GCSO identifies driver, victims in fatal crash

MOSES LAKE — Investigators with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office have determined who was driving the vehicle during a single-car accident on July 30 west of Moses Lake that left one person dead and three injured. According to a GCSO statement, investigators determined that Kari S. Ortega, 22, of Moses Lake, was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier west on South Frontage Road near Hiawatha when she failed to negotiate a curve. That prompted her to lose control of the car, which rolled several times and ejected all four occupants. The GCSO said Armando D. Lopez of Quincy died at the scene, while Christopher Rios Chavez, 18, of Quincy, was admitted to a Spokane hospital for treatment, as was an unnamed 14-year-old girl from Quincy, who has since been admitted to a rehabilitation center for treatment of her injuries. In its post, the GCSO said it continues to investigate the accident.

Soap Lake to light up the water this weekend

SOAP LAKE — Kayaks, paddle boards and canoes will take to the waters of Soap Lake Saturday for the annual Paddle Races/Moonlight Paddle sponsored by the Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce. Events are scheduled for 3 to 10 p.m. at the East Beach Park, at the intersection of Canna Street North and First Avenue NE. Race registration is $5 per person. Registration and other activities open at 3 p.m. at the park. Activities include live music, a beer garden, food vendors and three bouncy houses for children. Admission to the bouncy houses is free...

MLPD makes case for new $7M.station

Aging facility in need of upgrades, expansion - or replacement

MOSES LAKE — Even if the city of Moses Lake remodels and expands the current police department building, the Moses Lake Police Department will still need additional space in the near future. “18,500 square feet is the immediate need,” said Richard Murakami, an architect with Seattle-based Rolluda Architects, during a presentation to the Moses Lake City Council on Tuesday. Murakami said that need can basically be met right now if the current MLPD building is remodeled and the Parks and Recreation Department — which shares the building — is relocated. He estimated the cost of remodeling the building, originally constructed in 1977, at roughly $7.6 million. “We looked at the existing station, how much space is currently needed now and in 10 years,” Murakami said. ...

MLFD firefighter injured in Monday evening blaze

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake Fire Department firefighter was injured Monday evening fighting a fire that engulfed a residence, according to a city of Moses Lake press release. At approximately 6:25 p.m. Monday, MLFD firefighters supported by units from Grant County Fire District 5 responded to reports of a structure fire in the 500 block of Canterbury Lane, the press release said. Firefighters arriving on the scene were also told that two residents were still inside the building. At that time fire crews also entered the building to look for anyone trapped in the home. During the search, however, a resident told MLFD firefighters that no one was in the house. Crews withdrew, and in the course of fighting the fire, a support beam holding up a porch covering failed and fell. It struck a 46-year-old firefighter, the press release said. The firefighter was transported to Samaritan Hospital, was treated and released later that evening...

State council gets federal workforce improvement grant

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Student Achievement Council has been awarded a $23.5 million grant under a U.S. Department of Commerce workforce training program.

Man airlifted after dirt bike-vehicle collision

MOSES LAKE — A man was airlifted to Confluence Health-Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee after his dirt bike collided with a car Monday morning near Moses Lake. Don Palmen was driving south on Moon Drive NE near the Moses Lake city limits at about 8:30 a.m. Monday when he hit a car, according to information from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The driver of the car, Lily Knowles, was driving east on Dorothy Street NE. The GCSO report said Palmen failed to stop at the stop sign on Moon Drive. Palmen was treated at the scene and was later transported to CWH. Knowles and her passenger were not injured, the GCSO report said.

Firefighters keep battling Vantage fire, Lind fire out

Wet spring adds fuel to region's fire season, officials say

GRANT COUNTY — While the fire that threatened the Adams County town of Lind has been extinguished, firefighters still continue to battle a fire in the hills north of Vantage and have that blaze 75% contained, according to a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Natural Resources. “That’s good news,” DNR spokesperson Janet Pearce said of the Lind fire. “It was contained as of Aug. 4.” The Lind fire consumed roughly 2,500 acres south of town, according to Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner, destroyed six homes and eight garages and outbuildings. The fire, which broke out Thursday, prompted local officials to issue an evacuation order last Thursday for the entire town. However, the evacuation order was eventually restricted to residents in the southern portion of Lind, and was fully lifted on Friday when the fire was contained, Wagner said. “The Adams County Posse assisted with security and guarded the burnt out buildings over the weekend,” Wagner said. “One individual was found doing something he shouldn’t have.” Wagner said he would release more details about the incident later. According to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, a joint operation overseen by major federal land management agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Interior, a collection of state agencies and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, reported that firefighters continued to battle the Vantage Highway fire. The fire, which erupted on Aug. 1 near Vantage, has burned more than 32,000 acres north of I-90 and west of the Columbia River in Kittitas County...

Thyroid conditions in pets: Hyperthyroidism

The thyroids are small but important glands located in the neck that produce hormones affecting all aspects of metabolism and many other vital body functions. Dogs or cats experiencing problems with the thyroid can have a variety of physical symptoms and behavioral changes. The majority of thyroid problems in pets are because of an underproduction of thyroid hormones, known as hypothyroidism, or an overproduction of thyroid hormones, known as hyperthyroidism. In the first part of a two-part series on thyroid conditions, Dr. Kathleen Aicher, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, discusses hypothyroidism and how it can impact our canine and feline friends. “Thyroid problems are encountered commonly in veterinary medicine, but they tend to affect dogs and cats differently,” Aicher said. “Cats commonly develop hyperthyroidism and very uncommonly develop hypothyroidism, while dogs commonly develop hypothyroidism and rarely develop hyperthyroidism.” ...

