(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent) The economic recovery seems to be slowing in Washington state, but the numbers still appear to be positive. The Evergreen State saw its unemployment rate drop to 7.8 percent last month, but the economy added just 2,400 jobs. For comparison, in July, there were 62,400 jobs added to the state economy and […]
(MELISSA SANTOS/crosscut.com) The Washington Supreme Court issued the long-awaited ruling on Thursday… For the third time in state history, a measure promising to cut car-tab taxes to $30 a year has been blocked by Washington state courts. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court struck down Initiative 976, a measure Washington voters approved last November to reduce […]
(PRESS RELEASE/Libraries of Stevens County) On October 6, the State of Washington released guidance for public libraries in Phase 3 counties such as Stevens County. There are many details to address, but the most exciting news is that we can start planning to open doors, with limited services, at up to 50% capacity of normal. […]
(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent) The new batch of economic data continues to be something of a mix bag as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, its economic restrictions and the biggest shock to the economy perhaps in the country’s history. September saw the national unemployment rate drop to 7.9 percent in September as nonfarm payrolls […]
(STAFF REPORTS/Chewelah Independent) EAT UP: District to offer free lunches to children under age of 18… During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept many students from attending school across the country last spring and into this fall quarter, one concern was kids who relied on school meals for their food. As the Chewelah […]
Here is a look back in time with the Chewelah Independent archives…
(PRESS RELEASE/SCCA) MARKET MONEY: Over $140,000 raised at cattlemen’s event… The 2020 Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association (SCCA) Fat Stock Sale was a tremendous success this year due to all the hard work from volunteers and participants, according to SCCA. Despite challenges created by Covid-19 restrictions, SCCA opted to host the fat stock sale as a […]
TAKING A SEAT: Natural Resource Planner Adam Cares appointed to open seat on city council… The Chewelah City Council selected a new member to fill position number 2 at its regular meeting last Wednesday evening, September 16. Adam Cares, a two-year resident of Chewelah, was selected from a group of five applicants including former mayor […]
(PRESS RELEASE/Washington’s Attorney Office) Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that Twitter will pay $100,000 to Washington’s Public Disclosure Transparency Account for violating the state’s campaign finance disclosure law, which Washingtonians adopted through initiative in 1972. Twitter unlawfully failed to maintain for public inspection records about Washington political ads that ran on its platform from 2012 until […]
(RICK BANNAN/Centralia Chronicle) Governor moves all counties out of Phase 1 in ‘Safe Start Washington’ Washington state’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was the focus of Gov. Jay Inslee’s latest announcements, as the governor is forming a group focused on a broad vision of rebuilding while still rejecting the call for a special session of […]
(CLAUDIA YAW/Centralia Chronicle) Gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp’s rally in Toledo Tuesday night felt more like a party than a “protest” — a word critics and supporters alike have used to describe the police chief of Republic’s events held across the state. The events have flouted state guidelines issued by his opponent, Gov. Jay Inslee, to […]
(PRESS RELEASE/NETCHD) On September 23, 2020 Northeast Tri County Health District (NETCHD) received confirmation of the first COVID-19 case within the Ferry County Jail, located in Republic. On September 25, facility-wide testing of approximately 18 inmates and 9 employees were completed. Results were received and all individuals tested were negative for COVID-19. As a precaution […]
(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent) STILL WAITING: While Chewelah Bowling Alley could open, restrictions make it tough for non-profit to operate… The Chewelah Bowling Center (CBC) is one of the keystone gathering points in the city and has been since the middle of the 20th century. COVID-19, however, has thrown a wrench into the bowling alley’s operating […]
(PRESS RELEASE/Washington DNR) The temporary statewide ban on the lawful discharge of firearms was lifted Thursday on all DNR-managed lands… Due to recent rainfall and decreasing risk of large wildfires, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has lifted its temporary ban on the lawful discharge of firearms starting today, Thursday, Oct. 8. The […]
(BRANDON HANSEN/Chewelah Independent) THE VIRAL LIMBO: Stevens County sees 44 cases in the past two weeks, including ten over the weekend… Due to a number of outbreaks in facilities and jails in the area, along with general spread, it appears case numbers are on the rise for COVID-19 in the Tri-County area. This corner of […]
(BRANDON HANSEN/Managing Editor of the Chewelah Independent) As Chewelah resembled a scene from the latest end-of-the-world thriller movie from Hollywood last month, politicians in the state wasted no time touring communities that had been ravaged by wildfire to showcase their concern and push their solutions. One such solution now trotted out every fire season is […]