Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 369 - 393 of 473
COLFAX – A strong mind and body are crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I learned this while recently completing basic training for the United States Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I was never a stranger to the gym. In fact, I spent every morning working out at FIT gym in downtown Colfax prior to leaving for the military. As a regular there, I always focused on strength training and cardio. Afterward, I would get my morning cappuccino and find myself at my desk in the bullpen at the G...
PALOUSE - Dozens of people turned out Saturday, July 30, for the annual Palouse Music Festival....
I officially began my internship at the Whitman County Gazette in January. I was 19 years old, a sophomore in college and contemplating what my future would look like. I came from Detroit to reconnect with my family and friends, explore and grow. Living in a crime-filled city like Detroit never had the glamor that Gotham did with its cape-wearing vigilantes. Just prior to the start of my internship, I had made the choice to consider the Army for the multiple benefits available toward my...
PULLMAN – Whitman County Sheriff's Office deputies responded at 8:30 a.m. to a report of a hit-and-run at Davis Way and Old Wawawai Road on Monday, July 25. WHITCOM radioed the report and said Brent Damery, of Colfax, was hit by a silver 2008 Ford Expedition The driver was identified as Abdullah Khalid, of Moscow, Idaho, after deputy Amy Pilloud located a vehicle matching the description provided by Damery. Pilloud initiated a traffic stop and observed minor damage to the rear right passenger side door where an approximate 6-inch scrape c...
OAKESDALE - J.C. Barron's Mill has stood in Oakesdale since its construction in 1890. The old wooden mill was built in 1890 by J.G. Porter and was sold to Harvey Gray, then to Joseph C. Barron Sr. in 1907. In December 1997, the Barron family sold the mill to Mary Jane Butters, an organic and grain marketer and owner of Paradise Farm Organics, Inc., of Moscow, Idaho. The milling operation was moved to Moscow, but the old mill was maintained for several years to host tours. "It was brought here...
COLFAX — The Whitman County Citizens Comission adjusted salaries for all elected officials in June, with nearly all comissioned positions recieving a 10% increase for the 2023 year. County Comissioners signed on to their salaries at a June comissioner meeting that left many confused about the pay increase they, and many others, recieved. The wage increase follow an auditor’s report showing a 7% salary increase last year, excluding the sheriff who recieved a 10% cost of living adjustment last year. Commisioners, for example, went from an ann...
COLFAX — All 14 branches of the Whitman County Library District will close from Aug. 1-7 for annual maintenance. During the weeklong closure, special projects are performed that are difficult to complete when the library is open, officialssaid. Due dates for library materials are extended during the shutdown. Book drops remain open in all locations for customer convenience. Libraries affected by the closure are: Albion, Colfax, Colton, Endicott, Farmington, Garfield, LaCrosse, Malden, Oakesdale, Palouse, Rosalia, St. John, Tekoa, and U...
PULLMAN — An Idaho man was killed on state Highway 270 while walking his bike across the road Monday, July 11. Jason Wallace, 49, of Moscow, was later pronounced dead at Gritman Hospital in Moscow, Idaho, following the 8:45 p.m. crash near Milepost 93, the Washington State Patrol reported. The driver of the 2021 blue Toyota Highlander involved in the crash, Cynthia Anderson, 47, of Moscow, was not injured. According to the patrol, Wallace was walking his bike north, from the south side of the highway, at the time of the crash. He was not w...
TEKOA - A father-daughter team has opened a new diner here. Jeff Lohmiller, 61, and Crystal Taylor, 40, officially opened the doors of Frostys Diner at 205 N. Crosby St. on Friday, July 1. The new diner serves burgers, sandwiches, breakfast and more. Taylor and Lohmiller are still sorting out hours and are looking for a cook. "We just wanted to bring back a family affordable diner to town," Taylor said. "The community has been very welcoming and very supportive." The diner was named after...
By Gazette Reporter COLFAX – Whitman County commissioners discussed concerns over the new BA.5 COVID-19 variant during their meeting Monday, July 18. Whitman County Public Health Director Chris Skidmore brought commissioners up to speed just as the next school year is on the horizon. “I am pretty sure it is already here and moving throughout the county,” Skidmore told commissioners. “I think it’s important that we are on the back end of the spike before students come back.” BA.5 has similar symptoms as previous variants including fever, runn...
It began with a phone call from my recruiter, Sgt. Elizabeth De Hoyos, two weeks ago. The long-awaited news finally came about from the medical waiver I needed to enter the U.S. Army National Guard. I was accepted and would travel to the Sunset Highway MEPS (Military Entrancing Processing Station) location in Airway Heights on June 2. A swell of excitement and anxiety swept over me in that one phone call. The past seven months, I dedicated most of my time physically and mentally training for tes...
PULLMAN — A local man is being held on $250,000 bail for alleged multiple child-sex crimes. Douglass Martin, 61, of Pullman, was arrested at 10 p.m. Friday, July 1 on rape of a child, child molestation and dealing depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, records show. He remains in the Whitman County Jail. Martin is charged with six counts of rape of child, two counts of first-degree child molestation, two counts of second- degree child molestation, and second-degree dealing in depictions of a minor engaged in sexually e...
COLFAX – An Elk man has pleaded guilty in several decades old rape cases. Kenneth Downing, pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree rape and one coun of second-degree assault with sexual motivation. Downing will spend 213-283 months (17-23.5 years) to life in prison, in a plea deal supported by the victims. A sentencing hearing is set for Aug. 19 beforeWhitman County Superior Court Judge Gary Libey. The sex crimes date back 19 years to 2003, records show. The case began in 2003 when a woman reported she was raped at gunpoint in her home to...
