Mountain View Elementary to get cooling upgrade

QUINCY — The cooling system at Mountain View Elementary will get an upgrade during the summer. Quincy School Board members voted Tuesday to award a $383,838 contract to a Kennewick company for new system components...

Local events for the last weekend in April

COLUMBIA BASIN – The last weekend of the month is this weekend and there’s still a little time to have some fun out and about in the Basin. Temperatures are expected to pop up into the 80s, perfect for a bit of fun in the car, a cactus tour, or for those who prefer the arts, a concert or a play.

Grant PUD finishes 2022 in the black

EPHRATA —The Grant County PUD both generated more revenue and spent more in 2022 than the forecasts in its 2022 budget. John Mertlich, senior manager of financial planning and analysis, said the PUD finished the year about $90.4 million in the black. The 2022 budget projected the PUD would finish the year with about $76 million in the black...

Protecting pets from heartworm

April is recognized as National Heartworm Awareness Month as a reminder to protect our furry friends against heartworm disease before mosquito season peaks during the summer. To understand the importance of preventing heartworm disease, pet owners should first understand how heartworms grow and are detected...

Legals for April, 24 2023

Home coverage

Getting the right amount of homeowners insurance

MOSES LAKE — For a lot of people, their home is the most valuable thing they’ll ever own. And when you have something valuable, naturally, you want to protect it. But how much homeowners insurance do you need? There’s a common misconception that homeowners insurance is based on the market value of the home. That’s not how it works, say the experts. Rather, it’s based on what it would cost to rebuild or replace what’s damaged...

Bill to address health care staffing signed into law

OLYMPIA — A bill to help address the healthcare staffing shortage by mitigating unmanageable patient loads and worker burnout was signed into law Thursday. “By creating an enforcement mechanism with real penalties, we can ensure safe-staffing standards are followed rather than ignored, allowing workers to do their jobs safely and provide our loved ones the quality care they deserve,” said Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, sponsor of the bill...

Law enforcement logs for April 20

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...

Local law enforcement hopes for expanded vehicle pursuits

OLYMPIA – The passage of Senate Bill 5352, which reinstates some circumstances in which law enforcement can pursue a vehicle, has many law enforcement agencies saying the bill is a start but is not enough. “This definitely puts things in a step in the right direction for sure,” said Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete. “It really does. And I think we knew as far as law enforcement executives, we were not going to turn the page all at one time. We knew it was going to be bits and pieces every year – that a year goes by with data that's collected to show that in 2021 a really big mistake was made.”

Legals for April, 14 2023

Moses Lake fire assumed to have taken one life

MOSES LAKE – A residential structure fire late Wednesday night is still under investigation but is assumed to have taken one life. Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said the 911 call came in just after 1 a.m. “We had a little bit of wind last night, but fire units as well as deputies were able to see the flames as they were traveling there so it was well involved at the time of the call,” said Foreman. Four adult occupants of the home, located in the 2900 block of Road D.9 Northeast in Moses Lake, were able to escape but one adult was unaccounted for.

Roger Thieme

Roger Lee Thieme – innovator, visionary, philanthropist, mentor, and owner of Evergreen Implement in Othello, Washington for over 50 years – passed away peacefully in his sleep in Encinitas, California, on Nov. 6, 2022. He was 87 years old. Roger began life on a farm in Hebron, Nebraska, with his parents Fred and Minnie (Mimi) Thieme and his older siblings Bill, Dwayne and Wilma (Willie). In 1944, when Roger was 9, the family moved to the promised land, a new farm in Kimberly, Idaho, where they raised potatoes, sugar beets, wheat and cattle. In high school there, Roger met his future wife, Joyce Petersen. They courted in Roger’s 1936 Ford stepside pickup, listening to the new ’50s hits on KLIX AM radio.

The Bicycle Shop

Moses Lake store offers vehicles to adventure in the Basin

MOSES LAKE — Bill Spark said he had already retired a few years ago when his son called him and said there was a business opportunity in Moses Lake. “He said, ‘Hey dad, we have this chance to buy this bicycle shop,’” said Spark, 81. “And so we got involved together, and we did it together for maybe a year or two. And then my son decided he wasn’t making enough money.” Spark’s son went back to driving truck for a living, while Spark stayed in Moses Lake. “So I took over the shop,” Spark said...

Law enforcement logs for April 13

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...

Boeing at home in Grant Co.

737 MAX program brings workers to area along with questions about the future to community

MOSES LAKE — When Boeing first started moving 737 MAX aircraft to the Grant County International Airport, it was only going to be for a few months. “We were going to be here for six months,” said Valdis Martinsons, director of operations in Moses Lake for the Everett-based company. “Here it is three years, and we’re still working through this.” ...

Legals for April, 13 2023

Terry Billings

Terry Billings passed away with loved ones by his side on March 31, 2023, at the age of 82. Terry loved the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He was happy to tell you of his past hunting and fishing trips or of planning for the next one. His love for the outdoors and for his animals will never be forgotten. He really enjoyed man’s best friend and the comfort they gave him in his retired years. He was a longtime mechanic in the Warden area and worked for Wilbur Ellis for 20 years. He is survived by his wife Carol Billings; daughters Debbie Osborne, Tammy Jenson, Amber Billings and Jody Clark (Travis); eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings Jewel Gossard, Cale Billings and Vicki Bierschbach (Mark). Graveside services for family and friends will be held Friday, April 14 at 11 a.m. at the Warden Cemetery, with a celebration of life to be held at 1 p.m. at Travis and Jody Clark’s home.

Eldon Essex

For 86 years, we were blessed with our husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle and friend. Born on June 12, 1936, in Gothenburg, Nebraska, after a long struggle of extended illness, on April 4, 2023, he passed in the arms of his beloved wife. Through it all his quick wit shined through. His love for his wife, Kathy, and family is never-ending and always enduring in their hearts. He will also be dearly missed by Richard Dean, Debbie and Greg Whittemore, Diane Essex and Andy Espino, and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Fire season approaching

Preparation can help reduce the potential for damage from wildfires, say firefighters.

MOSES LAKE — It’s spring at last - sun, warmer temperatures, longer days. Unfortunately, spring brings with it an increased risk of wildfires, even in early spring. “We’re starting to have wildland fires and we’re in April. The vegetation is starting to dry out,” said Cpt. Travis Svilar of Grant County Fire District 5. People whose residences could be vulnerable to wildfire can - and should - take precautions to make their property less susceptible, according to local fire officials. Grant County Fire District 3 Chief Tony Leibelt said the potential for people to get in the way of a fire has increased as development has pushed further and further into previously undeveloped land. He cited the Wenatchee area as an example, with more homes being developed among stands of trees...

Checking it out

A home inspector can catch problems before they turn expensive

MOSES LAKE — Buying a home can be a risky proposition. There are many things that could go wrong with the home or the land, so many things that prospective buyers could miss that could cost them a lot of money down the road. That’s where a professional home inspector comes in. “I've looked at houses and fallen in love with the house,” said Henry Counter, owner of Pillar to Post Home Inspectors in Ephrata. “And then after you move in, you find everything that's wrong with it.” “Home inspections are a critical part of the home buying and selling process,” the National Association of Realtors wrote on its website. “Failure to obtain a home inspection could potentially cost you a great deal of money and hassles in the long run.”