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Ryley Jo Body-Larsen — a community announcement published by the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville and Stevens County. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Births Ryley Jo Body-Larsen Ryley Jo Body-Larsen was born Aug. 11, 2025, to parents Darcy Body and Michael Larsen of Kettle Falls, Wash. She weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces at birth and has one brother, Brantley Michael Body-Larsen, age 3. Her maternal grandparents are Diane Peterson and Larry Body of Colville, Wash. Her paternal grandparents are Laurie and Kurt Larsen of Kettle Falls, Wash. Her paternal great-grandparent is Adele Larsen of Grand Forks, British Columbia. Previous Next LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Colville Falls in Heartbreaker to Riverside - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Colville Falls in Heartbreaker to Riverside November 12, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen Colville girls' soccer season ends. The Colville Crimson Hawks soccer team saw their season come to a dramatic close Nov. 4, falling 4-3 to Riverside in a District 6 Northeast A loser-out match. The third-seeded Rams (8-8-1) edged out the second-seeded Crimson Hawks (4-11-2) after the two teams battled evenly through regulation and overtime. The loss ended Colville’s postseason hopes, while Riverside advanced to face Cascade (Leavenworth) in a District 6/5 1A crossover on Nov. 8, at Royal High School, with a state berth on the line. Despite the defeat, Colville capped its fall campaign with a strong late-season push and competitive play in the rugged Northeast A League. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Warren Thomas Gold — a community announcement published by the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville and Stevens County. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Births Warren Thomas Gold Warren Thomas Gold was born on Dec. 23, 2025, to parents Mallory Lubking and Conner Gold of Colville, Wash. He weighed 6 pounds, 15.8 ounces at birth. His maternal grandparents are Tom and Cathy of Glendale, Ariz. His paternal grandparents are Rich and Jennifer of Chewelah, Wash. Previous Next LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Colville City Council Approves Funds for Local Tourism - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Colville City Council Approves Funds for Local Tourism November 19, 2025 By: Isidora Patrick 11/10/2025 Colville City Council Meeting. The Colville city council meeting on Nov. 10 was full of energy as the council members juggled budgets, allocated funds to local events, and celebrated the return of local volunteers. The council got straight to business, quickly approving the consent agenda, including signing off on October’s minutes and the monthly $388,000 city staff payroll. The council then powered forward with important service upgrades. Council members discussed how police officers have access to cutting-edge safety gear for their protection, and the city’s water and sewer systems will keep running smoothly, thanks to a new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system. A lively discussion centered on the 2026 Lodging Tax Funding, which can support local tourism and events. The Colville Chamber of Commerce secured $33,000, while a car show request received no funding. The Northeast Washington Fair got its full $8,600 request, and the Stevens County Historical Society’s projects were both funded as recommended. Colville Together’s support was set at $26,000, matching last year, and the Farm Jam festival was allotted a hefty $50,000 boost. As the meeting wrapped up, the council reaffirmed the commitment of several hometown volunteers, reappointing them to key city boards and committees. These residents will continue to lend their expertise to subjects such as historic preservation, aviation planning, city funding, and parking policy. The next Colville city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 6 p.m. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Preliminary School Levy Election Results are Tallied - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Preliminary School Levy Election Results are Tallied February 10, 2026 By: Publisher Voters in the Colville, Valley, and Mary Walker school districts headed to the polls this Tuesday to decide on critical funding measures. Early returns show clear leads for the replacement levies in all three districts, but how close are the final margins? The majority of voters in three local school districts have approved funding measures in Tuesday’s special election, with replacement levies passing in the Colville, Valley, and Mary Walker districts, according to preliminary returns. As of Tuesday night, the Colville School District No. 115 Proposition No. 1 was passing with 56.98% of the vote. The Replacement Educational Programs and Operations Levy received 1,693 votes in favor and 1,278 opposed, with all 16 precincts reporting. In the Valley School District No. 70, the replacement