Police records for Aug. 24, 2022

A summary of first responder calls from local law enforcement agencies.

Yakima project “flip-flop” operations underway

YAKIMA – A press release by the Bureau of Reclamation states they will begin their annual “flip-flop” operation in late August to aid in successful spawning and incubation of chinook salmon eggs. The bureau, in the release, urges those recreating or working along Yakima basin rivers to exercise caution, especially in the Yakima River near Thorp. They urge people to avoid areas where spillway water flows into the river, portage around buoys, and stay out of dangerously turbulent flows. The release also states flows out of Keechelus and Cle Elum reservoirs in the upper Yakima River basin will gradually decrease, while flows from Kachess and Rimrock reservoirs will increase. This operation will affect flows in the Tieton and Naches rivers as well as the upper Yakima, Cle Elum, and Kachess rivers in the upper Yakima basin. In other words, flows from these facilities will transition, or “flip-flop.” Real-time streamflow information can be found on Reclamation’s website at https://on.doi.gov/3R6Irfw.

Ephrata SD to hold tech safety lecture

EPHRATA - On Aug. 25, the Ephrata School District will be hosting a free lecture to help families navigate the challenge of creating a safe space online for children. “Students use technology to play, learn and communicate while at home and at school. It’s important that they use that technology responsibly,” said Sharon Scellick, Director of Teaching and Learning at Ephrata Schools, in a press release from the district. “Following a day working with our educators on these concepts, the community event will share similar, great information with our families. We aim to partner with families to help students maximize their learning and to keep them safe.”

State officials ask for help in eliminating invasive species.

OLYMPIA — Officials with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the Washington State Department of Agriculture are asking property owners and residents to check their trees, water features and other outdoor fixtures for any invasive species. “We have a forest health crisis in Washington, and we know that outbreaks of invasive insects and diseases are one of the leading threats to the long-term health of our forests,” said Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz in a press release. “Our all-lands, all-hands approach to forest health means we need everyone pitching in to help protect our forested land from invasive pests.” According to the press release, late summer is the best time to check trees for invasive pests because heat and dry weather make them easier to spot. A Washington State University researcher found evidence of sooty bark disease while walking his dog through a park in Tacoma, while a biologist made the first confirmed sighting of an emerald ash borer in the Pacific Northwest while waiting to pick his children up from a summer camp near Portland, Oregon, the press release noted...

Confluence Health to rename Moses Lake location

MOSES LAKE — The Confluence Health Moses Lake Clinic will get a new name by the summer of 2023, according to a Confluence press release. Confluence Health officials announced in the press release Monday that the clinic will be known as the Moses Lake Campus once the changes are complete. Central Washington Hospital and Wenatchee Valley Hospital also will get new names, according to the press release...

Fire near St. John 100% contained

ST. JOHN — The Wagner Road Fire has been contained after burning approximately 7,300 acres. A press release from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources stated that the fire started on Aug. 18 about 12 miles west of St. John. The fire burned approximately 7,381 acres of rangeland, stubble and standing wheat. Firefighters patrolled for hot spots on Aug. 21 along the perimeter of the fire, extinguishing the few hotspots that were discovered. This work brought the fire to 100% contained, the release stated. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Thyroid conditions in pets: Hyperthyroidism

While dogs are more likely to develop hypothyroidism, caused by an underproduction of thyroid hormones, cats are more likely to develop hyperthyroidism, caused by an overproduction of thyroid hormones. Hyperthyroidism is the opposite of hypothyroidism in many ways and has vastly different symptoms. Dr. Kathleen Aicher, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, discusses these symptoms and more in the second part of this two-part series on thyroid conditions. “Thyroid disorders occur commonly in middle-aged to older dogs and cats and, therefore, should be on the radar of pet parents as well as their primary care veterinarians,” Aicher said. “Both disorders can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of patients, particularly untreated hyperthyroidism.” Hyperthyroidism often...

