Rockford Women's Club Meeting at Harvest Moon Restaurant November 5, 2013

Rockford Women's Club will meet at Harvest Moon Restaurant, November 5, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

 

The women's club is the oldest women's group meeting continuously in the area. All area women are welcome.

 

McIntosh Grange Needs Helpers at Halloween Party October 31, 2014

McIntosh Grange in Rockford, Washington needs help with kids games and greeting people coming in the door at Halloween Party, October 31, 2013!  Any Adults or Teens that would like to help with these things are very welcome.  Anyone else with Children, bring them in to Rockford!  Not only is there a GREAT Party at McIntosh Grange, there are free hot dogs and hot chocolate in the park with a bonfire.  You cook your own hot dogs!

 Email : vplank@bannerbank.com if you can help at the Grange!  If you’re just coming to have fun, that works, too!

Compost Permits Available at Palouse City Hall

A reminder from the City of Palouse & Public Works…

Please do not put leaves in the city streets.

Leaf removal is the responsibility of the home/property owner.  Please consider using the compost area.

Compost permits are available for $15 at City Hall and are good through Dec. 31, 2013.  Purchase the permit prior to using the compost area.

Thank you. Ann Thompson, City Clerk

The Thursday Night Thing in Fairfield, Washington For Youth

The Thursday Night Thing  is for teens and pre-teens in our area to get together, eat a meal and have something to do every Thursday night from 5:30 to 7:30. 

Time: 5:30 to 7:30  Location: Fairfield Community Center

Tekoa's Informative Monthly Newsletter

Each town on the Washington Palouse embodies a close-knit community that traditionally keeps abreast of local news by word-of-mouth, however, like many other communities, TEKOA added a digital monthly Newsletter available at their up-to-date website.

The websites offers links to businesses, organizations, churches and other information, such as the Tekoa Empire Theatre , where Missoula Children's Theater Missoula Children's Theater is currently performing, October 25 & 26, 2013.

Uniontown Halloween Party at Firestation

Uniontown Halloween Party
This event is held in the Uniontown Fire Station. All ages of children are welcome. There are games, door prizes, and cupcake decorating. Watch for updated information on location, date and time of this event.

 

Halloween Party at McIntosh Grange, Rockford, Washington October 31, 2013

 

 

Malden & Rosalia Libraries Hosting 2013 Halloween Parties

October 30, 2013: Halloween Party at the Malden Library, 205 South Moreland. Join Librarian Karen and Helpers Grandma Cathy and Mel at 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., for Halloween Festivities!

October 31, 2013: Trick or Treat at the Alice Porter Memorial Library, 402 S. Whitman Ave.  Enter the Costume Contests for Children, Teens and Adults. Treats for trick and treaters, and Prizes for the best costumes in each category will be handed out between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Afternoon Trick or Treating at Oakesday Library October 31, 2013

Trick or Treating at the Oakesdale Branch Library
102 E. Steptoe
Thursday, October 31, 2013

1:30 p.m.

 

      Come on down to the Oakesdale Library in your Halloween costume and get a treat! You don't even have to do a trick!

Dwayn's Flushing 4P's: Pee, Poo, Paper & Puke!

Public Works reports that clogs at the sewer plant have improved due to the decrease of wipes being flushed.  Please continue the good work by not flushing ANY wipes, even if they say “flushable”.  Remember Dwayne’s 4P’s of what’s okay to flush:  pee, poo, paper, & puke.  J

Also, Palouse, Washington is a fortunate participant in the Avista pilot study for LED street lights.  Yesterday, three different sample LED street lights were installed at the following locations:  Church & K Street, Church & Beach Street, and Church & Bridge Street, in Palouse.  Feel free to check them out at night and if you have any feedback, let City Hall know. 

October 23, 2013 at Tekoa Branch Library Teen Night ~~ Duct Tape Picture Frames! Hang One In Your Locker!

Teen Night--duct tape picture frames

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 4-5 pm
Tekoa Branch Library

Patterned duct tape picture frames, hang one in your locker!

Historic re-enactment, Jones Schoolhouse at Palouse Empire Fairgrounds October 27, 2013

 

Palouse Empire Fairgrounds
Sunday, October 27, 2013

2:00 PM       

The community is invited to historical re-enactments at the Jones Schoolhouse on Sunday, Oct 27 at 2 PM as part of the Whitman County Historical Society’s fall gathering. Besides re-enactments, guests will enjoy “old-time” traditional dishes by Monika Kriebel and Joyce Leonard.

Sam Pambrun portrays his great-great grandfather who was the Hudson’s Bay Perfect at Fort Nez Perce in 1858. Col. George Wright marched through the Pambrun farm on his way to Ft. Walla Walla for the Plateau wars of Battle of Four Lakes and Battle of Spokane Plains. Theodor Kolecki, the Wright topographer, indicated the Pambrun farm on his “Field Note Map”. The modern Sam and I found this location.

Pambrun will also discuss the French community along the Walla Walla River and the Indian Battle that took place in the region.

