Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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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 election voters appeared to have overruled the c...
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...
SPOKANE — A perennial local politician is leading in the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary election race for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. At the end of the first day of counting, Spokane Republican Michael Baumgartner had a commanding lead with 29,892 votes. Spokane Democrat Marla Conroy was in second place with 20,938 votes. Baumgartner won most of the counties in the southeast portion of the district, but the lion's share of his support — 21,429 ballots, or 71.69% of his ini...
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...
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 bor...
Truck, truck, truck, Tesla. Truck, truck, truck. Here in rural Eastern Washington, the running joke is that the “T” on a Tesla electric vehicle stands for “tourist.” Indeed, the expensive cars, like their electric Toyota and Rivian counterparts, are an oddity easily picked out among rural residents’ pickups, four-wheel drives and older vehicles. But what some rural residents may not realize is that they are paying to charge many of those expensive EVs. Over the last couple ye...
DAVENPORT - Get ready for the heat. The National Weather Service is forecasting the hottest days of the year, so far, will hit this weekend across Lincoln County and much of Eastern Washington. As a result, an excessive heat warning was issued by the agency. The warning extends from noon Saturday to 10 p.m. Tuesday. "Dangerously hot conditions during the day, with little relief overnight," the warning said. "Highs will be in the 90s to 100s." All of Lincoln, Adams, Whitman,...
SPOKANE — Ratepayers who purchase electricity from Avista may have their power turned off on windy, hot summer days when utility officials deem fire danger high. According to company officials, Avista’s so-called “Public Safety Power Shutoff” plan is in response to summer conditions in Eastern Washington. When high winds are forecast, company employees may increase sensitivity on power lines, officials said. The increased sensitivity could lead to more and prolonged power outages. Officials said ratepayers will be notifie...
Disappointingly, many Americans are worried about silly first-world problems like where to go boating or what to barbecue over the upcoming weekend. Too many view this upcoming three-day break as an excuse to eat, drink and party, never giving a thought as to why Memorial Day is observed. So while you’re anxiously awaiting the long weekend, take time to remember, understand and plan to observe Memorial Day. Memorial Day is dedicated to the men and women killed while serving i...
RITZVILLE - A Spokane Valley man being tried in connection with an Adams County burglary case failed to return to court in the middle of his trial Thursday, April 25. As a result, the Adams County Sheriff's Office is seeking public assistance in locating John Michael Daigneault. 50, who was subsequently convicted in absentia of burglary, court records show. Daigneault was one of two people arrested in connection with the burglary of an Odessa-area farm in the 1900 block of...
IRBY — Start your engines! The 52nd annual Stumpjumpers Desert 100 race takes over the sage-steppe area north of State Highway 28 on Sunday, April 7. Several thousand dirt bike racers are expected to compete in 50-mile, 100-mile and relay races. The major event of race weekend — April 4-7 — takes place Sunday. Following an 8:30 a.m. riders meeting, racers will make there way to the start line, which will span more than a half-mile. Once on the line, dirt bike racers will be awaiting the firing of a cannon to signal the start...
LAKE ROOSEVELT - The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a "rapid response" plan to take extraordinary measures to kill northern pike found in waterways like Lake Roosevelt. Released last week, the plan would allow state officials and tribes to draw down reservoirs, using Rotenone to poison the fish, netting and seining, quarantining waterways and more after declaring a northern pike emergency. State Aquatic Invasive Species Policy Coordinator Justin Bush...
Let’s take a few words that should be on the minds of all Eastern Washingtonians concerned over efforts to breach Snake River dams — agreement, restoration and sovereign, to name a few. Last Thursday in the White House, President Joe Biden signed onto the “Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six Sovereigns” agreement. The so-called “sovereigns” refers to the states of Washington and Oregon, and four tribes — th...
Funny how it took a move into the country before a Democrat would support efforts to clean up our forests. Last week, Senate Bill 6121 passed the Senate unanimously. The bill sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van De Wege — a Democrat who now lives at Lake Sutherland — encourages the removal of downed timber and other “fuel” that could feed a wildfire. He should be commended for being the first Democrat to step out of the party box and recognize the importance of removing downed timber,...
