Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 15767
COLFAX –– As of Nov. 7, Initiative 2109 is currently failing to pass in the state election. Initiative 2109 would, “Repeal an excise tax imposed on the sale or exchange of long-term capital assets by individuals who have annual capital gains of over $250,000,” according to the Washington State Voters Pamphlet. As of press time, Initiative 2109, is failing with only 1,036,520, 36.62%, of votes across the state, with 1,793,641, 63.38%, of voters casting ballots against the measure. In Whitman County, the initiative has garnered 4,360, 38.41%,...
OLYMPIA –– It looks like the carbon tax is here to stay. As of the end of counting in the Tuesday, Nov. 5, general election, Initiative 2117 was going up in smoke. The measure that would have ended the state’s cap-and-tax program on carbon was failing with 1,566,065 votes (61.69%) opposed and only 972,623 (38.31% in favor). The ballot measure aimed to dismantle Washington’s current climate legislation requiring high-emission businesses to either reduce greenhouse gas emissions or purchase allowances to offset them. Supporters of the repeal...
TEKOA - The Wheatstalk music event, held Saturday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., featured live performances from local artists, including Kyle Richard, Thundergun Express, Cheryl Sieveke, Whitney Bloom-Heisiel, Jordan Paddock, and The Kevin Shay Band. Adding to the festivities, Tekoa High School's freshman class hosted a bake sale outside the Empire Theater doors, selling various homemade baked goods to attendees....
PULLMAN — Washington State University police are investigating a sexual assault that allegedly occurred on campus earlier this month. The victim, an unnamed female student, told police the assault took place at about 8 p.m. Oct. 21 in the parking lot south of Beasley Coliseum. She said she was grabbed from behind and choked until she lost consciousness. “When she came to, she was in the same spot; all of her clothes were on, but she felt that she had been sexually assaulted,” University Police Chief Gary Jenkins said. “She did not see or hear...
MOSCOW, Idaho, — Authorities are seeking the public’s help in locating Daniel Lagmay, 28, who went missing early Friday morning after his vehicle ran out of gas on the road between Moscow and Pullman. Lagmay was last seen on Friday, Oct. 25, and is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, approximately 125 pounds, with a distinctive neck tattoo. He was reportedly driving a gray 2006 Ford 500 at the time. The Nez Perce Tribe has issued a public alert on its Facebook page, urging anyone who may have seen Lagmay or his vehicle to contact the authoritie...
COLFAX — Whitman County is currently crunching numbers, compiling a rough draft of the 2025 budget. Whitman County Chief Financial Officer Jessica Jensema said the budget is usually adopted in December and adopts the tax roll first for 2025. The rough draft budget comes to a total of $38,152,243 in revenue and has a projected budget deficit or deficiency of excess expenses over revenue at $3,579,257. Jensema predicts the county will start 2025 with about $11 million in cash. “It’s really not that terrible of a picture,” she said, adding...
COLFAX — A grant awarded to Washington State Department of Transportation for rail system upgrades will allow $115 million to go towards improving the Palouse River Coulee City railroad lines in Whitman County. The U.S. The Federal Railroad Administration awarded $37.7 million toward Washington State Rural Rail Rehabilitation Phase III to improve supply chain efficiency and resiliency. WSDOT Rail Freight and Port’s Divisions Capital and PCC Railway Program Manager Larry Rasmussen said the $37.7 million will go towards improvement towards the...
COLFAX — Registered voters in Whitman County are expressing concerns regarding the distribution of ballots for the upcoming General Election on Nov. 5. Reports indicate between 200 and 300 ballots are unaccounted for, as only 99.6% of ballots were successfully processed. County officials confirmed that issues occurred during the distribution phase, despite all ballots being processed at the Spokane plant on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Whitman County Auditor Sandy Jamison noted that while the United States Postal Service (USPS) marked the ballots as ...
PULLMAN — Pullman Building Supply will close its doors this Saturday, Nov.1, a month earlier than previously announced. The store, located on the south end of town, had initially set November 30 as its final day of operation when managers announced its closure in July. The decision to expedite the closure was made because there was insufficient demand in the Pullman market to sustain the business. Pullman Building Supply opened in 1996, north of downtown, before relocating to its current building in 2015. While the Pullman location will shut d...
LACROSSE — Startin’s Repair, a LaCrosse-based business, has been recognized with an Excellence on Main Award from the Washington State Main Street Program. This award celebrates organizations contributing to community revitalization across Washington. The program recently announced its annual winners, with Startin’s Repair receiving honors for its commitment to persevering and aiding in local revitalization efforts....
Patrick Miller Age: 46 Hometown: Cheney, WA Experience: Firefighter, Computer Security Family: Laurie, wife of 14 years and 7 year old daughter Fiona. Candidates have been given a 100 words to answer each question and answers have not been edited. Question 1: In recent years, state agencies have used purported habitat and wildlife concerns as a reason to implement new regulations on farmers and ranchers. Those regulations have impacted the livelihoods or rural residents. What would you do in the Legislature to protect farmers and ranchers...
COLFAX — Registered voters in Whitman County are expressing concerns regarding the distribution of ballots for the upcoming General Election on Nov. 5. Reports indicate between 200 and 300 ballots are unaccounted for, as only 99.6% of ballots were successfully processed. County officials confirmed that issues occurred during the distribution phase, despite all ballots being processed at the Spokane plant on Wednesday, Oct. 16. Whitman County Auditor Sandy Jamison noted that while the United States Postal Service (USPS) marked the ballots as ...
