Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 1104
PULLMAN — The Neill Public Library is hosting a poetry event with authors Alexandra Teaue and Jory Mickelson at 6:30 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 8. Teague is a professor and Master of Fines Art program co-director at the University of Idaho and has written her fourth poetry collection [ominous music intensifying], and has writing Spinning Tea Cups: A Mythical American Memoir and The Principles Behind Floation: A Novel. Mickelson is a writer, educator and storyteller from Bellingham and has writing books of poetry “Wilderness//Kingdom,” a 2020 High...
TEKOA - A Vietnam Army Veteran from Tekoa was honored for his service on Sunday, Oct. 27. Volunteers from the Greater Spokane Quilts of Valor program gave a presentation at the Harvester Restaurant to honor Stanley 'Joe' Horlacher, of Tekoa, on Sunday, Oct. 27, for his service during wartime. Horlacher was joined during the presentation by nine family members and received a quilt in appreciation for his service and sacrifice with distinct Army-themed patriotic fabrics. Serving honorably in the...
COLFAX— With Veterans Day approaching Monday, Nov. 11, Whitman County is taking the time to honor those who have served. Closures across the county include the Whitman County Courthouse, commissioners will not hold their regular meeting and banks will be closed for the holiday. All fourteen branches of the Whitman County Library will be closed. In observance of the holiday, there will be no school and several schools will hold assemblies to commemorate the holiday. Colfax Junior/Senior High School will hold a Veterans Day assembly to recognize...
GARFIELD — The town of Garfield is one of seven communities receiving a $30,000 grant from the Community Heart and Soul Initiative receiving a $30,000 grant. The Heart and Soul Initiative recognizes communities with a population of 30,000 or less in the foundation’s 20-county service and the city is tasked with engaging residents in identifying what they love the most about their community, and how to better its future. “I was ecstatic to hear Garfield is a grant recipient for the Heart and Soul Program,” President of Community of Garfiel...
ROSALIA- The Fire Department volunteers closed out another annual pig roast fundraiser bringing in a crowd of supportive community Saturday, Nov. 2. The fundraiser served over 170 people, Rosalia Fire Chief Laura Lautenschlager said. Lautenschlager said they had 60 items in the Silent Auction. "Everything sold," she said. "There was a variety of gift baskets, a BB gun, a drum of oil and various gift certificates." All the proceeds from the event go back into the fire department and the Rosalia...
COLFAX — Palouse Conservation District is inviting farmers and ranchers to a November Soil Health Breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m., on Thursday, Nov. 14. The breakfast is taking place at The Center, adjacent to the Whitman County Library, located at 110 South Main Street. Farmers and ranchers are invited to start their morning with coffee and breakfast while discovering innovative soil health practices being implemented by fellow producers. The featured speaker is Brian Bohnhoff of Precision Bio, who will be presenting on “Leveraging Biology on You...
COLFAX - A ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the opening of four new passing lanes along State Route 26 took place on Wednesday Oct. 30 Representatives and community members gathered at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds to mark the grand opening of the lanes between Dusty and Colfax. Washington State Department of Transportation Regional Administrator Charlene Kay said the ribbon cutting represents how it all started, with collaboration of elected officials and local partners. "It has been a...
COLFAX — Whitman County Commissioner Michael Largent announced his resignation from the Board of County Commissioners during the regular board meeting Monday, Nov. 4. After 18 years serving on the board, Largent said it is with a heavy heart and mixed emotions that he is resigning effective at 5 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2025. “The reason I’m giving little over two and a half months is I think we need to leave adequate time for people to consider whether or not they would like to put their name forward,” Largent said to those in attendance. Largent...
COLFAX — Two legislative representative positions are up on the General Election ballot. Running for State Representative Position 1 incumbent Mary Dye takes the lead against Patrick Miller and Position 2 sees a lead in votes by Joe Schmick against Pam Kohlmeier. Statewide Dye is leading with 38,933, 66.21% of the votes with Miller behind at 19,734, 33.56% and 139, 0.24% write-ins. Whitman County voters have voted Dye in the lead at 6,272 votes, 55.59%, with Miller behind at 4,997 votes, 44.29%. “Joe (Schmick) and I are here in Garfield Cou...
COLFAX — Several levies were on this year’s General Election Ballot; results for the ballot count as of Thursday, Nov. 7 are as follows for each town. COLTON —The town of Colton proposes one levy in this year’s General Election concerning supporting general operations, street improvement and water maintenance. Proposition No. 853 is a one-year proposition for the town’s property tax at 80 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value, to raise the town $30,000. The levy passed with 128, 71.11% voting yes and 53, 29.28% against. ENDICOTT...
TEKOA — Schools are back to normal after a nearby welfare check between police and a man prompted a lock down this morning. Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers said deputies responded approximately 7 a.m. to a call of a man who was walking around disturbed and frustrated. "It did happen to be around the school," Myers said. "There were some indications that he was carrying a sword." Myers said the man had not committed a crime and there was no obligation that he come out of his house. "We did notify the school, so they were aware," Myers s...
COLFAX — On the ballot this election season Initiative 2066 passed, prohibiting state and local governments from restricting access to natural gas. The initiative would also prohibit the state building code council from discouraging or punishing the use of natural gas in any building. It requires gas and utility companies, cities or towns that provide natural gas to provide people or corporations natural gas even if other energy services or sources are available. A total of 2,793,408 voted state-wide, with 1,434,521, 51.35% voting in favor, a...
OAKESDALE — The Innovia Foundation announced that Oakesdale was selected as one of the first Eastern Washington and North Idaho communities for the Community Heart and Soul Initiative. For two years the town of Oakesdale tasked with engaging residents in identifying what they love the most about their community, and how to better its future. “The Community Heart and Soul framerwork is a great way for us to be able to engage with both active community members, as well as those individuals and groups whose voices aren’t as frequently heard,” Gran...
