Serving Whitman County since 1877
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Each morning my husband and I read 365 Blessings to Heal Myself and the World by Pierre Pradervand, which among others, encourages blessings for people engaged in different occupations, including politicians. Today I want to send a blessing to our Representative for the 5th Congressional District, Cathy McMorris Rodgers - to bless her for her ability to demonstrate integrity in listening to her constituents and promoting peace; to bless her for caring and advocating for people in need who are suffering and anxious because of Covid-19; to bless...
Oops! I missed a birthday. Our lovely drug prohibition is 105 years old, today -- March 15, 2020 -- Happy birthday, prohibition, and hats off, to all the people out there who are profiting from it. Prohibitionists claim that prohibition didn’t, didn’t, didn’t, create our drug problem. Then explain history to me. For 56 years (1915-1971), the US had a policy of drug prohibition, while England and Europe had a policy of legal drugs. The two policies had different outcomes. Under prohibition, America had developed a large drug problem. Under...
Our environmental quality strategy must be encompassing and not just focus on climate change. Since Democrats announced their Green New Deal, the emphasis is reducing greenhouse gases, particularly CO2, which contribute to global warming. Their goal is to replace gasoline and diesel burning vehicles with those operated by batteries and to eliminate coal and natural gas burning power plants. It is understandable since the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities is from...
Okeydokes: New crosswalk flashers on Main Street. Pet Peeves: This is one senior citizen who wants to see her kids while she is alive, instead of my kids seeing me when I’m dead!...
The Whitman County Public Health Director released his recommendation Tuesday regarding school reopening in the county. A spike in cases last week moved Whitman County in to the High Risk category and prompted him change his pending recommendation of in-person classes. “Based on recent, current and projected COVID-19 activity, the Whitman County Health Department recommends distance learning for all Whitman County High Schools and Middle Schools,” Director Troy Henderson said in the Aug. 11 pres...
The Palouse Coyotes independent baseball team has finished its summer. In a July 28 doubleheader, Palouse beat the Moscow Rebels 9-5 in the first game. Bradyn Wells hit a double and two singles while Mitch Lavielle, Konnor Kinkade, Oak Held, Eric Akesson, Nate Akesson, Tanner Richardtz and Kadyn Carpenter all had hits. In the second game, Palouse won 9-8. Carson Coulter hit a triple and two singles for the Coyotes. Nate Akesson, Kinkade, Payton, Held and Eric Akesson also had hits. CORRECTION:...
As of 6 p.m. Monday, the vote count for county commissioners' district two primary was 1,092 for the challenger and 959 for the incumbent, with under 250 votes left to count. The challenger is Tom Handy, an independent, owner of Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman and longtime boardmember for organizations such as the Pullman Chamber of Commerce and the Whitman County Business Development Association. He came to Pullman in 1984 with his wife, as both went to WSU to seek added degrees. They have...
COLFAX—A Pullman man who allegedly kidnapped and stabbed his ex-girlfriend is now being charged with first degree murder premeditated, first degree kidnapping bodily injury and three counts of second degree assault. The increased charges were filed Aug. 5 by the Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office. Jose Chagollan-Flores, 35, was booked Aug. 3 on charges of kidnapping and second degree assault. According to the police report, Chagollan-Flores arrived at the home of the victim with a knife and told her to get in and drive a Lincoln Navigator, all...
WHITMAN COUNTY-Reports from harvest fields and grain elevators in Whitman County are bringing good news for winter wheat. The USDA forecasts a Washington state average of 74 bushels per acre. Whitman County represents the higher side of the median, particularly this year, it appears. "From what I understand, and what we're experiencing, it's probably a good 20-25% increase in the winter wheat crop," said Gary Bailey on Tuesday, from a tractor pulling a bankout wagon south of Ewan. "It came up...
COLFAX - After Whitman County went from the “moderate” to “high-risk” category over the weekend in the Washington State Department of Health and Governor Inslee’s guidelines to re-open schools, Whitman County commissioners talked about the state of things Monday regarding the virus. “It’s gonna be up to those who don’t subscribe to conspiracy theories that are gonna solve this for our communities,” said Michael Largent, chairman of the board of commissioners. “We don’t have to be here. We j...
COLFAX – The Port of Whitman County announced Aug. 6 a collaboration to bring a fiber internet network to new areas of Whitman County. Construction will take place in Rosalia, Tekoa, Oakesdale, Garfield and Palouse, to begin this fall in certain areas, laying lines in the ground. Ziply Fiber of Kirkland, Wash., will build the infrastructure while the Port pays a $1,280,700 indefeasible right-of-use fee (IRU), which grants the Port the right to use the system for 20 years, to sell its c...
