Road project starts next month north of Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — Work will begin in late February on a project to reduce the possibility of rocks falling onto State Route 17 north of Soap Lake. Miguel Castillo, engineer on the project for the Washington State Department of Transportation, said the project is scheduled to start Feb. 20. The project area is the section of SR 17 from Soap Lake to the Lake Lenore Caves, where the road runs between Soap Lake or Lake Lenore and the rock embankment. Due to the intricate nature of the work, he estimated the project will take about seven months to complete. “There’s a lot of work there,” Castillo said. “All that work is very slow – it is time-consuming.”

Susan B. Mulder

March 26, 1950 – Nov. 17, 2023

Susan B. Mulder went home to Jesus on Nov. 17, 2023, at the age of 73. Sue was born to Paul and Burdella Lunn on March 26, 1950, in Seattle, Washington. Sue married her first husband, Robert Hill, in 1969 and went on to have Hildee (Hill) Tinley in 1970. She later divorced Robert in 1975. She married her second husband Jim Rhoades. in 1981 and divorced in 1988. Sue moved to Ephrata in 1982 to build her dream breeding program, SM Appaloosas. She met and married her third husband and soulmate, Hendrick Mulder. in Ephrata in 1990. In addition to being a dedicated and loving mother, Sue’s life was her horses. She had a wealth of knowledge in riding and breeding Appaloosas and she enjoyed sharing that love with everyone she met. She also enjoyed making jewelry and crafts. Throughout her entire life, she held an unwavering faith in God, which she shared with those who surrounded her.

Michael A. Meseberg

March 13, 1952 – Dec. 26, 2023

Longtime Grant County resident Michael (Mike) Meseberg, 71, passed away due to complications of his four-year battle with multiple myeloma. Mike was born in Miles City, Montana to Rodney and Alice LaVonne (Anderson) Meseberg on March 13, 1952. The family moved to Seattle when Mike was just 1 week old. He used to quip that he didn’t like Miles City so he hopped a train with his Mom and 11-month-old brother, Dave. Mike’s mom carefully put Mike in a basket for the trip. Mike’s first brush with mortality was when the porter, mistaking the basket for a picnic, tossed Mike, basket and all, off the train. Thankfully, another porter caught it, baby Mike intact. They joined their father in Seattle (Des Moines) where Rod had started a job at Boeing.

June Ann Boyd

Sept. 19, 1942 – Dec. 30, 2023

June Ann (Harris) Boyd, 81, was born on Sept. 19, 1942, in Kansas City, Missouri to Richard Harris and Thelma (O’Niel) Harris. She entered into eternal rest on Dec. 30, 2023, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Our beloved June was cherished by all who knew her. She was a bright, brave wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all. After leaving Missouri when she was 3, June lived the majority of her childhood in California. In 1960 she graduated from Polytechnic High in Long Beach, California.

Living small

Grant County proposes revised rules for accessory dwelling units

EPHRATA — Revised regulations for building accessory dwelling units in the unincorporated areas of Grant County are available for review and comment through Jan. 20. Jim Anderson-Cook, Development Services deputy director, said the revisions were designed to address some problems residents had experienced when trying to build an ADU, and to clarify the process. The new rules allow up to two ADUs on a property, but how they can be built depends on the location. People living in an ADU must be permanent residents, and they can’t be rented for less than 30 days. A place that’s rented for less than 30 days is called a short-term rental and is handled under a different ordinance.

Basin Farmworks and Ironworks land $10,000 composting grant

OTHELLO — Erika Rattray is ringing in the new year with a plan for a brand-new composting process for her two businesses, Basin Farmworks and Ironworks Cafe and Market, with a $10,000 grant from American Farmland Trust to cover the expenses.

Ephrata swears in council members, looks at wastewater costs

EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council swore in three members, two of them new, at its regular meeting Wednesday.

Adams Building and Planning discusses planning commission

RITZVILLE – Adams County Building and Planning Director Andie Lorenz updated the Adams County Commissioners Wednesday on the Planning Commission’s operations, including looking at zoning to help the Port of Othello grow and potentially switching to a hearing examiner system for the county’s Board of Adjustment.

County seeks tourism commissioner

EPHRATA — The Grant County Board of Commissioners is looking for an interested citizen to serve on the Grant County Tourism Commission, according to an announcement from the commissioners.

