Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 57
A $50,000 bond for pre-trial release was initially set for Joo Hyng Ock, 22, who was arrested Sunday on a probable charge of arson which alleges he started a fire in a holding cell at the Pullman Police Department. According to the arrest report, Ock had been placed in the cell after he was arrested at 1:24 a.m. Sunday on probable charges of assault and malicious mischief. An officer later in the morning detected smoke coming from the cell. The report said the officer saw flames about a foot high when he went to the cell. The suspect allegedly... Full story
After a year-and-a-half of waiting, Malden residents now have access to broadband internet. Working through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development department, Spokane, internet provider Wired or Wireless recently finished shooting a wireless broadband signal from Mica Peak to Malden. “It’s been a while coming, but we’re grateful it’s here,” said Malden Mayor Ted Maxwell. Wired or Wireless in August 2008 received a $671,000 grant from the USDA to link the town with broadband and set up a community c... Full story
The Washington & Idaho Railway recently installed this set of LED lights to replace incandescent flashing lights which were damaged by a recent car accident. The railway will also upgrade the train warning system. The railroad crosses Highway 27, also known as Oakesdale’s First Street. Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved release of $15,363 from its Grade Crossing Protective Fund for the new crossing lights. Washington & Idaho operate trains on the state-owned railroad which runs from Moscow to Marshal... Full story
Just before Whitman County commissioners signed a $40,935 contract for an audit of energy use on the courthouse campus, Parks Director Tim Myers told commissioners much of that information could already be on the books. Myers, who used to manage the county’s facilities, said many energy improvements were made nine years ago. “I just wanted you guys to have some history on this so you will be sure this will be something that is worthwhile,” Myers told commissioners in a workshop session Tuesday morning. With courthouse improvement bonds issue...
THURSDAY Democrats in the Wisconsin Senate fled the state to boycott action on a Republican measure to curtail union rights for public employees as part of a deficit-cutting plan. The proposal by Republican Governor Scott Walker to curb the bargaining rights of public unions in order to make immediate budget savings has sparked outrage among union workers in the state. The Texas Senate approved a measure that would require women seeking an abortion to first get an ultrasound. Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, a clown who won a seat in... Full story
Next Christmas may bring a new fire truck for Pullman Rural Fire District 12. The district was awarded $279,000 from the federal government which will be used to purchase a new fire truck. Fire Chief Lester Erwin said if they order a brand new engine, the district can expect to have it by Christmas. The grant from FEMA Emergency Services requires the district must supply five percent of the funding, bringing the total for the truck to $300,000. “[We’re] hoping for it before this time next year, maybe around Christmas time,” Erwin said. Distr...
The federal government has awarded a $20 million grant to universities in Washington, Oregon and Idaho that is designed to ensure that wheat farming in the Pacific Northwest will survive climate change. The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will study the relationship between climate change and cereal crops, primarily winter wheat. Wheat is the No. 1 export through the Port of Portland, the largest wheat-export harbor in the United States. Washington State University, the University of Idaho, Oregon State University and... Full story
Whitman County Parks Director Tim Myers is looking into the possibility of a countywide parks district with its own taxing authority. Myers said he is investigating whether it would be a good idea, or even possible, to establish the district and even merge small town parks districts into the countywide proposal. Such a move would require a vote of the county residents. Commissioner Greg Partch asked Myers to look into the countywide district after viewing results of the Feb. 8 levy elections. “I just saw in the (television) crawl that Lincoln C...
After a season-long wrestling match with winter weather, a family outside Palouse has finally erected a wind turbine. Only able to work on still, cool, dry days, crews have spent the past few months putting up a 100-foot turbine atop a hill south of Palouse. “We fought the weather for a long time and finally found a nice little window to get in there and get it done,” said Craig Dillard. The turbine is dedicated to the late Mike Carlton, an advocate for wind energy on the Palouse. The turbine sits on the land of Tony Kettel and will supply her...
Pumping figures for 2010 released by the Palouse Basin Aquifer Committee (PBAC) indicate water use on the Palouse has declined by more than 18 percent since 1992. At its monthly meeting in Pullman last week, PBAC released its water use numbers for 2010, showing total pumping by the major pumping entities declined 18.4 percent since 1992. This was the year the pumpers first enacted a regional Ground Water Management Plan. The 2010 aggregated total pumping for major pumping entities (Pullman, Moscow, Colfax, Palouse, WSU and UI) was 2.52 billion... Full story
The number of farms in Washington in 2010 was estimated at 39,500. The Washington Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service says that is unchanged from 2009, according to a press release from that office. The average size of a farm in the state was also unchanged at 375 acres. The number of farms with less than $100,000 in sales last year was 33,400 and the number of farms with $100,000 or more in sales was 6,100.... Full story
State and county officials will slice the ribbon on Whitman County’s new elections office next Thursday, March 3, to cap a six-year project. “They did a fantastic job,” Auditor Eunice Coker said of the remodeling contractors. Whitman County Auditor Eunice Coker shows off the new elections office. “I can’t believe it’s finally done.” The ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. Washington State Secretary of State Sam Reed will help snap the scissors, and an open house will follow to allow the public to check out the new space. For el... Full story
Colton Coach Clark Vining gives Kaitlin Druffel a hug before Saturday’s game. The half-court section of Colton fans leapt from their seats in applause as sophomore guard Kaitlin Druffel strode onto the court during the District 9 1B basketball tournament Saturday at Colfax. Many Colton fans had traveled to Saturday night’s championships after attending the funeral of Marv Druffel, Kaitlin’s father and a long-time supporter and coach of Wildcat athletes who died suddenly on Valentine’s Day at the age of 46. “He meant a lot to all these gir...
