Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 26 - 43 of 43
OLYMPIA — Convicted felons would automatically regain a right to vote under the proposed House Bill 1078. Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, the convicted felon to serve in the Legislature, testified in favor of the measure Jan. 14. “This is really about reentry; it’s not about the punishment,” she said. “The punishment has been taken into consideration during the prosecution.” Simmons was sentenced to 20 months in prison for possessing and selling drugs and unlawful possession of a firearm. A former nurse, she said she stole drugs and sold th...
COLFAX - Statistics for wheat seedings across the country were released last week for 2021. Washington winter wheat growers seeded an estimated 1.75 million acres of winter wheat for harvest in 2021, according to the USDA's Agricultural Statistics Service. That is down 3% from last year but unchanged from 2019, statistics show. Idaho growers seeded 740,000 acres of winter wheat for the 2021 crop, up 3% from 2020, and 1% more than the 2019 crop, statistics show. Oregon farmers planted 710,000...
MALDEN - Here are the results of the Malden-Pine City Gun Club shoot for Jan. 12: 24 - Brad K., Mike K., and Dave K. 23 - Randy S. and Cory Horntvedt 22 - Luke Guin, Dave Carroll and Conr Hergert 21 - Don McDowell, Dale Birchell and Eric McDonald 20 - Ed Hayes, Daniel Broeckel and Jeff Wood. 19 - Brad Hodges 18 - Lance Horntveldt and Brad Hergert 17 - Sean Amestoy Ladies 20 - Sam Melcher, Susan Emtman and Diane Koppell 19 - Kelli Broeckel 18 - Nancy McDowell Junior 19 - Shyla Courchaine 14 -...
COLFAX - Plans for a Feb. 1 football season start are underway at the high school. The field was lined last week and a league coaches meeting took place, virtually. A game schedule has been set. Athletes, coaches and fans now await the release of coronavirus-related numbers Jan. 25. Under Washington Interscholastic Activities Association guidelines, "fall" sports could begin with practices Feb. 1 on a region-by-region basis. Fall sports include football, volleyball and cross country. Gov. Jay...
COLFAX – To lower the risk and effects of wildland fire, Whitman County Parks may execute a forest management plan this year. The effort is to reduce fuel load and improve fire resiliency at Elberton, Klemgard Park and Kamiak Butte by thinning, pruning and chipping on dozens of acres of timberland. A joint project with the Whitman Conservation District, county parks worked with consultants Northwest Management in 2018-19 to create a plan for forested areas in each park. Aside from density of t...
STEPTOE - A private nature preserve may be sold to the state after a meeting to determine if communications towers fees can be used for weed control. Steptoe Butte native prairie land bought in 2016 by private owners spans a wide C-shape at the base of the butte. Only about a quarter of Steptoe Butte is the state park – mainly its north side and top. The weed control issue will be heard Jan. 26, as part of a meeting of the state Recreation and Conservation Funding Board. The 437-acre land p...
COLFAX — Whitman County commissioners will hold an 11 a.m. Feb. 1 hearing on lifting the moratorium on new marijuana businesses. The moratorium has been in effect since March 2019. The action follows adoption of an ordinance by commissioners Dec. 28, which set various limits on the production, processing and retailing of marijuana in the county — including a ban on outdoor growing and processing, a maximum of two retail locations in unincorporated areas and a directive that a policy be written by the planning department on odor detection and...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fifth Congressional District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is the only representative in Washington state to oppose last week’s impeachment of President Donald J. Trump. McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, backed the president against allegations of incitement of insurrection, while the rest of the state delegation supported impeachment. Her district includes Whitman County. Fourth Congressional District Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, supported impeachment, as did fellow Republican and Third Congressional District Rep. Jamie Her...
COLFAX — The Palouse Empire Fair Board will discuss the annual rodeo, financials and other topics when it meets during a 7 p.m. call-in meeting Monday, Jan. 25. Agenda updates include reports on the fair foundation, rodeo, Sheriff’s Posse, program, fair financial and operations, officials said. The next Fair Board meeting will be Feb. 22....
