Dent reflects on 2024 legislative session

MOSES LAKE — After 2024’s short 60-day legislative session, which wrapped up in March, Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, discussed what went well for him during the session and some of his disappointments this year. “It feels like there is always a different feeling or different mood of the sessions,” Dent said. “I would say that overall, most of these sessions for me are a little bit consistent; I can never say I've had a bad session for the things that I work on.” Dent said his status in the legislature has shifted during his 10 years as a legislator.

Eldon J. Clark

Nov. 21, 1934 – April 2, 2024

This obituary was written by Eldon before he died. Eldon J. Clark, 89, went the way of all living and died, April 2, 2024, at his country home in Moses Lake, Wash.

Michael (Mike) Adams

1946 — 2024

Michael LeRoy Adams passed to be with his Lord on Saturday, March 16, 2024, on his 78th birthday.

Russell Henry Porterfield Jr.

July 20, 1961 — March 6, 2024

Russ was born July 20, 1961, at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. After a long battle, he has succumbed to the crippling effects of Frontal Temporal Dementia and has now gone to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on the date of March 6th, 2024. He was 62 years old.

Michael R. Finch

Jan. 11, 1944 — Feb. 5, 2024

Michael R. Finch of Moses Lake, Wash. was born Jan. 11, 1944, as the first child of Eldie and Margaret Finch in Yakima, Wash. Michael passed away Feb. 5, 2024, following a pneumonia infection complicated by lymphoma cancer in addition to heart and kidney failure at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, at the age of 80.

Darrel Francis Parsons

June 21, 1957 — Jan. 31, 2024

Darrel Francis Parsons was born June 21, 1957, in Odessa, Washington, and passed away January 31, 2024, at his home in Coulee City, Washington.

News Bites for Dec. 8, 2023

News briefs from around the Columbia Basin.

Dairy state

Eastern WA dairy farmers discuss market challenges, optimism.

MOSES LAKE – Dairy farmers have had a rough summer, but things may be looking up, according to the Dairy Farmers of Washington, the Washington State Dairy Federation and area dairy farmers. “The dairy industry landscape this last year, I think it's kind of a mixed bag,” Dairy Farmers of Washington Executive Director Steve Seppi said. “I think the same inflation that's hitting all consumers across all categories… it's had a significant impact on the dairy industry.” ...

Drought impacts a dozen WA counties

UNION GAP – A dozen counties in Washington state on both sides of the Cascades are facing drought conditions this year, according to a drought declaration from the Department of Ecology, causing strains on agriculture and day-to-day living. “Statewide, May through August of this year for Washington state, the average statewide has been the ninth driest such period since 1895,” said Jeff Marti, statewide drought coordinator with the DoE. “And in terms of temperature, May through August of this year was the third warmest since 1895.” ...

Cattle seeing high market prices, low herd average

ELLENSBURG — It’s a great time to be in the cattle industry, said Washington Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President and cattle rancher Chelsea Hajny...

Elk hoof disease likely causes systemic changes according to WSU research

PULLMAN — Elk treponeme-associated hoof disease, previously thought to be limited to deformations in elks’ hooves, appears to create molecular changes throughout the animal’s system, according to epigenetic research from Washington State University...

Livestock glamor

4-H and FFA youth take a turn in the show ring for Livestock Judging competition

OTHELLO – Future Farmers of America and 4-H members from all over the state of Washington traveled to the 2023 Othello Fair for the Livestock Judging event Friday morning, where they took a turn in the show ring to competitively judge animals. “What we do is we just take some animals that are pre-selected and we get four in a class and then the kids are asked to judge them on the quality,” said Grant County 4-H Program Coordinator Carolyn Russo. “This is market livestock judging, so most things are market. Sometimes we'll throw in a class of prospect breeding heifers or something.” ...

Going to market

Hard work pays off for youth at livestock sale

MOSES LAKE — It’s kind of a high point, the moment when hard work is rewarded in hard cash. Livestock sales are an integral part of a county fair, when a 4-H or Future Farmers of America student sees the benefit from all the effort they put in through the year raising a heifer or a pig or a goat. “What’m I bid? What’m I bid? Do I hear 1,900? 1,900! Do I hear 2,000? All done, all gone…” said auctioneer Chuck Yarbro Jr., machine-gunning the ritual auction phrases Friday morning at the Grant County Fair’s Kenny Ardell Pavilion as one young person after another brought a critter into the ring to be sold. The teens looked nervous but proud as they showed off several months’ to several years’ worth of work.

Harvey Vern Bohnet

In the early morning of Aug. 7, 2023, Harvey Vern Bohnet, 90, with his wife Katherine at his side, finished his long journey through life. It was filled with many triumphs and traumas. He was born March 4, 1933, to Fred Bohnet and Bertha Schuh Bohnet on the family farm south of Hartline, Washington. He barely survived his birth, and that resulted in being affected with cerebral palsy. He joined a brother Harold, and four years later his sister Doris was born. When he was 7 his mother died, and her death had an impact throughout his life. Friends told his father about Shriners Hospital in Spokane. The surgery there on his affected arm and leg enabled him to walk independently. He never forgot the loving care he received then and later as a teenager. In 1942, they moved to a farm north of Wilson Creek.

Cooling livestock

Local feed store operators discuss available options for helping livestock healthy in extreme heat

EPHRATA – The sign at the SubWay in Ephrata read 105 degrees Wednesday afternoon, and temperatures throughout the area have been high all week, including on the various ranches in the area. Ranchers have a variety of tools though to help keep their livestock from overheating. Ensuring animals have easy access to clean water troughs is important, said Megan Feekes of Hales Farm and Feed in Ephrata...

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.

Myron Austin Palmer

Myron Austin Palmer was born on June 17, 1928, in Chelan, Washington. When he was 2 months of age the family moved to Chelan Falls to an apple orchard right on the Columbia River. Bill, as his grandmother nicknamed him, attended grade school in Chelan Falls. He worked in the little grocery store there. He went to high school in Chelan. He excelled in study, baseball and football. He usually had to walk home after practice, seven miles. He and his brother became Eagle Scouts at age 16. Bill got his pilot’s license at 16 as well. After graduation he got a job flying for a large cattle company checking on the cows in winter, then the Army called him to the Korean War. After his service he came to Moses Lake and got a job at Kalamaki Body Shop. He also volunteered at the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Moses Lake Police and finally got hired there. He spent 21 years there, retiring as a lieutenant.

George Edward Counsell

George Edward Counsell, 82, a longtime Moses Lake resident, passed away Wednesday, July 5, 2023, after a short battle with cancer. George was the first-born son of Ed and Lillian Counsell on Nov. 1, 1940, and raised in LaGrande, Oregon on a cattle ranch. He loved living on Happy Valley Ranch driving tractors, putting up hay, herding cattle and riding horses exploring local mountains and streams with his brothers. He attended a little country grade school just down the road and LaGrande High School. He was an active member of FFA and played an alto saxophone in the high school band. He graduated in 1958. He joined the U.S. Air Force in September 1959 and served until September 1963. He was stationed at San Antonio, Texas; Chanute, Illinois; Roswell, New Mexico and Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake. He was an airman 1st class, assistant crew chief and jet mechanic on a KC 135. He served temporary duty in Fairbanks, Alaska and Hickman AFB in Hawaii.

Monica St. Romain

Monica St. Romain passed away on June 7, 2023. She was born in South Bend, Indiana on Nov. 29, 1933. She spent all of her school years in South Bend and graduated from high school there. While working for the telephone company she was a pen-pal with a serviceman named Ralph St. Romain. After writing to each other for several months, they had three dates and were married. Ralph finished his military service and moved to Washington, where he got a job at Boeing, then finished college and got his first teaching job in Newport, Oregon. Monica went on to graduate from Oregon State University with a degree in journalism. She worked for the News Times in Newport, Oregon and freelanced for The Oregonian.

Color and imagination

Othello artist works to put human interest into watercolors

OTHELLO — Duke Stoker paints the landscapes he sees in his imagination.