Steve Plucker will re-enact an enlisted soldier’s life of 1858. Steve’s great-great grandfather was in the command of Major Garnet who marched north from Ft. Simcoe to Ft. Colville at the same time that Wright marched to the Spokane Falls region.

This event is co-sponsored by The Whitman County Historical Society and the Whitman County Library. For more information, contact Mahlon Kriebel at 635-1336.

Learn All ABout Your E-Reader Device October 24, 2013 at Palouse Branch Library

Palouse Library presents: Learn all about your E-Reader device

Thursday, October 24, 2013

2:30 p.m.
Palouse Branch Library

Andrea the Techno-Queen will be here to show you how to use your E-Reader and other Audio devices.

Medicare Open Enrollment Assistance at Tekoa Library October 24, 2013

 

Medicare Assistance at the Tekoa Library
Thursday, October 24, 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tekoa Branch Library

S. 139 Crosby

Joyce Leonard from SHEBA will be in the Tekoa Branch Library to answer your questions.

Help With Medicare Open Enrollment, October 23, 2013 at Malden Branch Library 205 S. Moreland, Malden, Washington...

Help With Medicare Open Enrollment October 23, 2013 at Malden Branch Library

Malden Presents SHIBA Program

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Malden Branch Library

205 South Moreland

Joyce Leonard will be present at the Malden Library October 23rd from 3 to 6 to help community members with Medicare Open Enrollment.

Whitman County Heritage Photos Presented October 26, 2013 in Pullman, Washington

 

Whitman County Heritage: A Presentation of Historically Significant Photos

Saturday, Oct. 26, 10:30 a.m.

Bishop's Place Senior Living, 811 SE Klemgard, Pullman, WA
Power point presentation by Patti Cammack and Wanda Alderman will tell, through photographs, stories of Whitman County and its communities.

Play & Learn Storytime at Fairfield Branch Library, Fairfield, Wash, October 29, 2013

Play & Learn Storytime (ages 2 - 5)

Date: October 29, 2013

Time: 10:30 am

Library: Fairfield

 An hour of fun: stories, songs and finger plays followed by activities that explore the concepts of math, science, art and literacy.

City of Palouse / Avista Utilities LED Street and Area Lighting Pilot Program

Recent studies by the State of Washington Transportation Improvement Board were conducted to determine the feasibility and economic benefits of converting existing street and area lighting systems to new low energy LED (light emitting diode) lighting systems.

The studies focused on the evaluation of potential demonstration sites (including the City of Palouse); research and evaluation of regulatory requirements and tariffs; opportunities and barriers to LED deployment; performance of LED street and area lighting technology; and deployment in selected communities.

The six Washington communities selected and funded for the Pilot Study (the Study) include: Benton City; Blaine; Buckley; Coulee Dam; Palouse and Ridgefield.

As a community participant in the Study, the City of Palouse will work with Avista Utilities in converting existing street and area lighting to the LED technology. With funding provided by the Washington Transportation Improvement Board, this work will include replacement of City-owned lighting (along Main Street) as well as Avista-owned street and area lighting throughout the community. Work will begin in late October 2013 and continue through early 2014.
 

Palouse Food Pantry October 23, 2013 For Zipcode 99161

Palouse Food Pantry is early this month.

The next distribution day is this Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm at the Palouse Community Center.

For residents in the 99161 zip code.

Palouse Food Bank & Pantry Day Dates During October and November 2013

 

The Palouse Food Bank will be open this Wednesday, October 22, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m. at the Palouse Community Center.

 

In addition, any resident of Whitman county is eligible to access the food pantry in Colfax on the second Tuesday of each month from 4:00 p.m. -  6:00 p.m., so the next pantry day is November 12, 2013. It's located in the basement of the DSHS Building at 418 Main St., in Colfax, and you can access it at the rear down a ramp.   

Thank you, and please contact Amy Browse at 878-1251 with any questions.

Discussion of Location for Proposed Skatepark October 19, 2013 in Palouse, Washington

There will be a public meeting on Saturday, October 19th at 3:00 PM to discuss location options for the proposed Palouse Skatepark.  Anyone interested may join us at the main parking lot of the Hayton Green City Park, nearest the swimming pool, to go for a short walking tour of two proposed sites.  For more information contact Aaron Flansburg by email at palouseskatepark@Gmail.com

If you cannot attend but have feedback, please contact either Aaron Flansburg at above email, or City Hall.

Lift-Lid Levy Information from Palouse Mayor Michael Echanove and Palouse Fire Department Chief Mike Bagott

VOTE * VOTE * VOTE *

From Palouse Mayor Michael Echanove:

In the next few weeks voters will begin to receive their ballots for the November 5th general election. Along with our annual Street Maintenance and Swimming Pool levy requests, voters will be asked for the first time to consider a “levy lid-lift” measure.

“Lid-lift” measures reset the baseline folks pay in property tax. Currently the city of Palouse collects approximately $2.49 per $1,000 of assessed value. The ballot request seeks to “lift” that value to $3.10 per $1,000 - an increase of 60 cents.  In everyday terms it would mean that a home with an assessed value of $100,000 would see a $60 increase in their yearly taxes.

A similar measure was passed by voters in Pullman just last month.

