Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
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The NCAA men’s tournament will be over next Monday and an old champion will once again be crowned as the best in the land. Well at least the best at the end of the season which is all that matters. The matchups for games dictate so much because each team plays a certain way and you need to adapt or else you will need to catch the next flight back home. As a Gonzaga fan last Thursday’s game was a real punch to the gut. I’ve been there before seeing a near perfect team strug...
I’ve applied for several jobs during my long working career. For each job I was interested in, I needed to modify the resume and get new letters of recommendation. Now that I’m retired and doing volunteer work or part-time substitute teaching, having to prove myself or needing someone to vouch for me is something I don’t worry about. But what if you are a former college and professional quarterback that happens to be a bit controversial — like Colin Kaepernick? We all know the...
CHENEY – Former Eastern defensive line coach Jeff Copp is taking on the defensive coordinator role for the Eagles. Copp has taught every defensive position on the field during his tenured career and is familiar with the Big-Sky Conference competition, having spent time coaching with UC Davis, Northern Arizona, and Idaho State before coming to Eastern in 2020. “I’ve coached every position on defense at some point in my career,” Copp said. “Coming to Eastern Washington and coaching the defensive line again, which I hadn’t do...
Last year, the NCAA approved student-athletes being able to earn money for their name, image and likeness or NIL. I think that a lot of fans thought it was a good idea since colleges and the NCAA were making huge amounts of money from the big time athletes showing off their talent in playing arenas and stadiums. So, if an athlete makes a few bucks doing a commercial, good for them. With the transfer portal in place — certainly an offshoot of the COVID-19 pandemic — there hav...
OLYMPIA — Elderly archery hunters won't be able to use a crossbow, at least not this year. Last week, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission rejected a petition to allow hunters ages 65 and older to use a crossbow during deer and elk archery seasons. Commissioners may take up the issue again next spring during its next season-setting process....
LIND – With names like "General Lee," "Let's Go Branden" and "The Bandit," politics were on full-display Saturday along state Highway 21. Dozens of "Trump Country," Trump 2024" and patriotic flags flew along the highway as motorists honked and waved entering town. Anti-President Joe Biden flags waved from high atop farm combines, pickups and campers. But it wasn't the anti-Biden sentiment that brought thousands of people to town, it was the 33rd annual running of the Lind C...
Last week, the Eastern Washington University Eagle coaches came to Ritzville for golf and steak dinner hosted by the Ritzville Lions Club. The event has been going on for a long time and we only missed the June 2020 get together due to COVID-19. We all wanted to hold the event but the so-called "higher powers" said no way. The last time that I participated was 2019 and I believe that it was also the last time I golfed. It was great to visit with the new Eastern coaches and...
REARDAN — Gonzaga head baseball Coach Mark Andrew Machtolf was arrested by Reardan Police and booked into Lincoln County Jail on a charge of driving under the influence late Thursday, June 9, according to Reardan Police Chief Andy Manke, the Lincoln County Jail roster and Reardan Police arrest reports. Machtolf, who just completed his 19th season at the helm of the Bulldogs' diamond squad, had a blood-alcohol level as high as 0.284 at the time of booking according to tests a...
COLFAX — Fishermen won’t need a license, vehicle pass or two-pole endorsement this coming weekend if they head to the water. That’s because Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, are a “free fishing weekend.” The free weekend is required by the state law that also implemented Discover Pass vehicle access requirements. The free weekend coincides with National Get Outdoors Day on Saturday, June 11, and Free Fishing Day on Sunday, June 12. During both days in Washington state, fishermen are not required to have a license t...
LIND – The combined Lind and Ritzville school boards unanimously approved adding the Harrington to the existing Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna athletic combine during a meeting Monday, May 23. Earlier in the month the Harrington School Board voted to accept an offer to join the combine, by a 3-2 vote. In other business, Lind-Ritzville Superintendent Don Vanderholm reported the combined school district currently has five open positions, including athletic director, which c...
OLYMPIA – The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking written comments on a proposed cougar hunting rule change. The proposed rule would increase the cougar bag limit for individual hunters in the areas where monitoring has shown a high level of cougar predation on elk calves in the Blue Mountain Elk herd. This proposed rule change would allow hunters to pursue a second cougar within the identified areas. "This proposed rule is in response to a recent WDFW monitoring effort that showed higher than expected calf m...
WALLULA – With the best spring Chinook run since 2015, the state has extended the fishing season. The extension begins May 24, officials said, noting the run forecast for spring Chinook upstream of the dam will be about 180,000 fish. Before the season started, officials projected a return of only about 123,000. Already this season, this is the 11th best spring run over Bonneville Dam since 1980. “We continue to see strong counts daily, which supports the increased run size estimate leading to more fishing opportunity,” state...
VERNITA – Hillclimb racing returns to Rattlesnake Ridge from May 6-8 following two years of being shuttered. The Washington Nitro Nationals returns with gasoline, methane and nitrous-oxide motorcycle racers putting their machines and their skills against a 1,000-foot course at the intersection of state Highways 241 and 24, conveniently located between Yakima and Hanford, north of Sunnyside. The North American Hillclimbers Association Pro Hillclimb Series event in at the now r...