levy was passing with 56.66% of the vote. Initial counts showed 166 votes for the measure and 127 against, with both precincts reporting. The Mary Walker School District No. 207 measure held a lead of 53.33%. The district’s Proposition No. 1 received 352 “yes” votes compared to 308 “no” votes, with all four precincts reporting. The results were last updated at 8:43 p.m. Tuesday, according to Washington Election Night Reporting. https://results.votewa.gov/results/public/stevens-county-wa/elections/20260210 Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Stevens County Sheriff's Office Investigation Leads to Arrest in Child Overdose Case - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Stevens County Sheriff's Office Investigation Leads to Arrest in Child Overdose Case December 10, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen Briana Smutz arrested by law enforcement. Photo courtesy U.S. Marshals Service. A Stevens County drug investigation led to the arrest of a woman accused of exposing her young child to fentanyl earlier this year. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, detectives with the Spokane Valley Police Department and members of the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force took Briana Smutz into custody on Dec. 3, without incident. The investigation began with the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office Proactive Narcotic Enforcement Task Force, which developed information on Smutz’s whereabouts the day before the arrest. That intel allowed federal and local officers to coordinate the operation quickly, officials said. According to law enforcement, Smutz was wanted in Stevens County on multiple felony charges, including Assault of a Child in the Third Degree – Domestic Violence (Position of Trust, Vulnerable Victim), Abandonment of a Dependent Person in the First Degree – Domestic Violence (Position of Trust, Vulnerable Victim) and possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. The charges are related to a case in which authorities alleged a two-year-old child gained access to fentanyl pills belonging to Smutz. The toddler showed signs of overdose, prompting emergency crews to administer Narcan. Officials said the child was transported from Loon Lake by ambulance to a Spokane-area hospital for treatment. According to officials, the child did survive. Investigators said Smutz left the scene before deputies could interview her regarding the incident. The case remains under investigation, according to officials. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Kettle Falls Boys Basketball Starts Season 3-0 - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Kettle Falls Boys Basketball Starts Season 3-0 December 10, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen The Bulldogs boys basketball improved to 3-0 on the season, taking a long road to pick up a 53-26 victory over Oroville in nonleague boys basketball action on Friday, Dec. 5. Mace Thivierge scored 23 points and hit two three-pointers. The defense was the star in the first three quarters, holding the Hornets to just single digits in each frame. “What stands out to me about our team is the competitive fire,” Kettle Falls Head Coach Cameron Stewart said. “That’s the identity that we are striving for. That’s our edge. I think the guys are starting to embrace it.” Thivierge had been a facilitator for other scorers in the previous two contests, but in this matchup, he shone through by hitting nine field goals total. “I think our guys are trying to make the right play,” Stewart said. “They want to execute, but they also want to make good reads when we are playing fast and free, because it’s rewarding to know that effort creates good opportunities. You can’t do that alone. So I think our passing is just a result of playing as a team. We want everyone on the floor to be a threat, just by moving as the ball moves.” The Bulldogs snagged a seven-point lead in the first quarter and then headed into the locker room at halftime with a 28-12 advantage. They opened up the second half on a 15-4 run to put the finishing touches on the victory. “We take pride in our defensive principles,” Stewart said. “We hate to get scored on. We also take pride in earning extra possessions. That’s the mindset. The reality is that you make mistakes and learn from them, but stay aggressive, keep competing, always bring energy.” Cooper McKern added seven points while Alex Mazanek and Zac Burch each had six points. A few days earlier, the Bulldogs posted their biggest offensive performance of the season, thanks largely to a mid-game surge. Kettle Falls outscored Republic by 11 points in the second quarter, then opened the second half, tallying 21-6 en route to a 73-36 victory over Republic on Dec. 2, in nonleague basketball action. Mazanek led the Bulldogs with 21 points, hitting three three-pointers along the way. He hit nine field goals in all, while Zac Burch drained six buckets to finish with 15 points. Thivierge added eight points to Kettle Falls’ total. The offense was humming for the Bulldogs as they had 31 field