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Articles from the March 26, 2020 edition


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  • Magnitude 6.5 quake shakes Central Idaho

    Roger Harnack, Publisher|Updated Mar 31, 2020

    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...

  • Weber is newest county deputy

    Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, The Odessa Record|Updated Mar 31, 2020

    DAVENPORT-There's a new sheriff in town. Well, a new deputy anyway. New Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Carsen Weber graduated from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center on Feb. 20 (a photo of Weber being congratulated by Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers ran in the February 27 edition of The Odessa Record). Weber also recently graduated from Central Washington University in Ellensburg with a B.A. in criminal justice. He is currently training on the job in...

  • Adams County report 13 coronavirus cases

    Roger Harnack, Publisher|Updated Mar 30, 2020

    OTHELLO — Adams County health officials reported 13 confirmed coronavirus cases late tonight, Monday night, March 30. That's up from five cases Friday, March 27, the last time Adams County Health Department officials released a confirmed tally. Community Health Director Karen Potts, RN said the cases were no longer confined to Othello, but she did not say in which communities the cases were located. At least two cases were involved Othello residents who remain hospitalized. ...

  • Layoffs coming at Eastern Washington University services

    JOHN McCALLUM, Managing Editor|Updated Mar 28, 2020

    CHENEY -- Eastern Washington University officials have indicated there will be some layoffs in response to changes on campus resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The layoffs will take place in the housing and dining services due to a reduced number of students being on campus. The university went to all online instruction earlier this month as a measure to combat the spread of the disease sweeping world, and that instruction will remain online the rest of the 2019-2020 academic school year. Officials are still assessing the...

  • Constitutional rights about to be tested

    Roger Harnack, Publisher|Updated Mar 28, 2020

    Benjamin Franklin's famous quote often arises in the context of government overreach. In this age of Wuhan Flu – or COVID-19, as those pushing political correctness would say – it still applies today. On Monday evening, Gov. Jay Inslee followed the lead of California Gov. Gavin Newsome and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in ordering residents to remain in their homes and businesses and offices to close their doors at least two weeks. The order came only three days after he cha...

  • Gov. Inslee suspends portions of public meetings, records acts

    Roger Harnack, Publisher|Updated Mar 28, 2020

    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...

  • DOT halts plowing in scenic passes

    Roger Harnack, Publisher|Updated Mar 27, 2020

    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 c...

  • Adjustments made for COVID-19 at Lincoln Hospital and Clinics

    Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, Odessa Record|Updated Mar 27, 2020

    DAVENPORT -- While Lincoln Hospital and Clinics have not had any confirmed COVID-19 cases in their facilities, they have been working tirelessly over the past few weeks to protect patients and employees from the virus and prevent a community outbreak of the disease. In the event that an outbreak should occur here, Lincoln Hospital would be the frontlines of medical care for our communities. "Like many hospitals and healthcare providers are doing right now, we had to consider h...

  • Odessa native at epicenter of state's COVID-19 outbreak

    Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, The Odessa Record|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    KIRKLAND -- Life Care Center, north of Seattle, has been the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak on the U.S. west coast. The company, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tenn., operates or manages more than 200 skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer's and senior-living campuses in 28 states. Chelsey (Walter) Earnest, the daughter of Bruce and Debbie Walter of Odessa, is a registered nurse who lives and works in Puyallup for Life Care Centers of America. When a call for help...

  • Teen girl infected in Whitman County

    The Gazette|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    COLFAX -- A teenage girl is being reported as Whitman County's third positive coronavirus patient today, Thursday, March 26. The Public Health Department is investigating whom the girl may have come in contact with; her name has not been released. More information will follow when it becomes available, officials said....

  • David A. Reinbold

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    REINBOLD, David A. (Age 68) – Passed away March 18, 2020 at his home in Davenport, WA. He was born on June 30, 1951 in Spokane, WA to Willard and Margaret (Conrad) Reinbold. David grew up on the family farm and attended school in Davenport graduating in 1969 and then attended W.S.U where he earned a bachelor's degree. After college he return to Davenport where he help with the family farm and later was also a rural mail carrier. David was a member of the Rural Mail Carriers A...

  • People for people ride service still operating

    Jeremy Burnham, The Times|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    DAVENPORT—Despite Gov. Jay Inlee’s order that Washington residents stay at home, essential travel is still allowed. Lincoln County residents who rely on People For People rides for transportation will still be able to use the service during the shelter-in-place directive. People For People provides—among other services— city-to-city transportation in Washington. Though the organization's website says that all locations are closed, this refers to its offices, which provide...

