Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
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RITZVILLE - Lind-Ritzville schools were shuttered today Tuesday, Oct. 22, after several anonymous bomb and shooting threats posted to social media sites. School officials made the call to close campuses after being alerted to threats made on social media late Monday. "These threats included names, methods and times, and we are taking them very seriously," the district said in a press release alerting the community to the closure of schools early this morning. District...
RITZVILLE — A 14-year-old is facing at least one charge of threats to bomb or injure property following social media posts to shoot classmates and blow up schools. The boy was arrested today, Oct. 22, following an investigation into the threats reportedly found on social media last night. The threats prompted school officials to close campuses today. Police also called in a bomb-sniffing dog. This evening, law enforcement officials remain at some of the school campuses. Police have not identified the boy, citing Revised C...
Jail Log RITZVILLE - The Adams County Prosecuting Attorney reported the following individuals in custody from Oct. 15-21: Oct. 15 Amy Wheeler, 54, fourth-degree assault-domestic violence. Booked into the Franklin County Jail. Oct. 16 Slade Hardesty-Fortner, 31, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. Booked into the Franklin County Jail. Dennis Riojas -57, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen...
RITZVILLE — East Adams Rural Healthcare officials are mum on a breach of the hospital’s records. The breach occurred on or about Sept. 12, when hospital officials were alerted to “anomalous activity,” officials reported in a public notice posted on the hospital website. The notice said employees contained the computer systems and “security experts” were called for assistance. However, it did not identify the security company called in to investigate the breach. East Adams Rural Healthcare operates under the auspices of...
OLYMPIA — The Nov. 5 general election is underway. Voting began last Friday; the state estimated there are 4.9 million registered voters statewide. This election includes federal, state and local races, as well as statewide initiatives and possibly local levy and bond measures, officials said. Ballots must be returned to a valid county drop box or voting center by 8 p.m. Nov. 5 to be counted. Voters who choose to return their ballots by mail can use the provided postage-paid envelope, which must be postmarked by Election D...
RITZVILLE - The Adams County Board of Commissioners heard a few discouraging words Oct. 15 having to do with the state's good intention to keep mounting minimum wage increases. Adams County Human Resources Director Kathy Campbell told commissioners she was troubled that local businesses might not be able to recruit new employees. "My main concern is in recruitment efforts," Campbell said. "If I were in the Seattle area and I could work for $20.76 (currently the state minimum...
Age: 66 Hometown: Colfax Family: Married to Kim Schmick for 42 years. Education: Relevent or Volunteer Experience: 17 years in this current position Candidates have been given a 100 words to answer each question and answers have not been edited. Question 1: In recent years, state agencies have used purported habitat and wildlife concerns as a reason to implement new regulations on farmers and ranchers. Those regulations have impacted the livelihoods or rural residents. What wo...
Sheriff's Log RITZVILLE – The Adams County Sheriff's Office responded to the following calls for service from Oct. 3-12: Oct. 3 8:52 a.m. – Suspicious activity on the 100 block of West S Third Ave, Othello. 1:05 p.m. – Agency assist, no location given. 2:20 p.m. – Scam call on the 200 block of West Main Ave, Ritzville. 6:39 p.m. – Report of a dog running loose on the 400 block of West Third St, Lind. Oct. 4 8:20 a.m. – Collision on private property on the 800 block of So...
RITZVILLE - Adams County election officials will be 8,118 ballots this week for the Nov. 5 general election. But before mailing, county Elections Supervisor Jacque Laird was joined by others to conduct a test of the ballot counting system. Adams County Commissioner Mike Garza was present to observe and get better acquainted with the process. As Laird conducted the test, Secretary of State representative Paul Prociv monitored the process and explained each step. According to...
RITZVILLE - A man who attempted to stab a local police officer is being held in the Franklin County Jail without bail. Brian Jedediah Sumner, 45, is was booked into the jail Oct. 8 on three counts of first-degree assault, third-degree assault, obstructing a public servant, resisting arrest and felony eluding. Court records show Sumner, who frequents the Sprague area, was apprehended in Spokane. His arrest stems from an Oct. 5 domestic call. Records show police were dispatched...
RITZVILLE - The Ritzville Adams County Journal has a new full-time reporter. Rick Haverinen, 75, will be covering community news for the newspaper and he will be the primary contact for anyone wishing to have news items submitted for publication. "Rick has newspaper experience that will be invaluable to Journal readers," Free Press Publishing owner/Publisher Roger Harnack said. "It's good to have a full-time, experienced reporter back in Adams County. Haverinen was most...
The Adams County Sheriff's Office was among dozens of businesses and governmental agencies meeting with students from Lind-Ritzville, Harrington and Washtucna schools last week to explain career opportunities to high school students in Gilson Gymnasium. The Career Showcase was put on by the Adams County Development Council.....
