October 15, 2024
October 15, 2024
They were babies and toddlers when the pandemic hit. At school, some still struggle. One minute, the four-year-old boy was giggling. The school's new behavioral specialist made a game of helping him put on his shoes, playfully sniffing them then scrunching up her face in pretend horror. A minute later, he was inconsolable, an emotional U-turn perhaps sparked by the transition to clean-up time. A teacher cradled the boy in her lap, calmly dodging his small flailing arms. He...
For close to a decade, periods—yes, menstrual periods—had been one of those rare issues that could win legislative support in blue states and red ones. The 19th shares details about how the issue has affected accessibility of menstrual products in schools across the U.S. Starting in about 2016, legislators from California to Alabama had been passing bills mandating that tampons and pads be readily available in public spaces—especially schools—after researchers found...
Far from the Southern border states of previous elections, a rush to court Latino votes ahead of Nov. 5 is concentrating in Pennsylvania's hotly contested "Latino Belt"—and both camps have firmly planted their flags. In June, the Trump campaign opened an outreach office in Reading, Pennsylvania, home to one of the largest Latino populations in the Keystone State. Nearly 7 in 10 residents of the former factory town are Latino, with many of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent....
PASCO — With less than 30 days to go in the Nov. 5 general election, a county auditor and state representative want to intervene in an effort to sweep away the constitutional residency requirement to vote. Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton of Pasco and 19th Legislative District Rep. Jim Walsh of Aberdeen, both Republicans, are seeking to require to state elections officials to follow the state Constitution or go about a legal change to residency requirements. At issue is the unilateral decision by Secretary of State...
BASIN CITY - A man wanted in the shooting of his mother and step-father is in the Franklin County Jail following his Sept. 16 arrest. Daniel Arceo-Martinez, 28, of Basin City, is being held on $1 million bail, charged with first-degree assault. He was arrested in Moses Lake following a tip on his whereabouts. Arceo-Martinez was wanted in the Sept. 15 shooting of his mother and step-father in rural Franklin County, court records show. The couple was treated for gunshot wounds...
RITZVILLE - Law enforcement agencies, ranchers and rural counties are forming a coalition to push back against the state Fish and Wildlife Commission's failure to manage large predators effectively. The coalition was announced Sept. 17 following a meeting here on large-predator issues. The meeting attracted about 16-20 law enforcement officers, as well as two ranchers speaking about the effects of wolf, cougar and bear depredation on farms, ranches and rural communities. "The...
Rural counties experience more traffic deaths per capita compared to their urban counterparts, due in part to slower emergency response times, higher speed limits, and risky driving behavior like not wearing seatbelts. Six lane interstates and city streets in densely developed urban areas aren't more dangerous than open stretches of highway, no matter how nasty rush hour traffic may get. An analysis by The Daily Yonder shows that traffic deaths are higher in rural counties,...
OTHELLO — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who planned to meet a young local girl here for sex has been sentenced to federal prison. Koby Don Williams, 49, of Ellensburg, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice to 135 months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years probation. He was convicted of attempted online enticement. According to court records, Williams replied to a decoy online post as part of an undercover sting to catch pedophiles willing to meet minors for sex. The post...
RITZVILLE — The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recently released its 2023-34 report card for public school students for grades K12. The report card analyzed different data trends from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. And the report card doesn’t look good for area schools when it comes to attendance and consistent grade-level knowledge. The report card also shows the amount of money school districts are spending per pupil. Interestingly, the amount does not necessarily correlate with...
WALLULA JUNCTION — A Pasco man was killed early Sept. 21 in a head-on crash on U.S. Highway 12. Salvador Beltran, 28, of Pasco, was pronounced dead at the scene near Milepost 303 in Walla Walla County, about 11 miles east of Pasco, at about 3:10 a.m., the Washington State Patrol reported. Beltran's next of kin was notified of his death by Pasco police. According to the state patrol, Caitlyn S. Bailey, 40, of Athena, Ore., was eastbound in a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe on the highway when she crossed the centerline and hit...
RITZVILLE – The 9th Legislative District senator pleaded not guilty Thursday, Sept. 12, on a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol. But Adams County District Court Judge Andrea K. Russell determined there was probable cause for the charge against 67-year-old Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville. She schedule him to appear before her again Oct. 8 in the 210 W. Broadway Ave. courthouse Schoesler was released on his own recognizance to a family member following his Aug. 31 arrest by citation at the Wheat Land...
