Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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REARDAN – Three options for the 2021-2024 levy were discussed at the school board meeting Sept. 30. Currently, the levy is set around $1.3 million per year, which equates to $2.08 per $1,000 of assessed property value within the district. All three options would set the rate at 2.10 for 2021, before a change in 2022-2024. The first option would be a significant tax reduction. The rate would decrease to 1.75, which would put the levy amount at $1,133,402 in 2022, $1,184,405 in 2023 and $1,237,703 in 2024, according to a levy a...
REARDAN — Assuming that the majority of students in a district that extends for miles through lonely wheat fields all have reliable access to the Internet may be short-sighted, even in today’s age of instant accessibility. That’s why the Reardan school district is giving its staff a simple guideline: Don’t assume your students will have reliable Internet on days of remote learning. “(We tell staff), ‘don’t be giving them learning assignments that require the Internet on remote days,’” superintendent Eric Sobotta said. “Until...
RENTON—More tweaks have come to the benchmarks for playing high school sports, as the WIAA updated its return-to-play guidelines Oct. 6 following new guidance given by Gov. Jay Inslee. Sports have been grouped into three categories based on the “risk level” they provide in regard to possible transmission of COVID-19: low-risk, moderate-risk and high-risk. Various sports can return based on their risk level compared to COVID-19 transmission within their community. Local COVID-19 activity will also be measured in three categori...
LINCOLN COUNTY – The crisp fall air is beginning to arrive, and with it comes hunting season. The hunt is well under way for many animals, while others are just about to start. Lincoln County hunting areas fall under Game Management Units (GMU) 133, which is north of Highway 2, and 136, south of Highway 2. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife released hunting prospects specific to District 2, which GMU’s 133 and 136 fall into. Hunting District 2 has seven GMU’s and covers Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman count...
REARDAN – Every summer, local fire districts are called on to help battle blazes that threaten to consume homes and property. In rural areas, those districts are largely made of volunteers who stand by their neighbors in a time of need. Fire District 4 is one of those districts. On South Lake Street sharing a building with the post office lies the headquarters of Lincoln County Fire District No. 4. One of eight fire districts within the county, the district provides fire and e...
REARDAN—Reardan-Edwall Community Alliance for Prevention (RECAP) Coalition is hosting a six-week series for parents and children titled “Strengthening Families Program” beginning Oct. 12 from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The program is designed for parents or caregivers with children aged 10-14 and will help families work on strengthening the relationship between caregiver and child. “One of the things that we know through statistics is that strengthening families helps to keep kids … from abusing drugs and alcohol,” coalition f...
LINCOLN COUNTY – Physical education and is important for students. It provides a chance to not only develop physical fitness, but has been shown to be beneficial for mental and emotional needs as well. However, when social gatherings are discouraged and even prohibited based on COVID-19 virus guidelines, getting those students the physical activity they need looks a little different. At Reardan Middle-High School, athletic director and P.E. teacher Eric Nikkola has faced the challenges of virtual learning and air quality p...
REARDAN – A crowd of around 50 people gathered at the Mann family ranch off Highway 231 north of town Friday, Sept. 18 for a dedication of a historical marker recognizing Medal of Honor recipient and Reardan native Joe Mann. Mann died at 22 after jumping on a grenade to protect his comrades in World War II. The event began with a welcome message by Rae Anna Victor of the Jonas Babcock chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. A presentation of colors by the F...
OLYMPIA – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) released an updated process on necessary steps to potentially return to organized competition in the fall, the organization announced in a press release Sept. 19. The press release detailed five requirements needed to return to athletic competition: • Gov. Jay Inslee must recommend a return to play. • The Department of Health must provide guidance regarding required health steps to take before commencing athletics. • Risk management teams must review the r...
REARDAN – The Town of Reardan recently approved an updated fire and emergency services contract with Fire District No. 4 at its Sept. 17 meeting. Mayor Gail Daniels signed the contract at the meeting. Fire commissioners Carol Paul, Casey Nonnemacher and John Bennett were expected to sign it shortly after press time at their commissioner’s meeting. The contract, officially called the “Fire and Emergency Medical Protection Agreement,” goes into effect Oct. 1 and ends Dec. 31, 2022. If a written notice of termination isn’t p...
LINCOLN COUNTY – When the dust settles and the smoke clears (literally), fall will have descended upon the vast wheat fields of Lincoln County. Tree leaves will go from a dark green to a bevy of orange, red and yellow colors before ultimately meeting their cold-weather demise. Though the weather maybe be turning from heat rays of sun to cold winds of fall and winter soon, there are still a number of activities to do in Lincoln County…or wherever one finds themselves…come autumn. Here are seven ideas for keeping busy this...
