Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 408
SPOKANE — A local man convicted in connection with trafficking drugs from the Tri-Cities to Spokane Valley has been sentenced to prison. Jordy Scott DeBoer, 32, was sentenced to 272 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised probation by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice. DeBoer previously pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine and intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. DeBoer’s sentence stems from a March 30, 202...
SPOKANE — Ratepayers who purchase electricity from Avista may have their power turned off on windy, hot summer days when utility officials deem fire danger high. According to company officials, Avista’s so-called “Public Safety Power Shutoff” plan is in response to summer conditions in Eastern Washington. When high winds are forecast, company employees may increase sensitivity on power lines, officials said. The increased sensitivity could lead to more and prolonged power outages. Officials said ratepayers will be notifie...
MESA — A Lind woman is facing charges related to an embezzlement case in Franklin County. Charmain Mary Halverson, 50, of Lind, was arrested June 26 on charges of theft, injury to public record, misappropriation by treasurer and official misconduct. She was arrested, booked into the Franklin County Jail and then released on bail. According to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Halverson was the clerk-treasurer for the city of Mesa, where she allegedly used the city’s debit...
KENNEWICK — A Pasco man may be facing charges following a June 20 crash that injured two girls on the Kennewick side of the blue bridge. Jesse Moctezuma Chino, 25, of Pasco, was northbound on U.S. Highway 395 on the bridge at about 9:12 p.m. when his 2000 Honda Accord struck a northbound tractor trailer, the Washington State Patrol reported. The tractor-trailer, a 2025 Freightliner towing a 2015 utility trailer, was driven by Nolan G. Williams of Albany, Ore. Neither Williams nor Chino was injured in the crash, the patrol r...
VERNITA - If you like spending a week or more fishing for salmon and camping on the Columbia River adjacent to Vernita Bridge, your days are numbered. On Monday, June 17, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced plans to limit the number of days fishermen can camp at the water-access area just upstream the bridge during fall salmon seasons in 2024 and 2025. During the fall salmon season, fishermen will be allowed to camp a maximum of 14 days each of the next two...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden Administration on Tuesday, June 18, announced the creation of a new Columbia River Task Force to guide efforts to breach dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Simultaneously, the administration released a Department of the Interior report finding that the dams are detrimental to American Indian tribes in the region. The Biden Administration named Democrat operative Nik Blosser to lead the task force. Blosser is the former chief of staff for Oregon Governor Kate Brown and a former Biden A...
PASCO — A one-vehicle crash at the U.S. Highway 395-Court Street interchange left two people hospitalized Tuesday night, June 18. Diego A. Galvez-Gutierrez, 20, and Luciano M. Galvez, 64, both of Pasco, were injured and transported to a Richland hospital. According to the Washington State Patrol, both men were wearing seatbelts when the northbound 2006 Dodge Ram pickup driven by Galvez-Gutierrez struck a guardrail. Galvez-Gutierrez swerved and overcorrected, causing the crash, the patrol said. Neither drugs nor alcohol was a...
LIND - The town will roar to life this weekend as the annual Lind Grand Parade and Combine Derby return to town. The action begins Friday with car and pickup truck racing. Locals and visitors alike with "run what they brung" to Lion's Club Arena on state Highway 21. Racing is set to begin at 6 p.m. As of press time, racers were still able to get registered for the event by calling Eric Lund at 509-677-3432. Expect racers from across Whitman, Franklin, Adams, Lincoln, Spokane...
Disappointingly, many Americans are worried about silly first-world problems like where to go boating or what to barbecue over the upcoming weekend. Too many view this upcoming three-day break as an excuse to eat, drink and party, never giving a thought as to why Memorial Day is observed. So while you’re anxiously awaiting the long weekend, take time to remember, understand and plan to observe Memorial Day. Memorial Day is dedicated to the men and women killed while serving i...
SPOKANE — The Burbank Wrestling Club brought home four bronze medals March 30 from the annual Jason Crawford Memorial Tournament in Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. More than 2,100 wrestlers competed in the event billed as "state" for youth grapplers in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Burbank's four bronze medalists include three boys — Leon Avalos, Ashton Miller and Cody Sloan — and one girl — Amy Sloan. In addition to the Top 3 finishers, Ryker Ricard finished fourth. Here are the individual results for Burbank...
SPOKANE - The Connell Little Guy wrestling club brought home several gold medals from the Jason Crawford Memorial Tournament on Saturday, April 30, in Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. More than 2,100 wrestlers competed in the tournament that features youngsters from ages 5-14 from across Eastern Washington and North Idaho. In the 5/6 age division, Liam Rodriguez won gold at 46-47 pounds and in the 9/10 division, Romeo Cortez was first at 80-82 pounds. In the 11/12 division,...
OLYMPIA - Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill into law to allow for water right modifications in the Columbia Basin Project area. Authored by Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, House Bill 1752 authorizes the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to apply and obtain approval for water-right modifications and provides farmers flexibility as new pumping systems are developed to save the Odessa Aquifer. The new law goes into effect June 6. According to Dye, efficient use of federal water would assist i...
