Phone scammers still prevalent, but can be stopped

EPHRATA – Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said his staff received at least six calls on June 5 alone from area residents saying someone had called posing as a deputy and demanding they deposit money into an account to avoid being arrested. Those calls, he said, are scams.

Legals for June, 17 2024

STUDIO BASIN: Sheriff Joey Kriete on summer safety and sports awards

MOSES LAKE – In this episode of the STUDIO BASIN Podcast, Managing Editor R. Hans "Rob" Miller sits down with Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete to talk about summer safety. Kriete went over factors contributing to increased dangers during the summer and education efforts GCSO has in place to help keep area residents safe.

10th Annual Senior Picnic brings the color, conversation and fun

MOSES LAKE — The annual Senior Picnic has become something of a tradition for Bryce Newcomb and his wife Nancy Newcomb. There’s always a photo booth, and attendees are encouraged to stop by and pose for a picture. “We’ve been to many (senior picnics), and we always do that,” Bryce Newcomb said. “And every one is on display at the house.”

Royal’s Scroggins receives High School Broyles Award

ROYAL CITY – Royal Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Scroggins received the High School Broyles Award for Washington, the Washington State Football Coaches Association announced on social media last week.

ROAD REPORT: Both lanes of Vantage Bridge will be open through summer

MOSES LAKE — State Route 17 repaving project through Moses Lake is in the homestretch. Crews were working at the intersection of SR 17 and Wheeler Road Wednesday night. The project involves removing the top two to three inches of asphalt and replacing them with new asphalt, as well as repaving bridges, the Stratford Road overpass and its onramps and offramps. The road has been repaved from the bridge at I-90 to the intersection with South Pioneer Way, and now crews are working north to the intersection of Patton Boulevard.

Boys & Girls Club begins serving summer meals

MOSES LAKE — The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin will begin offering breakfast and lunch to local children today through the Summer Meal Program.

FIRE REPORT: Pioneer, Cold Creek fires increase

MOSES LAKE — The Pioneer Fire on the shore of Lake Chelan about 30 miles northwest of Wenatchee had almost tripled in size Thursday, swelling from 600 acres to 1,756 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The cause of the fire was still undetermined. The estimated cost of suppressing the fire was $10 million.

Coumbia Basin events calendar for June 14 – 21

Coumbia Basin events calendar for June 14 – 21

Law enforcement logs for June 14, 2024

Ephrata Police Department, Moses Lake Police Department, Grant County Jail

Legals for June, 14 2024

Judy Kay Dykes

Jan. 19, 1953 – June 10, 2024

On Monday, June 10, 2024, Judy Kay Dykes, loving wife and mother of three, passed away at age 71. Judy was born on January 19th, 1953, to Arthur Briggs and Marjorie Church. Judy grew up in a big family being one of fourteen children and while there was not a lot to go around financially, there was always a lot of love. Love is something that defines Judy to the core. She loved unconditionally and in her final days, she was surrounded by people who loved her.

‘Old Ephrata’ spirit

Live music, family fun highlights of Sage-N-Sun 2024

EPHRATA – The annual Sage-N-Sun festival for 2024 featured a lot of music, a lot of food and a lot of people enjoying an outing on the Grant County Courthouse lawn Thursday, Friday and Saturday. “I was just very excited that we had such good music,” Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Board President Jenni Bates said after the event.

Fire report: New blaze flares up on Hanford Reservation

MOSES LAKE — A wildfire kindled suddenly Wednesday morning on the Hanford Reservation, and was estimated at 150 acres at a little after 2 p.m., according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Legals for June, 13 2024

AG's office launches 24/7 confidential youth reporting system

(The Center Square) – The Washington Attorney General’s Office has launched a 24/7 confidential youth reporting system in which young state residents under 25 years old can reach out to regarding a variety of issues, including mental health and physical safety. Speaking at a Tuesday press conference, Attorney General Bob Ferguson described HearMeWa as "a first-of-its-kind statewide reporting system exclusively focused on the safety and well-being of young people.”

UW president to step down next year

SEATTLE — Ana Mari Cauce, who has served as president of the University of Washington for a decade, announced Wednesday that she’ll be stepping down at the end of her second five-year term in June 2025. She plans to return to her faculty position. “Throughout her tenure, President Cauce has been a skilled relationship-builder, a champion for student success, and a strong advocate for the importance of public universities like the University of Washington,” said Ken Denman, UW Foundation Board chair. Cauce, the 33rd president in the university’s history, is the first woman, first Latina and first openly-gay person to serve as president.

Major drought for Yakima Basin growers means paying more for irrigation water

(The Center Square) — A dismal snowpack for Washington this past winter spells a bleak water picture for much of the state. That has the Washington Department of Ecology declaring a new drought declaration. The Yakima Basin is in bad shape with a water supply forecast at 47% according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. That’s the lowest since 2015. Emily Tasaka is the Central Region Communications Manager for the Department of Ecology. “The reason that this was declared was because of snowpack, which was very very low this season,” Tasaka told The Center Square. “For junior water-rights holders, that is serious and this is going to impact them a lot this irrigation season.”

Funds allocated, possible sites identified for new GC Animal Outreach shelter

MOSES LAKE —There definitely is funding – and some tentative ideas about a design and location – for a new animal shelter to be operated by Grant County Animal Outreach. Animal Outreach board president Sara Thompson Tweedy said the project was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Paul Lauzier Foundation earlier this month, which will be paid over time, to buy new indoor-outdoor kennels for the facility when it’s built. The Moses Lake City Council voted May 14 to award $1 million from the city’s American Rescue Plan funding to the project, with the provision that the city would have space in the facility for 20 years. The Grant County Commissioners also are considering awarding $1 million in ARPA funding to the project. The GCAO board has a tentative design that would provide about 3,800 square feet of climate-controlled space for dogs and cats. Dogs would have kennels with outdoor access, with a separate room for cats.

Joyce Ninnemann

May 27, 1941 – May 23, 2024

Joyce Ninnemann, 82, our loving mother, matriarch, mentor and force of nature has passed from this world to be with her beloved husband, Jerry, in Heaven. Joyce passed on May 23, 2024. Joyce was born in Yakima, Washington on May 27, 1941, to Ellen Sheets and Lloyd Wise. Depending on who you ask, she was either born moments before or after her twin sister Janice.