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Tuesday fire in Springdale area burns over 17 acres

August 7, 2020

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

A firefighting aircraft spreads retardant over the Shore Acres Fire in the Springdale area on Tuesday. (Stevens County FD 1 photo)

Quick response by firefighters puts down South County fire…

A fire last Tuesday burned over 17 acres in the Springdale and Loon Lake area, but thanks to fast work by firefighters it was controlled within a couple of hours.
The fire was first reported at roughly 4 p.m. on Tuesday south of Loon Lake and maybe in the Shore Arces area but upon firefighters investigating the call, they realized the call was further south and easily visible off of Hidden Road.

“While en route, knowing it was a hard to reach location, we called for air support which would not only get water to the area quickly, they could also provide a better size up for us as well,”Stevens County Fire District 1 Fire Chief Mike Bucy said.

Fire District No. 1 had five brush trucks and four water tenders, along with 15 firefighters, a support unit and fire chief on scene. More

ECONOMY: U.S. adds 1.8 million jobs in July

August 7, 2020

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

The economy continues to recover even after the news of a the economy shrinking by 9.5 percent in the second quarter of 2020. The United States added 1.8 million jobs last month and unemployment dipped to 10.2 percent.

The 10.2 percent unemployment is nearing the peak that the rate was during the Great Recession.

In June, 4.8 million jobs were added to the economy showing a slowing of rehiring. In Washington, the economy showed improved signs as for the week of August 1, the state received 24,985 new or initial jobless claims which is a drop of 13.4 percent from the previous week. More

Several confirmed wolf depredations in Leadpoint pack territory

August 7, 2020

(PRESS RELEASE/WDFW)

On Aug. 3, WDFW staff responded to a report of an injured calf in a private pasture within the Leadpoint pack territory in Stevens County.

An investigation revealed fresh puncture wounds and lacerations consistent with injury by wolves, including massive swelling on both hind legs indicating significant tissue damage. The combination of bite wounds and lacerations with associated swelling are consistent with a confirmed wolf depredation. The livestock producer brought the calf to a veterinarian for treatment. The veterinarian’s examination determined the calf’s right hind leg was fractured and that the calf would likely not survive. The livestock producer removed the injured calf from the pasture and moved it to the ranch headquarters for intensive care and monitoring. The calf later died. More

Eastern Washington Univeristy league football schedule will move to 2021

August 7, 2020

(PRESS RELEASE/Eastern Washington University)

Big Sky Conference announces plans to move to eight-game spring schedule with fall non-conference games pending further review…

In the latest decision in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Big Sky Conference announced Friday (Aug. 7) that all league schools – including Eastern Washington University — will move to an eight-game schedule in early 2021. Presumably, the schedule could start as early as February.

The league’s athletic directors reached that decision on Wednesday, and it was approved by the Big Sky’s Presidents’ Council on Thursday.

Non-conference play for the conference’s football programs is still pending further review. Eastern has home non-conference games scheduled on Sept. 12 versus Western Illinois and Sept. 19 against Northern Arizona, and will be working with those schools to re-schedule as a result of the Big Sky’s decision. More

ENTERTAINMENT CORNER: “The Old Guard” is a fun, action film romp that Hollywood needs more of

August 6, 2020

(BRANDON HANSEN/Took a film class once)

“The Old Guard” shows action movies don’t have to include capes and superhero tights…

Being a 90s’ kid, I can still remember going to Chewelah TV and picking out a variety of mid-range budgeted Hollywood movies that were either a pleasant surprise or a grand disaster. Today’s Hollywood now pumps out superhero blockbusters and expects this epics to haul in at least a billion in total gross for it to be a success.

In the process, the middle of the road action flick has died. So imagine my surprise when my wife Morgan brought up Netflix and threw on “The Old Guard.”

“A new movie? Don’t we have a pandemic going on,” I muttered, expecting the movie to be garbage.

About an hour and a half later, I can’t wait for hopefully a Netflix sequel.

