Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
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The county financial books are a mess. At first, a cash shortage of around a half million dollars was reported. Now, it is said to be around two hundred thousand dollars. Neither the commissioners, the auditor nor the treasurer has any clue what happened. Nor is anyone sure of the amount. The shortage was discovered by an outside accountant hired by the county at no small expense to keep the financial operations functioning while the county tries to extricate itself from its financial quagmire. The county’s failure to accurately track its o...
* It was 20th-century French air force brigadier general and geopolitician — and bearer of the nickname “father of the French atom bomb” — Pierre Marie Gallois who made the following sage observation: “If you put tomfoolery into a computer, nothing comes out of it but tomfoolery. But this tomfoolery, having passed through a very expensive machine, is somehow ennobled and no one dares criticize it.” * Gravity makes you shorter. It’s true; gravity compresses your spine — in a weightless environment, you would be 2 to 3 inches taller than you... Full story
1. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: What futurist author once said, “One of the definitions of sanity is the ability to tell real from unreal. Soon we’ll need a new definition”? 2. SCIENCE: By how much does water expand when it freezes? 3. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of geese called? 4. TELEVISION: The daytime serial “General Hospital” is set in what city? 5. GEOGRAPHY: The island nation of Sri Lanka lies in which ocean? 6. MOVIES: How many Oscar nominations did “Titanic” receive? 7. MEASUREMENTS: How many pints are in a quart? 8. MATH: What is the t... Full story
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. Defense files motions in Pasma case Three motions to suppress evidence and two motions for discovery were filed in Superior Court Monday by Timothy Esser, Pullman attorney who represents Richard Pasma, 24, defendant in the Kristen Grindley case. Pasma, who has been charged with failure to report an injury accident, has been scheduled for a jury...
The SJE Eagle girl runners Tuesday took the win at Dayton with 21 team points on a 2.95 mile course starting at the Dayton school grounds and out along the Touchet. Natalie April of Liberty Christian led the 19 girls with a 21.49. Finishes for the Eagles included Megan Gfeller, 3rd at 23.09; Erin Schuster, 5th at 23.28; Heather Siegel, 6th at 23.38; Jade Porubeck, 7th at 23.53; Annie Bailey, 8th at 24.22. Tri-Cities Prep, the other team entry, booked a 34. Nick Lumetta of TCP topped the boy’s race with a 17.37. The Jags claimed the first f...
Colfax Tuesday hosted runners from six schools for a cross country run on the Colfax trail along the Palouse River. Runners covered a 5K course out and back along the trail. Runners from St. Georges, St. Michels, Reardan, Northwest Christian and Liberty entered the race which went out and back along the trail with the turn-around beyond the railroad trestle. Morgan Willson booked a strong win in the girls race with an 18.57 and Katie Largent placed 26th. Maxwell Choka of St. Georges topped the 44 entrants in the boys race at 16.28. Colfax... Full story
State officials are warning homeowners about an asphalt paving company that has been operating in Whitman County and other locations. The state Department of Labor and Industries alleged Monday that a company doing business as “Asphalt Driveways” has left a trail of patchy asphalt. Selena Davis, L&I spokesperson, said the department has booked 35 infractions to the company, Asphalt Driveways. They have yet to be cited, because the state has not been able to locate company officials, said Davis. Complaints to the state began in St. John. The...
Emergency response transmitters on Steptoe Butte may soon come down under a plan by Whitman County’s emergency communications officials. After years of wrangling with the state parks department over lease rates for the repeaters on the county’s highest peak, the county’s new communications plan may render them moot. “When you first set up a communications system, the typical method is to find the highest spot, put a tower up there and crank up the power,” said Steve Krigbaum, the county’s emergency communications director. As communicati...
