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Articles from the February 28, 2019 edition


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  • Land Transfers: Feb. 28, 2019

    Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Feb. 6 — Daniel and Kimberly Rae Forde, Othello, to Beth Susan Cruz, Lot 116, Bonnells Residential, $199,000. Feb. 6 — George and Beatrice Calzadillas, Othello, to Bank of America National Association, Lot 4, Columbia No. 1, $118,000. Feb. 13 — Angela Nelander, Ritzville, to Esther Walworth, Lots 9 & 10, Block 79, Greene & Proutys 2nd, $75,000. Feb. 13 — Palos Verdes LLC, a business in Othello, to Adriel and Maria Garza, Lot 2, Block 2, Sand Hill Estates No. 1 Major Plat, $295,000....

  • Bill to allow PUDs to sell renewable hydrogen unanimously passes Washington State Senate

    Sean Harding, WNPA Olympia News Bureau|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    OLYMPIA – A bipartisan bill to enable public utility districts to sell and distribute hydrogen fuel and sponsored by 33 senators — well over half the state Senate — unanimously passed the chamber and is now in the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Bill 5588 would authorize public utility districts to sell renewable hydrogen to consumers via pipeline or shippable pressurized containers. “If you take H2O and you separate the ‘O,’ you end up with H2, which is hydrogen,” said Sen. Brad Hawkins, R-East Wenatc...

  • EWU announces Fall 2018 Dean's List

    Updated Feb 27, 2019

    The following Ritzville students made the Eastern Washington University Dean’s List for the 2018 fall quarter: Jesse Anderson, Brian Campbell, Eliza Galbreath, Dylan Hartz, Katie Manke, Brandon McClure, William Roettger, Rachel Schell and Randi York. Students are placed on the Dean’s List if they are an undergraduate student who earns at least 12 quality hours and receives a GPA of 3.5 or better....

  • Ritzville Gun Club Scores: Feb. 24

    Updated Feb 27, 2019

    6: Jason Heider, Kyle Bauer. 23: Adam Krause. 22: Wes Frederick, Scott Steinmetz. 21: Garrett Frederick, Travis Dewald, Tyler Frederick, Colby Schell, Justin Simonson and Ryan Frederick. 20 & under: Aaliyah Yaeger, Johnathan Stromberger, Collette Nichols, Gage Bauer, Karter Krause, Conrad Bauer, Kim Yaeger, Kari Frederick, Courtney Geschke, Scott Yaeger, Mike Stromberger, Dave Breazeale, Markham Nichols Mike Geschke, Michael Nichols, Rich Nay, Travis Simonson, Bruce Benzel, Dennis Faechner, Jim Heider, Tim Wellsandt, Brian...

  • Lind Gun Club Scores: Feb. 24

    Updated Feb 27, 2019

    4: Terry Utecht. 21: Pete Franz, Alan Schlimmer. 20 & under: Carson Schlimmer, Curt Franz, Garrett Schlimmer, Anna Franz, Randy Kulm, Richard Kulm, Ayden Franz and Thomas Rosen. High Overall: Terry Utecht. High Handicap: Terry Utecht. Miss & Out: Garrett Schlimmer. Annie Oakley: Pete Franz. Bushwacker: Carson Schlimmer. Buddy Shoot: Carson Schlimmer and Garrett Schlimmer. Doubles: Pete Franz....

  • LRS athletic director a key figure in WIAA

    Brandon Cline, Managing Editor|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Lind-Ritzville/Sprague athletic director Greg Whitmore plays a key role not only in the local community, but in the state as well when it comes to high school athletics. Whitmore, who is also the head football coach for the LRS Broncos, has served as a member of the WIAA Executive Board for the past five years. Elected by the District 7 Board-which is mostly made up of athletic directors of schools in LRS' district-for a three-year term, Whitmore is currently in the second yea...

  • Worst Seat In The House: Cold shooting or cold weather?

    Dale Anderson, Sports Columnist|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    The other day when schools closed early and practices were canceled and I found myself driving west on Hwy 26 in nasty conditions, I got a bit nervous wondering if the road conditions would get worse. I saw a State snow plow stopped at the intersection of Hwy 26 and Hwy 21. I stopped and asked him if he had been north on Hwy 21 and he said no. He told me that 26 was getting bad and to be careful and I told him that I had been on 21 earlier and it was bad then. If he didn’t p...

