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Articles from the November 18, 2020 edition


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  • WIAA delays start of winter sports

    Drew Lawson, The Times|Updated Nov 22, 2020

    RENTON-The pandemic has struck another blow to local athletics. The WIAA voted to delay the start of winter sports to Feb. 1, 2021 and shorten each sports season to seven weeks apiece at its Nov. 17 meeting. Practices for winter sports season, the most prominent of which are basketball and wrestling, were originally scheduled to begin Dec. 28, with competitions coming shortly after. However, a surge of positive COVID-19 cases across the state caused the WIAA to create another...

  • CARES Act-funded grants sent out to small businesses

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 20, 2020

    RITZVILLE – The Lions Club received a check for $10,000 from Adams County Development Council Nov. 10, one of several county businesses that qualified for grants from the Adams County Commissioners' CARES Act funds, according to Adams County Development Council Manager Janis Rountree. Warren Kragt, a 30-year member of the Lions Club, said the money would be used to help offset the lack of funds traditionally coming in from event rental of the American Legion Post in Ritzville....

  • Double or nothing? Try 5:1

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 20, 2020

    RALSTON – Community members have until Dec. 31 to take advantage of Innovia Foundation’s generous offer to match scholarship donations five to one. If community members contribute at least $1,000 to the Ray Scholarship Fund by the end of the year, Innovia Foundation will contribute an additional $5,000. The Ray Scholarship Fund has been distributing scholarships to students at Lind-Ritzville, Washtucna and LaCrosse High Schools for the past two decades, as well as to stu...

  • Greet the holidays in style

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 20, 2020

    RITZVILLE – Lisa Killian is turning a fun hobby helping others get ready for the holidays, family dinners, receptions and other events into a new business venture. "What I really love to do is have someone say to me, 'I want to decorate for Christmas, and this is my budget; or, I want to have this family birthday party, this is my budget – just come in and do it," Killian said. "And if they needed to use my things, they could just rent my stuff and I would come in and set it...

  • Ritzville takes hit for large wedding

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    GRANT COUNTY — A COVID-19 "spreader event" attributed to Ritzville by news media sources did not involve Ritzville residents, according to Adams County Health Department spokesperson Karen Potts. Ritzville became national news when Grant County Health District Administrator Theresa Adkinson issued a press release headlined "Ritzville Wedding Attendees Asked to Quarnatine and Test for COVID-19." News sources were soon claiming over 300 people who "attended a Ritzville wedding" may have been exposed to the virus. "We are not a...

  • School sports shut down again

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    RITZVILLE – Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Athletic Director Greg Whitmore announced Sunday, Nov. 14, basketball and wrestling camps will be postponed until further notice and the weight room closed. “It was in response to the governor’s mandate, even though it doesn’t start until Wednesday,” Whitmore said Monday, Nov. 15. “We just decided it’s best. We’re bringing in athletes from different counties, different towns and different circumstances. Our focus needs to be, right now, on moving our new education model forward, which...

  • Clay shoot canceled in wake of shutdown

    Roger Harnack, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    ST. JOHN – Rock Lake Sporting Clays has canceled its fund-raising shoot for this Saturday, Nov. 21. Gary Newton, owner of the Rock Lake Sporting Clays on Stevens Road, confirmed the cancelation Monday. “Due to the governor’s order to shut down, we care canceling” he said. “We were almost booked up.” Newton said the event will be rescheduled after the governor’s shutdown order is lifted. “Due to the governors shutdown, we’re only allowed to have five people at one time,” he...

  • WSU falls in home-opener

    Roger Harnack, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    No. 11 Oregon topped Washington State University, 43-29, in the Cougars' home-opener in Martin Stadium in Pullman on Saturday, Nov. 14. The Ducks got on the board first when Oregon tight end D.J. Johnson dove across the goal line, just inside the marker, as Washington State defensive back Tyrese Ross tried to prevent the score. Oregon remains undefeated at 2-0, while WSU drops to 1-1 on the season. The Cougars next travel to Stanford to play on Saturday. Kickoff is 8...

  • Can you hear me now?

    Dale Anderson, Contributor|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    Every so often I get a message from someone that likes my column, or thought I missed the point about a certain subject. When I get these I think, “Well at least they are reading it.” Last Thursday I had a message on the answering machine from a long time Cougar fan. We’ll call him ‘Cougar Mike’. Anyway, Cougar Mike said that he had read my column but the thing he was asking me about wasn’t about the football team, but why when there aren’t any fans in the stands do the...

  • Negative impact of high mimimum wage

    Mark Harmsworth|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    Washington has one of the highest minimum wage levels in the U.S. For workers who have a job this sounds like a great deal, but as with all things the government mandates, there are some serious, negative consequences, primarily on young and entry level workers who are forced into joblessness. Nowhere is the harm imposed by a high minimum wage demonstrated more clearly than in Seattle, where the city council has aggressively increased the minimum wage over the last few years....

  • Adams County Land Transfers

    Updated Nov 19, 2020

    OCTOBER 23 cont’d Linda B. Snyder, an unmarried person, Kennewick, to Javier Melendez, a married man as his separate estate, Othello – 1355 E. Elm Street, Othello. $315,000. Yadira Melendez, a married woman whose husband is Javier Melendez, Othello, to Javier Melendez, a married man as his separate estate, Othello – 1355 East Elm Street, Othello. Quit claim deed. $0 OCTOBER 26 Roberto F. Gonzalez, Othello, to Adan Flores, Othello – 1968 mobile home at 815 South Taylor Road No. E28, $5,000. OCTOBER 27 Pedro Alfonso Lima El...

