Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 1104
OAKESDALE — An Oakesdale FFA high school freshman has been named a national finalist in the FFA Agriscience Fair. Kellan Demeerler was named the 2024 national finalist this year in the Power, Structure and Technical Systems category in the FFA Agriscience competition. DeMeerler will take part in the annual National FFA Convention and Expo taking place Wednesday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. On Friday, Sept. 20, DeMeerler had his National interview via Zoom, going before a panel of industry e...
COLFAX — The Whitman Hospital Board of Commissioners discussed several updates during the monthly meeting including policy updates, grants received, financial updates and RV park upgrades. During the Wednesday, Sept. 18, meeting Board Commissioner Cherry Alice VanTine reported to the board updates from the Ethics meeting, which occurred earlier that morning, stating that Chief Nursing Officer Bill Bryant reported there is now a no-show policy in place for the clinics. “We started the beginning of this month, so we’ll bring some stati...
COLFAX — Whitman County Commissioners approved a $2,010,000 bid to pave Endicott Road. According to public record, the project to improve Endicott Road from milepost 23.71 to milepost 29.81 will require paving, pavement markings, guardrail, traffic control and other work. A road overlay resurface project requires application of approximately two inches of asphalt concrete to an existing surface or pavement of the road to prolong the life of the road. The Whitman County engineer’s estimate on the project comes to $1,553,750.80. Com...
ST. JOHN — The Port of Whitman County is working to purchase property in St. John to conduct a brownsfield study for a future hospital clinic. The Port of Whitman County Commissioners are moving forward with plans to enter into two Earnest Money Receipt and Agreements with property owners in St. John. In June 2024, staff from Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics approached the Port about a potential brownfield site in St. John. The hospital hired a geo-technical engineering firm to assess the site in 2021, observing evidence of potential c...
OAKESDALE — The Port of Whitman County awarded a $75,000 Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) grant to the Oakesdale Mill project. The grant will fund a feasibility study assessing the suitability of the historic Oakesdale Flour Mill for development and explore potential future uses for the space. Innovia Foundation purchased the mill in early 2024 with the intent of preserving it as part of the history and culture of the town and region with the support of the Oakesdale community. Media and Community Outreach M...
COLFAX - Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics welcomed a new general surgeon to the team in early August. Jon Pirrello, of Simsbury, Conn., started working with Doctor Juan Parra as a general surgeon at the hospital. Pirrello went to New York Medical College and completed his general surgery residency, doing an additional year of training in minimally invasive surgery. "I've known for a long time, since high school, that I wanted to be a surgeon," Pirrello said. "I like being able to help patien...
PALOUSE - The Palouse School went into lockdown this morning while law enforcement responded to a reported threat. At approximately 8:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 27, an anonymous caller reported to local law enforcement they were in an argument with their mother and had "shot and killed her." According to a Whitman County Sheriff's Office press release, the caller provided an address adjacent to Palouse School, indicating they were suicidal and armed. Based on the information the school was immediate...
COLFAX - Antique airplanes will be seen flying into the Colfax airport next weekend. The family friendly event hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 328 is set to start at 8 a.m., Sept. 28 with the pancake breakfast until 10 a.m., at the Colfax Airport, 707 Flight Line Drive. Breakfast is being served by the Colfax Rotary Club for a fee and includes pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs. Fly In Organizer Barney Buckley said the event started in 2013, with a crop duster clinic...
ST. JOHN – The St. John Endicott Schools are awaiting the arrival of new metalshop gear and have a new coding program for middle schoolers. According to the St. John Endicott September newsletter Middle School Science Teacher Michael Maloney has been continually working to increase participating and interest in the Metalshop elective class. The passing of the Endicott levy made it possible to support the class and purchase two new welders to replace ones that had issues. The students welded new carts for the welders and are putting skills to w...
PALOUSE - Community members and visitors filled the streets for Palouse Day Saturday, Sept. 14 marking another year of festivities. Main Street filled with people in the morning bringing spectators, family members and children who scurried into the street to collect candy. M.C. Matt Zook announced the kiddie parade participants and main parade as school organizations, local government officials, businesses and even a candidate for governor made their way down main street. "I think the parade wen...
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Patrol will be holding a statewide emphasis patrol in honor of fallen Trooper Christopher Gadd on Friday, Sept. 27. On March 2, 2024, Gadd was struck by an impaired driver on Interstate 5, north of Marysville. Gadd messaged his detachment members he was going to meet them after “One More Stop,” and pulled to the shoulder north of his detachment office to seek out one more speeding, potential impaired driver to prevent a future tragedy. The WSP is conducting the emphasis patrol titled “One More Stop” from 4 p....
COLFAX— Commissioners moved and approved signing an agreement to the Boys and Girls Club of Lewis and Clark Valley for $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for Pullman Childcare Services. During the regular County Commissioners meeting Monday, Sept. 16, Commissioners signed an agreement with Lewis and Clark Valley for funds towards the Pullman Boys and Girls Club. In attendance was Executive Director of Boys and Girls Club Lewis and Clark Valley Jon Evans. “I pretty much want to thank you for this opportunity,” Evans said to the commi...
COLFAX - An international company seeking to build wind turbines in Whitman County opened a local office at 119 S. Main St. on Thursday, Sept. 5. "This is for us to be more engaged with the community," Harvest Hills Wind Project Director Shane Roche of Steelhead said. "This is a good spot for us to be able to work from when we're out here." Steelhead Americas is a division of the international Vestas Corp. of Aarhus, Denmark, which has an American branch based in Portland, Ore. Angellic Root,...
