Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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The Whitman County Public Health Director released his recommendation Tuesday regarding school reopening in the county. A spike in cases last week moved Whitman County in to the High Risk category and prompted him change his pending recommendation of in-person classes. “Based on recent, current and projected COVID-19 activity, the Whitman County Health Department recommends distance learning for all Whitman County High Schools and Middle Schools,” Director Troy Henderson said in the Aug. 11 pres...
One of the ways high school honors English class has scarred me is it has left me forever analyzing stories. With five kids at home, those stories are often animated movies and cartoons. It’s an interesting juxtaposition when you apply college level analytic to Disney and Pixar characters. In Trolls World Tour—one such fun kids’ movie—the different genres of music trolls live in isolation from each other, until the Hard Rock Trolls try to take over the rest, bringing all trolls under one music....
Anna Roberts from Colfax, daughter of Chris and Tammy Roberts of Dusty, will represent Whitman County this Saturday, Aug. 8, at the state pageant in Olympia for the title Miss Washington for America. Roberts has lived in Whitman County her whole life and currently works at Washington State University. She graduated from LaCrosse High School in 2013 and is now studying Veterinary Technology through San Juan College and plans to become a licensed Veterinary Technician. Anna enjoys reading, writing...
COLFAX-An international concern is showing up in local mailboxes. Unsolicited packages of seed from China have been sent to people across the country. Even Whitman County has not been spared this bizarre puzzle. "I though I'd ordered something from Amazon," said Kristina Willson of Colfax the first time she and husband Craig received one of the small packages. It arrived through the U.S. Postal Service and was marked with China Post. The label had English and Chinese writing on it and said it wa...
COLFAX--Primary elections night counted 23.11% of the 22,267 Whitman County eligible voters with next count due for Wednesday. There were 5,147 ballots counted with an estimate 3,000 left. Colfax grad Dylan Nails received 69 votes for 1.36% of the local county vote for the governor seat. Top gubernatorial candidate in the county was Jay Inslee with 2,194 for 43.18%. Behind him Whitman County voters gave 818 votes, 16.1%, to Loren Culp and 598 votes for 11.77% to Raul Garcia. With Washington's...
COLFAX--Kari Largent, born and raised in Colfax, a farm girl from 17 miles south of town, was named Distinguished Young Woman of Washington Saturday. The daughter of Gary and Lisa Largent, she won a $3,500 cash scholarship with her title, along with a $500 overall scholarship award and $200 awards each in talent, self-expression and interview. "State DYW was an amazing, although unconventional, experience," Largent said. "I had the opportunity to meet other young women my age and develop new...
WHITMAN COUNTY—Public Health is supportive of county schools resuming in-class instruction, as long as the viral load continues to remain low, according to Public Health Director Troy Henderson. “I think the superintendents have a pretty good handle on what they are doing,” said Henderson. Henderson does not hold the same concern about returning to school on the local level as there is for Washington State University. “The folks who attend the public schools and work at the schools are already...
COLFAX — A spike this week in positive COVID-19 cases has prompted the Whitman County Health Department to consider recommending schools in Whitman County keep campuses shuttered. Nine new cases were announced today, Aug. 7, bringing the weekly total to 24, and 114 cases since the start of the pandemic. Whitman County Public Health Director Troy Henderson said 40% of the cases are non-Pullman residents. Henderson is urging the public to reverse the trend by wearing a mask, social distancing a...
COLFAX-Shelaine Damon Starrett is back in her hometown with razor and clippers ready to go. Starrett, 33, opened Legends Barbershop at 105 ½ Canyon Street July 21 after running her own shop for the past four years in Pullman. "I'm a mix of modern barbering and old school barbering," she said in her two-chair studio. Starrett grew up in Colfax and attended Mr. Leon's School of Hair Design in Moscow. She earned her cosmetology license in 2006 and starting cutting hair the next year. While...
**UPDATE** The Gazette received word after publication that the walk has been postponed to a later date which has yet to be determined. COLFAX — When someone brings up human trafficking, many people have scenes from the movie ‘Taken’ pop into their head—a violent kidnapping in a foreign place, a drug house and sex slave auction. But this is an outdated view, according to Daniela Miranda, crime victim advocate at Alternatives to Violence on the Palouse (ATVP). “It doesn’t look like the movies,...
COLFAX—There was no explanation of why Washington State Department of Transportation announced it planned to cut COAST’s funding last week and none when it pivoted on that decision Saturday to make no cuts at all. COAST was informed July 23 that all its funding from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Public Transportation Division was being cut, a loss of $266,000. According to COAST Executive Director Paige Collins, WSDOT did not give a specific reason from the cuts other than...
Harvest has begun in the southwestern portion of the county and is rolling along. To all the farmers out there, just in case no one has told you lately, thank you. Thank you for what you do, for the food and commodities you provide and for what that in turn does for our communities. Farmers (which heretoafter shall mean all people busting their rears to put food on our tables; farmers and livestock producers alike) have been greatly disrespected in the last year or so. Politicians and actors...
