Year in review 2023 Part 1

DAVENPORT - It may be hard to believe, but another year has come and gone. As usual, there was plenty going on in Lincoln County in 2023.

Here's a look back at the top news items from the year, January to June. July through December will be covered in next week's newspaper.

January

Odessa was left without a police chief after Leslie Jimerson's quiet resignation. The town didn't "advertise" the vacancy for a short time due to concerns of sparking a rise in crime.

Julie Murphy was named Sprague Citizen of the Year.

A four-person application pool for a vacancy on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners was whittled to three after two candidates were deemed to not be Republicans by the county Republican Central Committee.

Jessica Smith resigned from Davenport city council, citing health concerns.

Joey Kostyk of Harrington sought to open a tattoo shop.

The Reardan-Edwall School District began a comprehensive facilities study to develop a long-range plan around projected surges in enrollment.

Diane Kennedy opened the Caddy Shack in Odessa after being pushed out of town in Ritzville.

Odessa town council approved a hospital addition inspection.

The Odessa School District placed three levies on voter ballots.

Jen Greeny, a Davenport High School alumna, was voted into the WIAA Hall of Fame.

Lincoln County Public Works announced plans to pave Hawk Creek Road.

The search for Mark Stedman's replacement as Lincoln County Commissioner was whittled to Brett Bishop of Edwall, Jo Gilchrist of Bluestem and Kelly Watkins of Odessa.

John Bruce resigned as superintendent of the Odessa School District.

Kris Moritz replaced Peter Davenport on Harrington city council.

Jo Gilchrist was appointed interim Lincoln County Commissioner. She is believed to be the first female commissioner in county history.

Reardan won back the "Golden Plunger" at the annual Winterfest competition with Davenport.

February

The WSU Extension hosted a Wheat Producers meeting at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds.

Area residents raised concerns about a perceived increase in wolf presence in Lincoln County.

Donna Finkbeiner was named city clerk in Harrington.

The Harrington Booster Club hosted a spaghetti feed to raise support for Gary Cox and Carol Richey's family following Cox's crash on Snoqualmie Pass that put him in a wheelchair for months.

Davenport FBLA's chapter advanced to state competition.

Casey Munter of Creston was killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash on Seven Springs Dairy Road.

Harrington city council announced that waterline repair would resume in May.

The Odessa Lions Club hosted the annual Crab Feed.

All seven levies posed to Lincoln County voters passed in a special election.

Preston Neufeld of Reardan won a state wrestling championship at 106 pounds at the Mat Classic in Tacoma.

Gavin Boggs of Davenport caught a record-sized whitefish on Lake Roosevelt near Lincoln.

Davenport's boys basketball team won the District 7 Championship and was named the top seed at the state tournament.

Rob Clark was named interim superintendent of the Odessa School District.

Robert Jenkins was appointed to fill a vacancy on Davenport city council.

15-year-old Shadrach R. Hall-Turner of Reardan was killed in a basement shooting on a cold night in Reardan.

The Lincoln County Commissioners sunset a local declaration of a State of Emergency regarding COVID-19.

March

Davenport's boys and Odessa's girls advanced to State B competition at the Spokane Arena.

16-year-old Koedi White pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and unlawful possession for a firearm after he was arrested following the death of Shadrach Hall-Turner in Reardan.

Supporters and Rodeo royalties supported 2023 Miss Rodeo Washington Bailey Nachtigal of Davenport at a fundraiser and coronation at the Fairgrounds.

Lincoln County District Court received a grant aimed at improving defendant appearance rates.

The Davenport boys basketball team won the program's first state championship with a 65-58 victory over Brewster at the Spokane Arena.

Andy Manke resigned as Reardan police chief after taking a job with Spokane Tribal Police.

Cody Magruder of Carlton was given 73 months in prison for, in part, escaping from Lincoln County Jail in Aug. 2022.

Reardan High School's Knowledge Bowl team advanced to state competition.

Brett Antczak was hired as Odessa Memorial Healthcare Clinic's CEO.

3C Creations and Expressions took over the Morgan Street building previously occupied by Davenport Sporting Goods.

Mikeal Suniga was hired as Reardan police chief.

A noxious weed tax assessment for Lincoln County municipalities was discussed by the Weed Control Board and local cities and towns.

Several parents complained to the Odessa School Board about alleged student mistreatment and failure to adequately respond to as hooting threat allegedly made by a students.

Dakota Hansen of Chattaroy was named Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo Queen.

The 51st Stumpjumpers Desert 100 brought thousands of motorists and spectators to Irby.

Linda Dougherty was named the Reardan Lions Club Citizen of the Year.

Six students from Reardan High School's FCCLA program were given gold medals at the State Leadership Conference in Wenatchee.

Davenport's FFA team qualified for nationals with a state championship in nursery landscape.

Brian Graham resigned as Reardan's boys basketball coach.

