Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 213
PULLMAN - A cigarette thrown from a car started a quarter-acre grass fire threat that moved toward Washington State University (WSU) on July 31. The fire started near the intersection of Terre View Drive and State Route 270, according to incident commander Capt. Mark Johnson. Wild drove the fire up a hill toward buildings owned by WSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Firefighters from Whitman County Fire District 12 and Pullman were able to extinguish the blaze before it damaged any...
In the article “St. Ignatius transformation begins,” published on July 22, we incorrectly listed Austin Storm as the owner of The Leif. Storm owns The Storm Cellar in Moscow, Idaho. The credit for a photo taken of Reece Jenkin used in the story “Lucky 13 for Colfax basketball coach,” published on July 22 and July 29, was incorrectly attributed. The photo was taken by Jennifer Claassen. In a letter to the editor titled “COUNTER-POINT: Concerns about mail-in ballots and fraud,” published July 8, Microsoft Word autocorrected a word when we wer...
PALOUSE — The Palouse City Wide Yard Sale is set for Aug. 7. Residents wishing to participate need to sign up at city hall and pay $3 per location, according to organizers, the Palouse Chamber of Commerce. Proceeds pay for maps showing yard sales that are available at Palouse downtown businesses on Aug. 6....
PALOUSE — Microgrants are available for Palouse businesses impacted by COVID-19 through the Palouse Chamber of Commerce. Grants of up to $4,000 can be paid directly to businesses to help mediate the impact of COVID-19, according to the chamber. Grants of up to $1,000 are available for business expenses such as rent, utilities, and Internet service. Documentation is required. Business owners, independent contractors, and sole proprietors are eligible to apply online at www.visitpalouse.com/funding....
PULLMAN — Asphalt maintenance is being conducted on the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail between Pullman and Moscow, Idaho. Whitman County Parks and Whitman County Road Department are doing the work on July 27-28 and Aug. 3-4 from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. “Cyclists and pedestrians should avoid the trail during the dates and times work is scheduled. The parks department understands that many cyclists use the trail for commuting purposes and we apologize in advance for any inconvenience this work may cause,” stated Dave Mahan, parks super...
COLFAX — Five new hires were approved for the Colfax School District by the board at last night’s regular meeting. Sarah Buchan, kindergarten teacher, Katelyn Whannell, half-time fifth-grade teacher, Jamie Appel, bus driver, Alexis Fuller, Jennings Elementary counselor, and Michael Dorman, junior high girls basketball head coach, joined the school district. In addition, a conditional teaching certificate was approved for art teacher Molly Rice. The school district is adding one more day of nursing for 2021-22, paid for by Educational Ser...
COLFAX — A mobile home was partially destroyed by fire last Friday morning on East Tyler Street, across from the Colfax R.V. Park. The Colfax Fire Department and Whitman County Fire District 11 responded. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from completely consuming the structure. "It's impressive to get a knockdown on a trailer," said Captain Tim Tingley. "Knockdown" refers to no active flames. No injuries were reported in the incident....
BELMONT — The new Belmont bridge opened on July 19 for traffic. On July 12, a 35-foot steel deck was placed over a substructure built by the county bridge crew. The $49,000 deck was topped off in gravel. The project replaced an old wood bridge, which had started to rot. The work began June 1 was led by Bob Sevedge, county bridge supervisor, and Robby Johnson, bridge foreman....
ENDICOTT — A haystack fire rekindled on July 18 drawing Whitman county Fire District 6 back to the farm on St. John-Endicott Road. The haystack caught fire on July 16 and the firefighters attended to it, said district Secretary Steve Laurens. It is about three miles northwest of Endicott. Firefighters responded to make sure it wasn’t spreading. Haystack fires are left to burn until the hay is gone. “They just sort of burn themselves off,” said Laurens. “It depends on the size of the stack. They can burn for several days....
COLFAX — A lawnmower started a 2-acre grass fire along Red Tail Ridge Road, northeast of Colfax, on Saturday. Firefighters from Whitman County Fire District 11 extinguished the fire in about an hour using three trucks. There were no injuries or structures threatened, according to fire Capt. Scott Kruse. The fire burned part of a pasture. How the lawnmower caught fire is unknown. “He said he turned around and the lawnmower was on fire,” said Kruse. Firefighters from Steptoe were on their way to help, “but we turned them around....
COLFAX — A 6-year-old boy and an 8-year-old girl were thrown from a car during a crash on State Route 26 on July 12. They were not wearing seatbelts and both were severely injured, according to the Washington State Patrol. They were taken to Sacred Heart Medical center in Spokane. Jessica A. Roberts, 33, of Seattle, was driving east, about 12 miles from Colfax, when she allegedly fell asleep while driving a white 2009 Kia Sorento at roughly 4: 54 a.m. The Kia drifted into a ditch, causing the SUV to roll sideways and eject the children, r...
