) uses the model of two instructors in the classroom – one teaching professional and technical content while the other supports development of basic reading, math or language skills. The program has prepared more than 150 low-wage workers for higher-wage, in-demand tra...
Washington State Governor Gregoire’s budget proposals for the start of the special legislative session that began November 28, 2011 are devastating to the state’s most vulnerable populations, says the Family Resource Center in Davenport. The magnitude of the recommended cuts will mean drastic reductions in the critical services and resources that programs are already working beyond their capacity to provide. Ultimately, what is at stake is the safety and well-being of our communities. “The erosion of human services and commu...
Editor’s note: The Record’s story on shopping locally for Christmas continues this week. Maybe doing your Christmas shopping in Odessa won’t let you buy that newest expensive electronic toy you’ve seen advertised on TV, but it could provide some unexpected bonuses: you’d get to exercise your creativity, a part that goes unnoticed and un-nurtured all too often, and your community would receive the benefit of your economic support. The college student or young adult on your list might enjoy an on-line subscription to The Odess...
A weekly review of incident reports on file at the Odessa Town Marshal’s office has raised a potential safety concern for residents. An individual has reported aggressive behavior demonstrated by a dog at large, apparently a pit bull or pit bull mix. The person filing the complaint indicated that the reported incident was actually the third time he/she had been menaced by the dog, but that a complaint had not been previously filed, as the person did not want to cause problems for neighbors. The dog in question is reported t...
Odessa/Harrington’s boys and girls basketball teams get to be the home team while playing in the Big Bend Community College gym during the Ryan Floch Memorial Basketball Games next Tuesday, December 13. The Floch Memorial games are a home-and-away series alternating between Odessa/Harrington and BBCC. The gate receipts and donations go to the Ryan Floch Memorial Scholarship, which supports student athletes graduating from “Class B” high schools in Eastern Washington. The Odessa/Harrington varsity teams will host St. John-...
Odessa High School science teacher Jeff Wehr has added yet another accolade to his impressive resume. He is one of only five recipients in the nation of the Siemens Founders Award. This award is given in recognition of an individual or school for encouraging students to participate in math, science or technology research programs and efforts to provide the necessary support consistent with Siemens Foundation mission of enhancing math and science in American high schools. Only...
The Adams County Volunteer Fire Department responds to countless emergencies each year. Firefighters often arrive on the scene to find overturned or otherwise unstable vehicles or farm equipment, and until recently, the department was unable to purchase the equipment necessary to stabilize them. The Othello Monsanto site recognized the need, and nominated the department to receive a $5,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company. The grant was presented to the department on Nov. 14. The mon...
A partnership between Big Bend Community College and Inland Helicopters of Spokane will provide opportunities for students to become helicopter pilots while earning an associate degree. The new helicopter pilot training program begins in January of 2012. “This is another example of the type of public/private partnerships we must establish to create new programs in today’s economy,” said BBCC President Bill Bonaudi. The partnership opens a new range of careers for BBCC aviation students, including emergency medical servi...
A greatly expanded Web site to give small business owners an unprecedented detailed review of their health insurance plan choices was announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Just in time for 2012, this powerful new tool allows small business owners to compare the benefits and costs of health plans and choose those that are best for their employees. For the first time ever, it will allow small businesses to research locally available products in an unbiased manner and foster a more transparent and...
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announces the availability of a newly created website titled: Rural Tax Education (ruraltax.org) providing farmers and ranchers a resource for agricultural related income and self-employment tax information that is both up-to-date and easy to understand. “Farmers and ranchers wanting up-to-date tax information will want to put the Rural Tax Education website in their list of browser favorites,” said Dave Paul, Director of RMA’s Spokane Regional Office serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Was...
Santa will be arriving Wednesday, December 7th at about 5 p.m. He’ll be flying in to the Odessa Public Library, where he has graciously agreed to sit for portraits with local children of all ages. The Record has been informed by elves in the know that he’ll only be available until 7 p.m. that evening, so be sure to get there in plenty of time. While you wait in line, you can look over the raffle items on offer by the Friends of the Library, The second annual fundraising raffle offers several items that would make wonderful gi...
The Odessa School Board meeting on Monday, November 28, was preceded by a levy workshop to allow members to discuss the maintenance and operations (M&O) levy and capital projects levy that will be placed before voters in February. The levy amounts must be determined and sent to the Lincoln County Auditor by December 30. Superintendent Suellen White recommended that the board leave the levy amounts at the current levels and gave several reasons why they should not be reduced. During the work done on the building over the past...
Black Friday is over and done with. The major retailers around the country have done their best to lure consumers through their doors and down the aisles. For those who don’t care to dare the crowds and bright lights of all-night shopping, there’s another option: Shopping locally. While smaller retailers in rural communities may not be able to offer the variety found in larger stores, there are many benefits that may offset that lack. Most of Odessa’s businesses are owned by residents of the community, who in turn suppo...
Much of Monday night’s Odessa Town Council meeting was spent in continuing consideration of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s proposal to raise the fees the town pays for dispatch services. Mayor Doug Plinski distributed copies of a revised proposal from Sheriff Wade Magers, along with a counter-proposal that he had prepared. It was unclear Monday whether the “5-5-5” plan presented by the sheriff at the November 14 meeting was incomplete, had not been noted, or had been modified. The revised proposal offered a program costing...
For the past 70 years, the Odessa Lions Club has been treating the community to its annual Turkey Carnival. This year, club members added a little extra atmosphere with the presence of two live turkeys, one male and one female, in a pen near the bingo announcer’s table. The turkeys belong to the Joe McNeil family, which raises poultry on its farm near Odessa. They were only there for show, however, and went back home after the carnival. More than 150 frozen turkeys were won l...
Most residents of the Odessa area remained blissfully unaware and slept right through last Friday’s seismic event. The Associated Press reported that a 4.6 earthquake shook north central Washington last Friday at 5:09 a.m. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network reported it was centered seven miles northwest of Omak and eight miles northwest of Okanogan. Initially estimated at 4.0 magnitude, seismologists later upgraded the earthquake to 4.6. Callers to the KPQ radio station in Wenatchee are said to have felt the tremor in L...
