Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 275
ODESSA - Odessa once again has a queen, as the town crowned its first Miss Odessa in four years during a ceremony held Saturday, April 12. The coronation, held in the Heritage Church basement, marked the revival of the Odessa Royalty program after a four-year hiatus. Alyx Scheller, 17, will serve as Miss Odessa for the 2025–2026 year. The program was brought back to life by Odessa royalty alumna Sandi (Greenwalt) Smith, who served as queen in 1991–1992. Smith said she fel...
YAKIMA — An Odessa man facing multiple child rape charges in Yakima County Superior Court will now stand trial in September, after both the prosecution and defense agreed to postpone the case. Nathanial James Lathrop, 59, of Odessa, is facing two counts of child rape in the first degree and one charge of child molestation. He was originally scheduled for trial on April 7, but during a March 13 hearing, the court rescheduled proceedings to Sept. 22. A readiness hearing is set for Aug. 7. Authorities said Lathrop was c...
DAVENPORT — Communities across Lincoln County are celebrating Easter with events for all ages, from sunrise services to egg hunts and train rides. In Davenport, the Lions Club will host an all-you-can-eat breakfast and egg hunt on Saturday, April 19, at Davenport City Park. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 11 a.m. and includes scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, pancakes, coffee, orange juice and milk. The Easter egg hunt begins at 9 a.m. On Easter Sunday, April 20, Christ Lutheran Church (Egypt) will hold a service at 8:30 a...
ODESSA - Motorcyclists across the country now have a new stop in Washington state's 2025 Tour of Honor: Odessa's veterans memorial tank. The tank, an M60A3 used during Operation Desert Storm, sits at the Odessa Cemetery off WA-28 and serves as a tribute to 12 Odessa residents who lost their lives in World War II. It was brought to the cemetery in 2000 after a four-year effort led by Odessa resident Mike Hardung, with support from former U.S. Rep. George R. Nethercutt. "I...
ALMIRA — The fourth and final suspect in the Almira burglary case is expected to complete intensive substance abuse treatment the week of April 20 and return to custody shortly after. Recardo Rocha, 32, was represented by his attorney during a hearing on Tuesday, April 15. His defense informed Judge Adam Walser that Rocha is still in treatment but nearing completion of the program. The court agreed to set the matter over for one week to allow for his return. Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Albertson said Rocha e...
DAVENPORT — Two men were arrested Friday in connection with separate theft investigations led by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, following weeks of work by local deputies and the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies. According to LCSO, deputies arrested Michael B. Flinn, 46, of Spokane, after serving a search warrant with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office at a property in Spokane County. The arrest stems from a report received approximately three weeks ago that multiple propane bottles had been stolen from a...
HARRINGTON — The City Council met for its regular session Tuesday, April 9, voting to reject all submitted bids for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Project and initiating a year-long trial to broadcast meetings via Microsoft Teams. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. with a full roll call. Council members heard public comments and proceeded with a full agenda, including the consent agenda approval and review of the check register. Council members discussed the inspection and repair of Well No. 1 but determined they c...
DAVENPORT — The Davenport City Council approved the use of the city’s brush and yard waste landfill site for “Clean Up Davenport Days” during its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 9. The cleanup event, sponsored by the Davenport Lions Club and the city, is scheduled for Friday, April 26. Mayor Jonathan Chapman encouraged community participation and reminded attendees that the city council supports the event through Resolution 2025-07, which was approved on a motion by Council Member Lance Strite, seconded by Council...
REARDAN - A local man accused of threatening to kill his family and attempting arson successfully postponed his trial during a court appearance on Tuesday, April 15. Nicolas Gene Finch, 39, returned to Lincoln County Superior Court for a readiness hearing, where his defense told the court, "We are not prepared to go to trial in a few weeks and we request new dates." Superior Court Judge Adam Walser asked both the prosecution and defense whether they could realistically go to t...
DAVENPORT — Law and Motion Day is back on the docket for Lincoln County Superior Court following a court order filed Monday, April 14. The court had previously canceled the session scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, due to a trial and conference conflict. According to court documents, the trial has since been continued and the conference will not be attended, prompting the reinstatement. “Typically what that is, is if a judge had a conflict where he couldn’t be here on Tuesday, they would cancel,” Lincoln County Prosecu...
ODESSA - The Odessa High School baseball team saw its third blowout loss of the season to Almira-Coulee-Hartline (ACH), falling 19-0 in a conference game Tuesday, April 15. In Tuesday's league bout, the Almira-Coulee-Hartline Warriors (Coulee City, Wash.) baseball squad overwhelmed the host Odessa Tigers (Odessa, Wash.) by a tally of 19-0. The Tigers remain winless at 0-6 overall and 0-3 in district play, while the Warriors extended their perfect season to 9-0. Odessa...
HARRINGTON — Lincoln County Youth Soccer will kick off its regular season this weekend with a record 360 children participating, according to league president Jon Evans. “We have kids represented from Lind, Reardan, Ritzville, Davenport, Harrington,” said Evans. “We are always in need of referees.” Games will take place in Harrington every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature players from kindergarten through eighth grade. Participants represent communities throughout the region, including Lind, Reardan, Ritzville...
