Narcan vending machine has long path to installation, cancellation

MOSES LAKE – North Central Washington Libraries staff said they were surprised by Moses Lake City Council’s actions requiring the removal of the Narcan vending machine from the Moses Lake Public Library in late March. NCW Deputy Director for Public Services Kim Neher said the machine being installed wasn’t an initiative spearheaded by the library district, but rather something the city had approached them about.

Olivia P. Agbisit

Olivia P. Agbisit, wife, mother, sister and grandma, passed away peacefully at home. She loved life, cooking, sewing, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She loved decorating, peacock feathers, fishing and her hats. She grew up in Moses Lake and ran the household like a well-oiled machine. Her ingenuity never ceased to amaze us. She helped raise many of her younger siblings and made friends wherever she went. She was preceded in death by her parents Torivio and Marta Valdez, various brothers and sisters and other family members. She is survived by her husband Marion; her children Marion Jr., Adam, Rachel, Divina and Renee; grandchildren Nicholas, Karina, Jonathan, Kaylee, Melina, Gabby and Rosalie; and several more brothers, sisters, cousins, and other family members who will miss her vibrant smile and laugh. Services will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church at 10 a.m. on July 29, 2025.

United Way helps Ephrata schools enhance meal program

EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District has recently transformed its Summer Meal Program, thanks to a $30,000 donation from the United Way of King County. This funding facilitated the procurement of an Oliver Speedseal MX2-1908E Tray Sealer, which has proven instrumental in improving meal preparation and distribution for the district's summer food service efforts. "Without this machine, it would take two staff members about 90 minutes to package 100 summer meals," said Alain Black, Director of Food Services for Ephrata School District. "Now those two staff members can prepare up to 170 meals in under an hour. That’s a huge difference, especially when demand is growing each week."

Upcoming community meeting for Ephrata schools

EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District is hosting two upcoming meetings to allow the community to ask questions and engage with district officials on the schools and the proposed $75 million bond. “Our schools are the heart of Ephrata,” Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray wrote in a statement. “This bond will secure the next 40 years of our community’s K-8 schools and set up Ephrata High School for the next phase of improvements. It would allow us to replace outdated buildings, strengthen safety and create learning environments that support students now and for decades to come.”

Narcan machine removed from Moses Lake library

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Library will no longer have a Narcan vending machine within the building. “We didn't decide to move the machine,” North Central Washington Libraries Communications and Community Engagement Manager Amanda Brack said. “It's not our machine. We were partnering with Thriving Together NCW by providing space for the machine and the library and Thriving Together NCW is relocating it, and we fully support what they're doing in our state.”

EPHRATA MAYOR: Oliver vs. Reim

EPHRATA – Two candidates are running for the job of Ephrata Mayor, Steve Oliver and incumbent Bruce Reim. Both were sent identical questions, with a 150-word limit.

Wenatchee Valley College receives $130,000 for workforce development

WENATCHEE – Wenatchee Valley College has secured $130,000 in workforce development funds from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The funding, going to just 12 colleges, is part of a broader initiative to bolster local economic growth and meet industry demands, according to WVC. In its recent announcement, the SBCTC emphasized the importance of these funds, stating they are designed "to help industry thrive and expand in Washington state while continuing to support the development of a skilled workforce." The funds are aimed at projects that adapt to the evolving needs of both industry and prospective students as well as to strengthen local workforce development efforts.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: The importance of learning spaces

What a weird time we live in. We have the greatest access to information since the dawn of time, but the double-edged sword of the internet is that we also have the greatest access to misinformation since the dawn of time.

Quick change

George hotel turns from Microtel to Holiday Inn Express overnight

GEORGE — The Holiday Inn Express in George appeared literally overnight. “On (April) 10 we closed the transaction and then at 7 p.m. IHG, which is the brand where Holiday Inn Express comes from, gave us the green light to open the hotel,” said General Manager Jed Jonathan. The hotel, which was built in 2020, had been a Wyndham Microtel up until then. It hadn’t been listed for sale, Jonathan said, but the owner had put out a few feelers. Jonathan owned several storage businesses under the name Dream Storage. When he became interested in branching out into the hospitality sector, Jonathan reached out to a number of hotel chains looking for a franchise, he said, and IHG was the first one that called him back. IHG put him in contact with A1 Hospitality in Tri-Cities, which owned about 20 hotels. Between then they created Dream A1 Hospitality, which is the official owner of the hotel.

Nearly 80,500 acres burning in WA on Monday

MOSES LAKE — Washington’s fire season is heating up with nearly 80,500 acres burning across the state as of Monday. “Part of the reason that you are seeing a lot of those large fires on the landscape is because we had several lightning storms that moved through during red flag conditions,” Department of Natural Resources Public Information Officer Ryan Rodruck said. Despite this, the fire season is still under the 10-year average of about 470,000 acres with the state sitting at around 122,300 acres this year.

Sleep Diagnostic Center physician pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud

Charges involve charging Apple Health for recalled, altered CPAP devices

BREWSTER — A Brewster physician who operates a sleep diagnostic clinic in Moses Lake and Wenatchee will be sentenced March 24 as part of a Wednesday plea deal on Medicaid fraud charges.

EHS weight room receives $72,000 upgrade

EPHRATA – The Ephrata High School weight room has undergone transformation, thanks to a $72,000 grant from the Paul Lauzier Foundation. Sixteen brand-new fitness equipment has been installed, expanding the school's facilities and providing students with an enhanced workout experience.

Columbia Basin Hospital reintroduces $30 million bond proposal

EPHRATA — Columbia Basin Hospital is once again submitting to the community a $30 million bond proposition aimed at expanding its facilities and services. The bond will go before voters in the November general election. The bond was rejected during the primary election, with around 46% of voters in favor. It aims to address pressing infrastructure needs and enhance health services within the community, according to Administrator Rosalinda Kibby. “We are a public hospital district which means that our only chance to fund a project this big. We can afford smaller projects like $10 million, $5 million or projects of that size. We just did the emergency department remodel for less than $5 million,” Kibby said. “But when it comes to adding a new building, that will need to be done with public help.”

Legals for December, 5 2025

Legals for August, 26 2025

GCSO to purchase new drug detection K-9

EPHRATA – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is currently in the process of purchasing a drug detection K-9 for use both inside the Grant County Jail and for deployment into the field. "The addition of a drug detection K-9 not only adds safety for inmates and jail employees but also helps improve the quality of professional service our corrections staff delivers to the community," said Phil Coats, Chief Deputy of Corrections in a statement from GCSO. "This enhancement will start at the existing jail and will move with us as we enter our new jail in 2026." The K-9 is being funded in part by settlement money received from Washington state lawsuits filed against three U.S. opioid-distribution companies for their role in the opioid epidemic. GCSO is investing nearly $28,000 to purchase the K-9, train it and its handler and provide opioid overdose-reversal kits.

Robot paints lines, saves time

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District has been using a “tiny robot” for around a year to paint the fields at Ephrata Middle School and Ephrata High School.

Legals for March, 17 2025

MLSD hosting bullying town hall today

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District is inviting community members to participate in a town hall meeting focused on addressing bullying and its prevention on Oct. 29. The event will take place at the Learning Services Center and is designed to foster open dialogue between district leadership and the community regarding harassment, intimidation and bullying.

60 years of community health center excellence

MOSES LAKE — This week is National Health Center Week, and the Moses Lake Community Health Center is celebrating.