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Articles from the January 14, 2016 edition


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  • Community forum for school bond

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    Ritzville School District representatives will hold a community forum on Thursday, Jan.14, at 7 p.m. in the Ritzville Grade School gym to discuss the upcoming bond proposal. The Ritzville School Board unanimously approved to put a $12.8 million bond on the February ballot for improvements, upgrades and additions in the local district. Contact Superintendent Rob Roettger with any questions via email at [email protected] or by phone at the school 509-659-1660 or cell 509-650-7271.... Full story

  • Community Directory updates requested

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The Journal is currently in the process of updating and creating the 2016 Community Directory for the Benge, Lind, Ritzville and Washtucna businesses, organizations and churches. The Community Directory, formally known as the Neighbors’ Directory, underwent a name change this year in order to better reflect the local listings. The directory provides locals with information regarding government, businesses, organizations and churches that can be found in eastern Adams County. Those individuals and businesses listed in the d...

  • Ritzville City Council starts the year with new members

    Rachel Plager|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The 2016 city council meetings began on Jan. 5 with all new council members and the new mayor taking their elected positions. The meeting began with the unanimous approval of ordinance 2092 which amends the 2015 budget to include the appropriation of funds for unanticipated revenues and allocations in the current expense, city streets and city beautification funds. The current expense budget was amended by $200,000 to make the total amount $2,235,766 for the 2015 year. City streets was amended by $50,000 bringing that total...

  • Remembering the news headlines from 2015

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    June The Lind-Ritzville High School Class of 2015 earned a combined $152,140 in scholarships and awards. There were 31 students honored during the ceremony on June 6, in Gilson Gymnasium. Valedictorians were Sara Aldrich, Jenna Bennett and Kate Schell and the salutatorians were Beau Jones and Mallory Kessler. Five seniors graduated from the Washtucna School District and received their diplomas. Gail Harder was the class valedictorian; her fellow classmates were Douglas... Full story

  • TAKE A BOW

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    TAKE A BOW. The Lind preschool class takes a bow after their performance at the Lind Winter Concert on Jan. 12. Originally canceled because of weather conditions in December, the concert provided families from the Lind School District with an opportunity enjoy holiday music and watch the musical performance of the preschool through fifth grade students, and the Lind-Ritzville Middle School band performance at the start of the New Year. -Journal photo by Rachel... Full story

  • Recognizing local athletic achievements from 2015

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    July Local teams competed in the Hoopfest three-on-three basketball tournament during the last week of June in Spokane. The team of Alarah Pierce-Pulliam, Kyle Gimmaka, Bryson Gering and Abby Gering won the high school co-ed team consolation bracket and received the infamous King of the Losers t-shirts. August On Aug. 10 the annual Puttin’ on the Ritz ladies golf tournament took place. Over 30 women participated in the event and afterwards enjoyed lunch provided by Fairway Café. The Digs Men’s tournament then took place on Au...

  • Bye Bye

    Dale Anderson|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    As the NFL season came to a close there were several more coaching vacancies because owners weren’t happy with how the season played out. So much promise so little in the way of positive results. I’ll be really honest with you; I’m not sure why any coach would want to go from the college game to the pro game. The pros really have to rely on the draft and free agency to build their teams whereas colleges get to recruit their needs. Okay, I understand that some teams have troub...

  • Safeguard Second Amendment rights by enforcing current laws

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    Last week, President Obama announced his unilateral executive measures on gun control. Under the President’s measures, federal licensing laws will be expanded, and some occasional sellers of their personal firearms may now fall under the federal definition of a “firearms dealer,” which will require them to obtain federal dealers’ licenses. I am greatly concerned that these measures will be used by federal bureaucrats to infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. The President’s latest action would not e... Full story

  • Boeing has lots riding on MAX

    Don C. Brunell, Business Commentator|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    When Boeing rolled out its first 737 MAX last month there was little fanfare. Nevertheless, its importance to the company’s future and our state can’t be understated. The good news is Boeing delivered more airplanes last year than Airbus and it has a backlog of 5,800 orders. However, yellow flags goes up when it comes to the 737 MAX. It is behind the A320neo in development and sales. According to the Seattle Times, “Not counting Airbus sales in December, those figures are still to come, the European jet maker’s A320neo...

  • Time to invest in our students, community

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    We made it 7 miles out of town on our trip after Christmas when the transmission went out on the car. The aging car has served us well, but it simply is time to upgrade to a newer, more dependable model. The house needs some repairs as well. This will add to the other monthly expenses cutting into our budget. Having no car or house payments for a while has been nice and we certainly aren’t excited about the added monthly costs, but after doing our best to maintain our vehicles and house for a few years, it simply is time t...

  • Bond important to school’s future

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    In 1957 middle school students in Ritzville School District entered a new building, Hawthorn Middle School. This school housed 5th through 8th grade students for 26 years. In the summer of 1982, with declining enrollment and an aging high school building, the school district upgraded Hawthorn Middle School to Ritzville High School. Since that time there have been minor upgrades to the building in 1994 and 2004 to replace worn flooring and meet ADA compliance. Ritzville School District is currently asking voters to approve a...

