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POMEROY–The Garfield County board of commissioners (BOCC) announced that gravel road treatment is finished for the winter at their meeting on November 8. The wheat straw liquor solution that has been being placed on the roads for dust abatement and to help the road hold together is no longer soaking into the ground. Between the rain and the road freezing, the treatment has begun to set on top of the surface, so further treatment before winter has been ended. Commissioner Jim Nelson has been a...
PENDLETON–As the smoke clears from the unprecedented wildfire activity on the Umatilla National Forest this year, Forest officials will be considering several options to restore the landscape within the burned areas moving forward. Fires burn at different intensities in different areas, so specific actions will vary across the landscape and some post-fire restoration may take multiple years to complete. Three large wildfires burned more than 150,000 acres total and approximately 105,000 acres o...
Of the clubs I belonged to in high school, my favorite was perhaps the Future Farmers of America. Growing up on a wheat farm that had been in my family for four generations before me, I had a strong love for agriculture and farming. FFA allowed me to learn even more about agriculture and become friends with other students who liked ag and wanted to go into farming. While attending Spokane Community College, I continued with FFA, becoming a state officer. Back then, I really respected the nationa...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) signed a letter notifying the City of the 5.7% increase in the Law Enforcement and Court Services Fees for 2022 at the meeting on November 1. Garfield County has provided law enforcement services to the City since 2001. The increase reflects the rise of the cost of living. County Engineer Grant Morgan announced the county's acquisition of a second recycling container. The county now owns two, with a third company container in rotation w...
POMEROY–The School District Board of Directors (PSD) approved recommendations to hire three coaches at their meeting on October 26. Sonia Hevener was approved as High School softball coach, Al Damron as High School golf coach and Kyler Lovgren as High School baseball coach. Assistant coaches have not been determined yet. The PSD board also accepted the resignation of Alia Scoggin as a one-one paraprofessional. Resolutions No. 304 and No. 305 was approved. Resolution No. 304 is a $15,000 i...
POMEROY–The Wall of Fame recipients for 2021 are Byron Walter and Jeff Ruchert. They were honored with this award for the 2021 Washington State Department of Transpiration Conference by ZOOM on October 12, 2021. Rachel Anderson submitted a written nomination for Walter and Ruchert for their outstanding service to Garfield County residents. "I nominated them because of their devotion to serving the residence of Garfield County, she said, and they were chosen to be Wall of Fame recipients this y...
POMEROY–At the time of this publication's press deadline, election results were not available. Please look for them in the November 11 edition of the East Washingtonian....
POMEROY–Fall, the season to fall back, reclaiming what was taken away in the spring, with the tradition of moving clocks back to standard time at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 7. The practice of Daylight savings time is to move the clocks ahead one hour in the spring to claim more daylight toward the end of the day. For George Hudson, an entomologist, in 1895, proposed a two-hour change in order to have more time for bug hunting. During World War I, it helped preserve fuel usage for power and l...
POMEROY–The Port of Garfield County commissioners created a committee to evaluate insurance options at their meeting on October 19. Chairman Ed Crawford and Port employee Tina Keller are the committee members. They will compare rates from Washington County Insurance Fund and Public Employees Benefit Board and apply to the one they select. The need to change insurance was prompted by Garfield County’s insurance change. The Port had been under the County’s ‘umbrella’, but the change in insurance...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Health District board announced the success of an apple taste test for grade school children set up by Coordinator Jessica Nelson at the Pomeroy High School cafeteria at their meeting on October 25. Students entering the cafeteria for lunch were given slices of different apples to taste. The apples were all Washington grown, and effort was made to get locally sourced apples. The children enjoyed the test and consumed all of the apples, and the event was funded t...
As a lifelong resident of Garfield County, many of you know I occupy the majority of my time as president of my family's farm, Herres Land Company. With the support of my son, I primarily produce wheat, barley, canola, and alfalfa hay; however, I can also add market cattle to the list of local commodities. I am a current active member of the Holy Rosary Parish Counsel, a recorder for the Knights of Columbus, and the secretary for the Garfield County Hospital District. I am associated with the...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) canceled outstanding warrants at their meeting on October 25. The warrants are three payments that were issued but were not claimed. BOCC clerk Donna Deal explained that such unclaimed warrants happen from time to time, perhaps a doubled payment or such. If the warrants are not canceled by the end of the year, the IRS will claim them. The raise negotiation with the Garfield County Employment Group was continued with the employees a...
STARBUCK–Columbia Pulp LLC has resumed operation of its first-of-its-kind mill located in here Idled between April, 2020 and June, 2021 due to the pandemic, the company used that time to implement numerous process improvements and has resumed production. Columbia Pulp is now steadily increasing wet lap production and improving quality for delivery to customers. In addition to a compelling sustainability story, the company has created over one hundred family-wage jobs while providing a revenue b...
