Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 401 - 425 of 1104
COLTON- Strong winds blew over a semi on Tuesday, Jan. 9, just north of Colton on state route 195 milepost 15, near Staley Road, reported Washington State Patrol Trooper Caleb Hudson. Hudson said the driver was headed southbound when the incident occurred and was trapped inside the vehicle. According to reports, Whitman County Fire District 12 volunteers from Pullman responded to the scene. According to records, the Whitman County Sheriff's Office assisted the Washington State Patrol with the...
COLFAX- The Kiwanis Club held its Clothing Drive, which ended on Friday, Dec. 15. Kiwanis member Sara Golden said that the drive had changed slightly due to the club's partnership with the Council on Aging and the food pantry. "They have received a lot of shipments from places like Walmart," Golden said, noting that they can get shipments including hats, gloves and shirts. Golden said that many of the local clothing needs were already met due to shipments. "We looked at other needs that we...
COLFAX — The Public Works department for Whitman County has yet to see a very heavy winter but has been keeping busy getting ready for 2024 by maintaining roads and planning for future projects. Public Works Director Mark Storey said since the winter has not hit very hard, they have focused on sanding and de-icing roads. Storey said the department has four roads they put de-icer on, including Colfax Airport Road, Albion Road, Pullman Albion Road and Pullman Airport Road. “There’s been some morning frost,” Storey said, noting that when the wea...
PULLMAN— Sen. Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) announced Thursday, Dec. 29, 2023, that he plans to introduce a resolution recognizing the contributions and service of Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson, retiring after 20 years in that office. Schoesler said Johnson is a dedicated public servant who has been integral to the community and Cougar Nation for decades. “Glenn has done so many positive things for Pullman and Washington State University over the years, but he did not do them for the money. He did them because he always strived to do the right thi...
COLFAX - On Nov. 5, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure law which along with the Airport Improvement Program funded improvements at 37 airports across Washington in 2023, allotting $73,527,274 to Eastern Washington Airport projects, including the Port of Whitman Business Air Center Airport and Pullman/Moscow Regional Airport. A total of $8,410,206 in grants went to the Pullman/Moscow Regional Airport Gate. The boarding bridge for the new terminal received $6,365,000 in funds, and the...
COLFAX — The Board of County Commissioners met for their regular board meeting for the first time in the 2024 new year on Tuesday, Jan. 2. For the 2024 year, the committee assignments were updated, with Commissioner Art Swannack taking over the position of Chair of the Board from Commissioner Michael Largent. “Normally, every year, we elect a new chair,” Swannack said, noting that Commissioner Tom Handy is now the Vice Chair. The Commissioners discussed Veterans Relief Fund policy, procedures, and form updates in other business. Accor...
COLFAX — Colfax Plymouth Church pastor Michael Birnbaum is leading another mission trip this year to Costa Rica, Feb. 24 through Mar. 3. Those who take part will have the opportunity for several optional service activities such as helping in local mission projects, education in schools and community projects like construction repairing homes.. Birnbaum said that retired teachers might be interested in the trip for the chance to help with ESL tutoring, and take part in after school outreach. “We do medical work, medical professionals are wel...
ROSALIA-The Rosalia Garden Club gathered on Tuesday, Dec. 12, to put together "Cheer Baskets," for those in the community that needed holiday cheer. Rosalia Garden Club Publicity Chairman MarvaLee Peterschick said the "Cheer Baskets," tradition was started in 1935 by the Alpha Club, a social club that was actively contributed to the Rosalia community doing good things. "It's been continuous since that date," Peterschick said, noting that the Alpha club took care of it for many years, and then...
PALOUSE - The Ruck for the hosted several events in December to raise awareness for the Ruck for the Fallen cause. A "Christmas Packages for Our Deployed Heroes" event was held on Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Palouse Community Center. The Ruck family packing party were able to fill 42 boxes by the end of the afternoon to mail to US troops serving at a bases in Iraq, Germany, or Syria, who were spending the holiday season far from home. A Facebook request was made for donations bringing in community...
PALOUSE— The City of Palouse has $262,500 of state grants and a local match set aside to assess and study the St. Elmo building. Grass roots group, Friends of St. Elmo, interested in preserving historic spaces in Palouse, worked with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation to have the St. Elmo recognized in 2019 as one of Washington’s most endangered historic places, raising the building’s profile and strengthening its competitiveness for grant funding. The City has received a $50,000 Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) plann...
PALOUSE - Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers spoke to a Garfield-Palouse senior government class taught by John Gehring on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at the high school. Rodgers met with Principal Sandra Kraus-Ayers, and Superintendent Mike Jones to tour the school and see some of the programs offered. Gehring said McMorris Rodgers then met with the senior class, took some questions, and shared her story of coming from small town Kettle Falls to the state house, and then onto Congress. After meeting...
PULLMAN - The Washington Utilities and Transportation commission received a report from a Washington State Agency during its Thursday, Dec. 21, open meeting that wants to charge local farmer, Brad Meyer, for a misdemeanor for the ruptured pipeline that occurred Nov. 8, near Pullman causing a natural gas outage. According to reports, the agency was investigating Meyers who allegedly was digging a four-inch drain line with a tractor and implement when he hit and ruptured the pipeline. According...
COLFAX — The County Budget for 2024 was adopted on Monday, Dec. 11, in the County Commissioners regular meeting. The Board of County Commissioners for Whitman County met on Monday, Oct. 8, 2023, and held the budget hearings for the 2024 fiscal budget for all county funds. Chief Finance Administrator Jessica Jensema said a budget is an educated guess of the transactions that will happen next year. “We start putting the numbers in July so some of these numbers are from 2023,” she said, noting that a lot happens in six months. “It’s just a be...
