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DAVENPORT - Most Lincoln County voters would prefer that former president Donald Trump get re-elected for a second term this November. Trump received most of the county votes in the presidential primary election held Tuesday, March 12. 3,229 Lincoln County ballots had been counted by Tuesday night, with 2,633 votes for Republican candidates and 594 votes for Democrat candidates. Of those 2,633 Republican votes, Trump received 2,169. Four other Republican candidates, who have...
Several years ago, the Washington Secretary of States provided to counties, at no cost, a device called an Albert Sensor. Albert is an intrusion detection device that was provided to counties with the narrative that it will help secure our elections. The installation of these devices required that counties enter into a contract with a third-party, non-governmental organization (NGO) called Center for Internet Security (CIS) located in New York. The premise was that CIS would...
DAVENPORT — The school district will officially ask voters to approve two levies in the February Special Election. The school board approved putting a replacement educational programs and operations (EP&O) levy and replacement capital projects levy before the voters at a regular meeting Monday, Nov. 27. Both levies would be collected over four years, beginning in 2025 and ending in 2028. The EP&O levy would collect $1,135,091 in 2025, $1,169,144 in 2026, $1,204,218 in 2027 and $1,240,345 in 2028. That breaks down to an e...
DAVENPORT — The school district will be asking voters to pass two replacement levies in a special election in Feb. 2024: An Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy and capital projects levy. The district hasn’t decided how much it will ask for but plans to put a resolution with an amount before the school board in November. And that upcoming resolution was a topic of conversation at the board’s regular meeting Monday, Oct. 30. Superintendent Chad Prewitt and business manager Dana Telecky told the board that the EP&O l...
DAVENPORT-After a unanimous vote by the school board, the school district accepted a $500,000 emergency grant for repairs to the high school roof from the state Superintendent of Public Instruction at the board's special meeting Monday, Oct. 16. The high school roof is in bad shape. Leaks occurred frequently during the 2022-23 snow season, filling up to 12 "buckets full," superintendent Chad Prewitt said. The high school SPED classroom may have to close this winter due to...
Just as memories of COVID lockdowns and mask mandates were fading to the back of our collective minds, the hysteria is returning, and many are wondering how to react. The two new strains responsible for the surge in cases are known as EG.5, or “Eris,” and BA.2.86, or “Pirola.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers show COVID hospitalizations have increased by almost 15.7% in one week, and deaths have increased by 10.5%, although these numbers greatly fluctuate day by day. Director Mandy Cohen said up to 10,000...
Luke Mallon June 29, 1983 –Sept. 2, 2023 Luke Mallon was born in Ardenvoir, Wash., a charmingly chubby baby with impish blue eyes and a wide smile, one made all the more endearing when a battle of wills over bath time at the age of 2 resulted in the accidental loss of a top front tooth. From toddlerhood, Luke showed a rare capacity for tenderness, always ready with a hug or a soothing, "Aww beebee" as he patted you on the back with a chubby hand. This desire to be of c...
“It’s not an election year.” A common remark used conversationally in both a serious and satirical matter, including, admittedly, by yours truly. Why was the Pioneer Days Parade smaller than last year? “It’s not an election year.” Why don’t we currently seem to see politicians catering to whatever seems to be the popular groupthink at the time as much as we did, in say, 2020? “It’s not an election year.” But while we may not be casting our votes for President of the Un...
DAVENPORT—Those who live in Lincoln County typically tout their personal advantages of living here: Small-town life, getting away from the city, friendly communities and affordable cost-of-living rates. But can the county support growth as more people seek those values, and if so, where? The answer, many stakeholders feel, is yes…if the county can support the infrastructure. “We have to look at the age of the infrastructure to see if it could handle more development,” retired Lincoln County commissioner Mark Stedman said la...
SPRAGUE—Taxpayers are being asked to help Cemetery District No. 7 fund cemetery maintenance and operation expenses through a regular property tax levy on the Feb. 14 special election ballot. The levy would be collected for one year (2024), district commissioner Joy Vold said. Taxpayers would be charged approximately 28 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for a total collection amount of $35,000. Voters with a property value of $300,000 would be charged $84 toward this levy. Vold said a levy was last passed in the g...
DAVENPORT - It was another interesting year in Lincoln County, and a fascinating inaugural year of The Record-Times. Here's a look back at the news that dotted headlines and news pages in the second half of 2022. A recap of the news from the first half of 2022 will be in next week's issue. July Chad Prewitt began his role as superintendent of the Davenport School District, replacing the retiring Jim Kowalkowski. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office received no calls of fires re...
What have we learned since the 2020 election? No matter how ill-founded the lie, if continually repeated for two years--the Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen--many people will believe it. Repeating lies has been utilized, sometimes successfully, by presidential candidates before. But previously it’s been used before election, not continually repeated for two years thereafter, never to subvert our democracy, and terminated with electoral results accepted. Besides promoting the Big Lie, Cathy McMorris Rodge...
Give President Joe Biden some credit for mid-term election Democratic successes when most everyone, including the media, predicted otherwise. Instead of focusing on himself, he quietly avoided states where he’s unpopular and helped Democrats win Pennsylvania where he grew up and is still popular. He presented us with our country’s greatest challenge: to save our democracy from autocratic ambitions of the MAGA faction that dominates the Republican party. He inherited a mess and time spent cleaning it up detracted from tim...
