Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
Sorted by date Results 251 - 273 of 273
OGDEN, Utah — A conference football season in which Big Sky powers Montana, Montana State and Weber State were slated to visit Eastern Washington University's newly-turfed Roos Field will have to wait until 2021. On Aug. 7, Big Sky athletic directors moved an eight-game conference schedule to next spring, according to a release from EWU athletics. The Big Sky President's Council then approved the decision this morning, Aug. 7. Nonconference games are still "under review," p...
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...
BASIN CITY — A ban on swimming in Scooteney Reservoir was lifted today, according to the Benton-Franklin Health District. The reservoir was closed to swimming Aug. 10 when a toxic algal bloom increased the amount of toxic bacteria — mycrocystin — in the water. District officials have been monitoring the algal bloom since; recent tests show bacteria levels are now safe for swimming. Heath officials say that while it's safe for swimming, the lake water is not safe to drink. Ingesting mycrocystin can cause liver damage, offic...
PASCO — Chinook and Coho salmon fishing opens on the mainstem of the Columbia River from Buoy 10 to the Blue Bridge (U.S. Highway 395) on Saturday, Sept. 19. Fisheries officials announced the opening Thursday. All Coho retained downstream of the Hood River Bridge must be hatchery-origin, officials said. Fishermen may keep two salmon daily, but only one of which may be a Chinook. The fishery will remain open until Dec. 31....
PASCO — State fisheries officials have updated season rules for catching salmon the next three days. From Sept. 11-13, fishermen may keep one Chinook or one Coho salmon between Hood River Bridge and Pasco. The minimum size is 12 inches, officials said, noting all other salmon species and steelhead must be released....
MESA — The early general archery deer and elk hunting season has opened in many areas of Washington state. But two special pheasant hunts loom. From Sept. 19-20, a special pheasant hunt for residents younger than 16 is on tap statewide. The following week, from Sept. 21-25, a special pheasant hunt for the elderly or disabled opens. Hunters older than 65 or with disabilities will be allowed to take pheasant....
PASCO — The Snake River opened today, Tuesday, Sept. 1, for fishermen to catch and keep fall Chinook salmon and steelhead. The Chinook fishery will close Oct. 31, state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said. Chinook salmon may be caught and kept from the Burbank-Pasco railroad bridge near the mouth of the river to Lower Granite Dam, which connects Whitman and Garfield counties. The fishery is being opened because of an expected healthy salmon run, officials said. The 2020 fall Columbia River run is expected to top 2...
OLYMPIA - A new coronavirus-related mandate ending most motorsports statewide went into effect today, Monday, Aug. 24. Under a new directive from Gov. Jay Inslee, "participant-only motorsports spectators, camping, races and events are not allowed" in Phase 1-2 counties. The order became effective at midnight. Under the order, go-kart tracks, off-road vehicle and other motorsports facilities are barred from operating. The order also applies to on-water motorsports, such as...
OLYMPIA — Two state agencies have banned target shooting on the lands they manage. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the state Department of Natural Resources have banned shooting until further notice. "We implemented several fire risk prevention measures for WDFW lands in Eastern Washington earlier this summer," Fish and Wildlife Lands Division Manager Cynthia Wilkerson said. Hunting is allowed to continue, she said. Target-shooting restrictions will remain in effect until the risk of wildfire decreases, W...
CONNELL — The municipal pool reopened Aug. 14 for lap swimming. Swimmers can register to swim laps from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and between noon and 5 p.m. Saturdays. The pool is closed Sunday. Residents should call 509-234-2701 to reserve a swim time....
PASCO — Salmon fishermen on the Snake and Columbia rivers may have better opportunities to land a lunker after the National Marine Fisheries Service approved the lethal removal of more than 700 sea lions preying on migrating fish at the base of dams. In an approval issued Friday, Aug. 14, the agency allowed state and tribal fisheries managers to move ahead with a permit to kill up to 716 sea lions between the Interstate 205 bridge and McNary Dam, as well as any spawning tributaries. Removing the sea lions is an attempt to imp...
CHENEY – A pair of seniors on the Eastern Washington University football team have been selected to the 2020 Big Sky Conference Preseason All-Conference Team as announced Friday, July 24, by the league as part of the Big Sky's Virtual Media Days. The selections were made by a committee of media members in the league. Quarterback Eric Barriere was selected as the preseason MVP of the Big Sky as he enters his senior season as a 2019 All-American and 2020 preseason A...
