Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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In an effort to clear out the St. Ignatius Hospital building, the new owners are attempting to sell items left in the hospital long ago. “Old lockers, industrial little things, pipes, pieces of, well, we don’t even know what they are, tables, cabinets,” said Colby Rasmussen, an independent contractor out of Spokane helping with selling the items. “Most everything is fair game. If people want to come in and take cabinets off the walls, they can have them.” Rasmussen and business partner Fay Ripley have been working with one of the building...
The August rendition of the monthly First Thursday event is slated today in Colfax from 3-7 p.m., with Blues performer Sammy Eubanks, more than 25 vendors, prizes, a pre-loved art sale and a beer garden. The fun will get started around 3 p.m. when vendors will set up along Main Street. The Explore Colfax booth will be at Spring and Main streets where volunteers will collect receipts from customers so they can earn prizes. Colfax Unified Executive Director Valoree Gregory said customers of businesses and vendors can turn in their receipts at...
County Administrator Gary Petrovich recently presented the county’s second quarter budget report to the Board of County Commissioners, telling them the county is currently on track to stay within the budget. “We’re doing pretty well,” said Petrovich. Petrovich presented the budget with personnel and operations expenses for each department. The budget this year was broken down for each department with these categories to keep them separate items. He reported that most departments had spent 50 percent or less of their yearly budgets through...
The slew of Whitman County road construction projects will continue next week as the long-anticipated passing lane work on Highway 195 begins on Monday, July 31. Al Gilson, communications director for the eastern region of WSDOT, told the Gazette Tuesday that he is unsure of the full slate of work at this time but will know more by the end of the week. “Yes, work starts on Monday,” he said. “I do not know the exact work that will start though.” He said he is unsure of exactly where construction workers will be early next week and what, if any,... Full story
Following the latest ballot error in Whitman County, some Pullman residents sent a letter to the Secretary of State office this week requesting state oversight of the Aug. 1 primary election next week. The letter, written by Elizabeth Siler, notes the error that came to light when ballots were sent out to Pullman voters for city council races. The error involved 812 ballots. Some Pullman Ward 1 voters were incorrectly mailed to voters in Ward 3. The ballots went to voters in precinct 253, which had been split off from Ward 1 last year and are n...
When Starla Meighan graduated from high school and subsequently started college at Troy State University in Alabama, she remembers her picture being in the school newspaper along with a caption about her intended major. “When I was first out of high school, I got a scholarship to a local college, and I wanted to major in journalism,” she said. “It’s something I’ve always been interested in. I think I just knew I wanted to do something with writing. I wanted to tell stories.” That plan did no...
It is back. Colfax’s Haunted Hospital at St. Ignatius will soon return. The building two weeks ago was purchased by two Wisconsin residents. They purchased the building from Anthony Girges, who lives in California and had owned the building for about 15 years. The investor pair has decided to allow the Haunted Hospital to resume for the time being. “His goal is to have us use it until they figure out what they want to do with it,” said Valoree Gregory, Colfax unified executive director. One of the buyers was in town this week to evaluate the b...
With two of the season’s First Thursdays in the books, Colfax Unified Executive Director Valoree Gregory is looking toward next year and the future of the once-a-month event. Gregory reported that she and volunteers from the Colfax Downtown Association will be working with business owners in the coming weeks and months to determine the scope for First Thursday. “We’re going to do a survey with the businesses to see if they like Thursdays, to see if it’s effective and worth it for them,” she said. Wanting to know just how the event, now in it...
The Aug. 1 election date is coming up, and voter registration deadlines are now approaching. The standard deadline for registration, which is for applications for new voter registration or updates to current registration, is Monday, July 3. Those applications can be submitted online or they can be mailed. If mailed, they must be postmarked by July 3 to be valid. In-person registration for those not currently registered to vote in the state can be completed at the elections office in Colfax or the Pullman city clerk’s office at Pullman City H... Full story
Ownership of the Daily Grind coffee stand in Colfax transferred this week, and former proprietor Tami Grady had her last day of operation there Monday. Wednesday, it opened again as 165 Degree Brew. New proprietors are Dana Repp, Brandy Wigen and Kristen Inderriden. “Kristen has worked there for over 10 years, and Tami approached her about it,” said Wigen. “She talked to me, and I talked to Dana, and the three of us decided to go in together and purchase it.” Wigen said Grady only wanted to sell the Colfax location, so the Pullman locatio...
Karena Wilcox opened the Malden Market last month, and business has been successful for her. She recently set the summer hours after a test run. Initially, she planned to be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, and after starting out, she has made slight adjustments to be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. “You don’t know until you open,” she commented. “Friday and Saturdays are the days you need stuff, and Sundays people don’t come in until after church....
The county elections department will see some changes in the days ahead as Elections Supervisor Debbie Hooper is leaving her position, with today being her last day. “Fifteen-and-a-half years with the county and going to a new job,” Hooper told the Gazette. Prior to her employment with the county, Hooper worked for the Palouse Rock Lake Conservation District. She said she has now taken a job in Pullman. “It’s just time for me to go,” she said. Hooper said that overall her time in the elections department was enjoyable, though some things we... Full story
Making a Main Street move, the Colfax Computer store has moved from its previous location on the corner of Main and Wall streets to 212 S. Main Street, right in between the Council on Aging and Palouse Hills Computing. The building is the former site of the Colfax pawn shop, and the move began June 1. “We have vacated the old premise, and we are open for business,” said Jim Kusznir, business owner. “We've got a few things we're still working on, but we're open.” Kusznir acquired Colfax Computer from Shawn Burt in December when he purchased the...