goals total and a 34-17 lead at halftime. Through these three games, Kettle Falls has outscored its opponents 191-93. While these wins are coming against 1B foes, not the 2B foes they’ll have to beat for postseason success, Steward said the Bulldogs are already well on their way to matching or beating last year’s five-win season. “We haven’t done anything yet, except what we needed to do, which was take care of business against the 1B schools to start the season, build depth, and create our own identity,” Stewart said. “It only gets harder from here. We have to stay healthy and hungry, and that’s the message our team is getting from the coaches. Right now we’re on schedule.” The Bulldogs played Tonasket Tuesday, Dec. 9; results were not available at press time. The team is scheduled to host Northwest Christian on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Local Residents Receive State Recognition - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Local Residents Receive State Recognition July 2, 2025 By: Meredith Carroll Gines wins medals at district track meet. Photo provided by Kaylin Gines. A local student and a school volunteer have received awards and recognition by the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA), an organization formed to promote leadership in communities, provide legislative support for education, and assist in the development of excellence in both student learning and opportunities for leaders ( wasa-oly.org ). WASA presents annual, statewide awards to those who show excellence in certain categories, two of which have been given to local recipients. The first honor is the Community Leadership Award which was given to Elissa Dyson, of the Onion Creek School District. “The award is a nice recognition for those who exhibit leadership in the community,” Dyson said. “I have served as Onion Creek School District board chair for more than 20 years. I assist with facilities and transportation, have facilitated the successful coordination with other districts, and I have a long history of service.” In addition to serving on the board, Dyson has worked with the students to publish a newsletter, participated in summer programs, and has had a hand in educational activities. Dyson started her long career of volunteering with Onion Creek in 1985, after her family relocated from Seattle. “During my entire service, I have never been a paid staff member,” Dyson said. “I’ve always volunteered my time.” She added that, “This award is special to me because between 1998 and 2018, I was the chair of WASA’s partner organization, the Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA). Every school district in the state of Washington is a member and participates in legislation and lobbying.” Dyson said she is proud to have visited every school in Washington with fewer than 2,000 students. “It took me 12 years to visit more than 200 schools,” she said. Dyson’s award comes with her decision to retire from service. “I actually made the decision in 2021 that I would not run for reelection in 2025,” she said. “I’m almost 78 years old. It’s time for me to have a little more freedom to travel and do other things. It will be hard, though. I’ve done this longer than I’ve done anything in my life.” Some of the best aspects of Dyson’s time with the Onion Creek School District, she said, was because of the people. “There are a lot of really great people involved in public education. I appreciate getting to know wonderful people, administrators, students, and teachers. There have been so many rich experiences.” But the last few years have been very challenging, according to Dyson. “It seemed like the first 35 years I was on the school board, everyone was unified in terms of goals and beliefs. And then, once we got into the pandemic, things fractured. Politics came into play. All of a sudden there was a rift. Politics has no place in education.” Dyson continued, “One thing I learned is how important schools are in the life of small communities. I plan on continuing my involvement with the district. I will still work with students on the newsletter and stay involved with what’s going on.” Kaylin Gines of Mary Walker High School in Springdale was given the WASA Student Leadership Award. This award recognizes outstanding student leaders who exhibit a leadership role in their school and promote social justice in their community. “I was nominated by the superintendent, because I do a lot of leadership,” said Gines. She is involved in a peer mentorship program, participates in public speaking and community service, and is a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA). “I also participate in the Tree of Sharing, which is a charity that helps people in need during the holidays.” Gines is also on her school’s volleyball team and trains her horse outside of school, all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. “I really like being busy,” she said. “That’s how to make school more enjoyable. It means a lot to be able to mentor eighth graders as they prepare for high school. And since I love volleyball, I help out with that, coaching little kids. I’m actually being recruited by colleges for volleyball.” Gines added, “There aren’t a lot of negatives to the things I do, but sometimes it can be a lot to handle.” For more information about WASA, visit their website, wasa-oly.org . Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

