‘No sad tears today’

Boys & Girls Club funded for the rest of the year

MOSES LAKE — “It’s happy tears,” Boys & Girls Club Director Kim Pope told a little girl who asked why she was crying. “No sad tears today.” Pope had to fight back tears several times at North Elementary School Wednesday morning, as she accepted a donation from Group14 and other local businesses that would keep the club afloat through the year.

Work scheduled for SR 26 this week

OTHELLO — Drivers should plan for delays along State Route 26 between Interstate 90 and Othello for about a week beginning Tuesday.

Weather for the week of July 15, 2024

Weather for the week of July 15, 2024

Most of WA remains in drought conditions

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology has announced that most of the state remains in a drought despite a wetter-than-average June. A drought was declared for most of the state in April.

FIRE REPORT: GCFD 7 knocks down fireworks fire

SOAP LAKE — Fireworks sparked a wildfire late Wednesday night, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 7. At about 11:10 p.m., firefighters were called to a vegetation fire at Road 19 and Division Road, according to the statement. There they found a fire spreading at a moderate rate through light, flashy fuels. The first arriving brush engine made an aggressive attack and the fire was contained to 3.12 acres. Crews remained on the scene until 3:30 a.m. mopping up.

Legals for July, 15 2024

Shruumz recalled products cause illness in Grant Co.

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District is urging people to avoid eating, serving or selling Diamond Shruumz products. “(The health district) is responding to a report of serious intoxication and hospitalization of a Grant County resident linked to consumption of these products,” according to a GCHD press release.

Crime mostly down in Grant and Adams, report says

EPHRATA — While crime went up in some individual categories in the unincorporated areas of Grant and Adams counties between 2022 and 2023, overall it was on a downward trend, according to information released Tuesday by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

River Dogs to host River Dog Memorial Tournament this weekend

MOSES LAKE – Local baseball fans can make the trip to Big Bend Community College to watch the River Dog Memorial 19U Tournament this weekend, featuring the AAA 18U Columbia Basin River Dogs and four other teams from across the state and into Canada.

14U Rage take second at Fun in the Sun tournament

KENT – The 14U Washington Rage took home second place from last weekend’s USSSA Fun in the Sun tournament in Kent, winning the first two games of bracket play to reach the championship game. Last weekend’s tournament followed a month-long recess from games for the team, who still practiced during their time off.

Local styling

Restyle Home Staging & Design owner looks at elevating home visions

MOSES LAKE — DeeDee Clune is looking to make sure locals have their homes set up in a way that works for them and wants homebuyers to see what living in the homes they shop for might look like. That’s the point of being an interior designer, and why she operates Restyle Home Staging & Design.

Bridging the digital divide

NCW Tech Alliance works to ensure access to digital opportunities

MOSES LAKE – In today’s digital world where farmers use GPS systems to operate combines, artificial intelligence runs machines to sort apples by grade and banking and health care are both accessed online, digital access matters, said Sue Kane, CEO of NCW Tech Alliance. Bridging the gap between tech and people is vital for quality of life and economic growth, she said.

Ephrata intersection closed Tuesday for bridge work

EPHRATA — Drivers should plan alternate routes to get in and out of downtown Ephrata next Tuesday as Washington Department of Transportation crews work on the bridge over the railroad tracks at the intersection of state Route 282 and state Route 28.

WA to spend $150M in CCA money on energy rebates

(The Center Square) – Washington state plans to spend approximately $150 million of taxpayer dollars generated from the Climate Commitment Act to issue residential energy rebates two months before voters decide whether to repeal the CCA.

Disappearing America

Exhibit at Moses Lake Museum brings rural relics to life

MOSES LAKE — Artist Deon Matzen will make an appearance at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Friday to open her new exhibit. “My theme for this show … is “Vanishing Rural America,” Matzen said from her home on Whidbey Island. “I work on old barns that are falling down – the old-style barns, not the contemporary metal loafing shed-style barn – Trucks, barns, any kind of old detritus. Most of what you’ll see is that, although there are a number of wildlife paintings too. I call them ‘varmint paintings.’” The exhibit will kick off with a reception at 4 p.m. Friday where patrons can meet Matzen and nibble on refreshments while checking out the artwork.

Sasquatch expert to speak at library

KENNEWICK — Mid-Columbia Libraries will host a two-day lecture series entitled “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science” Friday and Saturday at the Kennewick Public Library, according to an announcement from the library. Dr. Jeff Meldrum, a professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University, will discuss the work of various experts on the evidence for a large, undiscovered North American primate and analyze the scientific arguments for and against its existence, according to the announcement. Meldrum delves into the creature's history and invites individuals interested in human evolution to form their own conclusions. On Friday, July 12 Meldrum will present “The Patterson-Gimlin Film 50+ Years Later” at 7 p.m., looking at the famous 1967 film footage that purported to show Bigfoot walking in northern California. The makers, Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin, always maintained that the footage was genuine, but many experts have dismissed the film as a hoax. There will be a meet-and-greet starting at 4:30 p.m. before the lecture.

Law enforcement logs for July 12, 2024

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Ephrata PD July 3 Report of a suspicious bag of clothing left in the early morning hours in the 100 block of Basin Street Northwest. Clothes were removed from the property.

FIRE REPORT: More than 100 human-caused fires in the Northwest so far this summer

PORTLAND, Ore. — Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington, according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service. While firefighters have been largely successful in putting out these preventable fires, the extremely hot and dry conditions are significantly ramping up fire danger across the region. “We’re entering a very dangerous time period in the Pacific Northwest wildfire season,” Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest assistant fire director for operations, wrote in the statement. “Mother Nature turned on the oven for a week in local forests and now we’re preparing for the potential of dry lightning and gusty winds.” Local responders are closely tracking these deteriorating conditions where any new wildfire will have the potential to spread rapidly and burn intensely right from the start. And as firefighters respond to lightning-sparked fires a preventable, human-caused wildfire can limit the availability of needed engines, dozers, helicopters and other resources.

BASIN COMMUNITY CALENDAR JULY 12-18

Here are a few things to do to take your mind off the heat this coming week:

Legals for July, 12 2024