Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 679
RITZVILLE - The local 9th Legislative District senator was released on his own recognizance Saturday night, Aug. 31, after being arrested for allegedly driving drunk and hitting another vehicle twice. Sen. Mark Schoesler, 67, of Ritzville, was arrested by citation for driving while under the influence of alcohol following the Saturday night performance of the Ritzville Rodeo. According to Police Chief Dave McCormick, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.14 at the time of his...
RITZVILLE — The local 9th Legislative District senator was released on his own recognizance Saturday night, Aug. 31, after being arrested for allegedly driving drunk and hitting another vehicle twice. Sen. Mark Schoesler, 67, of Ritzville, was arrested by citation for driving while under the influence of alcohol following the Saturday night performance of the Ritzville Rodeo. According to Police Chief Dave McCormick, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.14 at the time of his arre...
Spokane, Reardan, Davenport, Harrington, Odessa. Schools across the region are tackling the issue of cellphone addiction among students, at least while on campus. Well, maybe tackling the addiction is a bit strong. Let’s just say school boards here in Eastern Washington and elsewhere are finally taking action to keep phones out of students’ hands in classrooms. At issue in many districts is whether cellphones should be allowed in class, at lunch, on buses or even on cam...
CHENEY - Tonight will mark the beginning of the 2024 season for Eastern Washington football, as they face off against Monmouth under the lights at Roos Field. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Returning Stars Eastern returns 16 starters from the 2023 season, evenly split between offense and defense. Despite losing six starters, the Eagles bring back key players like Efton Chism III, Michael Wortham, and Visperas, who earned All-Big Sky honors in 2023. They are joined by Wyatt Hansen,...
CHENEY – The Palouse region is buzzing with activity as combines move through fields, harvesting the winter and spring wheat that have been the backbone of Washington's agriculture. By early August, more than half of the state's winter wheat and 20% of its spring wheat had already been harvested. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is predicting a strong yield this year, estimating an average to above-average harvest of around 146 million bushels. This forecast brings some reli...
FOOTBALL Eagles will have six games broadcast on television CHENEY - The regular season is nearly here for Eastern Washington football and the local broadcast schedule is set. SWX will broadcast six Eastern football games, with five home matchups and one on the road. The Eagles have five or their six home games airing on SWX, including the first two games against Monmouth (Aug. 29) at 6 p.m. and Drake (Sept. 7) at 4 p.m. Eastern's road trip south to play Idaho on Oct. 26 wil...
PASCO - A prominent local attorney and community leader is headed to the November general election for Secretary of State. At the end of ballot counting in the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary election, Pete Serrano of Pasco led the three-candidate field. "I am incredibly honored by your support tonight," Serrano said after the initial tally. "Your vote has made it clear that public safety is a top priority for Washingtonians. I am deeply grateful to my team, our volunteers, and...
Winnie the miniature dachshund looks up at a larger dog during the annual Hot Rockford car show on Saturday at the Southeast Spokane County Fairgrounds. The show attracted 176 entries. For local entries on the car show, see Page B5....
Under outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee, the state has been greenwashing just about everything it can. What is greenwashing? It’s the act of using false or misleading claims that an action will have a positive impact on the environment. This November, voters will have an opportunity to undo some of the greenwashing done by the Inslee Administration and state agencies. Two initiatives on the ballot are designed to restrict government agencies from continuing policies that have l...
OLYMPIA — Several Free Press Publishing staffers and contributors will be recognized for their work during the annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association gala Oct. 4-5 at Indian Summer Golf and Country Club. Graphic artists Michelle Van Diest and John Myers and advertising specialists Linda Pantzer and Justin Slayton are among the winners to be recognized in the Better Newspaper Contest. Reporters Drew Lawson, Teresa Simpson, Clare McGraw, Paul Delaney and Olivia Harnack are, as well. Photographers Matthew Stephens a...
Car show attracted 176 entries, thousands of car enthusiasts on Saturday, Aug. 10, to the at Southeast Spokane County Fairgrounds....
Farmers work to clean up a hay spill after a truck lost its load Friday on Waverly Road, between Spangle and Waverly....
When we travel, as Americans we often visit the landmarks of our heritage. I’m not different. I spent most of the last two weeks on the road visiting family from here to Iowa, Minnesota and back. Along the route, I visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, the Corn Palace, Mount Rushmore and other truly American destinations. But I also stopped at a couple places that were of this world, almost. One of my stops on my way back was at Devil’s Tower, north of Sund...
TOPPENISH — A local doctor and former gubernatorial candidate appears headed to the Nov. 5 general election in his bid to be the state's newest U.S. Senator. In the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary election, unofficial results show Republican Dr. Raul Garcia trailing incumbent Democrat Maria Cantwell, 212,439 votes to 578,629, respectively. The two candidates top a field of more than 10 vying for the position. Only the Top 2 advance to the general election. Here are the initial results of the first night of ballot counting: Mel R...
OLYMPIA - Given Washington's recent political history, it's no surprise that Democrat Bob Ferguson is leading all candidates in the gubernatorial race to replace outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee. But former King County deputy-turned-politician Dave Reichert's apparent second-place finish, may be a surprise. Earlier this year, the Republican Party rejected Reichert and instead endorsed Semi Bird of Richland for governor. In the initial count of ballots in the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary...
Adams County Commissioner District No. 1 David Lobe 223 Dan Blankenship 404 Commissioner District No. 2 Hank Rivard 48 Jay R. Weise 84 Ritzville Rural SE Precinct Officer Phil Peterson 25 John E. Faure 12 Lind Park and Recreation District No. 3 Proposition No. 1 Approved 66 Rejected 35 Ritzville Park and Recreation District No. 4 Proposition No. 1 Approved 214 Rejected 143 Cemetery District No. 1 Proposition No. 1 Approved 30 Rejected 8 Cemetery District No. 2 Proposition No. 1 Approved 253 Rejected 231 Franklin County Commis...
PATEROS, WA – Curtis Pitman of Cheney showcased his exceptional racing skills at the annual Apple Pie Jamboree in Pateros held on July 20-21. Pitman, often hailed as the fastest man on water, demonstrated his prowess by winning his races despite giving his competitors a half-lap head start. Pitman competed in and won the Ski Stock 2 Stroke Lites races on both days of the event. His victories were a testament to his remarkable talent and experience in the world of powerboat r...
Dams on the Columbia River and its tributaries contribute greatly to the way of life here in Eastern Washington. So, when the federal government says it has reached an agreement on proposed revisions to the Columbia River Treaty with Canada, rural residents should say not so fast. On the surface, the “in principle” agreement announced last week looks good for Americans. Under the proposed changes, the U.S. will get to keep more of the power generated on our side of the border. The proposed agreement says the U.S. will red...
CHENEY - Caleb McMillan of Soap Lake was crowned the all-around cowboy Sunday for the 2024 Cheney Rodeo, earning $998. He competed in bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. The total payout for Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association events was $91,238. Additionally, the breakaway roping payout was $10,528. Here are the results: Bareback riding: 1. Clay Stone, 84.5 points on C5 Rodeo's Chasing Dreams, $2,611; 2. Tucker Zingg, 83, $2,002; 3. Hunter Greenup, 80, $...
OLYMPIA – The Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to downgrade the state listing of wolves from endangered to sensitive when it meets virtually Friday, July 19. The meeting is scheduled to run from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and will be aired on TVW. The wolf discussion is planned for 10:15 a.m. The discussion on downgrading the state listing stems from a state Department of Fish and Wildlife finding that gray wolves no longer meet the criteria to be considered endangered. Down-listing would not mean wolf management rules would c...