New Superior Court Judge Sworn In - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES New Superior Court Judge Sworn In January 28, 2026 By: Tamara Lee Titus Judge Thomas Webster is sworn in by Judge Lech Radzimski on Jan. 23. Photos courtesy Thomas Webster. Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Ferry County’s newly-appointed Superior Court Judge Thomas Webster was sworn into office on Friday, Jan. 23. “I’m honored,” Webster said, adding that the application process was long and comprehensive. “The governor takes the appointments very seriously, by that application process. So, I'm very honored that after all of that scrutiny, the governor felt that I was qualified to do this job,” Webster said. Webster said that he has practiced law for 25 years. “I passed the bar in 2000 in Iowa. I went to school at Cornell College, undergrad with a degree in environmental science and a degree in history. I went to Forestry School to get my master's and determined that I'd rather go to law school. I finished about a third of the Master's International Program in Forestry and changed gears and went to law school with the intention of doing environmental law. Then I went on to Drake University in Des Moines,” he explained. While at Drake, Webster said he discovered his love for litigation. “After graduating with loans from undergrad and law school, it's hard to fight the good fight on environmental issues, and make enough money to pay my loans,” he said, which led him into private practice with colleagues instead. He cited criminal defense, family law, and personal injury as the primary areas of litigation he practiced. Webster said he didn’t have career aspirations to be a judge. “Matter of fact, I had avoided it. We had a very successful practice by the grace of this community,” he stated, referring to Webster Law Office, which he opened on Main Street in Colville in 2009. Webster said he and his family moved to Colville in 2006, and he worked for McGrane & Schuerman doing mainly civil litigation work before opening his own practice. “I moved here to be back in this part of the country, because I grew up in Big Fork, Montana. I love the mountains. I love fly fishing, camping, and the muddy waters of the Midwest didn’t give me the same vibe as the clear, beautiful waters that we’ve got in the northwest,” he said. It took some persuading his wife though to make the leap from Iowa to Washington, Webster said. At the time, they had their 2-year-old daughter and were pregnant with their son, Liam. Webster explained, “My wife was a third or fourth generation Iowan and no one in her family had ever left. Her grandfather had a century farm; it was a great family life. So, it was a little bit hard to get her convinced to move all the way out here with me. She said, ‘Well, I'll entertain the idea of moving, if we go where there's family.’ My mom was here already and my sister's a podiatrist in town, Dr. McKenna. My wife and her are really good friends, and became even closer after we moved out here. So it worked out well.” Webster expressed pride in his children’s achievements stating, “My daughter is graduating this year from Cornell College, my alma mater; she's a business major with an art minor. I’m very proud of her. And my son, Liam, just finished his first semester in the honors engineering program in Boise. He was a valedictorian and he just got highest honors in the engineering program for his first semester grades. I couldn't be more proud. My son was born here in Colville; Dr. Shannon delivered him.” In the beginning, he did general practice, but by 2016, Webster said he settled on focusing on family and personal injury. He sold the Family Law portion of the practice to Sarah Brandon around 2022. “She’s been doing that ever since. She’s awesome; she’s already shown herself to be an asset to the community,” he said. Webster said he was going to retire in June 2025. He sold the Personal Injury side of his practice to GLP Attorneys. Webster discussed his retirement attempt, “I found out really quick that none of my friends are retired – I'm 51. I was thinking about real estate for a bit, and I got offered a job to guide fly fishing. I thought that would be a good place for me, but I started thinking more about it and I thought I might start hating my hobby because it becomes a job. Then I had conversations with people in the community about Judge Reeves retiring soon, and I was already stir-crazy and restless. So, when she gave public notice that she was retiring on Dec. 31, I decided to go ahead and put together the application for appointment by the governor.” Webster explained, “Now I feel like I can focus on public service, which is what I think the bench is. This isn't about a paycheck at all. It's about service at this point