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By Melody Tillinghast POMEROY–The Chamber of Commerce presented John Gates, Jack Peasley, Mark Waldher, James Fuchs, John Hill, and Anne Walsh with the 2023 Hometown Hero awards during the Cowboy Breakfast at Spinner's Hall on September 15, 2024. Also, during Cowboy Breakfast, Bill Cox accepted the Fair Honoree award for the late Terrilie Cox. The 2023 Lifetime Achievement went to John Gates. John Gates, born in Lewiston, has been a lifelong resident of Pomeroy. He went to WSU to become a m...
POMEROY–The City Council received word from Keller and Associates last week, that progress has been made on the final piece of funding for the Booster Pump Project. According to Stillman Norton, the Clarkston branch manager, things are starting to take shape. The City of Pomeroy received authorization from the Washington State Department of Health to proceed with bidding for the proposed booster station on September 10. This site will provide necessary water supply to the City's upper p...
POMEROY–The public is invited to the Community Economic Forum meeting at the Pataha Flour Mill on Tuesday, July 23 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Community Economic Forum will feature topics on childcare in Pomeroy, Summer Market, and updates from the Chamber of Commerce, City of Pomeroy, and SEWEDA....
POMEROY–An Independence Day celebration is planned at the City Park on July 4 at 2-4 p.m. An Independence Day event has grown out of community wide effort. There will be music, readings of the declaration of independence and the midnight ride of Paul Revere; games for kids, pictures with Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty, and hot dogs, watermelon, and ice cream bars. And best of all, anyone may participate in the apple pie contest! Here are the rules. Best Apple Pie Contest: Entries accepted on July 4... Full story
In my position with SEWEDA, I have had the opportunity to work closely with the citizens and business owners of Pomeroy. As I have said previously, I recognize the issues that many would like to see addressed. Available and Attainable housing, a more vibrant Main Street, a reliable Child Care system, and job availability for future generations are all very high on the list. These things may not be fixed overnight. It has taken nearly seven years since the Garfield County SEWEDA Board first...
CLARKSTON, Wash.–The Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) and Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) are offering "The Business Basics Lunch & Learn" series at the WWCC Career and Workforce Building on 1470 Bridge Street, in Clarkston, Wash. for eight consecutive classes each Wednesday, beginning June 21 through August 9 at 12-1 p.m. Lunch and class materials will be provided for each attendee. SEWEDA is partnering with WWCC to offer an eight-week series of classes s...
POMEROY––Town will be hopping this weekend as Pomeroy High alums, history buffs, and friends, family and acquaintances of the George Scoggin Family converge on Garfield County for the 2023 edition of Pioneer Days. The weekend gets rolling on Friday with the Pomeroy High School All-Class Reunion at the Pataha Flour Mill, with festivities beginning at 10 a.m. As is traditional, various classes will be holding reunions at a number of locations around town. Reunion activities will be taking pla...
POMEROY–The Pomeroy City Council accepted the resignation of Susie Bowles, authorized a grant application, and discussed tree removal at their meeting on May 9. Susie Bowles resigned as City Councilwoman, effective May 12. Her position will be on the next ballot to fill out the remaining time of her term. The council has 90 days to appoint an interim councilman to fill the time between May 12 and the election. Councilman Mike Cassetto thanked Bowles for her service on the council. The council d...
POMEROY–The 2023 Pomeroy Community Assessment is scheduled to be presented at the Community Forum at the Pataha Flour Mill on Tuesday, May 9 at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Survey results conducted this year by SEWEDA in February and March, will be the topic of discussion. The survey was available in two forms; the first as an online questionnaire, and "a second was a CEDS board made available to the public at various community events and locations, including the Senior Center, City H...
Ten Years Ago April 24, 2013 If the 700 and 800 blocks of Main St. in downtown Pomeroy appear a little more "open", it's likely because the trees on both sides of the two blocks have been cut down. Alesia Ruchert, managing director of South East Washington Development Association (SEWEDA) in Garfield County, said the logging was "a purposeful step in preparing for the installation of 14 historic light poles on two blocks of Main Street, as part of the Downtown Revitalization Master Plan adopted...
POMEROY–The Community Forum hosted by Pomeroy Chamber of Commerce on February 21 discussed the South East Washington Economic Development Association's (SEWEDA) 2023 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS); the Chamber's Cohesive Sign Project; and the availability of grants for small businesses. SEWEDA's CEDS is a survey that collects input on the elements of the community that are going well, that need improvement, and that need immediate improvement, through a system of green, y...
POMEROY–The Garfield County board of commissioners (BOCC) discussed a possible Americans with Disability Act transition plan and met with the executive director of South East Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) at their meeting on January 30. The commissioners discussed creating a transition plan, identifying county-owned facilities that are not ADA accessible and creating a plan to bring them up to code, as a part of a possible state-wide requirement. No specific facilities tha...
POMEROY–The Pomeroy City Council held public hearings on Water Use Efficiency Goals and Measures and an updated Water System Plan, discussed donations for the Tennis Court Retrofit project, and discussed a possible Low and Moderate Income (LMI) survey, according to the minutes from their January 10 meeting. No public comment was received for the hearing on the Water Use Efficiency Goals and Measures, presented by Stillman Norton of Keller Associates. The goals and measures are a part of the u...
