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Articles from the March 7, 2013 edition


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  • Pancake breakfast Friday

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The H.E. Gritman Senior Center will host the monthly pancake breakfast on Friday, March 8, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Pancakes, a choice of ham or sausage, biscuits and sausage gravy, and juice or coffee, are on the menu with a suggested donation of $5 per person. The breakfast serves as a fundraiser for the senior center and is held the second Friday of every month, except during the summer. The H.E. Gritman Senior Center is located at 118 West Main Avenue in downtown Ritzville. For more information contact the center by...

  • Car show fundraiser at Roadhouse

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The Ritz Roadhouse is hosting a Car, Van and Truck Show fundraiser on March 10 to show support for safe schools in the Ritzville, Lind and Sprague communities. Entries and lunch begin at 11 a.m. followed by the show and judging at noon. The awards ceremony is set for 4 p.m. and event concludes with dinner at 5 p.m. The specially selected car show menu is an entry fee with lunch for $22, while an entry fee with dinner is $27. An entry fee is $15, lunch costs $10 and $15 for dinner. The Ritz Roadhouse is located at 1604 Smitty...

  • Annual Weed List hearing set for March 12

    Sue Sackmann, Coordinator, ACNWCB|Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The Adams County Noxious Weed Control Board will hold their annual Weed List hearing on Tuesday, March 12, at the weed board office in Ritzville at 1 p.m. According to RCW 17.10.090, every county weed board shall add all Class A noxious weeds and all Class B noxious weeds designated by the state to their county weed list, even if they are not found in the county. This year, the State Noxious Weed Committee has made changes to the Class B weeds. Several Class B weeds have been reclassified as Class C weeds. The committee is...

  • Busy Chamber day, March 14

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    A roster of several free workshops available through a partnership between WSU Extension and The Prosperity Center, which serves Adams and Grant Counties, will top the next Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting on Thursday, March 14. Beginning at noon at The Ritz Roadhouse, Candi Jaeger from The Prosperity Center will discuss the various workshops that are available, as well as when and what workshops could be presented. To date, two local businesses have already expressed interest in a couple of the w...

  • Book Sale next weekend

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Friends of the Ritzville Library are set to host the annual Book Sale from March 14-16. Thursday is the members only sale from 3-5 p.m. Non-members are able to join at the door for a $10 membership fee. Friday through Saturday is the public sale. Friday hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday hours are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests have the opportunity to purchase $1 raffle tickets to win a Kindle Fire. Also on Friday, at 5 p.m., authors Ryan and Kara Rowe will be present for a book signing, promoting their book...

  • Volunteers needed for field improvements in Lind

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    There are two volunteer workdays scheduled for the renovation of the Lind-Ritzville/Lamont Middle School baseball and softball fields in Lind. Volunteers are needed to assist project coordinators on March 9 and March 16 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The grass infields for both diamonds are going to be scalped, leveled and reconditioned. The baseball field requires additional work by putting in a new layer of sod and rolling it. Aside from the infield work, the focus of the project is also on constructing a visitor’s dugout on t...

  • School board sets public hearing on bond proposal

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The Ritzville School Board of Directors unanimously approved to host a public hearing on Monday, March 25, for the purpose of discussing the adoption of a limited general obligation (LGO) bond to help fund the facilities improvement at Jimmie Snider Field. The meeting is being held in Room 15 of the Ritzville Grade School and begins at 6 p.m. The district is considering adopting a resolution for a LGO bond amount of $350,000 for a three-year term, with expected interest to total around $5,200. The bond will be paid off with...

  • City may ink deal with truck stop tonight

    Stephen McFadden|Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The Ritzville City Council is extending its regular meeting to 7 p.m., Thursday, March 7, for the purpose of continuing discussions regarding the developer agreement with Love’s Travel Stop and Country Store. Tuesday the council went into executive session at the end of its meeting to be updated by city attorney Mark DeWulf on the progress of contract negotiations. A meeting with Love’s representatives was planned for Wednesday to possibly reach agreement on a contract that will bring the company to Ritzville. Depending on...