Twisted Logic Does it make any sense that many of our elected Congressional Representatives, Senators and those down ballot are arguing that the 2020 election was stolen? They were on the same ballots, counted by the same election offices as the presidential candidates. So the whole election must be unfair if we follow the logic. Therefore, if Biden lost, how do these politicians, mostly Republicans, explain their own victories and justify their present employment? Nancy Street – Cheney Critical Race Theory? I want to k...
DAVENPORT – Races for Sheriff, Treasurer and County Commissioner have generated the vast majority of local interest, but impactful statewide, legislative and congressional races will appear on Lincoln County ballots this election season. Voters will see races for United States Senator, 5th Congressional District Representative, Secretary of State and State Representative on their ballots. For the first time since the 2021 redistricting process, Lincoln County voters will e...
DAVENPORT-Lincoln County will have a new sheriff in town after 2022. Sheriff Wade Magers announced he won't seek a fifth term of office in this year's election cycle, drawing a close to a 32-year career in law enforcement that included 16 years as County Sheriff. Magers made the announcement in a news release Wednesday afternoon, April 13. "I have enjoyed seeing our office grow and improve in so many areas over the past 32 years," Magers said in the release. "I am proud of...
DAVENPORT—A Spokane County judge quickly dismissed an elections lawsuit filed against the Lincoln County Auditor’s office and auditor Chandra Schumacher by the Washington Election Integrity Coalition United (WEICU) and Jerry Schulz of Reardan in October. Presiding judge Michael Price granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss Monday, March 28. The lawsuit accused the Auditor’s Office of election violations during the 2020 general election as WEICU filed similar lawsuits around the state that same week. The court found that WE...
HARRINGTON—The school district here is seeking passage of a two-year replacement levy for collection in 2023 and 2024 to help fund several school expenses. The assessed value is less than in previous years, but the amount remains the same as the most recent levy. Voters will decide the levy’s fate in a special election Tuesday, Feb. 8. The two-year levy seeks $375,000 for collection in 2023 and 2024. The assessed impact on school district taxpayers is estimated at $2.25 per $1,000 in property value, which is a decline from th...
It was an eventful year in east Lincoln County. Here’s a look back at the news that dominated the headlines in the second half of 2021. A recap of the news from the first half of 2021 was in last week’s issue. July Fireworks were discouraged for the Fourth of July weekend by authorities countywide amidst a heavy heat wave, high winds and drought. Lincoln County dealt with its hottest temperatures on record. The hottest temperature was actually in June, where a temperature of 111 degrees Fahrenheit was reported on the 29t...
HARRINGTON-Jess Silhan is only in his fourth year living in the city, but the new mayor already has his eyes set on improving local issues. Silhan, a former West Side and Tri-Cities resident, moved here in 2018 with his wife, Cynthia and now takes office after running for mayor unopposed in the 2020 election. Silhan said addressing issues with the city's wastewater treatment facility is his first priority upon assuming office, which he did Dec. 29. "I have to make sure I...
DAVENPORT—A busy end to 2021 for city council included the reinstitution of water late fees, approval of the 2022 city budget and swearing in of four councilmembers Dec. 22. The first resolution passed by council reinstated the late fee for customers overdue on water payments and allows water shut offs effective immediately, with a catch. The resolution, which took effect immediately after passage, also created a new city program that allows customers to make payment arrangements for past due balances, city clerk Dave L...
It’s been an eventful year in east Lincoln County. Here’s a look back at the news that dominated the headlines in the first half of 2021. A recap of the news from the second half of 2021 will be in next week’s issue. January The first batch of COVID-19 vaccinations arrived at the Lincoln County Health Department. 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine were slowly distributed to healthcare workers and the elderly. Drew Lawson, now of Medical Lake and formerly of Vancouver, took the reins as editor of The Davenport Times. Lawso...
DAVENPORT – Jessica Smith was sworn in as the next city councilmember at council's Dec. 22 meeting, becoming the only new councilmember entering 2022. She was sworn in along with re-elected members Cory Hollis, Lance Strite and Patrick Katz. Smith is replacing Theresa Telford on council. Telford didn't file for re-election in 2021. "When you live in a community, you have to give back at some point," Smith said on her desire to run for city council. Smith has lived in D...
Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota was never a darling of conservatives; however, in his later years he shocked fellow Democrats by his outspoken backing for streamlining government regulations and eliminating frivolous lawsuits — positions championed mostly by Republicans. McGovern, a decorated World War II B-24 pilot who flew 35 combat missions over North Africa and Europe, was an unabashed self-professed liberal. He won the Democrat presidential nomination in 1972 but l...
DAVENPORT - Most proposed replacement levies aimed at raising funds for local schools appear to have passed after ballot returns in Davenport, Odessa, Reardan and Harrington updated Thursday, Feb. 15. Most levies are passing comfortably, while one is still slightly too close to call. The tightest margin is a proposed 2-year replacement Educational Programs and Operations levy in the Reardan-Edwall School District, valued at approximately $2 per $1,000 assessed property value....