The Ritzville Adams County Journal - Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887

People from all over the world come to the United States for a chance to live a better life. Some are coming here to work, some are coming to reunite with their families, and some are escaping corrupt governments. We should welcome them with a...

During the 1992 presidential campaign, then-candidate Bill Clinton famously intoned, “I feel your pain,” reassuring voters he understood what they were going through. Since then, similar statements of empathy have become a staple for...

This past week, we commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Normandy, otherwise known as D-Day. Many of us know D-Day as an event that eventually resulted in victory for the Allied forces in World War II. Thousands of brave American soldier...

During World War II, the American GI earned the reputation for being innovative, adaptable and resilient. Nowhere was that more evident than the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. For example, Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne...

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) motto is, “Caring for the land and serving people.” That is exactly what the students of USFS Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers do. With 25 locations across the country, these Civilian Conservation Centers...

Last January, Boeing was poised for another record year. The company’s order book burst at the seams. Things seem to be going Boeing’s way. In 2019, Boeing planned to step up deliveries of KC46 aerial refueling jets to the U.S. Air Force and the...

The Annual Ritzville Community Yard Sale, hosted by the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce, is quickly approaching! This year’s dates are June 15-16. If you are interested in participating and being listed on the map, please call 509-659-1930 or...

Dear Friends, It’s been a little more than a month since the Legislature adjourned. I was back at the Capitol about 10 days ago for a meeting of the Select Committee on Pension Policy, but for the most part I’ve been able to stick pretty close...

On Memorial Day, we honor our nation’s servicemembers who have given the ultimate sacrifice. We surround their families and loved ones with prayers and support. We lay flowers on memorials, make visits to monuments, and we pay tribute to their...

On April 21, 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair opened. The “Century 21 Exhibition” ran for six months, drew 11 million visitors, turned a profit and left the Northwest with a wonderful Seattle Center. Well over a half century later, many of the...

May is Skin Cancer Month, and may my story inspire you to health. I lost a friend to undiagnosed skin cancer and that event saved me. I started going to the dermatologist and in May 1990 I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma that needed...

Summer is nearly upon us. Where does the time go? Memorial Day weekend is a special time for the Ritzville community, with the annual alumni celebrations, car show, concerts and Art in the Park. It seems fitting that I send out an appreciation for...

There are dams that should come down and those that shouldn’t. Hopefully, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts its review of the 14 federal dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers, that will become abundantly clear. That review is expected...

To the Editor of the Journal, Dear Sir, As many in the community may have noticed, the local chapter of the Ritzville Eagles have completed renovations and upgrades to our exterior. The recent repairs to the brick and mortar will go a long way...

Dear Editor, I am so disappointed to read that there will not be a Memorial Day service at Ritzville Cemetery. This tradition has been appreciated by our town in the past. Words cannot express our community’s sentiment over this loss. Sincerely,...

Dear Friends, I’ll start by congratulating the thousands of WSU students who were awarded degrees this past Saturday, at the end of the 2019 spring semester. And by thanking the state Department of Transportation’s branches in Spokane and...

Memorial Day weekend is often a time for families to take a break from the monotony of everyday life, to pack into their cars, RVs and trailers for an extended weekend of camping, or maybe just staying at home for a weekend of relaxing and...

“Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy.” A lot of people don’t realize exactly how many small businesses are all around us. Whether it be a storefront on Main Street in downtown Ritzville, the local fruit stand off the...

Dear Editor, As the school year nears an end, most of us think of summer. On June 17, Ritzville Community Vacation Bible School gears up. With an African Safari theme this year, we remember that When Life is Wild, God is Good. We will meet many wonde...

With Memorial Day approaching, the American Legion Post 51 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 11446, would appreciate any help that is available for putting up the flags on the 24th of May at 5:30 in the evening. The take down of the flags will...

Last week, the House voted on legislation that would force the President to participate in the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce carbon emissions in the United States and the world. On the surface, this bill paints a pretty picture: reducing our...

Montana’s legislature took the unusual step of exempting older, less-valued mobile homes from property tax as a way to stem homelessness. The bipartisan legislation, which Gov. Steve Bullock signed into law last week, aims to keep people in their...

The exciting news is that your District has settled on a new Chief Executive Officer to take over from retiring CEO Gary Bostrom. The new CEO is Mr. Corey Fedie. He comes to us from the Kit Carson County Health Service District in Burlington,...

It was a cold and stormy day last Saturday at the Undeberg Invitational, where over 600 tracksters and volunteers gathered to hear Greg Whitmore, Athletic Director for Lind-Ritzville High School, welcome entrants from 33 schools. He emphasized...