Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Sorted by date Results 701 - 725 of 1545
May is Skin Cancer Month, and may my story inspire you to health. I lost a friend to undiagnosed skin cancer and that event saved me. I started going to the dermatologist and in May 1990 I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma that needed immediate care. I had surgery in June that found that the skin cancer had grown down to my heart. Unable to know if all the cancer was removed, I took an early retirement. 27 years later I am still around thanks to my early detection. There are things you should know about skin cancer:...
On April 21, 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair opened. The “Century 21 Exhibition” ran for six months, drew 11 million visitors, turned a profit and left the Northwest with a wonderful Seattle Center. Well over a half century later, many of the fair’s landmarks remain and the Center’s 73-acres is a gathering place for people from all walks of life. It is Seattle’s Central Park. The Space Needle has become Seattle’s landmark. Conceived in an architect’s notebook, it was construc...
Dear Editor, I am so disappointed to read that there will not be a Memorial Day service at Ritzville Cemetery. This tradition has been appreciated by our town in the past. Words cannot express our community’s sentiment over this loss. Sincerely, Marsha Smith Ritzville...
To the Editor of the Journal, Dear Sir, As many in the community may have noticed, the local chapter of the Ritzville Eagles have completed renovations and upgrades to our exterior. The recent repairs to the brick and mortar will go a long way toward making pedestrians safer and will extend the shelf life of yet another of our classic historical buildings downtown. Our local chapter consists of over 200 members who are proud to call 107 N Washington our home. The Eagles have been an active force in our community since 1948...
There are dams that should come down and those that shouldn’t. Hopefully, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts its review of the 14 federal dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers, that will become abundantly clear. That review is expected to be ready for public comment in late 2020. Here is the difference. Demolishing the two dams on the Elwha River west of Port Angeles was a good thing. They were built in the early 1900’s to bring electricity to the Olympic Pen...
Summer is nearly upon us. Where does the time go? Memorial Day weekend is a special time for the Ritzville community, with the annual alumni celebrations, car show, concerts and Art in the Park. It seems fitting that I send out an appreciation for those who have helped make this possible. First, Chad Hoeft and crew from Columbia Bank volunteered their time and resources to refurbish the planters downtown for the summer. They spent hours cleaning out and replacing needed potting soil and other things to prepare them for the...
With Memorial Day approaching, the American Legion Post 51 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 11446, would appreciate any help that is available for putting up the flags on the 24th of May at 5:30 in the evening. The take down of the flags will be the 27th of May at 5:30 in the evening. Help is also appreciated. I am sorry to report that there will be no memorial service this year due to lack of personnel. Age, health and other activities prevent this solemn occasion. Everybody have a great weekend and thanks for all of...
Dear Editor, As the school year nears an end, most of us think of summer. On June 17, Ritzville Community Vacation Bible School gears up. With an African Safari theme this year, we remember that When Life is Wild, God is Good. We will meet many wonderful wildlife characters and hear their adventures growing up. Lots of songs, food (insect snacks— not really but it looks like it), crafts, games and Bible stories of God’s love and care, even when life is not fair or scary. We would love to have you pre-register your child and y...
“Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy.” A lot of people don’t realize exactly how many small businesses are all around us. Whether it be a storefront on Main Street in downtown Ritzville, the local fruit stand off the highway in Selah, or an online boutique operating out of Winthrop, it is very likely that someone you know can call themselves a “small business owner.” Last year, I had the honor of meeting Mike Mauk, who owns Mauk Fishing Stuff. Mike has always loved fishing, but he was tired of his fishi...
Memorial Day weekend is often a time for families to take a break from the monotony of everyday life, to pack into their cars, RVs and trailers for an extended weekend of camping, or maybe just staying at home for a weekend of relaxing and barbequing with friends and neighbors. According to a study from Wallethub, about 60% of Americans planned to barbecue over Memorial Day weekend in 2018, the second largest barbequing holiday behind only the Fourth of July (73%). Some 41.5 million Americans planned to travel over Memorial...
Dear Friends, I’ll start by congratulating the thousands of WSU students who were awarded degrees this past Saturday, at the end of the 2019 spring semester. And by thanking the state Department of Transportation’s branches in Spokane and Wenatchee for putting several “variable message signs” here and there along US 195 and SR 26 with safety reminders for travelers heading west from Pullman. We want Cougar Nation to be safe! Speaking of travel, Governor Inslee must be taking a break from his job-hunting visits around the nat...
To the Editor, I commend the Eagles for trying to fix up their building, but am baffled as to why they choose to tart it up rather than restoring and preserving the historic facade. The brickwork done at the top of the building looks great. The Depot Museum draws many out-of-town visitors, and the most common remark is how well Ritzville's downtown has been preserved with the original buildings and facades. The City's new logo is "Harvest the Legacy." Look south on Washington...
Montana’s legislature took the unusual step of exempting older, less-valued mobile homes from property tax as a way to stem homelessness. The bipartisan legislation, which Gov. Steve Bullock signed into law last week, aims to keep people in their homes. It exempts mobile and manufactured homes worth less than $10,000 and at least 28 years old from taxation starting next year. In Montana, a state with just over a million people, there are more than 22,000 residences where o...