  • Adams County Sheriff's Office Report

    Updated Nov 19, 2020

    November 6 Suspicious 911 - 700 block South Lucy Road Othello Suspicious 911 call hang-up at the location. The subject advised deputies the call was from the business line and was an accidental dial. Domestic - 100 block South Church Street Washtucna Complainant reported a subject in the residence hit her and threatened her with a knife. Deputies transported the subject to the hospital for a mental health evaluation due to self-harm. Agency Assist - West McManamon Road and South Solbeck Road Othello Request for medical...

  • Leonard Eugene Reser

    Updated Nov 19, 2020

    Leonard Eugene Reser, longtime Newport, WA resident passed away October 25, 2020. Leonard was born September 30, 1941 to Gene and Fern Reser. He was raised in eastern Washington and graduated from Ritzville High School class of 1959.He was fascinated with science and was always reading and looking for new things to try. With a farming background, there weren’t many things he couldn’t fix or “MacGyver”. Leonard lived a full life his way. He made a lot of friends and helped...

  • Philip E. Doyl

    Updated Nov 19, 2020

    Philip E. Doyl passed away October 30, 2020 at his home in Battle Ground, Washington. Philip was born July 15, 1942 in Lind Washington, to Wayne and Dorothy Doyl. He had two sisters Diane and Kathy. He was raised to be a proud farmer and spent many years farming on the family homestead. He was a veteran who proudly served in the US Navy and Air National Guard for a combined total of 27 years. He is survived by his four children; Kurt, Wayne, Jon, and Christi. After a long...

  • Lind passes tax levy, increased utility rates

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    LIND – City council passed a new tax levy for 2021 at their Nov. 10 meeting, following a public hearing in which no one was in attendance. Councilperson Rose Elkington motioned to submit for the maximum levy, in the amount of $74,727. Councilperson Myra Horton seconded, and the motion carried. Also discussed in the public hearing was a proposed budget, which Mayor Paula Bell said still needs a lot of work, and she requested council members to assist in making some of the budget decisions. Council members passed a motion i...

  • Political Cartoon

    Updated Nov 19, 2020

  • Diversity in America's military branches

    Don C. Brunell, Contributor|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    Diversity in the ranks has been the lifeline of our all-volunteer military, but it wasn’t always that way. As we celebrate Veterans Day, we ought to be thankful for all of the men and women from a variety of ethnic backgrounds who put their lives in harm’s way to protect our freedoms and make safe our way of life. When my father was inducted into the U.S. Army during World War II, our military was segregated. That lasted until 1948 when President Harry Truman signed Executive...

  • From the Files

    Updated Nov 19, 2020

    1 years ago The Ritzville Journal-Times Nov. 18, 1920 OBSERVE ARMISTICE DAY IN RITZVILLE Armistice Day last Thursday was suitably observed here, despite the fact that it was rendered disagreeable outside by a strong windstorm. Following a program at the M.E. church that was very much enjoyed, the Legion fellows played the high school a game of football at the fairgrounds. The score was 33 to 0 in favor of the big boys. The German chasers put it all over their junior...

  • Almost half of city's CARES Act funds spent in October

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    RITZVILLE – The city has spent $34,275 of CARES Act funds as of the end of October, with a remaining balance of $40,425 from the $74,7000 grant. Eligible expenses the city has applied for reimbursement of include Public Health expenses. Under the category of communication and enforcement of public health measures, the city spent $243 on information posters for the city park and golf course, and a police department mask information card. Medical and protective supplies i...

  • Car theft shut down by witness

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    OTHELLO – Adams County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two car thieves after witnesses called in to report suspicious circumstances. The sheriff’s office received an in-progress stolen vehicle report from dispatch Thursday morning, Nov. 12, around 9:30 a.m. after a witness reported seeing a male and female fleeing from a vehicle on foot in the area of South Booker Road and West Foley Road. Deputies arrived on scene and contacted the subjects attempting to flee the area. Adams...

  • City talks about raising property tax

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    RITZVILLE – City council held a public forum at their Nov. 3 meeting to discuss passing the annual 1% ad valorem tax levy. The levy was not passed due to waiting on more information from the Adams County Assessor’s office, according to City Clerk-Treasurer Julie Flyckt. The 1% increase over last year’s property taxes will provide the city an estimated additional $6,077. “We’ve always passed it, every year. It’s good to keep it moving forward,” said Flyckt. “However, there was some discussion about possibly not passing it,...

  • Hometown Family Medicine welcomes new staff

    Katie Teachout, The Journal|Updated Nov 19, 2020

    RITZVILLE – Physician Assistant Jacqueline Fernandez has joined Dr. Charles “Marty” Sackmann and staff at Hometown Family Medicine. Fernandez said while living in Spokane before completing her Physician Assistant degree, she worked under Dr. Canaday, who was the visiting cardiologist for many years at Hometown Family Medicine. “Jacqueline would come down with Dr. Canaday as his assistant, and wanted to come back,” said Sherry Sackmann, R.N. “We are excited to have her join our...