Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
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The culture, heritage and history of Eastern Washington - indeed all of Washington and Oregon history - is under fire again in Olympia. I'm talking about an effort this year in the House to erase Marcus Whitman's significance from the halls of the Capitol building in Olympia and the national statuary in Washington, D.C. Pushed by lawmakers, who obviously lack a full understanding of Whitman's significance, House Bill 1372 seeks to replace the bronze Marcus Whitman statues...
OLYMPIA – Eastern Washington businesses will have to wait at least two more weeks for coronavirus relief following a gubernatorial press conference at 2:30 p.m. today, Jan. 28. During the press conference, Gov. Inslee said he will allow his so-called “Puget Sound” and “West” regions to move to “Phase 2” on Monday. That means inside service will be allowed on a limited basis for restaurants, bars, taverns and other businesses. Limited sports will also be allowed, he said. Snohomish, King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Pacific and G...
OTHELLO – A local man has been arrested in connection with an abandoned vehicle containing several bodies found Thursday, Jan. 28. Mauricio Nava Garibay, 28, of Othello was booked into the Adams County Jail for first-degree murder. “We remind all to be mindful of the situation and all those involved,” a press release posted to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office social media page said. “The investigation continues, updates will continue as appropriate.” The arrest follows the grisly, 6:30 a.m. discovery in the 2200 block of Ch...
PASCO – An elderly local woman has been released from jail following her arrest on charges related to allegedly attempting to smuggle drugs into the Franklin County Jail. Rosa Rodriguez Castillo, 75, of Pasco, was arrested Tuesday, Jan. 26, booked into the Franklin County Jail, and then released on her personal recognizance on Wednesday, Jan. 27. Castillo is facing possible charges of introduction of contraband into a corrections facility and possession of a legend drug with intent to distribute. According to a press r...
OLYMPIA – Sen. Majority Leader Andy Billig said Wednesday night that Eastern Washington residents will be “glad” about changes in coronavirus edicts relating to business opening expected to be announced today. “There is going to be an announcement by the governor to adjust the metrics,” Billig, D-Spokane, said during a digital meeting broadcast on social media. “There will be some additional flexibility.” Indoor service for restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters, bowling alleys and other businesses have been shuttered sin...
PASCO — To open with a prayer or not. That’s an issue now brewing in Franklin County Commission meetings. Since being named chairman, Clint Didier has reopened the door for commissioners to offer a prayer or a moment of silence to open each meeting. Last week, on Jan. 19, Chairman Didier opened the meeting with a prayer. On Tuesday, Jan. 26, Commissioner Lowell “Brad” Peck had to opportunity to open the meeting with a prayer or moment of silence. Peck chose “20 seconds” of silence. “I don’t attend these meetings to eng...
PASCO — In a split decision, financier John Rosenau has been named as Franklin County assessor. Rosenau edged Franklin County Deputy Assessor Piper Mitchell and applicant James Gimenez in the Franklin County Commission selection process Tuesday, Jan. 26. Commissioner Rocky Mullen moved to appoint Rosenau to the post, an effort seconded by Chairman Clint Didier. The motion passed, 2-1, with Commissioner Lowell "Brad" Peck dissenting. "I want to thank you for your consideration," Rosenau said. That motion followed a failed moti...
SPOKANE VALLEY - Four Republican lawmakers have signed onto a new bill designed to encourage splitting Washington into two separate states. Reps. Bob McCaslin and Rob Chase, both of Spokane Valley, Tom Dent of Moses Lake and Robert Sutherland of Granite Falls are co-sponsoring House Bill 1239. Under the bill, "a separate and independent state is established from the eastern portions of Washington." That state would be named Liberty. The bill calls for establishing...
OLYMPIA – Following a state Senate vote, Gov. Jay Inslee’s coronavirus-related orders will remain intact indefinitely. Senate Concurrent Resolution 8402 passed the Senate along a partyline vote, 28-19, with the House concurring. Two Senators, both Democrats, were absent. Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, attempted to sunset the emergency on Jan. 27, but Democrats opposed the amendment. And newly elected Sen. Perry Dozier, R-Walla Walla, attempted to amend the resolution to advance all counties to Phase 2 of the governor’s newes...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eastern Washington's two Republican congressional representatives were on opposite sides of the House vote to impreach President Donald Trump for a second time. Fourth Congressional District Rep. Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside joined Democrats in voting for impreachment of the president on grounds of so-called sedition. Newhouse represents Central Washington, including Benton, Franklin, Adams and Grant counties, among others. Fifth Congressional District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane opposed impeachment...
PASCO — Franklin County Commission Chairman Clint Didier is concerned about the governor's attempt to strip health care authority away from local agencies. During the commission meeting Tuesday morning, Didier called on the county to reject Gov. Jay Inslee's new "Healthy Washington-Roadmap to Reopening" plan. His call came during a presentation by Zak Kennedy of Potts and Associates, a consulting firm dealing with issues expected to be debated during the legislative session. Under the governor's newest plan in a series of p...
Protests are nothing new in Olympia. Each year, thousands of protesters converge on legislative sessions to rally for special causes, object to government activities and generally just remind lawmakers who they work for. I cannot recall a time that the Capitol Building, other legislative office buildings and the state library weren’t available for public access. Indeed, each year I wander the Capitol campus during session to personally deliver a newspaper to those who r...
