Basin schools prepare for summer meals

COLUMBIA BASIN — Schools around the Columbia Basin will have food service programs available at no charge for children 18 years of age and younger over the course of the summer. Ephrata “We are going to be offering both congregate meals and non-congregate meals,” said Alain Black, Ephrata School District’s food services director. “One of our schools will have congregate meals where children have to eat on-site.” The on-site meals will be available at Grant Elementary with breakfast served from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There will also be a grab-and-go meal option which will be distributed in a drive-thru line at Ephrata Middle School from noon to 1 p.m. Both sites will be open Monday-Thursday from June 16 to July 24. The program will be closed for distribution on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth, but grab-and-go boxes for that day will be available for pickup on June 18.

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."

Boys & Girls Club to offer free summer meals

MOSES LAKE — The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin will be offering breakfast and lunch for children again this summer. And this time, they’re offering it in more places. “We’re doubling our location sites,” said Cecily Hendricks, director of operations for the club. Breakfast and lunch will be served at the McGraw Clubhouse and North and Midway elementary schools, according to an announcement from the club. Lunch only will be served at Lakeview, Maple Grove and Doolittle parks. They’re free to any child 2-18 years old; there’s no need to be a Club member, the announcement said. Parents can pick up meals for their children by filling out a form. Because Moses Lake qualifies as rural, the meals don’t have to be eaten onsite.

Teen survives high-speed chase Othello vehicle theft

OTHELLO – A 14-year-old boy was involved in a high-speed pursuit Sunday, following the theft of a vehicle in Othello, according to a statement from the Othello Police Department.

Senators seek to restore $1 billion for meals at schools, elsewhere

(The Center Square) - U.S. senators from California and Nevada joined their Democratic colleagues to call on Trump and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate a reported $1 billion for meals provided by schools and others.

WA student summer food program open for applications

OLYMPIA – This summer, approximately 620,000 children across Washington will benefit from SUN Bucks, a program designed to help families purchase food when school is not in session. The initiative, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program is aimed at providing nutritional support during the summer months.

Gentle giant with a kind heart

MOSES LAKE – Don't let this pup's size fool you, he’s actually a gentle and loving dog with a kind heart. He has early-onset cataracts, but he still navigates the world with grace and charm. He also has a sensitive stomach that requires a special diet, but he is eternally grateful for a good meal. He loves hanging out with children and showering them with affection. His calm and patient demeanor makes him the perfect pet for families. If Lincoln seems like a good fit for your family, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and fill out his application. If you can’t adopt right now but would like to help a local animal shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Busy hands: Small core of volunteers keeps Gritman Senior Center serving Ritzville

RITZVILLE — A senior center is sort of like a grocery store or a bank: every town should have one. Big cities have extensive ones, and little towns like Ritzville, well, they plug along through lots of work from volunteers.

Nonprofit of the day: Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin

MOSES LAKE - The Boys & Girls Club provides a safe, fun place and meals for children after school and during the summer both at the main clubhouse and at schools throughout Moses Lake. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin 425 N Paxson Drive, Moses Lake 509-764-9694 www.bngclub.org

Bonnie Corinne Bennett

November 12, 1939 – March 3, 2025

Bonnie Corinne Bennett, 85, a longtime Ephrata resident, passed away at Summer Wood Alzheimer's Special Care facility in Moses Lake, Washington on Monday March 3, 2025. She will be missed by all who loved her. She was born in Great Falls, Montana on Nov. 12, 1939, to Fred Auren Hatt and Berth Viola (Bailey) Hatt. Mrs. Bennett was a home maker, worked in the chore service with the elderly, providing care, meals, and getting them to and from appointments. Mrs. Bennett and her husband were married Aug. 25, 1965, in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to Ephrata, Washington in 1974 to be closer to family.

Boys & Girls Clubs honored with Turnip the Beet! Award

MOSES LAKE — The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin has brought home yet another prize, having received the Turnip the Beet! For 2024. “This is one I’ve been working toward for the last three years since I started, so I was really excited,” said the club’s Operations Director Cecily Hendricks. “(We’ve been) revamping our food program and it’s taken some time but I feel like we’re finally there.”

