Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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Owen Arthur Wiffin, age 91, died May 8, 2011 in Gig Harbor. He was the son of Arthur and Bessie Owen Wiffin, born in Ritzville Oct. 6, 1920. He graduated from Ritzville High School in 1938. He married Margaret Warsinske in Ritzville on Oct. 19, 1941. In 1943 he enlisted in the US Army and served two years in India during World War II as a radio operator on the Burma Road. They moved to Seattle in 1949. In 1968 he moved to Portland, Ore., due to a promotion at work. In 1980 he retired from Burlington Northern Railroad, where...
Dennis W. “Duke” Deking, age 67, died June 25, 2011. He was a life resident of Ritzville; born to Walter and Eleanor (Thiel) Deking on May 25, 1944. He attended Ritzville schools, graduating in 1962. In 1971 he and Kerry Jean Owens were married and had two girls together: Jennifer (Brad) Smith and Tiffany (Gordon) Towne. He farmed and raised commercial cattle from the 1970s through the mid 1990s when he went to work for the Grange supply (Connell Oil). He also sold fencing for Hi Qual. Kerry preceded him in death in 199...
June 6, 2011 Salvador Alvarez Alvarez pled guilty to one count of intimidating a witness and one count of stalking in a case filed on Nov. 10, 2010. Judge Richard W. Miller sentenced Alvarez to 60 days in jail, which may be served by Electronic Home Detention (EHD). Alvarez is responsible to pay $500 crime victim compensation, $200 filing fee, $202.50 service fees, $350 court-appointed attorney, $500 fine and $100 DNA fee. Filipe Montoya Jr. entered a guilty plea to one count of second-degree burglary and one count of bail...
The Lincoln County Fire District 1 is closer to breaking ground for a new Emergency Response Center at Sprague through contributions and fundraisers as well as a line item in the state’s capital budget. According to Chief Scott Clemenson, the district has a total of $2.1 million of the $2.4 million required for the project. Dennis Schilling, superintendent of the Ritzville terminal of CF Industries, Inc., helped the fire district attain that goal with a recent donation. L...
The great American athletic dream has been somewhat easy when you think about it. Learn how to play the game, polish your skills and get better everyday so that one day you will catch the eye of a recruiter, visit a major college and have the head coach ask you to sign a letter of intent to play a sport in trade for a college education. I don’t know many kids who play Little League or pee wee basketball or football who haven’t at least thought they had a good shot when they hit a home run, made a couple of baskets or out...
Diamond action has continued through the summer as softball teams play at home and on the road. The women’s softball season ended on June 19 with a tournament at Odessa, which included two Ritzville teams. A newly formed men’s softball team shared the field in Ritzville with the women’s teams after playing every Friday since the end of April. The team includes members from Davenport, Lind and Ritzville. They will continue to play until the last week in July, then take a break until a round of co-ed softball begins the week...
Two new names emerged at the top of the winners’ list from the 24th Annual Combine Demolition Derby Extravaganza in early June. The men, who will share the crown until next year’s event, are first-time winners. Keith Pouley of Lind piloted his “Keystolope Resurrection” to a share of the 2011 title with Othello’s Nick Johnson who captained the combine dubbed “Back in Black." Both drivers shared the prize money, each taking home $1,100 for their efforts in the finals. The compet... Full story
Trojan Horse lives on in city plan To the editor, The city is considering whether or not to commit approximately a million dollars to provide water and sewer service to a proposed light industrial/tourist park, which was the subject of a report received by City Council at their meeting of June 21, 2011. The property slated for development is apparently located outside the city limits of Ritzville. The report proposes five types of small business for the proposed light industrial/tourist park: a flour mill, tortilla factory,... Full story
Everyone should examine hospital district’s proposed strategic plan To the editor, East Adams Rural Hospital (EARH) is at a crossroad, which can and will affect the citizens and taxpayers of Ritzville and surrounding areas for years to come. The EARH administration and board have a proposed five-year Strategic Plan up for adoption at a special July 14th board meeting. Among other items, this plan includes the possibility of building a new facility. I would encourage everyone within the EARH’s service area to obtain and car...
Public needs to let hospital commissioners know what they want To the editor, Now is the time for all individuals interested in the East Adams Rural Hospital long-range plan to make your wishes known. If you support the building of a new hospital contact your commissioners and let them know or e-mail the hospital or read their plan on the Journal website. If you do not support the building of a new hospital, it is even more important to contact your board members and let them know what you think. In these hard economic times...
Strategic plan lacks substance To the editor, The Board of the EARH, as announced at its last meeting, has posted on the district’s website a draft of its so-called “Strategic Plan.” Sad to say, it is a textbook example of the difference between decision-making and “management,” the supposed art taught in business schools, an “art” that thrives on gobbledygook like “mission statements” and “visions,” and is big on, yes, “Strategic Plans” that are all empty buzzwords and no substance. If that seems a harsh assessment, let’s l...
City’s industrial/tourist park is a bad idea To the editor, Twice during a city council open hearing regarding city sewer rate increases, I was told by a member of the city council that he did not know what the impact of an increase of $16 would have on the city citizens. He also replied both times “We need the money.” Now just a few months later we discover the city council intends to borrow $6.3 million to replace a well and replace some of the water delivery system. How these loans are to be repaid has not yet been expla...
