Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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A wide-ranging discussion took place Tuesday night, April 25, at the Colfax High School library in the effort to improve district facilities. Led by Ned Warnick, a principal architect at Pullman's Design West – which was approved by the school board three weeks ago by unanimous vote – a group of 15 people talked about aspects of what could go in front of voters next February as a bond measure or capital levy. Warnick and Cameron Golightly, project manager, met with Colfax Superintendent Jer... Full story
A group of Tekoa and Plummer, Idaho, area farmers have signed an expression of interest to work out a deal to turn a six-mile stretch of former railroad bed into a link between the John Wayne Pioneer Trail and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. The initial agreement calls for Ted Blaszak, president of the Tekoa Trestle and Trail Association, to seek funding of an estimated $30,000 from the Doppelt Foundation in Chicago – or other sources – to help alleviate access issues, liability insur...
The City of Tekoa hired a structural engineer who came to evaluate the Anderson building April 18, in the aftermath of the roof collapse and pending cleanup. Justin Cook of DCI Engineers in Spokane directed the city to put a fence on the south side of the building. A city crew lined out a plastic-webbed barrier. Cook is expected to submit a report to the City of Tekoa this week. “Any structural engineer will say two sides are suspect,” said Tekoa Mayor John Jaeger. “I'm hoping he's gonna tell... Full story
Ground is set to be broken in May at Garfield/Palouse High School for a new greenhouse. The estimated $65,000 project for the 30x40-foot structure will be paid for by the school district, a $25,000 grant from Monsanto's math and science in rural communities program, $5,000 from Northwest Farm Credit Services and $5,000 from Gar/Pal FFA boosters and alumni. “It's been a process, but we're now ready to roll,” said Mike Patrick, ag science teacher. Originally planned as an 18x36 building, Dis... Full story
Pomeroy’s Hogan Heytvelt eyes the situation from the mound as Gar/Pal’s Evan Weagraff leads off first base, guarded by Cort LaMunyan. Pomeroy won the game 10-2. Garfield/Palouse freshman Blake Jones works the mound April 22 in Garfield. The young Garfield/Palouse baseball team was even younger last Saturday in a 10-2 home loss to Pomeroy. Playing at Garfield, with added fence to mark off standing water on the right field line, the Vikings were without their one senior, catcher Mason Bates, who...
The annual Colton-Uniontown Fair will take place Friday in its second year of the new configuration following the opening of the new ag shop, expanded school and parking lot. Added events for the 2017 fair include guinea pig fitting and showing and Little Squealers, in which kindergartners through second-graders sign up to show another exhibitor’s pig, with older kids helping. The Colton-Uniontown Fair will include FFA and 4H competitors from Colton, Uniontown and Pullman. Running out of space f... Full story
Tekoa City Council voted 3-2 Monday, April 17, to charge the Empire Theatre for sewer and water service. The city will now bill the theater $18 for water and $16 for sewer each month under a new policy that will apply to any Tekoa building used four days or less per month and does not irrigate. “We’re doing this, unfortunately. It’s a city-owned building, it’s a non-profit,” said Mayor John Jaeger. The rate is the same charged to Tekoa “snowbird” residents when away from Tekoa over winter m...
The Colfax School District board approved the hiring of Design West Architects in Pullman for the proposed facilities work at the high school and Jennings Elementary. The district put out a request-for-qualifications notice in March and received packets from Design West, ALSC Architects of Spokane and RGU Architecture and Planning of Lewiston. Wes Claassen, community facilities chairman; volunteer Janel Goebel, and Superintendent Jerry Pugh met April 3 and opened the proposals. “There really w...
The Colton baseball team rode to Orofino Tuesday night, April 11, to split a doubleheader with the Maniacs, winning 11-0 and losing 6-5. Colton's Brady Chadwick and Nick Schultheis combined for a two-hit shutout in the first game. The two pitchers put together nine strikeouts with just two walks. Wildcat batters delivered seven hits and scored their 10th and 11th runs in the fifth inning to halt the game for the mercy rule. In the second game, all seven innings were needed as Orofino sealed the...
The Colton softball team picked up two wins this week over Waitsburg and will cross their fingers that a rescheduled game from Tuesday's cancellation will be played Thursday. At Waitsburg last Saturday, the Wildcats won 16-9 and 20-0. In the first game, Colton put together seven hits as Kendyl Druffel went 2-for-2 and Taylor Thomas, a freshman leftfielder, went 2-for-5 and Emily Schultheis 1-for-3. On the mound, Emma Schultheis pitched all seven innings to allow nine hits with no walks and five...
A .6-acre parcel of land was approved by county commissioners Monday to change from agricultural to a limited heavy commercial district. Grand J Unlimited, LLC, owners of the location at 4522 State Route 272 requested a change to use the land for a towing business. The change was approved by commissioners after no public comment was made at the hearing Monday morning. In a side issue noted by County Planner Alan Thomson and Katrina Kunz, assistant county planner, the Washington Department of Tra...
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers listens during the meeting in Colfax Tuesday afternoon. A group of 14 leaders from various county and city governments met with Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Colfax Tuesday to discuss issues ranging from water to fiber optics, road permits and river traffic. McMorris Rodgers arrived from earlier events in Walla Walla for the two-hour session at The Center in Colfax. The topic of the meeting was transportation and infrastructure. She reported the...