PASCO - Following the Tuesday, March 12, primary in Washington and other states, its appears that voters will see a rematch in the race for U.S. President. Preliminary results show both former President Republican Donald J. Trump and current Democrat President Joseph R. Biden Jr. secured enough support to become the presumptive nominees for their parties. In Washington state, 1.25 million voters cast ballots in the primary election. Trump received 442,048 votes statewide, or 7...
ELTOPIA — A Moses Lake man was hospitalized Saturday, March 9, after an alleged drunken driving crash. Jonnathen C. Cole, 51, of Moses Lake was northbound in his 1998 Ford Ranger pickup at about 7:41 p.m. when he lost control of the vehicle, the Washington State Patrol reported. The pickup left the road and overturned near Milepost 31 of U.S. Highway 395. Cole was injured and transported to Richland hospital, the patrol reported, noting he was not wearing a seatbelt. Troopers said the cause of the crash was driving while u...
EPHRATA — A leak in an irrigation canal below Pinto Dam may delay delivery of water to farmers downstream of the West Canal. According to the federal Department of Reclamation, routine monitoring showed a higher-than-normal rate of flow in the irrigation canal, officials said Tuesday, March 12. "This situation has prompted the Bureau of Reclamation to dewater the Main Canal prior to irrigation startup to better understand the source of the seepage water and develop a plan to address it," the agency reported. "As a result o...
LAKE ROOSEVELT - The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a "rapid response" plan to take extraordinary measures to kill northern pike found in waterways like Lake Roosevelt. Released last week, the plan would allow state officials and tribes to draw down reservoirs, using Rotenone to poison the fish, netting and seining, quarantining waterways and more after declaring a northern pike emergency. State Aquatic Invasive Species Policy Coordinator Justin Bush...
ADDY - A 51st state advocate has joined the pool of candidates seeking to replace Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers in Congress. On Tuesday, Feb. 27, Rene Holaday, a Republican from Addy, reached out to media to announce her run for the 5th Congressional District seat. The district includes Ferry, Stevens, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Whitman, eastern Franklin and Adams, and other counties. Holaday is an author, radio personality and the former spokeswoman for the 51st state...
OLYMPIA - Two bills introduced by Sen. Mark Schoesler have stalled in the House. Schoesler, R-Ritzville, represents the 9th Legislative District, including eastern Adams and Franklin Counties, among others. "Unfortunately, two bills that I introduced received their death sentences in the House," Schoesler said last week of Senate Bills 5291 and 5344. Senate Bill 5291 would have helped restaurants, taverns and similar establishments navigate the state's permitting process...
Let’s take a few words that should be on the minds of all Eastern Washingtonians concerned over efforts to breach Snake River dams — agreement, restoration and sovereign, to name a few. Last Thursday in the White House, President Joe Biden signed onto the “Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six Sovereigns” agreement. The so-called “sovereigns” refers to the states of Washington and Oregon, and four tribes — th...
TACOMA - A Burbank wrestler competed in the state Mat Classic XXXV tournament Feb. 16-17 in the Tacoma Dome, but came home empty-handed. Wrestling at 113 pounds in the boys 1B/2B division, Carter Katz made it to the third round of the tournament. He was pinned by Abraham Montealagre of Forks in 1:41 in his opening bout. In the wrestlebacks, he received a bye and then was eliminated from the state tournament by Landon Batton of Cle Elum by pin in 4:15....
TACOMA - Chiawana wrestlers brought home several medals from state Mat Classic XXXV, including three silvers and a bronze in the boys 4A division Feb. 16-17 in the Tacoma Dome. Silver medalists include Anthony Shima at 106 pounds, Daeton Johnson at 138 and Jordan Tobias at 144. Chiawana's bronze medalist is Lane Hedrick at 285. During the two-day tournament, Chiawana amassed 169.0 team points, good enough for second-place. Tahoma won the team title with 193.5 points. Skyline,...
OTHELLO — Three Warden residents were killed in a crash Thursday, Feb. 15, on state Highway 17 a mile east of the city. Manuela Franco Huerta, 44, Daniel Gama Perez, 14, and Brini Moran Flores, 44, all died of injuries they sustained in the crash, the Washington State Patrol reported. Flores was pronounced dead at the scene; Huerta and Perez were pronounced dead at Othello Community Hospital. All three were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, the patrol reported. Neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor. The crash o...
TACOMA - The Othello Huskies girls wrestling team finished fourth in the state Mat Classic XXXV tournament on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16 and 17, in the Tacoma Dome. The Adams County girls amassed 87.0 team points in the small school girls division (1B-2A). Toppenish won with 166.0 points, followed by Orting with 103.0 in second and Royal with 89.5. Warden was fifth with 83.0 points. Othello had several girls in the state tournament. Those placing include Grayce Mendez,...
SPOKANE - The 5th Congressional District will have an opening next year. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, announced Thursday, Feb. 8, that she is not seeking re-election. "It's been the honor and privilege of my life to represent the people of Eastern Washington in Congress," she said. "After much prayer and reflection, I've decided the time has come to serve them in new ways. I will not be running for re-election to the People's House." The 5th Congressional...
