Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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PASCO — With less than 30 days to go in the Nov. 5 general election, a county auditor and state representative want to intervene in an effort to sweep away the constitutional residency requirement to vote. Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton of Pasco and 19th Legislative District Rep. Jim Walsh of Aberdeen, both Republicans, are seeking to require to state elections officials to follow the state Constitution or go about a legal change to residency requirements. At issue is the unilateral decision by Secretary of State S...
RITZVILLE - A couple who relocated here from the Seattle area has opened a new welding and machine shop in town. Todd and Natalie Lewis opened Lewis Welding and Fabrication at 206 E. Broadway Ave. on Sept. 3. Todd Lewis, 57, is the fourth of five generations of iron workers in his family. His son, The shop itself isn't new to Ritzville; it opened in 1939. "Then, it was more of a machine shop than welding," Lewis said. And welding and fabrication are nothing new to Lewis, who...
It’s a bit premature to say the bell tolls for community newspapers. Sure, big city media printing the same diatribe you see on television is declining. (That’s because the city media moguls have forgotten their place in society.) And sure, with the Googles of the world, cellphones and social media have impacted our advertising, which, by the way is how we pay our bills. But in our community newspapers, we haven’t forgotten our place. Our reporters shop in the same stores, eat...
CHEWELAH - A two-score, first-quarter deficit was too much for the Broncos to overcome Friday, Oct. 4, as they fell 21-14 to the Jenkins Cougars. The Cougars opened scoring with a 21-yard pass from Noland Jeanneret to Miles Krausz for a first-quarter touchdown. The point-after failed, and Jenkins took a 6-0 lead. Before the Broncos could put points on the board, a Lind-Ritzville/Sprague fumble was returned for a second TD by the Cougars. The hometown team added a 2-point...
RITZVILLE — Two 2023-24 state runner-up volleyball teams squared off Oct. 3, but only one team remained undefeated. The Freeman Scotties girls volleyball team topped the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos, 3-0. It was the first loss of the year for the local girls. Individual statistics were not reported for the game. The Scotties are ranked No. 3 in the state and the Broncos (8-1) are ranked No. 6 in Class 2B. The undefeated Scotties (8-0), previously a Class 1A school, were dropped to Class 2B sports this season by the W...
SPRAGUE — A Spokane Valley man was killed in an early morning crash Saturday, Sept. 28, on Interstate 90. Craig E. Richardt, 61, of Spokane Valley, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at 4:42 a.m. near Milepost 236. According to the Washington State Patrol, the crash occurred about 11 miles west of Sprague, near the south end of Sprague Lake in Adams County. Lloyd O. Arbaugh, 89, of Moses Lake, was westbound in a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup when he struck Richardt’s westbound 2009 Toyota Corolla, the patrol reported, not...
RITZVILLE - One man is on the lam and two were arrested Friday, Sept. 27, after allegedly attempting to steal wire from potato sheds. Jordan Michael Blaak, 26, and Justin Michael Favaro, 33, both of Othello, were both arrested for first-degree theft and first-degree malicious mischief. Bud Ashton Davis, 37, is wanted on the same charges, the Adams County Sheriff's Office reported. The arrests and search for Davis began after deputies received a report of a wire theft from...
RITZVILLE - Law enforcement agencies, ranchers and rural counties are forming a coalition to push back against the state Fish and Wildlife Commission's failure to manage large predators effectively. The coalition was announced Sept. 17 following a meeting here on large predators issues. The meeting attracted about 16-20 law enforcement officers, as well as two ranchers speaking about the effects of wolf, cougar and bear depredation on farms, ranches and rural communities....
WARDEN - A local man wanted in connection with the theft of a tractor-trailer turned himself in Sept. 19. Rafael Pruneda, 43, was arrested on theft of a motor vehicle and third-degree theft. According to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, Pruneda is also a suspect in other crimes in Grant and Franklin Counties. Pruneda turned himself in after authorities executed a search warrant at his property in the 9500 block of S.E. Road U, in Grant County, records show, noting deputies...
BASIN CITY - A man wanted in the shooting of his mother and step-father is in the Franklin County Jail following his Sept. 16 arrest. Daniel Arceo-Martinez, 28, of Basin City, is being held on $1 million bail, charged with first-degree assault. He was arrested in Moses Lake following a tip on his whereabouts. Arceo-Martinez was wanted in the Sept. 15 shooting of his mother and step-father in rural Franklin County, court records show. The couple was treated for gunshot wounds...
OTHELLO — Seven people were arrested Sept. 22 after an incident between the occupants of two vehicles turned into pursuits that led law enforcement officers to Grant and Franklin Counties. Two juveniles were arrested in Warden after fleeing Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies. Meanwhile, two adults and three juveniles were arrested in the second vehicle near Connell, in Franklin County. Authorities have yet to release the names of any of the seven arrestees, even though they are public record. The two teenagers app...
There’s a disturbing trend among tax-payer funded agencies that needs to be nipped in the bud. If you haven’t noticed, public agencies like hospital and utility districts, school boards, city councils, and others have been taking steps to insulate — dare I say isolate — elected board members. Have a concern about something in your local school district? Don’t like a utility rate increase? Want to know if your local public hospital is making a profit? Have questions about cit...
