Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 5358
DAVENPORT - A 24-year-old local man accused of second-degree rape appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and remains in custody with a trial date set in place. Daniel R. James faces a charge of second-degree rape-forcible compulsion stemming from an alleged incident on Saturday, Sept. 28. His defense informed the court that they did not have all the discoveries as they would have liked to interview witnesses. The prosecution responded, noting that they w...
RITZVILLE - An Adams County Sheriff's deputy and a Washington State Patrol trooper arrested an Ocean Shores, Wash., man Dec. 30 after several reports of aggressive, violent behavior in both Sprague and Ritzville. Kenneth Andrew Curtiss, 32, of Ocean Shores, was arrested and booked into the Franklin County Jail, where he was being held on $5,000 bail at press time. Curtiss is charged with two counts of third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, each a Class C felony....
DAVENPORT — Post offices across the county and nation will be closed Thursday, Jan. 9, as the country observes a National Day of Mourning in honor of former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died “peacefully” at his home in Plains, Georgia, according to a statement made online by his family. President Joe Biden issued an executive order establishing the National Day of Mourning, directing all federal executive departments and agencies to cl...
DAVENPORT - A local man seeking to regain full firearm rights appeared again in Lincoln County Superior Court following complications related to a prior restoration order. Wallace Elby Buck, 62, filed for an amendment to his firearm restoration order granted on Aug. 6, after a Washington State Patrol (WSP) background check flagged two prior misdemeanor domestic violence convictions. The flagged convictions from April 19, 2010, and Feb. 21, 2006, prevented Buck from retrieving...
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 (LCSO) does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. \ Dispatch Log December 29 Traffic Stops: 2 A man called requesting civil standby the next day as a woman was coming to his property to retrieve her things. A woman called at 3:14 p.m. advising that her nei...
HARRINGTON — The Harrington City Council is seeking applicants to fill an open Position #1 seat on the council. The selected candidate will serve through the next election cycle, which ends in late 2025. Position No. 1 will be on the ballot in 2025 for a two-year term to complete the remainder of the four-year term ending in December 2027. To qualify, applicants must be registered voters and residents of Harrington for at least one year. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit a letter of interest to the City C...
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE — An elderly pedestrian on U.S. Highway 2 near the entrance of Fairchild Air Force Base was struck and killed by a car Dec. 28. Roberta L. Isaacson, 75, of Medical Lake, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Washington State Patrol, the fatal incident occurred at the intersection of South Dover Road and U.S. Highway 2, just west of the base entrance at about 6:41 p.m. Isaacson entered the roadway, where she was struck by a 2004 Buick Century, driven by William L. Collins, 68, of M...
DAVENPORT - Two Lincoln County Commissioners, Scott Hutsell and Jo Gilchrist, were officially sworn into their elected positions during a ceremony at the Lincoln County Courthouse, with Superior Court Judge Barkdull overseeing the proceedings. Gilchrist, who was appointed in 2023 following the retirement of Commissioner Mark Stedman, ran for and secured a full four-year term this year. "I ran alongside Scott Huttsell, and now I'm excited to begin my full term. Scott is...
SPRAGUE - A local man appeared in Superior Court for a motion and affidavit hearing to determine probable cause, direct issuance of a warrant and set bail in Lincoln County Superior Court. Jason Trickel, 45, of Sprague, is facing one count of second-degree burglary, with bail set at $100,000. The charges stem from an October 22 incident reported at 9:02 a.m. where Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Kody Becker received a call stating that Thomas Pelley contacted the Lincoln...
REARDAN — After the holiday break, students across Lincoln County will return to school starting Monday, Jan. 6, with Odessa, Davenport and Harrington school resuming classes. Reardan-Edwall school district students will return to the classroom one day later, on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The new year brings an exciting semester of learning and activities for students in these districts, with teachers and staff preparing for the return of their students. Students and families in the Reardan-Edwall district will have one extra day of r...
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 (LCSO) does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. Dispatch Log December 22 Traffic Stops: 7 A woman called at 12:34 p.m. to report that she got a phone call that kids were breaking up the concrete in front of 11 North East Cole. Dispatch received a call at...
CRESTON — The Superior Court hearing for Mathew S. Chafin, 35, was postponed Tuesday, December 31, after the prosecution and defense agreed that insufficient notice had been given for the proceeding. A new hearing date has not been set. Chafin, who was arrested on December 12, 2020, is facing a charge of Child Molestation in the first degree. The hearing was intended to address a motion and affidavit for an order determining the existence of probable cause, directing the issuance of a warrant, and fixing bail. The p...
- A local man seeking to reclaim his firearm rights has returned to Superior Court after a background check flagged past convictions. Wallace Elby Buck, 62, appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, Dec. 31, filing for an amendment to the firearm restoration order granted on August 6. Buck explained in a letter to the court that he attempted to retrieve a family heirloom rifle from a pawn shop on August 9, after settling the required payment. Superior Court Judge...
