Stories from this compilation are excerpted from weekly newspapers from around the region. This is the part one, with part two appearing in Sunday’s paper.
PALOUSE — The Palouse City Council brought to attention a Police Task Force report sent out at its meeting on Sept. 26, at the Palouse Community Center, 220 East Main Street.
Appointed by Mayor Tim Sievers on March 14, the task force consists of councilors Sam Brink, Sara Bofenkamp and Robert Brooks, as well as City Administrator Misty LaFollett and Sievers.
The force was created to investigate, discuss, and bring information to the City Council on proceeding with the police department.
Councilor Bill Slinkard introduced the report as investigative and said the task force tried to decipher potential ways of addressing the question of the police department. “This is an informational presentation,” Slinkard said, requesting Palouse citizens to take notes on their concerns and come to the next meeting to discuss it further.
Brink discussed some of the history regarding the task force, noting it was created due to personnel changes and losing a shared police department with Garfield.
The task force investigated several options, including continuing as a one-person department, hiring a second officer, redeveloping a partnership with a neighboring community, contracting with the county and hiring a local code-enforcement officer.
Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers said he indicated to the task force that it is becoming difficult for smaller municipalities to fund and outfit police departments because of rapidly changing laws and regulations and costs of personnel, training, equipment and more.
— Teresa Simpson, Whitman County Gazette (Colfax), Thursday
Klapprich new queen of White Bird Rodeo
WHITE BIRD, Idaho — Following in the footsteps of family members before her, Prairie High School senior Miranda Klapprich is the new White Bird Rodeo queen. Klapprich, 17, was chosen on Sept. 30 in tryouts at the White Bird Rodeo Arena. She will represent the 2024 White Bird Rodeo, held on Father’s Day weekend in June. Also competing was Sabrina Schmaus, 15, of Grangeville.
“My desire to help people has encouraged me to pursue the honor of being the White Bird Rodeo queen,” stated Klapprich in her presentation.
She is the daughter of Heath and Tara Klapprich of Cottonwood, the third child in a family of six kids who live on a cattle ranch near Keuterville. Her favorite activities are hunting, hiking, camping and horseback riding. She also enjoys being a part of the 4-H program, in which she takes on several projects each year.
“The White Bird Rodeo is a great example of a community supporting each other,” she said. “The volunteers represent a family. I would love to be a part of the White Bird Rodeo family. My aunt, Melissa, and my cousins were White Bird Rodeo queens. I look to them as role models and want to follow in their footsteps.”
Klapprich said, “I believe that a person’s best qualities shine the brightest when they give of themselves by helping others. My activities have provided me with many opportunities that have helped me to become the person that I am. I exemplify the ideals of charity, honesty and loyalty. I would be honored to be crowned White Bird Rodeo queen and continue to demonstrate that I value community involvement and helping out our neighbors.”
— David Rauzo, Idaho Coumty Free Press (Grangeville), Wednesday
