Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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PULLMAN — Three Washington State University (WSU) students were displaced during the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 11, after a fire severely damaged their rental home on College Hill. Pullman firefighters responded to 830 NE Opal Street shortly before 3 p.m., after receiving reports of smoke and flames coming from the roof. Neighbors saw the flames, called 911, and ensured the occupants safely evacuated the building. The first fire crews on the scene requested additional support, which came from Whitman County Rural District 12 and the M...
PULLMAN — Enrollment at Washington State University (WSU) has continued to decline for the fifth year in a row. The WSU Regents will review the enrollment report during their meeting next week. Preliminary numbers indicate a system-wide headcount of approximately 25,685 students this fall, a 3% decrease from last year and nearly a 20% drop since the onset of the pandemic. Since reaching a record enrollment of nearly 32,000 students in the fall of 2019, WSU has lost around 6,000 students. Last year, the rate of decline slowed, with a 4% drop i...
BOISE, Idaho — Latah County Superior Court 2nd District Judge John Judge announced Thursday, Sept. 12, his approval to relocate the trial for Bryan Kohberger, 29, the man charged with the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students, to Boise, Idaho. The decision to transfer the trial, set for June 2025, comes after Judge John Judge ruled that extensive media coverage, misinformation on social media and public statements cast doubt on Kohberger’s ability to receive a fair trial in Moscow. Judge also ordered Kohberger’s transfer to Ad...
PULLMAN — Whitman County Commissioners awarded $200,000 to Project Downtown Pullman from the county’s 2024 Economic Development Public Facilities Fund, commonly referred to as .09 Funds. “We’re grateful that Whitman County recognizes the value and economic impact this project brings to our community,” Mayor Francis Benjamin said last week. “Thank you to County Commissioners Art Swannack, Tom Handy and Michael Largent for granting these funds to the city of Pullman.” The award was approved Sept. 3 by commissioners. The city applied for f...
PULLMAN — A Washington State University student faces first-degree extortion charges in Whitman County Superior Court following allegations from her former partner. Taylor Asante, 21, of Pullman, is accused of threatening to damage Ethan Reynolds’ phone if he did not pay $80 for its return, court records show. The charge stems from a Sept. 13, 2023, incident, records show. Reynolds reported the alleged extortion to police. According to court documents, Reynolds and Asante had been in a brief romantic relationship that began in August 2023. Rey...
MOSCOW — An Idaho judge has agreed to relocate the trial of Bryan Kohberger, 29, who faces charges in the 2022 killings of four University of Idaho students. On Monday, Sept. 9, Judge John Judge granted a motion from Kohberger’s defense team, which argued that a local jury could be too biased to ensure a fair trial due to extensive pre-trial media coverage. The judge ruled the courthouse lacked the resources for such a high-profile case and noted that the media coverage had been both extensive and prejudicial. The trial, originally set for Jun...
ROSALIA - A tragic love affair culminated in the murder of a Rosalia man in the early 1980s, when 20-year-old Richard Miller from Lewiston shot Glen D. Henning, 48, with a .22 caliber rifle. On Wednesday, October 7, 1981, just eight months after the fatal shooting, Miller was convicted of first-degree murder in Whitman County Superior Court. The incident occurred on January 8, when Henning was shot while attempting to retrieve a cookie sheet from the oven of a camper stored in an outbuilding on...
PULLMAN — The Downtown Pullman Association (DPA) is seeking applications for a new executive director following the departure of Mallory Nash, who is moving to the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation in the same role. Nash, who has led the DPA since July, will assist with the transition to her successor over the coming weeks. The application process is open and will remain so until the position is filled. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. The DPA website provides a detailed job description, including organizational structure, q...
PULLMAN — The future of the Pullman Aquatic Center is in question as local governments work to resolve funding issues. The indoor pool, located on Military Hill next to Pullman High School, is owned by the Pullman School District and managed by the City of Pullman. The district pays the city approximately $100,000 annually for using the facility, which includes high school swim team practices and meets. The city and the district share the costs of repairing the pool. The Pullman School District currently faces a significant budget shortfall. S...
PULLMAN — The Civil Service Commission convened for a special meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 8 a.m. in the City of Pullman Council Chambers. Commission Chair Nathan Deen led the session, and Commissioner Milford Hodge was present. The meeting occurred after press time, and outcomes will be reported in another publication of the Whitman County Gazette. The Sept. 4 agenda includes considering and approving several new job announcements. The Commission will review and vote on the Fire Lieutenant Internal Promotional Process and Job Announcement...
PULLMAN — The Environmental Resilience Commission will hold its next meeting at 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6, in Council Chambers, City Hall, 190 SE Crestview Street, Building A. The meeting will include roll call, approval of minutes from the previous session and a review of the City Council’s recent updates and the Commission’s 2024 objectives. During the Friday, Aug. 2, meeting, the Commission discussed several important matters, including updates from the July 30 City Council meeting, where resolutions on cost distribution to the Pullm...
PULLMAN — The Pullman City Council convened Tuesday, Aug. 27, to discuss the establishment of a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) and the potential for a 0.1% sales tax increase to fund critical transportation projects. The meeting featured extensive public comments, including strong advocacy for improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Mike Urban, Director of Finance & Administrative Services, outlined the rationale behind the TBD, noting its potential to generate funds for various transportation needs, including road repairs and p...
PULLMAN — The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have honored the City of Pullman with the 2023 Excellence Award for Best City Project. The accolade recognizes the successful completion of the Arterial Streets Resurfacing 2020 project on Pioneer Hill, finalized in 2021. The Arterial Streets Resurfacing project, carried out by prime contractor Motley-Motley, Inc., involved resurfacing 1.3 miles of deteriorated streets on Pioneer Hill. The project utilized a cost-effective g...
