Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 56
A high speed chase and foot pursuit ended in the confiscation of drugs, a gun, ammo and counterfeit money and the arrest of Dustin Pearson, 33, Blanchard, Idaho, April 1. Deputy Tyler Langerveld responded at about 7:30 p.m. to a call of suspicious/malicious mischief at the Nisqually John Recreational Area on Wawawai Road. On his way to the scene, Langerveld saw a vehicle that matched the description of the suspect’s vehicle. He turned on his lights and attempted to stop the other vehicle, a silver 2006 Honda Civic, but the Civic increased s...
From the April 3, 2020 Daily Bulletin- James Sharrard, 28, Orofino, was booked into the Whitman County Jail yesterday after deputies responded to a call of a disorderly person outside a home on Almota Road screaming that he had coronavirus and trying to get into another person's car. When deputies arrived at the home, they approached Sharrard who made several inco- herent statements according to the police report. He allegedly was breathing heavy and fast and moving his body in over-exaggerated ways. Sharrard was handcuffed and placed under arr...
Gov. Jay Inslee increased the length of his Stay Home shutdown order yesterday through May 4. The extension keeps all gatherings banned and non-essential businesses closed for the next month. The order could be lifted May 5. "Epidemiological modeling from the University of Washington predicts we will have at least 1,400 deaths this year," Inslee said. "We are yet to see the full toll of this virus in our state and the modeling we’ve seen could be much worse if we don’t continue what we’re doing to slow the spread." If gatherings are held in vi...
Public Health has completed contact tracing for all 11 positive test cases. Those who have been identified as having "close contact" were contacted and given instructions. According to a health department release, "close contact" is someone who has lived in the same household as the infected person, cared for the infected person, been within six feet of infected person for about 10 minutes or had direct contact with secretions from infected person, such as being coughed on, kissed or shared utensil. State Department of Health has stated if,...
RITZVILLE – Harvest Foods received a shipment of products Friday morning, March 27, including toilet paper. "We've sold lots of it this morning," checker Angel Slader saud. "Last Tuesday, we got a shipment in and it was gone by Wednesday. But it lasted longer than the previous week." With the coronavirus pandemic, toilet paper has been a hot commodity statewide, with most stores still sporting empty shelves. Local Harvest Foods owner Kim Cousins said Tuesday's shipment lasted until Wednesday aft...
RITZVILLE - Area seamstresses have been sewing fast and furiously to get cloth masks donated to area hospitals, medical facilities, senior centers and other organizations. Their work has also been provided to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, gas stations, U.S. Postal Service and grocery stores for use during the coronavirus pandemic. Dorcey Hunt, an East Adams Rural Healthcare physical therapist, said she saw a Facebook post by Odessa's Kelsey Scrupps asking for help collecting masks made by...
RITZVILLE - Senate Minority Leader Mark Schoesler doesn't agree with extending the statewide quarantine until May 4 due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. Responding to Bainbridge Island Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee's order last night to extend his "stay home" order until May 4, Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said there has to be some flexibility for the state's rural and other areas. "We're not out of the woods, yet," Gov. Inslee said. "This order is not only necessary, it's morally necessary." "The...
Gov. Jay Inslee will hold a news conference Thursday, April 2, at 5 p.m. via streaming video and telephone to provide an update on the state's COVID-19 response. The news conference will be televised live on TVW, and many commercial stations around the state. The governor will be joined by Dr. John Wiesman, secretary of health, Dr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer and Vice Admiral Dr. Raquel Bono, director for COVID-19 Health System Response Management. The governor's two-week order for people to stay in their home except for trips for...
An "extra" food distribution is set for today, April 2, at the Colfax Pantry from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The food bank is located on the corner of Main and Wall streets. All food items, including bread, bakery, apples, onions and potatoes, will be placed outside the pantry for citizens to choose from in a grab and go format. Those taking items are encouraged to bring their own bags or boxes. No documentation is required....
Colfax - According to Whitman County Emergency Management on April 2, 2020, one more positive COVID-19 test result has been received, bringing the total to 11 within the county. The patient is a female aged 45-64, is stable and isolating at home. Public Health Department is investigating close contacts of the most recent positive patient. Changes have been made to age groupings to align with State DOH daily Epidemiology Report.... Full story
The total of positive tests for COVID-19 is now up to eight in Whitman County Tuesday as testing capabilities increase in the county. Whereas the first two cases were determined to be infected outside of the county, the third was a case of community spread and the others are being investigated. All those who have been found positive are stable and self-isolating. None have needed hospital care. Last Thursday, March 26, a teenage female became the third case. Positive tests continued to come in...
An early spring has allowed Whitman County farmers to get a jump on spring work, with those in the western part of the county already mostly through with spring planting. "Crop conditions for the 2020 crops are really good," said Fred Hendrickson, FSA county executive director. Winter wheat is looking good with even stands where as late and heavy snow last year left many weak areas in the 2019 crop. Hendrickson said that if there is good rain in May and June and the growing season doesn't get...
