Articles written by stephen mcfadden
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 186
State cites deficiencies, forces hospital district to act
The local hospital district has been scrambling in October to respond and address a broad list of deficiencies identified by the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Patrol Fire Protection Bureau. The... — Updated 10/24/2013 Full story
No matter how large or small the agency, elected officials have plenty of responsibility
If you look over the list of elected positions in Adams County that appear on the ballot this November, they are numerous. The vast majority of those are individuals seeking election in uncontested races. There are a few contested... — Updated 10/17/2013 Full story
Broncos’ fine tune, defeat newcomer NWC
Scoring 42 unanswered points in the first half against Northwest Christian, the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos spent the game working on the fine points of their game. The team went on to defeat the newest member of the Northeast... — Updated 10/10/2013
Broncos rack up 40-21 win over Warden
Four touchdowns by Connor O’Neill and 486 yards of total offense led the LRS Broncos to a 40-21 defeat of the Warden Cougars. The Broncos’ defense was equally successful,... — Updated 9/19/2013
Community response overpowers Mother Nature’s wrath
Without question, the best news when the storm subsided Sunday evening was that no one was seriously injured or killed. There was notable property damage to homes and public facilities, but everyone walked away relatively... — Updated 9/19/2013
The Journal’s pictures are one of this business’ retail products
Photographers are faced with a very difficult situation these days. Especially if their pictures are what they rely on to cover their living expenses. Not to mention the extraordinary cost of their equipment. The advent of smart... — Updated 9/12/2013 Full story
Historic Walls Tumble: Council mulls how to handle brick, debris from old high school
Ritzville alumni who are eager to purchase bricks from the old high school once demolition is complete may have to wait a bit longer to learn if they will have that opportunity.... — Updated 8/22/2013 Full story
Let's Chat: Keeping a chaotic schedule while chasing local news
I have some pretty hectic days. Some make me wonder why I didn’t opt for a job that simply required a 40-hour work week and a time clock. To be honest, some of my days are riddled with scheduled appointments and infused with... — Updated 8/22/2013
RDDA plans to operate theater when renovations, upgrades are completed
The Ritzville Downtown Development Association is moving ahead with its plans to renovate and reopen The New Ritz Theatre. When Dora Kramer and her family opted to retire from running the local movie house, the RDDA was faced with... — Updated 8/1/2013
Voting is a civic duty we should all take more seriously
Overall, voter turnout in Adams County fluctuates wildly depending upon the nature of the election. For instance, one of the best voter participations on record in recent years was the November 2012 General Election when 75.76... — Updated 7/25/2013
This is the right time to invest in new hospital
A new public hospital is a weighty investment requiring careful consideration rather than swift emotional reactions or knee jerk negative responses. This is an expensive long-term investment we all must give careful, rational... — Updated 7/18/2013
CEO answers readers’ questions about hospital operations, construction bond
Gary Bostrom, the chief executive officer of Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2, has the task of serving as the “answer guy” for the district when it comes to the proposed $10 million general obligation bond needed to... — Updated 7/11/2013
City expenses top $24,000 in May and rising as old high school resolution nears
Through the end of May, the City of Ritzville has spent $24,306 in an effort to deal with the old high school on Seventh Avenue at Division Street. Legal fees and expenses incurred in June are not included in the preliminary... — Updated 7/11/2013
Commissioners select preferred site for new hospital, plan open house
With preliminary concept drawings in hand, hospital district commissioners voted to support a building committee’s recommendation to designate property owned by William Heineman a... — Updated 7/4/2013
Division Street closure a necessary inconvenience
Just about every day someone expresses their frustration over the closure of Division Street. Folks are frustrated and fed up with the inconvenience of the blocked roadway. If you’re accustomed to zipping up or down Division,... — Updated 6/27/2013
City briefs residents on ambitious project list
Less than a dozen citizens and business owners attended the City of Ritzville’s open house Tuesday to learn more about a series of construction projects and infrastructure... — Updated 6/20/2013 Full story
Dan Duff: Work ethic revives local golf course
When Dan Duff was a high school teen looking for a way to earn a few bucks to support his growing golf habit, he turned to then course manager Ron Barker for a little help. Barker... — Updated 6/20/2013
Ritz Roadhouse rolls out expanded menu, nears first anniversary
The Ritz Roadhouse has been an evolving, challenging work in progress for aspiring restaurateurs Bob Bajwa and Joe Sandhu. They have made major investments of time and resources to... — Updated 5/23/2013
Tracy’s battle with leukemia continues, transplant delayed
Bob Tracy’s battle with Leukemia began a year ago. The fight continues as he and doctors at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) work to prepare his body for a bone marrow transplant. Currently staying in the Pete Gross... — Updated 5/16/2013
City scrambles, closes Division as old high school may collapse
City officials, fearing the possible collapse of at least one wall of the abandoned old high school, have closed Division Street at Seventh Avenue, and the Ritzville School... — Updated 5/16/2013 Full story
Let's Chat: There’s power in thinking positive where cancer lurks
Bob and Sandy Tracy are on a long journey. It’s far from the kind of trip anyone would plan if they were in charge of their future. Bob’s locked in a battle with Leukemia and doing everything he can to coax his body through a... — Updated 5/16/2013
Let's Chat: Family’s Facebook posts offer refreshing praise for our first responders
From the first few days after I realized I would be a journalist, during my sophomore year in a California high school, I knew I would also carry a camera. Loosely translated, I’m a photojournalist. Long before I was a publisher... — Updated 5/9/2013
Let's Chat: Questions? Ask us. We will strive to find the answers
The grocery store, local restaurants and the sidelines of sporting events have a tendency to become mini conference centers for me. The beauty of rural community newspapers is the fact most readers and residents know who the publis... — Updated 5/2/2013
Choose your words carefully, use constructive criticism
Question the actions of local government as often as you like. Elected leaders and publicly funded administrators should not be allowed to operate without oversight. The beauty of the system in Washington is that government must be... — Updated 5/2/2013 Full story
LET'S CHAT: Newspaper a 24/7 effort to share info
I write every week. In fact, I have written and published “something” almost every week of my adult working life. In fact, there’s a list of things I’d like to write about. The list ebbs and flows as time passes. Some... — Updated 4/25/2013 Full story