COLFAX — County Commissioners discussed amendments to wording concerning bars during a public hearing on amending County Zoning Ordinance 19.5 and 19.6 on Tuesday, Dec. 26. Commissioner Michael Largent recessed from the regular business meeting to open the hearing on discussing amendments made by Commissioner Tom Handy to the county zoning ordinances concerning clarifying the word bar. County Planner Alan Thomson said that they had visited the discussion a couple weeks ago when the commissioners had said they wanted to amend concerning bars a...
PALOUSE— The City of Palouse gathered on Thursday, Dec. 21, for their Tree Lighting Ceremony awarding several awards for the Native Garden Tree decorating, and gingerbread house building contest. Deputy Clerk Jamie Gaber said that first prize for the native garden tree decorating contest went to the Calvary Chapel, second place went to Susie Furhman, and third went to Woltering Construction. An honorable mention for the contest went to Vikotic’s Wall-E. Gaber said there were only two ent...
PALOUSE - Santa visited the Palouse Community Center on Saturday, Dec. 16, pulling up on a fire truck at the Palouse Community Center. The noon bell rang, as children gathered to greet him and prepare to ask for what they wanted for Christmas. After climbing down from the truck, Santa asked the children where all the snow was before following them into the center to sit and sing a few Christmas songs including Jingle Bells, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. After singing the songs children...
STEPTOE - The sixth year of Wreaths Across America (WAA) ceremony was held at the Bethel cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 16, at noon in observance of National Wreaths Across America Day. After an introduction from Coordinator Cherry Alice Van Tine about the organizations history, Pastor Bob Ingalls led the gathered group in prayer before the wreath laying ceremony in honor of the 122 veterans laid to rest in the cemetery. Veterans who presented honor wreaths at the ceremony included Mst. Sgt....
COLFAX — During a Monday, Dec. 18, meeting, the Whitman County Commissioners moved to approve Whitman County code Chapter 2.02, Salary Commission amendments, changing appointment to the Salary Commission Board through selection of the county auditor. According to the Final Bill Report for Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5267, salaries of county commissioners and council members may be set by salary commissions established by ordinance or by resolution of the county legislative authority. Commissioner Michael Largent said that the ordinance was r...
STEPTOE –– There will be a Wreaths Across America (WAA) wreath-laying ceremony at noon this Saturday, Dec. 16, in observance of National Wreaths Across America Day at Bethel Cemetery on Scholz Road in Steptoe. Organizer Cherry Alice Van Tine said this year's event honors 122 veterans, two more than last year's event. The event will have a special ceremony to recognize each Armed Forces branch, and Emergency Responders will be recognized. Van Tine said that volunteer veterans present hon...
GARFIELD - The town of Garfield hosted it's annual Christmas party on Saturday, Dec 9, at the Garfield School. Several people attended the event, featuring a visit from Santa, a bean bag toss, cookie decorating, and coloring. Children and adults had Mac and Cheese and hot cocoa served to them. Santa entered, and kids gathered around to tell what they wanted to get for Christmas and sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Santa went around the craft tables to spread Christmas cheer and talk with...
PALOUSE - Palouse has several Christmas events this weekend on Saturday, Dec. 16, with Santa coming through on a fire truck, a gingerbread building contest and more. Palouse City Hall Deputy Clerk Jamie Gaber said that Santa will come on through town on a fire truck finishing at the community center at the noon bell. "We're also having a gingerbread building contest with a children's category and an adult category," Gaber said, adding that the drop-off will be at the St. Elmo Building from noon...
ENDICOTT - The Town of Endicott hosted a "Cookies and Cocoa with Santa Claus," event on Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Endicott Gun Club. This year's event had a fireworks display at 6 p.m., followed by a visit from Santa, treats and mingling after the fireworks show in the decorated gun club filled with Christmas trees and displays. Organizer Jessica Pellissier said that her husband Jim Pellissier was Santa Claus this year. "We didn't do a parade this year," she said, noting that her mom, Teri...
PULLMAN — A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Saturday, Dec. 2, at the new Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport terminal. The terminal project costs approximately $90 million, with $75 million from the federal government, including coronavirus relief funds. The new 50,000-square-foot terminal is expected to be completed and open in May, officials said. The terminal will feature three gates and is approximately six times larger than the size of the current terminal, officials said. The new terminal will also incorporate a special check-in area f...
COLFAX — Vesper Energy, a company located in Dallas, Texas, gave a presentation to the Whitman County Planning Commission on Wednesday, Dec. 6., about plans for a solar farm in Whitman County. The company is looking at 560 acres for the project and plans a 100-megawatt solar farm with lithium-ion battery storage for over five to ten acres. Vesper Energy Community Affairs Manager Alex Rohr said that the project, called Daystar Renewable Energy, is a solar and energy storage project. “The goal would be to have 100 megawatts of solar and 100 meg...
COLFAX — Sen. Mark Schoesler, 9th Legislative District, met with the Gazette on Tuesday, Dec. 12, to discuss about his plans concerning budgeting, electricity, and taxes in the next legislative section. “First and foremost I am the ranking Republican on Capital Budget,” Schoesler said, noting that the chair, Senator Mullett, and him work well together. “Though we have a limited amount of money in general obligation bonds, I think we will probably use other resources,” Schoesler said of the budget. Schoesler said one of their prioritie...