The Northeast Washington Wildlife Group is very concerned about the whitetail deer in District 1 of Region 1 in Northeast Washington. The harvest numbers for the area in 2019 and 2020 set record lows and the blue tongue outbreak in 2020 was worse than the very bad outbreak of 2015. The city of Colville removed over 160 carcasses from within city limits last year, in 2015 they removed 80. When asked if the state Department of Fish and Wildlife had any plans to help deer numbers...
IWACO — The state will open white sturgeon season on the lower 40 miles of the Columbia River beginning May 11. State Department of Fish and Wildlife employees are working with their counterparts in Oregon to allow fishing for white sturgeon from May 11 through June 4 at the mouth of the river to the Wauna powerlines. Adjacent Washington tributaries will also be open for sturgeon fishing those days. Sturgeon fishing closes at 2 p.m. daily. Fishermen may keep white sturgeon measuring 44-50 inches from the tip of their nose t...
SPOKANE -- The state Department of Fish and Wildlife will reopen most of its facilities to the public starting Monday, March 21. "When we closed our offices and hatcheries to the public in March 2020 due to the pandemic, I hoped we'd reopen a few months later; obviously that didn't happen," Director Kelly Susewind said Monday, March 14. "Here we are two years later, having adapted to provide our services virtually, and we are so excited to be able to serve you in person again." Staff is being required to wear masks; the...
Sorry about not having a column for a few weeks. I’ve had last minute commitments on the day I normally write this column therefore I miss the deadline. Oh sure I could have written it a day early but that’s not my style. If you look at the March 16 date you might not remember that it was two years ago that the world shut down for two weeks to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now 104 weeks later it seems that this state finally has decided that we are safe aga...
SPOKANE - The Columbia (Burbank) boys basketball team entered this morning's fourth-place trophy game optimistic about its chances against the Colfax Bulldogs. But Colfax put on a scoring clinic posting 35 points more than the Coyotes to win the game for the state 2B fourth-place trophy. The Coyotes fell, 80-45, and are coming home with a sixth-place finish. John Lustig led all scorers with 34 points for Colfax, followed by teammate Damian Demler with 31. The Coyotes top...
OLYMPIA – The Super Bowl’s most valuable player, an Eastern Washington native, was celebrated in a Senate resolution this week. Cooper Kupp, a Yakima native and former Eastern Washington University football standout, was celebrated in a resolution for his career, work ethic and humility. The resolution recognizing Kupp was sponsored by 6th District Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, and 14th District Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima. “Let’s talk about being a role model,” Sen. Holy said during a floor speech on the resolution. “Cooper K...
TACOMA – Four Othello grapplers brought home to Adams County medals Feb. 19 from the state Mat Classic XXXIII wrestling tournament in the Tacoma Dome. Alexis Monday grabbed silver for the Huskies at girls 115 pounds, the highest of any Adams County wrestlers. In boys action, Isaac Campos won bronze and Victorino DeLa Cruz fifth-place at 106. Teammate Marcos Zuniga was fifth at 113. Monday led the Huskies with 24 team points. She opened with a bye, then pinned Lafediya Eldridge...
SPOKANE — The Columbia (Burbank) boys fell to the top-ranked Kalama Chinooks, 61-57, in their Class 2B state-opening game at the Hardwood Classic today in Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The No. 10-ranked Coyotes kept pace for the first quarter, which ended in a 14-14 time. In the second quarter, however, the Chinooks turned on their game, outscoring the Coyotes, 19-11, and taking a 33-25 lead into the half. The Chinooks added 2 more to the margin in the third, which ended wi...
TACOMA - A Chiawana girl won the state girls 135-pound wrestling title Saturday, Feb. 19, at Mat Classic XXXIII in the Tacoma Dome. Alanna Haney, scored 30 team points, was the only Chiawana girl to reach state. Her team points were good enough for the Riverhawks to finish 25th overall out of more than 100 teams. Haney opened the tournament with a bye and then pinned Cassidy Sylves of Ballard in 1:51 to reach the quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 18. She then pinned Amailee Niz...
I’m not sure if you saw the news this past week that showed some very young elementary school students in Nevada. These youngsters were told by their teacher that starting the very next day they would no longer have to wear masks in class. The kids started screaming with excitement and jumping up and down as if they were told that they would get to have a five hour recess and only two hours of education for the rest of their lives. There have been a lot of states that have lif...
TACOMA - The Chiawana boys wrestling team won the state 4A title Saturday, Feb. 19. The Riverhawks amassed 166.5 points, beating Sunnyside, 149 points, for the title. South Kitsap was third with 109. Pasco boys finished 16th overall with 38.5 points. The Riverhawks had eight medalists. Chiawana's champions included Isaiah Medina at 113 pounds, Darion Johnson at 182 and Isaiah Anderson at 195. Daeton Johnson earned a silver medal at 113 and local bronze medalists included...
OLYMPIA – The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking written comments on a proposed spring black bear special permit rule change from Feb. 2 to March 12. The proposed rule would establish spring black bear special hunting permits for a shortened 2022 season, from May 1 to June 15. The amendment also proposes modifications to the harvest and inspection procedures and makes it unlawful to kill a cub or a female with cubs. “We are seeking feedback on the proposed rule to set a shortened spring black bear special per...