In the first of two staffing changes, the Gazette has hired Crystal Davidson as a graphic designer. Davidson will join Angie McDonald, advertising manager, on the Gazette's advertising team. She is taking over for Cara Tomlinson, who joined the Gazette last year after receiving a degree in communications from Washington State University. She plans to study graphic design at Seattle Central Community College. Davidson began training with the Gazette three weeks ago. She most recently worked at...
The Port of Whitman County received the Washington Public Ports Association Creative Partnership Award for 2017 on May 19. The Port received the award after sending in an application to the association. “We applied for that award in regards to our work with seven other ports in the state on legislative issues for the construction of broadband infrastructure,” said Joe Poiré, Port executive director. Poiré said the association annually gives out three awards, including for creative partnering, economic development and innovation. “Every year at...
The Port of Whitman County approved a $400 expenditure two weeks ago to support the annual Colfax Fly-In and Pancake breakfast at the Colfax Airport. “Somebody's got to pay for the pancake batter,” commented Joe Poiré, Port executive director. The Port's $400 will go toward napkins, water and porta potties for the event. The fly-in is sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Chapter of Lewiston. This year marks the fourth year of the fly-in which is organized locally by Barney Buckley, a member of the Experimental Aircraft Chapter. The pancake br...
The Port of Whitman County was recently solicited by an advertising firm to place an advertisement in the 2017 Official Seattle Seahawks Yearbook. “We got called by the Seahawks organization asking us if we'd like to advertise in the book,” said Joe Poiré, Port executive director. The Port, however, opted to turn down the proposal. “It would have been $19,500 for an ad,” said Poiré. The yearbook includes pictures of the team and coaching staff, as well as a team schedule and player statistics. At the Port meeting two weeks ago when the decis... Full story
Whitman County commissioners Monday approved a notice of the first budget amendment for 2017 and also approved the calendar for the 2018 budget. The first budget amendment will be heard by the commissioners in their chambers at the courthouse on Monday, June 19, at 10:30 a.m. The commissioners Monday stated the details of the amendment are still being worked out. The proposed amendment will bring the total budget to $64,800,000. When the county budget was passed in December, it stood at $64,734,000, meaning the amendment will add $66,000. Budge...
COAST Transportation will now provide van service from the Endicott Food Center to the meal site at the LaCrosse Café. The senior meal in LaCrosse is served on the first and third Tuesdays. The first COAST van shuttle for Endicott seniors will be Tuesday, June 20. The van will be at the food center at 11:15 a.m. for the ride to LaCrosse, and it will make the return trip at 1:30 p.m. “Even if one or two come, we’ll come out and get them,” said Paige Collins, executive director at the Council on Aging and COAST Transportation. “I’m hoping we...
The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Monday morning to approve full-day pay for employees in the Public Service Building who left work early May 19 due to fumes entering the ventilation system. Construction workers May 19 were working on the the roof on the building, and fumes from their work escaped into the building “They were supposed to close the air vents up there when they started working, and they forgot to close them,” said Commissioner Dean Kinzer. The construction workers were completing their work in the fumes, but...
St. John’s bid for the grand prize in the Independent We Stand America’s Main Street Contest fell short when the winner was announced as DeLand, Fla. If St. John had won, the town would have received $25,000 for its main street, among other prizes. “It’s tough to hear; it’s super tough to hear,” said Amanda Webb, one of the organizers behind the contest entry. St. John entered the contest one month after it already started and competed against 241 other communities in the voting to make it to the top 25. With a population of just more than 5...
Three blocks in Malden will go up for bid later this month in the county treasurer’s office. The Board of County Commissioners Monday voted unanimously to establish a minimum bid of $5,300 for the properties. The land in question was up for foreclosure in December, but it did not sell. “It reverts to Whitman County if not sold in the foreclosure sale,” explained Art Swannack, commissioner. The commissioners indicated they did not want to own the land, as that would mean having to maintain it. “The land itself is pretty sad,” said Laurie Li... Full story
Banner Bank has announced the closure of the Colfax and Uniontown branches of the bank. Both branches will close on Aug. 31, while branches in Pullman and Palouse will remain operational. “We have over 200 branches in our footprint,” said Kelly McPhee, vice president of communications and public relations with Banner Bank. “They are both consolidating into the downtown Pullman branch on the same date.” McPhee said the bank is continuously evaluating how the branches are operating and their effectiveness, leading to the decision to close t... Full story
The Port of Whitman County last week accepted an offer on the final building it owned at the Port of Wilma. The Port accepted an offer from Martin Frostad, who owns an O-ring business. “It's a rubber ring that seals things,” said Joe Poiré, Port executive director. “That will be the business he puts there.” The Port since January had been entertaining offers from Mark Huett on the building, located at 1847 Wilma Drive. Huett in January purchased a building at 1845 Wilma Drive and made plans for an aluminum boating production there. In January,... Full story
The extended candidate filing period, which concluded Wednesday, May 24, yielded nine more candidates. Ben J. Wolf, an incumbent, filed the morning of Wednesday, May 24, to retain his seat as commissioner for Whitman County Fire District 14, which covers the Uniontown and Colton area. He was the last candidate to file. The extended period allowed individuals to file for positions which did not have any candidates at the conclusion of the regular filing period on Friday, May 19. All together, there were nine filings in the extended period....
