Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 951 - 975 of 2119
Work started on the once-delayed Edmondson Bridge replacement project last week with a detour set and a temporary bridge installed June 9. After some final permitting matters early this week, the old bridge on Sand Road near Pullman will be demolished. The Edmundson Bridge is located at a spot where an increase in traffic led to the need to widen the 19-foot-wide bridge on the 25-foot-wide road. The roadway serves as an alternate route between Pullman and Moscow. Once the demolition is... Full story
An extended contract negotiation for county Public Works and Solid Waste workers continues this week. One of five unions serving county employees, Teamsters Local 690 represents 12 to 14 employees on the Public Works and Solid Waste roster. The current contract expired Dec. 31, 2016, and is being honored as the two sides work toward a new agreement. At issue are cost-of-living increases, how pay rates compare to other counties and other matters. “To this point in the process, we’ve been giv... Full story
The bobbers dip along Hangman Creek, the eggs are stacked and chilled. The air conditioner hums at the Empire Theatre. Chris Smith raises a megaphone to his lips. The 89th Slippery Gulch Festival has arrived in Tekoa. Beginning Monday with the fishing derby – for which all week kids catch fish in Hangman Creek and take them to Tekoa Hardware to be weighed for prizes – the celebration culminates Friday and Saturday with a full schedule of events. With an ‘80s-based theme for 2017, the 30-ye...
The annual Hot Rod Gathering went off in Palouse under a hot sun last Saturday, June 3. The event showcased pre-1965 traditional hot rods, jalopies, kustoms, sleds, bobbers and choppers. About 80 cars lined Palouse's Main Street and both sides of Beach Street. Rolling Hills Derby Dames helped park cars and gave a scrimmage demonstration while the Cold Rail Blues Band and Bare Wires played music. “It was a good time had by all,” said Marc Van Harn, Knuckle Skrape'Rs club member, which puts on the...
Colfax High sophomore Mackenzie Marker competes in goat tying at the state finals. Lance Mills of St. John/Endicott High School works with partner Curtis Kayser, Goldendale, in team roping. Whitman County junior rodeo competitors went to the Washington State High School Rodeo Association finals May 26-29 at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Kennewick, with five qualifying to compete at nationals. Jacey Johnson, 18, of Oakesdale, took first in state in goat tying while Tommi Sue Swannack of...
With Tekoa's annual Slippery Gulch Days parade set for Saturday, June 17, city officials are looking for a solution to the sight of a caved-in red brick building on Crosby Street. Tekoa City Council Monday night voted to buy or rent a chain-link fence to surround the property. The city also voted to form a three-person unfit building committee. Appointed by the mayor, the group will oversee the process of what will happen to the damaged building owned by Tekoa resident Keith Anderson. The city w...
Whitman County commissioners approved a new strategy Monday for the Public Works department to seek land for a gravel quarry and stockpile site. For the past two years, Public Works has sought to buy or lease private land somewhere between Garfield and Palouse for a site to replace the dwindling Gneadinger quarry north of Palouse. “We’ve been unsuccessful finding a willing seller or leaser,” said Mark Storey, Public Works director. Under a new strategy, Storey and his staff will put together bid...
Coach Brad Nilson and the Colton girls with the third-place plaque. The team was lead by seniors Kendyl Druffel, Emma Schultheis and Daylinn Smith. It was game No. 4 on Field No. 4 at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima. Playing last Friday at the state 1B tournament, the Colton girls dismissed Wishkah Valley 21-1 earlier in the day – a game in which Wildcats' coach Brad Nilson tried to keep the score under control by playing all of his eighth-graders. For game two of state, Colton met Q... Full story
Former Farmington mayor Ron Dugan filed as a candidate to return as mayor at the filing deadline and withdrew later that same day. Dugan filed in the 11 a.m. hour May 19, the last date for candidates in Whitman County. In the 3 p.m. hour, current Mayor Dave Baker filed for re-election. Baker has served for the past two years. “My philosopy has always been the same,” Dugan said. “If there is a council position or mayor is open and nobody wants it, I will serve.” Once Baker filed, Dugan rescind...
A shake-up may be on in Garfield as multiple candidates vie for the mayor's office and two town council seats, including three candidates for longtime councilman's Daymon Marple's spot and a challenger for incumbent representative David Jones. For position five on the council, Rebecca Strange-Jones, Kevin Pickron and Tom Tevlin seek the seat held by Marple, who is not running. Tevlin is the proprietor of Garfield Meats. Pickron is a stay-at-home father and part-time contractor for Idaho State...
A three-person race is on for mayor in Garfield, including an incumbent, the eight-year mayor he replaced and a rookie. Mayor Ray McCown seeks re-election to his second term of his current mayorship, a third chapter after he served as mayor from 1972-1988, followed by another term in the early 2000s. Jarrod Pfaff served from 2005 to 2013, and has decided to run again. The three candidates will face off first in the Aug. 1 state primary. “I just figure basically things can be done better,” sta... Full story
The City of Palouse has directed its wastewater engineering consultant to focus on a certain area in its quest to solve a state Department of Ecology decree due in December. Tasked with reducing the temperature of its discharge into the North Palouse River by 2.5 degrees – and eliminating inorganic nitrates – the city hired Varela & Associates from Spokane. On May 8, the city council directed them to focus their efforts on the option of building a seasonal storage tank and winter discharge on...
