GCHD presents challenging but important work, officials say

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District has a lot of jobs and, said GCHD Administrator Theresa Adkinson, some of them are pretty difficult. “We have a hard job – I tell staff that all the time,” Adkinson said. “We do really hard things. We are part of really hard conversations. But we are also community members, and we too are invested in (the decisions). Everything that we put forward as a public health agency is impacting our own families and lives. We’re also living it.”

WA Legislature passes school safety bill

Unanimous vote in both houses moves Nikki Torres's bill to Ferguson's desk

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Legislature has passed Senate Bill 5004, aimed at modernizing emergency response systems in K-12 schools, in a unanimous vote of 98-0 by the House and 49-0 by the Senate. The bill focuses on implementing advanced safety measures, including panic or alert buttons, to improve response times during emergencies. The bill is now making its way to Governor Bob Ferguson for review.

Legals for March, 28 2025

Warden considers development agreement with Port of Warden

WARDEN — During a city council meeting Tuesday, the Warden City Council listened to a presentation regarding potential road developments that may facilitate an infrastructure project in partnership with the Port of Warden.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Focusing on firearm safety

If you’re like me, and many in the Pacific Northwest are, you grew up with not just one but several firearms in your home. You were taught to shoot, clean and be careful with your weapons. You didn’t touch a firearm without mom and dad knowing and you certainly knew to treat every gun as if it were loaded.

WA bill mandating clergy report abuse clears Senate floor

OLYMPIA – Rachel Fisher’s parents sang kingdom melodies the day she was born. The sound of religion followed Fisher growing up, where her evenings began with religious studies and ended with Bible dramas lulling her to sleep. Fisher, a fourth-generation Jehovah’s Witness and a survivor of child sexual assault, is an inactive member in her church. She traveled to Olympia to testify in support of a bill that would require clergy members to report child abuse they learn of while performing religious duties.

Referee shortage hits local fields

EPHRATA – Local communities have been feeling the impact of the nationwide officiating shortage which has had an impact on all sports. According to Bruce Shields, an officiant signer for Washington State, before COVID the area had over 100 umpires ready to officiate for baseball and as of last year that number had dropped down to 37.

‘We owe it to them’

New Hope copes with rising need and falling funding

MOSES LAKE — The need for New Hope’s and Kids Hope’s services is growing, but the money to fund them isn’t, according to Director Suzi Fode. “Overall … my program is looking at a 24% cut (in funding),” said Fode.

Respite from violence: New Hope shelter offers escape for domestic abuse victims

MOSES LAKE — More than 500 people find help at New Hope on an annual basis as they work to escape domestic violence situations and abusive relationships that can often feel like traps they’ve fallen into. Fear of the unknown, psychological challenges and fear of homelessness are all factors that can add to that feeling of being trapped.

WA gun bill could have major implications for Grant Co. Fair

OLYMPIA — A Washington State Senate bill to ban firearms in public areas where children may be present had its first hearing in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee Tuesday. More than 50 people were scheduled to testify regarding the bill during the committee meeting.

Local law enforcement responds to shooting at Hiawatha homeless camp

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Police Department responded to a call for gunshots fired, just past noon Friday at the Hiawatha Lake homeless camp, near the 1000 block of North Frontage Road East in unincorporated Moses Lake.

DV suspect arrested near Grand Coulee Wednesday

GRAND COULEE – On Wednesday, Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call on State Route 174 East regarding a domestic violence incident. “Deputies answer many domestic violence-related calls daily,” GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said. “This one escalated to a high level and required several deputies and other officers to help capture this suspect.”

Legals for March, 14 2025

MLHS softball coach excited for deep talent in 2025

MOSES LAKE — Mavericks Head Softball Coach Mike Hofheins has a problem other coaches would love to have. “We have a lot of girls that are super versatile and can play multiple positions,” Hofheins said Friday. “We're trying to figure out where the puzzle pieces fit to make our team the best, because so many girls can play two and three and four positions. (They’re) probably more versatile than I've ever had.”

Meeting with Blitz leads to new kicks for kids in Othello

OTHELLO — Shawn Christopherson, mascot coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, said he understood why Othello Police Officer Tyson Cox decided to investigate those guys parked along an Othello street one day last summer. “A bird on a scooter with four influencers following him draws some attention,” Christopherson said. “Officer Cox kind of pulled over just to check out what was going on.” Well, of course a bird wasn’t actually driving the scooter – it was Blitz, the Seahawks mascot.

Grant PUD appoints John Mertlich as new general manager and CEO

EPHRATA – John Mertlich is the new general manager and chief executive officer of the Grant County Public Utility District, PUD commissioners announced Tuesday. The decision was announced during the Commission's meeting Tuesday. Mertlich's official start date is today. He succeeds Rich Wallen, who is leaving to take a position with Oglethorpe Power in Georgia.

North Elementary re-opened after water incident last week

MOSES LAKE – North Elementary will be reopen for normal operations Today, Tuesday March 11 after it was closed last Wednesday due to an issue with water quality caused by nearby work being conducted by the city of Moses Lake.

Open Doors Sleep Center’s future uncertain

Shelter looks for additional city partners to ensure unhoused people are served

MOSES LAKE – On Monday, city officials from Moses Lake, Soap Lake, Warden and Royal City alongside Grant County Commissioner Rob Jones met at the Open Doors Sleep Center for a tour of the facility and to discuss the future of the shelter.

Torres’ school safety bill enters WA House

OLYMPIA – Sen. Nikki Torres’, R-Pasco, school safety bill, known as Alyssa’s Law, received a public hearing in the House after clearing the Senate on Wednesday, March 5. The bipartisan legislation would require school districts to collaborate with local law enforcement to develop updated emergency response systems using evolving technology, including silent panic buttons, to ensure expedited response time.

Business Expo showcases an expanding community

MOSES LAKE — The signs of construction were everywhere at Tuesday’s Business Expo: fluorescent vests, orange shirts, barrier tape and even a traffic cone wandering around the show.