  • Big Bend Electric Cooperative awards annual scholarships

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    During the 74th Big Bend Electric Cooperative Annual Meeting, held recently at the C.J. Newland American Legion Memorial Hall in Ritzville, three students received scholarships and two students earned the opportunity to attend a youth tour. The winners are all seniors at their respective high schools. The scholarship recipients are Madison Yamane from Warden and Moses Lake Christian Academy, daughter of Marvin and Cheryl Yamane; Stephanie Crowther from Connell High School, daughter of Jed and Diana Crowther; and Sommer Boyd...

  • Chamber seeks volunteers for satellite info booth

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Beginning May 24, the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce will offer assistance to visitors passing through the area from a booth being placed on Galbreath Way near the freeway. This will not replace the downtown office, but is planned to let visitors know there is more to Ritzville than what can be seen from the freeway. The chamber is currently looking for volunteers willing to be at the booth to answer questions and give directions. The chamber does not have sufficient staff to man the booth and the downtown office at the...

  • Senate confirms Franz’s appointment

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Senator Mark Schoesler says he gladly supported Tuesday’s Senate confirmation of Grant County attorney Anna Franz’s appointment to the board of trustees for Community College District 18 and Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. “Anna Franz comes from a pioneer farming family in Adams County,” said Schoesler, R-Ritzville, “and she attended Big Bend Community College for two years before earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and graduating from the UW Law School. She has been an enthusiasti...

  • Book club dates announced

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The Ritzville Public Library, Page Turners and AAUW book clubs have all announced their upcoming meetings. The AAUW Book Club is meeting at The Ritz Roadhouse on March 13 at 10 a.m. The club is discussing “Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog from Iraq” by Riverbend. On March 28, the Ritzville Public Library Book Club is meeting in the library basement at 6:30 p.m. The club is currently reading “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver. The Page Turners Book Club, for children between the ages of eight and 12, are meeting...

  • City won’t lease park ground

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    A request from the Ritzville School District to lease a portion of the city’s park for the construction of a large greenhouse was turned down Tuesday. The school’s agriculture program had wanted to lease a 75- by 100-foot section of the park along Division Street behind the existing ag shop for the greenhouse project. Tuesday council member David Grove reported the Parks and Recreation Committee had met to consider the request. The committee, Grove said, recommended the city decline the request because it would be giving up...

  • Scholarships available through Ralston Grange

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The deadline for applying for the David L. and Frances G. Ray Scholarship is April 1. The scholarship is co-sponsored by the Ralston and Rimrock Granges. Applicants do not have to be Grange members, but must be high school seniors, homeschooled graduating seniors or past graduates from the following high schools: Lind, Ritzville, Washtucna, LaCrosse, Kahlotus, Connell, Odessa or Christian Heritage. Seniors from other districts who are descendants of current Ralston or Rimrock Grange members or who are members themselves are...

  • Golf course manager abruptly resigns

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Cory Morley, manager of Ritzville Municipal Golf Course, abruptly resigned without giving a reason on Tuesday, March 5, just a couple weeks after signing a new contract. Mayor Linda Kadlec read the letter of resignation into the record during Tuesday night’s city council meeting. The letter stated Morley was resigning according to the terms of the contract, which allowed cancellation of the contract at any time upon notification. “Therefore, I am notifying the city that I am giving my resignation effective imm...

  • Dancers mark your calendar

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Mary Katherine’s 2013 Summer Dance/Theatre dates have been announced. Classes are to be begin in Ritzville on Tuesday, June 25, and will end with a recital on Friday, July 19. Registration information will be available in May....