Goodwill program receives funding for digital literacy program

TACOMA - A press release by Goodwill states that the five Goodwill agencies that serve Washington have received a one-year $3.68 million grant extension from the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Broadband Office to bring digital literacy, acces, and training services to all 39 counties of the state after a successful six-month pilot program. “In collaboration with all the other regional Goodwill organizations in Washington, we are thrilled to provide digital navigation services across the entire state,” said Eu-wanda Eagans, senior vice president of Workforce Development for Goodwill of the Olympics & Rainier Region in the release. “We are building a scalable, collaborative platform that can provide critical digital resources, training, and skill-building for the foreseeable future.” The release states the digital divide – lack of access to technology devices, the internet, and digital skills – in Washington is most pronounced among low-income and otherwise marginalized communities that are often culturally diverse and multilingual. The Digital Navigation Services program, Goodwill Connect, reaches people who are at the highest risk of digital exclusion. By June 2023, the program will provide 3,000 qualified individuals with Chromebooks that have three months of built-in internet connectivity, the release states. To qualify to receive a Chromebook, the release stated, an individual or family must be 135% or more below the federal poverty line. Washington residents interested in Chromebooks must call the hotline to determine eligibility and each region will have a strategy to ensure that people lacking technology skills, a device, or the internet are prioritized. The website goodwillconnect.com and the Digital Resource Hotline at 844-GWCONNECT (844-492-6663) are the primary methods of contacting a Digital Navigator and inquiring about the program.

GCSO busy with gun-related incidents at entertainment venues

GRANT COUNTY - The Grant County Sheriff’s Office released two press releases Saturday detailing two situations that involved guns at two popular locations in Grant County this week; the Gorge and the Grant County Fair. GCSO highlighted the diligence of citizens for their part in preventing a possible tragedy. The first release from GCSO said Grant County deputies believed they intercepted a possible mass shooting at the Gorge Amphitheater Friday night. “(The Public is) the extra eyes and ears out at the concert,” said GCSPublic Information Officer Kyle Foreman. “We're grateful that they could bring those things to our attention.” The release said that 30-year-old Ephrata resident Jonathan R. Moody was seen inhaling an unknown substance or gas from a balloon and then loading two 9mm pistols from the trunk of his car. Moody concealed one pistol in the rear of his waistband and the other in an outside-the-waistband holster. He was also seen approaching concertgoers, asking what time the concert ended and where people would be exiting the venue. Citizens and security notified GCSO of their observations and concern around 9 p.m...

Stuffed chickens, space burgers, bull riders and quarterbacks

Episode IV of the Studio Basin Podcast out now

This week's episode digs into the happenings at the Grant County fair with virtual and stuffed chicken showings, good vendor food and a discussion with sports reporter Ian Bivona about his first ever fair. We also delve into how the Seahawks' preseason is going, WNBA action with the Storm, local sports teams getting out to practice and when the annual Gridiron Guide will hit news racks.

Soap Lake sees two fires Thursday evening

Both may be associated with prior arson investigation

SOAP LAKE - Two fires broke out Thursday evening in Soap Lake. “Both are definitely suspicious,” Grant County Fire District 7 Chief Kirk Sheppard said. The first fire broke out at about 8:40 p.m. in the 21000 block of Road A-Northeast. According to a press release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the fire burned about 10 acres and was responded to by Grant County Fire Districts 7 and 13 and City of Ephrata Fire. There were no evacuations issued and the fire was contained by 9:30 p.m. The second fire broke out at 9:15 p.m. in the field in between State Route 28 and Sixth Ave. SE; the same area as two previous fires from Monday and Friday...

Five hurt in rollover near Othello

OTHELLO — Five people were injured in a single-vehicle accident near Othello Wednesday. Aleyssa J. Hernandez, 21, of Othello was driving westbound on state Route 24 southwest of Othello in a 2014 Honda Accord when she failed to negotiate a curve in the road, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol. The vehicle rolled over, ejecting all four passengers and partially ejecting Hernandez, before crashing into a barbed-wire fence. Also injured in the rollover were 19-year-old Victoria F. Delatorre of Othello, 19-year-old Freddy Gonzalez Rodriguez of Othello and two 16-year-old girls. All were transported to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland. None of the injured was wearing a seat belt, and neither drugs nor alcohol was a factor, according to the WSP.

