2012 NEWS: What happened in last year’s headlines

January

Washington state’s minimum wage increased by 37 cents on Jan. 1 to make the current minimum wage $9.04 an hour. The increase left local business owners nervous and uncertain about the changes they would potentially have to make during the year.

The Congressional redistricting boundary was changed to create a 10th district in the state of Washington, and switching the districting line to include the county under the representative of District Four.

February

Three hospital district commissioners – Stacey Plummer, Jeff Snyder and Jeff Reynolds – followed through on campaign promises, and voted Thursday, Jan. 26, to terminate the chief executive officer of East Adams Rural Hospital, Mark Barglof.

Lind community members united in an effort to raise funds for 20-month-old, Hayden Brazil, who was in need of a kidney transplant to help save her life. The Hope For Hayden event on Feb. 4 filled the Lind Grange Hall to help the Brazil family, who were former Lind residents now living in Texas.

March

The Ritzville Public Development (PDA) committee began moving forward with plans to construct a Wheat Interpretive Center in Ritzville. The hopes of building a wheat museum in the Ritzville community has been a wish among community members for almost 30 years.

With the theme of “Don’t Stop Believing,” three young women showed their determination and became the newest representatives of Ritzville. The latest Distinguished Young Woman of Ritzville is Amalia Perez, who was joined by finalists for DYW Brooke Pichette and Taylor White.

April

The East Adams Rural Hospital celebrated 60 years of service on Saturday, April 7, and honored the occasion with an anniversary party on April 10. The event provided visitors with photos and history of the hospital throughout the past 60 years.

Working for 27 years at the same job for the same employer is quite an accomplishment. For Tom Balfe, it is also a labor of love. Balfe retired from his position as groundskeeper for the City of Ritzville in April and was honored with a retirement party on April 27.

May

A small, quick fugitive escaped capture Friday, April 27, and led members of three law enforcement agencies on a frustrating wild goose chase. The tense affair began Friday afternoon with a high speed pursuit that ended up going through city of Ritzville before the suspect wrecked his car near Bauman Road.

The annual Wampum event raised an impressive $11,000 on May 5, one of the largest amounts recorded in recent history. The Knuth Building was packed with an estimated 120 community members, all showing their support for the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair.

June

The population of Lind was expected to grow tremendously on June 8 when visitors from all over the nation came to participate in the 25th anniversary of the Lind Combine Demolition Derby. The derby attracted 23 combines, 39 cars, and a record number of trucks and pickups to the annual event.

Nearly 240 members of the Kulm family gathered together at the Ritzville Wheat Land Communities’ Fairgrounds on June 22-24 to celebrate the 20th reunion in the family’s history. This was the first time that the Kulm family has traveled to Ritzville for the family reunion.

July

The first annual Grateful to be Alive Block Party, celebrating healthy living and supporting the Relay For Life of Ritzville, proved successful when an estimated 400 community members attended the event and raised around $2,500. The money raised was donated to the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research.

A severe thunderstorm early Monday, July 16, brought record rainfall and a mudslide through the property of Jerry and Debbie Knodel, but it delivered more than destruction: it also brought a tremendous outpouring of support. The Knodel farm was in the epicenter of the storm, which dropped an estimated four inches of rain.

August

Gary Wayne Bostrom loves working with numbers as much as he loves working with people. This passionate combination will help drive him as he assumes the helm of Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 as its chief executive officer and its chief financial officer.

Adams County had 32.41 percent of registered voters cast a ballot in the primary election on Aug. 7, with the Superior Court Judge race being decided as Brian Miller earned 55.52 percent of votes over opponent Randy Flyckt.

September

Washtucna students met their new principal on the first day of school and welcomed Brent Seedall to the community.

With 25 years of educational experience under his belt, Seedall recently accepted the title of principal of Washtucna School District.

Ritzville Fire and Ambulance responded to a semi truck rollover accident on southbound US 395 on Sept. 12. The driver of the semi, 73-year-old Gene Nelson, attempted to pull over after being stung by a bee but drove behind the guardrail.

October

Adams County Public Hospital District No. 2 and a pair of local physicians launched a brand new relationship, as doctors Charles M. Sackmann and Valerie Eckley return to the hospital on a part time, structured basis to help serve the district’s patients and put an end to inflated expenses for coverage by temporary physicians.

For more than eight years, the City of Ritzville has known it needs to make major improvements to its water system. Next year, $5.5 million in water system improvements will occur, including a new well and water main replacements.

November

Preliminary election results in Adams County on Tuesday, Nov. 6, showed a significant leader for both county commissioner offices, but left multiple levies on the verge of defeat. In the Adams County Commissioner District 1 battle, challenger John Marshall leads by a four percent margin, earning 51.64 percent of votes over incumbent Rudy Plager.

Just after 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15, the Adams County Superior Court Clerk’s office received a phone call from a male subject claiming multiple explosive devices would be detonated in 20 minutes. Adams County was only one of eight courthouses across the state closed because of bomb threats on Thursday afternoon.

December

Local law enforcement officers continue to look to legislation for more information regarding the implementation of Initiative 502 on Dec. 6. Ritzville Police Chief David McCormick and Adams County Sheriff Doug Barger said the departments will continue on “business as usual,” but continue to wait for more information and qualifications on charges for any individual possessing more than one ounce of marijuana.

Families in the Lind and Washtucna community were provided with a delicious Christmas ham, courtesy of Hams From the Heart, on Saturday, Dec. 22. Brandon Knodel, coordinator of the event, estimated a total of $1,700 was raised to provide around 80 families with a spiral cut ham for their Christmas meal.