Della Mae Dykes

Dec. 31, 1925 — May 13, 2025

Della Mae Dykes departed from this life on May 13, 2025, in Richland, Washington. Della was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on Dec. 31, 1925, to Marzetta (Carter) and Floyd Peery. Della was a child of God and faithfully attended the Royal Baptist Church. Della’s love for her family, friends and God is what kept her active and engaging for 99 years. Della had many friendships that lasted over 60-plus years. While her friendships were a blessing, her favorite role was Mom and Grandma. Mom’s passion was cooking and baking for her family and friends. Mom didn’t just serve a meal; she presented a feast that was stirred up with her love.

Emotional space

Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation unveils new, larger building

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation finally has some breathing room. “We were really shoved into a little box,” said Community Relations Coordinator Amanda Carpenter. “We made it work, and it was great for the time we had it, but this space works so much better for us. It’s a lot more comfortable for our clients and comfortable for us. We’re not climbing on top of each other now.” The foundation unveiled its new office at 1022 S. Pioneer Way Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting for the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce and burgers sizzling on a grill outside. The occasion was also the foundation’s annual Celebrate Life event to honor cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. The new facility has something the foundation has long dreamed of, a family room where patients, caregivers and families can have some privacy as they deal with the emotional cyclone that comes with cancer.

Soap Lake passes six-year transpo plan

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake City Council unanimously passed its six-year transportation improvement program for the Washington State Department of Transportation. There are 10 projects planned for the next six years.

Tricia Lubach named WSSDA director

OLYMPIA — Quincy School Board Member Tricia Lubach was offered the position of executive director of the Washington State School Directors’ Association July 23, following a unanimous vote by the WSSDA Board of Directors, according to an announcement from the WSSDA. “We’re thrilled to be hiring one of our own,” WSSDA President Sandy Hayes, of the Northshore School District, wrote in the announcement. “Tricia comes to us with decades of experience as a school board member and a WSSDA staff member. Because of her background, she is well equipped to take the position and hit the ground running.” Over 30 people applied for WSSDA’s executive director position, according to the announcement. The executive search firm KEES assisted the WSSDA Board with arriving at four finalists. Of those, two were offered an in-person interview at the WSSDA office with the board and WSSDA staff. The next day, the board delivered its decision.

Youth spotlight: Quincy students turn raw materials into legacy for Quincy hospital

QUINCY — The old Quincy Valley Medical Center had a few trees next to the parking lot, including three pine trees planted in – well, back in the day, not long after the hospital was built in the late 1950s. The way the new hospital had to fit on the lot meant they were in the way, and they had to come down. That led to an opportunity for the Quincy High School advanced construction class. Career and technical education is a focus at QHS, with a lot of different classes and opportunities, from firefighting to agriculture to certified nursing assistant training. Advanced construction teacher Nick Heuker said Tom Richardson, QVMC director of information services, contacted QHS to see if there might be a use for the wood from those pine trees.

Quincy Senior Center offers good food, good fun

QUINCY — It’s 12:30 p.m. and Chef Travis Wells is hand-rolling dough for homemade buns to go with French dip sandwiches while the beef waits to be roasted. No, it’s not a high-end restaurant; the sandwiches will be served at the Quincy Senior Center and dinner will be less than $15 per person.

CAA to host bowling fundraiser

MOSES LAKE – Community Athletics and Activities will be hosting a fundraiser at Lake Bowl in Moses Lake on August 9, the organization’s second fundraising event in a two-week span.

‘Our shelves are really empty’

Ephrata Food Bank in need of donations

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Food Bank, a resource for families in the Ephrata community, is currently facing significant challenges due to dwindling supplies, but increased demand, Director Phyllis Fuglie said. Since moving to its current location in 2003, the food bank has served as a lifeline for many residents struggling with food insecurities. Prior to the current building the food bank operated out of the Ephrata Recreation Center. According to volunteers, the need for assistance has only intensified in recent months as food sources have diminished.

Angelique Marie Beringer-Spangler

Jan. 12, 1955 - June 7, 2025

In Loving Memory of Angelique Marie Beringer-Spangler Angelique Marie Beringer-Spangler, age 70, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2025, at Samaritan Hospital in the presence of her loved ones.