Legals for August, 21 2024

Quincy SD implements AI policy, other districts exploring similar action

QUINCY — The Quincy School District will add the use of artificial intelligence to the list of online uses subject to district policy, beginning with the 2024-25 school year. The rise of AI presents challenges for schools that QSD officials said needed addressing, and school districts across the Columbia Basin are reviewing policies and determining how they want to address it.

Applications open for tourism promotion grants

EPHRATA — Applications will be open through Sept. 27 for 2025 tourism promotion campaign grants from the Grant County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.

Chip-seal work near Brewster on Wednesday

BREWSTER — Drivers traveling between Wenatchee and Okanogan should expect delays on US 97 at the Brewster city limits Wednesday.

FIRE REPORT: Two fires blaze up in Grant County over the weekend

QUINCY — At 2 p.m. Sunday a 35-acre blaze started on Overen Road outside of Quincy. The fire was quickly contained two hours after it started with Fire District 3, Fire District 13, Ephrata Fire Department and Bureau of Land Management Fire responding to the fire according to David Durfee, Interim Fire Chief of Fired District 3. “We got it under control pretty fast, air resources showed up, but we didn’t have to use them because our teams had it under control,” Durfee said. The fire only burned wildlands, no structures or injuries occurred according to Durfee. The teams continued to mop up the fire into Sunday night to ensure it wouldn't spread.

NEWS BITES: Aug. 20, 2024

MATTAWA — The Mattawa Police Department would like to remind citizens that there is a noise ordinance, according to a statement released Saturday. Mattawa Municipal Code Chapter 9.08 Noise Control provides a breakdown on what is and is not allowed within city limits. The statement breaks down some of the rules.  “It is unlawful for any person to cause, or for any person in possession of property to allow to originate from the property, sound that is a public disturbance noise,” the MPD wrote. Examples given of this are motor vehicle audio systems that can be heard from at least 50 feet from the source. Any sound from audio equipment, instruments, or similar devices that can be audible from 50 feet away. Violation of the noise ordinance can result in a civil infraction with mandatory minimum penalty.

Grant County officials address fair shooting

MOSES LAKE — On Aug. 19, the Grant County Commissioners and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office held a meeting to discuss the shooting Friday night at the fair. This was the first shooting to occur in the history of the Grant County Fair, according to Kyle Foreman, the GCSO public information officer. According to a statement issued Saturday by the GSCO, the incident began as a gang-related verbal argument between the suspect and members of a rival gang. The suspect, a 15-year-old from Wenatchee, drew a handgun and fired one round, striking a 16-year-old girl in the back and a 14-year-old girl in the leg. Jim McKiernan, Grant County Fair Director, said that the 14-year-old underwent surgery for a three-point repair of her femur. The 16-year-old girl's condition is stable, with no further updates.

Coulee-Hartline School District receives clean audit

COULEE CITY — In the most recent assessment audit conducted by the Office of the Washington State Auditor, Coulee-Hartline School District No. 151 was found to be in substantial compliance with applicable state laws, regulations, and its own policies. The audit, which covered the period from Sept. 1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023, did not uncover any issues that would indicate a lack of controls over the safeguarding of public resources. For the 2022-2023 school year, the district operated on a general fund revenue budget of about $4.4 million.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Dateline wherever ...

If you’re reading this, you’ve seen a few datelines in your time. That city name at the beginning of a news article. Do you know what it means and why it’s put there, though?

NEWS BITES: Aug. 19, 2024

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Police Department put out a statement that the crime rate in the city is down 27.3% for 2023.

Grant Health says no blue-green algae advisories at this time

MOSES LAKE – The Grant County Health District released a statement saying that there are no current blue-green algae advisories in Grant County late last week in response to rumors on social media.

FIRE REPORT: GCFD 7 receives grant funding for fire equipment

SOAP LAKE – Grant County Fire District 7 received two U.S. Department of Homeland Security firefighter grants totaling almost $773,000. The department’s press release says that these grants are very competitive.

Legals for August, 19 2024

STUDIO BASIN: Grant County Fair and WIAA classification changes

MOSES LAKE -- On this episode of the STUDIO BASIN podcast, Managing Editor Rob Miller and Seniors Reporter Cheryl Schweizer discuss the various ongoings at the Grant County Fair and the change of command at the Ephrata Armory.

Grant Co. Fairgrounds evacuated after shooting

MOSES LAKE – The carnival portion of the Grant County Fairgrounds was closed down and evacuated Friday evening after a shooting occurred shortly after 9 p.m., according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman.

Law enforcement logs for Aug. 16, 2024

Reports below were provided by sheriff’s office or police department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nominations open for NCW Tech Alliance Innovator Awards

WENATCHEE — Nominations are being accepted for the North Central Washington Tech Alliance’s Innovator Awards, according to an announcement from NCW Tech Alliance, which has offices around the Columbia Basin, including Moses Lake.

ROAD REPORT: Repaving work underway on Road H SE

POTHOLES RESERVOIR — Drivers thinking of using Road H Southeast between Potholes Reservoir and Othello should be prepared for delays as the road gets rebuilt.

Listings are up, interest rates may come down

COLUMBIA BASIN — More homes are on the market this month than a year ago, according to data recently released by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which tracks real estate trends in 26 of Washington’s 39 counties. Active listings increased 37.7 percent in July 2024 compared to July 2023, according to the NMLS. The increase in Grant County was less of a swing; there were 346 active listings in Grant County in July 2024, a 25.8% increase from July 2023. Adams County had 46 active listings in 2024 versus 35 in 2023. The biggest jump in active listings was in Douglas County, where listings rose 80.8% between the Julys.

FIRE REPORT: International firefighters in PNW to fight fires

MOSES LAKE – A team of 65 senior firefighters from Australia and New Zealand has arrived in the Pacific Northwest to help combat the region's severe wildfires. Upon arrival, the firefighters received briefings at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, before being dispatched to major wildfire incidents, including the Willamette Complex South on the Willamette National Forest and the Pioneer Fire in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.