Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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RITZVILLE - The article "Pool levy to be voted on in general election" listed 2019 expenditures incorrectly. Advertising for the year was $12, Insurance and Bonding was $15,602 and Utilities (city and Avista) were $16,679 ($16,678.93). The Journal regrets this error and apologizes to voters....
RITZVILLE - Athletic Director Greg Whitmore announced Oct. 6, athletic camps will begin next week, after the WIAA opened up the coaching window from now through the end of November for coaches to conduct some summer-like camp activities for high school and middle school athletes. "Starting Monday, we are fortunate and excited to be allowed to do some of these activities like we did in July," Whitmore said, adding there were still lots of details to work out and he is meeting...
SPRAGUE - A tractor-trailer carrying a load of Gatorade was involved in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 90 about a mile southwest of Sprague before 7:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28. The Washington State Patrol has yet to release specific crash details. However, the tractor-trailer and vehicle collided on the eastbound lane, with one vehicle striking a guardrail. The truck went off the roadway and overturned, spilling it's palleted load of Gatorade bottles. At 5 p.m. Monday...
OLYMPIA — Despite the economic downtown due to coronavirus quarantine orders, the state's minimum wage is set to increase again Jan. 1. The state Department of Labor and Industries announced last week that the minimum wage will jump 19 cents, from $13.50 per our to $13.69. In addition to the standard minimum wage, the state will allow a training wage to be paid to young workers. The minimum training wage for workers ages 14-15 will be $11.64 per hour beginning Jan. 1. That's an increase of 16 cents per hour from the c...
SEATTLE — An online debate between Governor Jay Inslee and challenger Loren Culp is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 8 - 9 p.m, immediately following the vice presidential debate The Washington Gubernatorial Debate, hosted by TVW - Washington Public Affairs Network and Seattle CityClub, will be moderated by Chris Daniels (KING 5), Brandi Kruse (Q13 News), Essex Porter (KIRO 7) and Melissa Santos (KCTS 9/Crosscut). Prior to the debate, Culp will be speaking in Spokane Oct. 3 (12312 N. Division St., 6:30 p.m.), and at t...
RITZVILLE - The Lind School District and Ritzville School District Boards of Directors will be holding a special meeting Monday evening, Oct. 5, to re-evaluate and amend the District's reopening plan. The meeting, which takes place via Zoom, will begin at 8 p.m. and is expected to last approximately one hour. The Zoom link to the meeting will be posted on the Lind-Ritzville School District website before the meeting begins....
RITZVILLE - Free, locally grown potatoes are currently available at Napa Auto Parts from the Hutterite Colony's Schoonover Farm. Bob Drew said farmers there are very good friends of his, and they let him bring his truck to load up with potatoes to give away. "They're pretty friendly. They let me just drive up to the potato harvester, and they load my truck up," Drew said. "It's just something we do every year, give people some spuds. They're pretty tasty." Napa Auto Parts,...
OLYMPIA – Visitors to Washington State Parks can enjoy a free day, where a Discover Pass is not required, Saturday, Oct. 10. This free day is in recognition of World Mental Health Day, and is the 10th of 12 State Park free days in 2020. “Washington State Parks chose World Mental Health Day to acknowledge the deepening mental health crisis across the northwest, nation and world, which has been exacerbated by a global pandemic, civil unrest and, most recently, wildfires,” state officials said. Washington state belongs to a nat...
We often hear of famous people who have passed away, but if we weren’t around when they were famous, those names really don’t mean much. We all know who LeBron James, Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Russell Wilson and Tom Brady are, and why they are talked about as having greatness. We are barraged with highlights from ESPN, FOX Sports, MLB, NFL and NBA networks. People much younger than me have gaming devices that highlight these athletes and their talent. But will you, as an in...
Adams County Sheriff’s Report September 19 Alcohol Offense - 2000 block West Bench Road Othello Complainant advised of an older male subject lying on the ground at the location, possibly intoxicated. Deputies located several juveniles who had been drinking. All juveniles were released to their parents. One juvenile was transported to Othello Community Hospital via ambulance for possible alcohol poisoning. Vehicle Prowl - 2200 block West Shelly Road Othello Dispatch advised of a theft call at the location. Deputies contacted t...
RITZVILLE – Enrollment numbers for area schools remained fairly consistent compared to last year for most schools, although a couple of schools saw an increase or decrease in the number of students attending. Washtucna School District started out the school year with six more students than last year. They had 61 students enrolled at the beginning of the year, compared to 55 last year. The opposite was true for Lind Ritzville School District, with 322 students enrolled in K-12 this year, a reduction of 34 students over last y...
RITZVILLE – Restoration work on historic buildings downtown continued last week, with the rental of a lift shared by Brenda Owens, John Rankin and Tracy Tremain of Tremaine Builders. Rankin, owner of Flying Arts Ranch, Inc. and manager of The Ritz theatre did some touch-up painting at The Ritz before moving on to Gritman building. Rankin said he was doing window restoration work at the Gritman building and a little bit of cosmetic painting. "If I have time tomorrow, I'll do a...