A series of automated external defibrillators were disbursed around the county through grant money obtained by HighLine Grain Growers.

April

The Harrington School Board debated state-mandated parameters and requirements surrounding sexual education.

A 14-year-old boy that made comments about becoming a school shooter at Davenport High School was deemed to be making the comments in jest.

Easter Egg Hunts abounded in Lincoln County.

The Lincoln County Commissioners awarded Spokane-based Zero dB Communications the construction build for the first countywide broadband project.

A bomb threat emailed to 44 school districts statewide forced the cancellation of school, including in Davenport.

Four allegations of misconduct made by Gary Stuckle of Davenport against city administrator Steve Goemmel and mayor Brad Sweet couldn't be substantiated with evidence, according to an investigation completed by the city's own insurance company.

Longtime Davenport teacher and elementary school teacher Jill Freeze died from complications of myelofibrosis.

Ashley Parkinson departed the Record-Times. Parkinson covered Odessa and Harrington for the local newspaper.

Patsy Tanferani of Harrington lost her home and cat to a house fire.

Construction began on U.S. Highway 2 between Rocklyn and Creston.

The Harrington Marketplace rebranded to Home and Makers.

119 students from around the Pacific Northwest showcased livestock at the Lincoln County Spring Showcase.

$1 million was secured in the state budget for a covered arena at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds.

Jill Freeze was memorialized in a public service at Davenport Middle School.

Davenport and Odessa's FBLA Chapters competed at state, with several students from each delegation qualifying for nationals.

Vaea LaMoreaux of Reardan signed to wrestle at Umpqua College in Oregon, while Davenport basketball standout Tennessee Rainwater signed to play Division I hoops at Utah Tech.

May

Reardan Police made a second arrest related to the death of Shadrach Hall-Turner, detaining and releasing 14-year-old Izaiah Paige of Spokane and charging him with criminal assistance.

A plea agreement was reached in the murder case of Charles Bergman, who murdered his wife and dumped her body in a field north of Sprague in Sept. 2022.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced he wouldn't be running for a fourth term of office.

Crews began work on paving Hawk Creek Road.

A hoax shooting threat was called into 911 dispatch, falsely threatening the Davenport School District.

Kerstin Lundgren and Annamarie Bolyard shared the title of Miss Reardan-Edwall.

Rattlesnakes returned to Odessa after winter hibernation.

Creekside Pharmacy owners Ryan and Lanae Wiater closed the business and announced intentions to lease the space.

Jamie Nelson announced she would retire as Odessa School District principal at the end of the school year.

Gordon Bentler was hired to patrol Odessa as an officer.

Rikkiana Chavelas was crowned Miss Davenport.

Andrew Schulz was elected by the Washington FFA Association as state president.

Jesse Silhan announced he wouldn't file for re-election as Mayor of Harrington.

John Cordell announced he would retire as Harrington School District superintendent.

Liam Hamilton, then of Reardan, qualified for the state banjo competition.

Two Davenport girls were arrested after a string of mail thefts in the city.

June

Charles Bergman of Moses Lake was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Theresa Bergman.

Koedi White was given a 124-130 week juvenile sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter and unlawful firearm possession charges related to the shooting death of Shadrach Hall-Turner.

Mule Days, an annual celebration in Reardan, drew a sizable crowd to the town.

Christian Heritage recognized four graduates in a ceremony.

Steve Fisk was hired as permanent superintendent and K-5 prinicipal in Odessa.

The Lincoln County Health Dept. lined up $197,000 in funding for county Senior Centers.

Harrington celebrated its six graduates.

Graduations were held in Odessa, Davenport and Reardan.

The SCM1000 Road rally passed through the fire station in Edwall.

The Maverick Pub opened at Sunday Bay Resort in Deer Meadows.

Joe Schlomer was hired as Odessa football coach, while Mike Carlquist was hired to coach the boys basketball team.

A reportedly reversed stance by the state Dept. of Ecology created a discussion on whether Lincoln County should have an ordinance requiring developers outside municipality limits to connect to a public water system instead of drilling private wells.

High school agriculture teachers from across the street participated in an annual Eastside vs. Westside softball match in Reardan.

Pete and Debra Brickner listed the Tribune Smokehouse in Davenport for sale.

Davenport's Glenna Soliday and Odessa's Hayden Schuh and Lily Starkel, as well as Odessa's 4X100 relay team, won state championships at the 1B/2B State meet in Yakima.

Vintage Country Fair was held in Harrington.

A Spokane and Reardan based man, Jordan Mills-Jay, was arrested and charged in connection with the death of a baby at a Euclid Road residence.

Lawrence Cash of Davenport was killed in a tractor rollover crash west of the city.

Wheat farmers anticipated an early harvest due to above-average temperatures in May and June.

Dozens of Lincoln County hoopers converged on downtown Spokane to participate in Hoopfest.