Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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ROSALIA — The Rosalia Branch of the Whitman County Library hosted its seventh annual Bridge Day on Saturday, Oct. 5, a community event dedicated to local railroad history. The event featured a presentation by Washington State University Professor Emeritus Robert G. Olsen and a guided history hike across the iconic Rosalia Concrete Arch Bridges. Rosalia Branch Manager Marcy Campbell shared the origins of the event, which began in 2017 when railroad history enthusiast Mark Borleske approached her with the idea. “He is a railroad history afi...
As the Halloween season approaches, the Whitman County Gazette is kicking off its special feature, “The Haunting Hour”, a section dedicated to ghost stories, mysteries and chilling local tales throughout the month of October. GARFIELD — Tucked deep within the rolling hills of the Palouse, where the winds sweep gently across golden fields, lies the nearly forgotten town of Elberton—a place that time has slowly claimed. Founded in 1886 by Sylvester Wait and lovingly named after his son Elbert, Elberton began as a hopeful frontier settlement. With...
PULLMAN - A Washington State University student has pleaded guilty to felony harassment in connection with multiple cases involving threats and extortion on campus. In a plea deal, Taylor Asante, 21, signed and agreed if prosecutors dropped the extortion charge, which stemmed from an incident involving Asante's former partner, Ethan Reynolds. Court records show that Asante allegedly threatened to damage Reynolds' phone unless he paid $80, following a brief romantic relationship that began in...
COLFAX — Whitman County Auditor Sandy Jamison announced that ballots for the upcoming election are set to go out by October 18, with most expected to be mailed on October 16. “As far as I know, we don’t have any folding issues. The ballots will most likely go out [on the] 16th of October, but the due date for them to go out is the 18th,” said Jamison. “Ours will be out a day or two before the due date.” Jamison encouraged voters to cast their ballots early, stating, “Vote early and get it back to us. It really helps us so that we are not inund...
COLFAX — The Washington Supreme Court is considering a major overhaul to public defense services, which could significantly reduce the number of cases individual public defenders handle. The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) and its Council on Public Defense are advocating for the reduction, citing overwhelming caseloads that have hampered public defenders’ ability to provide adequate representation. Under the proposal, the number of felony cases a public defender can take on annually would drop from 150 to 50, with misdemeanor lim...
PULLMAN — Students, faculty, and staff at Washington State University (WSU) returned this fall to an upgraded Student Recreation Center (SRC) after significant renovations were completed over the summer. Among the major upgrades was the resurfacing of the basketball, volleyball, and sport courts, which were sanded, repaired, and refinished. Courts were added to meet growing demand for volleyball, pickleball, and badminton. The pool deck and locker room floors also received a multilayered acrylic coating, which makes them easier to maintain a...
COLFAX - The residents that haunt St. Ignatius Hospital will find some relief this Halloween season as the historic building nears the completion of its new roofing project. Built in 1893 by Ellis and Waite, the hospital has been a fixture in the community for over a century. For Austin Storm, who owns the building with his wife Laura, the completion of the roofing marks a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to preserve and restore the iconic structure. "It will be so nice to be done...
COLFAX – The Colfax Downtown Association is gearing up for the inaugural Fall Crawl. The boozy night is set to run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12. Participants are invited to visit local establishments, enjoy exclusive food and drink specials and enter for a chance to win prizes. “We don’t have many events for adults. We noticed that if we have something going on, people will come out and support our businesses. We thought it would be super fun to do a fall crawl since we got a couple of new restaurants and shops,” said Allie C...
As the Halloween season approaches, the Whitman County Gazette is kicking off its special feature, “The Haunting Hour”, a section dedicated to ghost stories, mysteries and chilling local tales throughout the month of October. PULLMAN — With its rich history, Washington State University’s campus is home to several unsettling stories—none more haunting than the tragic explosion that shook Perham Hall in 1979. A young man, heartbroken and consumed by despair, detonated a bomb that killed himself and injured five others, leaving an eerie mark on t...
PULLMAN — Whitman County Public Health (WCPH), in collaboration with Environmental Health & Safety Services at Washington State University (WSU), is investigating two confirmed cases of pertussis (whooping cough) within the WSU student population as of Tuesday, Sept. 24. Due to these cases, health officials believe additional pertussis may be circulating in the area. Pertussis is a respiratory illness caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It spreads person-to-person through large respiratory droplets, particularly in indoor settings o...
COLFAX - A Pullman woman filed a motion for pre-trial release amid drug charges in Whitman County Superior Court. Diana Hughes, 39, filed a motion to revoke her pre-trial release in Whitman County Superior Court on Friday, Sept. 27, amid charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. According to the court documents, Hughes was involved in a drug investigation that began when law enforcement used a Facebook profile to communicate with a suspect, Antonio Tenzsley, who...
COLFAX — The man detained for possessing controlled substances pleaded guilty in Whitman County Superior Court. Jason A. Williams, 38, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver methamphetamine during a hearing in Whitman County Superior Court on Friday, Sept. 27. According to the court documents, Williams was implicated in a series of events that began with a Facebook conversation between him and an undercover officer on June 29, 2024. The officer, using a profile to connect with individuals involved in local...
