WDFW examines fishing on Moses Lake

Biologist breaks down the basics of fishing the manmade body of water

MOSES LAKE — Anglers on Moses Lake in 2020 spent around 77,000 hours casting their lines for fish, both from their boats and from onshore, according to Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife lead warm-water fish biologist Marc Peterson. “Which sounds like a lot,” Peterson said during a Tuesday presentation to the Moses Lake Watershed Council. “But I’m not sure it is.” ...

Kenneth D. Jones

October 13, 1942 – December 27, 2022

Kenneth Dale Jones, 80, a longtime resident of Moses Lake, passed away on Dec. 27, 2022. He is now in heaven with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Ken was born on Oct. 13, 1942, in Sunnyside, Washington, to Dale and Lyne Jones and grew up in Grandview, Washington. He graduated from Grandview High School in 1961. After high school, he attended Seattle Pacific University for three years before transferring to Western Baptist Bible College in El Cerrito, California, where he met his future wife, Karin Schoenfeld. They married in Bellevue, Washington, on Aug. 30, 1966. Ken served in the United States Army for three years from 1966 to 1969, after which he finished his teaching degree at Central Washington University. Ken and Karin then moved to Moses Lake where he taught history and math at Chief Moses Middle School for 38 years, before retiring in 2008. During the summers, he ran his own custom harobedding business. Ken and Karin raised their two sons, Kevin and Kraig, on a small farm on the outskirts of Moses Lake, where they raised sheep, had a large garden, and a small orchard.

Soap Lake looks for input on creative district

SOAP LAKE — On Jan. 5 an introductory meeting was held in Soap Lake to gauge interest and educate interested parties in what a creative district is and what it could mean for the city. “I know that we have a lot of dreamers in this community, and what we want to talk about tonight is, do we have some doers,” said Soap Lake City Council Member Kayleen Bryson, who is also on the Soap Lake Economic Development Committee. According to the Washington State Arts Commission, a creative district’s purpose is to help communities strengthen their creative sector, diversify their economy and enhance the quality of life by creating a focal point of cultural and economic activity.

Winter growing

Moses Lake ag students work to raise veggies in the off season

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School students Anita Berecyk and Isabella Lodienoi carefully tend the okra they’ve been growing in pots in one of the MLHS greenhouses. They are getting ready to finish this horticulture project, and both students have definite opinions about how it’s gone so far this winter. “It was good at first and then it started dying because we have a bunch of bugs in our garden. Because it’s a greenhouse,” Berecyk said...

Lion boys, girls dominate in wins

MOSES LAKE – The Lion boys and girls basketball teams lead from wire to wire in their dominant wins over Cascade Christian Academy on Thursday night, with the boys winning 57-19 and the girls winning 50-19. Both teams rode commanding leads into the halftime locker room, with the boys up by 36 points and the girls pitching a shutout, up 32-0. The Lady Lions forced numerous turnovers in the first quarter, leading to transition points. Senior Kali Kast scored seven of her 14 points in the first quarter. “The girls have worked really hard to rebound from the loss at the tournament, and we’re getting into the swing of things for league,” MLCA/CCS girls basketball Head Coach Josh Kast said.

Grant County Jail construction planning process starts today with kickoff meeting

EPHRATA — Grant County officials and representatives of the general contractor and architects will be meeting today to discuss the initial phases of construction of the new Grant County Jail. Tom Gaines, Grant County Central Services director, said Grant County Commissioners selected Lydig Construction out of Spokane Valley as the general contractor. “All of our pieces are in place,” Gaines said. “The team is now together, and we’re (planning) the next six to eight months.” Thursday’s meeting is the start of that process. “Everybody that’s responsible for getting this thing built meets in the same place,” Gaines said, and will review the work done to date. “Where we’ve been and where we’re going.” County voters approved a three-tenths of 1% increase in the county’s sales tax in 2019, with the money to go toward law and justice projects including a new jail. Grant County Commissioners approved the sale of up to $90 million in limited tax general obligation bonds for the project in July 2022.

