Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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SPRAGUE - The Sprague Chamber of Commerce announced Gina and Ed Habbestad as its 2024 Citizen of the Year during its annual meeting and fundraising auction held on Monday, January 20. Habbestad and her husband, Ed, were recognized for their dedication to animal welfare as the founders of "Norm's World Animal Rescue and Sanctuary" and the "Lincoln County Lost and Found Pet Network." Together, they have provided critical support to lost and abandoned animals throughout Lincoln...
SPRAGUE — A 69-year-old man accused of threatening to kill people while armed with a loaded firearm at the Sprague Motel is set to face trial on Tuesday, March 19. Michael Gilstrap was charged with one count of felony harassment-threat to kill following his arrest on June 11, 2024, at the Sprague Motel, located at 312 East First Street. According to reports, deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a man waving a gun and threatening to kill everyone. “There is a man walking around waving a gun around telling everyone tha...
ALMIRA - Three suspects have been charged in connection with a burglary reported on Tuesday, Jan. 9, where several firearms, a Liberty safe, household items and a Jeep were stolen from a residence and shop. Deputies responded to the burglary report at 9:48 a.m. after the homeowner discovered the break-in. Missing items included a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber, a Kimber Custom .45 caliber, and a Sig Sauer P365 XL .40 caliber, according to police records. Security footage from...
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 Jan. 5 Traffic Stops 10 12:37 a.m. – Death Investigation 3:01 a.m. – A man called asking about a ride to Nespelem 9:23 a.m. – Caller reporting a commercial fire alarm was going off, investiga...
DAVENPORT — Washington State University Lincoln/Adams Extension will host two grower meetings this month, with each offering a unique agenda tailored to local producers. The first meeting will take place Tuesday, January 28, at the American Legion Hall, 106 W. Broadway Ave., Ritzville. The second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 30, at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds, 1601 Morgan Street. The Davenport meeting will also feature the WSU Extension Dryland Wheat Producer Meeting, which begins at 7:45 a.m. and runs u...
AIRWAY HEIGHTS — A second teenager has died following a crash last Wednesday on U.S. Highway 2 near Airway Heights. Shayanne Cicherski, 18, of Fruitland, died Monday, Jan. 13, from injuries sustained in the crash, according to the Washington State Patrol. The crash had earlier claimed the life of 16-year-old Sweeny Holt-Stearns of Wellpinit, who succumbed to his injuries shortly after being hospitalized. According to officials, Cicherski was driving south on Wood Road when her vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and e...
SPRAGUE — Two duck hunters were found dead in Sprague Lake after their boat capsized Sunday, Jan. 12. The deceased were identified as Rock Dwayne Bass, 61, and Gary Thomas Myers, 69, both of Spokane. According to Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner, the two men left their homes to go duck hunting on Sprague Lake earlier that day were expected home around 5 p.m. Their last known communication with family was at 1:45 p.m. “on the lake somewhere,” Wagner said. Family members lost contact with the duo and could not get any phone...
DAVENPORT - Adam Walser officially took his oath as the Superior Court judge for Lincoln County on Wednesday, Jan. 8, succeeding retiring Judge Jeff Barkdull. The swearing-in ceremony at the Lincoln County Courthouse was a bittersweet moment for Walser, who previously served as the county's elected prosecutor. "This job as a prosecutor has been the best job I have ever had," Walser said. "I remember four years ago I was in the same situation Ty is in. Jeff was swearing in as...
SOAP LAKE — A 39-year-old woman from Soap Lake, Wash., was killed in a fatal traffic crash on Thursday, Jan. 9, when another struck her vehicle at an intersection near Ephrata. The deceased, identified as Jessica H. Oelke, was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe westbound on State Route 28 approximately four miles east of Ephrata at 7:27 p.m. when her vehicle was hit on the driver’s side by a 2018 Ford Mustang traveling northbound on Road 19 NW. The Mustang, driven by George B. Martin, 59, of Moses Lake, failed to stop at a sto...
