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

Imagine getting to hold the future in your hands. As the main purchaser for the library, that’s the way I feel every month as I look through catalogs and reviews of upcoming books that won’t be released for months. Should we... — Updated 1/16/2020

Under our Constitution, anyone accused of a crime has right to see all the evidence against them, to face their accusers, and to call witnesses in their defense. I have been falsely accused of being a “domestic terrorist” by a... — Updated 1/16/2020

The minimum age to purchase tobacco is now 21, a move that has been applauded on both sides of the aisle as a means to prevent hundreds of thousands of premature deaths. Yet the same people implementing the new law don’t seem to... — Updated 1/16/2020

With the new decade comes an international air pollution regulation which hastens the switch from high sulfur fuel oil to either diesel or LNG in ocean-going ships. The mandate drops the sulfur content from 3.5 to .5%. While that... — Updated 1/8/2020

As I come to the end of my term as president of the Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce, I would like to thank the Chamber Board, our members and community members who helped with all the events that the Chamber put on/helped with... — Updated 1/2/2020

It’s a new year and a new decade! The older we get, the more places and things we want to see but it may seem like we have less time, energy, and money to do these things. The Washington State Library has loaned us a virtual... — Updated 1/2/2020

As we launch into 2020 and the ensuing decade, Boeing faces very strong head winds which are major concerns for those of us living in the Pacific Northwest. Things are vastly different now. In my first column of 2019, I wrote that... — Updated 1/2/2020

As we wrap up a year and, indeed, a decade, it’s a good idea to take a little inventory. As to things done, there’s a lot of good news. We have more primary-care providers, enough so that prompt appointments, even same-day... — Updated 1/2/2020

At Christmas, millions watch the 1946 movie classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” While it is labeled “fantasy drama”, the show gives us a glimpse of reality and reminds us of the importance of caring local business owners.... — Updated 12/26/2019

As we look forward to the holidays and the inevitable tick into 2020, I can’t help but look back at our local history and how it’s been preserved and reported by our newspapers and their reporters for six generations. The... — Updated 12/19/2019

Dear Editor, The report of the December 3 Ritzville City Council in The Journal could have and should have read differently. The council member who first presented the case for hiring of a new police officer was not mentioned.... — Updated 12/19/2019

Bridges shouldn’t have to sink to be replaced. However, at times that’s what it takes. Too often new projects succumb to years of fighting among interest groups and endless political bickering. In 2013, opposition killed... — Updated 12/19/2019

Earlier this month, state Department of Fish and Wildlife Director officials said they needed an additional $26 million to effectively manage its existing lands and programs. They said that if they didn’t receive additional money... — Updated 12/19/2019

In the coming decade, investors are betting that hydrogen will become a prominent fuel which can eliminate CO2 discharges from the vehicles it energizes. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) the transportat... — Updated 12/12/2019

Science, technology, engineering, and math – more commonly known as STEM – have become some of the most highly demanded careers in our nation’s economy. Schools across the country and in Central Washington have emphasized... — Updated 12/12/2019

December is always a time to reflect on our accomplishments in the past year, and East Adams Library District has much to celebrate this year! Since January, we’ve had 15,029 people visit one of our library branches -- whether... — Updated 12/5/2019

Preliminary sales trends from Small Business Saturday show a continuing increase in smartphone purchases even among shoppers patronizing local merchants. According to the Associated Press (AP), Adobe Analytics said smartphone... — Updated 12/5/2019

Dear Editor; As it is now the holiday season, I would like to make our communities aware of four local non-profit organizations that are worthy of donations this time of year: the Ritzville and Lind Ministerial Associations, the Ri... — Updated 12/5/2019

Each Thanksgiving, I am reminded that in Central Washington, we have a lot to be thankful for. We are blessed with gorgeous national forests and public lands, powerful rivers and dams, and bountiful farm land. As we gather with... — Updated 11/26/2019

The grounding of the 737 MAX is testing Boeing’s resiliency. It has turned the company upside down in just six months. Boeing executives and engineers have been under duress since the two fatal crashes killing 346 people in... — Updated 11/21/2019

The students of Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers were recently given a second chance. Earlier this year, the future of these programs was threatened when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed closing 9 of the... — Updated 11/21/2019

We’ve just finished up our latest election cycle in Washington State. In the City of Ritzville’s mayor’s race, I received approximately 78% of the vote, returning me for a second term. I’m very humbled by your continued... — Updated 11/14/2019

Just before Veterans Day, the last known survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor died at age 98. With the passing of George Hursey of Massachusetts, it closed that chapter of World War II, the world’s most deadly conflict... — Updated 11/14/2019

I have never met a veteran who did not inspire me. From the hundreds of veterans who receive assistance from my office seeking lost medals or help with VA benefits to the veterans and their families I meet at community events and p... — Updated 11/14/2019

Access. It takes just 6 letters to sum up the true reason for a public library to exist. And this isn’t just access to the most recent best seller or the latest action blockbuster, though those play their own integral part in... — Updated 11/14/2019