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OLYMPIA–Columbia County Public Hospital District No. 1 will receive $413,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to build spend improve infrastructure for the childcare facility in Dayton. Columbia County Public Hospital District will use the grant from the USDA’s Community Facilities Program, to renovate a building to create a new childcare facility, Touchet Valley Childcare Center in Dayton. The USDA is investing over $800 million nationally to build and improve critical infrastructure that will benefit people in...
DAYTON-The Columbia County Rural Library Board of Trustees (CCRLD) were briefed on the process for parental notes on library cards; acknowledged the Library Dissolution proposition is now on the ballot; heard discussion on setting a time to review the policy of collection development; discussion on employee weapon policy; suspending book buying during the August 21 meeting. Enlightening discussion and suggestions were made by local residents through the public comment period. CCRLD Board...
OLYMPIA–The political party declarations that voters must sign when participating in the 2024 Presidential Primary were certified by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs Tuesday, August 29. Only those candidates of the party declared on the envelope will count. Washington's voters do not register as members of a political party. However, state law RCW 29A.56.050 requires voters to declare on their ballot envelopes whether their party of preference is Republican or Democratic to have their votes counte...
WAITSBURG–The Blue Mountain Chapter of the Washington Farm Forestry Association (WFFA) will hold its fall meeting at The Barn on Stella’s Homestead, 2194 S. Fork Coppei Road on September 16 at 9:30 a.m. A woods tour focusing on improving wildlife, forest health and fisheries management will be the focus. All forestland owners and interested public are welcome. Special guest Ken Bevis, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Stewardship Wildlife Biologist, will speak to landowners wanting to improve their forest land to enhance wildlife, fis...
PENDLETON-Umatilla National Forest officials have reduced public use restrictions (PURs) to PHASE A, which is the first level of restrictions that are generally implemented when the fire danger is moderate to high, effective August 24. PURS are phased in collectively, as conditions warrant, and may differ from Forest to Forest. Restrictions under Phase A include: •Chainsaws may be operated only between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. local time. A one-hour fire watch is required after saw o...
Access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet continues to be a challenge in rural America, and its absence denies residents, industries, and small businesses a vital service. Without broadband access, rural residents are often excluded from online educational opportunities, the ability to work remotely, and healthcare innovations such as telehealth. Rural small businesses struggle to contend with online competitors enjoying ample cloud computing and lightning-fast broadband speeds. Rural industries, including precision agriculture, are u...
POMEROY––With the demise of Columbia Pulp, the concept of finding a use for the plentiful wheat straw produced in southeastern Washington may be continued by a local entrepreneur who, if investment capital is raised and plans come to fruition, could bring a new industry and 30 full-time jobs to Garfield County. If all goes as planned, molded four-cup carriers made from locally produced wheat and barley straw may be manufactured in Pomeroy, says Kyler Lovgren, CEO of Palouse Fiber Holdings, LLC...
POMEROY-The Garfield County board of commissioners (BOCC) approved support of a letter from the Eastern Washington Coalition of Governments and discussed use of the impound lot at their meeting on August 21. The commissioners voted to add Garfield County to the support signatures on a letter from EWCOG to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, opposing a draft policy. The letter states that the wording of the policy contains some ambiguities that undermine public trust of the poli...
POMEROY-Oscar Dispenza won Overall Boys' Champion at the Titanium Man Junior Triathlon in Richland, Wash., on August 19. Dispenza placed third in the event out of 104 competitors, and won the Overall Boys' Champion with a time of 23 minutes, 57.6 seconds. The triathlon event, held at Howard Amon Park, started with a 250-yard swim, then went to biking for 4½ miles, and finished with a one-mile run....
POMEROY–Lawrence Huntley, a Hammer Dulcimer musician will be part of the entertainment offered during the Garfield County Fair September 15 and 16 at 12-2 p.m. Huntley explores the traditional music and rhythms from many of the different cultures where the dulcimer can be found. He also plays original melodies and shares the history of the tunes. He has been playing the hammer dulcimer since 1982, performing for thousands of public and private engagements throughout the Pacific Northwest and b...
POMEROY-The Garfield County Public Health District board passed a resolution and discussed investments at their meeting on August 21. Resolution 2023-12 accepts a Solid Waste Investigation grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology, in the amount of $7,500 over the course of two years. The grant will allow the Health District to reimburse City of Pomeroy or Garfield County employees for their time spent in investigating solid waste incidents. The grant does not include funds for...
POMEROY-The Garfield County Transportation Authority, (CTA), held a public hearing on the Transit Development six-year plan. No comments were made, and no written comments were turned in. The plan was adopted after the hearing. The CTA also discussed the operations manager position, which has been filled by the hiring of Callie Carnahan. Carnahan will start September 1....
POMEROY––With a majority of the 2023 crop in the bin, this year's small grains harvest turned out "better than expected," according to Pomeroy Grain Growers Manager Derek Teal. "Overall, yields were better than expected and above average," Teal summarized. "Everyone was expecting a wreck and when they got out there, it was better than they thought it would be," he said. Weights averaged about 60 lbs., Teal said, and protein readings started high then came down as cutting progressed. "Fa...