The Colfax Fire Department responded to a call at 3:11 p.m. Monday for a motor home on fire in the parking lot on the south side of the Chevron gas station. The motor home was fully engulfed by the time fire fighters arrived. Other departments were called in due to the possibility of spread to the Chevron building. While the fire was contained before spreading, there was some heat-related damage to the building. The motor home was gutted by the fire. Two people, both from the Tri-Cities, were...
Hospitals in the area are working overtime to test those with possible coronavirus symptoms as well as keep those with other emergencies healthy and safe. While hospitals are working more to keep patients and the community safe, there has been a shift in revenue and supplies for the hospitals in the county. Both Whitman Hospital & Medical Center and Pullman Regional Hospital are accepting donations of N95 masks. Most N95 masks are manufactured for use in construction and other industrial types of jobs that would expose workers to dust and...
COLFAX -- While many businesses have had to limit business hours or close entirely due to the coronavirus, Joseph's Grainery has seen record-setting business these past few weeks. Joseph's Grainery sells whole grains and milled flours, as well as, cookie mixes, cracked wheat cereal, etc., and has seen a growth of 4,158 percent this month compared to March 2019. "Business is booming," Joseph's Grainery employee Jeff Geier said. "You have to assume it's mostly virus-related things, but at the...
EXTRA FOOD DISTRIBUTION THURSDAY An “extra” food distribution is set for today, April 2, at the Colfax Pantry from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The food bank is located on the corner of Main and Wall streets. All food items, including bread, bakery, apples, onions and potatoes, will be placed outside the pantry for citizens to choose from in a grab and go format. Those taking items are encouraged to bring their own bags or boxes. No documentation is required. TRAFFIC STOP YIELDS GUNS, DRUGS A Lewiston man, Taylor Forsman, 28, was booked into Whitman Cou...
COLFAX – At Monday's county commissioner workshop, Whitman County Commissioners expressed their concern for continuing forward with upgrades to the county courthouse and jail. The project is estimated to cost $8.6 million with the county putting forth $3 million from the county's general fund. “My concern is revenue flows within the county during this time and throughout the year,” said Commissioner Michael Largent. “Maybe we should rethink giving the $3 million in cash. I'm leaning towards supporting a delay in this project.” Upgrades...
Whitman Medical Clinics and Whitman Orthopedic Clinic are now offering virtual visits for those seeking care. "It's an awesome tool," said Clinic Director Keith Walde at Whitman Hospital and Medical Center. Those wishing to utilize the virtual visit option need to have an email address, Patient Portal access and a cell phone, tablet or computer with camera and microphone capabilities and high speed wifi or data plan. Walde said that when patients call to schedule an appointment, the clinic...
COLFAX – On Wednesday, March 25, Whitman County IT Director Lance Bishop sent out a press release regarding Internet issues in the area, while many are practicing social distancing and staying home. “I imagine that with so many people sheltering at home with nothing to do but play online video games and watch Netflix, this is taxing the individual internet providers,” said Bishop in the press release. He said with more people working from home the Internet speed is slowing down and is starting to affect government and public safety functions. B...
The communities where the eight positive COVID-19 patients live is not among information the Public Health Department will be releasing, stated Health Director Troy Henderson. He noted that whether a positive test has come back from a certain community or not is "irrelevant" because that does not mean the disease is not in other communities. "It has been the Health Department's belief that COVID-19 has most likely gone undetected in our community (Whitman County) for some time," he said. "The...
Jim Retzer has been mayor of Colfax for almost three months. "It's been really good. Everybody's been really helpful and open to a lot of things," Retzer said, a first-time office holder and veteran state patrolman, based out of Colfax the past 25 years. "Some difficult times everyone went through but they're working to overcome that," he said. "I think you're more productive if you're happy to come to work." What does he mean? "It just felt like the morale was a little bit low," Retzer said....
COLFAX – Whitman County Treasurer Chris Nelson updated the county commissioners during their Monday workshop regarding county property tax deadlines. Nelson said the first half of property taxes, by law, are due April 30 and the county will be staying with that original deadline. “The state government has not taken any action, as of yet, on pushing property tax deadlines. Leaving the decision up to individual counties,” Nelson said. “I will keep our first half of property tax deadlines at the original date, April 30. There are too many people...
The Governor's Stay Home order has resulted in more calls to local law enforcement about construction projects underway. "There's a broad leeway of what can be done," said Sheriff Brett Myers who has been receiving more calls about on-going projects and clarification on what can be done. He cited the order which allows for construction in essential activities and to prevent spoliation and avoid damage and unsafe conditions, including emergency repairs at non-essential businesses and residential...
Temporary changes to the county’s compliance with the Public Records Act were announced by Whitman County officials in accordance with the Governor’s revised proclamation. The modifications state that in-person submission for, inspection of or copying of public records shall not take place. Requestors can make their requests by phone, email or US postal mail. Also, the county may take longer than five business day to respond to requests. At this time, the modifications are in place until April 23, 2020, unless extended by the Gov...
