Drivers urged to plan ahead for Memorial Day travel

OLYMPIA — Washington Department of Transportation officials are suggesting that drivers plan ahead if they are thinking about traveling for Memorial Day weekend. “Memorial Day weekend is often the unofficial start of summer and means increased travel and congestion, so travelers are encouraged to pack their patience,” said a WSDOT press release...

CWU student media takes home regional awards

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington University’s student journalists rose to the top of Region 10 again this year in the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Mark of Excellence contest. PULSE magazine won two categories—Best Student Magazine and Best Feature Writing—and The Observer student newspaper won for Best Affiliated Website. Both publications also earned two finalist selections each in Region 10, which includes schools from Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana...

Legals for May, 15 2023

Mavs on to state with 8-2 win over Eastmont

MOSES LAKE – The Mavs are heading back to the 4A State Baseball Tournament, after defeating Eastmont 8-2 on Saturday in Moses Lake to clinch their spot for the fourth-straight tournament. “Going on to state is absolutely phenomenal,” Moses Lake Head Coach Donnie Lindgren said. “... it’s a tribute to these players. They expect to go to state every year. It’s nothing we do as coaches, it’s the expectations of these players.” ...

Eclectic bargains abound at Rusty Mammoth Sale

MOSES LAKE — Jewelry, art, household items and old books and magazines – the pickings at the Moses Lake Museum’s Rusty Mammoth Sale Saturday were pretty diverse. “(We sold) some furniture items and a really lovely jewelry box,” said Museum Director Dollie Boyd. “There was a lady lined up at the door this morning for that. Lots of cool ceramics and, you know, quirky things. We had a ton of costume jewelry this year, too. That took a long time to price.” ...

MLSD funding reduction should not result in layoffs

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District shouldn’t have to lay off any staff as a result of changes in the funding Moses Lake receives from the state, at least not for the 2023-24 school year. “Back in 2017-18 we were getting 6% regionalization (funding) added to our apportionment. That’s been decreasing by 1% a year the last few years,” said Director of Finance Stefanie Lowry during the Moses Lake School Board meeting Thursday. “It was supposed to completely go away next year.” ...

Mavs split doubleheader against Eastmont

Moses Lake to travel to East Wenatchee for CBBN tourney

MOSES LAKE – Even though Moses Lake split Friday’s doubleheader against Eastmont, the Mavs will travel to East Wenatchee for the Columbia Basin Big-Nine tournament on May 20. Moses Lake defeated the Wildcats 1-0 in the first game, but fell 8-2 in the nightcap. The tiebreaker fell to a coinflip, which fell in favor of Eastmont...

Rodríguez homers and drives in 4 to lead Mariners past Tigers 9-2

DETROIT (AP) — Julio Rodríguez had three hits, including a homer, and drove in four runs as the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 9-2 on Friday night. Rodríguez, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, came into the game hitting .205 with six home runs. “Julio got off to a pretty slow start last year, and this is right about when he picked it up and became Julio Rodríguez,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Hopefully, this is the start of the same kind of run.” ...

Building bust

Many factors causing housing crunch

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s no secret that housing is pretty tight right now. Our population is increasing, and new homes aren’t being built. The law of supply and demand is rearing its economic head. “if you look at a 30-year window, our population in Washington state has increased around 60%, and our housing has only continued to grow about 33%,” said Lindsay Brown, executive officer of the Central Washington Home Builders Association. “So at that rate, the finish line feels that much farther.” One factor in the scarcity is the lack of people to do the actual building, said Joel White, director of the Spokane Home Builders Association. The economic crash of 2008-09 affected the construction workforce in ways that have ramifications today.

Legals for May, 12 2023

Water question

Moses Lake council seeks more water data before making decision

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council wants more information before voting on proposed watering restrictions for the summer. “I’m not prepared to make any decisions at all until we get the rest of the plan figured out,” said Council Member Dustin Swartz during a regular city council meeting on Tuesday...