“The Old Guard,” which still comes from comic books but is a little more grounded in 1990s action flicks, showcases a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron) and a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die. Simple concept, and they don’t try to throw in an expanded universe and a thousand plot lines. More

ELECTION 2020: McMorris Rodgers top vote-getter in 2020 primary for U.S. Rep

August 6, 2020

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

U.S. House Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers

Rodgers earns 51.2 percent of the vote…

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers has been in the U.S. House since 2005 and is looking strong heading into yet another general election.

McMorris Rodgers earned 51.2 percent of the vote (70,833) in a field of five candidates. Dave Wilson, a Democrat, earned 24 percent of the vote (34,066) and will be moving on to the general election.

One Republican challenge, Stephen T. Major, garnered eight percent of the vote of 11,925 votes. This means 59 percent of votes cast in the race went for Republicans. More

COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEATURE: Peters finishes Masters Degree in Family Nurse practice

August 6, 2020

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

Alexis Peters recently graduated with her masters degree despite a busy schedule.

GRADUATED : Chewelah resident finishes long journey to get Masters Degree…

Alexis Peters has a busy schedule with three kids and a full time job as a nurse at NE Washington Health.

Despite this, she found the time to spend 27 months getting her masters from Simmons University in Family Nurse Practice.

“The last 27 months have been full of so many different emotions,” Peters said. “Finishing school being a full-time mom, wife and employee wasn’t easy. I faced so many ups and downs as life unfolded. I have so many people to thank for helping me through this.” More

ELECTION 2020: It’s Culp and Inslee for governor in the general election

August 6, 2020

(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent)

Republic Police Chief Loren Culp moves on to general against Washington Governor Jay Inslee…

We have our horse race in the 2020 General Election!

Republic Police Chief Loren Culp continued his journey into the public eye after saying he would not enforce Washington’s gun control initiative in 2016. After announcing he was running for Governor, Culp outpolled several other Republicans in the 2020 Primary Election with nearly 17 percent of the vote or over 246,000 votes to earn the GOP spot in the General Election. More

State recommends remote learning in fall for most of state; Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry Counties considered ‘high-risk’

August 6, 2020

(RICK BANNAN/Centralia Chronicle)

Washington Governor Jay Inslee gave a press conference yesterday talking about the reopening of schools.

Three-Tier guidance provides framework for districts, strongly favors against opening buildings…

New recommendations for what school will look like at the start of the 2020-2021 school year would have the majority of students in Washington beginning lessons online, as Gov. Jay Inslee announced new guidance for districts as the upcoming school year approaches.

During a press conference Wednesday, Aug. 5, Inslee announced the recommendations, which strongly favor distance learning in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. Inslee said what was announced was not not legally-binding, “but (they) are strong recommendations and they are based on science. They are based on the health of our children.”

The recommendations came in three tiers based on recent infection rates relative to a county’s population. High-risk counties had infection rates of 75 or greater per 100,000 of population in the past two weeks, and were recommended to have distance learning across the board with limited in-person instruction only for students with highest need.

SpaceX capsule splashes down safely on Sunday with two US astronauts

August 3, 2020

(PRESS RELEASE/Nasa)

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020. The Demo-2 test flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program was the first to deliver astronauts to the International Space Station and return them safely to Earth onboard a commercially built and operated spacecraft. Behnken and Hurley returned after spending 64 days in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Splash down after first commercial crew flight to Space Station…

Two NASA astronauts splashed down safely in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday for the first time in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft, returning from the International Space Station to complete a test flight that marks a new era in human spaceflight.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, carrying Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, splashed down under parachutes in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida at 2:48 p.m. EDT Sunday and was successfully recovered by SpaceX. After returning to shore, the astronauts immediately will fly back to Houston.

“Welcome home, Bob and Doug! Congratulations to the NASA and SpaceX teams for the incredible work to make this test flight possible,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. “It’s a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together to do something once thought impossible. Partners are key to how we go farther than ever before and take the next steps on daring missions to the Moon and Mars.” More

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