LETTER: Judges endorse Melissa Chlarson

We are both judges, and we collectively have in excess of 60 years of experience as lawyers and judges. Based on our years of experience, we have both reached the same conclusion, which is that Melissa Chlarson is the better choice for the Grant County Superior Court.

Melissa Anne Miller

Melissa Anne Miller of Ketchikan, Alaska, passed away Dec. 10, 2022, due to complications of a brain tumor. Her final days were spent surrounded by family and love. Melissa was born at Ketchikan General Hospital on June 6,1955, after a floatplane ride from Thorne Bay, Alaska, where she would spend her younger years with her mom Jane, her dad Verne and her brother and sister Mel and Michele. Melissa said it was a wonderful place to grow up. The family stayed in Thorne Bay until 1969, when the family moved to Edmonds, Washington, where she attended Woodway High School and graduated in 1973.

LETTER: Chlarson right choice for Superior Court

I have known Melissa Chlarson for over 30 years and I am proud to support her as our county’s next Superior Court judge. Melissa and I both grew up in the Columbia Basin and attended Moses Lake High School together. Years later we graduated from Gonzaga Law School and started our legal careers as young associate attorneys in the same law firm in Moses Lake.

ML to hold candidate forum

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a candidate forum and has invited all candidates running in contested local, district and statewide races, for Monday, Oct. 10, starting at 6 p.m. in the Moses Lake Civic Center. Invited to participate in the forum are: Grant County Sheriff candidates Joey Kriete and Joe Harris, Grant County Clerk candidates Kimberly Allen and Marla Rodunner, Grant County Commission candidates Jeff Foster and Cindy Carter, Superior Court Judge candidates Anna Gigliotti and Melissa Chlarson, Grant County Assessor candidates Melissa McKnight and James Liebrecht, Grant County Auditor candidates Michele Jaderlund and Richard Stevens, U.S. House of Representatives Fourth District candidates Dan Newhouse and Doug White, and U.S. Senate candidates Patty Murray and Tiffany Smiley. The forum is free and open to the public.

Tommy Joe Kaufmann

Tommy Joe Kaufmann, 81, passed on Dec. 23, 2022, of natural causes. Son of Cletus and Mamie Kaufmann of Lewiston, Idaho, he was fifth out of their 11 children. He was born into farming life along with his older siblings Dave, Cliff, Sis and Pat, and his younger siblings Ed, Chuck, Mike, Fred, Don and Mary. After serving as an army sergeant in Vietnam, Tommy (aka Tom) and his first wife Ruth were married in 1969 and settled in Othello, Washington where they farmed and raised four daughters: Jo, Melissa, Kristina and Jennifer. Tom's family tree eventually grew to include grandsons Logan and Kody, granddaughter Sydney, and great-grandson Parker (parents Kody and Haley). Later he gained four more step-grandchildren through his daughters' marriages: Shawn, Michael and Austin (Kristina and Rob Coombes) and Henry (Melissa and Dallas Johnson). Significant others also part of the family are Dan Murphy (Jo) and Ben Grendahl (Jenn).

LETTER: I’m just saying

When you are getting ready to mark your ballot for Superior Court judge, consider the following: Melissa Chlarson was born in Grant County, grew up in Grant County and, after graduating from Gonzaga Law School, has practiced law here in Grant County for the past 20 years, including eight-plus years on the bench as a court commissioner in both District and Superior court.

Pamela Cassiano Curnel

Pamela Cassiano Curnel, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family and friends after a private battle with pancreatic cancer. Pam was born June 16, 1952, to Joseph Sr. and Marylou Cassiano. She was one of five children. Pam graduated from Moses Lake High School in 1970 and attended Big Bend Community College and Central Washington University.

Lenora Wayson

Lenora Kay Wayson, 74, passed away March 9, 2023, at Samaritan Hospital. Lenora was born to Arthur Benjamin Crenshaw and Margaret Louise Gilbert Crenshaw on June 9, 1948, in Springfield, Illinois, and was soon adopted by Kenneth and Lenora Inez (Johnson) Montgomery of Kansas City, Kansas. She moved to the Moses Lake area as a teenager and attended school at Frontier. She married Martin Wayson and she became the proud mother of Corena Kay, Melissa Inez and Tanya Michelle. The family lived in Wheeler and Lenora worked many, many years at Carnation on the trim line. Lenora joins her sister, Norma Lee Raymond, in Heaven. She is survived by one sibling Robert Crenshaw, her three daughters, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Wanda Harrison

RIP: Aug. 8, 2022

Wanda Harrison, (87) Graduated to her heavenly home on August 8, 2022. Wanda was preceded by her husband Frank, daughter Christina, grandson Jerome and Her parents Nila and Russell Olels. She is survived by her brother, Archie Olels, children, Russ, Dee and Cami, grandchildren, Stacey, Rachel, Michael, Melissa, Mark, Christopher, Nicholas and Zachary, great- grandchildren, Skylar, Ashlynn, Shaylee, Braeden, Dallas, Peyton, Quinton, Chloe and Lyra. Wanda had an audacious love for children that she inherited from her parents. She taught for decades in the Moses Lake School District and Founded the Youth Senior Connection (YSC) program. She hosted Birthday Parties for Jesus in her home with neighborhood children and adopted many friends’ children as her own grandchildren.

