Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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Washington is riven by conflict and deep-seated division. It is rare indeed when both sides can agree on anything consequential. Therefore it is incredibly heartening that there is now bipartisan agreement that the implementation of Obamacare is a mess. Republicans have long maintained this, but now the Obama administration has lent its implicit assent with its astonishing decision to delay by a year the law’s employer mandate. This is what the administration calls, via a blog post by the Treasury Department’s assistant secretary for tax pol...
George Zimmerman was found innocent in the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida. The jury of six women deliberated for 14 hours. According to one of them, they anguished over their decision, trying scrupulously to apply the law. Anger over the verdict was immediate. As soon as the verdict was announced, riots broke out around the country. “Justice for Trayvon,” became the chant. Both the President of the United States and the Attorney General called for calm as did many mayors. Riot police were called out in some cit...
These reports are from the previous four issues of the Daily Bulletin in Colfax. They are reprinted here for the benefit of Gazette readers who reside outside of Colfax. Some accounts have been updated. ‘CHECK WASHING’ NETS 60 DAYS Richard Lander, 21, Colfax, was sentenced to 60 days in jail Friday after pleading guilty to a charge of forgery which was related to the check washing investigation in the county. Lander was charged with forging a check which had been taken from the mail and cashing it for $3,500 at the Bank of America. He was ord...
Whitman County youth swimmers raced at two meets this past week. The Colfax and St. John-Endicott-LaCrosse (S.E.L.) swim teams competed at Pullman last Thursday, July 11 and several kids took first-place finishes. In addition, S.E.L team hosted a meet with Pullman and Pomeroy at Endicott Tuesday. At Pullman, in the girls 12 and under freestyle, Chelsea Bammes of S.E.L. finished first in 1:33 while Alison McDonald of Colfax won the girls 15-18 100-yard freestyle in 1:11. In the boys 8 and under medley relay, the Colfax team of Bradyn Heilsberg,...
Fire and police crews responded to a fire which burned shrubbery and damaged two cars late Wednesday afternoon, July 10, at the entrance to Community Bible Church on the Almota Road. The fire apparently started off a weed burning project which got out of control. Fire crews received the alarm at 4:06 p.m. and responded to the scene. Two cars which were parked at the church lot sustained damage to the headlights and front bumpers when the heat of the brush fire actually deformed the parts of the...
Pullman Patriots ended a long season run with a four-game series against the Spokane Bandits. The Spokane club dropped the Patriots twice Monday at McDonald Park 13-2 nd 5-3 to end the home season at Colfax., Tuesday the Bandits took two more at Ferris, 13-3 and 15-0 for the four game sweep. The final four league losses finished out the Patriots League run at 3-13 and left them out of the playoff part of the season. Overall, the Patriots posted a 8-30-1 record. In the Monday signoff at McDonald, the Bandits rolled up 10 runs in the first three...
For four years he’s been in the gym nearly every day, putting up 500 shots a session. What led him to the next chapter in his basketball career happened at home during lunch. In March, Colton junior point guard Jake Straughan was at his house during the noon hour when a voicemail showed up on his phone. It was the first eligible day for NCAA coaches to contact basketball recruits. The message was from University of Idaho assistant Kirk Earlywine. Straughan already had stacks of letters in his cl...
The proposal to locate a skateboard park in Hayton Greene Park received preliminary approval from the Palouse City Council last week. After a long-ranging discussion at its July 9 meeting, the city council voted 4-2 to give preliminary approval for a site next to the parking lot of the park, between the pool walkway and playground area. The vote came with several contingencies. These include the presentation of an artist’s rendering of what the skateboard park would look like, proof of the g...
An arson investigation dog was expected to be brought Tuesday to the scene of Sunday’s Grove apartment complex fire, according to Rich Dragoo, lead investigator on the fire. The dog was used during the arson fires which hit Pullman in May of 2012, but investigators at this time do not believe the two incidents are related, according to an update from Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson, who also serves as information officer for the department. The updated report noted the owners of the College Grove complex, College Crest of North Carolina, e...
The Southeast Washington Economic Development Association “let go” its newest Whitman County Managing Director suddenly on Monday. According to an email sent by the agency, “Jessika Satori is no longer affiliated with SEWEDA.” Satori had been with the agency since June 1, according to executive director Marshall Doak. “It’s a personnel issue,” he said and declined to elaborate other than to say Satori was hired under a six-month probation period. SEWEDA is the economic recruiting agency set up to serve Whitman, Asotin, Columbia and Garfield...
Bill Evans brands the board at Grillbilly Cafe in LaCrosse at the branding party and grand opening the cafe had on Saturday evening. Forty brands are now displayed on the board designed and built by Will Mandrino of Spokane. Each brand comes with a history. Many brands have been in families for four generations. One young man said the brand he brought belonged to his great-great-grandfather. Joe Evans, Bill’s son, had a fire going on Main Street for the fire brands and also accepted electric b...