OLYMPIA – Two people were arrested this morning, Monday, Jan. 11, as the Legislature entered session behind locked gates. Early in the morning, a woman parked her RV in front of one of the gates and refused to move it or leave, the Washington State Patrol reported. When she was arrested for failing to follow a lawful order, one of her friends moved the RV. Then at precisely 11 a.m. as the Legislature was opening session, a man in his 30s attempted to walk to the Capitol b...
OLYMPIA -- The Washington National Guard and the Washington State Patrol took up positions around the Capitol today in advance of the opening of the legislative session. Their deployment came as two protests took place in the city. The only damage reported was a broken window smashed when some Black Lives Matter protesters broke off from the main protest downtown and marched to the Capitol campus, where state troopers awaited them. After the window damage, the group retreated...
PASCO — Call it a bartenders' version of the Boston Tea Party. On Wednesday, Jan. 6, approximately 40 protesters gathered in front of the state Liquor and Cannabis Board office, 2715 Saint Andrews Loop, Suite B, to raise awareness of the "unconstitutional" and "illegal" tactics being used by the agency's employees to try to shutdown indoor table service at restaurants, bars and taverns around the Tri-City area. Indoor service has been shuttered by Gov. Jay Inslee as part of h...
PASCO – In his first vote as a Franklin County Commissioner, Rocky Mullen cast the deciding vote on who will lead the county for the next year. By a 2-1 vote Tuesday morning, Jan. 5, Commissioner Clint Didier of Eltopia was elected county commission chairman for 2021. The dissenting vote was cast by Commissioner Lowell "Brad" Peck of Pasco, who voted for himself. "If we're going to use a fairness measure of rotation, then I deferred to Commissioner (Robert) Koch a number of y...
PASCO - Area restaurants, bars and gyms may be able to reopen indoor services as soon as Jan. 11 under another coronavirus-related plan release by Gov. Jay Inslee during a press conference Tuesday. Under the plan, the state will be divided into eight regions based on proximity to health care services. Franklin County will be grouped into the South-Central Region along wth Columbia, Walla Walla, Benton, Yakima and Kittitas counties. The adjacent East Region includes Ferry, Stev...
OLYMPIA - As of Jan. 1, low-wage earners and some salaried employees are being paid more for their efforts on the job. Across Eastern Washington and some areas west of the Cascades, the minimum wage increased 19 cents per hour, from $13.50 to $13,69, according to the state Department of Labor and Industries. The minimum wage in the cities of Seattle and SeaTac increased to $16.69 per hour and $16.57, respectively, the agency said, noting those minimum wages are set by city...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eastern Washington's two U.S. House representatives will be on opposites sides of the vote to accept the Electoral College numbers when Congress meets in session Wednesday. Fifth Congressional District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane said Tuesday she will oppose Electoral College results from contested states. Fourth Congressional District Rep. Dan Newhosue of Sunnyside is joining a contingent of conservative lawmakers planning to accept the numbers. “Our founders set up a system to give rep...
PASCO — Franklin County Assessor Peter McEnderfer announced his resignation this morning, Tuesday, Jan. 5, during a meeting of the county commission. “I am informing you of my resignation effective Jan. 31,” he said, in a prepared statement he read to commissioners shortly after the commission elected Clint Didier chairman and Rocky Mullen chairman pro tempore. McEnderfer, a Republican, said he had intended to full the remainder of his term, but decided to step down because of the current political climate in Franklin County....
UPDATE: In addition to Pasco, a group of Spokane-area residents and restauranteurs will be protesting in the parking lot of the Liquor and Cannabis Board office, 1303 W. Broadway, Spokane, at 11:45 a.m. Monday, Jan. 4. It is being organized by Spokane Valley resident Caleb Collier following complaints liquor officers have threatened to fine, revoke licenses and even file criminal complaints about restaurants and taverns from Spokane Valley south to Colfax and Pullman. PASCO -...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee this morning extended his coronavirus lockdown measures until 11:59 p.m. Jan. 11, “unless otherwise extended.” Jan. 11 is the opening day of the upcoming legislative session, and Democrats Sen. Andy Billig of Spokane and Laurie Jinkins of Tacoma have said there won't be public access to government buildings. Billig is the Senate majority leader and Jinkins is the House majority leader. They are two of the so-called "four corners" of leadership in the Legislature. The remaining two "corners" are R...
OLYMPIA – Just in time for Christmas and following a 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision, Gov. Jay Inslee has rescinded his unconstitutional order limiting attendance at religious services and banning singing during services. In Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley v. Sisolak, the federal court ruled Dec. 15 that limiting the capacity of a religious service violated the First Amendment, the right to freedom of religion. Prior to that decision, Gov. Inslee had attempted to limit church services to 25% of indoor capacity or 2...
On Dec. 18, 1917, Congress proposed the 18th Amendment, which would later make it illegal to make, buy, sell or drink alcohol. Two years later, after ratification Jan. 16, 1919, prohibition became the law of the land. For nearly 14 years, Americans who wanted to have an adult beverage were forced underground. They danced, dined, drank and gambled in what became known as a “speakeasy.” Law enforcement and other public employees often knew about their clandestine watering hol...
KENNEWICK - The owner of a local eatery and martini bar has apparently won a round against Liquor and Cannabis Board agents trying to use gubernatorial coronavirus orders to shut down inside service. "We have a stay, meaning the liquor board cannot bother us anymore until we see a judge," Koko's Bartini owner Dana Slovak said in a video on social media Monday morning. "So come on out to Koko's Bartini." The upscale eatery and martini bar at 4309 W. 27th Place, Suite 100, was...