Colton's Cameron Bean in action during the first two-part, two location, weather-delayed game against Pomeroy (starting at Colbert) to decide the District 7/9 championship. Tied at 4-4 in the sixth inning, rain, lightning and hail stopped a Colton vs. Pomeroy matchup in the 1B District 7/9 baseball tournament last Saturday in Colbert. The championship game was then scheduled to resume on Monday night at 5 p.m. in Asotin. They would continue just as the game left off – with no outs in the top o...
Funding has been secured for the Almota Road reconstruction project's phase three. The $3.5 million grant from the state's Rural Arterial Program will fund a two-mile stretch beginning one half-mile north of the intersection of Sommers Road and run south up Henning Hill to one half-mile north of Klaus Road intersection. Phase three, set for 2019, will be the last of four stages of the Almota Road rebuild which began in 2006. Phase four, which received funding before phase three, was set for... Full story
The Edmundson Bridge project is clear to go ahead after parties involved in the delay signed a memorandum last week. A permit is expected to be issued soon for construction to start June 1. The delay came late last summer when the Historic Bridge Foundation, based in Austin, Texas, questioned whether the 1916 bridge should be saved. After a historical review process, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, the Historic Bridge Preservation Office and the Washington State Department... Full story
Construction on the West Whitman Street project in Palouse is scheduled to start Monday. The estimated 90-day work schedule will include a 550-foot section of street and railroad tracks – with a new drainage system, sidewalks, curb, gutter and lighting. One potential barrier of complicating rail traffic has been alleviated by a coincidence. Earlier this year, ice damaged a railroad bridge near Potlatch on the Washington and Idaho Railway, causing a halt in train traffic. “At least through mid... Full story
Funding for the Hume Road reconstruction project is set after the county received a $254,000 grant last week to begin work on improving three miles of road south from Oakesdale at the Highway 27 intersection. The grant comes from the Washington Rural Arterial Program – funded by the state gas tax – which comes with a guarantee that the rest of the money will be granted in the next biennium. The full project is estimated to cost $2.4 million. “The funding will be there,” said Dean Corneli...
The annual Garfield May Day celebration returns Saturday. The day begins with the Boy Scout Breakfast from 6-10 a.m. at Garfield Elementary/Middle School followed by the “Troll Stroll” fun run at the park from 8-10 a.m. (check-in 7:15 a.m.). At 10:45 a.m., the kiddie costume parade will begin with prizes awarded to top three costumes. At 11 a.m., the Boy Scouts will present the flag and national anthem to start the main parade. Featured will be the Garfield/Palouse marching band and new Gar... Full story
Contract field engineer Gary Irek measures a pole in Colfax May 5. Colfax residents may have noticed men carrying yellow measuring tubes near power poles in recent weeks. Since early April, a crew from International Telecommunication Corporation – a subcontractor for Corning – has been in Colfax for field engineering for “fiber-to-the-home,” an internet broadband expansion plan being explored by Colfax Cable. If all goes well, the company will offer increased broadband internet speed and cap...
Open officer positions have led Garfield's Ladow Grange to consider how to remedy the situation. The lack of leaders and participants may affect the future of the 1931 organization. “Like most organizations, members have become inactive,” said James Woomack, secretary/treasurer. “Come September, all of the offices are to be open, and right now I've got no one to take them.” The grange meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Garfield American Legion hall. A total of 48 people...
The playoffs begin for the defending state 1B softball champions Saturday with two games in Medical Lake, opening against Curlew at 2 p.m. The team plays after that at 4 p.m. in a District 7 and 9 bracket in which four teams will advance on the road to state. What does Colton coach Brad Nilson know about Curlew? “Nothing,” he said with a smile. “I like not knowing.” Colton (17-2, 8-1 in league) aims to defend its 2016 state championship; a playoff route that began with a win over Curlew.... Full story
Palouse residents can now track energy production by the city's new solar farm, which began operating in December. A device connected to a router taps into a newly set-up antenna at the site installed by First Step Internet. Costs are part of the original project, built last summer, finishing under budget. The antenna was a one-time fee of $200. PCI Renewables of Spokane, a subcontractor, directed the latest work. The tracker started functioning April 26 – which can be seen at the city's w...
The City of Tekoa will charge one cent per gallon to area farmers to draw water from a fire hydrant near city hall. The one cent per gallon rate is the same the city charges contractors or the state and county highway departments. The main use is expected to be for farmers using their own sprayers, doing their own application on fields, as opposed to using an outside company such as McGregor or Wilbur-Ellis – which have closed or moved operations in Tekoa in the past four years. Farmers d...
On Tuesday night, Colton hosted 2B Colfax for a softball doubleheader and swept, 10-7 and 11-1. In game one, Colton gave up 12 hits and got eight of its own. At bat, Emma Schultheis went 2-for-3 and Daylinn Smith 2-for-4. On the mound for Colton, Emma Schultheis pitched all seven innings to give up seven strikeouts, six walks and the 12 hits. In game two, it ended in five innings for the 10-run rule, but was scoreless until the fourth. At that point Colton (15-2, 8-1 league) delivered six runs f...
In a doubleheader to decide the Southeast 1B league baseball champions, Colton and Pomeroy met April 29 and Pomeroy took it, winning both, 5-3 and 9-2. Playing at the Wildcats' field, senior pitcher and all-around Colton force Brady Chadwick collided with Pomeroy catcher Cade Gingerich in the fifth inning of game one resulting in Chadwick's ejection. Deemed a malicious play as Gingerich had the ball in his glove and was knocked backward, Chadwick was gone. Chadwick, pitching for Colton (12-5) be... Full story
