Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 515
CHENEY – Several local and nearby lakes have an abundance of trout available to catch, just in time for opening day Saturday, April 22. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has planted thousands of trout in area lakes, including West Medical Lake, Clear Lake, Badger Lake and Williams Lake. Williams Lake received the most fish, with the first plant taking place March 20. The state added 10,701 rainbow trout weighing less than a half-pound each that day. Then on March 2...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Avista ratepayers will face higher bills beginning July 1 if a proposed rate hike is approved by the state Utilities and Transportation Commission. Avista has requested price adjustments, including electricity rate hikes that will increase its revenues by 6%. The request to increase the rate to comply with state regulations that require Avista to either obtain an authorized increase or return or rebate money to ratepayers if the utility has a deferral b...
IRBY – Two racers from southern Spokane County were among the field of competitors April 2 at the annual Desert 100. Fairfield racers Hodla Brown and Thomas Gwinn were among the racers that completed the grueling race --only 472 of the 921 who started were able to finish. Brown raced to a 53rd-place finish overall and 16th in the 250cc class with a time of 4:21:44.258. Gwinn raced to a 108th-place finish overall and 23rd in the 30-39-year-old division, completing the Desert 1...
Rosalia High School senior Riley Gering launches the javelin during the 1B league-opening track meet Tuesday, March 21, at Valley Christian School in Spokane Valley. Gering finished fourth at the meet with a distance of 114 feet 8 inches. Rosalia track and field athletes next compete Tuesday, April 11, at Pomeroy....
OLYMPIA — A bill making its way through the Legislature would make possession of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine a gross misdemeanor. Senate Bill 5536 passed the Senate by a 28-21 vote Friday night. The bill is designed in response to the state Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling that the state’s drug-possession law was unconstitutional. While the bill passed the Senate, it does not go far enough to address the drug problems, Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, said...
TOKIO — A Gonzaga university student was killed Saturday morning, Feb. 18, in a fiery, one-vehicle crash 10 miles east of Ritzville. Diego H. Garza, 18, of Lakewood, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near Mipepost 230, at about 5:30 a.m., the Washington State Patrol reported. According to the patrol, Garza was eastbound in a 2003 Chevrolet Blazer on Interstate 90 when his vehicle drifted in to the median. Garza over-corrected and the vehicle overturned and c...
OLYMPIA — Farmers and ranchers will be likely continue to be taxed on agricultural diesel fuel after House and Senate committees last week failed to advance exemption bills. Senate Bill 5728, introduced by Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Kennewick, and co-sponsored by Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, didn’t make it out of the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee. And House Bill 1780, introducted by Republican Reps. Joe Schmick of Colfax and Mary Dye of Pomeroy met a sim...
Washington state has high tax rates — gas, property, you name it. Government agencies billions of tax dollars annually from residents and businesses here. So why then are government agencies taking Washington taxpayer dollars and buying goods and services out-of-state, goods and services that are readily abundant in Washington? Those agencies are penalizing state taxpayers (residents and businesses) for paying the high taxes the agencies collected under burdensome r...
WARNS. Interesting acronym for a survey being pushed by the state Department of Education, Washington State University and public schools statewide. The Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students has been around a few years, but largely disappeared during the coronavirus shutdowns — when students were at home and parents would have an opportunity to see it, read the questions and determine appropriateness. But now that classes are back in-person statewide, the s...
Cheney Blackhawk Jalisca Holmgren mixes it up on the mat....
A gang of elk seen from Cheney Spangle road the morning of January 9....
CHENEY — A steady rain, recent warming temperatures and predicted gusty winds prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for much of southern Spokane County, including Cheney, Medical Lake and Spangle. Areas of Whitman County were also expected to see localized flooding. As of press time Tuesday night, Hangman Creek was rising from Tekoa to Spokane, and Paradise Creek was expected to continue rising in the Pullman-Colfax area. “Runoff from rain and rap...
As a youngster, I looked forward to Christmas. I loved the food, the traditions and especially the presents — what kid doesn’t? In high school and college, the luster subsided. As a wrestler, Christmas was a time for fasting so I didn’t have to move up a weight class. I dreaded running extra bleachers, doing additional up-downs and all the “fat man” jokes from teammates. Christmas would become just one of those “OK” holidays for me after college. As a journalist, I...
