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Articles from the January 11, 2018 edition


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  • Ritzville Rodeo Annual Banquet

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    The Ritzville Rodeo Association is holding its annual banquet on Jan. 14 at the American Legion Hall. The event will include the welcoming of the 2018 royalty Queen Aaliyah Yaeger and Princess Brianna Kin Kade, as well as the farewell of 2017 Ritzville Rodeo Queen Merlee Liberty. The banquet begins at 3 p.m. with the annual meeting, and voting of new officers and board members. At 5 p.m. is a dinner provided by James Wahl. The queen coronation will be at 6 p.m. The Ritzville Youth Drill Team will receive recognition and...

  • Cook to represent Ritzville on SWAC for another term

    Al Stover|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    The Ritzville City Council went through a light agenda at the Jan. 4 meeting with one of the items being a council consensus for Mayor Gary Cook to sit on Adams County Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) for another four-year term. Cook said council did not have to approve his appointment to the committee, yet Adams County officials wanted the meeting minutes to include the council’s agreement of him serving as the City of Ritzville’s representative on SWAC. He said he enjoyed serving on the committee because it allows him...

  • Chiefs provide winter fire safety precautions for residents

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    Local fire chiefs remind residents it is important for homeowners to practice fire safety and prevention in their homes, especially during the winter. During the winter months, people spend more time indoors and will use different methods to heat their homes. However, leaving heating equipment unattended and on for a long period of time can result in a fire starting in the home. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) website, more structure fires occur in winter than in any other season. There are...

  • Lind Council approves 2018 budget

    Al Stover|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    During the Jan. 5 special meeting, the Lind Town Council approved the proposed 2018 budget, totaling $2,720,339.02. The proposed budget was originally going to be an agenda item on the Dec. 28 meeting, but the meeting was postponed due to extreme weather. Clerk-Treasurer Kim Michaels informed council the Town received an extension to approve the budget in January. Mayor Paula Bell explained the budgeting process took longer than expected because employees had to create three new accounts in the budget to account for the Feder...

  • Adams County Commissioners approve 2018 budget

    Al Stover|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    During the Dec. 20 regular meeting in Othello, the Adams County Board of Commissioners approved the 2018 budget, totaling $30,332,995. Commission chairman Jeff Stevens explained one of the goals for creating the 2018 budget was to utilize the financial resources the county had to maintain operations without making cuts to various departments. Stevens said maintaining operations can be difficult because the revenue does not increase at the same rate as operating costs. Stevens explained some departments are doing well within...

  • Bible Study course available

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    The Ritzville Foursquare Church is holding a 10-week Bible Study in the church’s fellowship room every Monday from Jan. 15 to March 19. The title of the study is “Hearing God Through Your Dreams” by Charity Virkler Kayembe and Mark Virkler. There will be two sessions each Monday. The Ladies Only session is Monday from 1-3 p.m. and the general session is from 6:30-8 p.m. The cost is $11 for the book. There will be no workbook for the study. To register for the Bible study, contact Amy Galbreath at 509-659-0778 or at ritzg...

  • Remembering the top news stories for the second half of 2017

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    July During the July 5 meeting, the Ritzville City Council approved a fee agreement with Carpenter, McGuire and DeWulf for legal services. The approval of the agreement with the law firm includes the transition of the primary City Attorney from Mark DeWulf to John Kragt. The firm will also provide services regarding general and civil matters, as well as additional matters at the City’s request. Residents and visitors flocked to Love’s Truck stop to meet History Channel sta...

  • East Adams Library District opens Washtucna branch

    Al Stover|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    When Loretta Walker moved to Washtucna in 2004, she traveled to Ritzville apply for a library card at the public library. She learned she was unable to utilize the Ritzville Library’s full services because she lived outside of the city, which Walker said was disappointing for her at the time. On Jan. 4, Walker’s goal of obtaining a library card came true as she and other Washtucna residents applied for a card at the East Adams Library District (EALD) grand opening for the Was...

  • Clarification and corrections

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    In the Dec. 21 edition of The Journal, Zion Philadelphia United Church of Christ was incorrectly referred to as “The Zion Church of Philadelphia United Church of Christ.” Also in the Dec. 21 edition, the fee changes in the Lind Town Council meeting article were inaccurately reported. The water rates actually increased by 1.87 percent and the sewer rates went up 1.741 percent. The garbage rates did not increase. The wage increase for the Public Works Director was actually 25 cents....