BASIN CITY - The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for help in finding a man who allegedly shot his mother and step-father. Deputies are seeking information on the whereabouts of Daniel Arceo-Martinez, 28, in connection with the shooting. According to Franklin County investigators, at about 5:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to 9090 Sagehill for a report of two people being shot. The victims - whose names have yet to be released even though they are...
UMATILLA — A Pasco motorcyclist was injured Friday, Sep.t 13, in a crash at the Umatilla Bridge. Edward F. Ruiz, 25, of Pasco, was transported to a Richland medical center for treatment of his injuries following at 3:06 p.m. crash. According to the Washington State Patrol, Ruiz was eastbound on Interstate 82 about 28 miles south of Kennewick on his 2018 Harley-Davidson Flathead when he rearended another vehicle. The second eastbound vehicle was driven by Jonathan Alvarado, 19, of Hermiston, Ore., who was not injured, the...
RITZVILLE – The 9th Legislative District senator pleaded not guilty Thursday, Sept. 12, on a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol. But Adams County District Court Judge Andrea K. Russell determined there was probable cause for the charge against 67-year-old Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville. She schedule him to appear before her again Oct. 8 in the 210 W. Broadway Ave. courthouse. In the meantime, he is prohibited from using alcohol, marijuana or other...
OTHELLO – A local man accused of tampering with odometers made hist first appearance Monday, Sept. 9, in U.S. District Court in Spokane. Reynaldo Valdez Garza Jr., 52, of Othello, was charged with five counts of odometer tampering following a federal grand jury indictment Sept. 4. Garza was initially arrested by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office on March 5 for second-degree deception and disconnecting, resetting or reversing odometers and booked into the Franklin County Jail. The indictment alleges Garza acquired...
Despite the quick response of Adams County Fire District No. 5 crews, a fire destroyed buildings in the 1600 block of Fielding Lane last week. More than one building was destroyed. The cause of the blaze has yet to be...
PASCO - Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton has been cleared of any wrongdoing following a "politically motivated investigation." Attorney Scott W. Johnson of Johnson & Orr in Richland confirmed in a press release Sept. 6 that Snohomish County Special Prosecutor Elise Deschenes rendered an independent decision finding no violation of the law. Records show the investigation was launched by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office in coordination with Mike Gonzalez, who previously...
RITZVILLE - Sen. Mark Schoesler will be arraigned Thursday, Sept. 12, on a charge of driving while under the influence. Schoesler's hearing before Adams County District Court Judge Andrea K. Russell is set for 9:30 a.m. in the Adams County Courthouse, 210 W. Broadway Ave. During arraignment, the judge will determine if there is probable cause for the criminal citation and whether the senator qualifies for a public defense attorney. The judge will also advise Sen. Schoesler of...
CHENEY — A town hall-style meeting with state attorney general candidate Pasco Mayor Pete Serrano and Let’s Go Washington spokesman Brian Heywood will take place Sept. 7. The free event will take place in the Wren Pierson Community Center, 615 Fourth St. It opens with a coffee meet-and-greet at 10 a.m., with a 90-minute program exploring rural environmental policies beginning at 10:30 a.m. Serrano is the leading candidate for state attorney general and Heywood organized the effort behind seven initiatives, three which...
OTHELLO — Adams County Pet Rescue raised $600 more than its goal in less than 24 hours earlier this month. The shelter faced an unexpected challenge when its commercial washing machine broke down after six years of constant use, officials said. The washing machine ran almost nonstop to meet the laundry needs of the 100 dogs housed at the shelter daily. A replacement cost $5,000, but Pet Rescue doesn’t have that kind of cash on hand. So, it turned to the community for help, launching a GoFundMe campaign online. “It’s...
RITZVILLE — The local 9th Legislative District senator was released on his own recognizance Saturday night, Aug. 31, after being arrested for allegedly driving drunk and hitting another vehicle twice. Sen. Mark Schoesler, 67, of Ritzville, was arrested by citation for driving while under the influence of alcohol following the Saturday night performance of the Ritzville Rodeo. According to Police Chief Dave McCormick, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.14 at the time of his...
So I’m sure that you heard about the passing of Pete Rose. Most people either hated him or loved him. There were very few sports fans that didn’t have an opinion. Rose was the all-time Major League hits leader with over 4000 hits. Rose played for the Cincinnati Reds or when he played they were known as the Big Red Machine. He played five different positions in the infield and outfield and earned two gold gloves. He was a part of three World Series championships, three...
