Sorted by date Results 576 - 600 of 673
Unintended consequence or bureaucratic power grab? Given the things being ordered behind locked doors of government offices, I’ll take the latter. Tonight, March 25, when the clock strikes midnight, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife is banning all fishing and boating statewide. This closure comes on the heels of a previous order to ban all camping on publicly owned, state-managed lands. The closures, Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say, is in keeping with G...
Boys are boys and girls are girls. There’s no in-between, at least when it comes to sports. I know it’s not politically correct to say that in this day and age. But genetically (and generally) speaking, boys are stronger and faster than girls. As a result, we have separate sports for each gender. That is, unless your young athlete competes for a middle or high school, or a non-profit organization in Washington state. Here, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association...
RITZVILLE - The state Senate majority leader said Wednesday, April 23, that he will refuse to extend quarantine rules on "low-hanging fruit." Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said some of that so-called fruit includes fishing, elective surgeries and home construction. Those and other prohibitions are among the coronavirus emergency quarantine rules ordered by Gov. Jay Inslee. The emergency was declared Feb. 29. The order has since been amended at least once, and several new...
RICHLAND — Cracks are growing in Gov. Jay Inslee’s “stay home, stay safe” quarantine east of the Cascades. And the Tri-City area — the second most populous area east in Eastern Washington— is at the center of the uprising to lift “unconstitutional” mandates that restrict the ability to assemble, practice religion, access publicly owned lands and water, and more. The governor has ordered Washington state residents to "stay home" until at least May 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Richland resident Lisa Thomas has star...
RITZVILLE - The Columbia Basin Investigative Team has identified the man shot and killed by police Saturday night as Shawn Lee. Lee, 49, hometown not released, was shot in the parking lot of Love's Travel Stop and Country Stores, 1370 N. state Highway 261, by officer Jeff Lane, said a report on the shooting released this morning. Lane is on paid administrative leave, standard operating procedure for an officer involved in a shooting. According to the report, Lee was passing...
RITZVILLE -- Adams County health officials Saturday evening reported that a total of 23 coronavirus cases have been confirmed. Of those cases, 19 are in Othello, with 10 connected to a single family, officials said. There are two cases each in Lind and Ritzville. Of the Lind-Ritzville cases, three are connected to a single family, officials said. Overall, 159 county residents have been tested, officials said, noting results from 31 tests are still pending and 101 have returned negative....
OTHELLO -- The number of Wuhan coronavirus cases is rising, with almost half of the cases connected to a single family. As of Sunday afternoon, Adams County health officials were reporting 23 cases in the city, 11 of which were in one family. There are only four other cases in Adams County, three of which are within a family that has members in Ritzville and Lind. Total, there are 27 cases county wide, with two cases in each Ritzville and Lind, officials said, noting a total of 161 people have been tested. One infected...
RITZVILLE - Senate Minority Leader Mark Schoesler doesn't agree with extending the statewide quarantine until May 4 due to the coronavirus outbreak. Responding to Bainbridge Island Democrat Gov. Jay Inslee's order last night to extend his "stay home" order until May 4, Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said there has to be some flexibility for the state's rural and other areas. "We're not out of the woods, yet," Gov. Inslee said. "This order is not only necessary, it's morally...
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and shutdown of businesses and activities, Free Press Publishing is having to cut back page count and staff hours, hopefully just temporarily. It’s not a decision we made lightly; it’s a decision out of necessity. Newspaper companies are already shutting down around the nation, including multiple papers in the Puget Sound region, in the Columbia River Gorge and elsewhere. But we’re here to stay. Please bear with us a few weeks as we ride out this economic tidal wave. We’ll be back be...
BOISE — The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a magnitude 6.5 earthquake and five aftershocks shaking Central Idaho starting about 5:53 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 31. The main quake struck about 43 miles west of Challis, in the Shake Creek area, the USGS reported. The agency received calls that the earthquake was felt as far away as Spokane, Wash. It’s epicenter was at a depth of 6 miles, the USGS reported. Aftershocks followed of magnitudes: 3.6 in the Bench Creek area, 42 miles east-southeast of Cascade 4.6 in the Swa...
SPANGLE — A local man was killed early Saturday morning when his pickup crossed the centerline and hit a tractor-trailer head-on. Shane M. Remp, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:31 a.m. near Milepost 75 of U.S. Highway 195, the Washington State Patrol Reported. The crash occurred when Remp's northbound 2006 Chevrolet Silverado crossed the centerline and struck a southbound 2016 Kenworth driven by Joseph E. Reid, 48 of Spokane Valley, the patrol reported. Reid's truck was towing a 1995 Beall trailer. The Silverado c...
BOISE — Female athletes may not have to compete against so-called “transgender” women — in other words, biological males — in Idaho . That’s because Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 500, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, into law Monday, March 30. The measure amends state law to prevent those athletes born as males from competing in female-designated sports. The bill follows the Idaho Legislature’s finding of fact that, biologically, there are “inherent differences between men and women.” The finding points out the scie...