RENTON—It may sound weird to say, but “Friday Night Lights” won’t be taking place until March this year. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) announced a new, tentative schedule which includes four sports seasons for the 2020-21 season due to Corona virus restrictions. The four seasons are classified numerically: Season 1, 2, 3 and 4. Most notably, football, volleyball and girls soccer were all moved to Season 3, which begins at the end of winter....
OLYMPIA — The state Fish and Wildlife Commission will discuss $30.8 million in proposed state Department of Fish and Wildlife budget cuts and agency legislative requests for the 2021 state legislative session during its July 30 to Aug. 1 online meeting. The commission will begin with wildlife and fish committee meetings at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday, July 30, to discuss target shooting rules and coronavirus-related fisheries assistance, as well as hatchery policy language, non-native gamefish and fisheries policy, and a...
RITZVILLE – Less than a week after nearby Basin City hosted it’s Freedom Rodeo, the Ritzville Rodeo Association is pulling the plug on the 51st Pro-West Labor Day Weekend Rodeo here. “The Ritzville Rodeo Association is sad to announce the cancellation (of the rodeo),” association spokeswoman Julie Hartz said Wednesday, July 8. “The rodeo committee has discussed the pros and cons of holding rodeo while trying to keep our community safe,” she said. “With all that in mind, the committee had to make one of the toughest deci...
WALLULA — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has extended the steelhead and hatchery Chinook salmon season through July 31. The two-week season extension is on the mainstem Columbia River from Rocky Point upstream to the U.S. Highway 395 bridge at Pasco. The daily catch limit is six, and up to two hatchery adults may be retained, of which only one may be a steelhead. The extension does not include any portion of the Snake River, officials said, noting the season was originally scheduled to close July 16. In other o...
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...
OLYMPIA — Most state Department of Fish and Wildlife employees will be furloughed Friday, July 17, to reduce agency expenses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The furlough day is the third of four planned — the fourth occurs Friday, July 24. According to agency officials, game wardens will remain on patrol, but most other services will be shuttered for the day. Some hatchery operations employees will also remain on the job. Agency Director Kelly Susewind said Fish and Wildlife will operate at only 80% staffing thi...
BASIN CITY -- Local cowboys are buckin' the state's rejection of reopening Franklin County as the Fourth of July approaches. Despite the state's rejection of Phase 2 reopening in the wake of the coronavirus, residents are planning to kick up their heels for Independence Day. Two rodeo performances, a street dance, parade and fireworks are on tap as part of the Basin City Fourth of July Parade and Freedom Rodeo. The fun gets underway at 8 a.m. Friday, July 3, with rodeo slack....
KAHLOTUS — Local high school student-athletes will continue to participate in the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague athletic combine. Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Athletic director Greg Whitmore announced last week the decision to remain this week. The School District was considering other options, including joining a combine with Connell High School. The Journal first reported on this issue when Kahlotus appeared on a Washington Interscholastic Activities Association list in January as a Class 1B school, instead as a part of the 2B c...
OLYMPIA -- The state Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to move the latest draft of the Columbia River Salmon Fishery Policy forward for additional public comment during its June 12-13 virtual meeting. The commission received a briefing on the review of its existing Columbia River Salmon Fishery Policy, including an update from commissioners participating in the Columbia River Policy Workgroup. After discussion and public comment, the commission voted 6-3 to release the latest draft language of the policy to allow for...
KAHLOTUS — Washington State Parks has released a list of the parks that will be opening May 5 for outdoor recreation, provided visitors keep their distance. In Eastern Washington, the initial list of openings include: Alta Lake Bridgeport Columbia Plateau Trail Conconully Ginkgo Petrified Forest Goldendale Observatory Lake Chelan Lake Wenatchee Lincoln Rock Lyons Ferry Mount Spokane Nine Mile Falls Recreation Area Palouse Falls Perrygin Lake Potholes Reservoir Riverside (Spokane) Sacajawea Steamboat Rock Steptoe B...
KAHLOTUS — Washington State Parks has released a list of the parks that will be opening May 5 for outdoor recreation, provided visitors keep their distance. In Eastern Washington, the initial list of openings include: Alta Lake Bridgeport Columbia Plateau Trail Conconully Ginkgo Petrified Forest Goldendale Observatory Lake Chelan Lake Wenatchee Lincoln Rock Lyons Ferry Mount Spokane Nine Mile Falls Recreation Area Palouse Falls Perrygin Lake Potholes Reservoir Riverside (Spokane) Sacajawea Steamboat Rock Steptoe B...