COLFAX — As of Election Night, Tuesday, November 5, Roger Sandberg is leading the race for Whitman County Superior Court Judge Position 1, holding 60.6% of the votes. “I am honored and humbled to have the support of everybody throughout this process,” said Sandberg. “I look forward to serving the citizens of Whitman County as Superior Court Judge.” With 80 precincts reporting, Sandberg has received 6,421 votes, while challenger Jenna Brozik follows with 4,137 votes, amounting to 39.1% of the total. There were also 30 write-in votes, totaling...
COLFAX — Several levies were on this year’s General Election Ballot; results for the ballot count are as follows for each town. COLTON —The town of Colton proposes one levy in this year’s General Election concerning supporting general operations, street improvement and water maintenance. Proposition No. 853 is a one-year proposition for the town’s property tax at 80 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value, to raise the town $30,000. The levy passed with 128, 71.11% voting yes and 52, 28.99% against. ENDICOTT— The town of Endicott is proposi...
COLFAX — Four newly constructed State Route 26 passing lanes have been completed after three years of work. Communications Manager Ryan Overton said the $11.1 million project started with the first three passing lanes starting in 2022 and running through 2023. A second project for the fourth climbing lane started in June of this year, between Dusty and Colfax. “It’s been open now for a little over a week,” Overton said, noting all the traffic control is gone at the location. A ribbon cutting to celebrate will take place from 11 a.m. to noon Wed...
TEKOA — The City Council filled a key vacancy last night with the appointment of Cheri Currier. Currier steps into the role left by Lydia Fletcher, who resigned in September to take an internship in Texas. “The application period ended last Friday, and they appointed a new council member last night,” said Tekoa Clerk-Treasurer Eliza Evans-Teague. Currier has been a resident of Tekoa since 1988....
PULLMAN — Pullman Police officers responded to an assault at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 900 NE Colorado Street. Initial reports indicated that multiple individuals were fighting in the street. Upon arrival, officers learned that two male victims had witnessed the altercation and attempted to intervene. During their intervention, they were attacked by a group of college-age males. One victim sustained significant head injuries and was rendered unconscious. He was transported by ambulance to Pullman Regional Hospital and is expected to m...
ST. JOHN — Two Pullman men are safe after their sailboat capsized in high winds on Rock Lake on Saturday, Oct. 19, as the wind eventually drifted them and their boat back to shore. Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputy Randy Miller said the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, St. John Fire District 2, and Rosalia Ambulance responded to a report of the capsized vessel around 1:40 p.m. at the north end of the lake. Firefighters from St. John launched two personal watercraft, but the men, who were still with their boat when it washed ashore, did not requi...
COLFAX — With the election approaching, Whitman County is seeing an initial wave of ballot returns as voters are encouraged to submit their ballots early. Whitman County Auditor Sandy Jamison reported that approximately 2,500 ballots have been returned, as of press time, Tuesday, Oct. 22. “We will do our first round of emptying ballot boxes tomorrow (Wednesday). That number will increase significantly for sure,” she said. About 10% of the 25,000 ballots sent out have been received, with most returns coming through the mail, in person at the a...
COLTON — Various Whitman County towns have proposed levies that constituents will approve or reject at this year’s general election. Here’s what’s set to be on the November ballot: COLTON —The town of Colton has proposed a special levy of $30,000 to continue supporting general operations, street improvements and water maintenance. Homeowners would pay $80 per $100,000 in assessed home value. LACROSSE — LaCrosse Parks and Recreation is proposing a $75,000 levy to continue supporting the operation, maintenance, and capital improvement...
TEKOA — County Commissioners awarded the Tekoa Runway project $20,000 in Economic Development funds. Port of Whitman County Executive Director Kara Riebold and Tekoa Airport Manager Mike Hale came before the commissioners to present on the request. Riebold reported the Port Commissioners have talked to County Commissioners about Tekoa’s airport project over the last few months. The City of Tekoa applied for funding through the Department of Transportation in early May and wrote a letter to the county to apply for .09 Funds for the inf...
OAKESDALE — The Port of Whitman County and Haley and Aldrich presented to a packed McCoy Valley Museum to discuss the purchase of the Old Mill from the Innovia Foundation. Community members filled the Oakesdale museum Monday, Oct. 21; along with guests, Port of Whitman County Executive Director Kara Riebold, Haley and Aldrich, Inc Geologist-Environmentalist Scientist Ward McDonald and Innovia Foundation Chief Strategy Officer Aaron McMurray present. “We are excited, because on Wednesday at the commission meeting, Innovia and our com...
Dr. Pam Kohlmeier Age: 55 Hometown: Manson, Iowa Experience: No political experience. Relevant professional experiences include practicing as a board certified emergency physician for about 15 years, then teaching predominantly Health Policy and Law and Professionalism as a Lecturer-MPH for Eastern Washington University, and most recently serving as a staff attorney and the policy manager for the Washington Medical Commission. Relevant community service includes serving on the Board of NAMI-Spokane (supporting mental health in our community), P...
COLFAX — Deputies from the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office and personnel from Fire District 14 and Lewiston Fire responded to a two-vehicle crash on Wawawai Road near milepost 11 shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17. According to the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office, Joshua Godwin, 37, of Clarkston, was traveling northbound and crossed the centerline, striking a newer-model GMC passenger truck traveling southbound. Godwin was driving a late-model GMC passenger truck. The driver of the southbound vehicle sustained serious injuries and w...
FARMINGTON — Three people were arrested on charges of alleged burglary on Tuesday, Oct. 15, on Garfield-Farmington Road. According to public records, at approximately 6:11 p.m., on Tuesday, Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputy Amy Pilloud responded to a burglary at Garfield-Farmington Road. Gary Wayne French, 62, of Spokane, Eric James Harris, 55, of Spokane and Melissa Ann Marie Pagel, 44, of Farmington, were arrested after Pagel admitted to having methamphetamine on her person. According to Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers, the suspects allegedl...
