Ferguson files suit to block Albertsons payout

SEATTLE — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit in King County Superior Court on Tuesday to block a $4 billion special dividend payout to shareholders by Boise-based Albertsons in advance of the company’s proposed merger with Cincinnati-based Kroger, saying the payout is more than the company can afford to pay and will put the company’s ability to operate in Washington at risk. In a press release, Ferguson’s office said Albertsons — which also owns Safeway — recently revealed to the Securities and Exchange Commission that the special dividend would be made from $2.5 billion in cash on hand, with the company borrowing the rest. According to data available from Charles Schwab, Albertsons was valued at roughly $10.9 billion at the end of trading on Wednesday...

Devils look to improve this season

WILSON CREEK – Finishing the 2021-2022 season 5-12, the Wilson Creek boys basketball team will look to improve on their record as this season comes around. The Devils tip off their year on the road against Riverside Christian on Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Wilson Creek Boy’s Basketball Schedule Dec. 9 - @ Riverside Christian - 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 - vs Entiat - 5 p.m. Dec. 16 - vs Soap Lake - 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 - @ Pateros - 6 p.m. Jan. 3 - vs Thorp - 6 p.m. Jan. 6 - vs Waterville-Mansfield - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 - @ Oroville - 6 p.m. Jan. 10 - vs Cascade Christian Academy - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 - @ Entiat - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 - vs MLCA/CCS - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 - vs Thorp - 6 p.m. Jan. 20 - @ Soap Lake - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 - vs Riverside Christian - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 - vs Pateros - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 - @ Waterville-Mansfield - 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 - @ Cascade Christian Academy - 7:30 p.m.

Toys and financial donations sought for Operation Friendship

MOSES LAKE — Distribution is scheduled Dec. 17 for Operation Friendship, sponsored by the Moses Lake Food Bank. Operation Friendship is the annual toy drive that provides new toys to families in need. Food bank director Peny Archer said signups started Monday. “We’ll do signups the first two weeks of December,” she said...

MLFD, MLPD receive community grants

MOSES LAKE — Both the Moses Lake Fire Department and the Moses Lake Police Department have received significant grants to help the two agencies improve non-emergency community service. The MLFD has received a grant of $108,688 from the Association of Washington Cities to fund an alternative response to 911 ambulance calls that don’t require transporting a patient. Under current insurance regulations, the city – which runs an ambulance service – cannot bill to cover the cost of sending EMTs out on a medical call if they do not transport anyone to a hospital or other care facility...

GCFD7 receives $20,000 toward new truck

SOAP LAKE - Grant County Fire District 7 received $20,000 toward a new fire truck Friday afternoon courtesy of Teck American Inc. “I can't express my gratitude enough for (Teck American’s) commitment to our community and helping us to make sure we have the resources we need,” said GCFD7 Administrator Josh Chambers...

Royal takes 41-7 win in first 2022 playoff game

ROYAL CITY — The Royal High School football team advanced to the state quarterfinals with a convincing - but hard-fought - 41-7 win over the Cascade Christian Cougars Saturday afternoon in Royal. Royal had a 27-0 lead at the half, but the Knights had to work for it. Royal Coach Wiley Allred gave credit to the Cougars. “It was on them,” Allred said. “I told the kids they weren’t a normal 16th seed, because they had won their league and they had played tough against some pretty tough teams...

Alvarez hits 2-run homer, Mariners lose to Houston again

HOUSTON — Two days after stealing Game 1 on a walk-off, three-run home run on Tuesday, Houston outfielder Yordan Alvarez once again delivered on a home run that the Seattle Mariners were unable to recover from. Alvarez’s two-run shot to left field gave the Astros a 3-2 lead over the Mariners on Thursday, which they would eventually ride out to a 4-2 win in Game 2 of the American League Divisional Series.

Establishing accountability

Eagles work to set foundation for future seasons with young team

SOAP LAKE – First-year head coach Garrett Devine and the Soap Lake Eagles have encountered several roadblocks during the 2022 season, but the lessons will help to improve the program in the future. “It’s been a tough year, it’s been a growing year though,” Devine said. Soap Lake, 0-4, entered the season with many 2021 starters having graduated the year prior...