PALOUSE — The garden above the Tony Kettel Skate Garden is set to undergo significant transformations over the next three weeks, and the Garden Transformation Team is calling on community volunteers to help bring these plans to life. “We have some ambitious goals for the garden, and we’re hoping to rally as many volunteers as possible to make it happen,” said Nicole Flansburg, co-chair of the Garden Transformation Team. Work began on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 8 a.m., when volunteers replanted the fire-damaged bed and reinstalled drip irrigat...
MOSCOW — The Humane Society of the Palouse is once again teaming up with the City of Moscow Parks and Recreation to host the annual Howling at Hamilton, a canine-focused fundraiser set to take place on Sunday, Sept. 8. The event will be held at the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center, located at 830 N. Mountain View Road, and will run from 1 to 6 p.m. Howling at Hamilton began in 2008 and has become a beloved tradition for local dog owners and their furry companions. According to the Humane Society of the Palouse, over 340 dogs attended last y...
WASHTUCNA — A petition seeking the release of Henry Bley from the Washington State Penitentiary was filed 127 years ago, regarding the infamous double-homicide of the Moritz brothers. According to the Weekly Commoner, a predecessor to the Whitman County Gazette, dated Friday, August 20, 1897, Bley, who had been imprisoned for nine years, was connected to the infamous Moritz brothers’ murders, and filed a petition for his freedom. “This piece of criminal history is highlighted by the vigorous efforts which are now being made by citizens of Wa...
PULLMAN — The Pullman School Board met to discuss many agenda items, including budget status, Washington State graduation requirements and more. The Pullman School Board convened on Wednesday, Aug. 14, in the Paul R. Sturm Community Room at Pullman High School. The meeting began at 6:30 p.m., led by Board President Nathan Roberts, and was attended by Vice President Amanda Tanner, Director Arron Carter, Superintendent Bob Maxwell, Assistant Superintendent Roberta Kramer, Finance Director Diane Hodge, and Executive Director of Operations Joe T...
TEKOA — Tekoa School Board is set to meet to discuss multiple action items including budgeting and hiring new staff members before the 2024-2025 school year begins Tuesday, Sept. 3. The Tekoa School District Board of Directors held a regular meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Tekoa School District Office. The agenda for this meeting, which occurred after press time for this publication of the Whitman County Gazette, included several key items. The consent agenda, according to the agenda, covered the approval of various financial r...
PALOUSE — In response to recent concerns over a chemical monitoring violation notice, Palouse Mayor Tim Sievers has issued a letter reassuring residents of the safety of the city’s water supply. The notice, which was emailed to the community, indicated a “Chemical Monitoring Violation” due to the city’s failure to submit several required water samples in 2022. Mayor Tim Sievers clarified in his letter that the violation was solely related to the failure to report and not due to any exceeding of contaminant levels in the water. “This hap...
COLFAX — The final results from this month’s primary election in Washington have been tallied, revealing key outcomes across various races and measures. However, a mandatory recount will soon take place in one key contest. In Whitman County, voter turnout for the primary was 42.62%, with a total of 9,690 ballots counted out of 22,735 registered voters. The final certification of these results for Whitman County occurred Tuesday, Aug. 20, setting the stage for the general election in November. According to Whitman County Auditors office, these a...
COLFAX — In response to growing concerns about scams, the Council on Aging and Human Services is hosting a Fraud Prevention Seminar at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22. The event will be held at 121 North Main Street, Colfax. The seminar aims to help individuals, particularly seniors, protect themselves from fraud. “We were asked by some senior clients for such a thing because they are running into a lot of scam calls and emails,” said Paige Collins, Executive Director of the Council on Aging and Human Services. Collins noted that even those who...
Hello, Whitman County! After a brief hiatus, during which I had the opportunity to temporarily take over as editor for the Lincoln County Record-Times in Davenport, I am excited to be back and reconnect with the community. As I step into what promises to be a transformative time in my life, I find myself on the brink of one of the most significant milestones yet—graduation. This final semester at the University of Idaho has arrived, and with it comes the thrilling and slightly daunting task o...
COLFAX — On September 21, 1932, three notorious criminals—George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Albert Bates, and Edward “Eddie” Bentz—executed a daring robbery at the First Savings & Trust Bank. The gang stole $71,605 in cash and securities, which, adjusted for inflation, would be equivalent to approximately $1,643,988.08 today. This represents a staggering increase of $1,572,383.08 over 92 years. The heist began around 2:30 p.m. when the armed men stormed the bank located at 102 North Main Street, a sturdy two-story building with a flat roof and front...
GARFIELD — The Garfield-Palouse School District will hold its regular school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting will be in-person and accessible via Zoom, allowing for broader community participation. The agenda will begin with introductions and opportunities for attendees to address the board. Following this, any changes to the agenda will be discussed. The consent agenda includes several important items, such as the approval of accounts payable across various funds, the ratification of the 2024-2025 o...
PULLMAN — A man has been charged with multiple felonies in connection to the alleged rape of a child. Davis Eneas, 33, faces charges in Whitman County Superior Court, including second-degree rape, child rape and indecent liberties. The investigation began last April after Pullman Police responded to a domestic violence incident. Detectives now believe that Eneas assaulted an underage girl. Currently held in Spokane County Jail on a separate matter, Eneas is awaiting transfer to Whitman County to face these charges. Authorities have noted t...