BELMONT — A new Belmont bridge receives a 35-foot steel deck on July 12. It’s to be placed over a lower deck built by the county bridge crew. The $49,000 deck is to be topped in gravel and expected to be open to traffic the following week. The project replaces an old wood bridge, which had started to rot. The work began on June 1 and it’s led by Bob Sevedge, the county bridge supervisor, and Robby Johnson, the bridge foreman. Belmont is an area southeast of Oakesdale along State Route 27 where it intersects with Black Road....
COLFAX — Whitman County has a new building inspector. Ginny Rumiser was a permit technician at the front desk in the county public works office for the past 23 years. Rumiser is a certified residential building inspector and performed inspections. She takes over for Dan Gladwill. He left the job on June 30 after 17 years and plans to move to Key West, Fla. Gladwill remains on retainer as a consultant to do building plan reviews since Rumiser is not certified....
COLFAX — The State Route 195 and State Route 26 bridges, at the north end of Colfax, were closed for about an hour on July 12. At about 8 a.m. lanes were closed for an annual inspection by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Lanes were closed as the crew from Olympia used a truck and bucket to reach under each span. Each bridge passed inspection, according to WSDOT....
PULLMAN — Washington State University (WSU) classes this fall are all in-person. The university made an announcement Wednesday following the lifting of pandemic restrictions by Gov. Jay Inslee. The university planned for a hybrid format with classes of less than 100 people to be held in-person....
OLYMPIA — The May unemployment report was released today with Whitman County at 4.2%, among the lowest in Washington. The numbers are according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. The highest rate was 7.7% in Pacific County on the southern coast, while the lowest was Asotin County at 3.8%. Statewide, Washington’s economy added 8,300 jobs in May, decreasing the overall unemployment rate to 5.3%....
PULLMAN — Organizers of the Pullman Sunnyside Park Fourth of July fireworks show seek donations to reach their fundraising goal of $16,000. The Pullman Chamber of Commerce, which puts on the event every year, is not having a barbecue or concert for 2021. The public is invited to watch the show from the park, as the fireworks are fired from the top of the hill. Food and beverages may be brought to the location. Social distancing is encouraged. The fireworks launching was moved from the park last year due to pandemic restrictions. Instead, t...
COLFAX — Two separate dog-bite incidents in Colfax led to two dogs going to the pound for 10 days for observation. The rabies vaccinations for both animals were expired. Colfax Police Chief Bruce Blood reminds residents to make sure their pets’ vaccinations are up to date or it may result in 10 days at the pound for your pet. “That gets quite expensive,” said Blood. Rabies shots are given for one-year or three-year durations....
OLYMPIA — The May unemployment report was released today with Whitman County at 4.2%, among the lowest in Washington. The numbers are according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. The highest rate was 7.7% in Pacific County on the southern coast, while the lowest was Asotin County at 3.8%. Statewide, Washington’s economy added 8,300 jobs in May, decreasing the overall unemployment rate to 5.3%....
COLFAX — A youth group arrived from Maui, Hawaii on Wednesday for 13 days of service to the Colfax community. They are led by Pastor Mark Gudmunson, of the Pukalani Church of the Nazarene, in Maui. Gudmunson is a Colfax native. Groups from Pukalani have come before on other mission trips. This year’s group holds a Sunday morning service on June 20 at the United Methodist Church at 9:30 a.m., followed by another at 10:45 at the Colfax Church of the Nazarene....
COLFAX — Whitman County commissioners lifted all travel restrictions for county employees on Monday. Employees were under essential travel-only rules for more than a year. Commissioner Art Swannack explained the state is re-opening and county representatives are free to travel to conferences and other non-essential events....
PULLMAN — Pullman and the chamber of commerce are asking people to refrain from gathering in Sunnyside Park on the Fourth of July. “This year’s celebration has been modified to ensure the health and safety of our Pullman community, as we work toward full reopening in the aftermath of COVID-19. There will be no community BBQ or live entertainment,” stated the Pullman police. Pullman Transit is not providing buses to or from the park. Nearby parking options are limited. “Individuals and families are strongly encouraged to celebrate in other loc...
COLFAX — No campfires are allowed at Wawawai County Park until further notice. Charcoal or gas grills are permitted for cooking. People cooking at the park are asked to keep water on hand....
PALOUSE — An urgent need for donated blood is being addressed with the Garfield-Palouse schools blood drive on June 21. “We are now officially in a critical shortage. We need your help more than ever,” said Joe Fairbanks, manager for Vitalant. Starting at 10 a.m., people can donate blood at the Palouse Community Center at 230 E. Main Street in Palouse. The blood drive ends at 2 p.m. Donors are asked to sign up online at donors.vitalant.org....
COLFAX — Fire restrictions began June 14 at all Whitman County managed parks and trails Parks Kamiak Butte, Wawawai, and Klemgard are under the restrictions. “Campfires and smoking on trails will not be permitted within park boundaries.” stated spokesperson Dave Mahan. “Fireworks are also not allowed. Cooking with charcoal briquettes or gas grills are still options.” Park visitors should keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby when cooking, stated Mahan. For further information, contact the Whitman County Parks Department at 509-397-623...