To the residents of the City of Ritzville, I believe in the right of the people to own private property. It will be my job as mayor to protect and secure the rights of the people! I consider it the mayor’s responsibility to tour all the departments of the city and to keep apprised of every employee and their job. The city needs to learn how to live within its means; fiscal responsibility is key. The city needs to exercise better stewardship over its assets; maintenance of water, sewer and property is paramount. Don’t hes...
Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2’s board of commissioners unanimously voted to accept a draft version of a five-year strategic plan last Thursday. The commissioners have agreed to provide a short comment period for the public to review the plan and then submit comments, suggestions and critiques of the plan. Originally the commissioners planned a special meeting for July 7 to approve the final draft of the strategic plan. As a result of public comment Thursday, the special meeting was moved to July 14 to give the p...
Family, friends, Eagles members and community members gathered in downtown Ritzville the morning of June 25 to honor Klay McCrady through a statue dedication. McCrady was killed on Oct. 4, 2010, near Genesse, Idaho, when his truck overturned. The Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 2739 has spent several weeks on the project, from acquiring the eagle statue to installing it in front of the lodge on Washington Street. The morning ceremony was punctuated with a photo...
Adams County will hold a special filing period Aug. 8-10. The Primary Election will only include propositions from three park and recreation districts and a cemetery district. Adams County Park and Recreation District No. 2 (Washtucna), ACPRD No. 3 ( Lind) and ACPRD No. 4 (Ritzville) as well as Adams County Cemetery District No. 1 (Washtucna) will have propositions on the ballot....
Open burning within the Town of Lind limits and the boundaries of Adams County Fire Protection District No. 2 is closed as of June 30. No open fires for the burning of vegetation or other matter are permitted. Burning season will remain closed until the fall. Burn barrels are illegal in the town limits and the boundaries of ACFPD No. 2. Fire chief Don Klemmer reminds citizens that as the weather continues to get warmer and dry out the landscape to take extra care with barbecues, cigarettes and fireworks around the Fourth of...
Local musician Chelsey Heidenreich will launch a full month of tours beginning this Saturday, July 2, with a trip to Boise, Idaho. The rising musician released her first album last year, a highlight of a fast-paced performance schedule that kept her busy all summer. Heidenreich, who will begin her junior year at Ritzville High School this fall, is releasing her latest CD, “Too Many Things,” on July 10 in Ritzville. She worked with HitStreet Records and Abbey Road Studios on the album. “It was very cool working with Abbey Road...
A Fourth of July celebration will fill Bassett Park in Washtucna on Monday as the Washtucna-Benge-Hooper Lions Club has planned a community event beginning at 11 a.m. A Tri-Cities chapter of the Adrian Empire will present a medieval battle reenactment to jumpstart the day. The Adrian Empire is dedicated to the study and recreation of Western European culture between the years of 1066 and 1603. The flag raising ceremony and community potluck will follow at noon. The Lions club will provide beverages and area community members...
The Ritzville Foursquare Church is again selling fireworks in two locations in Ritzville. They will be set up to sell a large variety of fireworks in the area between Brew Happy and Perkins Family Restaurant and in the area between Starbucks and the Best Western Plus Bronco Inn. Sales began at the area near Perkins June 28, with regular hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Monday, July 4, or until the inventory is gone. At the location near Starbucks, sales will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 1, and continue until 9 p.m. on...
Volunteers of all ages spent Saturday several hours washing cars as a fundraiser for Glenn Martin, who was in a motorcycle versus deer accident on June 20. The effort raised about $560, and employees of Frank’s in downtown Washtucna donated their tips from the day to the effort as well. The accident happened at 8:27 a.m. about three miles east of Washtucna on Highway 26. Martin was on his way to work. Martin sustained injuries of six fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, broken t...
Two Washington State University research farms and a consultant are expected to receive grant money to explore ways to reduce agricultural burning and the resulting smoke. The money for the research into alternatives to agricultural burning comes from burn permit fees farmers pay as a part of receiving a burn permit. The Washington State Clean Air Act established the Agricultural Burning Practices and Research Task Force to work on reducing air pollution emissions from agricultural burning. The Washington Department of...
The Ritzville Water Park will have its first session of swim lessons from July 11-22. Levels 1 and 5 are from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Levels 2 and 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Level 3 from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The cost of lessons is $25. Sign up at the pool or call 659-1003 for more information. The pool will be closed during lessons and will reopen from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m....
Despite the appearance of green pastures, cheat grass that grew prolifically earlier this spring is providing plenty of fuel for fires. Adams County Fire Protection District No. 2 (Lind) crews responded to three fires last week, including a nine-hour range fire that was fueled by cheat grass. Firefighters responded to the area of Howard Road and Lind-Warden Road, which is about five miles out of Warden, around 12 p.m. last Friday to a fire started by a downed power line. Cheat grass provided enough fuel for the fire to burn... Full story
You may have noticed increased media attention to pertussis (whooping cough) this past year. There has been a recent push to educate the public on this disease since infection rates have been on the rise. Last year there were 44 reported cases in Washington in infants alone, several of those in Adams County. Pertussis can be well controlled by routine vaccinations, which have reduced the national infection rate by 98 percent since introduced in the 1940s. Historically the United States has outbreaks every 2-5 years and...