POMEROY–Garfield County Health District Administrator Martha Lanman announced her resignation as Columbia County's Public Health District Administrator at a special Health District meeting on October 12. As per the inter-local administrative services agreement between Garfield and Columbia counties, Lanman will no longer be operating as Garfield County's administrator when her 30 days' notice at Columbia County expires. To address this, the Health District board has passed Resolutions 2...
POMEROY–Garfield County Fire District No.1 commissioners announced the cut-off date for Covid-19 vaccinations at their meeting on October 12. Non-vaccinated staff without exemption alternatives already in place will no longer be able to ride on District vehicles starting midnight on October 18. The commissioners voted to change the date of the release of yearly stipends. The stipends will be part of November's payroll, instead of the December payroll. Two training conferences have been s...
POMEROTY–The Harold and Helen Shepherd Foundation (Shepherd Foundation) awarded the Pomeroy Assist Garfield County Humanitarian Association with $3,000 to obtain and erect a new shed and help with water bills and operations for Emergency Housing in Pomeroy. Pomeroy Assist Executive Director Rachel Anderson, wrote a grant application for Pomeroy Assist Garfield County Humanitarian Association to help with water bills and operation expenses of emergency housing. It also included a request for f...
POMEROY–Garfield County Auditor McKenzie Lueck performed a logic and accuracy test on the courthouse’s voting tabulation system on October 12. A test matrix was created by a hypothetical election result and test ballots. The matrix included the number of votes cast for each candidate, pre-determined double votes, and sections where the vote was not filled in. The test results matched the matrix exactly, indicating that the system is clear of errors and tampering. The system used by Garfield Cou...
POMEROY–The Garfield County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) made a decision to change the County's medical insurance provider at the meeting on October 18. Washington Rural Counties Insurance Fund, the current provider, has raised their premiums by 55%. The board decided to change to Public Employee Benefit Board, whose premiums will be a 16% raise for similar coverage. The board responded to the employee group request with a 4.5% cost-of-living raise and covering medical deductibles. The G...
Healthcare is an essential component of a well-functioning community, and remains extremely important as we continue navigating the chaotic and uncertain realities all of us have faced for the last two years. Great healthcare services in Garfield County are a priority for me. My name is Erica Stallcop and I am running for the Garfield County Hospital District Board. I have been a registered nurse for 11 years and also have my Master's Degree in Nursing with a focus in Leadership and Management....
POMEROY–Garfield County voters will receive their ballots for the 2021 General Election this week, according to County Auditor McKinzie Lueck. The vote-by-mail ballots are to be delivered to the post office on Friday, October 15. The General Election will determine the next federal, state and local offices and state advisory votes. County and City offices on the ballot are: Nonpartisan City Council member incumbent James D. Harris, No. 4; incumbent Susie Bowles, No. 5; Garfield County Fire D...
POMEROY–Pirate Volleyball matches for this week and next are temporarily canceled and the majority of the team under COVID quarantine protocols, announced Athletic Director Toddette McGreevy earlier this week. A member of the team tested positive for COVID after last Thursday's contest against Oakesdale, prompting school officials to dismiss volleyball team members from classes and send them home on Friday, October 8. The October 9 match against Tekoa-Rosalia was canceled, and following f...
POMEROY–The Port of Garfield County announced a December 31 deadline for providing drops to new fiber internet hookups in Pomeroy at their October 5 meeting. Drops still in stock afterward will be stored and put toward the Pataha fiber project. The bidding for designing the Pataha project will be open until October 15. Due to the vaccine requirement for entry into the United States Forest Service building, the Port commissioners voted to extend the time limit for flooring and blinds contracts u...
OLYMPIA – Oct. 5, 2021 – When Washington Sno-Park permits go on sale Nov. 1, winter recreationists will see a fee increase for the first time since 2009. Washington state Sno-Park users enjoy a high-level of service, including cleared parking lots, groomed ski, skate-ski and snowmobile trails, regularly sanitized bathrooms and avalanche beacon check stations in some backcountry areas. The new prices reflect the rising cost of these operations, as well as replacement of aging equipment, including grooming machines. During the last 12 years, thi...
Sherry Lynn Ledgerwood has 25 years' experience as a Medical Assistant, including working in reception, lab, direct patient care, I.T., EHR and CMS reporting. Currently holds a Washington CMA License. Ledgerwood is presently employed as Crop Insurance Field Adjuster for Zurich NA. She is involved in Garfield County 4-H program as a group leader, Garfield County Spring Preview Jackpot as Co-Director, and Open Beef Superintendent for Fair. Previous Secretary of Asotin County Leaders Council for...
Garfield County District Court–Judge Tom Cox September 8, 2021 Ryan J. Carter, of Chehalis, Wash., pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor Driving While Under the Influence. Carter was sentenced to 98 days jail, must pay $2,146, and must complete a substance abuse treatment program. Fred D. Roy, of Pomeroy, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor Driving While License Suspended 3rd Degree. Roy was sentenced to 17 days jail and must pay $146. Chris S. Scaroni, of Lewiston, pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor O...