2019 One year ago today

The Washington Secretary of State this year recognized only five Washington businesses for their community service. Two of them are located on the Palouse. Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, of Pullman, and Bunyard Automotive, an automotive repair shop in Colfax, were awarded the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion. The medallion is given to Washington companies for their philanthropic contributions to the state. … While its model has changed, the mission of Stepping Stones Inc. has largely remained the same the past 40 years: improve the lives of Palouse residents with disabilities. Gerard Connelly, who has served on the board for 34 years, said the group was formed in 1979 to establish a group home for developmentally disabled adults. It opened its first group home in 1983 in Moscow, a second opened in 1986 and a third in 1992. Connelly said his sister, who died in 2008, was developmentally disabled and his mother was an original Stepping Stones board member.

2015 Five years ago today

The WSU Veterinary Hospital welcomed 22 surprise canine guests this holiday week. The dogs were once housed at the SpokAnimal Humane Society and adoption center in Spokane, but there was a change of plans when the facility’s roof was torn off and windows were blown out during last week’s windstorm. Nearly all of the dogs are part of a cooperative effort between states to relocate adoptable animals to areas where they are most likely to find owners, said Charlie Powell, public information officer at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. … Officials from Avista, the city of Colfax and workers from Asplundh Tree Expert Co. carefully cut down a 125-foot-tall Douglas fir that was threatening homes on the city’s historic registry after last week’s windstorm. Colfax City Administrator Mike Rizzitiello said the massive conifer was leaning for support on a tiny garage next to the tree, prompting the city to deem the adjacent residence a threat to public safety and evacuate a couple from their home. Rizzitiello said the garage had a one-inch crack near the foundation from holding up the tree, and it was only a matter of time until the garage would give, and the tree would fall.

2010 10 years ago today

While thousands of area university students have left town for Thanksgiving, some are calling the Palouse home for the holiday. New Saint Andrews College’s classical Christian curriculum attracts many students who hail from outside the region, and for some of them, it’s simply too challenging to make it home. David Henry, from Nacogdoches, Texas, arrived in Moscow this fall as a freshman and said the snow storm that dumped several inches on the region earlier this week was unlike anything he’s ever experienced. … When Mary Nell Braun attended the inaugural Thanksgiving Social in the main lounge at Good Samaritan Society’s Moscow Village on Wednesday, she didn’t know there would be pie waiting for her. She did know there would be good conversation with good people. The event featured pie, festive decorations and music for about 25 residents. Good Sam aims to host more events that bring together residents, members of the community and residents’ family members, said Christie Pernsteiner, housing manager.