DAVENPORT — A California woman accused of causing a fatal Interstate 90 crash that killed 22-year-old Angel A. Cuevas of George, Wash., appeared in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, January 14, through her attorney. Litzy Arvizo, 22, of Merced, Calif., faces charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault stemming from a Washington State Patrol investigation. Her defense attorney stated in court that they are “close to a resolution” in the case. Arvizo, who is currently in California, signed a waiver of physi...
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. As of press time there are no Incident reports or Jail logs available. District Court Judge Dan B. Johnson Criminal Benjamin Gerald Reitz, Hit/Run unattended property, Dismissed Jesse Randall Smith, Nine Mil...
DAVENPORT - The Davenport City Council on Wednesday, January 8, discussed adding new stop signs near the school and reviewed the first reading of a long-overdue franchise agreement renewal with Avista Utilities. The council reviewed an ordinance granting Avista Utilities a nonexclusive franchise to construct, operate, and maintain electrical infrastructure within city limits. The agreement, which has not been updated in years, required clarification of the effective date and...
SPOKANE — Avista will begin lowering Lake Spokane, the reservoir formed by Long Lake Dam, starting Monday, Jan.6, depending on weather and river conditions. The reservoir is expected to drop by up to one foot per day, with a total drawdown of 13 to 14 feet below summer levels. The process will last three to six weeks, depending on precipitation and river flow. The drawdown aims to help control invasive aquatic weeds, including Eurasian watermilfoil if weather conditions allow. Sustained cold temperatures and limited snowfall...
HARRINGTON – The Harrington City Council voted Saturday, Jan. 11, to approve the $26,000 purchase of a 2022 Kobelco Sk30 mini excavator. The excavator, to be purchased from a seller in Nine Mile Falls, Wash., was listed on Facebook Marketplace for $27,550. The used machine has approximately 1,400 hours of use and includes a 36-inch cleanout bucket and a 24-inch digging bucket. The meeting lasted seven minutes, during which the council unanimously approved the purchase. Mayor Joe Armond said the council must convene for any e...
DAVENPORT - After a legal career spanning nearly four decades, Superior Court Judge Jeffery "Jeff" Barkdull officially retired Friday, Jan. 10. His retirement party was held Wednesday, Jan. 8, celebrating his years of service as both a prosecutor and judge in Lincoln County. "I thank the citizens of Lincoln County. It has been an honor to serve them as both prosecutor and judge. I have enjoyed most of it," Barkdull said. Barkdull, who turns 73 next month, began his legal...
DAVENPORT — The Davenport City Council discussed adjustments to cemetery fees on Wednesday, January 8, addressing increases to grave-related services. Councilmember Daniel Coriell introduced the proposed changes, emphasizing the need to update prices to reflect the cost of labor and services. The price for grave plots will remain at $500, but fees for opening and closing graves will significantly increase. The cost of opening and closing a grave on weekdays will rise from $100 to $650, matching the new fee for Saturdays. F...
ODESSA — A local man changed his not-guilty plea to guilty for unlawful firearm possession in Lincoln County Superior Court on Tuesday, January 14. Jesus M. Soto, 37, of Odessa, was arrested on January 26, 2024, after authorities found firearms and drug paraphernalia at his residence on East 3rd Avenue. The investigation began after a December 2023 interview with a witness who reported seeing firearms at Soto’s home, including a pink rifle, and noted his felony status prohibited him from possessing them. Authorities obt...
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...
HARRINGTON — Harrington Heart and Soul will host an informational meeting at the Harrington High School Library on Saturday, Jan. 11, to review program progress, finalize plans, and address the vacant coordinator position before its Jan. 25 launch. Harrington Heart and Soul will host an informational meeting from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The meeting will include a brief overview of the program, a review of progress made to date, and a discussion about finalizing the project. Attendees will also hear a description of the program 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...
