Page A-10 January 20, 2011 Year.in.Review : The news that shaped our communities in 2010 ,h Ritzville Adams County Journal Continued from Page A-1 • The Board of Directors of Big Bend Electric Cooperative, Inc. recently voted to refund more than $1.7 million to the cooperative's consumers. Refunds are being mailed to consumers who purchased power from the Cooperative during 1993 or 2008... For 32 consecutive years, Big Bend Electric Cooperative has reaLrned capital to its consumers. During that time, more than $22 million has been returned. February 11, 2010 Ronaid E. Newton was ordered to repay the Department of Labor & Industries $47,487 for illegally collecting workers' comp benefits from January 2005 through December 2006. He was injured in 2004 while working as a truck driver for a Spokane trucking company. A minor renovation to improve efficiency is nearing completion at the Adams County Sheriff's Office after three months of work in dispatch. Initial planning for a modified floor plan began in October 2009 after a fierce dust storm caused several accidents and 9-1-1 calls, including a five- vehicle pileup on Interstate 90, as well as highway closures. The 24- hour onslaught of emergency calls from various agencies brought the shortcomings of the existing layout in dispatch to light. February 18, 2010 Ritzville School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Bill Thurston informed the board Tuesday night that four individuals had picked up applications for the Director District 1 position, which was vacated in December 2009. Life Care Center of Ritzville recently honored its annual recipient of the coveted Whatever It Takes and Then Some Award. Frank Amrine, who has worked at LCC since late 2007, earned recognition for his outstanding dedication to the residents and staff of the Ritzville facility as well as residents' family members and customer service. February 25, 2010 Plans are once again moving forward for Project 56's goal of renovating athletic facilities in the Ritzville School District. At a recent series of meetings, Project 56 President Lori Olson was joined by Adams County Public Works Director Todd O'Brien and Assistant Director Scott Yaeger to present information about recent efforts to proceed with the group's top priority, the Snider Field Improvement project... The Adams County Commissioners have agreed to serve as a consultant for the Snider Field Improvement project with the engineering portion provided in-kind by the county. The Lind School District collectively donated more than $500 to the American Red Cross for efforts in Haiti after a major earthquake struck just off the coast of the capital on Jan. 12, 2010. A total of $243.17 was collected at the Lind Elementary School after Sophie Smart, a second grade student, heard about the earthquake in Haiti and all the people there that needed help. March 4, 2010 Paul Lewis, administrator for theAdams County Public Hospital District No. 2, has resigned his position. The district's Commissioners were informed of the resignation last Thursday during an executive session conducted at the conclusion of the commission's regular meeting. Lewis' contract requires a 60-day notification, meaning he will remain in the district as administrator until April 25. The Wooden Nickel Public House and Emporium will open Friday for a weekend 'preview' of the business's traditional home- cooked specialties and unique collection of handmade jewelry, antiques, art, gift baskets and giftwares..: Mitch and Penny Hille, with the help of her mother, Maggie Carman, have endeavored to create a business that is more of an extension of one's home. where people gather to .dine, socialize and trade. James Lee Waiters of Ritzville was arrested in the early morning hours of Friday, Feb. 26, following an encounter with Ritzville Police. He is being held in Adams County Jail on $150,000surety bond or $15,000 cash bail and has made a preliminary appearance on a trio of alleged charges, including assault in the third degree against a law enforcement officer, which is a Class C Felony. He was also charged during the March 1 superior court appearance with resisting arrest and theft in the third degree. Following a brief executive session Tuesday the Ritzville City Council voted to spend $10,000 to purchase property at 505 N. Columbia Street from John Marshall for a future skateboard park... The city council, at the urging of the mayor, approved $41,000 for land acquisition and construction of the skateboard park in the 2010 city budget. March 11, 2010 The Adams Conservation District Board of Supervisors decided at a special meeting on March 4 to close its office doors for an undetermined amount of time as of March 11. Board Chairman Curtis Hennings called the special meeting to decide the district's future in light of its current financial situation. On Monday, Hennings said the district is currently using its reserve fund to operate. He explained that rather than completely exhausting the district's reserves, the board opted to close the office doors. March 18, 2010 Tuesday the city council conducted an open forum regarding the potential for a mandatory business license program. The committee has drafted goals for the new regulations, but has not put together formal language nor established a proposed fee structure. The concept met with resistance from a standing-room-only crowd Tuesday. Former Ritzville educator Mike Kirby was hired by the Tumwater School Board last week to replace retiring superintendent Terry Borden. Mike Kirby, currently the assistant superintendent of the Richland School District, has been in education since 1978, including as a high school science teacher in Ritzville. March 25, 2010 An evening of enchantment and elegance marked" the 2010 Ritzville Junior Miss Program last Friday at Gilson Gym. Three juniors from Ritzville High School dazzled the audience with musical  talent and graceful routines as a .. panel of judges chose the 2010 representatives. Chauntel White, daughter of Brandn and Stephanie White, will serve as Ritzville's Junior Miss with finalists Brittanie Asmussen, daughter of Mtchelle Asmussen and Dave McCormick, and Jordynn Michelson, daughter of Mark Michelson and Lori Joy. Asmussen was chosen to receive the 2010 Spirit of Junior Miss 'Award while White received the 2010 %t, Scholastic Award. Two Ritzville parents are leading the' efforts of nine youth to form a local Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter with a town hall meeting this Monday, March 29, at the Ritzville Grade School gym. A plane crash the evening of March 19 claimed the life of Shane Sullivan, a Washtucna graduate, and injured a passenger near Morton in Lewis County. April 1, 2010 Nearly 160 people filled the Lind High School gym Tuesday night for a public forum hosted by the Lind School Board and facilitated by Chris Tuckerman with Educational Service District 101 in Spokane... The purpose of Tuesday's forum .was to provide the community information regarding board discussions about a possible academic cooperative between Lind and Ritzville as well as the research that has been accomplished by the superintendent. The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) on March 16 issued two Administrative Violation Notices to Whisperin' Palms Restaurant in Ritzville for violating state liquor laws. The Ritzville Museum Volunteers received a grant from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. The local non-profit organization was notified on March 26. The Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund awarded $1,000 to help repair the eaves and rain gutters on the Northem Pacific Railway Depot. To be continued. Look for more of our Year-in-Review next week in the Thursday, Jan. 27, edition. ,o.,..z.. DusTY DRUFFEL ST KIM JOHNSON-RIGGERS Looking for a change? We offer our services to the Ritzville area with Grange, Travelers, Safeco/Liberty NW, Pemco and other fine companies. Give us a call. Collect calls accepted. • HOME • AUTO • BUSINESS • FARM • LIFE John Deere Spring Filter Sale January I, 201 I Through January 3 I, 201 I Stock Up Today! I":- " EVERGREENIMPLEMENT00I Box 548 eP :L:3k:er' WWA' B9;x1965' WA 8 3=gVii; lW vwm i Othello, W A 1M42Ss Co. I 99344 ..° 1(509) 488-5222 (509) 765 0988 (S09) 632 5547 (509) 659 0510 Www.e J TODAY'S FARMING ... PART-TIME or FULL-TIME! 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