A federal audit of the Whitman County Rural Library District that was released last week found some minor errors. The audit report was compiled by state auditors who review for compliance with federal audit requirements when federal funds are involved. The district received $550,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds through a USDA Rural Development Loan which is being paid off over 40 years. The recovery loan was part of a $1,030,000 remodeling project which was also supported by $297,000 in local donations, and the balance in...
Plans for the Pullman School District’s $53 million bond are moving forward. According to Dan Hornfeldt, executive director of Support Services and business manager for the district, the bond, which was approved by voters in April, will be paid off over 20 years, with much of the funding used to rebuild Pullman High School. Beginning next spring, Pullman property owners will pay $3.03 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The district worked with securities broker D.A. Davidson of Seattle, which has sold the bonds. “The money has been dep...
A suit to clear title on property in the Riverside addition has been filed in superior court by Scott and Lori Ackerman of S & L Rentals. The clear title action was filed against the Burlington Northern Railroad and the State of Washington. The suit said during a survey of recently purchased land they discovered a parcel of property which was not in the property description. The suit said they believe the property parcel was unintentionally omitted when the land parcels were sold to a previous owner and should have been included in the legal de...
A demolition project in the North Flat section of Colfax removed two homes rich in the lore of the Colfax Olson family. One of the houses was the long-time home of Olaf (Rasthmus) and Martha Olson, grandparents and great-grandparents of the present Olson families, most of them still located in the area. Their house was at 1612 N. Oak. Among the 10 children born to Olaf and Martha was Rube Olson who married Irene Charboneau in 1932. Rube Olson built their house next door to his parents at 1608...
County commissioners Monday adopted a plan for employees and visitors to evacuate county buildings in case of an emergency. The policy calls for safe and orderly evacuation using the most safe and direct routes and developing a “buddy system” within each office or work area where two employees are responsible for each other if there is an emergency. Employees also are responsible for the safe evacuation of visitors. After evacuating the building, all employees are instructed to meet at the Baptist church for roll call to make sure everyone is...
The Port of Whitman County awarded a contract on one of two new rail spur projects on Tuesday. Railworks Track System of Airway Heights was awarded the rail spur project at the Port of Wilma. The company’s bid was $518,142, according to Debbie Snell, port properties and development manager. Three bids were received for the project, including the bid from Railworks Track Systems. Balfour Beatty submitted a bid of $985,166 and H&H Engineering Construction bid $566,027. The spur segment will tie into the Watco main railroad line at the Port of Wil...
County commissioners have denied a request to use money from a court victim’s fund to equalize pay levels for employees in the prosecutor’s office. The request from the prosecutor would have bolstered the pay of a victim witness assistant whose pay level is locked under terms of a state grant. Prosecutor Denis Tracy explained his office’s victim witness assistant position is completely funded by the state grant. Tracy said when he hires someone, he has the discretion to hire within the county’s first four pay steps. The state grant covered...
Oakesdale’s Old Mill Days never left; it was just the celebration that was put on hold for five years. This Saturday, it comes back as Oakesdale prepares for a day of fun marking the town’s 125th anniversary along with the 25th anniversary of the Oakesdale Historical Society. “We’re ready to roll,” said Old Mill Days Committee Chairman Jake Dingman. “We’re hoping for people to come out and have a good time.” This year’s chapter of the town’s long-standing event will include a parade, car show,...
County commissioners on Monday again heard a request from county Auditor Eunice Coker about purchasing an election tabulator machine and undergo training in time for the general election in November. Although the commissioners recognize that the new machine is needed in the department, they don’t know now where the money would come from. The county will need to make an amendment to the current year’s budget to make the expenditure before the general election. County finance manager David Ledbetter told commissioners that the auditor’s depar...
Antiques Roadshow on Public Broadcasting is one of Debbie Snell’s favorite television programs so when a chance came to get tickets for the show when it rolled into Boise, she went for it. Although she suspected her chances were slim, Snell registered for the Boise stop on the Roadshow website and waited. Antiques Roadshow goes on tour during the summer months with stops at five or six places in the whole country. After checking the show’s website, Snell found she had two tickets. “The hardest part is figuring out what to bring,” she said. Snel...
Oakesdale High School art students complete a new mural in downtown Oakesdale on Monday in time for Saturday’s return of Old Mill Days. The project began as an assignment in Patty Mills’ honors art class this spring. From left to right, Anna Mills, Gabby Israel, Courtenay Perry, Patty Mills and Linda Crooks. Sam Dvorak is in front. Not pictured is Emma Perry....
NOTICE OF CALL FOR BIDS RURAL ROADS SAFETY PROGRAM 2010 RUN-OFF-ROAD & INTERSECTION SAFETY PROJECT - TREE REMOVAL C.R.P. No. 0025-2 ET AL WHITMAN COUNTY, STATE OF WASHINGTON Sealed proposals for this project will be received by the Board of County Commissioners of Whitman County, State of Washington, at its office in the Whitman County Courthouse in Colfax, Washington, until 11:15 a.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time, on Monday, August 12, 2013, at which time all bids will be opened and publicly read. Each proposal shall be separately sealed in a...