  • Ritzville Police Department Dispatch Reports: Feb. 28, 2019

    Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Feb. 7, 03:49 — A complaint was received from a residence on East 6th Ave. advising a subject in a white pickup was stealing her air conditioning unit or a part off of it. An officer responded and did not see any one in the area and the air conditioning unit was intact with no signs of being tampered with. The complainant was agitated and said they had been working on it for the past four hours. The officer took the complainant out to inspect the unit which showed no signs of tampering and no sign on anyone being in the s...

  • Colleen Gail Blauert

    Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Colleen Gail Blauert passed away peacefully on Feb. 16, 2019 in Spokane, with her family by her side. She was born on Aug. 31, 1960 in Ritzville to Eugene and Davida Hille. She is survived by her son, Garrett Blauert (Brooke) and sisters Pamela Brown (Darryl) and Kristin Nesheim (Steve). She is preceded in death by her father Eugene, mother Davida, and brother Kirk Hille. Colleen grew up in Washtucna and graduated with honors from Washtucna High School. She was also a...

  • Business Column: Those pesky tax incentives

    Don C. Brunell, Business Commentator|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Darned if you do, or darned if you don’t! That’s the dilemma elected officials face in determining whether to offer tax incentives for companies to locate in their city, county or state. That conflict played out recently with Amazon’s decision to cancel its second headquarters (HQ2) in New York City. On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer. The city and state would extend $3 billion in tax relief to Amazon in exchange for $27 billion in new taxes and 25,000 good-...

  • Legislative Commentary: Feb. 28, 2019

    State Senator Mark Schoesler, Ninth District|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Dear Friends, Last week’s commentary mentioned a man who was awaiting Senate confirmation of his appointment to a state commission, despite having lied about his criminal record. I’ll begin this commentary with what a famous radio personality used to call “the rest of the story.” A day after our Senate Republican Caucus chair and I called the news media’s attention to the man’s lack of honesty, he basically backed out of the appointment – which was to a three-year term on the state’s Housing Finance Commission. Tha...

  • Ritzville artist overcomes challenges with love and determination

    Steve Salins, Reporter|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    During the past year, the Ritzville Library has been seeking to display art by local artists-rotating to a new artist every few months. Recently, artist Chelsea Niesel contributed watercolor and pencil drawings, which are presently on display in the library's main room. Chelsea and her parents (Gary and Susan Niesel) are living for a year in local teacher Kathy McAnnally's home while they are on sabbatical in Spain for a year. Initially, the Niesels planned to stay only for...

  • Senate Bill would increase rural mental and behavioral health workforce recruitment

    Emma Epperly, WNPA Olympia News Bureau|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Programs to recruit and train behavioral and mental health professionals could receive $1.1 million in the next fiscal year under proposed legislation. Washington has two health education centers that recruit students from rural and underserved communities into health professions. These centers are located at Eastern Washington University and Whatcom Community College and are funded by the state Department of Health and the University of Washington. These education centers run programs including high school paid internships...

  • Proposed bill would support full recovery of gray wolves

    Madeline Coats, WNPA Olympia News Bureau|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    OLYMPIA — A proposed bill would support the full recovery of gray wolves in Washington state, as well as protect the livestock industry and their coexistence with wolves. House Bill 2097 was co-sponsored by 11 bipartisan representatives and introduced by the Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda. The gray wolf, otherwise known as Canis lupus, is protected under state law and the federal Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of Washington, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. W...

  • Ritzville City Council discusses EARH annexation request

    Brandon Cline, Managing Editor|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    The Ritzville City Council met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 19, as the City continued to move ahead with East Adams Rural Healthcare’s request to have the City annex two parcels of EARH property into Ritzville’s corporate limits. EARH CEO Gary Bostrom says that the hospital plans on using the two parcels, which are located near the Life Care Center on South Lewis Street, for facilities that will specialize in dementia care and potentially assisted living. In accordance with the Revised Code of Washington, the...

  • Local workshop and service project caps off National FFA Week

    Steve Salins, Reporter|Updated Feb 27, 2019

    Approximately 70 FFA members representing chapters from District 9 gathered together in Lind on Feb. 22 for a climax event to National FFA Week. A day full of meetings, games, competitive activities and workshops was offered to participants. Although a number of Ag teachers and advisors were present, all activities and workshops were only facilitated by FFA leaders. The gathering opened with a bonding game, where members untangled from hand-held mixed-up circles of six...