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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 203 |
| 1915 | 261 |
| 1916 | 279 |
| 1917 | 236 |
| 1918 | 35 |
1,014 stories
- The Price of Loyalty in Kennewick
Mayor Sherk forms a Vigilance Corps to monitor local residents for signs of 'disloyalty' toward the U.S. war effort.
- Lutheran Church Defies Vigilance Corps Over German Schooling
Citing constitutional religious liberty, the Bethlehem Lutheran congregation refuses to shutter their school during World War I nationalist fervor.
- A Four-Vote Swing Turns an Election
An official canvass overturns a preliminary count, leaving County Commissioner J.B. Clements as the Democratic nominee by the thinnest of margins.
- The Columbia River Finally Opens to Navigation
Steamers Teal and Empire meet in the new waterway basin, signaling a new era for Kennewick trade.
- Tribal Fishing Rights Upheld in Court
Federal officials successfully defend Indian fishing rights in a legal skirmish against the state game warden.
- The Taxing of the Gypsies
A local attorney critiques the county assessor's aggressive collection of taxes from an encampment of travelers.
- The Indignation at the Oiled Road
Citizens hold an 'indignation meeting' to condemn the poor state of the road between Finley and Kennewick and the officials responsible for its maintenance.
- The Yakima River’s Winter Rampage
Ice jams cause the Yakima River to rise eight feet in hours, devastating local sheep flocks and prompting emergency concern.
- A Murder Case Cleared in Hours: Peter Brickley Sentenced to Life
In a swift Prosser court session, Brickley was tried and sentenced for the June killing of Charles Rasmussen, while other defendants pleaded or were acquitted.
- The Stockyards That Were Really About Raising the Value of Sand and Sagebrush
When Pasco promoters pushed stockyards at Ainsworth, Kennewick’s editor saw a railroad, a packer and owners of “practically worthless” land getting a public subsidy. He wanted no part of it.
- A Gasser, a Picnic, and a Promise: Kennewick Bets on Oil and Gas
Drillers pause to case off 400 feet of water, 85 people picnic at the well, and a Yakima promoter promises a franchise — and maybe oil — by summer.
- The Courthouse Contract Benton County Couldn't Swallow
Commissioners Clements and McNeill let a courthouse contract and issued a warrant without advertising for bids. A judge said they were within the law; the Courier-Reporter said the taxpayers would remember.
- The World at War, Felt in Kennewick
As Europe descends into the First World War, Kennewick residents with roots in Germany, Belgium, and Britain watch the news with growing anxiety and divided loyalties.
- A Close Call in the Cleaning Room
A gasoline explosion at a Kennewick dry-cleaning shop reminds residents of the dangers lurking in their businesses.
- The Lonely End of a Prosser Pioneer
A man claiming to be the first postmaster of Prosser passes away in a rural shack, leaving behind only questions about his past and his family.
- A Daring Jailbreak in Prosser
A robbery suspect awaiting trial in Kennewick makes a brazen roof-top escape from the Prosser jail while ostensibly doing his laundry.
- Reckless Cowboys Cause Carriage Wreck
A family carriage is overturned near the Columbia River after being set upon by a group of rowdy horsemen.
- The Blight That Swept the Highlands
As pear trees wither overnight, local orchardists warn that only immediate, coordinated action can save the region's agricultural heart.
- Kennewick’s Saloon Keepers Pivot to Soft Drinks
As Washington State approaches prohibition in 1916, local bar owners prepare to trade spirits for sodas, card tables, and light lunches.
- Strawberry Growers Demand Outside Leadership
Kennewick berry farmers reject local management, insisting on professional oversight from outside the region to stabilize the market.
- The Battle for the Strawberry Market
Kennewick strawberry growers attempt to end internal price-cutting by forming a unified marketing union.
- The Day the Wind Blew the Farm Away
A survey reveals that a five-acre plot of land near Finley has literally blown away, leaving only a fraction of an acre behind.
- The Town That Forgot to Define Its Borders
A paperwork blunder in Kennewick’s precinct boundaries leaves residents of three major additions accidentally disenfranchised, forcing a two-month delay for harbor elections.
- A Near-Fatal Jolt at the Haystack
A routine day of farm repairs turned into a brush with death when a derrick cable made contact with a power line near Finley.
- The Rules of the Road Come to Kennewick
As automobiles begin to dominate the streets, City Hall codifies the right of way, speed limits, and the requirement for headlights and mufflers.