Soap Lake opens new basketball courts

SOAP LAKE - After several years of challenges, Smokiam Park in Soap Lake has a new basketball court for community members to enjoy.

Quincy council approves second school officer

QUINCY — The Quincy School District and Quincy Police Department will add a second school resource officer position, beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Quincy superintendent Nic Bergman told Quincy City Council members during the regular meeting Tuesday that QSD officials think it’s time for a second SRO. “Our district has grown such that we have about 740 students in the middle school,” Bergman said. “Our high school, we’re at about 860, and next year we’ll be over 900. So with the population that we have, especially at our secondary school, it really is essential to have two SROs, so that we can have a dedicated law enforcement presence at our high school and at our middle school.” The council approved the request on a 7-0 vote...

All-City Classic Car Show revs into Othello Friday & Saturday

OTHELLO — Slow drags and cool cars will fill Othello this weekend at the All-Cities Classic Car Show Friday night and Saturday. The slow drags are scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Friday on Main Street. Registration for the car show is from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Kiwanis Park...

MLK Committee celebrates Juneteenth

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Martin Luther King Jr. Committee commemorated a milestone in American history with a Juneteenth celebration June 17 at McCosh Park. The festivities included dancing, music, poetry, exhibits and games. “(Juneteenth) recognizes the contribution and struggles of African Americans in the United States, and it commemorates the end of slavery and the beginning of a new era of freedom,” wrote Miranda Bridges, vice president of the Moses Lake MLK Committee, said via email. “Juneteenth also serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for racial equality and justice. It is a time for reflections, education and celebration of African American culture and history.” ...

Central Washington Sixers to hit the field in 2024

MOSES LAKE – The Six Athletic Training Facility will be fielding youth baseball teams in the summer of 2024, with teams ranging from 9U through 16U donning the uniforms of the Central Washington Sixers...

Equine expansion

Grant County Fairgrounds upgrades provide opportunities for self-sufficiency.

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Fairgrounds officials have expanded available accommodation for horses, and will be moving other horse accommodation, probably this year. Fairgrounds manager Jim McKIernan said attracting additional equestrian events is part of the effort to increase revenue at the fairgrounds, with the goal of becoming self-supporting, or close to it...

Brookdale Hearthstone builds 20-foot sundae

MOSES LAKE — The residents and staff at Brookdale Hearthstone got to take part in a sweet, if somewhat obscure, tradition Friday, celebrating National Strawberry Sundae Day on a big scale. “We decided what better way to celebrate than to have a 20-foot strawberry sundae,” said Kar Vanerstrom, sales manager at Brookdale Hearthstone. “So that’s what we’re building.” ...

Othello celebrates Lions Park upgrades

OTHELLO — Just in time for the beginning of the 8/9/10U Washington Little League State Tournaments this weekend, the city of Othello unveiled the renovations to the Lions Park Athletic Complex on Friday.

Fire report for July 5

YAKIMA – State fire assistance has been mobilized by Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste in response to the Rest Haven fire located in Yakima County near Selah as of Sunday. The fire began July 2 sbetween 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., burning in brush and grass. By the end of the day Sunday, it had grown to about 400 acres and was still growing...

Rehaume chosen as Othello PD chief

OTHELLO — Dave Rehaume, a 34-year veteran of the Othello Police Department who was named interim chief in May, was hired and sworn in as chief during the Othello City Council meeting Monday. The council's vote to hire Rehaume was unanimous...

Warriors fall in 1B state tournament

MOSES LAKE — A five-run top of the second inning was enough for Naselle to defeat Almira/Coulee-Hartline in the second round of the 1B State Baseball Tournament on Saturday, leaving Larson Playfield with a 5-3 win over the Warriors. ACH added three runs of its own in the bottom of the third, but couldn’t add on any additional runs over the final four innings.

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.