Six neighbors of First Wind’s proposed wind farm in north central Whitman County submitted eight suggestions for study topics in the county’s environmental review of the project. As part of the environmental impact statement on the project, County Planner Alan Thomson called for comments on the company’s plan. Deadline for comments was last Thursday, Sept. 16. Palouse Wind, a subsidiary of the Boston-based First Wind, has proposed 55 industrial turbines on Naff Ridge and Granite Butte northwest of Oakesdale. Responses came in from neigh... Full story
Committed to improving the lives of the HIV-positive, but frustrated by the bureaucracy of public funding, a pair of retired health department nurses have taken HIV assistance into their own hands. “We’re way passionate about assisting folks who want to live here,” said LaVonne Hall. “We just want to do it with as little hoops and as little paperwork as possible.” Hall, Steptoe, and Judy Stone, Palouse, run the Palouse HIV Consortium. They ran the consortium from 2001 to 2009 through the county health department. In 2008, however, the money... Full story
Word was received at the Gazette Wednesday morning that John Crawford, Colfax native who went on to achieve fame as a film and television actor, died Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, in California after a short illness. Mr. Crawford was 90 at his time of death and had made his home at Newbury Park, Calif., during his retirement years. Born Sept. 13, 1920, in Colfax, Crawford was raised by his grandmother during the Depression and was known by classmates as Cleve Richardson. He went on to careers in writing and film, with several major roles in... Full story
THURSDAY The U.S. poverty rate rose to 14.3 percent in 2009 from 13.2 percent the year before, bringing the percentage of the population living in poverty to the highest level since 1994. The Census Bureau said 43.6 million people live under the poverty line, which for a family of four was $21,954. Mexican President Felipe Calderon shouted “Viva Mexico!” as tens of thousands kicked off the country’s celebration of the bicentenary of “El Giton” – the country’s fight for independence from Spain. The fight lasted until 1821, when Mexico became...
Unwanted bikes left in the parks and alleyways of Colfax will soon be cropping up in an unlikely pair of locations. Eighteen of 34 bikes did not attract buyers at the city’s surplus sale last weekend. Police Chief Bill Hickman said the city picks up bikes when they have left in a public place for extended periods of time. “Usually we give them a few days,” said Chief Hickman. “A kid leaves his bike somewhere, sometimes it takes him awhile to remember where he left it.” Because the city’s bike inventory had grown so large, they were put up for... Full story
A patchwork of staff has been called in to help teach the oversized first grade class at Jennings Elementary in Colfax. An enrollment of 28 first graders this September left the administration with a class too big for one teacher but too small for two. The total of 28 first graders is a low amount for the district which has had declining enrollment for a number of years. The administration has hired an additional part-time aide and Jan Varnes, school librarian, will come over from the high school to assist three periods a day. The library will...
Whitman County Commissioner Pat O’Neill is concerned that Auditor Eunice Coker has not hired a finance director for her office almost two months after she was given the authority to do so. “I’m very worried at this point,” O’Neill said to his fellow commissioners during Monday’s regular meeting. “We can’t keep waiting around.” Coker Tuesday said she has other projects she has prioritized above the hiring. “They have no idea what I’m doing up here, other than what someone may be advising them of what I’m doing because they’re monitoring my c... Full story
Telephone customers in Whitman County will pay an additional 20 cents per phone line per month after commissioners approved an increased tax to fund emergency dispatch operations Monday. Commissioners unanimously approved the increase from the current 50 cent tax to 70 cents to keep in place state funding for Whitcom. “We really didn’t have any choice,” said Commissioner Michael Largent. Legislation approved last session required local governments to approve the increase or face a loss of existing state funding. “Rather than do it themsel... Full story
Jim Krouse, head of the meat department at Rosauers, will be honored with a retirement reception at the store next Thursday, Sept. 30, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Krouse has been in the grocery business in Colfax for 48 years, starting at the former S & S Grocery in downtown Colfax when he was in high school. The store has been at the present site as it evolved from Brown’s Thrift, Excell Foods and Rosauer’s. Krouse also served as fire chief for Colfax and Fire District 11.... Full story
Whitman county schools are bracing for another difficult financial year after the state Sept. 16 signed into motion cuts of 6.23 percent across the board for most state departments. Area superintendents met in Spokane that same day to learn about the impact those cuts will make to the state’s education budget. Superintendents were also told federal funds could be coming down the pipeline which may possibly be available to backfill the cuts in state funding, according to Mike Dunn, superintendent of ESD 101 in Spokane. For schools, the state i...
