Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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Gov. Jay Inslee may order quarantines and business shutdowns, but he cannot enforce them. In agreeing with that argument — presented by attorneys for the governor — U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle ruled last Friday that Gov. Inslee cannot be sued for the “unconstitutional” quarantine of healthy residents, shutdown of otherwise viable businesses or mask mandates. According to the judge, state officials can only be sued if they are connected to enforcement of an allegedly unconst...
OLYMPIA — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal last week suspended implementation of the controversial new "inclusive" sexual education requirements, at least for the fall. In a July 21 bulletin to schools officials statewide, Reykdal cited Referendum 90 qualifying for the Nov. 3 general election for the suspension. "At this time, districts are not required to implement the new requirements outlined in S.B. 5395 for the 2020–21 school year," he wrote. Referendum 90 will app...
SPOKANE — Eastern Washington's incumbent Republicans are dominating initial returns in the Aug. 4 primary election. As of the end of counting Tuesday night, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, and Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, were sweeping away challengers. In the 5th Congressional District, McMorris Rodgers had 50.22% of the vote. Her nearest challenger was Democrat Dave Wilson with 24.415. Others in the race include Democrat Chris Armitage, 14.115, Republican Stephen T. Mayors, 8...
CHENEY — Gov. Jay Inslee “strongly recommends” public and private students in 34 of the state’s 39 counties stay home this fall. His recommendation came during a press conference this afternoon, Aug. 5, in which he was joined by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal and state Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy. The governor said he was not issuing legally binding orders, but would expect school districts to heed his advice and that of state health offices as it relates to returning to campus while the Wuhan coronavirus remains. Re...
REPUBLIC — Despite more than three dozen candidates in the gubernatorial field, only two divided up the state's 39 counties in the initial tally of the Aug. 4 primary election. After counting more than 1.2 million ballots statewide Tuesday night, incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, and challenger Police Chief Loren Culp, R-Republic, won counties. Inslee amassed 51.86% of the statewide vote enroute to leading the crowded field in 27 counties. Culp, an rural upstart who jumped into t...
RENTON -- Fall is usually synonymous with prep football and volleyball in rural Eastern Washington. Not this year. Due to the coronavirus scare, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is moving those sports and boys soccer to 2021. The scholastic sports group announced the change this evening, July 21. The decision comes as school districts are trying to decide to open campuses this fall. Middle and high school athletes will be still be allowed to compete in cross country,...
BASIN CITY - What do you call it when more than 3,000 rural residents get together for the Fourth of July to rodeo, parade, dance and shoot off fireworks? Well, rodeo clown turned Freedom Rodeo announcer J.J. Harrison calls it a "cowboy protest," a protest in which ruralites build up America instead of tearing it down. Harrison, of Walla Walla, emceed the inaugural Freedom Rodeo on July 3 and 4 in this city of 1,100 people in Franklin County. The mask-optional "protest" rodeo took place in...
Are government agencies and big tech tracking your every move via your smartphone? The answer is maybe. Gov. Jay Inslee has repeatedly said the state is using smartphone data to track interactions and travel as it may relate to coronavirus exposure and spread. That data may include time, date, location and even a "marker" for each mobile device. Indeed, anytime your cellphone is turned on, it connects to towers for telephone calls or texting. Using three tower connections, it's possible to trian...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee announced today that residents statewide will be required to wear a face mask effective Friday in an attempt to slow the coronavirus spread. “This is something we can get use to,” Inslee said, noting that a willful decision not to wear a face mask is “tantamount to a misdemeanor.” The governor balked, however, when questioned on how the state would enforce the requirement. “We just think people will respond,” he said. Inslee said the requirement stems from an order...
Educators nationwide scoff at the idea of homeschooling children. Those in unions, especially those in the Washington Education Association in our state, say parents can’t provide the same educational opportunities at home as are available in public schools. A large part of their reasoning is social interaction. Indeed, those in the union have long argued social interactions are more important than allowing advanced students to move up a grade or substandard students from being held back. Even e...
BASIN CITY -- Local cowboys are buckin' the state's rejection of reopening Franklin County as the Fourth of July approaches. Despite the state's rejection of Phase 2 reopening in the wake of the coronavirus, residents are planning to kick up their heels for Independence Day. Two rodeo performances, a street dance, parade and fireworks are on tap as part of the Basin City Fourth of July Parade and Freedom Rodeo. The fun gets underway at 8 a.m. Friday, July 3, with rodeo slack. The first of two rodeo performances is set for 6 p.m. that night, fol...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee announced today that residents statewide will be required to wear a face mask effective Friday in an attempt to slow the coronavirus spread. “This is something we can get use to,” Inslee said, noting that a willful decision not to wear a face mask is “tantamount to a misdemeanor.” The governor balked, however, when questioned on how the state would enforce the requirement. “We just think people will respond,” he said. Inslee said the requirement stems from an order...
WENATCHEE — Supporters and opponents of Gov. Jay Inslee’s quarantine measures will have to wait a little longer to see if the shutdowns will remain intact. Of the at least seven lawsuits seeking to end Inslee’s orders, two could have preliminary decisions coming in the next few days. On Thursday morning, Chelan County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ferrera ended a hearing by saying she’ll take hours of arguments under consideration before determining the fate of the case, filed by multiple plaintiffs, including former state Rep. Cary Condott...