Tommy Joe Kaufmann

Tommy Joe Kaufmann, 81, passed on Dec. 23, 2022, of natural causes. Son of Cletus and Mamie Kaufmann of Lewiston, Idaho, he was fifth out of their 11 children. He was born into farming life along with his older siblings Dave, Cliff, Sis and Pat, and his younger siblings Ed, Chuck, Mike, Fred, Don and Mary. After serving as an army sergeant in Vietnam, Tommy (aka Tom) and his first wife Ruth were married in 1969 and settled in Othello, Washington where they farmed and raised four daughters: Jo, Melissa, Kristina and Jennifer. Tom's family tree eventually grew to include grandsons Logan and Kody, granddaughter Sydney, and great-grandson Parker (parents Kody and Haley). Later he gained four more step-grandchildren through his daughters' marriages: Shawn, Michael and Austin (Kristina and Rob Coombes) and Henry (Melissa and Dallas Johnson). Significant others also part of the family are Dan Murphy (Jo) and Ben Grendahl (Jenn).

Local talent

Moses Lake Museum showcases member’s works

MOSES LAKE — Oil portraits. Photos. Welded sculptures. Intricately painted feathers. Virtually anything a local artist can create is on display at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center. “I keep telling everyone, there's something for everyone in this show, literally,” said Museum Director Dollie Boyd. “Because there's so many different styles and types of mediums. There's photography, there's this kind of upcycled work. There's paintings and illustrations. So it's a really cool mix. And I think everybody will find something they like.” This is the second year the museum has thrown open its gallery to its members and invited them to show off their creations. About 32 artists entered 90 artworks this year, which pretty well maxed out the available space, Boyd said.

CWU men earn first GNAC win, women fall to Simon Fraser

MOSES LAKE — Both the Central Washington men’s and women’s basketball teams concluded their home stand in Moses Lake on Saturday, with the men’s team surviving a scare and the women’s team suffering its third consecutive loss. CWU men vs Alaska Fairbanks The Wildcats led wire-to-wire in their 78-66 win over Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, including a 20-plus point lead in the first half that the Nanooks cut to a two-point lead in the second half. “They’re a good team, and we knew that they would make a run,” CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said. “It got close there, and that makes it mean more that we had to gut it out like that.”

Myrtle Louise Manuel McCart

Myrtle Louise Manuel McCart passed Jan. 5, 2023, in Wenatchee, Washington, at age 91. She was our mother. Mom was born in Pond Creek, Oklahoma, and grew up there with her sister MaryAnn and parents Pete and Linnie Manuel. She graduated as valedictorian from Pond Creek High School. Go Panthers! Mom married Berry "Bud" McCart, and they moved to Quincy, Washington, following the building of Grand Coulee Dam and the availability of irrigated land for farming. She and Bud raised three girls in a home by the last school bus stop on Monument Hill. They adopted many dogs dropped off at the end of the lane and fought off roosters when raising chickens and collecting eggs. Horses were usually in the corral, and that allowed for 4-H projects and some sagebrush land range-riding. Mom would add some chlorine bleach to the finicky well when it needed it and would bring home the milk from the dairy she visited once a week, to separate out the cream and stir in some powdered milk to stretch things out a bit. The ability to identify milk with powdered milk stirred in remains a skill her children appreciate, not needing it anymore.

John Flint McCabe

John Flint McCabe was born May 13, 1973, in Seattle, Washington to Jack and Jane McCabe. He graduated from Stanwood High School and was a proud member of the class of 1991. From his youth, he was always athletic and considered himself an adrenaline junkie. After graduation, Flint moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to pursue his love of skiing by competing in the freestyle mogul. He had dreams of Olympic gold, but they were dashed by a major ski injury. In his final competition, Flint injured his back and unknowingly damaged his pancreas, which led to him becoming a Type 1 diabetic. Sadly, he fought 20 years of pain and side effects. On Jan. 1, 2023, at 9:19 a.m., Flint lost the battle with Type 1 diabetes while living in Moses Lake, Washington. He leaves behind his wife of 22 years, Rebekah, his 20-year-old daughter Ana and his mother Jane. He was preceded in death by his father, Jack. He had no siblings. His hobbies included fly tying and watching cooking shows. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fly fish. He was a certified mixologist and worked all aspects of the hospitality industry.