COLFAX – An omission by the state has left Whitman County voters less sure of their primary election votes. While ballots have arrived in mailboxes, a voter's pamphlet never did. In the past, Washington state would send out voter's pamphlets before ballots were mailed out. A recent elections bill mandates the county to take over that responsibility next year, but the state did not send out its own this year. "I hear it, I know it's an issue. It's not something I can rectify for this (election),"...
COAST was informed yesterday that all its funding from the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Public Transportation Division was being cut, a loss of $266,000. “We are still just catching our breath on this. It means a very dramatic change in our business, and a loss of rides for many, many people,” Paige Collins, Council on Aging & Human Services executive director said after the announcement. COAST is the transportation division of the Council on Aging. Craig VanTine, contr...
When someone who has lived a long time dies, those who were close to them feel the loss, yet are able to look back on all that person has done and accomplished. When someone who is young dies, there is the pain of the loss, the separation, but also the pain of the loss of all that could have been, all the dreams, hopes and aspirations of a life that will never be realized. Yet another family in Whitman County is mourning this loss. It is a loss that never truly goes away. My husband's sister die...
COLFAX – Ballots for the August Primary Election are set to be mailed Friday, July 17, with several state offices on the docket. "We're really, highly encouraging [the public] to use the mail-in," said County Auditor Sandy Jamison. While voting by mail has been established in Whitman County for years, there are still locations that allow for in-person voting. Jamison is encouraging people to utilize their kitchen tables to vote instead of the elections office or Pullman City Hall. She noted t...
A recent graduate from St. John died in a roll over accident Saturday morning at about 1:30 a.m. According to a Washington State Patrol report, Ryan Willson, 18, was driving a 2006 Ford F350 northbound on Highway 23 and left the roadway on the northbound shoulder. The vehicle continued onto the hillside where it rolled and Willson was ejected. He was not wearing a seatbelt. The incident occurred two miles north of St. John. Willson was pronounced deceased at the scene. The WSP report stated...
COLFAX – A youth livestock exhibition has been organized to provide Whitman County youth a market show and sale. A committee of 18 parents, youth leaders, booster organizers, sale committee members and barn superintendent has announced the Whitman County Youth Livestock Exhibition, set for Sept. 11 and 12. The event would consist of a market show for swine, steer, goats and sheep on the first day and sale the second. “It’s still a work in progress,” said Nathan Moore, committee member and Col...
In case you didn't know, we've got a lot of problems in the world right now. And those problems are voiced very loudly, sometimes even violently. We have division, brutality, political differences and even strong opinions both ways about face ornamentation. What we need are more solutions. Not just from highly-educated people who have had all day to think about it, just more potential solutions. We need to look at the problems from many different ways and then start trying them. Some of those...
COLFAX – Do you think you had COVID-19 and want to find out? You may be able to do so and help area hospitals at the same time by donating blood. The local blood bank is now including COVID-19 antibody testing of all donations. Antibody proteins are created as part of the body's response to a virus when a person becomes sick. "It's another good reason for people to donate blood," said Whitman County Public Health Director Troy Henderson. There is still much unknown about COVID-19 antibodies, i...
WHITMAN COUNTY – A recent study shows Whitman County with the highest rate of ALICE–formerly known as "working poor"–households in Washington state. According to the study released by United Way of the Pacific Northwest, 52% of households in Whitman County are below the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold. That includes 27% of households in poverty, nearly triple the state average of 10%. The report is based off of 2018 data. ALICE families are are those who are above...
Are you stressed? Well, deal with it. No, seriously, deal with it. For the sake of yourself, your family and your community, people need to acknowledge if they are stressed and find healthy ways to cope and manage that stress. There are some life events that are considered major stressors, no matter how zen you are. They include: a birth or death in the family, new job/major change at work, moving and dealing with serious illness. In the past four months, I've managed to tick off all of those...
COLFAX – The Palouse Empire Rodeo Association (PERA) received word earlier this month that it has been approved to host PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association) events. “It’s huge,” said Kay Riebold, PERA treasurer. The local association had been with ProWest, which is an amateur association. PRCA is professional level, with finals held in Las Vegas, Nev. The new affiliation is expected to bring higher quality cowboys and stock to the rodeo hosted during the Palouse Empire Fair. According to...
COLFAX – The sales committee of the Palouse Empire Fair Board voted to cover the costs of a youth stock sale from its own coffers. The sales committee met prior to the fair board. Main discussion was offering a show and sale and on helping youth who still needed it sell their animals. Two surveys were brought up. The first was put out by the WSU Extension which oversees the 4H programs. According to that survey, there were 23 beef, 44 hogs, nine goats and eight sheep that youth producers s...
COLFAX – COVID-19 restrictions have claimed another event. The Colfax Chamber of Commerce announced this week it has decided to cancel the Crazy Days festivities. "I totally thought a lot of these counties would not be in Phase I," said Colfax Unified Executive Director Val Gregory. The cancelation effects the concert and fun run. Businesses may still have sidewalk sales. The decision was made after the Mayor's Roundtable meeting last week. "We're the only town that was having an event," Gregory...