  • DYW CANDIDATES

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The Distinguished Young Women candidates for this year’s event are (left to right) Caitlin Schoessler, Elizabeth Schofstall, Maya Wahl, Dalyn Killian, Sydney Nelson and Lara Tice-York. The girls will take center stage at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 15, in Gilson Gymnasium for the annual event. Wahl is vying to become the Distinguished Young Woman of Lind, while the other four candidates compete for a spot on the Ritzville court. -Journal photo by Katelin Davids...

  • CF Industries’ mini-grants support student learning

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Students in the Ritzville School District have an opportunity to learn about ornamental horticulture and landscaping while beautifying the school, engage in hands-on learning about agriculture and research the nutritional benefits of milk production processes because of the CF Industries’ Classroom Mini-grant Program. CF Industries partnered with Ritzville Schools to offer the mini-grants to teachers who incorporate agriculture or the environment into classroom activities. C...

  • Broncos: 5th at 2B state!

    Stephen McFadden|Updated Mar 7, 2013

    LRS gives St. George’s fits in classic semifinal duel Several times this season, the Broncos have found themselves in challenging situations. They had a short rough patch where they lost league games they probably should have claimed. They found themselves in overtime contests at the district, sub-regional and regional tournaments. In both the district and sub-regional tournaments they hung on in loser-out games to advance to the next round, the state tournament, as one of t...

  • Tigercats: 3rd at 1B state!

    Katelin Davidson|Updated Mar 7, 2013

    LWK rolls to big win over Pomeroy in trophy game The LaCrosse-Washtucna/Kahlotus Tigercats basketball season came to a close Saturday afternoon in the Spokane Arena when the team left the court with smiles on their faces, waves of appreciation to their fans and a trophy in hand. In perhaps the best display of teamwork and sportsmanship seen all season, the Tigercats earned third place in the 1B Hardwood Classic State Tournament with a 67-36 landslide win over Pomeroy. The two...

  • Applications available for preschool, kindergarten

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    Applications for preschool and kindergarten students in the 2013-14 school year are now being accepted at the Ritzville Grade School. Preschool students must be at least three years old by Aug. 31 and kindergarten students must be five-years-old by Aug. 31 to be included in the class. Registration forms are available at the Ritzville Grade School and the Ritzville School District office, or forms can be printed from the website, http://www.lrschools.org. Immunization records and a birth certificate are required to enroll...

  • Citizens face hard decision with hospital

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    The citizens of east Adams County are going to have to make some very difficult decisions regarding public property and services in short order. Some have faced decisions like these by saying, “You can’t fight city hall” or trust a paternalistic government to make the decisions and hope that everything works out all right. These people need to reevaluate those views. Let’s take the hospital as an example. Up front, I would like to note that I was very impressed by the openness and candor of the board members and staff t...

  • President behaves like a salesman

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    After listening to President Obama’s State of the Union address, I felt that it could have been labeled the Christmas address. There were several things that would be nice to have but in real life, sometimes people have to be told that we just can’t afford to do certain things, or we can’t afford to purchase certain things. Sometime that is difficult to do, and unfortunately President Obama is not old enough to have experienced that in his lifetime. President Obama is a person who would have been very successful in life...

  • Hospital neglect is fault of board

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    In the Feb. 28 edition of The Journal it states: “The district has long known the aging building and its antiquated infrastructure was an issue. In the past couple of years, those issues have become urgent tasks following a series of inspections by the state that have earmarked a number of issues.” Our hospital building is 60 years old. The problem is not the age of the building. The problem is willful neglect. The public meeting held last week featured numerous large photographs meant to illustrate the need for action. Tho...

  • Pride in the local communities

    Updated Mar 7, 2013

    I grew up in Lind, and I can remember times when there was a community member in need and people from both communities responded quickly and selflessly. I can remember being at harvests and the whole farming community came when a farmer needed help. If you were able to hold a broom or a hose in 1980, odds are you were sweeping and cleaning roofs and sidewalks when Mt. St. Helens blew in. People just pitched in and helped. It didn’t matter if you were from Lind or Ritzville. If someone needed help, they got it. Our children ha...

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