Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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RITZVILLE — An alleged drug dealer will be arraigned at 10 a.m. Monday, April 13, in Adams County Superior Court. According to court documents, Jose Sierra Carriero, 68, is facing possible charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-methamphetamine, major violation of the uniform controlled substances act, school bus stop enhancement, and firearm enhancement; alien in possession of a firearm; and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held in the Adams County Jail on $100,000 b...
RITZVILLE — The high school community will honor graduating seniors and spring sports athletes with a 20-minute drive-by celebration beginning at 8:20 p.m. tonight, Friday, April 10. The celebration is in honor of the Class of 2020 who have lost the last part of their high school careers and spring sports athletes who've lost their seasons due to Gov. Jay Inslee's coronavirus quarantine. The school shutdown was initially ordered March 12 and then extended it to include the remainder of the year April 6. "This is a drive-by o...
OLYMPIA – The state Department of Natural Resources is implementing burn restrictions on DNR-protected lands in Eastern Washington, beginning Friday, April 10. DNR officials cited a front scheduled to pass through the region the next couple of days creating dry conditions and forecasted gusty winds as a reason for instituting the ban earlier than normal. According to an April 9, news release, all outdoor burning, which includes permit and rule burning (small debris disposal fires), is not allowed in eastern Washington. T...
Our nation’s founding fathers were no strangers to pandemics. They knew of many viruses and diseases — yellow fever, smallpox, measles, scarlet fever, to name a few. Yet, when the Constitution was written and signed, our founding fathers chose not include a caveat for a health emergency as a reason to suspend the inalienable rights of U.S. citizens. Indeed, they took steps to prevent such an effort in the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exerc...
Since we are supposed to be staying close to our humble abodes through this crazy virus, have any of you decided to do any trash talking to significant others such as, “This is my house!” or “Not gonna happen in my house!” Yeah, I haven’t decided to get that crazy, yet, either. These are unprecedented times, for sure. About the closest thing I can compare it to is when Mount St. Helens erupted May 18, 19080, and dropped a whole lot of ash in our area. We were confused...
RITZVILLE — City parks are closed until further notice and gates and playground equipment wrapped in police tape to use. The publicly owned amenities were shuttered last week by the Parks and Recreation Department following the City Council’s resolution to authorize the mayor to take emergency actions. “Right now, we’re operating under emergency procedures,” City Clerk-Treasurer Julie Flyckt said. “The resolution we passed gave the mayor the authorization to shut down parks.” Resolution No. 2020-05, Ratifying Proclamation of...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that school campuses will remain closed the rest of the 2019-20 school year. The executive order generally prohibits in-person instruction through June 19. Facilities remain accessible for limited use. Many local school districts, including Cheney and Medical Lake, have already begun online instruction, offering curriculum content via special pages on their websites. When contacted Monday, Lind-Ritzville Superintendent Don Vanderholm reserved comment until Tuesday. “We will have a t...
LIND — A Ford F150 overturned Sunday, April 5, killing a Kettle Falls woman. Kristen K. Icenogle,, 52, of Kettle Falls was southbound at 10:17 a..m. on U.S. Highway 395 when her Ford 150 pickup left the roadway on the inside shoulder, the Washington State Patrol reported. Icenogle apparently overcorrected and her vehicle overturned and rolled a few times before coming to rest on the shoulder near Milepost 70 south of Lind, the patrol said. Icenogle was not wearing a s...
By Katie Teachout The Journal RITZVILLE — Lind-Ritzville school board members approved a gender-inclusive policy at a March 23 meeting. Policy 3211, Section 3000, under definitions says the district “uses the term ‘transgender’ to be inclusive of gender expansive, gender transitioning, gender expression and gender identity, to incorporate the concept that students may not fully connect with the sex assigned to them at birth, while recognizing that the protections herein are available to all students.” A gender-in...
One hundred years ago The Ritzville Journal-Times April 8, 1920 Organize for the Project We people who live in the country which is most to be benefitted by the development of the Columbia Basin project have been somewhat indifferent to its possibilities. Spokane has taken the lead and we have been content to stand by with mild approval if not with concealed suspicion of the practicability of the colossal enterprise. As the results of the survey have been announced, this doubt has yielded to greater hopefulness, and there is...