The Snake River Water Keepers has issued a 60-day notice to the Town of Garfield in a letter dated March 15. It states that the town has 60 days to comply with the parameters of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit or potentially face a lawsuit seeking a $37,500 penalty per day, a maximum fine set by the Clean Water Act. Formed in 2014 in Boise, Snake River Water Keepers has tracked the town's self-reported daily monitoring reports (DMR), through public information...
The matter of Tekoa's proposed work at the community center and Empire Theatre took a turn this week with an anonymous mailing and plans solidified to adjust the billing of water and sewer rates for the theater. A flyer sent to box holders at the Tekoa Post Office April 12 called for residents to “save your money and let the City pay your bill this month just like they have been doing for the Association for years.” The “Association” is believed to be a reference to Friends of the Empire...
Northwest Collegiate Road Race Cycling Championships will be in Troy on Saturday, a new location after the culvert washout between Colfax and Palouse caused a change in plans. The annual event is the culmination of the northwest college cycling season, with 15 teams expected from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. Traditionally held in and around Palouse with riders gathering at Hayton Greene Park, the race was moved because of last month's culvert washout and subsequent...
Whitgro, Inc., announced March 31 the purchase of Johnson Seed Company in Garfield. The sale will take effect June 1. “We are excited about the opportunity to enhance their seed capacity and grow their already robust seed operation,” said Whitgro General Manager Heath Barnes. “This acquisition will allow Whitgro the ability to maintain a high-quality seed program in the future.” Mark Johnson, the sole owner of Johnson Seed, founded the operation in 1997 after managing the seed plant of the for...
The defending state champion Colton High School baseball team is off to a 5-1 start, including non-league wins Tuesday in Moses Lake over Royal and Cascade of Leavenworth. The team returns all but one player from last year – 2016 graduate Carter Dahmen. Back for 2017 is Grant Kinzer, a four-year starter who led the Southeast 1B league in hitting last year. Brady Chadwick, another senior, is back on the mound, a fifth-year starter for the Wildcats. He started at shortstop as an eighth-grader. Oth...
The first of a series of deadlines given to the owner of a collapsed building in Tekoa has passed while the city monitors the situation on the clean-up and stabilization work. The roof of the former Cohn Motor Company – at the corner of Crosby and Main Street – collapsed in January under snow. On March 20, the City of Tekoa issued a directive to building owner Keith Anderson, stating that he would need to put up a temporary fence by March 24. Also, he would have two weeks to pick up bricks on... Full story
The state champion Colton girls softball team is back at work with four games played so far in the 2017 season. The Wildcats lost 10-7 at Pomeroy Tuesday night, in a game that ended with Colton runners loading the bases. To start the season, the Wildcats beat Asotin and beat Dayton twice in a doubleheader. The team returns seven starters from last year, including senior Kendyl Druffel at shortstop; sophomore Jordyn Moehrle at second base; pitchers Emma Schultheis, senior, and Emily Schultheis,...
Donald Trump built a major real estate empire, after inheriting his dad's company. Hillary Clinton was the first female major party presidential nominee. Her husband was president for eight years. Football players now make many one-handed catches, after new glove technology was introduced. Gonzaga is in the Final Four. Their starting five includes three transfers from major conferences. Unfair? All of this is just context. Context is neutral, although whether to include it might not be. While it...
The City of Palouse was set to open bids March 29 for its long-awaited West Whitman Street project. The deadline was 4 p.m. Wednesday. “On deals like this, I’ve learned, don’t get nervous until the last day,” said Palouse Mayor Michael Echanove. Washington State Department of Transportation completed its railroad engineering in February and approved the overall street revitalization plan to include replacing a 550-foot section of street and railroad tracks – with a new drainage system – as well...
Items approved for surplus this month in Garfield include a familiar sight to many Whitman County drivers. The Garfield Police Department car that was parked at the north end of town on Highway 27 will now be surplussed, along with an orange dump truck and a John Deere Gator vehicle. The three items were approved to be sold by the town council Feb. 22. The police car, which had not been used since Garfield joined with the Palouse Police Department, was bought 13 years ago when current Mayor Ray... Full story
The former Cohn Motor Company building in Tekoa with a partially collapsed roof was up for discussion Monday night at the city council meeting. At issue is what to do with the aftermath. Because of concern about the building's back wall falling in, the back alley has been closed off – which is used by cars, pedestrians and the city garbage truck. On the south end, bricks lay on the sidewalk. “Those are two quick things that need to be done,” said Tekoa Mayor John Jaeger. The city is looking to o...
Whitman County Public Works will go out for bids March 20 for new effluent tanks at the solid waste and recycling facility south of Colfax. The project is expected to start this summer with county crews beginning preparation work in late July for a contractor to begin Aug. 15. The two 10,000-gallon tanks will take the place of one 90x90 foot, 180,000-gallon evaporation pond which serves to evaporate all water – drained off from the floor of the waste transfer station. “We need that pond mostly e... Full story
This is a nation that can’t find someone to host the Academy Awards. Is this relevant? Is it just the opinion of someone watching a broadcast few pay attention to anymore? Jimmy Kimmel just hosted the 89th Academy Awards, the annual ceremony in which Oscar statues are given for achievements in filmmaking. The year was marked by a wild twist of a bungled Best Picture award, though not all that many people were watching when it happened. The Oscars, feeling the downturn in ratings over the past 1...