Two years ago, Washington State Parks bureaucrats in Tumwater hatched a plan to address so-called “overcrowding” at Palouse Falls. The plan was to close and relocate the campground to Lyons Ferry, require permits to visit Upper Palouse Falls and to end hiking and exploring in and around the main Palouse Falls basin. The effort also eliminated kayaking access on the upper Palouse River. And to make the effort sound legitimate, those city-dwelling bureaucrats called Palouse Fal...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Two Reardan boys brought home bronze medals from the Tri-County Classic wrestling tournament Thursday, Dec. 21. Sterling McLaughlin was third at 190 pounds and Carson Durbin third at 215. Other Screaming Eagles winning medals included Alex Matusik, fourth at 120, and Joey Matusik, sixth at 113. As a team, Reardan amassed 83 points, good enough for an eighth-place finish out of 20 teams. Mead won the tournament with 169 team points, followed by Central V...
SPOKANE – Two Gorilla girls represented Davenport at the M2 Mallet Girls on Saturday, Dec. 23. But neither Stormy Conway nor Emma Cash brought home a medal. Wrestling at 110 pounds, Conway lost her first two matches. She was pinned by Hunter Edmondson of Sand Point in 51 seconds and then eliminated from the tournament by Layla Smith of Hanford, who pinned her in 17 seconds. Cash, wrestling at 135 pounds, faired better. She opened with a major decision victory, 12-3, over H...
The Christmas tree is decorated. The gifts are wrapped. There may not be snow outside, yet, but it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And I, for one, am looking forward to our family traditions. Every family has its own traditions; our starts with cutting down a tree, something we did a week or two ago. With the tree up and the lights already on, we’ve moved onto music and movies. Oh, the Christmas movies … Break out the classics – “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Mir...
Aren’t you sick and tired of hearing Gov. Jay Inslee and his ilk routinely blame Columbia and Snake River dams for the decline in Puget Sound salmon and orca populations? Despite voluminous information to the contrary, Inslee, Sen. Patty Murray and other extremist environmental politicians continue to push a narrative on salmon decline that is patently false. There should be penalties for being so disingenuous. While there isn’t a penalty for false statements made to app...
SPRAGUE – Drugs and/or alcohol were factors in two unrelated crashes that left one person dead and three injured Saturday and Sunday. At about 12:28 p.m. Saturday, a driver was injured and his passenger killed when their vehicle overturned in the median of Interstate 90. Then on Sunday night, a wrong-way driver caused a head-on crash near Milepost 240; two people were injured. The Washington State Patrol listed alcohol or drugs as factors in both crashes. In the Saturday c...
Like many businesses across Eastern Washington, Free Press Publishing is going to winter hours. Effective Nov. 8, our Whitman County Gazette office will resume Wednesday closures through cold-weather months. And beginning Nov. 10, our Cheney Free Press office will be closed Fridays. Our Lincoln County Record-Times and Ritzville Adams County Journal offices are already closed Fridays. Closing our offices one day a week for the winter doesn’t mean you have any less news coverage...
OLYMPIA – It took only a minute Friday, Aug. 11, for the state Fish and Wildlife Commission to reject a petition to resume spring bear hunting in 2024. The commission’s almost-immediate, unanimous rejection of spring bear hunting followed a very short presentation by state Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Division Manager Anis Aoude. “From our position as a department … we’re recommending you deny this petition,” he said. “There really isn’t a reason to revisit.” The state’s presentation and commissioner’s fast...
DAVENPORT - Cowboys and cowgirls from across the region turned out Friday and Saturday nights, Aug. 25 and 26, for the open Lincoln County Rodeo. In fact, so many turned out for the event that a third performance - slack - took place after the Friday night show. The slack performance featured nearly 75 additional competitors who didn't make it into the main events. Saturday night's rodeo featured a full card, including 11 bullriders and 9 bronc riders. A local gal, Zoe...
EDWALL - With the Gray Fire growing along Interstate 90 between Cheney and Medical Lake, state transportation officials are detouring traffic through Lincoln County. With the fire active along Interstate 90 near the Tyler, Salnave Road and Four Lakes exists, the roadway was closed at Geiger Heights and Sprague Saturday afternoon, Aug. 19. Westbound traffic was being diverted onto U.S. Highway 2 west through Airway Heights to Reardan, the south on state Highway 231 through...
CHENEY – An Odessa-Soap Lake area cowboy was named All-Around Cowboy at the Cheney Rodeo. Caleb McMillan won the title and with it, $2,193 for his performance in bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. McMillan was the top bull rider, scoring 80.5 points atop Day Time Crime. He was the only bull rider with a qualifying time. So, he took home a $6,748 purse. McMillan was eighth overall in steer wrestling with a time of 6.3 seconds, which earned him an additional $...