OTHELLO — A man allegedly selling drugs to students in Othello schools has been arrested on two felony charges. Oscar Reyes-Terezon is charged with two counts of distributing drugs to minors. He was booked into the Franklin County Jail. After he was released, he was re-arrested on misdemeanor drug charges and booked into the city of Sunnyside Jail....
SPRAGUE — A “peck” on the lips between a local teenage boy and an 11-year-old girl Aug. 20 led to a sex crime charge. The 16-year-old Sprague boy was arraigned Oct. 8 in Lincoln County Superior Court for fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation, a gross misdemeanor. He was released to the custody of his guardian and is prohibited from traveling outside of Lincoln and Spokane counties. Conditions of his release also include a 7 p.m. curfew and no contact with the girl he kissed, records show. The Journal made the decis...
STEPTOE — A Belfair woman was airlifted to a Spokane hospital following a three-vehicle crash between St. John and Steptoe in rural Whitman County. Mandy L. Cole, 20, of Belfair was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, the Washington State Patrol reported. James F. Kile, 76, of St. John, and Jennifer M. Hoffman, 53, of Oakesdale, who were in separate vehicles, were not injured. Cole was southbound on state Highway 23 when she swerved into the northbound lane near a small brush fire, the patrol said. She struck t...
Rural counties experience more traffic deaths per capita compared to their urban counterparts, due in part to slower emergency response times, higher speed limits, and risky driving behavior like not wearing seatbelts. Six lane interstates and city streets in densely developed urban areas aren't more dangerous than open stretches of highway, no matter how nasty rush hour traffic may get. An analysis by The Daily Yonder shows that traffic deaths are higher in rural counties,...
If you have decided to try listing your property for recreational activities, LandTrust shares the most important things to consider. First, what activities are possible for you to offer, such as hunting and fishing. You may also consider other activities that are becoming more popular and more marketable, such as bird watching, star gazing, agricultural experiences (farm/ranch vacations, tours, etc.) as well as hiking and camping. Secondly, think about what you want to offer...
Concerns over youth mental health and academic performance are driving lawmakers to revive a decades-long debate in public schools: how to keep kids off their phones in the classroom. Florida moved first in the summer of 2023 by passing a law requiring all schools to prohibit cellphone use during school days, prohibiting social media use on schools' internet, and requiring that grades 6-12 learn about the "social, emotional, and physical effects of social media." Now, dozens...
Construction on the Maverik Adventure's First Stop gas station and convenience store is continuing along State Highway 261 near the Interstate 90 interchange. The pumps are installed, pavement complete and awning is up....
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...
WASHTUCNA — Three farms in Adams County have received Rural Energy for America Program grants to be used to upgrade business operations through energy projects. The farms are located in the Washtucna, Warden and Othello areas. Baumann, Baumann and Baumann, a wheat farm at 510 S. Bauer Road near Washtucna, will receive $68,868 to purchase and install spray foam insulation, grant officials said. In addition, the grant will cover installation of an automated shop door and heat pumps. “The project will result in about $600 per...
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...
1 years ago The Ritzville Journal-Times Oct. 9, 1924 NEW DOCTOR LOCATES IN RITZVILLE As a number of people have inquired concerning Dr. H.R. Bankerd, who recently located permanently to Ritzville, the following personal facts will be of interest. Dr. Howard R. Bankerd was born in Ohio in 1875. He graduated from high school and the Ada, Ohio business college. Taught in the pbulci schools in Ohio, he graduated from Ohio Northern University Liberal Arts Course in 1899... in...
PACKARD — A motorist eastbound on Interstate 90 was hospitalized Oct. 4 when his vehicle hit a deer. Vicente I. Vara Collado, 30, of Federal Way, was transported to a Moses Lake hospital for treatment of crash-related injuries. According to the Washington State Patrol, Collado was eastbound in his 2018 Honda HR-V at about 10:05 p.m. when he struck a deer. The vehicle overturned at the scene of the crash about 27 miles west of Ritzville. As of press time, the patrol had not reported if Collado was wearing a seatbelt or if d...
Sheriff’s Log RITZVILLE – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office responded to the following calls for service from Sept. 22-28: Sept. 22 12:30 a.m. – Domestic call on the 900 block of North Wahl Road, Ritzville. 7:37 a.m. – Possible missing person on the 2200 block of West Rainier Road, Othello. 11:13 a.m. – Report of a code violation via illegal burning on the 100 block of West Sixth St, Lind. 2:39 p.m. – Animal problem on the 700 block of South Ridge view loop, Idaho. 3:16 p.m. – Fire reported on the 100 block of South Benge...