and finding fulfillment. That's what I'm hoping this next and last stage of my career is – just serving the community that's been so good to me. I don't want to harp on that…but it’s true.” He continued, “I take it very seriously, and the pressure is already there; because you want to make sure you're making the right decisions on every case, applying the law correctly, interpreting the facts fairly, without bias. When people are in court, rarely is it something nice or good. It's something that could be cataclysmic, but oftentimes, at the very least, the dark cloud of litigation is emotionally draining. So you have a judge that's the arbiter of the law, and in some situations, when it's a bench trial, they're the arbiter of the facts and the law. And that's a huge responsibility, and it has to be taken seriously. You can't do it in a cavalier manner.” Webster stated that he has a lot of support from the other local judges, as well as the community of judges around the state. He reported that he started last week with juvenile and civil dockets. When asked how it was going, he admitted, “It’s stressful, to be honest.” Discussing the transition from litigation to judging, he said, “The role's different, and there's no school for judges. I'm going to Judicial College, which is a week long, but I'm not getting a degree in ‘judge advocacy.’ There is no such thing. So, it's an unusual role in our justice system. You build; you use the experiences of your career and your understanding of the law as you develop that throughout your career. Then, when necessary, you do research just like an attorney does, to check the law and the facts and see how they marry up with the research that you do. You take into consideration both sides, legal and factual arguments. And when you take that all into consideration, you try to come out with the right decision.” Webster said he aims to be good at what he does, within the confines of the rules of ethics. “As far as what we need in our counties – we’ve got three of the poorest counties in the state. I think Ferry County is ranked number two, last I checked, Pend Oreille is seven and Stevens is nine. We’re at the bottom 10, as far as socioeconomic financial issues in the counties. I want to continue to see that we’re making sure that those who don’t have access to justice – because of socioeconomics or rural living – have just as much access as those with money. I think the biggest challenge we’ve got in our three counties is access to justice,” he said. He said he aspires to make judges available to the community with informal forums, where judges will be able to answer general questions possibly twice a year, or more often depending on availability. “Most people in our community aren't gonna be in front of a judge in their entire life. The courts are boring and scary. So having the judges be accessible, I think is a potentially very important role that they could play as well. But, I want to emphasize, I do not know how that's going to work. I have to speak to the other judges and talk about how we can make ourselves available in some sort of forum like that,” he said. Webster shared, “I was always somewhat intimidated by the bench and going and talking to a judge personally about concerns or questions. I want the legal community to know that attorneys should be able to email me and be able to make an appointment and come see me in chambers if they have questions. I'll be open to those, especially as I'm learning how to do the role.” He also said he would like to establish mock trial programs in local schools. “I don't know how they'll map out yet, but I was a mock trialer when I was in law school – thoroughly enjoyed it – and I think that [local schools] could use those programs. I don't know what my scheduling or time permits are gonna be, but I'd like to see if those kind of programs can't be developed.” He explained from personal experience how valuable these programs can be, “The idea of mock trial is to hopefully inspire some of these kids to get involved, and then you're surrounded by peers that are interested in their own futures. And you've got adults around them that can help give them a pathway and guide them and give them inspiration. The beautiful thing about our country is these things are possible. And I'm an example of that. You add all those things together and you're not just doing a mock trial competition where these kids can get some confidence in winning a sport, if you will. You're giving them some life skills. You’re giving them some hope, and that's what I love about that idea.” Webster conceded, “But, I’m a baby in this whole position. They could be pie in the sky, but those are a couple of things where I thought I could actually affect some change off the bench.” Webster also described his personal philosophy regarding his new appointment, “It's a nonpartisan position, and I'm adamant about the fact that it's going to be a strict interpretation of the law, not for any partisan gain. Politics should not enter into the equation. That's the legislative process that should change things…and until they change it, I'm going to be going off of ‘stare decisis,’ which is, the law that's already been laid out in common law. And, the statutory law.” He continued, “There’s a large part of the population that probably think that judicial activism is the way to see change. I don’t. I think that should be squarely on the shoulders of the legislators. But it's so polarized right now. As far as my job goes, it's not to wade into politics; it's not to wade into partisan politics, especially. It's to apply the law and the facts in a way that's unbiased.” Addressing the division in the country, Webster said, “Almost everything I see out in the news is prefaced with, ‘This was a Biden appointed judge,’ ‘This was a Trump appointed judge.’ And it's lending itself towards partisanship and judicial activism potentially. “I think people out there are worried about judicial activism, or they're worried that a judge has the power to do something that he doesn’t. And that's where I think judicial activism is wrong. I think that people, in general, should believe that their judges are accountable to following the law.” Webster said he will be up for re-election in November, stating that he hasn’t run a campaign for himself before, but did work on a grassroots campaign with other parents for school board members in 2020. “That gave me some nuts and bolts into how the political process and campaigns work, but I haven't run one for myself ever. I've never been involved in politics. “So, that'll be a little bit new to me, but I'm confident we can run a campaign…I’ll run in 2026, again in 2028, and then I’ll be on for four years, if I am successful,” he said. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Lady Bulldogs Battle Defensively, Fall in Pair of League Tests - local reporting from the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville, Stevens County, and Northeast Washington. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Lady Bulldogs Battle Defensively, Fall in Pair of League Tests December 17, 2025 By: Brandon Hansen Kettle Falls' Rose Kelly handles the ball near the key. Photo by Reeva Mertens-Martin. Defense kept Kettle Falls within reach, but scoring droughts proved costly as the girls basketball team dropped two Northeast 2B North contests last week. Kettle Falls fell 34-25 to Newport on Saturday, Dec. 13, in a low-scoring road matchup after opening league play with a 62-18 loss to unbeaten Northwest Christian on Friday, Dec. 12. The Bulldogs also suffered a 45-36 nonleague loss at Tonasket earlier in the week, leaving them at 2-4 overall and still searching for their first league win. Against Newport, the Bulldogs struggled to find consistent offense but stayed competitive behind a strong defensive effort and rebounding presence from Wyn Edwards, who finished with 11 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Eighth-grader Brooklyn Wilkin added nine points, knocking down two three-pointers to account for much of Kettle Falls’ perimeter scoring. The Bulldogs trailed 22-14 at halftime and remained within striking distance entering the fourth quarter before being held to just two points in the final frame. Kettle Falls shot 7-for-48 from the field and committed 16 turnovers, but limited Newport to just 34 points, holding the Grizzlies to two points in the fourth quarter as well. The Bulldogs’ contest against defending state champion Northwest Christian t saw their opponents jump to a 24-2 first-quarter lead. Edwards led all Bulldogs with 15 points, including two three-pointers. Earlier in the week, Kettle Falls traveled to play at Tonasket, where the Tigers pulled out a 45-36 win. The Bulldogs remained within reach throughout the game, but were unable to generate enough offense down the stretch. The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Davenport on Tuesday, Dec. 16; game results were not available at press time. The team is scheduled to host Reardan on Friday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m., followed by a trip to Omak Saturday, Dec. 20, for a game at 2:30 p.m. Previous Article Next Article LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

Kash Beckett Youngblood-Munsen — a community announcement published by the Statesman-Examiner serving Colville and Stevens County. LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES Births Kash Beckett Youngblood-Munsen Kash Beckett Youngblood-Munsen was born on Jan. 1, 2026, to parents Kaitlyn and Colton Youngblood-Munsen of Loon Lake, Wash. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces at birth, and has one brother, Calvin, age 2, and one sister, Emerie, age 1. His maternal grandparents are Carrie and Bobby Compton of Spokane, Wash. His paternal grandparents are Jeremy and Sommer Munsen of Cusick, Wash. Previous Next LOCAL NEWS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SPORTS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FARM & RANCH GREAT OUTDOORS PROFILES OUT OF THE PAST LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS EVENTS CALENDAR OBITUARIES

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