OTHELLO — A gang-related shooting spilled over into the classroom Thursday, Sept. 26, when Adams County deputies responded to threats made against McFarland Middle School students. According to Sheriff Dale Wagner, deputies receive information about a “potential threat to McFarland Middle School and selected students, believed to stem from unresolved gang-related activity that occurred over the past weekend in the county between two rival gangs.” The threat at the school was determined to be “not credible” following...
Kennea Estler, 25, of Ritzville, makes cotton candy during the Fall Festival on Saturday in Harrington. Her Tumbled Sweetly business was among several vendors in the Harrington City Park....
RITZVILLE — If the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague girls volleyball team hadn’t established its dominance in the Northeast 2B league previously, it did so last week, decisively. The undefeated Bronco girls (7-0) dominated Upper Columbia Academy as well as league rival and perennial volleyball powerhouse, Colfax, sweeping both. The state 2B runner-up Broncos overwhelmed the Colfax Bulldogs, 3-0, on Sept. 25, then did the same to the winless Lions on Sept. 26. The Broncos are scheduled to play four games in the next week. On Tue...
OTHELLO — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who planned to meet a young local girl here for sex has been sentenced to federal prison. Koby Don Williams, 49, of Ellensburg, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice to 135 months in federal prison, to be followed by 15 years probation. He was convicted of attempted online enticement. According to court records, Williams replied to a decoy online post as part of an undercover sting to catch pedophiles willing to meet minors for sex. The post s...
SPRAGUE — Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Adam Walser said Tuesday he opposes an effort to vacate a kidnapping conviction is a 2015 case. He may have the opportunity to repeat his concerns during a 10:30 a.m. hearing Tuesday, Sept. 24, in Lincoln County Superior Court in Davenport. At that time, James R. Stocker, 25, of Spokane, will be asking a superior court judge to seal the kidnapping case file and vacate the conviction. As a teenager nine years ago, Stocker was convicted of second-degree kidnapping in 2015 and s...
RITZVILLE — The state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recently released its 2023-34 report card for public school students for grades K12. The report card analyzed different data trends from the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. And the report card doesn’t look good for area schools when it comes to attendance and consistent grade-level knowledge. The report card also shows the amount of money school districts are spending per pupil. Interestingly, the amount does not necessarily correlate with student ach...
HARRINGTON — A Palouse woman has been charged with vehicular homicide in the Friday, June 7, deaths of three Davenport men. A Lincoln County Superior Court summons shows Jade A. Ellsworth of Palouse is being formally charged with one count of vehicular homicide. Ellsworth is not currently in jail. Court records show Ellsworth did not have a valid drivers license at the time of the fatal crash.. She is ordered to appear in court before Judge Jeffrey S. Barkdull at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. Court records show she is a...
NEWPORT - The Newport Grizzlies held off the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos to win a Northeast 2B matchup, 19-14, Friday night, Sept. 20. The Grizzlies (3-0) were ranked No. 8 in the state in Class 2B football last week in the Associated Press Poll; the school dropped from the 1A ranks this season. The Broncos are ranked No. 10. The Grizzlies drew first blood on a 4-yard run by Brody Driver. The point-after failed and Newport took a 6-0 lead. In the second quarter, The Broncos...
ASOTIN — The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague girls volleyball team continued their march tow a return trip to the state championship game last week by sweeping Asotin, 3-0. Individual stats were not reported. The Broncos (5-0) have only given up two sets all season, both to the Davenport Gorillas, in a 3-2 win Sept. 12. This week, the Broncos return home Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesday night, Sept. 24, the Broncos hosted league rival Colfax. The newspaper went to press before game time. Colfax comes into the game with a 2-2 r...
RITZVILLE – The 9th Legislative District senator pleaded not guilty Thursday, Sept. 12, on a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol. But Adams County District Court Judge Andrea K. Russell determined there was probable cause for the charge against 67-year-old Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville. She schedule him to appear before her again Oct. 8 in the 210 W. Broadway Ave. courthouse Schoesler was released on his own recognizance to a family member following his Aug. 31 arrest by citation at the Wheat Land C...
RITZVILLE - It's past time a for a local sports pub to open in Ritzville. And Ryan Reilly, a 2001 graduate of Lind-Ritzville High School, is tired of waiting. Reilly will be reopening the Pastime Bar and Grill, at 119 W. Main Ave., as the Pastime SportsCenter next month. "It'll be a sports and community bar," Reilly said, noting his goal is to have a grand opening on Oct. 3. Reilly said his new venture will have five TVs featuring a variety of sports. "I'm a big sports fan. I...
You shouldn’t be surprised the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council last week voted to accept a site application for construction of more wind turbines atop Horse Heaven Hills. It’s all part of Gov. Jay Inslee and his financial supporters plan to breach our dams and replace them with unsightly, unpopular and unreliable wind power. The council was pushed by Gov. Jay Inslee, who didn’t like the fact Tri-Citians outright rejected his plan to supplant dams with the unsigh...
RITZVILLE — The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague varsity football and volleyball teams remain undefeated. On Friday night, the Bronco boys football team (2-0) topped Manson, 39-16. And on Thursday, the girls volleyball team (4-0) notched its fourth win of the season its closest game so far. The Bronco girls topped the Gorillas, 3-2, in volleyball. Set scores were 21-25, 25-14, 25-19, 13-25 and 15-11. Zoe Galbreath led the Bronco girls with 13 kills, 14 assists, 26 digs and 2 aces. Saige Galbreath added 2 aces and Hannah Towne a b...