A parlay is the most enticing of sports wagers, offering the chance to multiply your earnings exponentially. But it's a trap. Rather, parlays are huge winners for sportsbooks. The bet, in which two or (many) more gambles are combined, is popular among speculators and casinos alike. Instead of placing two single bets at even money, for example, you can combine them—and boost your potential payout. Your odds of winning, however, drop from 50% each to 25%, and when you stack...
Postseason baseball is here and again the door was shut on the Mariners once again. They were one game out and still had a chance on Saturday but that was not to be. Since the Mariners last won their division in 2001 with 116 victories they’ve only made it to the postseason as a Wild Card team a couple of years ago. Now the M’s won 90 games in 2002 and 2003 but there was only one Wild Card team at that time. Since then the amount of Wild Card teams in each league is now...
I was visiting with someone the other day when we got to talking about this column for the paper. They asked how long I had been doing this and it occurred to me that it had been 20 years. They were surprised and I guess I was too. It seems time really does fly by when you're having fun. Honestly, I didn't think it would become a weekly occurrence, maybe twice a month but when stuff happens I had to write about it. Sure I missed a week now and then because I was busy or I...
The 2024 football season is off to a rip roaring start. Last year’s national champion Michigan Wolverines were humbled by the Texas Longhorns in week one and the runner up Washington Huskies were defeated by the WSU Cougars last Saturday at Lumen Field in Seattle. It was a great win for the Cougars who played the Huskies tough at Husky Stadium last November nearly upsetting the Dawgs until a gutsy 4th down play brought them new life leading to a game winning field goal. The...
OTHELLO —An Odessa-Soap Lake area cowboy took home all-around honors from the Othello PRCA rodeo Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14. Caleb McMillan took home $998 after competing in bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling. McMillan was fifth in steer wrestling with a time of 6.3 seconds, good enough for an $817 takehome. He was also eighth in tie-down roping, completing the task in 12.6 seconds and taking home $181. He also competed in bull riding, but did not get a score. McMillan was also one of the pickup...
OLYMPIA – Smile, you’re on body camera. Beginning in September, 152 state Department of Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officers will be wearing body cameras to improve accountability and transparency, according to department officials. Game wardens who are commissioned law enforcement officers will be wearing the cameras, as will others with law enforcement certification. The cameras cost $915,000, officials said, noting the money was allocated by the Legislature during the 2023-25 supplemental operating budget...
WASHTUCNA — Three farms in Adams County have received Rural Energy for America Program grants to be used to upgrade business operations through energy projects. The farms are located in the Washtucna, Warden and Othello areas. Baumann, Baumann and Baumann, a wheat farm at 510 S. Bauer Road near Washtucna, will receive $68,868 to purchase and install spray foam insulation, grant officials said. In addition, the grant will cover installation of an automated shop door and heat pumps. “The project will result in about $600...
If you have decided to try listing your property for recreational activities, LandTrust shares the most important things to consider. First, what activities are possible for you to offer, such as hunting and fishing. You may also consider other activities that are becoming more popular and more marketable, such as bird watching, star gazing, agricultural experiences (farm/ranch vacations, tours, etc.) as well as hiking and camping. Secondly, think about what you want to offer...
OTHELLO — While Adams county has not been designated as a natural disaster due to drought this year, some local farmers may still be eligible for emergency loan assistance from the USDA Farm Service Agency. Six counties — Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, Okanogan and Skagit — were designated as primary natural disaster areas due to drought this year. Farmers in those counties — and contiguous counties — may be eligible for assistance. That means farmers in Adams, Franklin and Lincoln Counties may be eligible for...
Recently state schools superintendent Chris Reykdal announced that he plans to ask the legislature for another $2.9 billion for public education. This would be on top of the current $20.1 billion education budget. Like the changing leaves of Fall, every year around this time Reykdal asks for more money. Let’s ask ourselves, Will pouring in more money make a difference to children? The data shows the answer is “No.” For years the state has increased education spending,...
It's a bit premature to say the bell tolls for community newspapers. Sure, big city media printing the same diatribe you see on television is declining. (That's because the city media moguls have forgotten their place in society.) And sure, with the Googles of the world, cellphones and social media have impacted our advertising, which, by the way is how we pay our bills. But in our community newspapers, we haven't forgotten our place. Our reporters shop in the same stores,...
There’s a disturbing trend among tax-payer funded agencies that needs to be nipped in the bud. If you haven’t noticed, public agencies like hospital and utility districts, school boards, city councils, and others have been taking steps to insulate — dare I say isolate — elected board members. Have a concern about something in your local school district? Don’t like a utility rate increase? Want to know if your local public hospital is making a profit? Have questions...
