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Articles from the August 8, 2019 edition


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  • Washington House to have new Speaker for first time in 20 years

    Brandon Cline, Managing Editor|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Jinkins will be the first woman and open lesbian to serve as speaker of the House in the state. She was first elected as a state representative in 2010. “I first ran for public office because I wanted to make sure all families have the same opportunities for success,” said Jinkins in a press release on July 31. “Washington continues to rank among the top states to live, work, and do business in large part due to the forward-thinking policies adopted by the Legislature over the last twenty years.” Jinkins is a native Midwest...

  • Land Transfers: Aug. 8, 2019

    Updated Aug 8, 2019

    July 25 — Judith and Vernon Schafer, Washtucna, to Michelle Meade; Tax No. 731 in tract 12, acreage tracts—described as follows: Starting at the intersection of Main Street and Cooper Street to the Town of Washtucna, thence following the center of Cooper Street a distance of 370’ to a point on the original survey of the Bassett Tract to the Town of Washtucna; thence N36°26’E a distance of 16.64’ to the TPOB of this description; thence N55°38’W a distance of 286.80’; thence N28°39’30”W a distance of 34.53’; thence N79°33’30”W...

  • EARH to provide sports physicals in Ritzville, Sprague

    Jeremy Burnham, Reporter|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Athletics Director Gregg Whitmore is reaching out to his Bronco and Bulldog athletes about sports physicals for the upcoming school year. All school athletes are required to undergo physicals to participate. The physical is valid for 13 months. The East Adams Rural Healthcare hospital in Ritzville will be providing such physicals for $25. Parents can call 509-659-1200 to set up appointments. The East Adams Rural Healthcare will also be providing physicals in Sprague on Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at...

  • Preparing for the future

    Dale Anderson, Sports Columnist|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    There is a training program going on at the high school gym, weight room and track this summer that will hopefully benefit the sports programs for the coming season and years to come. PTAP is a six week, three days a week training program led by BK, a professional trainer who has trained professional athletes as well as Olympic athletes. But the 30 plus athletes that have decided to invest in their overall improvement here has really excited BK. He appreciates how hard these k...

  • Big Bend Co-op's Caring Neighbors makes $2,000 donation to Ritzville Public Library

    Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Caring Neighbors recently donated $2,000 to the Ritzville Public Library, and over $10,000 in all to area organizations, according to a press release. Other organizations that received a donation from Caring Neighbors-which is a non-profit entity that was established by Big Bend Electric Cooperative-include the Adams County Sheriff's Office, the Benge School District, the Washtucna School District and the Washtucna Historical Museum & Community Center. Funds donated by Caring...

  • Column: Washington must be careful not to follow Sweden's haste

    Don C. Brunell, Business Commentator|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Sweden and Washington State are very similar. Both have strong “green” movements and are quickly moving to eliminate all carbon-emitting fuels from cars and power plants. The caution for Washington elected officials is not to jam through hastily mandate programs which have significant unintended consequences such as has happened recently in Sweden. Washington and Sweden are aggressively working to put more electric vehicles on the road. Transportation is Washington Sta...

  • Column: Making the tough decisions in Congress

    Rep. Dan Newhouse, Fourth District|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Congress is responsible for funding our country, and we have some difficult decisions to make. I came to Washington D.C. to advocate for the priorities of my constituents, and I have heard loud and clear that the people of Central Washington want to ensure we aren’t further saddling our future generations with crippling debt. The Budget Control Act (BCA) set spending caps for Congress to abide by. Under this law, if the spending caps are exceeded, a government-wide sequester of both mandatory and discretionary funding would o...

  • School boards approve new budget

    Jeremy Burnham, Reporter|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    A budget was approved, milk and bread contracts were signed and tours were planned during the July Lind-Ritzville Schools board meeting Sept. 29. The Lind and Ritzville school boards gathered inside the Lind-Ritzville Middle School for the second summer meeting of the year. The board members cruised through the agenda as the meeting lasted only 45 minutes. The 2019-20 budgets were unanimously passed by both school boards. Discussion on the budgets had been held in a past meeting. According to budget documents, the school...

  • Hundreds of laws passed by Legislature go into effect

    Brandon Cline, Managing Editor|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    More than 400 bills passed by the Washington State Legislature during the 2019 legislative session went into effect and became law on July 28. Although the bills were passed by the legislature and then signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee several months ago, a provision in the Washington State Constitution states that bills must wait 90 days after the end of the year's legislative session to become law, unless the bill is an emergency or on a special schedule. In all, some 500...

  • Brief: EARH to host meet and greet with new healthcare staff

    Brandon Cline, Managing Editor|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    East Adams Rural Healthcare will be hosting a meet and greet next week to introduce the new additions to its healthcare team. The meet and greet will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 5-7 p.m. outside the EARH building by the gabezo. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet four of the new recent additions to the hospital district: CEO Corey Fedie; Dr. Anthony Anderson; Julietta Shapiro, PA-C; and Julie Trofibio, ARNP. Appetizers, cookies and punch will be provided at the meet and greet....

  • Brief: LRS recognized for transportation safety

    Jeremy Burnham, Reporter|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    The Washington State Patrol’s recent inspection of the Lind-Ritzville Schools’ buses went so well that the state superintendent took notice. Chris Reykdal, the state of Washington’s superintendent of public education, and John Batiste, chief of the Washington State Patrol, sent LRS Superintendent Don Vanderholm a letter of commendation for two straight years of “outstanding results.” “We congratulate you, your administration, and the staff of your transportation cooperative for these outstanding school bus inspection...

  • Teacher Profile Series: Lind-Ritzville Middle School math teacher Christina Heater

    Jeremy Burnham, Reporter|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    When the Lind-Ritzville High School closed for construction, it affected more people than just the students and teachers at the high school. It affected everyone at all the schools in the co-op, including Lind-Ritzville Middle School teacher Christina Heater. With LRHS closed, the high school moved for one year to the LRMS building in Lind. This meant there was less space for middle school classes, so the co-op had to get creative. Which meant Heater took some kids back to...

  • Ritzville dustless blasting company emphasizes customer convenience, eco-friendly process

    Brandon Cline, Managing Editor|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Joel Curran moved to Ritzville several years ago for a couple of reasons. One of them was that he simply enjoys living in small communities like Ritzville-and the low housing cost that comes with it. The other? Location, location, location. About a year ago, Curran founded Eco Surface Prep, which provides a mobile dustless blasting service that allows Curran to go to his customers in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, rather than his customers coming to him. "Located in...

  • New electric chargers coming to Ritzville

    Jeremy Burnham, Reporter|Updated Aug 8, 2019

    Looking for a fast place to charge your electric vehicle in Ritzville? Soon, you'll be able to do it in the parking lot of Cow Creek Mercantile by I-90. Earlier this year, Cow Creek Mercantile owner Scott Fitch was contacted by a company called Electrify America, which is based in Virginia. Electrify America is installing charge stations across the county and is now building four "Fast DC" charging stations and a power building on Cow Creek's parking lot, according to...