WENATCHEE — Two more lawsuits have been filed against Gov. Jay Inslee in an effort to upend his stay-home quarantine orders. Several business and community leaders on Friday filed simultaneous lawsuits in Chelan and Douglas County asking Superior Courts to end coronavirus-related restrictions. Prior to Friday, at least five lawsuits had been filed in various county superior and U.S. district courts, including one class action lawsuit filed in Tacoma by Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier of Eltopia, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim... 
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Voluntary must have a different meaning inside state government offices. On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee and other participants in his coronavirus press conference said participation in a statewide contact tracing program would be voluntary. Under the program, anyone who tests positive for coronavirus would be contacted by the Washington National Guard, state Department of Licensing employees or other so-called “health professionals” to determine an infected person’s whereabouts and ascertain their...
OLYMPIA — If you test positive for conoravirus, be prepared to be quarantined at home. That’s the message Gov. Jay Inslee shared during a Tuesday afternoon press conference on his plan for “contact tracing” of the virus. Under his plan, anyone who tests positive will be quarantined at home. Moreover, anyone in their immediate family and anyone with whom they’ve had contact, will also be quarantined in their homes. While the governor called the plan “voluntary,” he also acknowledged that the state will be keeping tabs on you. Inslee said h...
PASCO – Franklin County cherry orchardist and pilot Dave MacHugh was landing his private airplane at Tri-Cities Airport after a four-hour trip to Tacoma and back Friday afternoon, May 1. Unbeknownst to him, as his plane touched down and taxied to the hangar, Gov. Jay Inslee was in the process of ordering Washington state to remain under quarantine until at least May 31. Although the weather was ideal for a general aviation flight, MacHugh wasn't on a pleasure trip. He had flown eight p...
KAHLOTUS -- Washington State Parks has released a list of the parks that will be opening May 5 for outdoor recreation, provided visitors keep their distance. In Eastern Washington, the initial list of openings include: Alta Lake Bridgeport Columbia Plateau Trail Conconully Ginkgo Petrified Forest Goldendale Observatory Lake Chelan Lake Wenatchee Lincoln Rock Lyons Ferry Mount Spokane Nine Mile Falls Recreation Area Palouse Falls Perrygin Lake Potholes Reservoir Riverside (Spokane) Sacajawea...
Gov. Jay Inslee had to know a showdown was coming with Eastern Washington. State law allocated him 30 days in which to operate under emergency authority, unless the Legislature convenes and passes a concurrent resolution. That didn't happen. And with his initial stay-home quarantine issued Feb. 29 due to the coronavirus outbreak, many east of the Cascades have been anxiously awaiting the governor's nod to return to work, to recreate and to shop. Without even a cautious nod, the tension has been...
SPOKANE -- More than 300 people turned out shortly after lunch Wednesday, April 22, to tell Gov. Inslee to reopen the state now. As the crowd grew at the corner of North Lincoln Street and West Spokane Falls Boulevard, traffic increased as well. Dozens of cars and pickups started circling the area, the drivers honking continuously. The rally was organized by Patti Usselman, who lives in the Clear Lake area between Cheney and Medical Lake. "It's important," she said of the message she and others...
RITZVILLE - The state Senate majority leader said Wednesday, April 23, that he will refuse to extend quarantine rules on "low-hanging fruit." Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said some of that so-called fruit includes fishing, elective surgeries and home construction. Those and other prohibitions are among the coronavirus emergency quarantine rules ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee. The emergency was declared Feb. 29. The order has since been amended at least once, and several new rules have been...
OLYMPIA – Under increasing pressure from counties, Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday said he would allow low-risk construction to resume immediately. The caveats — each contractor must have personal protective gear for employees, provide coronavirus training for workers, require workers would remain at least six feet apart and maintain an on-site supervisor to enforce compliance. According to Inslee, the decision to “reopen” construction followed an agreement reached between leaders in government, the construction industry and health care workers...
RICHLAND — Cracks are growing in Gov. Jay Inslee’s “stay home, stay safe” quarantine east of the Cascades. And the Tri-City area — the second most populous area east in Eastern Washington— is at the center of the uprising to lift “unconstitutional” mandates that restrict the ability to assemble, practice religion, access publicly owned lands and water, and more. The governor has ordered Washington state residents to "stay home" until at least May 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Richland resident Lisa Thomas has started a GoFundMe accoun...
RICHLAND — Under the watchful eye of a city park ranger, hundreds of protesters from across Eastern Washington launched boats and filled Columbia Point Park today calling on Gov. Jay Inslee to end the ban on boating and fishing. Statewide, fishing, boating, camping and some hunting were shut down by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife until at least May 4, in accordance with the governor's quarantine due to the coronavirus outbreak. More than 100 boats were visible on the water, and t...
PASCO — Gov. Jay Inslee's time has expired, at least in Franklin County. Five minutes into the county commissioners’ 9 a.m. meeting today, April 21, commissioners voted unanimously to reject provisions under Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay-home quarantine order. Commissioner Clint Didier moved to reopen the county; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Brad Peck. “I move that Franklin County end recognition of the governor’s stay-at-home emergency proclamation that is now deemed unconstit...