Legals for May, 11 2023

Parking problems

Council members, residents call for ordinance enforcement in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The city of Moses Lake does not need to have a permanent parking place for RVs and other vehicles used as residences in order to enforce city parking ordinances, Moses Lake City Manager Allison Williams told members of the City Council on Tuesday. However, the lack of such a place puts the city at risk of being sued when it forces residents who are otherwise without living accommodations to move on or impounds their vehicles, Williams said...

On to state

Warriors headed to SCAC final

MATTAWA – Wahluke clinched its spot in the 1A State Boys Soccer Tournament with a 5-0 win over Wapato on Tuesday, highlighted by a three-goal first half and two second-half goals by senior Juan Bravo. The two teams that make it to the South Central Athletic Conference final automatically qualify for state. The Warriors will face off against Highland in the SCAC final on Saturday. “We wanted to come prepared, ready to give it all,” junior Brian Herrera said. “We wanted to be able to accomplish this and get ready for Saturday.” ...

Royal City talks insurance at council meeting

ROYAL CITY — Insurance was a significant topic at the Royal City City Council meeting May 2. The first order of business involved the city’s co-sponsorship agreement with Summerfest. The draft agreement called for Summerfest to indemnify the city in case someone gets hurt at the town’s community celebration, which takes place July 7-8. Summerfest, which operates as a nonprofit corporation, does not currently carry liability insurance because of the cost, council members said.

ML’s Sandhop receives Gareth Giles Award

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Athletic Director Loren Sandhop was named a recipient of the Gareth Giles Award, an annual award given to a member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s Representative Assembly who embodies leadership and dedication to schools and athletes. “It’s an honor, because when you look at the group of ADs that have been honored, it really shows a tremendous amount of time that they’ve devoted to kids,” Sandhop said. “This is like a career-long award. This is my 30th year, and 25th being an AD. Most ADs don’t make it (that long).” Sandhop was given the award at last month’s Washington State Secondary Athletic Administrators Association Conference. Criteria for the award, according to the WIAA’s website, include a minimum of five years as a member of the WIAA’s Representative Assembly, WIAA Board, or special committee; demonstrated leadership in the WIAA’s legislative process; positive resolution in problem-solving and implementing WIAA rules into the schools of the district, among others.

Copenhaver prepares to take over at RMS

ROYAL CITY — Royal Middle School is getting a new principal. Jerrod Copenhaver, who has been teaching fifth grade at Royal Intermediate School since 2014, has been tapped to take over from the retiring David Jaderlund starting July 1. “I'm very excited,” Copenhaver said. “It's a great opportunity to keep working in this community.” Teaching school in Royal City is a long way from what Copenhaver thought he’d be doing. He grew up on the west side and planned from an early age to work in law enforcement. And he did that, as a juvenile probation counselor in Kittitas County. He worked toward his teaching certification during that time, he said.

Legals for May, 10 2023

Rehaume selected as interim Othello police chief

OTHELLO — Othello Police Department Assistant Chief David Rehaume has been named as the interim chief while city officials conduct a search for a permanent replacement. Rehaume will take over June 1. “He’s been a 30-year-plus member of the Othello Police Department,” said Mayor Shawn Logan prior to Rehaume’s appointment by the Othello City Council. “This will be the second time in the last 10 years that we’ve sworn Dave in as our interim police chief. He certainly knows the department, he certainly knows what is expected and he knows what the responsibilities are.”

Nominations open for disability-friendly employers

OLYMPIA — Nominations are open for the 31st annual Governor’s Employer Awards, according to a statement from the Washington State Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment. The GCDE Employer Awards program honors and celebrates the many and varied contributions Washington’s employers make to recruit, hire and advance workers with disabilities, the statement said, adding that diversity and inclusion policies are correlated with high performance, and create opportunities, improve performance and boost profit margins.