Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 887
SPOKANE VALLEY – The preservation of the Snake River dams has been solidified as a key item on the legislative agenda for the city council. The move comes amidst ongoing debate and litigation surrounding the dams’ future and their environmental impact. Chelsea Martin, Government Relations and Communications Coordinator at Modern Electric Water Co., emphasized the importance of maintaining affordable electricity costs for the region. “Our goal is to keep electricity costs low,” she stated. The Snake River dams, namely Ice Harb...
Regulations have been proposed by a presidential administration committed to a responsible rollout of one of the most consequential technologies since the advent of the internet. The adoption of AI products accelerated rapidly over the past year since OpenAI released its large language model-powered chatbot, ChatGPT. Today, the generative AI platform boasts more than 100 million weekly users worldwide and is used by developers at 9 in 10 Fortune 500 companies. In that time,...
OLYMPIA – The House Housing Committee has moved forward two bills introduced by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden, aiming to bolster home ownership and streamline property leasing in Washington. The committee approved Senate Bill 5792, which seeks to facilitate the construction of smaller condominium buildings, excluding those with 12 or fewer units and no more than three stories high from the definition of "multiunit residential building," provided one story is designated for a...
SPOKANE VALLEY — A Kennewick man arrested for in a sexual assault case here remains in the Spokane County Jail. Gregory Charles Boris, 42, of Kennewick, is being held on $500,000 bail after being extradited from the Tri-Cities area back to Spokane County on Feb. 13. He is charged with second-degree rape, second-degree assault-strangulation with sexual motivation and felony harassment-threats to kill. The charges stem from an alleged Feb. 5 rape at a hotel here. Records show law enforcement officers were dispatched to a s...
The Adams County Sheriff's Office's newest deputies, Oscar Munoz and Orlando Gonzalez, graduated from the Pasco law enforcement academy last week. The two are now ready for duty. "We are proud to have these two deputies back and ready to begin their careers with our team," Sheriff Dale Wagner said on social media....
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...
REPUBLIC - Two residents have announced their candidacies for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Ferry County Commissioner Brian Dansel, 40, was the first to announce last Friday, Feb. 16. He was joined in the race on Tuesday, Feb. 20, by state Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber, 44. Both candidates are Republicans. McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, has announced that she won't seek re-election to the post that represents Ferry, Stevens, Pend Or...
OLYMPIA – By a 47-2 vote, the Senate passed a bill Feb. 6 that would speed up the process for restaurants, bars and taverns seeking liquor licenses. Under Senate Bill 5291, applications for liquor licenses or license renewals would be automatically approved if the state Liquor and Cannabis Board fails to issue a decision within 45 days of the application date. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, introduced the bill after hearing about the trouble three small businesses – Sonny's...
OLYMPIA - The Senate approved two measures sponsored by Sen. Nikki Torres that are aimed at making the state safer and supporting access to criminal justice. Senate Bill 5160 would further define the crime of organized retail theft. Senate Bill 5780 would encourage participation in public-defense and prosecution professions, to help address attorney shortages that are hindering the administration of justice. "I am pleased to see these two important bills receive such broad bip...
SPOKANE – The House Appropriations Committee recently approved three bills from Rep. Mike Volz, including two aimed at helping wildfire and disaster recovery. Additionally, a fourth bill from Volz has also been approved by its committee. House Bill 1952, which passed Appropriations on Saturday, would require the Military Department to administer a program for long-term community recovery from an emergency or disaster. The program would support counties and tribes by a...
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...
OLYMPIA – By a 47-2 vote, the Senate passed a bill Feb. 6 that would speed up the process for restaurants, bars and taverns seeking liquor licenses. Under Senate Bill 5291, applications for liquor licenses or license renewals would be automatically approved if the state Liquor and Cannabis Board fails to issue a decision within 45 days of the application date. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, introduced the bill after hearing about the trouble three small businesses – Sonny's...
RITZVILLE – Ninth Legislative District lawmakers are planning virtual meetings to hear from residents. Republican Reps. Joe Schmick of Colfax and Mary Dye of Pomeroy will host a virtual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, is planning a virtual session for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21. The 9th Legislative District includes Eastern Adams and Franklin, Southern Spokane, Whitman and other counties. Reps. Schmick and Dye will provide an u...
OLYMPIA — A bill being considered in the state House of Representatives would require schools to keep alternative sexual lifestyle books on the shelves in schools. House Bill 2331 would prevent school districts from rejecting or censoring educational materials associated with so-called “protected” sexual lifestyles. In Washington, many schools adhere to a “model policy” for reviewing objections. Initially, a teacher or librarian is consulted regarding a book. If a parent objects, alternative material is provided for their...