We already know workers with middle and upper incomes most often benefit from the state's paid family and medical leave fund. It's also true that many beneficiaries are repeat users, and that those benefiting more than once have higher wages than one-time users. I asked the Employment Security Department how many people have filed more than one claim for taxpayer-paid time off, work given the pattern I know with child-rearing - kid one and kid two usually come within a few...
America needs a statesperson of the stature, capability, and perspective of Daniel J. Evans as our next President. Dan Evans died on September 20 at the age of 98 after serving as our state’s three term governor, two term U.S. Senator, a state legislator and in many prominent civic and public positions beginning in the late 1950s. He was political and partisan, but Evans was pragmatic, tough and a problem-solver. He was a visionary who was not afraid to take a risk even if...
In 2021, the Biden Administration passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included a provision to give $42.5 billion to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program to provide under-served and rural areas with internet access. To date, it has connected nobody. The plan required U.S. states and territories to submit plans for investment and deployment by the end of 2023, which all have done. Expected roll out won't occur until 2026 by most optimistic...
You shouldn’t be surprised the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council last week voted to accept a site application for construction of more wind turbines atop Horse Heaven Hills. It’s all part of Gov. Jay Inslee and his financial supporters plan to breach our dams and replace them with unsightly, unpopular and unreliable wind power. The council was pushed by Gov. Jay Inslee, who didn’t like the fact Tri-Citians outright rejected his plan to supplant dams with the...
Whether you call it a ban or a significant deterrent to future natural gas consumption, voter approval of Initiative 2066 in Washington may be only the first giant pothole to fill. The next one in the road ahead may be a hefty tax on natural gas. In 2019, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city to prohibit natural gas connections in new buildings. San Jose, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and others followed. However, last year the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals...
School Districts in Eastern Washington are again starting to see boys and girls differently, especially when it comes to sports. The Kennewick School Board got the ball rolling back in July, following boys participation and victories in girls track events. Only a month or two before, a Methow Valley boy won a girls event in Cashmere, claiming he is “transgender.” Then an East Valley boy also competing under the transgender caveat, beat a West Valley girl to win the girls...
All the increased costs Washingtonians experienced during the past year were accompanied by a $1.3-billion hit on workers’ paychecks. The widespread pay decrease in Washington state was compliments of a new payroll tax that began in 2023 to fund a program called WA Cares. In a recent meeting, the Employment Security Department told the Long-Term Security and Supports Trust Commission not to get used to higher-than-expected income, in case wage and employment information...
Do you have expired COVID-19 tests in your cupboards? Go look. If you ordered “free” tests from the government, know that many of the boxes likely say they’ve expired. People paying attention to expiration dates have been lining landfills with the taxpayer-provided tools (or using tests that have expired). I fear this is going to be happening for a lot longer. That’s because the Biden Administration recently announced that each U.S. household will be able to, once...
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have joined in an agreement to award their Electoral College votes in a U.S. election to the winner of the national popular vote. The National Popular Vote compact, NPV as it is called, has gained steam over the past 25 years, lead mostly by liberal leaning states eager to work around the Electoral College. The legislation, which is identical in each state, requires the state to award its electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes nationwide. This could...
Enjoyed visiting with so many Welcome to My Kitchen readers who came to Deutschesfest in Odessa, this past weekend. Looking forward to receiving all the recipes we talked about. Over the next few weeks I will be testing the recipes I recently received from several readers and plan to have them in the next column. Near freezing nights in the last week are bringing area gardens to the end of their productive season. Time for relish, and soup recipes to use up the last of the seasons bounty. Fiesta Corn Relish comes from, The...
LIND — The following residents are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries from Oct. 9-15: Anniversaries Oct. 10 — Brad and Darlene O’Neill Oct. 15 — Pastor Steve and Kim Schofstoll Birthdays Oct. 10 — Debbie L. Kohm, Cody Kulm, Ronny Davis and Haylley Ramos. Oct. 11 —Corine Branson-Larson, Willy Perez, Evelyn Strohmaier and Luke Philips. Oct. 12 — Andrea Steinmetz and Camden Stout Oct. 13 — Michelle Smith Oct. 14 — Glenn Aby Jr. and Ryder Senn Oct. 15 — Nathan...