  • SecState certified record high turnout for presidential primary

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    OLYMPIA – More voters participated in Washington's March 10 presidential primary than in any presidential primary before, according to vote counts certified today by Secretary of State Kim Wyman that totaled 49.56% turnout. Said Wyman, "This presidential primary made history even before Election Day by marking the first time in state history both major political parties would use the results to allocate their delegates to the national conventions. It will now go down in history as drawing the highest turnout ever for a W...

  • Will voters finally see $30 vehicle tabs this Friday?

    Roger Harnack, Free Press Publishing|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    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 e...

  • Court report

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    Courthouse Beat INCIDENT LOG Editor’s note: Most items in this section reflect the starting point for response by local police and emergency agencies. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. NOTE: Several listings are missing locations because the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office did not include in its report to the media. March 16 A caller reported a suspicious person at Harrington Park...

  • State laws enacted during the session

    Cameron Sheppard, WNPA News Service|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    At the end of the state legislative session this month, lawmakers had passed nearly 400 bills — averaging at least five new laws per day — focused on a variety of policies including; comprehensive sex education, letting 17-year-olds vote in primary elections, and limiting the cost of insulin. Here are some of the most impactful bills passed by the Washington House of Representatives and Washington Senate during the 60 days they were in session. Governor Jay Inslee until April 1, 20 days from the end of the session, to sig...

  • Harrington golf course remains open for play

    Jeremy Burnham, Davenport Times|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    HARRINGTON - With available activities outside the home seemingly decreasing each day, golf remains a game that can be played without any close contact to anybody. As of press time, the Harrington Golf and Country Club remains open as long as golfers are willing to practice safe social distancing. "We're going to be open as long as we are allowed to be," manager Melissa Gilmore said. "When you are on the golf course, you aren't within six feet of one another unless you ride...

  • Don't go buying all the toilet paper

    Jeremy Burnham|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    Stop buying all the toilet paper. Seriously, knock it off. It's not necessary. Across the state—in large and rural communities alike—grocery stores' entire toilet paper aisles are empty. Not a single four-roll package remains for people who need it. So who has it? People who likely already had enough. Contrary to popular belief, we do not have a toilet paper shortage. According to the Washington Department of Health, there's nothing causing additional use of toilet paper and...

  • Novel Coronavirus: What is it, where did it come from and just how dangerous is it?

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    According to Wikipedia the definition of novel coronavirus is, "any recently discovered virus of medical significance not yet permanently named. Today it has a name, SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 initially broke out in Wuhan, China and was reported to the World Health Organization December 31, 2019. It has been discovered to potentially have originated in bats, and was likely transferred to humans through an intermediate host (more than likely mammal), a wild animal, sold illegally...

  • Welcome to My Kitchen

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    So many are cooking from the pantry these days, and I have received a number of questions about substitutions and general cooking questions. I will try to cover as many as I can in the column, but do check the Welcome to My Kitchen Facebook page for additional information. Cabbage Roll Soup was a requested recipe, and it fits well into cooking from the pantry. Soup is a good way to stretch ingredients, and a rich broth or base makes it a satisfying meal. Cabbage Roll Soup 1 1/2 pounds ground beef Salt and Pepper 1 large...

  • Food Bank to be open twice in April

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    In order to help those who need the assistance during these trying times, the Odessa Food Bank, which is normally open once a month, will be open two times in the month of April. The Food Bank, located at 111 E. 1st Ave. (alley entrance of Foursquare Church), will be open Thursday, April 2, 1:30-3 p.m. and 5-6 p.m., and again two weeks later on our regularly scheduled open day of Thursday, April 16, 1:30-3 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. Those needing further assistance may call 982-2202 to leave a message. Calls will be returned. With...

  • Letter to the editor: Armitage endorsed for House seat

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    To the Editor: Chris Armitage is running against Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers as a Democrat for the 5th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is well educated, with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in homeland security. He has been trained in the military, spent seven years in the air force and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, so he knows the 5th District very well. He has also been deployed to the Middle East, so he has first-hand experience living and...

  • Harrington updates

    Marjorie Womach, Contributor|Updated Mar 26, 2020

    Harrington's Food Bank practiced social distancing during its most recent distribution day. An assortment of food was boxed ahead of time for customers arriving at the front doors of the Harrington Church of the Nazarene. One patron at a time was called to check in and receive supplies. Extra items were also available, but a new rule was invoked: If you touch it, take it. The Harrington Library has closed for the month of March. No fines will be issued and smaller books may be returned at the drop box to the left of the door...

  • Harrington staff meeting school closure challenges

    Updated Mar 26, 2020

    Following Gov. Jay Inslee’s decision to close schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Harrington School District began serving a “grab-and-go” lunch and a next-day breakfast in front of the school by the kitchen door from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Country delivery via bus routes was added March 23. All children from one to 18 years old, or students, were required to be present to receive the meals. School personnel are working on a plan to provide childcare for children in grades 4 through 6 for parents who are considered essen...