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NorthwestMultiple Listing Service

610 S. First in Othello (509) 488-5651

Eric Olsen • Broker • 989-0838

FOR MORE PROPERTIES GO TO www.sunbasinproperties.com

Gail Earl • 331-6497Pete Olsen • 488-9823Lynn Olsen • 488-9823

Meghan Olsen • 989-9721

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Another quality-built home from Olsen Homes. Popular plan features 4 beds and a bonus room upstairs; den, living and family room down. 2-10 Homebuyer’s Warranty included. MLS#508439

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New Construction Consultation

OLSEN HOMES, LLC.OLSEN HOMES, LLC.PRICE REDUCTION!TOP OF THE WORLD VIEW

AmAzing View! 2001 blt on 5 ac. 9’ ceilings, cov. front & rear patios, 4th bdrm/den, isl. & ptry in kitch., huge master suite, 1500+ s.f. barn w/horse stall, hay loft & tack room, 700 s.f. covered R.V. parking, 539 s.f. garage, UGS in yard & pasture, fenced & cross fenced. R1350 $310,000

NEW LISTING!THREE BAY SHOP IN HATTON

2 bed, 2 bath manufactured home with huge three bay shop beside it. Shop has its own kitchenette, bath, and room as well. All on two city lots. Well maintained. Possible owner contract. R1360 $99,500

NEW LISTING!HUGE CORNER LOT

OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY FEB. 22ND FROM 9:00 A.M. TO NOON. 1405 Fern Street. Great location in Town and Country Estates. Huge 15,925 sq. ft. lot. 3 bed, 2 bath home with many renovations and updates. Very cozy and open feel. R1361 NOW $159,900

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By Erik [email protected]

Members of the Adams County Planning Commis-sion invited representatives from the Washington Depart-ment of Transportation and the county’s engineering de-partment to help them explore options for improving safety and reducing delays at the in-tersection of Bench Road and SR 24 south of Othello.

During the once-monthly meeting held Thursday, Feb. 20, county engineer Scott Yaeger, along with WSDOT planning engineer Bill Gould and assistant traffic engineer Dave Kieninger, seemed to agree that the installation of a roundabout would work the

best to overcome these chal-lenges. However, they also informed the commission that finding funding for a project of this scale could have delays of its own.

As part of the state’s Target Zero highway plan, funding is prioritized to roadways expe-riencing the highest frequency of traffic fatalities, meaning the relatively safe – although busy – intersection may con-tinue to rest on the backburner.

“Around 2000, it was on our list in the region as a po-tential for a signal,” Kieninger said. “Since then, the depart-ment has gone more toward statewide prioritization proj-ects, so it competes with all intersections in the state for

Three make Huskie historyCommission looks to revise Bench, SR 24 intersection


Adams County Sheriff John Hunt said thefts of scrap metal from construction sites and farms have been happen-ing more often. The trend first started picking up the same time metal prices did three years ago, but Hunt has seen criminals begin to target working equipment rather than scrap in the last few months.

“Typically, they were going into scrap yards and stealing stuff from the farmers, but then it started leading to actually taking good equipment and cutting it up, too,” Hunt said. “The last few months, we’ve seen these large electric cords from the potato (companies) and the rock crushing outfits. It basically puts them out of business until they get those replaced and there’s a lot of dollar value in those.”

Most of the cases are taking place in the northwestern re-gion of the county and while deputies in both Adams and Grant counties have made arrests, Hunt also said he’s seen the same groups of people stealing metal, most likely to

Sheriff reports metal thefts on the rise

Seven young ladies set to take stage

see THEFT | A44


Driven by enthusiastic members of the Othello trucking industry, the 2014 Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet boasted one of its biggest turnouts yet while hon-oring the men and women of the road. Chamber member Brian Gentry estimated 400 people came to the event held at the Bethel Assembly of God Friday, Feb. 21 to enjoy some food, learn the history of Othello truckers and bid on items in

several auctions.The night began with hors d’oeuvres served by Dis-

tinguished Young Women contestants, followed by bid-ding on silent auction items and even included a goofy game of heads or tails led by Othello Mayor Shawn Logan and state senator and U.S. Congressional hopeful Janea Holmquist-Newbry.

Special guests included the Othello Beautification Com-mittee, The Old Hotel Art Gallery and producers from Lucky Head Films, who will be working with Adams County Pet

Rescue this spring for their new TV show Animal House. Throughout these presentations, guests loaded up on a prime rib dinner from Kathy Jo’s Catering.

With the “Keep on Truckin’” theme, the chamber chose to honor retired trucker Carlos Garcia with its Pioneer Award for helping to establish the trucking industry in Othello when he founded Garcia Trucking Lines almost 63 years ago. Then, a video showing old photos and some of the history of the Co-lumbia Basin trucking industry was shown.

Chamber awards banquet delivers the goods

see CHAMBEr | A54


Seven young ladies from Othello are finishing their preparations and rehearsing their routines to compete in the Distinguished Young Women program this Satur-day at 7 p.m. in the McFar-land Middle School audito-rium. The group has worked together to create several collaborative performances but will also bring their own talents to compete individu-ally for the judges’ favor.

Program organizer Deb-bie Haworth said $10 tick-ets to the event can be pur-chased at ReMax, Desert Rose Floral Shop or by calling her at 488-3022. She said the contestants

have given lots of their time to put on a show she thinks the people of Othello

shouldn’t miss.“We’ve got such a great

group of girls this year and

they’re having a real good time with each other,” she

Photo by erik PAgue

The 2014 Distinguished Young Women Contestants are (l to r): Tatum Leigh Sparks, Brianna Kay Harper, Jailene Alvarez, 2013 contest winner Melissa Guzman, Stephania Janeth Miron, Emily Risenmay, Brenda Kay Fleshman and Ariana Lyn Ashton.

see DyW | A44

Photo by erik LAFontAine

For the second year in a row, the Huskies return three state champions. Othello’s Tatum Sparks (137 pounds), Bubba Ruiz (285) and Isaiah Barrera (106) brought home state titles last weekend at the Mat Classic XXVI in Tacoma. The boys team finished fourth overall, while the girls team grabbed an 11th-place finish out of 87 teams.

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