By Naomi Scoggin, Charlotte Baker and Loyal Baker POMEROY––For over 70 years, Farm & Home Supply, Inc., has been one of Pomeroy's and Garfield County's steady and reliable sources for everything for the farm and home–from bolts, washers and nuts to sales and service of heavy-duty farm machinery and implements. Over the decades and through the ebb and flow of the economic tide of the agricultural economy, Farm & Home Supply has persevered by keeping its farming friends and neighbors satis...
SEATTLE–Massive wildfires continue to burn throughout Washington today, causing very unhealthy and even hazardous air quality in much of the state. The American Lung Association in Washington offers tips to protect health from the serious hazards that smoke poses to people living and working in surrounding areas. Exposure to wildfire smoke can cause serious health problems for anyone including asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature death. Most vulnerable to smoke exposure are children a...
SPOKANE–Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) joined seven members of the Washington congressional delegation in calling on Governor Jay Inslee to provide answers about the state's long-term plan to reduce critical Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) funding for regional drug task forces that help local communities fight the opioid epidemic on Aug. 15. In a bipartisan letter, the lawmakers emphasized the importance of Byrne JAG funding to the work of the 16 a...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Hospital District Board of Commissioners accepted a bid and split an electrical project into phases, celebrated the certification of co-CEOs Jayd Keener and Mat Slaybaugh and approved a change to the financial assistance policy at their meeting on August 7. The board accepted a bid from Twin City Electrical out of Clarkston for the construction of the electrical project at Garfield County Memorial Hospital. The total amount is $1,447,000 and will be divided into t...
POMEROY–The City Council discussed a broken pool boiler and speeding concerns on Arlington Street according to the minutes from their August 8 meeting. The boiler at the Pomeroy Municipal Pool has broken beyond repair. City Superintendent Mike Lockard and Clerk/Treasurer Diane Taylor will apply for a maintenance grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office for funding to replace the equipment. The pool will not be heated until the replacement is purchased and installed. P...
PULLMAN–The 4-H Meats Judging team from Garfield County competed in the state 4-H meat judging event at Washington State University last Saturday, August 12, took first and second place. Seven members of the Garfield County meats judging team competed in the junior division (ages 8-14), They were divided into two groups: Team 1 and Team 2; Competitors followed by individual placing on Team 1, which took first place in the Junior Division were Ladd Baser, 1st; Nolan Newberg, 2nd, Tyler Dixon, 3...
POMEROY–High School student Natalie Fuchs has as a senior project a goal to accumulate donated food for her "Fill the Truck Food Drive," which started July 1 and has been underway every other Saturday, with the final ending August 26. The project has netted some 960 pounds of food as of this week, Natalie Fuchs tells the East Washingtonian. Fuchs has a goal to fill 112 boxes of food to help the local food bank and has set up drop zones for non-perishable items of food that have not expired a...
BURBANK–A 65-year-old Burbank man is dead after a police standoff here August 13, 2023, according to Undersheriff Joe Klundt of the Walla Walla Sheriff’s Office. At approximately 10:43 p.m., the Pasco Police Department requested assistance from the Walla Walla Sheriff’s Office in checking a residence in Burbank to see if a particular vehicle was present. Due to deputies being tied up with a DUI arrest, Pasco Police sent one of their officers to Burbank to check the residence. Finding the vehicle they were inquiring about at the Burbank resid...
PENDLETON–The Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman (Blue Mountains) National Forests have initiated the process to revise the Land Management Plans (Forest Plans), which provide the overall strategic management direction and guidance for the Blue Mountains National Forests. Revising these Forest Plans represents a commitment to managing productive and sustainable forests for the American people. Today's publication in the Federal Register initiates the assessment phase, which is the first p...
POMEROY-–National Night Out was held at the City Park on August 1. Community resource entities set up informational and give-away booths, including the Garfield County Hospital District, Garfield County Fire District #1, Pomeroy Ranger District, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, 911 emergency services, Garfield County Public Health District, Garfield County Transportation Authority, Community Sexual Assault Program, Aging and Disability Resource Center, and Pomeroy Partners for Healthy Fam...
POMEROY–The School Board approved a consumer math curriculum; high school teaching assignments for Weights, Spanish I and II, Geometry, Consumer Math, and Bridges 12; a recommendation for a second-grade teacher new hire; and other pending business decisions, according to the July 25 meeting minutes. The board approved the Scaffolded Consumer Math curriculum presented by Nettie Severs, as an appropriate choice to implement in the 2023-34 school year. The program is an approachable way to build f...
POMEROY-The Garfield County board of commissioners (BOCC) approved a memorandum of understanding with Pomeroy Partners for Health Families Coalition, an addendum to the agreement for professional services of a hearings examiner, and discussed the timeline of a contract with the Garfield County Deputies Association at their meeting on August 7. The memorandum of understanding with Pomeroy Partners creates an agreement for the Coalition to disperse funds that the county is receiving from the Opioi...