Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
Sorted by date Results 426 - 450 of 461
BASIN CITY — What do you call it when more than 3,000 rural residents get together for the Fourth of July to rodeo, parade, dance and shoot off fireworks? Well, rodeo clown turned Freedom Rodeo announcer J.J. Harrison calls it a "cowboy protest," a protest in which ruralites build up America instead of tearing it down. Harrison, of Walla Walla, emceed the inaugural Freedom Rodeo on July 3 and 4 in this city of 1,100 people in Franklin County. The mask-optional "protest" rodeo...
REPUBLIC — Despite more than three dozen candidates in the gubernatorial field, only two divided up the state's 39 counties in the initial tally of the Aug. 4 primary election. After counting more than 1.2 million ballots statewide Tuesday night, incumbent Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, and challenger Police Chief Loren Culp, R-Republic, won counties. Inslee amassed 51.86% of the statewide vote enroute to leading the crowded field in 27 counties. Culp, an rural u...
SPOKANE — Eastern Washington's incumbent Republicans are dominating initial returns in the Aug. 4 primary election. As of the end of counting Tuesday night, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, and Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, were sweeping away challengers. In the 5th Congressional District, McMorris Rodgers had 50.22% of the vote. Her nearest challenger was Democrat Dave Wilson with 24.415. Others in the race include Democrat Chris Armitage, 14.115, Republican S...
PASCO — Franklin County voters will not likely have the opportunity in November to vote on creating the "51st state" out of Eastern Washington’s 20 counties. During a Franklin County Commission meeting this morning, Aug. 4, commissioners unanimously rejected the idea due to the organizer’s non-responsiveness. According to county Administrator Keith Johnson, during a meeting in July commissioners agreed to put the measure on the ballot if the Liberty state organizers paid the $4,000 cost of adding it. They also said appro...
It was a hot, sunny July 3rd morning. About 50 farmers and ranchers were sitting under a white canopy in Basin City. From a distance, it looked as though the participants were solving the world's problems. The unmasked discussion reminded me of the coffee clubs I frequent to find find out about rural goings-on. This time, however, the group was drinking bottled water. And instead of the world's problems, they were discussing Washington state's. As I approached to listen in,...
OLYMPIA - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal last week suspended implementation of the controversial new "inclusive" sexual education requirements, at least for the fall. In a July 21 bulletin to schools officials statewide, Reykdal cited Referendum 90 qualifying for the Nov. 3 general election for the suspension. "At this time, districts are not required to implement the new requirements outlined in S.B. 5395 for the 2020–21 school year," he wrote. Refer...
SUNNYSIDE - If campaign finance paints a true picture of the outcome of an election, the Congressional District No. 4 incumbent will win the Aug. 4 primary in a landslide. A check of the Federal Election Commission reports shows Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, with total receipts of $782,280.27. As of the July 15 report, he had $226,710.76 cash on hand. His cash on hand is more than all of combined contributions the remaining candidates have received. According to June 30...
SPOKANE — In the wake of the coronavirus and new state requirements to begin teaching “inclusive” sex ed to students as early as kindergarten, it’s shaping up to be a banner year for homeschooling. Last week, the Washington Homeschool Organization reported new parental interest in personally managing their children’s education had quadrupled. The reasons are varied, according to Director Jen Garrison Stuber, who teaches homeschool parental qualifying classes. Traditionally, homeschool families opt out of public education...
PASCO -- Dr. Amy Person, the health officer for Benton and Franklin counties, may have just upended local students' return to the classroom this fall. At 5:48 p.m. today, Tuesday, July 28, School District officials received her "recommendation" not to reopen campuses this fall, citing coronavirus. The letter arrived as the School Board was discussing the issue during a digital workshop. Since the county remains in "modified Phase 1" of Gov. Jay Inslee's quarantine orders, Person will have to approve of the board's plan for...
PASCO - Two teenagers led police on a pursuit through the city early this morning after being caught with a stolen vehicle. Officer Andy Taylor spotted a white Chevrolet Blazer being driven erratically shortly after midnight this morning, Tuesday, July 28, a report shows. When he attempted to stop the SUV, the teenage driver and his passenger sped off. The 15-year-old driver, whose name has not yet been released, led police through the streets of the city, driving on 14th,...
PASCO — Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton is leading the fundraising effort among candidates seeking the county Commissioner District No. 1 seat. According to state Public Disclosure Commission records, Beaton has collected $24,790.08 in his bid to unseat incumbent Lowell "Brad" Peck, who is reporting $1,391.69 in self loans. Both are running as Republicans. Democrat Kim Lehrman, whose name tops the list of the three candidates on the ballot, reported campaign contributions...
ELTOPIA - A fake, 21-page endorsement of candidates has the Franklin County Republican Central Committee and the now-defunct Tri-Cities Tea Party concerned over an apparent fraudulent effort to influence the primary election. More than 50 Republicans and at least four former Tri-Cities Tea Party leaders gathered in a potato shed tonight, July 23, to discuss what to do about the fraudulent letter emailed to an estimated 3,500 area voters in the last week. With each page using...
PASCO - It's traditionally the busiest weekend of the year. But this year is different. There are no hydroplanes across the river in Columbia Park, no high-speed action on the water. Up to 70,000 race fans are not flocking to the Columbia River to watch the fastest sport on water. This year, there's no Columbia Cup, no Water Follies. This year, there's only a coronavirus shutdown order. "With this weekend being Tri-City Water Follies weekend, not having an event, brings many...