COLFAX — Whitman County is currently crunching numbers, compiling a rough draft of the 2025 budget. Whitman County Chief Financial Officer Jessica Jensema said the budget is usually adopted in December and adopts the tax roll first for 2025. The rough draft budget comes to a total of $38,152,243 in revenue and has a projected budget deficit or deficiency of excess expenses over revenue at $3,579,257. Jensema predicts the county will start 2025 with about $11 million in cash. “It’s really not that terrible of a picture,” she said, adding...
COLFAX — A grant awarded to Washington State Department of Transportation for rail system upgrades will allow $115 million to go towards improving the Palouse River Coulee City railroad lines in Whitman County. The U.S. The Federal Railroad Administration awarded $37.7 million toward Washington State Rural Rail Rehabilitation Phase III to improve supply chain efficiency and resiliency. WSDOT Rail Freight and Port’s Divisions Capital and PCC Railway Program Manager Larry Rasmussen said the $37.7 million will go towards improvement towards the...
COLFAX — Several levies were on this year’s General Election Ballot; results for the ballot count are as follows for each town. COLTON —The town of Colton proposes one levy in this year’s General Election concerning supporting general operations, street improvement and water maintenance. Proposition No. 853 is a one-year proposition for the town’s property tax at 80 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value, to raise the town $30,000. The levy passed with 128, 71.11% voting yes and 52, 28.99% against. ENDICOTT— The town of Endicott is proposi...
COLFAX — Four newly constructed State Route 26 passing lanes have been completed after three years of work. Communications Manager Ryan Overton said the $11.1 million project started with the first three passing lanes starting in 2022 and running through 2023. A second project for the fourth climbing lane started in June of this year, between Dusty and Colfax. “It’s been open now for a little over a week,” Overton said, noting all the traffic control is gone at the location. A ribbon cutting to celebrate will take place from 11 a.m. to noon Wed...
COLFAX - The Morgan Plowing Bee saw its 33rd year last Saturday. Organizer John Morgan said the event went well, with weather conducive to the party. "It was really nice," Morgan said. "I think we had about 26 or 27 tractors." Morgan said there were approximately 120 to 160 people and there was a little rain previously which settled the dust, making the plowing more pleasant. "People who came to watch got an opportunity to get on an old tractor and make a round or two," said Morgan, noting that...
ST. JOHN — The Lautenschlager family has made it their mission to raise awareness and bring change to honor their daughter’s memory. The nonprofit organization is in honor of Lautenschlager, who passed away a year ago on Oct. 13, from a fentanyl overdose. Jodi Lautenschlager, her mother, said the nonprofit organization is an outreach to the surrounding communities to find resources to help others. “We did not have those resources to help lucy,” said Lautenschlager, noting they are trying to find a way to get resources down on paper to hand ou...
TEKOA — County Commissioners awarded the Tekoa Runway project $20,000 in Economic Development funds. Port of Whitman County Executive Director Kara Riebold and Tekoa Airport Manager Mike Hale came before the commissioners to present on the request. Riebold reported the Port Commissioners have talked to County Commissioners about Tekoa’s airport project over the last few months. The City of Tekoa applied for funding through the Department of Transportation in early May and wrote a letter to the county to apply for .09 Funds for the inf...
OAKESDALE — The Port of Whitman County and Haley and Aldrich presented to a packed McCoy Valley Museum to discuss the purchase of the Old Mill from the Innovia Foundation. Community members filled the Oakesdale museum Monday, Oct. 21; along with guests, Port of Whitman County Executive Director Kara Riebold, Haley and Aldrich, Inc Geologist-Environmentalist Scientist Ward McDonald and Innovia Foundation Chief Strategy Officer Aaron McMurray present. “We are excited, because on Wednesday at the commission meeting, Innovia and our com...
FARMINGTON — Three people were arrested on charges of alleged burglary on Tuesday, Oct. 15, on Garfield-Farmington Road. According to public records, at approximately 6:11 p.m., on Tuesday, Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputy Amy Pilloud responded to a burglary at Garfield-Farmington Road. Gary Wayne French, 62, of Spokane, Eric James Harris, 55, of Spokane and Melissa Ann Marie Pagel, 44, of Farmington, were arrested after Pagel admitted to having methamphetamine on her person. According to Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers, the suspects allegedl...
COLFAX - The Whitman County Commissioners chambers filled with Harvest Hills Wind Turbine Project protestors on Monday, Oct. 21 with questions concerning the proposed wind farm project near Kamiak Butte. One of the biggest concerns raised by protestors was the county hiring law firm Van Ness Feldman LLP. When asked about the services that Van Ness Feldman provides Commissioner Art Swannack said his only comment is that it is the prosecutors choice to select based on what is going on. "He is the...
ENDICOTT— Town residents are being asked to support six levies in the Nov. 5 general election. Mayor Dean Marty said the measures will not fund any major new projects. The town is asking residents to support a $12,000 Fire and EMT Protection levy. If passed, residents will pay 47 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. The funds will enable the town to pay for services from the local fire district. The second proposition is a $30,000 levy for street work and maintenance, which will cost an estimated $1.14 or less per $1,000 of a...
GARFIELD - The Garfield-Palouse High School hosted several schools on Wednesday, Oct. 2, for a presentation on the importance of character and bullying. The presentation was given by Major League Baseball Sports Agent Mark Leinweaver, who has spent two decades working in sports and entertainment addressing issues of accountability, balance and character. Participating schools included Tekoa, Oakesdale, Garfield-Palouse and Colton High Schools and Middle Schools and St. John High School ....