‘We have kids out here enjoying themselves’

Games and fun at first ever National Night Out in Mattawa

MATTAWA — Children and adults got a chance to look at law enforcement and fire vehicles - lights flashing and everything - play games and run in and out of a big sprinkler, courtesy of Grant County Fire District 8, at the first ever National Night Out in Mattawa on Aug. 2. Mattawa Police Chief Robert Salinas organized NNO in Mattawa, having been part of similar events when he worked in Granger, Ellensburg and Toppenish, he said on Aug. 2. National Night Out gives law enforcement and fire agencies a chance to talk to people in their communities, he said. . .

Folk musician Billy Prine to perform at Cave B

QUINCY — A concert featuring folk musicians Billy Prine and the Prine Time Band has been rescheduled to 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Cave B Winery, 348 Silica Road NW. The concert originally was scheduled for Aug. 6 but had to be postponed due to poor air quality, according to information from Shawn Cardwell, Columbia Basin Allied Arts executive director. Cave B and CBAA are the concert sponsors. Prine is the brother of legendary folk musician John Prine, who died in 2020. Billy Prine will perform original music and some of his brother’s songs, along with telling stories about his brother and their family life. Tickets are $35 and are available at the CBAA website, www.cba-arts.org.

What To Expect When Your Horse is Expecting

Witnessing the birth of an animal can be a beautiful experience, but it can also be stressful or even scary if things do not go as planned.....

Ag officials warn against rabbit virus

OLYMPIA — Officials with the Washington State Department of Agriculture have confirmed the presence in the state of yet another highly infectious animal disease with the discovery of two cases of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2, also known as RHDV2, in a single household in Thurston county in late July. In a press release issued last week, WSDA said the confirmation of the Thurston County cases follow the discovery of RHDV2 in King County in May and two Oregon counties in late July. WSDA said in response, state officials and rabbit owners need to improve biosecurity in order to limit the spread of the disease. “Stopping this disease from spreading starts with rabbit owners employing biosecurity measures such as limiting contact with wild rabbits, isolating new rabbits from existing ones for 21 days, paying attention to where feed is sourced from, and keeping your rabbits housed off the ground or indoors,” Washington State Veterinarian Amber Itle said in the press release...

Grant County business survey shows mixed results

EPHRATA — China is the most important export market for major businesses in Grant County, according to the Grant County Economic Development Council’s recently released Wage and Benefits Survey for 2022. The survey, conducted with assistance from the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Analysis at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, received responses from 19 companies operating in Grant County, found that 84.5% of the companies surveyed export some share of their output, with China being the most important buyer of Grant County products. China is followed by Japan, the rest of Asia and then Canada. Companies responding to the survey were not named in the 57-page report. Of the responding companies, 14 had operations in Moses Lake, two in Quincy, and two in Othello, while the others did not respond. One company responding to the survey has been operating at its current site in Grant County for 106 years, while the newest company in the survey has only been in the area for five years. The largest company in the survey reported having 678 full-time employees — 94 of them salaried — for a total payroll of $44 million while the smallest company reported having 11 full-time employees with only one salaried position for a total annual payroll of $550,000...

Chief for a Day, lots to do at Quincy National Night Out

QUINCY — The Chief for a Day was sworn in - by a judge, too - there were police cars and police motorcycles, fire trucks, games, fun cars, hot dogs and ice cream. . .

Legals for August, 5 2022

Washington town told to leave due to wildfire, 10 homes lost

LIND — An entire eastern Washington town was being evacuated Thursday because of a growing wildfire south of town that was burning homes, officials said.....

BBCC releases spring academic lists

MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College released its spring president’s and vice president’s lists. According to Big Bend’s website, students who make the president’s list must complete 12 or more graded credits with a GPA of 3.75 or above. Students who make the vice president’s list must complete 12 or more graded credits with a GPA between 3.33 and 3.74...

Quincy hospital design set to start in September after primary vote

Unofficial results show 64% of voters approving of bond funding

QUINCY — The first phase of designing a new Quincy Valley Medical Center is tentatively scheduled for early September after Tuesday’s election results indicate likely final approval of a $55 million bond proposal for Grant County Hospital District 2. “Once (certification) is behind us, we’ll be setting the wheels in motion,” Quincy hospital administrator Glenda Bishop said Wednesday. “And then we will follow the lead of the team that we’ve put in place, and who I have tremendous confidence in.” Bishop said some planning has started and will ramp up after the election is certified Aug. 16. Initial results show that voters are approving a construction bond proposal for a new hospital.. The proposal had received 951 yes votes and 531 no votes as of Tuesday night, about 64.3% voting yes. Because the proposal was a revenue measure, it required at least 60% yes votes to pass...

Moses Lake celebrates National Night Out

Annual event allows first responders to connect with community

MOSES LAKE - National Night Out returned to Moses Lake Tuesday night at McCosh Park for the first time since 2019. “It's just all about us and our citizens,” said Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr. Fuhr and Grant County Sheriff Ryan Rectenwald were the two victims in the dunk tank at the annual event that allows law enforcement officers to connect with the communities they serve, although if you asked them, it was their favorite part of the event. Fuhr and Rectenwald mirrored each other in that the happiness that being dunked brought to the children was what they enjoyed...

Lake Wenatchee and Wenatchee River to open for sockeye fishing amid strong returns

WENATCHEE – Amid a record return of sockeye salmon to the Columbia River, fishery managers in Washington’s North Central region announced that sockeye fishing will open on Lake Wenatchee and the Wenatchee River.