2020 One year ago today
The COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc on festivals and public activities since March, and traditional harvest and Halloween events are not immune. Instead of a couple of thousand people sprawling about the grounds picking pumpkins, participating in scavenger hunts, playing games in a one-day, six-hour festival, Washington State University’s Eggert Family Organic Farm let people schedule time in the pumpkin patch in Pullman over three Fridays and two Saturdays because of the COVID-19 pandemic this year. ... A new 760-square-foot storage and distribution facility will increase efficiency and convenience for Moscow Food Bank volunteers and customers, food bank director Linda Nickels said. Bishop Peter Christensen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise blessed the new addition in front of more than 30 people at the food bank. Nickels and Christensen cut a red ribbon to signify the opening of the new structure. The new facility is adjacent to the existing Moscow Food Bank and St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which hosts the food bank, on North Polk Street.
2016 Five years ago today
The University of Idaho will not trap and euthanize animals on its campus until an animal control plan is crafted and approved, UI Vice President of Infrastructure Dan Ewart told the Faculty Senate. Ewart acknowledged the previous program, a partnership between UI facilities personnel and campus veterinarian Peter Autenried that rid the campus of at least eight feral cats, one beaver and more than 1,200 wild birds through gas euthanasia, had its problems.
2011 10 years ago today
The United States Department of Agriculture has ordered its flags to fly at half staff in tribute to the passing of professor John R. Gorham. At the direction of USDA administrator Edward Knipling, flags will be lowered to half staff at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service locations at Albany, Calif. and Pullman, Wash., from sunrise to sunset. Gorham was both a USDA research leader and Washington State University professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and passed away at the age of 88 on Oct. 14. He was a member of the Agricultural Research Service’s Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 1993. ... Brent Glover has little time to raise $265,000 he says is needed to buy property adjacent to his Orphan Acres horse rescue facility in Viola before it is developed into a subdivision that may compromise his operation. Glover, who has been taking in injured, abandoned and abused horses since 1970, said he is concerned if a planned subdivision were put in on the 106 acres of farmland west of Orphan Acres, it would force him to scale back his intake and could lead to legal issues. The nonprofit organization is currently caring for 84 horses, Glover said, and with that comes dust, manure, flies and neighing that he feels will cause problems with potential homeowners if a subdivision were to be placed across from his property.