Unincorporated Grant County permits for Jan. 6, 2023

Unincorporated Grant County Nov. 5-11 Willamette Egg Farms, 12400 block of Road 7 Northeast, Moses Lake, egg foyer, $12,375. Willamette Egg Farms, 12400 block of Road 7 Northeast, Moses Lake, egg foyer, $37,125. Willamette Egg Farms, 12400 block of Road 7 Northeast, Moses Lake, egg foyer, $37,125. Willamette Egg Farms, 12400 block of Road 7 Northeast, Moses Lake, egg foyer, $19,800. Willamette Egg Farms, 12400 block of Road 7 Northeast, Moses Lake, egg foyer, $29,700. Willamette Egg Farms, 12400 block of Road 7 Northeast, Moses Lake, egg foyer, $350,550. Helga Joy Behan, 18200 block of Southwest Shore Drive, Beverly, post frame open cover, $7,050. Nancy Cruz and Denys Herrera, 1300 block of Road 19.3 Northeast, Soap Lake, manufactures home, $55,890. Permits issued: 8. Total valuation: $549,615.

QSL? Roger roger.

Radio amateurs provide an important link in an internet world

MOSES LAKE — “Whiskey 7 Bravo Juliet November, is that a roger?” The man’s voice, using the NATO phonetic alphabet to spell out a call sign, had a clear Caribbean lilt discernable even through the static and the distortion. “Roger, the name here is Brian.” Brian Nielson acknowledged his call sign and spoke clearly into the microphone hanging over his desk. “Go ahead.” “You’re coming in five by nine here on the beach in Barbados, over,” the voice replied, using the international amateur radio code to describe a clear and strong broadcast. The Barbadian then described the sun, the sand, and the surf right in front of him, and the fact that he was taking the day off from work. “Oh, on the beach, roger,” Nielsen said. “It’s kind of chilly here. We’re not on the beach. It’s snowy outside and 32 degrees. And we got about an inch of snow this morning. So I’m really envying you guys over there.” Nielsen extended an invitation to visit Moses Lake next time his conversation partner was in the United States. “Take care and 73,” Nielsen said, adding his call sign — W7BJN — and using the international amateur radio code for kindest regards. “Roger roger,” the Barbadian radio operator replied. “73s to you, my friend, and good luck.”

American Legion family looks for more members

Local unit works to support area veterans of all ages, including seniors

EPHRATA - The American Legion family hosts and participates in many events and programs throughout the year that supports veterans and their families locally as well as across the country. “We reach out to our communities to try to help remind them of the freedoms that a lot of us take for granted,” said Jane Montaney, American Legion Art Semro Unit 28 long-time member. “There is somebody out there at one point in time (who) made sure that those freedoms existed for us and are serving to continue to preserve those freedoms.” ...

Gretchen Ann Horne

September 16, 1938 – December 27, 2022 Gretchen Ann (Frey) Horne, a longtime resident of Moses Lake, passed away on Dec. 27, 2022, in Yakima, Washington. Gretchen had been living in Yakima at a memory care facility since August of 2018. Gretchen was born on Sept. 16, 1938, in Yakima, Washington. Her father, Art Frey, was a teacher and her mother, Thora Belle Armstrong, worked in the office of a large fruit packing company. In 1941 the family moved to Spokane, Washington when Art accepted a teaching/coaching position at Lewis and Clark High School, a position he would hold for the next 31 years. Gretchen grew up on 24th and Jefferson, on Spokane’s South Hill. She attended Lewis and Clark and was involved in many activities. In her senior year she was named the Job’s Daughters Queen for 1956. After high school, Gretchen attended WSU for one year before moving back to Spokane. In 1958, Gretchen found herself working as a secretary at a downtown business called Capital Finance. While there, she met and fell in love with the young assistant manager, Doug Horne. After a quick engagement, the couple were married on June 15, 1958, in the Manito Presbyterian Church. The couple moved briefly to Chehalis, Washington for Doug’s business, but soon found themselves back in Eastern Washington. Upon landing in Moses Lake in 1959, Gretchen’s first words to Doug were "I will give this a year!" That year stretched out for 59 years, and Moses Lake became the city that Gretchen learned to call home. In 1961, they had their first child, Teresa Lynn Horne. In 1964, their son Lawrence Douglas Horne was born. In 1980, after their daughter gave birth to their first grandchild, Anitra Monique, Doug and Gretchen became legal guardians of Anitra and raised her. Over the years, Gretchen was involved in many different activities in her newly adopted hometown. She was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Moses Lake, where she served as an elder and clerk of session for many years. She was a Stephen Minister for several years and was active in her local PEO chapter. Gretchen loved to travel. This love of travel was not just a passive hobby. When Gretchen planned a vacation, she brought out notebooks, maps and brochures, which she acquired through numerous letters to local tourism offices. She built three-ring binders and meticulously planned out family adventures. Each roadside historical marker was read, and every museum and historical site visited. But of all the places Gretchen traveled, none could ever compare to her beloved ocean. Gretchen lived for her vacations to the ocean. In later life, she and Doug would spend at least two weeks every year in Cannon Beach. The ocean, to her, was life made tangible through every gray mist, seagull squawk, and cuffs made wet by overly-ambitious waves. Gretchen was an honest and caring person who truly loved her friends and her church. She was a person who felt things deeply, and despised the dark sarcasm often found in everyday life. Gretchen was a graceful and gracious person, a definite nod to a more genteel time. She noticed which fork you used for your salad, whether or not you removed your hat in a restaurant, and if you neglected to say please and thank you when such a gesture was required. Most of all, however, Gretchen lived by the motto "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." So, while she was sometimes quiet with a knowing expression, she was always quick to forgive and ready with a smile. Her generosity of spirit, her contained yet exuberant lust for travel and adventure, and her deep and abiding kindness were her hallmarks. For this, and for so much more, she will be forever missed. Gretchen is survived by her daughter Teresa of Tri-Cities; her son Larry and his husband Jeremy of Olympia; and her granddaughter Anitra Castillo, her husband Juan and their two children Rayn and Noah of Moses Lake. She is also survived (albeit in memory only) by her husband of 61 years, Douglas Lewis Horne, the forever soldier by her side. Memorial services will be announced in early spring 2023. Brookside Funeral Home is caring for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.brooksidefuneral.com.