Last week, the House voted on legislation that would force the President to participate in the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce carbon emissions in the United States and the world. On the surface, this bill paints a pretty picture: reducing our carbon footprint. However, this federally-mandated top-down approach will not help advance that goal. I celebrate the fact that the United States is leading the global community in reducing carbon emissions, but President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement because other...
Easter Sunday is the holiest day for observant Christians worldwide. It is the day followers of Jesus Christ celebrate his resurrection, and many believers choose to be baptized or receive their first communion on the special day. It is the day on which Christians celebrate the central tenets of our faith, which is why the coordinated suicide bombings on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka that targeted minority Christians at four churches as well as foreigners at four hotels shocked that island nation and the world. The terrorists ta...
It was a cold and stormy day last Saturday at the Undeberg Invitational, where over 600 tracksters and volunteers gathered to hear Greg Whitmore, Athletic Director for Lind-Ritzville High School, welcome entrants from 33 schools. He emphasized sportsmanship and unity, especially to root not only for your team, but also for the opponent next to you or in line with you. Speaking to the crowd in the middle of the track, he said, “wanting the best in each of us, helps all of us.” Then we silently listened to the Star Spa...
The exciting news is that your District has settled on a new Chief Executive Officer to take over from retiring CEO Gary Bostrom. The new CEO is Mr. Corey Fedie. He comes to us from the Kit Carson County Health Service District in Burlington, Colorado, which, like us, is a Critical Access Hospital with a 24/7 Emergency Department. Corey was the finalist in what was a grueling selection process, for we were fortunate enough to have several highly qualified applicants. Corey will formally begin his duties on June 10th, giving...
Dear Friends, During the five years that our bipartisan coalition led the Senate, we could protect the people from any bad or extreme (or both) legislation that came over from the Democrat-controlled House. Of course, the House would also block the good bills we sent over from the Senate, which was frustrating. But in the end, fewer bills became laws, and those that did leaned toward the political center. In that sense I think the people of our state were served well by having a divided Legislature. Now that the Legislature...
Imagine sitting home and learning Fortune Magazine just listed you among the world’s greatest leaders? That’s exactly what happened to Marilyn Bartlett who led the effort to save Montana’s state employee health insurance plan from bankruptcy. In April, Bartlett was ranked No. 16 on a list which featured global leaders including Bill and Melinda Gates, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Michael J. Fox and Apple’s Tim Cook. “Our sixth annual leaders list is the home...
Tax Day is a day that has been historically regarded as stressful, complicated, and unworthy of any significant praise. It is a day that is typically dreaded by American taxpayers and business owners. However, on Monday, April 15th, we observed the first Tax Day under the new Republican tax code that was signed into law in December 2017. This is a huge milestone, and for the first time in decades, there is reason to celebrate. I voted to support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act because our tax code was outdated, convoluted, and...
I recently submitted an Easter article to The Journal that was mistakenly printed early in last week’s edition – and with the incorrect title. When I emailed editor Brandon Cline about it, he apologized and offered to reprint it in this edition along with the correct title. I suggested rather that I submit a new article. He agreed with that ideal, and so here’s my Easter article version 2.0. As I sat down to write another article, I thought how writing a new version is just like Easter itself, for God is into new versi...
On April 9th, we said goodbye to a hero of the Greatest Generation. Retired Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole, the last surviving member of the Doolittle Raiders, passed away at the age of 103. In the aftermath of the devastating sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the purpose of the Doolittle Raid four months later was to show that American air power could reach across the Pacific to threaten the home islands of Japan. The daring target of mainland Japan was symbolic because the Japanese military leaders had ass...
Dear Friends, While I spent hour after hour this week debating and voting on legislation in the budget committee and in the Senate chamber, a woman from the town of Snohomish was out in front of the Capitol conducting what she calls a “fast in solidarity with starting southern resident orcas.” An elderly woman staging a one-person protest to call attention to the orca situation is bound to attract the attention of the news media. It’s an easy story to tell, with lots of pictures and video to use. But what caught my eye are t...
Dear Friends, One of the many flaws in the 2019-21 budget proposed a week ago by the Senate’s Democrat majority was that it lacked new funding to allow 20 more students at WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in Spokane. When the budget came to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, I offered an amendment to fix that. It was rejected. Yesterday, when the budget came before the full Senate for a vote, Senator Jeff Holy from the neighboring 6th District – a proud Cougar graduate – offered the same amendme...
The Bob’s TV and Appliance store at 208 N. Division will permanently close in the next 60-90 days. No worries though, I will still provide repair services from my home, in addition to other service calls to the community. My work phone number, 509-659-1240, will remain the same and all calls will be forwarded to my cell phone. The most obvious change you will notice is I won’t be selling appliances or any other merchandise. Bob’s TV has been in business for 46 years, but over the past several years, it has become cost prohi...