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Articles from the September 8, 2011 edition


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  • New activities highlight annual health fair

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Downtown Ritzville is the site for the annual health fair this Saturday, Sept. 10. Hosted by the Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 and sponsored by East Adams County Healthcare Foundation, Premera, Aging & Adult Care of Central Washington and Coast to Coast Healthcare Services, the day features vendors and activities that will fill Pioneer Plaza and Railroad Avenue from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants to date include Adams County Health Department, Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 volunteer ambulance...

  • AAUW to host book sale Saturday

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The Ritzville branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will hold its annual September book sale this Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Washington Street across from the post office building. Books available this year include novels by popular authors, history and autobiographies, plus many children and young adult books. New books and gently used books are sold for $1 each. A bag of books sells for $5....

  • Meeting set to discuss gallery’s future

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The Ritzville Art Gallery is hosting a meeting tonight (Thursday), Sept. 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the gallery to discuss coming events. The gallery is a function of the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce and is located at 109 West Main Avenue....

  • Pancake breakfast returns to Ritzville senior center

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The H.E. Gritman Senior Center pancake breakfast returns to the monthly schedule this Friday morning, Sept. 9, beginning at 7:30 a.m. in downtown Ritzville. Pancakes, a choice of ham or sausage and coffee are on the menu. Serving continues until noon. The pancake breakfast serves as a fundraiser for the senior center and is held the second Friday of every month except during the summer. For more information, contact the senior center at 659-1921....

  • Lady Broncos prep for Bronco Invite

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Five volleyball teams will pay Ritzville a visit Saturday when the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Lady Broncos host their annual volleyball invitational at the Gilson Gymnasium beginning at 9 a.m. The gym will be divided in half to allow varsity and junior varsity squads to play at the same time. The schedule for the varsity is: • 9 a.m. Lind-Ritzville/Sprague (LRS) versus Odessa-Harrington; 10 a.m. Liberty versus St. George’s; 11 a.m. Reardan versus Northport; 12 p.m. Odessa-Harrington versus Reardan; 1 p.m. LRS versus Liberty; 2 p...

  • Busy weekend for city’s ambassadors

    Crystal Brooks|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Ritzville Distinguished Young Woman finalist On Saturday, Sept. 3, Ritzville hosted the annual parade. The Distinguished Young Women were happy about the good turnout of floats and royalty this year. They made gift baskets with donations from local businesses for them, which were greatly appreciated. The girls and festival association ran hospitality for the people participating in the parade before and the annual gun club barbecue served the visiting royalty and community after the parade. Some of the visiting girls enjoyed...

  • Fagan to host telephone town hall Tuesday

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    With the updated state revenue forecast slated to be announced Thursday, Sept. 15, Rep. Susan Fagan will host a 9th District telephone town hall meeting Tuesday, Sept. 13, to listen to constituent perspectives and answer questions. The call will begin promptly at 6:25 p.m. and last one hour. Constituents can participate by dialing 1-877-229-8493 and, when prompted, entering PIN number 15605. Once on the line, callers will be able to ask a question by pressing star 3 (*3) on their telephone keypads. Staff will assist callers w...

  • Library supporters to host cowboy entertainment event

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    An evening of western life in story and song is on tap next Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Ritzville Public Library during a free evening event from 7 to 10 p.m. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, “Lasso Our Heritage” will feature Bruce and Susan Matley, also known as Nevada Slim and Cimarron Sue, for an evening of song, poetry and story that relates expressions of the work ethic, hardships and joys of frontier life. The Matleys are veteran performers during the His...

  • Ritzville Cub Scouts signup next week

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    A signup night for Cub Scouts in the Ritzville area is next Thursday, Sept. 15, beginning at 6 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on Broadway Avenue. The evening will also serve as the first pack meeting of the year. Pack leaders hope to meet with all parents of existing scouts and new scouts immediately following the pack meeting....

  • Business support tops chamber agenda

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce noon luncheon is slated for next Thursday, Sept. 15, beginning at 12 p.m. at Casuela’s Grill in downtown Ritzville. The featured speaker is Kasandra Watson from Employment Security Department and Work Source, in Grant and Adams County. Watson will discuss how she might best serve Ritzville and specifically its businesses. Late this month, U.S. Bank will host Business After Hours, an event sponsored by the chamber. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 27. All chamber meetings are o...

  • Lind community sets service in memory of 9/11

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    This Monday, a celebration of nation and community is planned at the Lind Senior Center in memory of Sept. 11, 2001, when al-Qaeda terrorists coordinated and executed four suicide attacks on American soil. The evening will begin at 7 p.m. and will include a candlelight service, refreshments provided by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, catering by Cathy Jo’s Catering and the musical expertise of Janet Sackmann. Programs for the evening will be provided by Good Hope Lutheran Church. According to event coordinator Pastor M...

  • Progressive Club hosts candidates

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Hospital district commissioners and candidates have been invited to the Washtucna Progressive Club meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. The meeting is held at the Rimrock Grange Hall and is open to the public....

  • WSP launches in-car driver license photo retrieval through grant

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    A common practice for a criminal when asked by the police for their name is to use a false one. But, it just got easier for police to confirm a suspect’s real identity. Previously, police officers had to rely on text descriptions of physical characteristics to make a positive identification. New computer capabilities now give police throughout Washington the ability to retrieve driver license photos. Police can use their in-car computer to quickly and efficiently confirm the identity of the people they contact. “This is abo...