OTHELLO – Thursday at 8 a.m., people were lined up at the Othello Christian Church, waiting for Second Harvest and Othello Food Bank to set up and distribute free food to the small rural community. It wouldn’t be for another two hours, however, that they would see the food banks pull in to set up. Second Harvest – a nonprofit that supplies a network of partner food banks in 21 counties in Eastern Washington and five counties in North Idaho – has been traveling to Othello and partnering with Othello Food Bank, as...
For the past few decades, the clearest path to a comfortable middle-class career in America has been through college. Research shows individuals with degrees earn more on average than those without one. Even as wage premiums for those who earned college degrees have decreased slightly since the COVID-19 pandemic, in the 21st century, individuals with a degree earned 68% to 79% higher average wages than those with a high school diploma, research from the Federal Reserve Bank...
LIND — The following residents are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries from Sept. 25 through Oct. 1: Anniversaries Sept. 25 — Ben and Jamie Williams Sept. 26 — Cameron and Briana Osborn Sept. 30 — B. Jay and Pam Heider Oct. 1 — Jarod and Kaitlyn Bierman Birthdays Sept. 25 — Traci Wills and Gery Bittick Sept. 26 — Brandon Boettcher and Tanner Davis Sept. 27 — Bama Ramos Sept. 29 — Jeff Field Sept. 30 — Colton Dixon Oct. 1 — John Lobe, Elmer Sackmann and Terry...
PASCO — Pasco is looking for ways to bring a splash of color and culture to its downtown streets — and could transform the area into a new hub for murals. An initiative led by the city’s Arts and Culture Commission will reimburse business owners up to $5,000 if they get murals painted on their buildings by the end of December. The last big mural painted downtown was the Community Hope Wall at the site of a 2015 police shooting. A man walks past the original Community Hope Wall mural on the side of the former Vinny’s...
The Othello Fair board posed for a photo at the annual four-day event at the fairgrounds. They appropriately posed for a photo at the Othello Agricultural Commodities display, highlighting the importance of agriculture to the city and Adams County...
A lot of people like to make New Year’s Resolutions at the start of January. It’s a new year and a chance to start fresh. A good time to plan to lose a few pounds, workout more or spend more time doing something you enjoy or value. I’ve always felt like September can be a great time to do this as well. Children are heading back to the classroom to start a new school year. The change in seasons is right around the corner. The summer heat is ending and the cold, dark days of winter are not yet here. And when it comes to...
School has started in most of the Inland Northwest, but area fairs and festivals are still scheduled throughout September and October. Many festivals include a fundraising bake sale and Brownie Mallow Bars, a recipe submitted by Kelena Martinez, would be a welcome addition to any bakesale table. Kelena got the recipe from Merleen Smith. Both are Odessa residents. Brownie Mallow Bars 1 package, family size fudge brownie mix (13 x 9 inch pan) Eggs and vegetable oil listed in brownie mix directions 1 package (10 1/2 ounces)...
One of my favorite seasons is quickly approaching-- the fall season. Fall brings so many wonderful aromas and colorful tree leaves, fun events such as county and state fairs along with fair food, Deutschesfest, apple cider, homemade apple strudel, and sporting events like football and volleyball. This is also a time of season when things start to change. The weather gets cooler, tree leaves start to change in color and begin to fall from their branches. We put away the shorts and t-shirts and don our warmer outerwear....
LIND — The following residents are celebrating anniversaries and birthdays from Sept. 11-18: Anniversaries Sept. 16 — Garret and Morgan Pfaff Sept. 17 — Josh and Kaseyh Wills Birthdays Sept. 12 — Ainsley Davis Sept. 13 — Emmitt Norton Sept. 14 — Lori Strohmaier, Ryder Davey and Adalynn Strohmaier Sept. 15 — Brad Stout, Cathey Strohmaier and Laurinda Ritz Sept. 17 — Kieran Knodel Sept. 18 — Mitch...
LIND — The following residents are celebrating anniversaries and birthdays from Sept. 1-11: Anniversaries Sept. 4 — Brad and Jill Stout. Sept. 8 — Gregg and Angie Fode. Sept. 10 — Jerry and Lynda Branson, and Chr is and Emmy Erickson. Birthdays Sept. 1 — Morgan Undeberg and Sue Nichols. Sept. 3 — Jacque Laird, Cora Reimer, Shane Strohmaier and Trudy Davey. Sept. 4 — Mitch Starring and Harper Labes. Sept. 5 — Angie Fode and Reina Branson Sept. 7 — Dick Keith, Kaitlyn Biermann and Matthias Walter Davis Sept....
