Cafeteria patrol

Police officers and firefighters visit Groff Elementary Wednesday to connect with students.

MOSES LAKE — Chocolate milk on cereal? Officer Campbell was skeptical. Moses Lake Police Department Officer Ian Campbell was having breakfast with students at Groff Elementary Wednesday, and one of his breakfast buddies insisted that chocolate milk was the best option for cereal. Campbell said he didn’t know about that, but he did concede chocolate milk might make more sense on chocolate cereal. “Chocolate milk would make it double chocolate,” he said...

Backyard chickens

What to do to raise happy, healthy egg producers

After egg prices hit record highs in late 2022 and early 2023, having a flock of backyard chickens to provide a personal supply of eggs can be tempting. Dr. Isabelle Louge, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, offers tips for designing coops and researching hatcheries before bringing chickens home and keeping them healthy and happy. First, Louge suggests that owners prepare a spacious coop with fencing to prevent overcrowding and predation, which is the act of one animal killing another for food.

Woman arrested and charged with raping 15-year-old boy

EPHRATA - Andrea Campos Hernandez, 22, Moses Lake has been arrested after an investigation into alleged sexual abuse of a 15-year-old Warden High School student, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. “The alleged misconduct started in 2021 when the boy was 13 and Hernandez was 21,” the statement said...

Jacks open 2023 season with 10-0 win over Tonasket

QUINCY – The Jackrabbits put on a show to start the year, scoring 10 goals in their 10-0 win over Tonasket on Saturday. Quincy senior Antonio Valadez opened the year with a hat trick, while fellow senior Jorge Nunez and freshman Erick Zepeda both netted two goals of their own.

Healthcare industry to collect demographic data

OLYMPIA — More than 400,000 health care professionals in Washington would be required to provide information on their race, ethnicity, gender, and spoken languages under a bill that passed the House and is now being considered by the Senate. “This is something that we need to do to align our racial and ethnic makeup, and also just understanding better how we can get the workforce that reflects our state,” said Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane. “This is needed to help us have a more robust and diverse workforce.”

Royal City, engineering firm to offer scholarship

ROYAL CITY — Engineering firm Anderson Perry & Associates announced it has created a scholarship it will award on behalf of the City of Royal City, according to a letter sent by the company to the city. The scholarship is for $1,000 and is available to Royal High School students, according to the letter. Anderson Perry & Associates will coordinate the selection of the winner, with input from representatives of the city, the letter said.

Food pantries seek flexibility to aid families

OLYMPIA — Legislation currently making its way through the Washington State Legislature would give food banks the ability to spend more money on diapers, toiletries, feminine hygiene products and other non-food items in order to meet increasing demand. Substitute House Bill 1499, by Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Oak Harbor, allows food banks to expand the percentage of food assistance funding they can spend on non-food items from 10% to 25%.

Ephrata students involved in I-90 rollover accident

No serious injuries reported

COLUMBIA BASIN – Six Ephrata High School students and one staff member were involved in a roll-over crash early Friday morning. A release by the district stated that shortly after 8 a.m. an Ephrata School District vehicle was involved in a single vehicle roll-over crash just east of Moses Lake on I-90 between the Moses Lake SR 17 exit and the Schrag Rest Area.

Fire fighting support bill passes WA House

Local fire chief says legislation will be a big asset if enacted

OLYMPIA – Legislation to fund aerial fire suppression assistance for small and rural fire departments passed the state House Wednesday. “Listening to some of the people here at my district, they have always been afraid to order aircraft because of that dollar amount,” said Grant County Fire District 7 Chief Chris Baker. “So, we’ve had some fires that could have definitely used it that were very large. I think it’s about time and as long as we have training in place to ensure that everyone is responsible with that resource, it’s going to be really important – a great asset for us.”

ML school board mulls design for new school

MOSES LAKE — The 12th Moses Lake School District elementary school will be located in Mae Valley and will resemble Groff Elementary but will cost more. A schematic design of the proposed school was presented to the Moses Lake School Board at its regular meeting Thursday. Matt Whitish of Design West, the principal architect on the project, estimated the current cost at about $33.9 million if district officials decide to implement some of the changes suggested by staff to the existing Groff Elementary design. There’s also an option to add eight classrooms. If district officials decide to do that, Whitish said, the construction estimate is about $38.5 million.

Mitsubishi Scuttles the SpaceJet

TOKYO — Japanese industrial giant Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced in February that it is ending its development of the SpaceJet regional jetliner and has scuttled at least one of the planes housed in Moses Lake. Near the end of a conference call reviewing the company’s earnings for the third fiscal quarter of 2022, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries — parent company of Mitsubishi Aircraft — said it will discontinue the development of the regional jetliner citing both the cost and complexity of the program.

RECAP: 2022-23 Basin basketball season

COLUMBIA BASIN – Of the 24 basketball teams in the Basin, five teams qualified for state competition and three ended up taking home hardware. With the 2022-2023 season now in the rearview mirror, see below for a recap of how local boys and girls teams fared this season...

Registration open for Ephrata business expo

EPHRATA — Registration is open through March 20 for the Business After Hours Business Expo, scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. April 12 at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. The expo is sponsored by the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce.

Ready for a Space Burger?

Lioness Club of Moses Lake looks to serve tastiness in late March.

MOSES LAKE — Space Burgers are coming back.

Ready for a cold one

MOSES LAKE - William Stakelin and his wife Claudine, sons Connor and Dylan, and business partner Luke Kindred cut the ribbon on the Moses Lake Taproom at 530 W. Valley Road with members of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

Hunting group files suit against WA wildlife commissioner

OLYMPIA - A nationwide hunting advocacy group is attempting to give the boot to a Washington wildlife commissioner for serving on another volunteer board.

Bill to protect retired public employees’ health insurance passes WA Senate

OLYMPIA — A bill to protect retired public employees’ access to health insurance unanimously passed the Washington State Senate Wednesday...

Boots and Bling set for Saturday

EPHRATA — The Soap Lake Parents for Kids Boots and Bling Auction will be held Saturday at the American Legion Art Semro Post 28, located at 276 8th Ave NW in Ephrata...

Pesticide Advisory Board bill passes WA House

OLYMPIA – Legislation that would create the Pesticide Advisory Board unanimously passed the state House of Representatives Tuesday...

Feds indict Ephrata man for child pornography

SPOKANE — An Ephtata man convicted last month of multiple charges of sexually abusing a minor has been charged by a federal grand jury with producing child pornography, according to an indictment handed down in Spokane on Tuesday...