COLFAX — The man detained for possessing controlled substances pleaded guilty in Whitman County Superior Court. Jason A. Williams, 38, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver methamphetamine during a hearing in Whitman County Superior Court on Friday, Sept. 27. According to the court documents, Williams was implicated in a series of events that began with a Facebook conversation between him and an undercover officer on June 29, 2024. The officer, using a profile to connect with individuals involved in local...
PALOUSE — A false report of a deadly shooting near Palouse School sent the campus into lockdown Friday, Sept. 27, sparking a swift and law enforcement response that turned out to be part of an alarming trend known as “swatting.” According to reports from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, the incident was later identified as a false alarm. At approximately 8:30 a.m., an anonymous caller contacted local law enforcement, claiming they had been in an argument with their mother and had “shot and killed her.” The caller provided an address nea...
PULLMAN - Severe thunderstorms and dust storms swept across the Palouse on Wednesday, Sept. 25, causing widespread power outages that left approximately 11,000 customers without electricity. Avista Utilities, Clearwater Power and Inland Power reported outages affecting about 6,000 customers in Moscow and surrounding areas to the south. Additionally, over 4,000 customers in North Latah County, Potlatch and Viola experienced power loss, while hundreds were affected in the Steptoe area. Scattered...
PULLMAN — The Pullman business community is facing another setback as The Batting Cage, an indoor batting practice facility, has announced it will close its doors on Friday, Oct.11. Open for just over a year, The Batting Cage occupies the old Higginson’s Furniture store, a building that was once home to Finch’s Grocery. This closure is part of a larger trend in Pullman, where several long-standing businesses have recently announced their shutdowns. Pullman Building Supply, a fixture on North Grand Avenue since 1996, will also close this fall....
PULLMAN - The Long Hollow Fire, which ignited in the Snake River Canyon west of Pullman, has been contained. The blaze, which started around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, during a thunderstorm that produced lightning, burned approximately 4,000 acres of stubble, pasture, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) ground in Whitman County. Volunteers from Whitman County Fire District 13, based in Onecho, led the initial response, battling the flames overnight before state crews joined the effort. On...
BOISE, Idaho — A status conference hearing is scheduled next week for Bryan Kohberger, 29, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students, in Ada County Superior Court following his relocation. The status conference is scheduled at 2 p.m., for Thursday, Sept. 26, before Idaho 4th District Judge Steven Hippler, who was recently assigned to the case. Kohberger was transferred to Ada County by plane this past Sunday after the Idaho Supreme Court moved his trial from Moscow to Boise. Kohberger faces four counts of first-degree m...
PULLMAN – Local primary care clinics are gearing up for the 2024 flu season by offering flu vaccine clinics to protect the community. Pullman Regional’s primary care clinics, including Palouse Pediatrics, Pullman Family Medicine, Palouse Health Center, and the Family Medicine Residency Center, will host a series of flu shot clinics with convenient options for both established and new patients. Palouse Pediatrics will offer drive-thru flu vaccine clinics, allowing established patients to receive their shots without leaving their cars. The dri...
PULLMAN — The Pullman City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24, where key topics on the agenda included updates on 2024 housing legislation and a presentation on public entity finances. The meeting, to be presided over by Mayor Francis A. Benjamin, provided residents with an opportunity to engage in two public comment sessions — one for non-agenda-related comments and another specifically for final action items. A presentation led by Jeff Elbracht, Director of Finance and Administrative Services, will educate attendees on the...
GARFIELD — Whitman County Sheriff's Deputies identified the victim of Friday's fatal motorcycle crash as 67-year-old Michael Auvil of Garfield. According to the Whitman County Sheriffs Office, the crash occurred at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, along Wawawai Road near Nisqually John Landing. Emergency personnel from Colton, Uniontown and Clarkston responded to the scene, where Auvil was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival. According to the initial investigation, Auvil was the sole occupant of the motorcycle and was traveling e...
TEKOA — The Tekoa Empire Theater is hosting a free movie night for the community this weekend. The Empire Theater will show Inside Out at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. Concessions will be available for purchase and attendees can enjoy a free bag of popcorn with the purchase of a drink. The Tekoa Empire Theater is located at 126 South Crosby Street....
COLFAX — State fire assistance has been mobilized to support local firefighters in their efforts to contain the Long Hollow Fire. Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state resources at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, following a request from Fire Chief Peter Appel of Whitman County Fire District 13. The Long Hollow Fire ignited around 4 p.m. and has now spread to an estimated 1,000 acres, with potential for further growth. The fire is burning through grass and brush, posing a threat to homes, crops, and r...
PULLMAN — Severe thunderstorms and dust storms caused widespread power outages across the Palouse yesterday, Wednesday, Sept. 25, leaving about 11,000 customers without electricity. Avista Utilities, Clearwater Power and Inland Power reported outages affecting about 6,000 customers in Moscow and areas south of the city. More than 4,000 customers in North Latah County, Potlatch, and Viola are without power, while hundreds are affected in the Steptoe area. Scattered outages have also been reported in Pullman, impacting dozens of customers. The N...
PULLMAN — The Pullman City Council convened on Tuesday, Sept. 12, to review and discuss Hometown Hero’s Banner Program updates and revisions to the 2025 legislative agenda. The council examined proposed Hometown Hero’s Banner Program changes, which honor local veterans and military service members. The revisions include updates to application procedures and modifications to program restrictions. The city of Pullman will receive payments for the program, which will be deposited into a dedicated account managed by the Parks and Recreation Depar...