Thomas Alvin Wallingford Jr.

Thomas Alvin Wallingford Jr., 54, of Moses Lake, Washington passed away July 21, 2022.

The Cardman

Ephrata hobby shop looks to welcome everyone in a safe, fun place

EPHRATA — While there have been – quite literally – stumbles along the way, The Cardman hobby shop is now open in Ephrata and Derran Donoghue and partner Melissa Craven are excited to be in Tiger country. “The first thing I want to do is, I want to make this for the community,” Donoghue said. “That’s what (now-closed Ephrata Sports Cards) brought to the community. We want to just basically take the torch from (that store) and build it for the younger (people in the area).” ...

Randy Eugene Witte

Randy Eugene Witte, 52, of Moses Lake, Washington, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. He was born in Chehalis, Washington on July 31, 1970, to Rock and Cindy Witte, and moved to Ephrata, Washington at 16 months old where he grew up to be an avid reader and lover of the arts, building pinewood derby cars in Boy Scouts, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and having sewer wars with his friends out on the farm. Randy graduated Ephrata High School where he was involved in drama.

John Manuel Cardona

John Manuel Cardona was called home in the early morning of Sept. 6, 2022, surrounded by his children after a short but hard-fought battle with cancer.

James Takayuki Nanto

March 6, 1939 – August 15, 2022

James T. Nanto, 83, and his wife Debbie died in a tragic house fire on Aug. 15, 2022. Jim was born in Hardin, Montana on March 6, 1939, the second son of Tom Kiyoshi and Frances Nobuko Nanto. He enjoyed life in rural Montana until the eighth grade, when he moved to Moses Lake, Washington, and graduated from Moses Lake High School. While in Moses Lake, Jim joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served in many positions, including bishop, high councilor and missionary in Brazil. He graduated from DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago and, after serving in the Air National Guard, worked there as a civilian until he retired. Jim’s home always was filled with music. He played the violin, taught orchestra, led choirs, gave private lessons and sang duets with Debbie. He left a legacy of music that continues through his descendants...

Comedy tour stops in Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE - The Del Red Pub in Soap Lake had some laughs and a touch of magic Friday night with a performance by the Jokers and Jester Comedy Tour. “There is no better feeling than performing for people in a small town,” said Jake Daniels. The Jokers and Jester Comedy Tour features four entertainers namely Daniels, Dan Ellison, Steve Mazan and Mark Gee, who travel across the United States to bring comedic entertainment to towns of all sizes but tends to focus on small towns...

Grant and Adams county tentative election results for Nov. 2022

The results below are not official until confirmed. Only opposed races are indicated. Additional election results will be provided as they are available. Counts below are as of 8:12 p.m. from the Washington Secretary of State’s office. Additional ballots may be outstanding and counted provided they were postmarked by Nov. 8, 2022...

Primary election results certified, recount possible in Grant County Commission race

EPHRATA — Terry Thompson, incumbent Adams County Commissioner, will be challenged by Mike Garza in the November general election. The race for Grant County Commissioner may be headed for a recount, at the request of one of the candidates and paid for by that candidate.

Lawrence Wayne Hembroff

Lawrence Wayne Hembroff passed away peacefully with family at his side on March 2, 2023, at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, due to an extended illness. Larry was born on June 27, 1936, on the family farm in North Dakota, to Walter and Delia Hembroff. He always had someone to get into mischief with, as he had 12 brothers and sisters. He served his country in the Army, as a paratrooper and an electronics technician. He came to Washington, where he continued his career-trade a journeyman electrician at the shipyards in Seattle. He retired after logging 50 years of service in the trade working for Boeing, J & M Electric and Grant County PUD. In his off-time, he enjoyed watching his kids participate in football, wrestling, bowling, track, band, and softball/baseball.

Building permits for Oct. 15 - Nov. 4

GRANT COUNTY - The permits below have been issued for unincorporated Grant County in accordance with local regulations and permitting processes.

Margaret Pauline Johnson

RIP: Aug. 4, 2022

Margaret preferred to be called Peggy. Peggy was preceded in death by her brother Ralph Olsen, her father Paul Olsen, her mother Lilian Olsen, and her sisters Dorothy Baer and Betty Blair, a granddaughter Nikki Cruz, and her late husband Jess W. Johnson. She is survived by her daughter Sharon Talkington, and her son Steve Johnson, Sharon's children Todd, Scott, and Shon Cooper. She is also survived by her great grandchildren: Amber and Devan Todd's children; Joshua and Bobby Cooper, and Angel, Charity, and James Clemens sons and daughters of Scott; Shon's daughter Kristen. Her great-great-grandchildren: Devan's son Finn; Joshua's children Lyla, Izzy, and Shelbie; Jayden Norton son of Charity; and a great-great-great-grandson Waylon who is Shelbie's son. Also, Steve's children Lexie Wilson, Jenni Sandman, and Thomas Renshaw. Grandchildren: Lexie's sons Trevor, Gavin, and Maveric; Jennie's sons Bryce, Grant and Dakota; and Nikki's sons Zryan and Zachery.