OLYMPIA - Gov. Jay Inslee called on residents to tattle on friends, neighbors and businesses that fail to comply with his order to stay home during the state's coronavirus outbreak. "If we're going to beat it, all of has have to be engaged," he said. "Unfortunately, we have thousands of calls coming in ... some individuals and some businesses are not complying." The order generally requires so-call "non-essential" businesses to shut down and residents to remain at home. If tat...
SEATTLE - The city of Seattle and King County continued their lawsuit against the electorate earlier this week by requesting an emergency extension of an injunction blocking implementation. The measure, approved by voters statewide on Nov. 5, would have generally capped vehicle licensing tabs and taxes at $30 for more non-commercial vehicles. I-976 was supposed to go into effect Dec. 5, but has been held up by the city of Seattle and King County officials who have filed suit...
OLYMPIA - With no fanfare or disclosure, Gov. Jay Inslee quietly amended a month-old coronavirus-related proclamation, so that it now strips residents and news organizations of the right to attend public meetings and review public records in person. The move came just a day after Tim Eyman, a gubernatorial candidate challenging Inslee for his seat, attended the Bellingham City Council meeting to object to an effort to restrict the right of residents to keep and bear arms in...
MAZAMA — Eastern Washington residents wanting to use highways through scenic mountain passes to get to the Puget Sound area or Pacific Ocean are going to have to wait. On Thursday, state Transportation Secretary Roger Millar ordered plowing halted in Washington passes. Effected passes include: Washington Pass accessed via North Cascades Highway (state Highway 20). The pass connects the Methow Valley to the Sedro-Woolley area Cayuse Pass on state Highway 410. Cayuse Pass connects Naches to the Enumclaw. Chinook Pass, which con...
SEATTLE -- The King County judge who initially blocked the $30 car-tab cap denied most of the challenges to the taxpayer-approved measure. Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson ruled this morning, Tuesday, March 24, that the measure meets constitutional muster and can go into effect. But he severed parts of the measure that related to how vehicle valuations are calculated in the Puget Sound region. Those valuations provide the basis for Sound Transit to collect taxes to expan...
OLYMPIA -- The state earlier today announced all publicly owned lands managed by Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife are closed to the public. The closure will last at least two weeks, officials said, noting it includes wildlife areas as well as public access areas such as trailheads and boat launch facilities.. Gates and facilities will be locked and all public services suspended, officials said. Rangers will be "present to preserve and protect" resources," officials said....
As a member of the “Fourth Estate,” our newspaper staff regularly comes in close contact with people from all walks of life. Knowing that, we are doing our part to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, COVID-19, colloquially dubbed “Wuhan flu” and “WuFlu.” Like you, we are washing our hands, covering coughs and sanitizing everything in sight. We’re also taking the unusual step of closing our offices to public access, in an effort to protect the staff that is keeping yo...
OLYMPIA — Residents who become unemployed due to government actions to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronovirus won’t have to worry about being evicted, at least for the next month. During a press conference this afternoon, March 18, Gov. Jay Inslee said he signed an order preventing landlords from evicting people who fall behind on rent after being sent home from work due the “WuFlu” pandemic. “I’m issue a statewide moratorium on evictions for failure to pay rent for the next 30 days,” the governor said. Inslee also p...
PASCO - "We won!" That was the reaction from Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier earlier today, March 12, after a King County judge vacated most of a previous injunction on Initiative 976. That injunction has prevented the $30 car tab initiative from going into effect statewide. But today, King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson vacated most of the injunction. I-976 generally limits all car license tab taxes and fees to $30 for non-commercial vehicle. On Nov....
RITZVILLE – Katie Teachout has been named editor of The Ritzville Adams County Journal. Teachout replaces Brandon Cline, who recently resigned to return to his childhood home west of Goldendale to work as a reporter at the Chinook Observer. The Ritzville Adams County Journal is owned by Free Press Publishing, which owns the Cheney Free Press, Davenport Times, Odessa Record, Davenport Times and most recently the Whitman County Gazette in Colfax. “Katie will be a fantastic addit...
CHENEY — The Blackhawks district champion wrestling team ran into tough Yakima Valley competition at regionals Saturday, finishing third overall in their home gymnasium. But two local grapplers won Class 2A regional titles — Dylan Straley at 145 and Jackson Showalter at 152. Toppenish won the team title with 292 points, followed by Selah with 128 and Cheney with 116. Fourth-place went to Othello with 107 team points and fifth to Ellensburg with 80. Rounding out team sco...
ODESSA — The Odessa Record is now part of the Free Press Publishing family. Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, the previous owner since June of 2008, is staying on as editor of the publication.Linda Goodman will remain the newspaper’s advertising representative. Together, they join the Free Press Publishing group’s other publications, The Ritzville Adams County Journal, the Cheney Free Press, Davenport Times, Fairchild Extra, Spokane Valley News Herald and West Plains Extra. The terms of the newspaper transaction were not made publi...
OLYMPIA – Larger cities and counties would be prohibited from creating single-family neighborhoods under a Senate Bill introduced by a King County Democrat. Substitute Senate Bill 6536 would require cities of more than 10,000 residents and counties with 50,000 residents to eliminate residential zoning rules limiting construction to single-family homes. Sen. Mona Das, D-Kent, wants to eliminate single-family neighborhoods in cities and in urban growth areas of counties. U...