Monies generated from this request will be utilized in two basic areas - our Current Expense fund and a proposed new effort to recapitalize our local Fire Department.

Support from Olympia with state shared revenues (monies collected statewide and re-distributed back into our communities) has been on a steady decline over the last ten years. These funds have historically gone into our Current Expense fund. Our Current Expense account funds a host of city programs including our cemetery, a portion of employee wages, our parks, our Police and Fire Departments, etc. A good example of belt tightening that has occurred in this area is when our employees were asked to take a 3% salary reduction several years ago. Revenues generated from the proposed lid lift will help keep the programs and amenities we enjoy in Palouse strong.

The city is also proposing a new long-term strategy of setting aside up to 10% of our local property tax monies into our Fire Department Equipment Reserve Account. Chief Bagott has done a tremendous job leading our Fire Department, and has developed a long-term strategy to keep the Fire Department strong. This will require a commitment of approximately $150,000 from the city to be set aside over the next ten years. The proposed levy lid-lift measure enables the city to meet this objective.

Thank you for your consideration of our upcoming ballot measures and please remember to mail in your ballot by November. 5, 2013.

From Palouse Fire Department Chief Mike Bagott:
The lid-lift proposal is very important to the future of the Palouse Fire Department. We are anticipating the need for approximately $300,000 ($150,000 each from the City and the RFD) by the end of 2020 to replace two fire trucks and our air packs.

The lid-lift proposal allows the City to collect these funds gradually over this time span. This will be much less burdensome to the taxpayers than larger levies closer to the time when the equipment needs to be replaced. The Fire Department has worked hard over the past decade to improve our capabilities by purchasing better and safer equipment and we want to be able to continue to do so in the future.

The fire we had up on Cannon Street last February likely would have had a much worse outcome had we not made the equipment upgrades we did over the past decade. When I started with the Fire Department in 1995, we could bring less than 4,000 gallons of water to a fire, and we had very little capability to pump it in large volumes. By comparison, we now bring 8,500 gallons of water to a fire. We also have the capability to pump large volumes at high pressure for an extended period of time before we even need to be concerned about accessing the City's water system. Fortunately, structure fires of any consequence have only been happening about once every 5 years recently - but we still need to be prepared to hit them hard when they do happen.

Your support of the proposed levy lid-lift measure will keep your Palouse Fire Department strong for years to come.     Thank you.

 

Rosalia Library Third Thursday Series October 17, 2013 with Kathy Wilkes

October 17, 2013, the 2^nd of the Third Thursday series at the Rosalia Library with Kathy Wilkes and Picture Books on Parade.  The topic this time will be “Let’s Celebrate:  Fall and Winter Holidays”.

October 19, 2013,  Fall Festival in Rosalia, look for the Library’s Friends of the Malden and Rosalia Library Used Books Sale. 

Balloons will be given out to all children.  Book prices range from $0.25 to $1.00 for paperbacks and hardback books.  Other Friends of the Library merchandise will be available for sale as well.

Colton Branch Library October Events

Storytimes for October will focus on the alphabet at the Colton Library.  Each week children explore a different letter through color pages, crafts, stories, and a snack.  On October 28, the program will have a Halloween theme with funny trick or treat stories. Storytime is held every Monday at 10:30 a.m. for children ages 1 – 6.

Third Thursday, the after-school program at the Colton Library, is on October 17 and will also have a Halloween theme.  Join Librarian Holly Meyer for a Halloween craft, puzzle sheets, stories, and a scary snack.  Children ages kindergarten to 6^th grade are welcome to join in the fun at 3:15 p.m.

The Uniontown/Colton book club will be reading The Others by David Guterson during the month of October.  Pick up your copy at either library, and join in the discussion of the book on Wednesday, October 30, 2013, at 6 p.m. at the Uniontown Library.

The Colton Library is open on Halloween evening this year, and children are encouraged to stop by for a treat from 5-7 p.m.  Miss Holly is looking forward to seeing all of those cute costumes!

Wacky Wednesday at Malden Library October 9, 2013

October 9, 2013, Wacky Wednesday Early Release Programming at the Malden Branch Library, 205 South Moreland, Malden, Wash.

Grandma Cathy and Librarian Mel will be hosting a Halloween themed after school program beginning at 1:00 p.m.  Cookie Decorating will be part of this fun and free event.

October 6, 2013, Reception for Palouse Watercolor Socius Artists Exhibiting at Dahmen Barn October 3-27, 2013

October exhibit at the Dahmen Barn is Palouse Watercolor Socius

Each year Artisans at the Dahmen Barn features an exhibit and sale of original watercolor paintings by members of the Palouse Watercolor Socius.

 

This year the exhibit runs from October 3 through 27, with the opening reception scheduled for Sunday, October 6, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The show will offer paintings in a variety of sizes and price ranges.

 

Some PWS members are well-known Northwest artists with works featured in collections throughout the United States and abroad.

Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is a non-profit creativity center in Uniontown on highway 195 in the big white barn behind the famous iron wheel fence.  The three storey facility is fully handicap accessible, has no daily admission fee and is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.  Information:  www.artisanbarn.org or 509-229-3414.