DAVENPORT — Davenport High School’s aging water heater system was a key topic during the Davenport School Board meeting on Monday, Dec. 16. The board reviewed a proposal for replacing the school’s water heater, which would involve demolishing the existing system and the installation of two new Lochinvar SHIELD SWR200N water heaters, along with a storage tank. The estimated cost for the project is $33,993 plus WSST, with work planned to be carried out during regular hours, Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The e...
SPOKANE — Heading out to ring in the New Year on Tuesday night, Dec. 31? The Washington State Patrol has some words of wisdom for you — don’t drink and drive. The patrol is assigning additional troopers for New Year’s Eve as part of a driving while under the influence emphasis statewide. According to the patrol, statistics show there’s a 71% increase in drunken driving crashes resulting from New Year’s celebrations, compared to other times of the year. “Drive sober and watch out for other drivers,” the patrol said in a press...
ODESSA — During a special meeting, the Odessa Town Council focused on finalizing its 2025 budget. The meeting was held Monday, December 2, at 5 p.m. in the library at 21 E First Ave. Mayor Crossley called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m., with Councilmembers Lobe, Reyes, Iverson, Smith, and Kramer in attendance, along with Clerk-Treasurer Nelson and Police Clerk Hardung. Police Clerk Hardung led the budget discussion, reviewing the 2025 budget categories. Councilmembers acknowledged the budget’s completion, with final app...
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 (LCSO) does not release names of individuals who report possible criminal or suspicious activities to dispatchers or alleged victims for this column. December 15 Traffic Stops: 14 At 4:24 a.m., a man called, reporting he had recently left a resident in the Look Lake area where an altercation had occurred between himself and a female friend. He advised tha...
DAVENPORT — County Commissioners Scott Hutsell and Jo Gilchrist will officially be sworn into their elected positions on Monday, Dec. 30, at 1:30 p.m. at the Lincoln County Courthouse. Gilchrist, who was appointed in 2023 after the retirement of Commissioner Mark Stedman, ran for a full four-year term this year and successfully secured the seat. “I ran alongside Scott Hutsell, and now I’m excited to begin my full term. Scott is beginning his fifth term as commissioner, and there are only a few commissioners in their fifth ter...
DAVENPORT — The Davenport City Council has approved a $7.8 million budget for 2025, including adjustments to water and sewer rates to ensure sustainable operations and financial stability. The $7.8 million budget outlines estimated revenues of $8,854,290 and proposed expenditures totaling $7,810,500, covering the city’s financial needs for the coming fiscal year. City Administrator Steve Goemmel explained that water and sewer rate adjustments were initially approved in early November, but changes were made after add...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced $300 million in assistance to distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers. The funding announced Friday, Dec. 20, is expected to provide assistance to more than 12,800 distressed direct and guaranteed Farm Loan Programs borrowers, officials said. “USDA has always been committed to standing by our nation’s farmers and ranchers, especially in their most challenging times,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “At USDA, we are not only addressin...
SPOKANE — Avista Corporation has announced changes to electric and natural gas rates following the conclusion of its general rate cases filed in January 2024. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) approved a two-year rate plan set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026. For electric operations, the approved rates include a 0.1 percent, or $0.8 million, increase in base revenue for the first year and an 11.6 percent, or $68.9 million, increase in the second year. For natural gas operations, r...
DAVENPORT — Care and Share, a local nonprofit, recently received a record donation of 2,340lbs of food from Davenport School. The donation, which included various items, will help support the organization’s ongoing food distribution efforts. “We’ve had a great year of support,” said Cindy Warner, president of Care and Share. “In addition to the school’s generous contribution, Safeway has provided recovery food, and several local churches have donated. The community has been wonderful.” Care and Share distributes foo...
ODESSA — The local man who was arrested and pleaded guilty to felony harassment charges with threats to kill was released from custody. Arthur James Banko, 68, was released from custody after pleading guilty to felony harassment with threats to kill. The decision followed a lengthy legal process, which included competency evaluation and treatment at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake. Banko was initially arrested on August 29, 2024, after allegedly threatening to shoot another man, cut his head off and place it on a f...
DAVENPORT — The Davenport City Council will meet Thursday, Dec. 26, at 7 p.m., despite having no formal agenda items, as state law requires for second-class cities. The meeting will take place at Davenport City Hall. According to David Leath, the city’s Clerk-Treasurer, Davenport is a second-class city, one of only two in the state, and is required to meet twice a month. Even when there are no agenda items, council members must meet to approve minutes from previous meetings and expenditures. “There are still items to condu...
DAVENPORT — As the holiday season approaches, safety is a top priority for families celebrating at home and traveling. Local officials urge caution around fireplaces, cooking, turkey fryers, and driving, especially in inclement weather or after consuming alcohol. Even Santa ensures his sleigh’s safety features are up to code before sliding down the chimney. Fireplaces and chimneys should be inspected and cleaned annually by a professional to prevent the dangerous buildup of creosote, which can lead to fires. Homeowners sho...