  • Looking Back: 2017 Local Sports Year in Review

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    January The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Lady Broncos basketball team went 5-5 in games for the month, which included a four-game winning streak against Northeast 2B League opponents, Northwest Christian, Wilbur-Creston, Kettle Falls and Mary Walker. The Lady Broncos snapped a three-game losing streak and ended the month with a 59-44 win against Reardan. The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos basketball team began the year with a nonleague victory against Dayton. They finished the month at 3-7, with the other two wins being against...

  • Hailey Roderick takes second in Springdale Tournament

    Al Stover|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    Hailey Roderick was the sole athlete who representing the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague wrestling team in the Girls’ Mix and Match tournament in Springdale on Jan. 5. Four Broncos wrestlers traveled to Springdale the next day to compete in the Springdale tournament. Roderick, who wrestled at 135 pounds, captured her first medal after she took second place in the tournament. In her first match, Roderick wrestled an East Valley wrestler, who she pinned in the first period. Head Coach Jason Hilzer said Roderick showcased an i...

  • Loss of officer reminds us to honor those who serve, protect

    Congressman Dan Newhouse, Fourth District|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    In our nation’s capital, there is a beautiful memorial of sculpted lions keeping watch that honors to the nation’s law enforcement officers. Among the quotes set in the memorial’s stone is one from Tacitus: “In valor there is hope.” Tuesday, Jan. 9, was National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. It is a day that we recognize the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women in blue who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. We all should take the time to say “thank you” to a police office...

  • School Board Recognition Month

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    By proclamation of the governor, January is School Board Recognition Month. It’s a great time to recognize our elected community members who selflessly give their time and energy in support of high-quality public schooling for our youth. Our communities entrust school board members in the Lind and Ritzville School Districts with responsibility for our students, employees, buildings and annual budgets. School boards are charged with making decisions that can sometimes be quite difficult, or require sifting through a great d...

  • Good manners still count in business

    Don C. Brunell, Business Commentator|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    Our parents drilled into our heads that saying “please” and “thank you” were not only part of everyday life, but were essential to operating a successful business. They are the basic ingredients of “Good Manners.” For more than 30 years, our family owned and operated the garbage collection business for Walkerville; a small, incorporated Montana city north of Butte. It was a part-time operation, which required about eight hours a week. In the early 1950s, our family posted a $100 bond and took it over. Previous owners thou...

  • New flu vaccine could reduce future sick leave

    Emma Aldrich, LRHS Student Correspondent|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    It doesn’t take a scientist to know that the flu, which peaks during winter, is dangerous. From 2010 to October of 2017, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports as many as 710,000 hospitalizations and 56,000 deaths from influenza. Similarly, it does not take an expert to make the connection between being absent from school and lower academic success. A Johns Hopkins study in Baltimore concluded, “a strong correlation between sixth-grade attendance and the rate at which students graduated from high school on time...

  • Lady Broncos drop games to Columbia-Burbank, St. George’s

    Al Stover|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Lady Broncos basketball team began 2018 with back-to-back losses. The Lady Broncos endured a 56-30 loss to Columbia-Burbank on Jan. 2. They returned to Gilson Gym on Jan. 6 where they lost 51-39 to league opponent St. George’s. Against Columbia-Burbank, Wellsandt said the Lady Broncos struggled against the Lady Coyotes’ press defense, which only allowed LRS seven points in the first quarter and nine points in the second quarter. The Lady Broncos only...

  • Broncos have strong first half performance against St. George’s

    Katelin Davidson|Updated Jan 11, 2018

    The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos had successful outings on the hardwood, posting a nonleague win before playing a competitive first half against the league’s top team, St. George’s. The Broncos played in the rescheduled Columbia-Burbank game on Jan. 2, a less than ideal day for competition after the winter break and New Year holiday, Head Coach Dustan Arlt explained. The match up proved to be just what LRS needed, and they returned home with a 49-43 victory. The two tea...

  • Pancake Breakfast Friday

    Updated Jan 11, 2018

    The H.E. Gritman Senior Center will host a Pancake Breakfast on Friday, Jan. 12, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Breakfast will feature pancakes, a choice of ham or sausage, biscuits and gravy, and coffee with a suggested donation of $5 per person. For more information contact the center by calling 659-1921....