KENNEWICK — A Pasco man is facing possible charges after leading a Benton County Sheriff's Office deputy on a chase on U.S. Highway 397 and then crashing. Eric Perezbernal, 22, was arrested following the 12:45 a.m. Saturday, July 25, crash, according to the Washington State Patrol. He was not injured, the patrol reported. But his passenger, Jonathan Gomez Magana, 19, also of Pasco, was taken by ambulance to a Pasco hospital. The patrol car was driven by Daniel Korten, 50, of West Richland, the patrol reported. He was not i...
PASCO — There’s a lot of money coming and going in the accounts of the judicial candidates vying for the Benton-Franklin County Superior Court Position No. 1 seat. According to the state Public Disclosure Commission, more than $70,000 has changed hands in the race that pits Sen. Sharon Brown against several area attorneys, including Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Shawn P. Sant. Brown entered the race with $15,400 in holdover funds from her Senate campaigns and has raked in another $16,150.00 in contributions on top of...
OLYMPIA — The governor today followed Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s lead today, July 23, in cracking down on restaurants, bars and gyms, as well as expanding mask-wearing requirements. During a press conference, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a shutdown of indoor service at bars effective July 30. He also said bar and restaurant alcohol sales will not be allowed after 10 p.m., and ordered arcade, gaming and cardroom areas shuttered. State Secretary of Health John Weisman added an expanded mask order, requiring face coverings to be wor...
PASCO — Democrat Ana Ruiz Ramirez Peralta has raised the most campaign contributions in her bid to fill the Franklin County District No. 2 commission seat. According to the state Public Disclosure Commission, Peralta has raised $15,198.73 and spent $7,710.75 in her bid to fill the seat being vacated by Commissioner Robert “Bob” Koch. Republican Rodney “Rocky” J. Mullen has raised $10,075, in his effort, documents show. He’s spent $6,338.40 to date. The remaining Republican candidates, Cliff MacHugh and Terry Ryan Cissne, are...
Welcome to the segregated public schools of Washington state. According to the “Reopening Washington Schools 2020 District Planning Guide,” some public school students are more equal than others when it comes to returning to the classroom in the fall. The previously released guide from the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has come under fire on social media for its discriminatory approach to restarting schools this fall in the wake of the coronavirus sca...
RICHLAND — A Pasco teenager was transported to a regional hospital following a 5:59 p.m. crash on state Highway 240. According to the Washington State Patrol, Yana V. Derevyanchuk, 19, of Pasco, was hospitalized after she rear-ended another vehicle. Another Pasco woman, Racqueline R. Gonzalez, 23, was the driver of the second vehicle, the patrol reported. The impact pushed Gonzalez’s vehicle into a third vehicle, which was driven by Christopher A. Mendoza, 23, of Touchet. Neither Gonzalez nor Mendoza were injured, the pat...
RICHLAND — A Burbank man was hospitalized Friday night, July 10, when he crashed his motorcycle on Interstate 82. According to the Washington State Patrol, Tyceon R. Moncrief, 29, of Burbank, was tranported to an area medical center for treatment of his injuries. His condition has not been released. Moncrief was eastbound on the interstate at about 9:02 p.m. when he took Exit 58 to enter Richland, left the roadway and struck a state Department of Transportation sign, the patrol said, noting he was wearing a helmet. The c...
PASCO – Franklin County Chairman Robert "Bob" Koch used a three-month-old gubernatorial proclamation Tuesday morning, July 7, to force Commissioner Clint Didier to leave the meeting room. Didier was the only commissioner to show up in the commissioner's meeting room for a scheduled session. But during the opening minutes of the meeting, Koch pointed out that Gov. Jay Inslee had suspended the Open Public Meetings Act on March 24 and that Didier would have to leave the room. U...
ELTOPIA — A woman who tried to flee from a crash on foot was apprehended last Friday night, July 3. Jamie S. Locke, 53, of Pasco, was arrested on multiple charges by the Washington State Patrol and booked into the Franklin County Jail for driving while under the influence of alcohol and DUI hit-and-run. According to the patrol, Locke was eastbound on Sagemoor Road in a 2010 Ford F250 when she struck a westbound 2017 Ford Focus. The Focus was driven by Erykah J. Skinner, 22, of Seattle, who was injured and transported to a P...
PASCO — Fire crews were dispatched to the shoulder of westbound Interstate 182 about 11 p.m. Saturday night, July 4, after fireworks ignited dry grass. The fire burned a small area off the shoulder just east of the Road 68 exit. As the fire burned, dozens of nearby residents peered over their backyard fences to watch crews work....
PASCO — Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck admonished rural residents Wednesday for moving forward with plans for a rodeo, parade, dance and fireworks July 3 and 4 despite the coronavirus scare. “I think it’s the wrong thing,” Peck said during a radio interview, chastising residents of Basin City and the surrounding area who are continuing their rodeo efforts. “I think those communities will pay for the price for it.” Peck’s comments came a day after he attended a forum with Gov. Jay Inslee at Columbia Basin College...
PASCO — A Kahlotus woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash in a construction zone along U.S. Highway 395 on Tuesday afternoon. Molly A. Robitaille, 42, was transported to a Richland medical center for injuries she sustained in the crash, the Washington State Patrol reported. The crash occurred about 4 miles north of Pasco, near the intersection of Crest Loch Road, the patrol reported. Robitaille was southbound on the highway at about 1:52 p.m. when she rear-ended another vehicle that slowed down for the construction zone, t...