COLUMN: CWU taking steps to help students create their futures

Despite all of the available information showing how higher education leads to better jobs and salaries, many people continue to remain skeptical of the benefits of college. This is evidenced by a 10-percentage point decline in college attendance in the state of Washington since 2018. In fact, Washington now has the nation’s third-lowest rate of students who attend college after graduating from high school.

Tech tune-up: MACC upgrades designed to make emergency response easier all around

MOSES LAKE — Emergencies are no respecters of time, place, or circumstances. With that in mind, operators of the Multi-Agency Communications Center are working on upgrading technology to make it easier for people to report an emergency, and for dispatchers to get the information emergency responders need to know.

Kittitas Co. funding will help CWU reopen mental health clinic

ELLENSBURG – The Kittitas County Board of Commissioners and Central Washington University have entered into a partnership that will reinstate critical mental health services for local youths over the next two years.

WA lawmakers eye expanding foster care to 18 to 21-year olds

OLYMPIA- A legislative proposal has the potential to create a smoother transition into adulthood for teenagers and adults aging out of the foster care system.

Severe winter weather incoming

Columbia Basin to see more cold with added factors of snow, wind and possible freezing rain

SPOKANE — It being January and being winter, there’s some good weather news and some bad weather news. The good news is that temperatures are forecast to rise above freezing, at least a little. The bad news is the forecast is for nasty, messy, slippery weather.

Residents asked to use online option for non-emergency situations

MOSES LAKE — Officials at the Multi-Agency Communications Center are asking people calling the non-emergency line to use the website’s reporting app instead.

Royal City considering police dog

ROYAL CITY — The Royal City Police Department could increase its officer ranks by one, and the number of feet on the ground by four.

Othello council deliberates cargo containers, increases splash pad budget

OTHELLO – The Othello City Council’s regular meeting on Monday featured a unanimous vote to spend an additional $35,000 on an improved future installation of a splash pad in Kiwanis Park, as well as discussion regarding the Planning Commission’s recommendation on cargo containers in C-1 commercial zones. City Engineer Shawn O’Brien said city staff had inquired about adding a “mega soaker” to the recreational splash pad design, which dumps 55 gallons of water at once onto the pad. “We took that to the Parks and Rec Committee (to see) if they were still interested at that price,” O’Brien said. “This is the very early stages of this project, which is about a $1.258 million project which $1.1 million of is a grant, and just because the additional cost may go outside of the original budget I wanted to bring it to council and ask for approval to give the mayor authority to make an amendment to the contract that we've entered into with Northwest Playgrounds.”

18/19U River Dogs make move to American Legion baseball

MOSES LAKE – The 18/19U Columbia Basin River Dogs will have a new home this year, leaving the Babe Ruth League and playing in the American Legion under Moses Lake Senior Baseball.

Othello declines $400K grant due to matching requirements

OTHELLO – The Othello City Council unanimously voted to decline a $400,000 Washington Transportation Improvement Board grant during Monday’s regular meeting that would have added sidewalks to several Othello streets.

Port of Moses Lake starts executive director hunt

MOSES LAKE — A new executive director for the Port of Moses Lake should be announced by the end of March. Port commissioners hired Prothman, a business based in Issaquah, to conduct a search for candidates for the position Monday. The contract is $19,500 plus applicable expenses, which were expected to be about $5,000 to $6,500 for placing recruitment ads. Jim Darling, a consultant working with port officials on recruitment, said the port saved money by doing some of the work before looking for a consultant. “Their fee is a little bit less than they normally would charge, because we spent several months on a draft job description and characteristics summary,” Darling said.

Sweetheart deal

Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation auction is Feb. 3

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation’s Country Sweethearts dinner and auction has leveled up this year. In years past the benefit was held in the Commercial Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds, but this year it will occupy both that building and the 4-H Building next door, said CBCF Executive Director Angel Ledesma. Last year’s event drew 520 guests, which made things a little tight with all the auction items as well. “I take this as a compliment,” Ledesma said. “(Some guests have said) ‘Could you please make more room for the tables?’ So this year, we added the 4-H Building. All the raffle items will be in the 4-H Building, so that leaves us room for all tables and all guests in the main room.”

Public safety must be a priority, legislators say

OLYMPIA — Public safety should be a top priority for this year's legislative session, Gov. Jay Inslee and bipartisan state legislators said on the eve of the 2024 legislative session. "We need additional officers on the street," Inslee told reporters. “And to help local police forces find their additional officers, I’m proposing a $10 million grant program.” Washington state ranks 50th in the nation for the number of law enforcement officers per capita, Inslee and legislators acknowledged.

Couple sentenced for years-long abuse

RICHLAND — A Tri-Cities couple will spend decades in prison for sexually abusing a minor, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Washington. Bret Michael Emineth, 41, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for engaging in years-long sexual abuse of a minor victim and recording images depicting the abuse, according to the statement. U.S. District Judge Mary Dimke also sentenced Emineth’s codefendant, Malesa Hale, 37, to 28 years for conspiring with Emineth to abuse the victim and record the abuse. Emineth, who began abusing the minor victim when the minor was only 12 years old, will also plead guilty to related charges in Benton County Superior Court. “I simply cannot convey how horrendous this behavior is,” Dimke said from the bench, saying also that Emineth and Hale had inflicted “harm that will last for a lifetime.” Directly addressing the victim, Judge Dimke said: “You are brave. You are strong. You are courageous. You saved others from the hell that you were subjected to,” by reporting to law enforcement. Dimke added that if the victim had not come forward, there was no doubt that Emineth and Hale would have expanded their abuse to other children.

Road project starts next month north of Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — Work will begin in late February on a project to reduce the possibility of rocks falling onto State Route 17 north of Soap Lake. Miguel Castillo, engineer on the project for the Washington State Department of Transportation, said the project is scheduled to start Feb. 20. The project area is the section of SR 17 from Soap Lake to the Lake Lenore Caves, where the road runs between Soap Lake or Lake Lenore and the rock embankment. Due to the intricate nature of the work, he estimated the project will take about seven months to complete. “There’s a lot of work there,” Castillo said. “All that work is very slow – it is time-consuming.”

Ephrata swears in council members, looks at wastewater costs

EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council swore in three members, two of them new, at its regular meeting Wednesday.

East Wenatchee man dies in ATV accident

EAST WENATCHEE — An East Wenatchee man died when his ATV rolled down a hillside and he was ejected early Monday morning, according to a statement from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Austin Davis, 40, was found dead at the scene of the accident, the DCSO wrote. Davis left his home in the 13000 block of U.S. Highway 2 sometime before midnight New Year’s Eve in the ATV with two adult passengers, the DCSO statement said. The two passengers got out of the ATV at some point during the ride and Davis went on by himself, but didn’t return. The two passengers walked back to the residence and notified the sheriff’s office at about 1:45 a.m. New Year’s Day.

Ashley Naranjo: Leading by example

MOSES LAKE – Posting an unbeaten record in any sport is quite a feat. Remaining undefeated for three years, while winning two state championships, is even more of a challenge.

Teaching it all: Steel Wolf Karate offers a blend of martial arts to students

MOSES LAKE – Like many, Robert Heale was involved in martial arts as a child; after decades away from the sport, Heale got back into it and used years of teaching to be able to open his own martial arts studio in Steel Wolf Karate.

More than 1,700 acres added to conservation lands inventory

OLYMPIA – Washington added 1,726 acres of land for conservation through ten land acquisitions in 2023, according to an announcement from the Washington Department of Natural Resources.