BASIN HOOPS REPORT: Local squads enter league play

COLUMBIA BASIN – With the start of the new year, many boys and girls basketball teams around the area have started to enter the teeth of league play across their respective classifications. See below for a look at where Basin squads stand at the beginning of January.

Legals for January, 5 2024

More money for ambulance service, senior center in Quincy 2024 budget

QUINCY — The city of Quincy is projected to spend about $107.13 million in 2024, according to the budget approved by the Quincy City Council in December. The ongoing discussion over a block of B Street Northeast, whether changes are needed and how to pay for them if they are needed, prompted council member Dave Dormier to vote no on the budget resolution. The city’s general fund was budgeted at $16.77 million. The general fund includes the Quincy Police Department, parks and recreation, part of the salaries of some city workers and some city operations. Some contracted services and other agreements with local entities also are in the general fund.

Police logs for Jan. 5, 2024

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Ephrata PD Dec. 29 Report of a backpack and a school laptop stolen from a vehicle in the area of F Street and First Avenue Northwest.

Erikstrup sinks seven from deep, scores 32 in win over South Dakota

VERMILLION, S.D. — You don't get much hotter than Dane Erikstrup was on Wednesday night at South Dakota (8-8, 1-1 Summit). The junior forward made seven 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 32 points, leading the Eastern Washington Eagles (7-7, 2-0 Big Sky) to a 93-79 win as they improved to 7-7 overall.

Events for January 2024

The holidays are over, but there are still things to do in the Columbia Basin to have fun, support good causes and learn. Here is just a sample of those events. To submit your event for possible publication, please visit www.columbiabasinherald.com, click on the EVENTS tab and select Create an Event. Free and premium listings are available.

Ralph George Boyden

July, 17, 1923 – Dec. 12, 2023

Ralph George Boyden, born July, 17, 1923, in New York City, died of natural causes Dec. 12, 2023, at the Columbia Basin Hospital at the age of 96. His first four years were spent on his grandparents' farm in Illinois. It was a wonderful place to be. He rejoined his mother Francis Boyden and new stepfather Lester in St. Louis, Missouri for the remainder of his childhood. He was soon to become the oldest brother of three sisters Charlotte, Ellen Jean and Leslie. He did most of the child care, preparing him for a future of raising girls.

December in the rear-view mirror

COLUMBIA BASIN — Communities in the Columbia Basin closed out the year with sports victories, Christmas giveaways and holiday festivities. Here are a few memories from December 2023.

Grant PUD commissioners to vote on 3% overall rate increase

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD commissioners will vote on a proposal for a 3% overall rate increase, effective April 1, at the Jan. 9 commission meeting. While the overall increase is 3%, individual classes may pay more or less than that. Julio Aguirre Carmona, the PUD’s rates and pricing program manager, said that will be the recommendation from PUD staff. If commissioners approve it, it will be the same policy they followed in 2023. If commissioners approve the 3% overall proposal, residential and irrigation rates would increase by 3.5%; so would the rate for general service and large general service, which are typically businesses. The rates for large industrial customers would increase by 1.74%, and for industrial customers by 5.25%. The difference between the industrial classes is based on the amount of electricity they use.

Moses Lake home burns Saturday

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake residence was destroyed by a fire Saturday, according to a statement from the Moses Lake Fire Department. Firefighters responded at about 9 p.m. to a report of a structure fire, according to the statement. Upon arriving at the single-story residence in the 300 block of South Gibby Road, crews found it well involved, with fire venting and heavy black smoke from the front window and the rear of the building. Due to the extent of the fire, crews handled it as a defensive fire attack from outside, the MLFD wrote. The fire was brought under control and crews left the scene after about two hours. The structure was a total loss.

Royal City City Council swears in members, discusses water line replacement

ROYAL CITY — The Royal City City Council swore in three council members at its meeting Tuesday evening, all returning after the November elections. Hector Rodriguez, who holds Position 3, Perla Garcia, who was reelected to Position 2, and Ryan Piercy, who retained the Position 4 seat in the November election by a single vote, all raised their right hands and swore to uphold the Constitution and carry out the duties of their office. Deputy City Clerk Sherrie Rodriguez administered the oaths. The water main replacement project is moving along slowly but surely, Public Works Director John Lasen told the council. The upgrades are underway on the west end of town, Lasen said, starting with Hemlock, Grape and Calla streets and moving on to Calla Loop, Balsam Street and Royal Avenue.