RITZVILLE – Two students were selected as student representatives to present information on current high school activities to school board members at their monthly meetings. High school principal Kevin Terris reported that since student representatives were usually elected in the spring, this year staff and administration chose students who had been involved in leadership positions in the past. Senior student representative Jordyn Fode reported at the Sept. 23 board meeting she thought orientation week “went pretty wel...
ADAMS COUNTY – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, training for gardeners in the Grant-Adams Counties service areas has come to a standstill. The WSU Grant-Adams Master Gardeners have not offered workshops or classes for adults and youth, and plant clinics have not been going on at farmers markets or other venues. And, the annual gardening symposium which has been gaining in popularity since it began 5 years ago, had to be cancelled. These functions have become impossible because of the logistics of physical distancing, social e...
First the good news. Unlike during the great recession, state revenue is still increasing overall during the COVID pandemic. According to the September revenue forecast: “Forecasted Near GF-S revenue for the 2019-21 biennium is now $50.022 billion, 8.6% higher than 2017-19 biennial revenue, and forecasted Near GF-S revenue for the 2021-23 biennium is $53.737 billion, an increase of 7.4% over expected 2019-21 biennial revenue.” The bad news of course, this revenue growth is...
We’re only about three weeks until our ballots arrive in the mail for the Nov. 3 all-mail-in election. So far, the focus has been on the presidential race between Republican President Trump and Democrat challenger former vice president Joe Biden. Here, much of the focus has also been on the gubernatorial race between incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat from Bainbridge Island, and Eastern Washington’s own Republican challenger Loren Culp, who leads the Republic Police Dep...
Gilbert was known as the guy with the twinkling eyes and merry laugh that let everyone know he was near. He was born to Eugene and Clarabell (Macklin) Goodwater in Sprague, Washington on February 24, 1926. Gil died September 17, 2020 at the age of 94, one week after his 65th wedding anniversary. He attended school in Sprague until his senior year when he transferred to North Central High School in Spokane, and worked in a local radio repair shop. Gilbert started farming the...
Emma Lou Lee, 78, of Sprague, WA, died May 2, 2020. She was born on July 27, 1941, to Bill and Otie Monroe in Wegee Creek, OH She married Jack Lee in 1985. Emma was the loving mother of two sons, two daughters, and two stepsons. She had two grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and several great- grandchildren. Emma attended Arizona State, became a nurse and treasured the 35 years she spent in nursing. Emma loved Jesus and was always happy to take any opportunity she had to share His love with others. She was a faithful...
Roger Dale Smith age 71 my best friend and spouse went peacefully to be with our Lord and Savior on September 11, 2020 at 12:10pm. He died at home surrounded by his loved ones. He fought a nine-year battle with COPD that robbed him of more and more of his independence as the disease progressed. God saw that he was tired and lovingly called him home. Roger was born January 27, 1949 in Ritzville, WA to Marciel and Chester Smith. He was raised on the family wheat farm and...
SPOKANE – A banking company with 24 locations in Eastern Washington and North Idaho may be expanding even further. STCU is seeing approval to acquire four new Umpqua Bank locations, including the banks in Medical Lake and Ritzville. “(We) were looking for opportunities, and this presented itself,” STCU strategic communications manager Dan Hansen said. The other Umpqua branches STCU is seeking to acquire are located in Othello and Coulee City. The Ritzville and Othello locat...
SPRAGUE – Sprague School District Superintendent Stefani has worked countless hours in preparing our two schools for the technological challenges that presented themselves with remote teaching and learning. She was a valued member of our school reopening committee this summer. She spent several long days preparing Chromebooks for each student K-12. She also put together a large assortment of recorded Professional Development trainings on various aspects of Google Classroom f...
RITZVILLE – Generous donations from the community for wildfire victims filled a U-Haul truck over the past week, headed for Whitman County. Diane Kennedy, owner of the Caddy Shack restaurant located at the city golf course, rented the truck for the week. She said donations would be sent to United Way in Whitman County. Kennedy said Monday, Sept. 28, the truck was in storage while she waited word from United Way to bring it in. "It's parked at Pete's Garage right now. They g...
WASHTUCNA – A 17-year-old boy who has been missing from Washtucna for almost a year and a half was featured on "Live Rescue: Missing," a television program on the A&E channel Saturday, Sept. 26. John Riser was last seen by family and friends May 16, 2019. Angeline Hartmann from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported on the case to Matt Iseman, host of the "Live Rescue" program. Hartmann said Riser disappeared while on a road trip to California, a...
RITZVILLE – Two area organizations benefited from generous gifts of groceries by local Thrivent Financial members and their Action Teams last week. Ritzville residents and sisters Vonnie Messerschmidt and Cora Sawyer each purchased $250 worth of groceries to give to favorite organizations. Sawyer chose to donate her groceries to the Ritzville Food Pantry. "They are an awesome organization that feeds the town of Ritzville. And after COVID-19, I knew there were a lot of p...