  • Spokane Ag Expo photo contest to feature area shooters

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Spokane Ag Expo, celebrating its 35th year, will again feature its popular photography contest celebrating agriculture at the 2012 show. Photographers are asked to submit entries depicting “Agriculture in the Inland Northwest” by Nov. 30, 2011. Photographs will be displayed at Spokane Ag Expo 2012, which is held in the Spokane Convention Center Complex in the exhibit halls. Dates of the show are Feb. 7-9, 2012. “The photography contest has become one of the more popular events at the show and continues to grow,” said show ma...

  • State auditor issues clean audit for Adams County

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Adams County successfully completed an independent audit conducted by the Washington State Auditor’s Office. The audit included a financial statement audit and federal grant compliance audit. Results of the audit were shared with elected officials and the Adams County Commissioners on Sept. 6 during the exit conference. Leading the exit interview were audit manager Kent Zirker and audit lead Brian Giles, who handled the on-site process. According to exit conference information distributed by the team, the audit revealed no d...

  • Dedication planned for Washtucna farm displays

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The farm display at the intersection of Main Street and Highway 26 in Washtucna is taking shape with the recent installation of a fence where a combine, jail and other farm items are in place. This portion was completed by a roster of volunteers including Ken, Michelle, Clifford and James Plumb, Jay Lasen, Wendy Edwards, Kim Schafer, Byron and Levi Allen, Fred and Arthur Blauert, Lloyd Stoess, Mike Ebert, Chance Parke, Joe Chimiente, Justin Camp, Nick Johnston, Wayne Johnston, Tooter Hays, Ron Johnston and Grant...

  • September meeting likely for hospital district strategic plan review

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The strategic planning process for Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 is nearly complete, according to a report presented at the Aug. 25 board meeting. Hospital district board chairman Kirk Danekas said a committee was charged with reviewing and possibly integrating public input submitted during a comment period. The committee met three times in August. “They have taken the strategic plan a part and reassembled it, and that will be presented to the board in the near future,” Danekas said. He added that a special boa...

  • Washtucna's mural project features Ford artist

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Part of a beautification project is completed in downtown Washtucna through the efforts of a local organization and numerous donations. The Washtucna Classic Auto Show launched a project in July to help beautify the town. Using funds from the car show garnered from a roster of volunteers and business sponsors, the south side of the old drug store across from the town’s farm display at the intersection of Main Street and Spring Avenue was pressure washed and painted in primer....

  • Preston says - funded depreciation serves as hospital district's savings account, not secret fund

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Hospital district commissioner Joyce Preston offered information about a fund that has been misinterpreted by some residents during the regular board meeting on Aug. 25. She explained that she had met with Adams County Treasurer Laura Danekas, who provided background information as well as explained various accounting procedures and industry acronyms in regard to the district’s funded depreciation. “I did research because we’ve had so much disinformation and questions about our ‘secret fund’ that we don’t have. I spent a cou...

  • Fire ravages neighborhood, leaves family homeless

    Stephen McFadden|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Two homes were destroyed Saturday when a fire, that appears to have started away from the structures, went on a rampage. The afternoon blaze left one family homeless. Fire Chief Andy Lefevre says Ritzville Fire Department was first called to the 700 block of West Main Avenue at 1:49 p.m. When they arrived the hill behind the homes was on fire and two structures were involved. One building was a vacant home next to the New Hope Center Church. The other was owned by Josie...

  • Bomb threat came from Jamaica

    Stephen McFadden|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    An unknown caller from Kingston, Jamaica, turned Ritzville’s busy freeway business district on its ear Monday when the caller threatened to blow up the Ritzville Starbucks store. Police Chief David McCormick said Starbucks Manager Eva Ross took a phone call about 10:48 a.m. on Labor Day. The caller first asked if this was Ritzville. They then wanted to know if it was Ritzville, Wash. When Ross answered in the affirmative, they told her, “There’s a bomb in the building and e...

  • New head coach to lead Lady Tigercats

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Sarah Mayer is a Whitman County graduate who has chosen to remain in the area as an educator in the Washtucna School District. This year, she’s joined the ranks of athletic mentors as she prepares the LaCrosse-Washtucna Lady Tigercats’ volleyball team for the upcoming season. Armed with her own experience as a four-year high school volleyball athlete at Tekoa-Oakesdale that included three state tournaments, she has spent the past few weeks working with 12 young athletes as well as learning the ropes as head coach. The rol...

  • Broncos hustle in jamboree

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    The Broncos delivered some positive surprises on the gridiron Friday when they hosted three teams for a jamboree to mark the start of the high school football season for the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague’s boys of fall. Head coach Greg Whitmore saw plenty of promise from his team and was visibly pleased by the effort. “It was one of our best jamborees,” he said. “I came out of it feeling better than planned. The kids more than met expectations on both offense and defense. I’m pleased...

  • Hog sale raises $8,500 in memory of Dorothy Schoesler

    Jennifer Larsen|Updated Sep 8, 2011

    A 267-pound hog was the highlight of the annual Junior Livestock Sale held last weekend during the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair. With the sixth hog in the sale arena, Kierstin Witt’s parade around the arena was extended after initially purchased by Schoesler Farms for $2.50 per pound and turned for sale again. Butch Booker of the Booker Auction Company then launched a fundraising auction in memory of Dorothy Schoesler, longtime auction and livestock supporter. Gary and Ronna Galbreath purchased the hog for $500 and tur...

  • Help kids go to school with shoe drive

    Updated Sep 8, 2011

    Every once in a while we come across something that moves us. And sometimes it is when we least expect it. I was given some information about a wine company in California (which normally I wouldn’t read but since my friends made it a point to include it with a gift, I did.). I read the information provided to me and this Flip Flop Wines talked about a cause they work for. I was instantly moved after reading the information that was provided to me. I instantly knew that I needed to help somehow even if it is on a small scale....

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