  • Potential impacts of February’s Special Election

    Emma Aldrich, LRHS Student Correspondent|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    If a student’s environment is conducive to success, achievement comes easier than if environmental factors work against their success. Anyone who has ever experienced adversity in the classroom knows that learning is a challenge, and it is critical that all of a student’s focus is directed toward learning, rather than being distracted by their surrounding conditions. Lind-Ritzville High School works to promote student success. That is why Ritzville School District (RSD) has proposed a 20-year, $12.8 million bond to be vot...

  • Robert “Bruce” O’Brien

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    Robert “Bruce” O’Brien, 73, died at his home in Ritzville on Jan. 5. Bruce was born in Longview on March 30, 1942. He was a 1960 graduate from Shadle Park High School in Spokane. After graduation he worked at the Garland Bakery until he moved to Ritzville to work at his parent’s business, O’B’s Café, which he would later own and operate. He opened a second O’B’s in Odessa in 1975. In 1977 he moved to the Colville area to operate Old King Cole’s Restaurant. He remained in the...

  • Jeanette A. (Sitton) Nave

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    Jeanette A. (Sitton) Nave was born to John Ray Sitton Sr. and Edith (Wagoner) Sitton on Nov. 26, 1928, in Spokane and died on Jan. 10. She grew up on the family farm in Washtucna where she was more at home on a horse than in the house cooking and cleaning, which was expected of girls in that era. Jeanette graduated from Washtucna High School in 1946 and went on to attend Eastern Washington College of Education. She graduated in 1950 with a degree in Education. She taught...

  • Broncos mat squad prepares for second half of regular season

    Rachel Plager|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The Broncos only have three tournaments and one league match before the Regional Tournament takes place in Reardan. Their second league match took place in Ritzville on Jan. 7. Wrestling in this match up were Tucker Guiles, Joe Benedict, Alex Whitman and Matthias Ferderer. Guiles won his first match versus a Reardan High School wrestler. This wrestler was the same one he met in the previous league match in Colfax in which he lost. His next opponent was from Liberty and he was... Full story

  • Inconsistency plagues the Broncos during league games

    Katelin Davidson|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    While the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague team recorded two league wins last week, the Broncos played unbalanced basketball, which also caused the Broncos to give up on league victory. Moving into the second half of the season, Head Coach Dustan Arlt is working to keep the team motivated and focused on playing full, consistent games in the upcoming weeks. The Broncos started out the three-game week with a tough match up against the league’s top team: Northwest Christian. Arlt e...

  • Lady Tigercats return to the court for league games

    Katelin Davidson|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    After a three-week hiatus, the LaCrosse-Washtucna/Kahlotus Lady Tigercats returned to the hardwood to play two league games. The Lady Tigercats hosted Pomeroy in LaCrosse on Jan. 8 before going on the road the following day to play Touchet. In LaCrosse, the LWK team suffered a 69-22 loss to Pomeroy. The Lady Tigercats had a strong start in Friday’s game against Pomeroy, matching the Lady Pirates’ pace and keeping the score balanced until midway through the first quarter. The... Full story

  • Lady Broncos defeat top league competitors

    Rachel Plager|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The Lady Broncos are halfway through their season and currently hold a 6-2 league record. This ranks them second in the Northeast 2B South league behind St. George’s which is one of their two losses from the beginning of the season. Last week the Reardan Lady Indians handed St. George’s their first league loss. The Lady Broncos host Reardan this Saturday in Gilson Gym. In the beginning of the week the Lady Broncos faced the Northwest Christian Lady Crusaders at home where they... Full story

  • EAGLES AUXILIARY’S Christmas Family

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    EAGLES AUXILIARY’S Christmas Family, Kenny and Terri Katsel and granddaughters Nikkadoh and Natalie, receive presents from Peggy Crossler and Sandy Tracy....

  • Eagles members spread holiday cheer to local residents

    Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The Fraternal Order of Eagles, Ritzville Aerie No. 2739 and its Auxiliary honored the Christmas season with community service during the month of December. Each year the organization selects a Christmas Family and presents them with gifts and food certificates to help make the holiday just a little brighter. Auxiliary members Peggy Crossler and Sandy Tracy greeted the Aerie’s Christmas Family with huge bags of gifts and a $75 gift certificate to Harvest Foods. This year’s Chr... Full story

  • Fairway Café remains open under new management

    Rachel Plager|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The Fairway Café has been in operation at the Ritzville Golf Course Clubhouse for numerous years, and during that time, the restaurant has been operated by various individuals. Since the middle of October, Chris Peterson has been operating the Café. It happened to be the first time she had been in the restaurant since she moved to the area two years prior. Originally from Spokane, Peterson has been living on the coast in Burlington where she has worked in various positions. P...

  • True Hope and Change

    Pastor Richard Lee, New Hope Center|Updated Jan 14, 2016

    The new year of 2016 is an election year. Political pundits speculate on the viability of one campaign over another. Politicians promise to either carry on the standards set by a previous administration, or promise to be entirely different. Campaign slogans abound promising to stay the course, or offering “hope and change” of one type or another. It is not strange to understand why politicians are not trusted in the general population. Unfortunately, in changing times where advancing secularism is now the domineering wor...