Michael Harris

Michael Eugene Harris, 69, died Dec. 7, 2022, in Spokane, Washington. He joined his beloved wife, Sharon Harris, with their Heavenly Father. Final arrangements are with Pioneer Memorial Gardens. A Celebration of Life will be held later in spring 2023.

Under one roof

Couple launches roofing, tax preparation business in Ephrata

EPHRATA — In a little blue house on the corner of Division Street and E Street, Yuritzi Chavez and her husband Victor decided to take a chance. “I’ve been doing taxes for 12 years,” Yuritzi said as she sat behind the big desk in an office that still smelled of fresh woodwork and new paint. “My life has been in taxes and business.” However, Yuritzi said that while she worked preparing individual and business taxes and selling insurance, she was also looking for an opportunity to expand her business, but nothing presented itself. Then Victor found himself working for a roofing company that was no longer paying him. To the Chavezes, it all suddenly seemed like a heaven-sent opportunity.

Donald Timlick

Donald Charles Timlick passed away Dec. 3, 2022, in Moses Lake, Washington. He was 86 years old. Don was born in Rolla, North Dakota on Nov. 14, 1936, to the late William Robert Timlick and Hilda Louise Timlick (Saich). He has resided in Royal City, Washington since 1977 with his wife Betty Timlick, where they farmed many crops including apples, alfalfa and corn. Don moved from North Dakota to Lonepine, Montana at the age of 10, and at the age of 16 he married his wife, Betty Stratton. They celebrated their 69th year of marriage on Oct. 15 of this year. In 1957, after working several jobs including felling timber, Don moved from Montana to Seattle Washington in order to start work at Boeing. After working at Boeing for about a year, he purchased his first service station selling gasoline and performing small automotive repairs. His wife Betty learned how to handle all of the bookkeeping, and they continued to work as a self-employed team for all the years that followed.

City, health district seek input for trail improvements

MOSES LAKE — The City of Moses Lake and the Grant County Health District are asking city residents for help as the two agencies prepare to update the city’s trails master plan. “The main goal is to look at current trails and identify areas of need and improvement,” said Reece Leavitt, a health educator with the Grant County Health District who sits on the Trails Planning Team. “The goal is to get the trails the community wants to see.” The city has a number of dedicated walking, running and bicycling trails, including a path connecting Big Bend Community College to downtown, recreation trails along both sides of the peninsula, dedicated bike lanes on Broadway Avenue and Division Street and a number of road shoulders widened for walking.

How to read the range

Quincy High School’s Levi Kukes to compete in international rangeland management contest

QUINCY — An experienced observer – or somebody who’s done their homework – can study a piece of rangeland and find clues to its condition. The vegetation on a specific section of range, its distribution, the way the land slopes, the soil type – it all has something to say, at least to someone who’s done their homework. Levi Kukes has done his homework.