Shortage of officials interrupting local sports

RITZVILLE – A shortage of officials here and across the nation are interrupting middle and high school sports.

According to Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna Athletic Director Greg Whitmore, the shortage has prompted the cancellation of at least one high school basketball game already this season.

“The number of officials in all sports has been declining over the years, but COVID has created an even bigger shortage,” Whitmore said in an email last week. “We have already been bitten by this and had to change the basketball schedule.”

There were not any officials available for the boys basketball...