MOSES LAKE – An alleged drunken, wrong-way driver caused a four-vehicle pileup on Interstate 90 on Thursday, April 2. Christopher L. Mainard, 26, of Snohomish, was intoxicated at the scene and arrested for driving under the influence of the 8:17 p.m. crash between Ritzville and Moses Lake, the Washington State Patrol said, noting the crash occurred at Milepost 193, 18 miles east of Moses Lake. Mainard was westbound in the left lane of eastbound I-90 when he struck a vehicle d...
Morfin arrainged for burlgaries RITZVILLE — Adam Morfin was arraigned Monday, March 30, in front of Adams County Superior Court Judge Steven B. Dixon on charges of third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer and three counts of second-degree burglary. Morfin allegedly assaulted Sgt. Thomas Solano on March 12. The burglaries occurred in Othello on Jan. 16, Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, court records show. A trial has been set for 9 a.m. May 26; a pre-trial hearing will be at 10 a.m. May 18. Morfin remains in custody on $5,000 b...
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bill 2662 into law last week, capping the price of insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply. The bill was introduced by Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, R-Republic. The measure also creates a task force to investigate why the cost of insulin has risen 500% over the last decate. “With this legislation, families and individuals who depend on insulin to survive will pay no more than $100 for a 30-day supply,” Maycumber said. “This bill allows patient...
RITZVILLE — “We have plenty of food!” Ritzville Pantry food bank volunteer JoAnn Shockley told a patron arriving at the end of Wednesday’s shift. “The community has been donating very generously,” volunteer Nadia Reimer said. The Pantry, located at 104 Main Street, is open every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. They are observing social distancing procedures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic by asking patrons to maintain six foot spacing and not stay to chat after receiving t...
RITZVILLE — The Ritzville Ministerial Association is assisting the Adams County Health Department with area housing and utility needs during the coronavirus quarantine. If you require assistance, please contact Community Health Director Karen Potts at 509-659-3315. The association will review the request, follow up and assist as funds are available. The association continues to help with food needs through the Ritzville Food Pantry. Prefilled food bags are available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 104 West Main A...
Warner E. 'Bud' Owens, 96, of Ephrata, Wash., died Sunday, March 29, 2020, at home. He was raised in Tempe, Ariz., and attended Arizona State College. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in March of 1943 and was a Ferry Command pilot in the European-African Middle Eastern Theater and the Asiatic Pacific Theater. After being honorably discharged in November 1945, he farmed with is dad and brother outside of Tempe, where they raised cotton and alfalfa hay. He loved to hunt and fis...
Masami “Dick” Nagamitsu passed away March 30, 2020, at his home, surrounded by family. He was born March 2, 1925, in Belt, Mont., to Masa (mother) and Maso (father) Nagamitsu. Dick was the top of his class at Box Elder High School, where he graduated in 1943. He earned a bachelor of science degree in agronomy in 1949, then a master’s degree at Washington State University. Dick proudly served his country in the U.S Army in 1946 and 1947. In 1952, Dick launched a 38-year career...
Sherryl Sielaff Evans passed peacefully March 27, 2020, after a short illness. Sherryl was born in Ritzville, Wash., on Nov. 10, 1940, to Lester and June Sielaff. She went to Ritzville schools and graduated in 1959; she was awarded the creative arts award. She attended Eastern Washington College studying elementary education and art. In her junior year of college, she married Vince Evans of Ritzville. They made their home in Washtucna and Ritzville, where they farmed wheat....
Allison Heimbigner, a longtime resident of Moses Lake, passed away March 27, 2020, at age 93 years old. Allison and her late husband, Ken, enjoyed over 70 years of marriage together prior to Ken's passing in 2017. The Heimbigners moved their family to Moses Lake, from Ephrata, in 1964 and owned and operated Moses Lake Furniture (on Broadway) for many years. Allison was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to Elsie and Robert Marti. Along with her twin sister, Allene, and her two...
We don’t need to be reminded these are strange times. Anxiety has increased exponentially with the lifestyle changes we are all experiencing. The city of Ritzville has made some difficult choices concerning our service to you, the residents. We declared a city-wide emergency March 13. We closed City Hall to the public March 16 and asked staff to stay home. Our Public Works crew and police officers will continue to provide services with no disruptions during this time. We held an emergency City Council meeting March 20 by p...