Members of the Colton High School boys basketball team leap into the air in celebration after becoming the school’s first ever boys team to advance to the state finals by toppling Garfield/Palouse in a 51-49 thriller Saturday night. The win gave Colton second place in the District 9 1B tournament held last week in the Colfax High School gym. Rosalia’s boys took the top spot by beating Colton Friday night. Pictures from the district tournament are featured on pages 5 thru 7....
The first results are out on the Colfax school survey, with a majority of school staff saying they are seeing marked improvements to the school district and the leadership of Superintendent Michael Morgan. The majority of staff lauded the work of Principals Tom Arlt and Gary Weitz and pointed to an education system that was more or less united in its goals. Different surveys were provided to school staff, Colfax students, parents, and the community at large. Supt. Morgan presented the results to the school board at its regular meeting Monday...
The Federal Reserve has not prohibited the Bank of Whitman from soliciting or accepting new accounts without its permission, as was reported in last week’s Gazette. The Fed’s “prompt corrective action” directive only forbids the bank from exceeding the area’s average interest rate when opening such accounts.... Full story
First Wind has added 10 turbines to its proposed wind farm in north central Whitman County. Representatives from the firm this week told County Planner Alan Thomson they are planning to include 10 turbines on Steam Shovel Hill in its Palouse Wind project. The hill lies south of the Naff Ridge site, on which the company plans to place up to 55 turbines. Ben Fairbanks, First Wind’s director of Northwest business development, said test towers at the site showed enough wind to warrant the addition of the towers on Steam Shovel Hill. The company e...
Notice of Amendment to CUP Application Palouse Wind Project, Whitman County CUP 10-16. Notice is hereby given that Whitman County has received a request to amend the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Application originally submitted by Palouse Wind on July 27, 2010 and the subsequent addenda submitted August 19 and September 3, 2010. The application is being amended to include Steam Shovel Hill (described as the Steam Shovel Expansion Area [SSEA] in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement [EIS] published by the County in November 2010). The...
Whitman County commissioners Tuesday sent a letter urging Gov. Chris Gregoire to back off her plan to divert $6 million from emergency dispatch funding. The Governor has planned to shift money from the state’s E-911 fund to the state’s Disaster Response Account, which is used to match federal dollars in disaster recoveries and to dispatch firefighters and police to large wildfires. Commissioner Greg Partch said the money is intended to be used to upgrade dispatch systems in smaller counties so they will be able to accept 911 text messages. He... Full story
The Academy Awards will be held this weekend. What was your favorite movie this year (or any year)?...
Colfax city crew members last Wednesday, Feb. 16, repaired the bridge rail along Highway 195 at the intersection of S. Mill Street and Wawawai Streets. The bridge rail had been hanging by just one of two upright supports over the Spring Flat channel since the other support was knocked loose during snow removal. The support base broke loose where it was bolted to the concrete bridge base after snow was pushed against it. Plastic fencing net was used as a temporary railing until the repairs could be made....
Home sales in Whitman County fell more than a third in the last three months of 2010 compared to the same period of 2009. Figures released by WSU’s Center for Real Estate Research showed 390 homes sold in the fourth quarter of 2010, a 37 percent drop from the 620 sold in the fourth quarter 2009. Glenn Crellin, director of the center, attributed the drop to the expiration of the federal first-time homebuyers’ tax credit, which gave new homebuyers credit on income taxes. Last quarter sales from 2010, however, nearly doubled the 260 sold in the...
Toasting the good old days, an old college band is rousing Palouse for a reunion concert Feb. 25. “Back in the day they were called Blue Highway,” said Ann Thompson, wife of the lead singer Scott Thompson. Scott and guitar player David Jeffers both grew up in Palouse and began playing together in their youth. Today Jeffers lives in Portland and Thompson teaches English at the Garfield/Palouse High School. Bass player and backup singer Daryl Druffel farms outside Colton. The band plays a mix of classical country and classical rock, with “ev...
Whitman County Tuesday closed the books on the Feb. 18 election for six special levy propositions which received solid approval from voters. Final tally included a 54 percent turnout from the 3,294 ballots sent to voters in five districts. Ballots were mailed out Jan. 21. At the final count, 1,786 votes were counted, 329 more than the 1,457 tallied on election night. Regular levy funding measures were on the ballot for the Colton, Garfield, Lamont and Palouse school districts. Rosalia voters approved the town’s annual $50,000 street levy. V...
Even antique stores need some spring cleaning once in a while, or so say four dealers in downtown Palouse. The four antique shops are sorting out wares for a sale March 12 at the former Small Towne Quilts building downtown. Heidi Kite, owner of the two Open Eye Consignment Shops in town, said Palouse lacks a town-wide event in March and that means a slump in sales for businesses. “Jackie (Strack) and I said ‘Lets do something!’” she said. She is organizing the March Madness sale in the hopes of drumming up business. Kite added she will be givi...