The East Washingtonian continues its look back at the year 2022 with this second installment of the events, activities and other newsworthy happenings that appeared in the pages of your community newspaper. May 5: Garfield County Commissioners approved a sales tax ballot entry. The proposed tax approved for the August ballot, to be approved or rejected by Garfield County voters, is two tenths of 1% on sales, the funds accruing from which will be used exclusively for emergency communications...
POMEROY–The Community Forum hosted by the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association presented Jennifer Sherman, Professor of Sociology at Washington State University, as speaker on the inequity found in rural communities, during the meeting held at the Pataha Flour Mill on November 15. Professor Sherman is a part of the Humanities Washington Speaker's Bureau and she gave a talk called Diamonds in the Rough-The Gentrification of Rural Washington, discussing her book Dividing P...
POMEROY–The Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) Community Forum meeting is scheduled at the Pataha Flour Mill on Tuesday, November 15 at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The Pomeroy Community Forum meeting is a working lunch provided by SEWEDA, and a presentation by the author of Dividing Paradise: Rural Inequality and the Diminishing American Dream, Jennifer Sherman, Ph.D., Sociology Professor, WSU. The book focuses on the social changes in rural gentrification and class inequalities occurring in rural communities as new comers s...
By Tom Ruchert Special to the East Washingtonian POMEROY–The Golf Club has recently installed a new walkway at the front entrance of the club house through a grant from the Southeastern Economic Development Association (SEWEDA). A grant was awarded to Pomeroy Golf Club by SEWEDA and used to improve public access to the golf club office building at the Crystal Spring Golf Course. The club hired Chris's Professional Electric and Contracting to replace the front sidewalk with a wider, smoother a...
CLARKSTON–The Southeast Washington Economic Development Association has named Erika Stricker as Executive Director of the nonprofit which focuses on enhancing economic vitality and community development in the southeastern Washington counties of Asotin, Garfield, and Whitman. "I am very much looking forward to continuing the amazing work this organization has done to strengthen the economic vitality and diversity of our beautiful little corner of Washington," Stricker said. "We will remain focus...
POMEROY–The Community Economic Forum is scheduled at the Pataha Flour Mill on August 16 at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The Community Economic Forum meeting will take place at the Pataha Flour Mill, 50 Hutchens Hill Road on August 15 starting at 11 a.m. Discussion and updates will focus on the Garfield County Hospital District strategic plan, Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA), water, infrastructure improvement and the wayfinder sign project. The Chamber of Commerce will provide lunch. The public is invited to submit questions a...
POMEROY–A quarterly community forum meeting hosted by South East Washington Economic Development Association discussed a solution to the low water supply for the east end of Pomeroy and Pomeroy residents’ view of the town’s current needs on June 21. Jack Peasley, SEWEDA’s managing director for Garfield County, presented a plan for a booster pump station that would be placed near the Alibi Tavern. The booster pump would provide a redundant water system, energize the current systems by allowin...
POMEROY–The City Council pledged $4,000 for the Pomeroy Chamber of Commerce signage project, accepted an interim wastewater treatment plant employee proposal, and discussed maintenance of city road easements at their meeting on June 7. The Pomeroy Chamber of Commerce signage project is now fully funded with the $4,000 promised by the City out of their capital improvement fund. The project will cost $20,000, with $10,000 of the funds coming from the Chamber, $5,000 from South East Washington E...
POMEROY––“Some small communities thrive and grow while others die offering no hope for future generations.” Nearly five years ago, the Clarkston Chamber of Commerce invited SEWEDA to attend an event featuring Doug Griffiths, an author promoting his new book entitled “13 Ways to Kill Your Community”. Mr. Griffiths’s presentation was lively and precise, as entertaining as it was informative. We bought the book, and it was one of the best investments we have ever made. Many small rural communi...
POMEROY–The Pomeroy City Council swore Susie Bowles into her re-elected term as councilwoman, and support for HB 1333, at their meeting on January 18. Jack Peasley of South East Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA) came before the council to express SEWEDA’s support for Washington State House Bill 1333. The bill is an extension to the local sales and use tax for public facilities in rural counties, and would extend the expiration of the tax to 2054. The tax is .09 percent of the...
POMEROY–The City of Pomeroy’s water supply may present a problem to future expansion of residential inventory, the City Council heard at the conclusion of a continued meeting on September 20. In other business, the Council unanimously approved allowing retailer Dollar General to connect to city water and sewer. Nearly one-third of the city does not meet requirements for future growth, reported Jack Peasley, of Southeastern Washington Economic Development Association (SEWEDA), who recently attended the Department of Commerce annual meeting. Imp...
POMEROY–The City Council approved a continuance of the August 7 meeting to August 24, 2021 at 7 p.m., to better address funding opportunities and meet grant deadlines. Mayor Paul Miller stated the need to have such meetings organized in a critical form and indicated the council can firm up anything else at that time. In addition, the City received Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Finds of $194,706 July 27, 2021. Information about the American Rescue Plan Act Spending Guidelines was given to Mayor Paul Miller and Council. The Treasury Departmen...