HATTON — A Portland, Ore., man was arrested shortly after noon Sunday, Feb. 4, after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase in excess of 150 mph. Issac D. Burks Jr., 33, of Portland, Ore., was arrested near the intersection of U.S. Highway 395 and state Highway 26 at about 12:20 p.m. after crashing his vehicle, records show. He was booked into the Franklin County Jail. Burks is facing possible charges of felony eluding, driving while under the influence and two counts of hit-and-run, records show. According to the A...
WARDEN — The Washington State Patrol is looking for information on the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash early Sunday morning, Feb. 4, on state Highway 17. Jeremiah T. Gregg, 36, of Moses Lake, was killed in the crash at 1:53 a.m. near Milepost 41 north of Othello, the Washington State Patrol reported. The driver of the second vehicle fled the scene. According to the state patrol, Gregg was northbound in a 2021 Ford F150 pickup on the highway when he rear-ended a 1989 Toyota Camry. Gregg’s pickup went onto the...
OLYMPIA – The Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee heard testimony Jan. 25 in a student-led bill to require schools to teach the history and meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. "This is a bill that was brought to me by some very bright and thoughtful students from my district," said Sen. Jim McCune, R-Graham, a member of the committee. "In these divisive times, it was genuinely refreshing to hear these students talk about what the pledge means to them – how it...
SPOKANE – Rep. Mike Volz wants to give 2023 wildfire victims more say in rebuilding homes and property that were destroyed. Volz, R-Spokane, introduced House Bill 1899, which would require municipal governments to allow property owners the ability to use either state building codes in effect Jan. 1, 2023, or new state building codes at the time of reconstruction. Under House Bill 1899, any building permit application for property damaged or destroyed by a wildfire during 2...
OLYMPIA – Sen. Keith Wagoner has introduced two bills in the Legislature to return more “sin tax” revenues to local governments. Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley, has introduced Senate Bills 5568 and 5404 to shift the tax revenue as alternatives to bills which would raise property taxex. Senate Bill 5568 would restore liquor-sales revenue distributions to local governments. Under the bill, 10% would go to counties, and 40% to incorporated cities and towns. Senate Bill 5404 would increase cannabis-revenue distributions to local gover...
OLYMPIA — Some fear Artificial Intelligence might open a dark chapter to a dystopian future. Others say the progress it promises is virtually unlimited. To find a balance among those concerns, state officials are considering a task force to determine how it can best promote the most beneficial uses while mitigating potential challenges. Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, has introduced a bill, Senate Bill 5838, that would establish the task force. The bill has 17 Democratic and 2 Republican co-sponsors and the support of A...
OLYMPIA — An initiative aimed at giving police wider discretion on when they engage in high-speed pursuits was forwarded to the Legislature on Jan. 11. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs notified the Legislature petitions for Initiative 2113 meet all legal requirements. Initiative 2113 backers want to amend a law on police pursuit that passed in 2021, which requires officers to have “probable cause” instead of “reasonable suspicion” to engage in pursuits. Critics say that measure hinders law enforcement officers who want to p...
OLYMPIA - Amanda Knox, the Seattle resident who spent nearly four years in an Italian prison for a murder she did not commit, offered heartfelt testimony Jan. 8 in favor of a bill that would prevent law enforcement officers from using deception during interrogations. "I was interrogated overnight by police officers who claimed to have evidence against me, who claimed that there were witnesses who could place me at the crime scene," Knox said. "They lied to me. I did not know...
OLYMPIA - Facing health and safety hazards and experiencing overcrowding, in May 2023 the original Irving R. Newhouse Building on the capitol campus in Olympia was entirely demolished and construction of a new building began. The building is named for the father of Rep. Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside, who currently represents the Fourth Congressional District of Eastern Washington. The district includes western Adams County. But there are rumors of the new building getting a new...
OLYMPIA – Eight Kitsap County residents have filed a lawsuit to try to remove former President Donald Trump from the March 12 primary election ballot. The lawsuit (Kitsap County Superior Court case No. 24-2- 00075-18) was filed in both Kitsap and Thurston counties on Wednesday, Jan. 10, records show. A hearing on the matter has been set for Tuesday, Jan. 16, in Kitsap County Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges Trump, a Republican, is ineligible to be on the ballot under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. C...
OLYMPIA - With traffic deaths in Washington reaching their highest point in more than 30 years, the Senate again approved an anti-impaired driving bill sponsored by 4th District Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley. It is the fourth straight year the Senate has passed such a measure in Olympia. Senate Bill 5032, which was passed 43-5, would expand the period for reviewing prior convictions of impaired driving to 15 years, from the 10 years now in state law, when determining whet...