MEDICAL LAKE — A young Bronco girls basketball team (1-1) kept pace with Medical Lake for a quarter, but the Cardinals depth helped them prevail, 48-41, on Friday, Dec. 9. Head Coach Bryce Court said he was proud of his team, which only has three seniors with limited experience. The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna/Harrington girls have two freshmen and five sophomores on the varsity lineup. “I’m super ex cited at how we did against a team like that,” he said. “They’re a big t...
MEDICAL LAKE — The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna/Harrington boys basketball team held Medical Lake nearly scoreless in the first half as the Broncos dunked the Cardinals, 69-14, in a nonleague boys basketball game Friday, Dec. 9. The Cardinals (0-3) could only muster a single bucket in each of the first two quarters of play for a total of 5 points. Meanwhile, the Broncos offense dominated the court, rolling up 41 points before the break. The undefeated Broncos (3-0) s...
CHENEY - The first snow storm of the season moved into the area overnight, bringing several inches of snow and near whiteout conditions. All this more than 20 days before the first day of winter. Most schools across the region were on a 2-hour delayed start or had canceled classes for the day. Eastern Washington, too, had shuttered the campus and a scheduled men's basketball game had been canceled. Cheney School District initially called for a delayed start, but officials deci...
It seems like every time you open a webpage, turn on the TV or listen to the radio, you’re bombarded with negativity. We’re on the verge of nuclear war. The recession is upon us. Inflation is high. Every storm is “historic.” Race-based politics are invading every inch of our educational system and lives. And if that’s not enough, the 2024 election season has already begun. It’s enough to get you down, and keep you there. But cheer up. You have plenty to be thankful for this Th...
YAKIMA – The Liberty (Spangle) girls volleyball team survived to Day 2 of the state 2B tournament, but couldn't get past league rival Lind-Ritzville/Sprague. The Lancers were eliminated by the Broncos, 3-0, on Friday morning, Nov. 11. Set scores were 25-15, 25-17, 25-23. In winning, the Broncos avenged a loss to Liberty in the district tournament. Liberty, seeded No. 7, reached Day 2 in the Yakima Valley SunDome by opening Thursday with a 3-1 win over the No. 10-seeded B...
PASCO – Local farm girl turned political newcomer Tiffany Smiley securely has all 20 of Eastern Washington’s counties in her corner. In fact, she had the lead in 27 of the state’s 39 counties in the Tuesday, Nov. 8, general election. Yet, she was still losing to career politician Patty Murray, D-Shoreline. Smiley, a Pasco Republican, trailed Murray after the first night of counting in the general election. Murray had 980,199 votes (56.92%); Smiley had 738,618 votes (42.8...
SPOKANE – Incumbent Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers was easily out-distancing her challenger Tuesday night, Nov. 8, in her 5th Congressional District re-election bid. At the end of the first night of counting in the general election, McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, had amassed 107,971 votes (58.94%). She led every county in the district. Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Natasha Hill of Spokane was a distant second with 74,839 votes (40.85%). The two are vying to be the r...
MEAD – The Cheney Blackhawks (11-8) girls volleyball team's post-season prospects were swept away Tuesday night, Nov. 8. Cheney (11-9) lost to Mount Spokane, 3-0, in a winner-to-state/loser-out matchup. Set scores were 25-22, 25-11, 25-17. The 16-4 Wildcats earned a state 3A berth. The Blackhawks season ended. Individual statistics for the game were not available prior to press time. Cheney, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, wasn't expected to reach the game. But on Nov. 1, t...
SPANGLE – Sometimes, a football game is decided solely on turnovers. Such was the case Friday night, Nov. 4, when the Liberty Lancers held off the visiting Lake Roosevelt Raiders, 15-6, to advance to the state 2B football playoffs. With a cold, steady rain and a muddy filed, the District 6/7 crossover proved to be a defensive battle, with little offense on both sides of the ball. Two Raider fumbles and an incepted Lancer pass made the difference in the game. The first quarter...
SPANGLE – Liberty boys football team took time before the District 6/7 crossover game to tell a local woman she's not alone in her fight with cancer. Prior to the start of the Friday night, Nov. 4, game, Liberty Athletic Director Kyle Dodge presented Dianna Harrington with a football all of the players had signed. The ball also contained a short note of support: "NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE." After the presentation, Harrington received several words of encouragement and hugs from p...