COLFAX — Whitman County Hospital and Medical Clinics welcomed a new podiatrist to the team earlier this month. Adam Simmons, 40, grew up in Provo, Utah, where he finished his undergrad in Biology at Utah University. Simmons said he moved to Miami where he went to Medical School to study podiatry, which focuses on the foot and ankle. The only podiatrist at Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics, Simmons said he started out wanting to be a dentist, shadowing his friend’s dad growing up. It was when he met a podiatrist who convinced Simmons to shado...
ROSALIA — The Rosalia Garden Club named both the August and September winners for Garden of the Month. The August Garden of the Month title went to Phyllis Brown and the final winner of the month for September went to Jim and Leslie Gunnels. “Both of these outstanding gardens are located just a few blocks from each other on the busy Whitman Street where the gardens get a lot of exposure,” Publicity Chairman for Rosalia Garden Club MarvaLee Peterschick said. Peterschick said the two winni...
PULLMAN — The Regional Theatre of the Palouse is bringing King Arthur and the knights of his round table to the musical stage presenting Lerner and Loewe’s Broadway Musical ‘Camelot.’ Starting tonight, Thursday, Sept. 12 and running through Sept. 22, the musical evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Matinees are set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Portraying King Arthur, Dennis McGreevy has performed in several local productions including ‘Les Miserables’ as Jean Valjean, ‘Secret Garden’ as Archibald Crave...
Having grown up in Whitman County I am not a stranger to the dark side of addiction in the surrounding communities. Alcoholism, drug addiction and a lack of mental health resources run rampant in some of our communities. Small towns are a great distance from needed resources and not everyone has a support system. Growing up, I saw many of those closest to me fall victim to the need to escape the voices in their heads holding them back from making healthy decisions and actively consuming alcohol...
PULLMAN — A man initially arrested a fourth-degree assault charge now faces multiple charges after allegedly attacking multiple law enforcement officers. Darien Leaf Armstrong, 26, was arraigned Friday, Sept. 6, in Whitman County Superior Court on two counts of custodial assault were requested. Trial was set for 9 a.m. Oct. 14. The case began when officer Holden Humphrey was initially dispatched with other officers at 4:22 p.m. June 27 to 845 S.E. Spring St. for a report of an assault. There, Armstrong was arrested for threatening and h...
ALBION - At least one bridge was destroyed by a fire burning Tuesday evening, Sept. 10. As the newspaper went to press, volunteer firefighters were on-scene on Shawnee Road, just outside of town, where a wooden trestle was burning over the South Palouse River. The trestle is the second to burn in two years in Whitman County - the Rebel Flat Creek trestle was destroyed a year ago in the Winona Fire. At least one family chose to evacuate from the area as flames from the blaze encroached on their...
COLFAX — Whitman Hospital and Medical Clinics has a new doctor — Brent Conrad. Born and raised in Colfax, Conrad, 31, is starting full-time this month. A 2012 graduate of Colfax High School, Conrad said his medical career started by shadowing Dr. Johnson in high school. “I felt like my calling was to come back to Whitman County and serve,” Conrad said, adding he previously provided summer coverage at the local hospital. Conrad said he earned his undergraduate degree in biology at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho. “I was part of the first cla...
By Teresa Simpson The Gazette COLFAX — The Palouse Empire Fair wrapped up the 75th year of festivities Sunday, Sept. 8. Despite temperatures in the mid-90s, fair-goers could be seen throughout the weekend participating in various fair activities. Fair Manager Ashley Reisenauer said the fair was a success. “It was a great time,” Reisenauer said, noting that though the official numbers won’t be out for a couple of days, overall attendance appears to have been higher than previous years. Joe Eaton owner of Chef Joe’s Barbecue, LLC, of Spokane s...
ST. JOHN - A long-time third generation St. John farmer and veteran was recognized for his service in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, receiving a Quilt of Valor. Louis White, 91, of Spokane Valley, received a quilt honoring his time served from the Greater Spokane Valley Quilts of Valor group. Born and raised in St. John, Wash., White joined the United States Army ROTC program in college in 1952. "I graduated as a commission officer from Eastern Washington College of Education," said White,...
PALOUSE - Palouse Days is just around the corner bringing another year of community fun and camaraderie next weekend. A Kickoff Party with live music at the Palouse Caboose at 7 p.m. will set the weekend of fun into motion Friday, Sept. 12. Following Friday night music comes the Lion's Club annual pancake breakfast starting at 6:20 a.m. - 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 14, in Hayton Green Park, 102 Idaho Road. Starting at 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. attendees also have the chance to view the Palouse...
PALOUSE — Residents have come to the rescue of Shady Lane trees on Shady Lane being attacked by an infestation of Western Pine Beetles. Palouse City Administrator Misty La Follett said a couple of residents applied for a grant from the Department of Natural Resources to fight the pine beetles. Local residents, husband and wife, Al Pancoast and Kayla Johnston noticed Shady Lane trees were starting to die and contacted the city. Pancoast said the grant came out to just over $100,000 to restore the forest. “It’s a grant for the removal of dead...
COLFAX — A homeless Pullman who allegedly held a woman against her will pled not guilty to all charges in Superior Court. In a Superior Court arraignment Friday, Aug. 30, James S. Olson, 33, of Pullman pled not guilty to charges of domestic violence, residential burglary, third degree assault and a resisting arrest misdemeanor. Superior Court Judge Gary Libey, read the charges and accepted the state’s recommendation to sign a pre-trial no contact order. Libey said the pre-trial contact order requires Olson to not have any direct contact or ind...
