MLSD board determines no civil rights infringement

Lack of access to PE impacts campuses with minority populations more than others

MOSES LAKE – In the Feb. 20 meeting of the Moses Lake School Board, the issue of equity in physical education resurfaced, spurred by a civil rights complaint submitted by Larry Dagnon, a teacher at North Elementary which he presented at the previous Feb. 6 meeting.

Othello's Solorio crowned state champ in 215 bracket

OTHELLO – Anthony Solorio, a senior at Othello High School, achieved a lifelong dream over the weekend, capturing the state championship title in the boys 2A wrestling competition at 215 pounds with a record of 36-13.

Maverick swimmers break personal records at state

FEDERAL WAY — The Moses Lake High School boys swim team finished the state meet with a long list of personal records. The Mavs tied with Kentwood for 26th place with nine points. Luke Molitor was Moses Lake’s highest placer, finishing 14th in the 100-yard butterfly.

ICE arrests Othello woman, teen son left to run family food truck

OTHELLO —Eighteen-year-old Raul Gomez-Eudave woke up on a Saturday morning earlier this month to a flood of missed calls and text messages. When he unlocked his phone, his heart dropped.

Committee proposed to redesign state flag

OLYMPIA – Is Washington’s State flag a relic of days gone by and should it be redesigned? A bill in this year’s Legislature says the question is worth considering and proposes establishing a committee to explore the idea.

Wildcats headed to Westwood for rugby battle with No. 11 UCLA

ELLENSBURG – The number 10 ranked Central Washington University Wildcats rugby team, currently sitting at 2-2, will be headed to Westood, California this weekend for a pairing against UCLA in the team’s third away game for the season. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Wallis Annenberg Stadium.

Band formed out of loss comes home to Ephrata

EPHRATA — The boys – and girl – are back in town. The band Millergold, four of whose members graduated from Ephrata High School, will perform two shows in their hometown this weekend. The first show will be Friday evening at Ephrata High School’s Performing Arts Center, and the second will be Saturday at 12 Hawks Sports Bar & Grill. “We did Cabaret at (EHS) and really loved music,” said Nate Elliott, the band’s bass player and a 2015 EHS graduate. “We did choir, and then kind of went our separate ways for about 10 years.”

On the air

Ham radio operators celebrate George Washington’s birthday with global event

GEORGE — The first president of the United States was wished a happy birthday around the world over the weekend. “We contacted over 500 people all over the place,” said Brian Nielson, one of the organizers of the Columbia Basin DX Club’s ham radio event at the George Community Hall. Saturday would have been Washington’s 293rd birthday, and the club has held the event in George to mark the date for 20 years. Woody Jacobson was working the microphone Friday, chatting with ham radio enthusiasts up and down the West Coast. Beside him, Mike Wren looked up the call signs of the people who responded in an online database, so Jacobson could have a name and location to attach to the voice coming out of the speaker. Every so often Jacobson would push a button and play a recorded message into the microphone.

Sphinx Virtuosi to bring little-known music to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Some of the best classical music talent in the country will visit Moses Lake when Sphinx Virtuosi plays the Wallenstien Theater Saturday. “We are so pleased and honored to have them come to our small town stage,” said Shawn Cardwell, executive director of Columbia Basin Allied Arts, which is presenting the concert. “These guys are touring the nation right now, showcasing the artists that are part of the group, as well as the artists who wrote the music that they play.” The Sphinx Virtuosi is made up of 18 of the nation’s top Black and Hispanic artists selected to showcase classical music by historically ignored minority composers, according to the website of the Sphinx Organization. The Sphinx Virtuosi have performed with the New York Philharmonic, with symphony orchestras from all over the United States, and are a regular highlight at Carnegie Hall.

Legals for February, 26 2025

Taters take center stage in Olympia

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Potato Commission served about 1,600 baked potatoes last Tuesday. The commission sponsors the annual event and brings farmers, legislators and other stakeholders in the potato industry to Olympia to discuss the challenges and opportunities present in the potato industry.

48 Columbia Basin wrestlers place at Mat Classic

Five wrestlers bring home championship titles

TACOMA — Five Columbia Basin wrestlers came home with championships and three wrestling teams finished in the top three at Mat Classic XXXVI last weekend. Four Basin wrestlers finished second and nine finished third. The champions include Almira/Coulee-Hartline’s Noah Butler, at 215 pounds; Ephrata’s Adylene Sanchez, 155; Brock Tracy, Lind-Ritzville, 285; Othello’s Anthony Solorio at 215 and Alejandria Espindola of Othello, 235. The Othello Huskie girls team brought home a second-place trophy in Class 2A with 221.5 points. The Royal girls also finished second in Class 1B/2B/1A with 181.5 points. The Othello boys team secured third in Class 2A with 178.5 points.