A multi-million dollar overhaul of the Colton school building is on the Nov. 2 ballot for the 695 active voters in the Colton school district. Total estimated cost of the project is $10.2 million, with half coming from district taxpayers and half coming from the state in a matched grant. A strained electrical system and old heating system are among reasons the school board and administration are asking to remodel the 1939 building. It was last modified in 1963. For the past month, the school administration has conducted meetings with the... Full story
Whitman County officials are looking to write hundreds of thousands of dollars off the county’s books at the end of this year to force a balanced ledger. In dispute, is just how high that number needs to be. Esther Wilson, county system administrator, reported Monday the county’s hired accounting consultant found actual bank statements showed the county has $426,670 less than what was booked on the county’s current expense funds. Since sacking the county’s finance department in June, county commissioners have hired Elias Siriani, an account... Full story
Damon Estes, left, and Jed Jahn herd rubber ducks down the Palouse River during the annual duck race Saturday at Palouse Days. Lions Club Treasurer Loren Estes said nearly 380 ducks battled the river rapids during the race. Duck number 26, belonging to Katie Fox, beat them all into Virgil Hanson’s trap under the Bridge Street Bridge, earning Ms. Fox the $200 grand prize. Thirteen ducks earned their owners a total of $925 in cash prizes after the race. Mandi Love’s duck number 204 came in dead last, earning her a $100 gift certificate to Nor...
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Whitman County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on Monday, October 4, 2010, at 11:30 A.M. in their Chambers, Courthouse, Colfax, Washington, for the purpose of receiving public comment associated with a proposed zone change for five (5) parcels of land currently in the South Pullman-Moscow Corridor District (Sunshine Road area) to the Agricultural District. Any interested individuals may attend said hearing and speak for or against the proposed zoning code modification....
After sustaining three defeats from A and AA foes, Colfax volleyball players made the long trip to Okanogan and ran a set of four wins to defend the championship title in the early season tourney. The Bulldogs defeated Zillah 25-19 25-19 to take the Saturday afternoon title game. They ran three wins in pool play to advance to title game against the Leopards who topped the tourney’s other pool. “We played a lot better, although we ran into the stiff competition up there,” Coach Sue Doering said. Hannah Harazin had 10 kills against the Z club...
Tekoa/Oakesdale moved to 4-0 in SE net play with a match win at Colton in four games Tuesday. The `hawks broke out to a lone spot atop the league after Garfield/Palouse stopped Pomeroy’s early string on the Pirates’ court with an amazing comeback. LaCrosse/Washtucna booked their first win Tuesday, and the SJE Eagles prevailed in a battle with Rosalia. Tekoa/Oakesdale and Pomeroy are slated to clash in the league round tonight at Tekoa. TEKOA/OAKESDALE Tuesday at Colton stumbled 16-25 in the first game but came on strong with a 25-17 25-21 and 2... Full story
North County alumni will come together on the Rosalia gridiron Friday night as Tekoa, Oakesdale and Rosalia mark homecoming against visiting Soap Lake. Nighthawk Coach Ken Lindgren said the Eagles will bring in a young team that should come at the TOR squad with a lot of energy. “Those kids are going to come in prepared, that’s for sure,” he said. Soap Lake is coached by Joe Wersham, who led Pateros to a string of championship game appearances in the early-to mid-1990s. “He’s a heck of a coach,” said Lindgren. The homecoming tilt comes off a... Full story
