Roberts to take over ESD cross country program

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District announced that Lyndsy Roberts has been hired as the new head coach of the Ephrata cross country program on Monday. Roberts has been an assistant coach with the team for the previous three years and is the head coach of the Ephrata Middle School track and field team...

News bites for Aug. 3, 2023

RITZVILLE — The newest deputy with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office swapped his blue uniform for a green one. Deputy Mark Cameron, who was sworn in Wednesday, comes to ACSO after 16 ½ years with the Ritzville Police Department, according to an announcement from the ASCO. “We want to wish Mark great success in this new adventure in his career with the Adams County team,” the ACSO wrote in the announcement.

West Hallett fire gets costlier, other fires burning across Washington

SPOKANE — The acreage of the West Hallett fire, located along Spokane-Cheney Road just southwest of Spokane, had been re-estimated at 155 acres Wednesday after remapping showed it to be smaller than the 200 acres previously reported. The estimated cost, however, had grown to $300,000 so far, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire was still 0% contained. These wildfires were also burning in Washington as of Wednesday, according to the NIFC:

WJGA state tournament comes to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – More than 250 youth golfers will be in attendance for the 47th Annual Washington Junior Golf Association State Championship in Moses Lake next week, with golfers ages 8-18 competing in eight different divisions over a three-day span. “We’re very excited,” WJGA Executive Director Tyler Johnsen said. “It’s our culminating event of the season, and this is actually the first time we’ve ever been in Moses Lake.” ...

Ephrata campus facelifts move forward

EPHRATA – Remodeling work is ongoing at Ephrata Middle School and Columbia Ridge Elementary, according to a press release from the Ephrata School District...

WSU breaks ground on new Plant Sciences building

PULLMAN – Federal officials joined Washington lawmakers and Washington State University leaders Tuesday afternoon for the groundbreaking of the new U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Plant Sciences Building on the WSU Pullman campus.

CWU geology professor honored by national association

ELLENSBURG - Longtime Central Washington University Geological Sciences Professor Nick Zentner learned this summer that he will be presented with GSA Public Service Award from the Geological Society of America later this year.

Cloudview Farms celebrates summer, sunflowers, and community

EPHRATA – Hundreds of community members came out Saturday to Cloudview Farm for the Second Annual Summer Sunflower Fest, which featured numerous local vendors, booths and activity stations for children and adults. “We have grown our reach and had double the amount of people that attended from the first year,” said Julie Johnston, Cloudview’s education and community coordinator...

Proud to serve

Veteran remembers Pearl Harbor attack, war service

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes memory fades, sometimes things that happened a long time ago get overlaid with new experiences. Sometimes the memories remain, though. Geb Galle turned 102 years old in mid-July, and he still remembers that Sunday morning, even though a lot of things happened afterward...

Moses Lake Wrestling Club prepares athletes for future success

MOSES LAKE – Many sports have youth organizations that help prepare young athletes for future competitions. Whether it’s soccer, football, basketball or swimming – wrestling is no different. “If you start playing seven-on-seven at a young age, or AAU basketball, eventually that is going to transition, hopefully, into a successful high school student-athlete,” said Jaime Garza, a coach with the Moses Lake Wrestling Club. ‘That’s what we’re trying to do.” ...

Adams Co. approves Hatton Road contract

RITZVILLE — The Adams County Public Works Department discussed Tuesday during the regular Adams County Board of Commissioners meeting approving the Hatton Road Safety Project contract with Central Washington Asphalt, along with another project’s pay retainage estimate and updating the interlocal agreement with the city of Othello. “The Hatton Project; I have contracts here for that for the board to look at,” said Assistant Public Works Director Troy Reynolds. “That one starts in a month or so.” ...

Police logs for Aug. 2, 2023

OTHELLO - 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...

Spokane, Okanogan fires continue to threaten homes

SPOKANE — The West Hallett fire, located along Spokane-Cheney Road just southwest of Spokane, remained at 200 acres Tuesday. The fire, which sprang up suddenly Monday afternoon, was 0% contained and costs were estimated at $150,000 so far, according to the National Interagency Fire Center...

Soap Lake pet rescue gets big help with vet bills

SOAP LAKE — The Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry in Soap Lake got a sizable boost recently from the Moses Lake-Grant County Humane Society. It wasn’t the first time the MLGCHS had helped out the fledgling animal rescue, said Shawna Kluge, who started and runs Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry, but it was certainly more than she expected...

Adams County primary election results as of Aug. 1

RITZVILLE – The results below are incomplete and do not include all ballots that have been cast in Adams County primary elections. Results are as of 8:15 p.m. on Aug. 1. Updates will be provided as they become available. So far, 1,572 ballots have been counted. Adams County has 7,778 registered voters...

Gene editing could rid sheep of problematic long tails

PULLMAN — Longer tails have long given sheep producers across the globe problems — but a research project spearheaded by Washington State University graduate student Brietta Latham could eliminate the trait...

Moses Lake man killed in Monday accident

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was killed Monday in a collision, according to a statement from the Moses Lake Police Department...

One killed in Othello area accident

OTHELLO — A Grandview man died Monday night in a single-vehicle accident near Othello, according to a statement from the Washington State Patrol...

QPD gets corny with the community at National Night Out

QUINCY — The line was long at the booth where Quincy Police Department officers were serving hot dogs and roasted corn – “Hot corn! Hot corn! Coming through! Coming through!” said QPD Detective Damon Powell as he made his way to the booth with a full pan...

Washington sports schedule Aug. 2-8

COLUMBIA BASIN – Check out this week’s Washington sports schedule, featuring local, regional and statewide sporting events...