The City of Palouse recently fired its longtime police chief after an investigation found evidence he had failed to respond to a 911 call, claimed overtime pay for callouts he did not respond to in person and issued concealed pistol licenses without completing proper background checks.
Lawsuits, internal investigations and WSU Athletics: Our most-read stories of 2021
Local legal disputes, personnel investigations and COVID-19 responses again drove much of our coverage in 2021 as we look back on some of our most-read and unique stories. As in previous years, we want to provide an annual review of our most impactful reporting and share operational background for transparency.
Internal report outlines leadership, staffing problems at WSU’s Cougar Health Services
An internal assessment of the workplace culture at Washington State University’s on-campus medical clinic found “trust is broken” between staff and leadership, resulting in communication problems, low morale, staff turnover and service inefficiencies.
Pullman councilman accuses WSU athletic director of threatening him over party video
A Pullman City Councilman has accused the Washington State University athletic director of verbally attacking him and threatening his businesses over a social media video of a party at the athletic director’s home.
Voters Guide Fall 2021: Local city council and hospital board candidate questionnaires
Whitman County Watch emailed questionnaires on local issues to candidates in Pullman, Colfax and Palouse city council and hospital board races. We have published their unedited responses along with links to addition coverage of campaigns, ballot measures and voter registration information.
WSU agrees to $275,000 settlement, ending lawsuit against Mike Leach, appeal board
Washington State University has agreed to a $275,000 settlement to resolve a 2018 lawsuit against former football Head Coach Mike Leach and the university for kicking a former player off of the team and revoking his scholarship over a later-dismissed shoplifting arrest.
Local agencies report staff vaccination rates, City of Pullman seeks deadline extension
The City of Pullman has requested an extension of the vaccination deadline for staff who serve the WSU campus while Whitman County, Pullman schools and local hospitals continue finalizing their employees’ certifications in the last days ahead of the Oct. 18 deadline.
Lumberyard restaurant settles 2019 lawsuit over alleged wage theft, missed breaks
Lumberyard Food Hall in Pullman recently agreed to a $190,000 class action settlement with former employees who filed suit in 2019 over alleged wage theft, required break violations and other workplace complaints.
Officials urge vaccinations as Delta surge strains regional hospital, testing capacity
“The region’s health care system remains strained and this is particularly due to the high rates of transmission in our unvaccinated populations in Eastern Washington,” Skidmore said, noting a spike in patients from Idaho also contributed to capacity and staffing issues in Washington.
Judge rules player owed damages in lawsuit against Leach, WSU over revoked scholarship
The state Court of Appeals partially reversed a previous dismissal of the 2018 lawsuit after finding WSU had violated the football player’s due process rights. A local judge ruled last week the player was entitled to “more than nominal damages in an amount to be proven at trial.”