REPUBLIC — A Monday, Aug. 10, update from the Secretary of State’s Office shows Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Loren Culp picking up another Western Washington county — Grays Harbor — in last week’s primary election. Meanwhile, he ceded a smaller county to another conservative candidate, Raul Garcia, who now claims two counties. Those candidates, and more than 30 others, trail incumbent Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee in the Aug. 4 contest. Only the Top 2 advance to the November general election....
COLFAX—A Small Business Stabilization Grant application is now available for businesses based in Whitman County with 50 or fewer employees that have been impacted by COVID. The grants are up to $10,000 and being administered through SEWEDA. Deadline is Sept. 11, 2020. Expenses the grant money can be used for include operational expenses, rent and mortgage in the business name, supplies, inventory, utility bills, marketing expenses and training. Small business may not be reimbursed by multiple funders for the same cost. This principle also a...
PULLMAN—Pullman Police received calls about foxes again Aug. 4. The first caller reported the critter running around South Grand Avenue. A second caller, according to the log, wanted to know if anything can be done about the fox families as she believed one had killed her cat....
COLFAX – The Colfax city council last week chose to join a mutual aid/joint police agreement with a list of area agencies for the aftermath in the event of a deadly-force major incident. The group will make it so the department involved does not investigate itself. “It’s essentially formalizing something we always did,” said Bruce Blood, Colfax police chief. “We want to be impartial, and this makes it much easier to gather resources.” Under the agreeement – for Garfield, Asotin and Whitman c...
PULLMAN — A Camano Island man was booked into Whitman County Jail after police arrested him at a collision scene Monday evening, Aug. 10. John Odegaard, 53, was booked into the jail and is being held on $200,000 bail on possible charges of driving while under the influence, vehicular assault and an ignition interlock violation. He will be arraigned Friday, Aug. 14. According to a police report, officer Josh Bray came across a two-vehicle crash at 7 p.m. at the intersection of North Grand Avenue and Whitman Street as it was being reported. W...
The Palouse Health Center has re-opened in downtown Palouse after postponing the re-opening due to COVID-19. The center opened Aug. 3, now part of the Pullman Regional Hospital Clinic Network, to be run by nurse practicioner Kristine Brenc and physician assistant Jennifer Davis. The Health Center was originally scheduled to re-open in April. It had previously been owned and operated by Sandra Schorzman, who retired last year....
COLFAX—A burn ban was issued by Colfax Fire Department Aug. 3 due to dry conditions and high heat advisories. The ban is regularly put in place during the months of August and September which prohibits all open burning. The ban will remain in place until further notice, likely extending beyond traditional parameters to help minimize contact with the public. Residents wishing to dispose of yard waste can haul it to the Whitman County Transfer Station on Carothers Road or Colfax Public Works drop site. Yard waste disposal is free at both l...
ROSALIA—A Rosalia man was booked into the Whitman County Jail Aug. 6 on a charge of harassment-threats to kill. According to the police report, Jacob Dickinson, 37, sent a text threatening another party to his wife after she spent time with the other party. According to the report, the other party was a sex offender and Dickinson objected to the person around his children. Preliminary appearance in Superior Court was scheduled for this afternoon....
COLFAX—A Clarkston man was arrested for methamphetamine and possession of a firearm after being pulled over for pulling a trailer with no license plates. According to the arrest report Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputy Tyler Langerveld made the traffic stop shortly after midnight Aug. 8. When he asked for the driver’s license, it returned as not valid. The driver explained he had not been able to renew due to the pandemic and the passenger did not have a driver’s license with him. Whitman County Sheriff’s Sergeant Michael Jordan arrived o...
An Idaho resident was booked into Whitman County Jail Sunday for drug possession. According to the police report, Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to Kamiak Butte Park shortly before 8 p.m. when the park ranger observed three individuals who appeared to be high counting a large amount of money and raising concerns about a drug deal. Deputies responded and interviewed the individuals in question with at least one allegedly exhibiting signs of recent drug use. According to the report, deputies received permission to search the v...
COLFAX—Census takers were set to begin follow-up work Aug. 9 with households that had not responded to the 2020 Census. Whitman County is one of 20 eastern Washington counties being impacted by the work and is one of the counties with the lowest response rate. Washington state is tied for fourth best-responding state in the nation at 68.9%. Whitman County is on the lower end of the response spectrum with 59% returns. Ferry County is the lowest in eastern Washington with 39.4% while Benton is the best-responding of the east side with 72.7%. T...