Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
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OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday that he’ll drop the statewide coronavirus-mask mandate March 21. Inslee said that’s the day when he believes it’ll be safe to remove mask mandates and not overwhelm hospitals. “It would not be safe to do this today,” he said. “We will be removing the mask mandate in our schools and public indoor spaces as of Monday, March 21.” Students may still be required to wear masks on buses. The governor added that he will not end his emergency proclamation at that time, declining to offer a date...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Following the lead of the Kettle Falls and Richland school boards, superintendents from across Northeast Washington sent a letter late Tuesday night, Feb. 15, to Gov. Jay Inslee requesting an end to mask mandates for students, staff and visitors. The letter was also sent to Dr. Umar Shaw of the state Department of Health and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal. “We are writing on behalf of districts in the NEWESD (Northeast Washington Educational Service District) 101 region to encourage...
CONNELL – One local girl is headed to the state Mat Classic wrestling tournament this Friday. Nilaya Coronado qualified for state Saturday, Feb. 12, by placing fourth in the Girls Region 4 tournament at Ephrata High School. Coronado will open state with a match against Kaliana Bill of Burlington on Friday morning in the Tacoma Dome. She is one of two Connell Eagles to compete in the tournament; Jocelyn Morales Flores did not place at her weight class. Coronado earned 18 t...
Palouse Falls has long been one of my favorite places to hike. Over the years, I've hiked the mile or so trek to the top of the main falls on numerous occasions. I've hiked it by myself, with friends and even my daughter when she was very young. I've meandered along the Palouse River to the upper falls and descended the basalt rim to the pool at the base of the falls about 189 feet below. For those of us who grew up in Eastern Washington, hiking Palouse Falls trails has long...
STARBUCK — Approximately 64% of the Lyons Ferry Hatchery Wallowa summer steelhead stock has been lost due to equipment failure. Hatchery workers lost roughly 249,770 steelhead smolts late last week, officials said, noting the smolts escaped a rearing pond and made their way into the mainstem Snake River. This loss accounts for about 64% of Lyons Ferry Hatchery’s Wallowa stock summer steelhead production for release in 2022, officials said. The loss is less than 8% of the overall hatchery steelhead production in the Snake Riv...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday, Feb. 9, backed off some of his coronavirus mandates during a press conference. Inslee announced he is ending his call-up of the Washington National Guard, will allow non-emergent surgeries to resume and cut back on mask requirements. “We are lifting our outdoor masking requirements by Feb. 18,” he said. “Today is not the day to lift all of our masking requirements.” The governor said he’ll make a decision on ending all mask mandates and make a related announcement next week. “The...
PASCO — Wrestlers may lose a regional tournament and qualify directly for the state Mat Classic tournament if a proposal before the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is approved later this week. On Tuesday, WIAA spokesman Casey Johnson confirmed the proposal will be taken up by the association’s governing board sometime this week. An actual meeting has yet to be planned. “The board is looking to make the decision this week,” Johnson said. “The proposal is to eliminate regionals.” Eliminating regional tournamen...
PASCO — An evening crash tonight, Jan. 24, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 12 and Sacajawea Park Road is under investigation. And charges may be pending in 5:25 p.m. crash that injured a Richland man, the Washington State Patrol reported. Henry E. Coffman, 72, of Richland, was transported to a Pasco hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained in the two-vehicle collision, the patrol reported. At the time of the crash, Michael F. Homan, 64, of Richland, was eastbound on the highway without any headlights on, the p...
PASCO — The Port of Pasco will receive state Community Economic Revitalization Board funding following approval Jan. 20. The Port will receive a $2.24 million loan and a $736,999 grant for its Tri-Cities Airport Business Center Road/Taxiway Project. The funding is part of $3.94 million and $1.14 million in grants approved for economic development and public infrastructure improvements being awarded by the state agency. The Tri-Cities Airport Business Center Road/Taxiway Project will build 2,000 feet of new, two-lane road, i...
LOWDEN — A Pasco man received multiple citations following a crash on U.S. Highway 12 on Wednesday night, Jan. 19. Hippolito Gallegos Ponce, 34, was cited for following too close, no valid operator license and no insurance following the 7:45 p.m. near Milepost 327, the Washington State Patrol reported. Ponce was also injured in the crash and taken to a Walla Walla-area hospital, the patrol reported. Ponce was eastbound in a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse on the highway when he failed to slow for another eastbound vehicle in front o...
OTHELLO — A Mesa boy may be facing criminal charges associated with an alleged driving while under the influence crash early this morning, Sunday, Jan. 9. Shaden K. Sullivan, 16, of Mesa, and Daniel Sandoval, 15, of Connell, were both injured in the 7:01 a.m. crash on state Highway 17, near Milepost 25, the Washington State Patrol reported. Both teenagers were taken to an Othello hospital, and Sandoval was subsequently airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. There conditions were not immediately released. Sullivan w...
BURBANK — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife closed the lower section of Snake River to steelhead fishing effective Jan. 4. The closure extends from the mouth of the river at Burbank upstream to Lower Granite Dam. Above the dam to the Idaho-Oregon state line, fishermen may now only keep one steelehead per day, officials said. No native steelhead – those with unclipped adipose fins – may be kept, officials said, noting only barbless hooks are allowed when fishing for steelhead. The change in the steelhead season is ef...