FIRST RESPONDER FOCUS: Josh Bronn

Royal SRO brings a safe presence to school

ROYAL CITY — One thing most people can agree on is that schools shouldn’t be dangerous places, especially in a small town. But they can be, especially with undesirable elements in schools. “In typical school fights, you’d have a couple of kids fighting, and then everyone’s gathered around and they’re cheering them on,” said Royal City Police Officer Josh Bronn, who’s the school resource officer for the Royal School District. “But in these fights, the kids were wearing their gang attire. They dropped their backpacks and everyone else would leave. They scattered like ‘We don’t want to be involved in this.’”

Ferguson orders assessment of data center impacts

OLYMPIA— Earlier this month, Gov. Bob Ferguson signed an executive order to create a workgroup aimed at assessing the impacts of data centers on energy use, state tax revenue, and the environment. The order stemmed from concerns about the sustainability of data centers – large warehouses filled with stacked computers that power the modern internet – which consume significant amounts of energy putting a strain on Washington’s power grid. “We must ensure Washington remains a leader in technology and sustainability – these experts will help us do that,” Ferguson said in a public statement. “This group will help us balance industry growth, tax revenue needs, energy constraints, and sustainability.”

Lincoln Day Dinner draws big crowd

MOSES LAKE — Members and guests of the Grant County Republican Party gathered Saturday night to discuss the issues, network and fundraise at the annual Lincoln Day dinner. Andrew Koeppen, county chair, said the dinner was sold out. “Our preliminary numbers show this was another record year,” Koeppen said. The Lincoln Day Dinner is a longtime annual event for Republicans, and the 2025 dinner featured talks from William Kirk with Washington Gun Law and Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy), who represents the Ninth District in the Washington House of Representatives.

Bill to make school bond approval easier in Washington state gains momentum

(The Center Square) – Several people showed up at a Monday public hearing before the Senate Ways & Means Committee to offer their support for a bill that would amend the state constitution to allow for simple majorities to pass school bonds in Washington state. Senate Bill 5186 is a substitute bill to the original Senate Joint Resolution 8200, which would have allowed 55% of voters to authorize school district bonds. Sen. Deborah Krishnadasan, D-Gig Harbor, introduced the substitute bill modeled after House Bill 4201, which would require only that more than half of the votes cast be in favor of the bond request. The substitute bill was given a do-pass recommendation out of executive session on Feb. 13 by the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. Because SB 5186 would amend the state constitution, it requires a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Afterward, voters would have the final say this November.

Port adopts updated strategic plan

MOSES LAKE — Within five years Port of Moses Lake officials have set the goal of completing a rail line to the port and will be working to provide additional electricity to its tenants – or will already be providing it. The port will be operating its own water system and will have additional businesses in the property on its western edge. Those are among the goals in the five-year strategic plan, approved by port commissioners Monday. Commissioner Kent Jones said it’s a work in progress, building off the previous plan. And since it’s a plan, it’s subject to change. “Our thought process is that this is a plan of what we expect to do over the next five years,” Jones said. “It doesn’t tell us who’s going to do it or how it’s going to get done – and some of these are aspirational goals anyway.” Kim Detrolio, the port’s director of finance and administration, said port officials already are working on some of the projects, but more are planned. “it’s an expa

Proposed law could allow state agencies to decertify elected sheriffs

(The Center Square) – Voters typically expect higher standards from law enforcement, but one proposal to align expectations across different levels would also allow Washington state to decertify an elected sheriff and more. House Bill 1399 aims to standardize state laws regarding the eligibility and duties of sheriffs, police chiefs, marshals, and volunteers. While it seeks to align the expectations of each position, it also cuts any mention of the U.S. Constitution amid conflicts over federal immigration enforcement. If approved, sheriffs must enforce all state laws, be at least 25 years old, have two years of law enforcement experience, obtain certification within 12 months of assuming office, and pass the Criminal Justice Training Commission and Washington State Patrol background checks.

Legals for February, 25 2025

Bill proposes higher fees for Discover Pass

OLYMPIA – It will cost more to visit a state park next year, if a proposal in the state Legislature wins approval. Senate Bill 5390, proposed by Sen. Derek Stanford, R-Bothell, increases the cost of a Discover Pass from $30 to $45 and the day pass fee from $10 to $15. As an avid user of state parks, Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, the primary sponsor of the House version of the bill, said this increase was long overdue.