DAVENPORT – Many businesses have been negatively impacted by COVID-19-related shutdowns, but perhaps no industry has been hit harder than restaurant businesses. As the economy begins to turn back in a positive direction, some local restaurants are beginning to recover, while for others, another shutdown or more restrictions could prove costly. Edna’s Drive-In Business has been good at Edna’s, according to owner Virginia Fries. “August is always our big month,” Fries said. “It feels very similar to any other year…it’s a...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS – A new location of the North 40 agricultural chain store has started construction just outside Airway Heights with a completion date of sometime next year. The 95,000 square foot, 16-acre North 40 Outfitters location is just east of the Airway Heights city limits off Highway 2 and Deer Heights Road. Construction on the popular farm, ranch and outdoor store began at the end of August. “Full lines of feed, tack, animal health, fencing, hardware, tools, plumbing, electrical and automotive will be available for...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS—The two families that lost homes in the Bartholomew and Christensen fires Aug. 27 and Sept. 7, respectively will soon be getting some assistance from the community. Wolffy’s Burgers is hosting a spaghetti feed Saturday, Sept. 19, with 100% of proceeds benefitting those fire victims. “When the fires hit here in town … we had thrown around the idea of doing something for the community,” owner Jessica Davis said. “We ran with the idea and put it into play.” Orig...
By DREW LAWSON The Times REARDAN—The town of Reardan is continuing to negotiate with Lincoln County regarding the amount of town should pay for jail services in its contract renewal with the county. Reardan Police Chief Andy Manke told the Reardan Town Council he is planning to make an offer he hopes the county will accept. At a Sept. 3 town council meeting, Manke said he plans to offer the county a resolution similar to the system in South Cle Elum, a town of comparable size to Reardan, that contracts with Kittitas County f...
DAVENPORT -- Gun owners anticipating the fall hunting season or hoping to get in some target practice are having more difficulty than normal buying ammo. According to national media reported in early August, gun sales in 2020 had already surpassed sales in 2019, but the available ammo stock wasn’t keeping pace. Area firearms dealers say there are several possible reasons for an ammo shortage. Mainly, the COVID-19 fallout caused a spike in gun sales, with ammo production struggling to keep up. “COVID is getting everybody wor...
The pandemic may have put an axe in many sporting activities this fall, but nothing is stopping hunters in Eastern Washington from enjoying the outdoors and trekking down some wildlife as the season gets underway. Some hunting seasons have already begun, while others kick off soon. Below runs a guide to each season by animal and weapon type, with an emphasis on opportunities for youth. Information is obtained from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife relative to Spok...
OLYMPIA—The Department of Natural Resources closed all recreational land it manages in Eastern Washington effective immediately in response to widespread fires Tuesday, the department said in a press release. The closure will remain in place through Friday, Sept. 11 “at least,” the press release said. “DNR staff will evaluate the possibility of extending it as the week progresses,” it continued. Affected forest and trust lands managed by the DNR include Ahtanum, Little Pend Orielle, Loomis, Loup Loup, Naneum Ridge, Teanaway...
By DREW LAWSON Staff Reporter DEEP CREEK--A Level 2 Evacuation notice given by Fire District No. 10 remained in place for residents between Deep Creek and Brooks Rd due to a 75-acre vegetation fire in the area west of Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base as of Tuesday morning (Sept. 8). Crews responded to the fire off South Christensen Road at 2:17 p.m. Monday afternoon. The fire momentarily jumped Highway 2, causing a momentary highway closure westbound beginning at...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS—Smoke filled the West Plains skies and city residents stood by awaiting potential evacuation recommendations due to a 260-acre fire burning grass and timber northeast of Northern Quest Casino on Monday. Crews responded to a vegetation fire off North Old Trail Road at 4:31 p.m. Monday and remained on scene into Tuesday. As of press time, one outbuilding had burned, according to Guy Gifford of the Department of Natural Resources. The fire had been controlled, b...
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE – On Aug. 31, 1956, the KC-135 stratotanker took its first flight off base. Over 60 years later, the refueling tanker continues to be the model used by the base for refueling missions and deployments. The base celebrated the “birthday” of the KC-135’s first Fairchild flight Monday. That KC-135 flight occurred two years after the Air Force purchased the first 29 of an eventual 732 plane fleet. The prototype was the Dash 80, designed in 1954 at the beg...
REARDAN – A historical marker is being erected to honor a Reardan man who gave his life for others during WWII. The event to honor Joe Mann is set for Sept. 18 at 2pm at the Mann family ranch on Tramm Road. Joe Mann lived in Reardan scaling church steeples and overcoming broken collar bones in football games because he didn’t want to sub out before graduating from the high school in 1941. He died making the ultimate sacrifice in World War II, jumping on a grenade at age 22 to protect his companions from a German attack in...
Mask-wearing students are greeted as they descend off the bus for the first day of school at Reardan Elementary. School staff members estimate around 95 students were present for the first day at the middle/high school and 140 students were present at the elementary school. Both of those totals represent roughly 50% of a “normal” attendance count....
REARDAN – A proposed increase to the cost of jail services that the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office provides to the Town of Reardan has some officials frustrated, arguing the city can’t afford the increase. Police chief Andy Manke shared with town council at their Aug. 20 meeting that the county didn’t seem to be willing to budge on a $63 per day cost to the town for inmates arrested by the police department and housed in the Lincoln County jail. The town has been charged a maximum of $200 per inmate at $100 per day, but not...
REARDAN – World War II Medal of Honor and Reardan native Joe Mann is considered a national hero in Netherlands, a war hero in the United States and has a hospital named after him in Spokane. Now the Mann Ranch just north of Reardan is being recognized as a historical marker. The historical marker was campaigned for by the Jonas Babcock chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution and the Mann family. Mann, private first class, posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 1...