PALOUSE — The Tri-County Swim League summer season got underway at 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, July 12, with meets taking place in Palouse and Endicott. The results of the first meets of the year were not available by press time. The league manager this year is Katie Baily, who also volunteers with the St. John-Endicott-LaCrosse-Washtucna team. Garfield-Palouse-Oakesdale-Plummer-Potlatch hosted Pullman at the Palouse municipal pool. The meet, dubbed the Lions Club Swim Meat - derives its name from the club’s burger wagon present at the event to...
TEKOA — The city pool closed June 17 after a pipe in the pool broke during a private party manager and lifeguard Ava Rambo said. “People noticed the water level was going down. It’s an older part but we don’t know why it’s broken,” she said. The pool received the 6-inch pipe needed to connect to the sand filter from Pool World last week, Rambo said, noting officials are currently awaiting an installer to complete repairs. With warming summer weather, the pool’s primary focus is to reopen. “We are trying to think of something fun to do,” she...
GARFIELD — A hands-on Lego building challenge is set for noon Monday, July 11, in Garfield Park. Adults and children ages 5 and older can compete on teams of 2-4 people. All creations will be on display at State Bank for one month. Members of the community will vote on their favorite and prizes will be awarded to the team with the most votes. To register a team, send an email to [email protected] with the following information: month and day you are competing in the subject line, member names and ages, team name, and contact person n...
COLFAX — A Clarkston woman who lost her anniversary ring while traveling through Colfax is thankful for “angels” here. Kerri Young lost her anniversary ring June 9 when she stopped at Cougar Foodmart. She had taken her anniversary and wedding rings off prior to stopping and and set her rings on her lap. “When I got to the station, I forgot all about my rings and got out of my vehicle,” Young said. “About 5 hours later, I was getting ready for bed and went to take off my jewelry and noticed the rings were gone. “I flew into panic mode and hope...
LACROSSE - Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board officials are investigating two airplane crashes over the Independence Day weekend, including one just off state Highway 26 near LaCrosse. Kevin Kennedy, 65, of Arlington, was flying his Beechcraft Bonanza from Arlington to Colfax when he crashed near Lacrosse.shortly before 2 p.m. Friday, July 1, records show. Kennedy sustained serious injuries and was airlifted from the crash site to Sacred Heart Hospital in...
COLFAX - Two unrelated ATV crashes over the July 4 weekend left one man dead and another injured. Alfred Laponza Jr., 50, of Seven Hills, Ohio, was pronounced dead at an crash scene near Colfax on Saturday, July 2. At 7:09 p.m., emergency dispatchers received a report of an ATV crash with unknown injuries in the area of McNeilly Road about a mile west of the city. Deputies responding to the scene determined an adult male - later identified as Laponza - was riding a Honda 3-wheeler in a field...
COLFAX - A recent graduate has received a $1,000 scholarship from the Whitman County Association of Realtors. Katherine Izette Tate, 17, of Colfax, received the award for her civic and social activities, letters of recommendation and grade-point average, as well as a written essay on her educational goals and possible challenges. Belinda Huntsman, Deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer of the Whitman County Association of Realtors, credits Tate's award to involvement in FCCLA. "Keeping a 3.9...
COLFAX — Construction on the courthouse continues with a new move-in date set for sometime in August. Facilities Management Director Brandy Dean said ceiling installation, and floor preparation, and installation on the second floor were to be completed earlier this month. And by Tuesday, June 28, Dean said crews had hoped to complete ceiling installation in offices and floor preparation and installation on the first floor. Cleanup is expected to begin by Monday, July 11 on the second floor with full building cleanup by Monday, July 25, Dean s...
LaCROSSE - A small, general aviation airplane crashed before 2 p.m. Friday, July 1. The aircraft, a N5546D Beechcraft Bonanza went down near Milepost 104 of state Highway 26. The Washington State Patrol confirmed one person was injured and airlifted to a regional medical center. The name of the pilot was not immediately available. Dispatchers received a call about a downed plane about 1:48 p.m., with troopers arriving at the crash site at about 3 p.m. No other information has been released. An...
COLFAX — A Pullman man was acquitted June 14 of drive-by shooting charges. Jamil Fields, 27, of Pullman, was found not guilty by reason of insanity on charges of drive-by shooting, second-degree kidnapping with a firearms enhancement and five counts of second-degree assault A Whitman County Superior Court found Fields committed fields to Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake for being criminally insane on Tuesday, June 14. Fields will remain at Eastern State Hospital until the Secretary designates further proceedings of the court for c...
PULLMAN — First- and second-degree animal cruelty charges were filed against two local residents Friday, June 17, in Whitman County Superior Court. Carson Hammer and Sydney Weston, both of Pullman, were charged with multiple counts, records show. They were issued summons to appear in court for a Friday, July 8, hearing. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tessa Scholl. The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office reported that on March 16 officers responded to a call from Hammer and Weston’s landlord regarding numer...
FARMINGTON - A local woman is being held in the Whitman County Jail following a standoff with authorities. Jamie Carosino, 30, is being held on $250,000 bail. She will be arraigned at 9 a.m. Friday, June 24. Records show she was taken into custody Thursday, June 16, on multiple allegations which included the intentional discharge of firearms. Her arrest follows Whitman County deputies' response to an incident around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, on Heise Road. Carosino was taken into custody...