RITZVILLE - Republican efforts to halt implementation of the new longterm care tax on workers in Washington state may be paying off. For months, Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, has been trying to upend the tax on workers income to pay for a delayed longterm health care benefit. He even prefiled Senate Bill 5503 earlier this month calling on the Legislature to step back from the tax and look at alternatives. "Many workers won't be able to afford it – people earning an a...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Several Eastern Washington airports will receive federal grant funds thanks to the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program. The funds can be used to improve airport safety, capacity and security, as well as addressing related environmental issues. This year, $71 million is being disbursed to airports in Washington state. East of the Cascades, airports receiving funding include: • Spokane International Airport, Spokane, $6.43 million • Tri-Cities Airport, Pasco, $3.34 million • Moscow/Pullman Regional Airport i...
FINLEY — A Pasco man was hospitalized early Friday morning, Dec. 16, following a crash on Interstate 82. Miguel A. Olguin Rodriguez, 55, lost control of his 2015 Nissan Versa near Milepost 118 of the slick highway, the Washington State Patrol reported. His vehicle overturned and came to rest on its roof in the median. He was transported to a Kennewick hospital, the patrol reported, adding that neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the crash. Rodriguez was cited for speed too fast for conditions, the patrol r...
SPOKANE — It's been 35 years since a prostitute was killed in the Spokane area. Today, a jury is deliberating whether or not to convict former Pasco policeman Richard Aguirre in the beating and stabbing death of Ruby Doss. Aguiree denies being involved in the murder, although prosecuting attorneys said they have proof the two were sexually involved prior to the homicide. Prosecuting attorneys said DNA evidence proves the couple were intimate just prior to the slaying. Defense attorneys have argued Aguirre was in Korea at t...
WASHTUCNA – The town will be receiving a grant from the state Washington State Public Works to provide broadband services directly to homes. The agency’s board of directors approved 15 funding requests for broadband expansion during its Dec. 3 meeting. According to Chairman Kathryn Gardow, $44.6 million was made available to fund the projects. Washtucna will receive $788,946 to bring broadband to homes, the agency said, noting it is fully funding the request. Construction her...
OLYMPIA - The state Supreme Court this morning, Friday, Dec. 3, has declined to redraw new legislative and congressional maps. The decision follows a failed attempt by the Redistrict Commission to reapportion the state in the wake of the 2020 Census. And it means that the maps previously submitted by the commission will likely be the establishing document for new legislative and congressional districts. If the map is retained, Franklin and Adams Counties will be split between...
HATTON — Write-in candidates appear to have swept the election of town leaders here. Unofficial election returns show all three incumbents – Mayor Dell C. Palmer and Town Council members James Earl Van Patten and Linda Palmer — losing to write-in candidates. Adams County Auditor Heidi Hunt confirmed the apparent outcome, but said the race isn’t over because write-in ballots may or may not be for declared write-in candidates. Each of those races do have declared write-in candidates, she said. Justine Pherigo declared her wri...
Under the guise of water conservation, the state Department of Ecology is once again moving to take water rights from farmers, ranchers and other private holders. Last month, the agency announced plans to fund creation of local “water banks,” in addition to the state “water bank” already in existence. The agency says the program helps municipalities buy water rights from private owners. It has set $14 million aside for the program. The goal, agency spokesman Jimmy Norris...
POMEROY – A 9th Legislative District representative wants to use the state's new carbon tax revenue as a way to eliminate the Discover Pass and cut fees to access and use publicly owned lands. Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, is expected to introduce her Outdoor Recreation and Climate Adaption plan during the upcoming legislative session, which starts Jan. 10. The plan would dedicate previously approved Climate Commitment Act revenues – projected to be about $4 billion over the decad...
YAKIMA - The Connell girls volleyball team was swept from the state 1A volleyball tournament Friday, Nov. 12, in six straight sets. The losses ended the season for the No. 14-seeded Eagles. Connell opened the tournament against No. 3-seeded Castle Rock. The Rockets dominated in three straight sets. Set scores were 25-18, 25-22, 25-13. The loss dropped the Eagles to the loser-out matchup against No. 11 Charles Wright. Charles Wright took a commanding 25-14 win in Set 1. But...
YAKIMA – The Tri-Cities Prep girls volleyball team went two and out at the state 2B volleyball tournament Nov. 11 and 12 in the Yakima Valley SunDome. The No. 12-seeded Jaguars of Pasco opened the tournament with a 3-0 loss to No. 5-seeded Manson. Set scores were 25-7, 25-14, 25-9. The loss sent the girls to the consolation round. In their first loser-out game, the Jaguars faced the No. 13-seeded Liberty (Spangle) Lancers. The Lancers won, 3-1, ending Tri-Cities Prep's run f...
PASCO – In a split vote, the Franklin County Commission voted Tuesday morning, Nov. 9, to pass a resolution banning a local income tax. The vote was 2-1 to approve the measure, with Commissioners Rocky Mullen and Chairman Clint Didier supporting it. Commissioner Lowell “Brad” Beck opposed the measure drafted by County Administrator Keith Johnson. Peck claimed Resolution 2021-261 lacked teeth and that commissioners may not have authority to pass such a measure. “I have no problem with the resolution,” Mullen said. Peck said...
PASCO — At least one of the two contested Pasco School Board races appear to have been decided. The initial tally of Nov. 2 general election ballots shows Steven Christensen with an overwhelming lead over Cynthia Ledesma in the raced for the Position No. 3 at-large School Board seat. As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, Christensen had 5,161 votes (72.63%) while Ledesma had 1,917 votes (26.98%). The race for the Position No. 5 at-large seat wasn’t so clear. As of the end of counting Tuesday, Amy Freeman Phillips had a 824 vote lead ove...