Soap Lake man arrested on outstanding warrants

SOAP LAKE — In a joint effort, the Soap Lake Police Department and Grant County Sheriff’s Office arrested 30-year-old James Ghent of Soap Lake on outstanding felony warrants Wednesday morning, according to a press release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The press release by GCSO stated Ghent was in possession of tools commonly used in burglaries...

Soap Lake gets reader sign, supports students and swears in new council member

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Police Department will communicate a little better with drivers, Chief Ryan Cox said at Wednesday’s city council meeting. SLPD has acquired a reader sign that officers can log into remotely, Cox said, to warn drivers of problems on the road. “Say a collision up north (on) 17 is happening,” Cox said. “So they shut the highway down, which happens quite often. We can alert people that are coming northbound through the city without them going all the way up to Sun Lakes and having to turn all the way back down. So it'll be pretty fun to have.” Cox also told the council that the department was preparing to partner with the town’s schools to purchase school supplies. The money will come from the department’s benevolent fund, he said, and the biggest need appeared to be glue sticks for the elementary school...

Cop shop, funnel cakes, barges and baseball in Studio Basin podcast

In our most recent episode of the Studio Basin podcast, Columbia Basin Herald Managing Editor Rob Miller chatted with reporters Charles Featherstone and Ian Bivona about possible Moses Lake Police expansion, the Grant County Fair and Charles’s adventures rollin’ on the river. The MLPD has outgrown its current building, Featherstone said, and is looking for bigger digs. The department currently shares a building with the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. MLPD has its eye on five acres on Central Drive, next to the Lauzier ball fields, that could accommodate a 25,000- to 28,000-square-foot building. This would allow MLPD enough room to house a dedicated mental health worker, as well as an agent from the ATF, although some council members weren’t certain about the price tag of a new building versus renovating the current facility. The Grant County Fair started this week and runs through the weekend. Miller talked about the musical lineup at this year’s fair. The country band Lonestar is the big headliner this year, and there are also a number of classic rock cover bands and country singer Kameron Marlowe. Finally, Bivona talked about the Seattle Mariners, the Seahawks and – especially of interest locally – the Babe Ruth World Series, hosted in Ephrata by the Columbia Basin Riverdogs. High school sports are about to start up for the fall, Bivona added.

Keeping cool

Triple-digit temperatures require fair exhibitors to keep close eye on animals

MOSES LAKE — The swine barn at the Grant County Fair is shady and relatively cool compared to outside, and the pigs were dozing in a pile of wood shavings.

Police records for Aug. 18, 2022

EPD, MLPD, jail

GCHD to offer COVID-19 vaccinations at county libraries

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District will be offering COVID-19 vaccination clinics at NCW Libraries locations throughout the county beginning Aug. 23. The clinics will serve patients six months of age and older who haven’t been vaccinated, as well as providing booster doses, according to a joint press release from GCHD and NCW Libraries. They’re walk-in only; no appointments are required, the press release said. People should be ready to wait 15 minutes after receiving the shot. Health department staff will be using the Moderna vaccine. Booster doses can be administered to all patients regardless of the previous type of vaccine they received, according to the press release. No insurance or identification is required. People will be asked for their name, date of birth and some pertinent medical history, the press release said.

GCSO officers give theft victims new bikes

MOSES LAKE - A Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy headed an effort to raise money to gift two new electric bikes to a family who had theirs stolen, according to a GCSO statement. In a release by GCSO, Deputy Zane Bundy delivered two new electric bikes on Sunday to a family who had been the victim of a burglary. The Larson Community family had expressed to deputies that their kids had respect for law enforcement officers and that the loss of the bikes would be a huge impact on the family, the release said. “Deputy Bundy, with his heart strings pulled, passed the hat to all GCSO members, raising enough money to buy two new bikes for the kids,” thestatement said.

Pasco man injured in Mattawa collision

MATTAWA — A Pasco man was transported to Kadlec Medical Center in Kennewick after he failed to negotiate a roundabout near Mattawa and ran off the road Tuesday morning. Roy Limon, 80, was attempting to go through the roundabout at the intersection of State Route 243 and Government Road about 5:30 a.m. when he ran off the road, according to a press memo from the Washington State Patrol. Limon’s car came to a stop in a ditch on the southbound side. Limon was not wearing a seatbelt, the WSP memo said. The collision is still under investigation...