FIRE REPORT: Local fire causes road closure, lightning storm causes 9 WA fires

EPHRATA — Grant County Fire District 13 and Ephrata firefighters dealt with a 25-acre burn near Highway 28 and Road E NW Sunday, closing Highway 28 at Naylor Junction and Neva Lake Road. By 5:14 p.m. the fire was handled, and by 5:35 p.m. the highway was reopened. Fire is inferred to have been sparked by a bird on a power line, and was wind driven. The Miners Complex Fires consist of nine wildfires caused by lightning strikes on July 17 and 18. The storm caused about 1,000 lightning strikes across Oregon and Washington. Fire crews are battling a 500-acre complex of lightning-caused fires in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, which has prompted trail closures and warnings from the U.S. Forest Service. The Miners Complex include: Miners Fire, Vista Ridge Fire, Dolly Creek Fire, Sulphur Three Fire, Sulphur Four Fire, Sulphur Thirty-Four Fire, Upper Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, Lower Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, and Plummer Fire.

NEWS BITES for July 22, 2024

NEWS BITES for July 22, 2024

FIRE REPORT: Wilson Creek fire out as of Friday

WILSON CREEK – The Road R Fire, also listed as the Wilson Creek Fire, in Grant County, was put out on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and crews began to monitor hot spots, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The road between R-NE and Wilson Creek is open again beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Treehouse seeks support for foster youth going back to school

MOSES LAKE — Treehouse, a Washington state nonprofit dedicated to supporting the educational and other essential needs of youth in foster care, is launching its annual back-to-school campaign to collect school supplies and items by the end of summer, according to an announcement from the organization. Treehouse is calling on community members, businesses and organizations to support youth in foster care during the back-to-school season by hosting donation drives and/or organizing fundraisers now. This initiative aims to ensure that every child in foster care has the necessary resources to succeed academically and beyond.

Candidates for WA commissioner of public lands make their case to voters

(The Center Square) – Candidates vying to be Washington state’s next commissioner of public lands presented their visions for the office at a Thursday League of Women Voters-sponsored forum at Clark College in Vancouver.

STUDIO BASIN: High temps, primary elections and Legion playoffs

MOSES LAKE – On this episode of the STUDIO BASIN podcast, Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer, Sports Reporter Ian Bivona and Senior Reporter Joel Martin discuss recent headlines in the Basin, including high temperatures, ballots being sent in the mail and the new superintendent at the Ephrata School District.

Police logs for July 19, 2024

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

FIRE REPORT: Wilson Creek fire crisps 180 acres

WILSON CREEK — A wildfire was reported at about 4 p.m. Thursday north of the town of Wilson Creek and west of Road 3 NE which had burned an estimated 180 acres by about 7 p.m. according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

Moses Lake man sentenced in vehicle arson case

SPOKANE — David Alexander Maybee, 25, of Moses Lake was sentenced after pleading guilty to Malicious Destruction of Property by Fire. U.S. District Court Judge Thomas O. Rice handed down a sentence of 60 months imprisonment with an additional three years of supervised release.

Basin events calendar for July 19-28

COLUMBIA BASIN – This week, the Basin has plenty of fun ahead with comedy, shiny cars, live music and a chance to support local athletes.

Legals for July, 19 2024

Murray plans school updates, announces priorities

EPHRATA – Ken Murray has stepped into the role of Superintendent of Ephrata Schools. In a community message on the Ephrata school’s website he elaborated on three focuses as the superintendent which include fiscal responsibility, facility updates and long-term planning.

Small cities in Grant Co. see crime trending down

MOSES LAKE — The communities are smaller, so the incidents are fewer, and the percentage changes look more dramatic. But cities in Grant County are for the most part following the same trend in declining crime as the rest of Washington.

WA job market adds 7,100 jobs in June

OLYMPIA - Washington's job market saw positive growth in June, with an estimated 7,100 new jobs added and the unemployment rate remaining steady at 4.9%. While the unemployment rate had been slowly rising over the past few months, it still remained below 5% since summer 2021 according to the Washington Employment Security Department.

FIRE REPORT: Sunbanks Fire mostly extinguished

ELECTRIC CITY — The Sunbanks Fire that flared up Tuesday afternoon in Electric City was mostly out Wednesday, according to a statement from the Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department. No flames were visible, but small flare-ups continued to appear. The fire burned 100 acres before it was extinguished, but no structures were reported lost.

Ephrata School District receives two clean audit reports

EPHRATA – The Washington State Auditor’s Office recently completed two audits of the Ephrata School District, both resulted in no significant deficiencies. The audits included an accountability audit and a financial statement and federal grant compliance audit, covering September 2020 to August 2023 and September 2022 to August 2023, respectively.

Grant PUD fiber buildout scheduled for October completion

EPHRATA — The buildout of the Grant County Public Utility District fiber network should be complete by late October.

Ephrata School’s budget meeting set

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School Board is holding a public meeting to discuss the district’s budget on Monday, July 29. The meeting will be at 6:00 a.m. in the Ephrata School District Boardroom at 111 4th Ave NW.

Kids with disabilities make memories at Merwin Day of Fishing

WOODLAND — More than 200 children with disabilities enjoyed a unique opportunity to experience the joy of fishing in a supportive and inclusive environment Saturday at the 24th annual Merwin Day of Fishing, according to an announcement from Pacific Power, which hosted the event in conjunction with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The event was held at the hatchery near Merwin Dam in southwestern Washington. Throughout the day, children caught fish specially raised for the event, with many experiencing the excitement of fishing for the first time, according to the announcement. When the kids arrived at the hatchery, they were given T-shirts, fishing rods, tackle and other items. Then volunteer coaches helped them catch up to five fish, which were cleaned and put on ice while families enjoyed a barbecue. The event not only provided a fun recreational activity, but also fostered connections among participants and volunteers. Volunteers from Pacific Power, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and several recreational fishing organizations generously contributed their time and expertise to ensure each child had a fulfilling experience, the announcement said. Corporate sponsors also played a crucial role in supporting the event, providing necessary equipment and resources.

WSU releases spring 2024 honor roll

PULLMAN — One hundred nine Basin students were named to the Washington State University honor roll for spring quarter 2024, according to an announcement from the university. A student can be named to the honor roll either by achieving a grade point of 3.75 while enrolled in at least nine graded credits in a single semester provided that the cumulative GPA is 2.0 or better, or by achieving a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 based on at least 15 cumulative credits of graded work at Washington State University, provided that the semester GPA is 3.0 or better. These Columbia Basin students were named to the honor roll: