900 acres burn near Rocky Ford Creek

EPHRATA – A Wednesday afternoon fire near State Route 17 at Rocky Ford Creek was reportedly caused by a vehicle fire involving a farm tractor, said Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman...

News Bites for June 16

EPHRATA – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is asking for concertgoers to be careful at the Gorge Amphitheater this summer. They recommend taking the following steps to be safe...

Juneteenth commemoration Saturday

MOSES LAKE — A program to commemorate the day the last slaves in the United States learned they were free men and women is scheduled for 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the McCosh Park Amphitheater in Moses Lake...

WSU director has a love for dry land farming

LIND — The dryland wheat farming region of Washington state is probably the driest place in the world where farmers manage to grow wheat without irrigation, according to Surendra Singh, the new director of Washington State University’s Lind Dryland Research Station. “Because we have rain for around nine and nine-and-a-half inches, which is just barely enough,” Singh said...

Moses Lake exchanges gifts with sister city

MOSES LAKE — The City of Moses Lake is giving a pair of landscape prints from a local artist to the city of Yonezawa, Japan, in response to Yonezawa’s gift of a tapestry to Moses Lake last year. “In a show of gratitude for that, we’ve decided to present them with these two prints from local artist Kim Matthews Wheaton that show the agriculture in the area and some of the local geology, which is obviously unique to our area,” said Council Member Dustin Swartz at the start of a regular meeting of the Moses Lake City Council on Tuesday.

Quincy FFA announces officers

QUINCY – The Quincy Future Farmers of America announced its 2023-24 officers on May 23. The officer team was installed during the coinciding Parent-Member Banquet...

BBCC honors 58 graduates at graduation Student Support Services celebration

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College TRIO Student Support Services program celebrated its group of 2023 graduates during a ceremony Tuesday night. Fifty-eight students were recognized during the event...

Othello man sentenced in child’s death

SPOKANE — An Othello man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm after an incident that left his 4-year-old child dead, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Spokane...

WDFW eyes 3-year hunting season plans

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking for the public’s feedback as it begins its latest three-year season-setting efforts, according to a WDFW press release...

BBCC to host 30th annual job and career fair

June 22 event set to connect employers and job hunters.

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College (BBCC) Job and Career Fair will be returning to the Big Bend Campus at the end of June for its 30th consecutive year.

Little Big Show '23

Wilson Creek hosts annual car show

WILSON CREEK — The little town of Wilson Creek more than doubled in numbers Saturday. The town, which had a population of 207 at the last census, welcomed more than 300 visitors to its annual Little Big Show, according to organizer Nicholas Odorizzi. “Good turnout this year,” Odorizzi said. “We had, I think, 104 cars. We had more vendors this year, which was great. One of our food vendors sold out. So that was a good problem to have.” ...

Law enforcement records for June 15, 2023

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.

Quincy schools look to get more parents involved

QUINCY — Encouraging parents to get more involved in school is easier when school officials start with something familiar to the parents. Victoria Hodge, director of support services and programs for the Quincy School District, said that’s been a lesson reinforced during the 2022-23 school year. “The first strategy is to expand parent groups in each building,” Hodge said during a presentation to the Quincy School Board at its regular meeting Tuesday...

Water conservation considered by Moses Lake council

MOSES LAKE — With the obvious decline of water levels in the aquifers that provide Moses Lake with water drinking, bathing, cleaning and lawns, the time has come for the city to stop looking at the problem and focus on solutions, according to Council Member Mark Fancher. “We know the problem. We’ve got to not spend so much time on the problem,” Fancher said during a regular city council meeting on Tuesday. “We have got to start spending a lot of hours on the solution.” ...

WSP to conduct motorcycle emphasis patrol

MOSES LAKE — Washington State Patrol troopers will be conducting additional patrols along Interstate 90 June 23-25 to teach bikers and drivers about motorcycle safety. The patrols will span I-90 from Snoqualmie Pass to Spokane, according to a press release from the Grant County Health District...

REC secures financing leverage

MOSES LAKE — REC Silicon has secured a $30 million loan from New York’s Standard Chartered Bank to help fund the company’s restart as well as proposed expansions, according to an REC press release...

Fire season starts in Grant Co.

SOAP LAKE — Fire season has kicked off in Grant County with three fires in less than 24 hours – one just north and east of Soap Lake, one at the intersection of State Route 17 and Stratford Road in Moses Lake on Tuesday and another at Rocky Ford Creek between Ephrata and Moses Lake on Wednesday...

Triple play

Knights, Mavs and Jacks wrap up spring ball with scrimmage play

ROYAL CITY – Three local football squads wrapped up spring practices in Royal City on Tuesday, with Moses Lake, Quincy and Royal competing in a scrimmage at David Nielsen Memorial Field in Royal City...

Barnyard brawl

Farm machines duke it out at Lind Combine Derby

LIND — In the heart of Adams County, wheat is king. And once a year, its knights meet in the Lind Lions Club Arena for a tournament to rival the most enthusiastic joust, armored in blue jeans and ball caps and mounted on steeds familiar to anyone who lives in farm country: combines...

Desert Aire Fly-In scheduled for Saturday

DESERT AIRE — People will get a chance to see some cool airplanes and eat a pancake breakfast at the Desert Aire Airport Saturday. The annual Desert Aire Fly-In is scheduled for 7 to 11 a.m. at the airport hangar at 121 Desert Aire Place. “It’s really intended to provide an opportunity for the community to come together, see some airplanes, talk to pilots,” said Joyce Trantina, the event organizer. “It’s the airport’s only fundraiser, but that’s not its main purpose. It’s for community building.” ...