COLFAX — Whitman County commissioners have yet to decide whether to host a ribbon-cutting for the newly expanded moderate waste recycling building at the county landfill south of the city. The tentative date would be March 9. A decision was delayed to check what may be allowed under governor-ordered coronavirus restrictions. The more than $1 million project added an estimated 2,000 square feet to the building, paid for by the Solid Waste operations budget....
COLFAX - Whitman County commissioners are sending a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee asking him to reverse his recent virus-related reopening plan, "Healthy Washington-Roadmap to Recovery." They approved sending the letter during a meeting Jan. 19. The plan put Whitman County into the broader "East" region of the state for virus re-opening phases. "I personally believe it's to help the governor's agenda to make regional health departments," Commissioner Art Swannack said. "This thing, to me, causes...
OLYMPIA — Sen. Mark Schoesler is frustrated by the complete closure of the Legislative Building and other Capitol campus buildings to the public during the 2021 legislative session. Buildings on campus have been closed to the public since last March, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But following the break-in of the nation's Capitol, Gov. Jay Inslee has fenced in several buildings and deployed a contingent of nearly 1,000 National Guardsmen and Washington State Patrol troopers to secure the c...
OLYMPIA -Hundreds of Washington State Patrol troopers and National Guardsmen will continue to surround the Capitol Campus through the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Patrol spokesman Chris Loftis said the National Guard will provide up to 750 troops, and some will be armed. All patrol troopers are armed. "Significant," but temporary, fencing surrounds the legislative buildings and offices. It was erected more than a week ago, and prevents public access to proceedings, galleries and...
COLFAX — Under the direction of Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Kackman, the City Council discussed a possible land trade Tuesday night between Hill-Ray Plaza and the Church of Jesus Crist of Latter-day Saints -- which would re-draw city limits on the hill at the south end of town. The trade would consist of two triangular-shaped pieces of land spanning 5.36 acres of grassland/farmland. The request is being made by Hill-Ray, with an agreement from the church, 2652 Almota Road. “It looks like it’s appropriate in this instance,” said Kackman, filling in for Ma...
A proposed ban on the use of chokeholds, unleashed K-9 dogs and other use-of-force tactics by law enforcement is just the beginning of an effort by several state lawmakers to address police violence and its impact on marginalized communities. If passed, House Bill 1054 would ban several tactics, including the use of tear gas on civilians, shooting at or pursuing a vehicle, and the use of military-grade equipment by officers. Several community activists testified in a public hearing this morning saying these changes would address racism in...
SPOKANE VALLEY - Four Republican lawmakers have signed onto a new bill designed to encourage splitting Washington into two separate states. Reps. Bob McCaslin and Rob Chase, both of Spokane Valley, Tom Dent of Moses Lake and Robert Sutherland are co-sponsoring House Bill 1239. Under the bill, "a separate and independent state is established from the eastern portions of Washington." That state would be named Liberty. The bill calls for establishing transitional committees to help settle issues...
OLYMPIA — A different take on Gov. Jay Inslee’s capital gains tax, less broad and friendlier to small family-owned businesses, will likely be introduced later in this year’s legislative session. “We are considering proposals similar to what the House has considered in years past,” said Rep. Noel Frame, D-Seattle. “So, for instance, the filing threshold has been higher in the past House versions, so that's one major difference. Also what we have had the last several years is an exemption for bona fide family owned businesses.” Frame emphasi...
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed budget for the upcoming biennium calls for $570 million in new education spending, but it’s not enough for some parents and educators. They expressed frustration and claim the governor’s budget does not adequately fund additional transportation and special education needs fueled by COVID-19. The governor proposed $400 million for schools to expand learning opportunities and potentially add instructional time for students. The budget includes $79 million to support broadband connections for families across...
