COLUMN: The military oath

So we all know from the get-go, the oath of enlistment is the same across all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is codified in 10 U.S.C. §502. “I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Students stacking up

Ephrata Lego robotics teams share presentations with school board

EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District board room was packed Wednesday night with people standing off to the side after all the seats filled, just to get a glimpse of the presentations. Children sang, shared their science projects and captured the attention of the school board.

Moses Lake considering new shopping cart, sidewalk ordinance

MOSES LAKE — Revisions to Moses Lake’s ordinance for the use of public sidewalks and a new ordinance governing shopping carts taken from businesses will be voted on at the July 22 Moses Lake City Council meeting. Council members reviewed the proposed ordinances during the July 8 meeting, and council member Don Myers suggested a change to the proposed shopping cart ordinance. “I was looking at Federal Way, and they had a (provision) in there that waived the fee for shopping cart retrieval if (the business) had security measures in place for shopping carts,” Myers said.

Quincy Jacks host junior basketball camp

QUINCY – The Quincy Lady Jacks Basketball team will be hosting a Jr Jacks basketball camp July 28 and 29. The camp will be open to both boys and girls in third through eighth grade. “Me and our (head coach) Johan Farias, we are just trying to get a camp together for the community,” said Lady Jacks assistant basketball coach Gonzalo Guerrero. “We haven’t had a high school camp out here in a while and this is our first year taking over the program.

Minions, sharks and superheroes take over downtown Ephrata

EPHRATA – Every October, the charming town of Ephrata transforms into a whimsical wonderland, drawing in hundreds of families for the annual Trick or Treat event. The quaint downtown area, lined with vibrant autumn leaves, becomes a bustling hub of excitement as children dressed as superheroes, princesses, and various creatures roam the streets with wide-eyed wonder.

Work continuing on new Othello animal shelter

OTHELLO — Othello city officials will be advertising for bids for the new municipal animal shelter. “It’s still in development,” said Othello Mayor Shawn Logan Tuesday.

MLSD welcomes three new 2026 buses

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District recently expanded its transportation fleet with the addition of three brand new vehicles, poised to improve both student safety and daily commuting experiences, according to the Transportation Director of Operations Aimee Cook. “I just love seeing new buses out there on the road. They’re shiny, and I like the community seeing that,” Cook said.

Ephrata Schools EP&O levy passing in initial results

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District Board of Directors voted in favor of asking district voters to approve an educational programs and operations levy on Nov. 25 of last year and initial results from Tuesday evening show the measure to be passing. “We are incredibly grateful that initial election results indicate the Ephrata community continues to support our students and staff,” said Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray.

Rental market slowly loosening in Grant County

MOSES LAKE — The rental market in Grant County is slowly thawing as more inventory comes into the market.

George Library resource fair successful

GEORGE — The first Resource Fair held at the George Library was a success, said Librarian Jeana Rushton.

Soap Lake chlorinating water as precautionary measure

SOAP LAKE — The City of Soap Lake has announced that it will implement a temporary chlorination process for its drinking water supply after routine monitoring detected the presence of coliform bacteria in the city’s reservoirs. This emergency disinfection is scheduled to begin Friday, and aims to ensure the continued safety of the water for residents. “We’re doing our yearly inspection, and it showed a sign of coliform bacteria,” Mayor Peter Sharp said. “This is standard procedure to ensure public health and safety.

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.

U.S. Army parade draws crowd

WASHINGTON D.C. - About 6,600 soldiers marched in a parade celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday Saturday on what is not only the Army’s birthday, but President Donald Trump’s as well.

Huskies women's golf adds assistant coach

SEATTLE – Michelle Duan, a former assistant at Seattle University and collegiate golfer herself, has joined the Washington women's golf coaching staff, head coach Anna Temple announced Monday. “Michelle will be a wonderful addition to our program,” Temple said. “She has had a unique start to her coaching career, working with both the women's and men's teams at Seattle University, and will bring great insight with her to Montlake. She is passionate about the game of golf, building great relationships with our student-athletes, and through her hard work and dedication, she will help us get better each and every day.”

Property purchased for new Grant County Morgue

MOSES LAKE — Construction on a new Grant County morgue is scheduled to start this fall. County officials interviewed possible contractors Aug. 14, with the selection announced in late August or early September. “We would expect to make a decision on a general contractor pretty rapidly,” said Tom Gaines, Grant County Central Services director.

Auditor investigating finances at East Adams Rural Hospital

RITZVILLE — The Washington Auditor’s Office is investigating allegations of financial irregularities at East Adams Rural Healthcare in Ritzville. “We have an active investigation of the hospital district,” Adam Wilson, WSAO assistant director of communications, wrote in response to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald. “We are in the final stages of writing the report and expect to publish it in September. However, we are aware of new issues in the district that may require further investigation.”

Lady Jacks to hold soccer tryouts

QUINCY – The Quincy High School Lady Jackrabbits soccer team will be holding tryouts Aug. 25 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the high school soccer field. “Looking at the big idea, I just want as many girls to play as much as possible,” said Jacks head coach Jesse Villalobos.

Teens discuss Constitution in American Legion event

EPHRATA — Sixteen Washington students demonstrated their speaking skills March 29, according to an announcement from American Legion Art Semro Post 28 in Ephrata.

Grant PUD places limits on electrical demand from data centers

EPHRATA — Limits will be implemented on the growth of demand from data centers that get their power from the Grant County Public Utility District. Load growth limits may be applied to other large industrial customers, depending on how much power they’re requesting.

Funding a challenge for some Adams Co. projects

RITZVILLE — The second phase of a project to upgrade Schoonover Road that Adams County officials thought had received federal funding may not be getting it after all. A rules revision that allowed four bridges over the East Low Canal to qualify for complete federal funding also may have been eliminated.