ODESSA — The Odessa School Board approved multiple new coaching hires, accepted community donations, and reviewed key financial and academic updates during its regular meeting Wednesday, March 26, in the high school library. Board members Chris Crossley, Carmen Weishaar, Janie Steward, Zach Schafer and Sheena Starkel were present, along with Superintendent Steve Fisk, Principal Cori Kane, District Secretary Holli Eden and Kristen Sebesta. Chairman Crossley opened the meeting at 6 p.m. with the flag salute. During the staff a...
You haven't truly lived in a small town until you've run into a church basement in the middle of a queen's coronation, slightly out of breath and dressed in what was supposed to be a classic black cotton blouse. But we'll get to that. Let's rewind a bit. Saturday was a day for the books. My little sister ended her reign as Queen of Tekoa, and on the same day, I got to witness the crowning of Alyx Scheller as the new Miss Odessa. It was a full-circle moment - one queen stepping...
HARRINGTON - After months of listening, learning and laying the groundwork, the Heart and Soul initiative is moving into its second phase, and organizers are excited about what comes next. "Phase one was all about finding out what some of the hopes and dreams of our community were," said Darren Mattozzi, who was hired to help guide the effort. "We did some resource mapping to figure out what was available, what we could tap into. That included hiring me, organizing a launch...
This past weekend, I did something wild. I swapped my reporter's notebook for combat boots and spent 72 exhilarating, exhausting hours playing soldier with the Idaho Army National Guard. If you thought journalism was chaotic, let me introduce you to my weekend. As part of our prep for Advanced Training-coming up next month in southern Idaho-I found myself not analyzing intelligence, as my job title might suggest, but instead learning how to operate military vehicles that are...
DAVENPORT - The Davenport Lions Club presented the Lincoln County Museum with a $5,000 check two weeks ago to support the replacement of two furnaces in the museum's outer exhibition buildings, enabling the facility to complete critical heating and air conditioning upgrades ahead of its seasonal reopening. The donation, partially raised through the Lions Club's annual Turkey Bingo event, calendar sales and pop can drives, helped the museum reach its fundraising goal after...
DAVENPORT — The City Council was scheduled to meet Tuesday, April 9, to review first-quarter financial data, including budget expenditures and departmental activity, according to agenda documents and quarterly reports. Council members were presented with detailed revenue and expense reports for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, showing that most departments are operating within their budgeted expectations. According to the quarterly revenue and expense report, the city’s general fund — which covers core services such...
ODESSA — The Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP) has reached a significant milestone with the launch of the EL 86.4 irrigation system, converting 5,426 acres from deep well irrigation to Columbia River surface water. The transition eliminates 16 wells, conserving 16,143 acre-feet, or 5.3 billion gallons, of water annually in the Odessa Subarea Aquifer. The project, spearheaded by the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID), is part of a broader effort to address declining groundwater levels in the Odessa S...
DAVENPORT - A man charged with multiple felonies across several counties was sentenced to 48 months in prison in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, April 8, after pleading guilty as part of a global plea agreement. Joseph Lee Cooper, 43, appeared before Judge Jeffery Barkdull to be sentenced on two felony charges stemming from a high-speed chase last November that ended in a wheat field outside Davenport. The court originally considered a 50-month prison term. However,...
HARRINGTON — The Harrington Chamber of Commerce met Tuesday, April 2, to discuss upcoming community events, business trends, and general updates. The meeting was called to order at 4:20 p.m. with 14 members present. During the “Good of the Order” segment, Sam Matthias shared data from credit card companies, highlighting the economic impact of outside business in Harrington and the success of non-local ventures. The golf course reopened and is now offering free lessons on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Glow Golf, has been pos...
DAVENPORT — A fourth suspect in the January burglary of an Almira residence has been charged and will face trial in Lincoln County Superior Court, though her trial date was rescheduled Tuesday, April 1. Thea Wenz, 27, of Moses Lake, pleaded not guilty to residential burglary, second-degree possession of stolen property, second-degree burglary, and second-degree theft. Wenz, who lives with her grandparents, was previously appointed public defender Victoria Iverson. Her trial is now set for May 21 at 9 a.m. According to c...
ALMIRA — Scammers are using fake hostage situations to demand money, preying on fear and targeting vulnerable individuals. A local woman reported receiving a call from an unknown number with a 253 area code. When she answered, she heard a young woman screaming. “I got a call, and it was a girl screaming, saying, ‘Mommy, help me! Mommy, mommy, mommy!’ She was inconsolable,” Cathy Florenzen said. “I could sense it was not my daughter because she has never called me ‘mommy’ in her life.” Florenzen handed the phone to her husb...
It was a day for walking, running, hiking, and, most importantly, dirt-flying fun. I arrived at the Odessa Grand Prix just in time to catch the tail end of the riders’ meeting on Saturday. The moment I stepped onto the course, I was immediately greeted by the roar of engines, racers from across the state, and the warm Eastern Washington sun. Enter Randy Niles—the man, the myth, the legend—who organizes the weekend’s chaos. Without hesitation, we hopped into what can only be...
HARRINGTON – A local science teacher at Harrington Jr/Sr School has been selected to participate in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s Teacher Innovator Institute in Washington, D.C. Justin Ikehara was selected to join the program as it aims to enhance classroom instruction by integrating informal STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education with hands-on learning experiences. The two-week immersive program, set for summer 2025, will bring together 80 educators from across the count...
