A little kindness

Red Rock parapro doesn’t let childhood cancer get in his way

ROYAL CITY — One of the scariest words in the English language is cancer. Brain cancer is doubly frightening and having it settle in during childhood is a triple whammy. That’s what Jackson Noftle, a paraprofessional at Red Rock Elementary School, has been dealing with for 24 years.

Design starting for event center at Grant Fairgrounds

MOSES LAKE — A preliminary design for a new event center across the street from the Grant County Fairgrounds could be finished this year. The existing fairgrounds complex is scheduled for some upgrades sometime this year, including additional lighting in a spot that’s very popular during the fair. Fairgrounds manager Jim McKiernan said the event venue would be something a little different for Grant County. “Our goal is to be able to host a 750-person event, with catering, kitchens and some breakout rooms, and stuff like that,” McKiernan said.

DNR announces controlled burns

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Natural Resources announced eight prescribed burns throughout the state Monday. The eight separate burns will occur over the spring and cover up to 2,580 acres of state trust land.

Michael (Mike) Adams

1946 — 2024

Michael LeRoy Adams passed to be with his Lord on Saturday, March 16, 2024, on his 78th birthday.

School resource officers offer human connections at MLSD campuses

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Police Department Officer Ray Lopez said the biggest part of the job of a school resource officer – also known as an SRO – is to make connections.

‘Jaku Mumor’

Ghanaian multi-media performance heads to Moses Lake April 27

MOSES LAKE — The multi-media performance event “Jaku Mumor,” created and led by artist Okaidja Afroso, will be making its way to Moses Lake through the Columbia Basin Allied Arts. The performance will be held April 27 at Big Bend Community College’s Wallenstien Theater at 7 p.m. Afroso is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and traditional dancer from Ghana, West Africa, according to his website. “I've presented him to Allied Arts selection committees a couple of times over the years, and it's never seemed to fit,” said CBAA Executive Director Shawn Cardwell. “‘Jaku Mumor’ is a very new project that he has been creating since the world opened up again after COVID, and he's been back and forth to Ghana a few times, meeting and working with artists there. Artists are coming from Ghana for this tour to perform with him. He's worked with videographers, fashion designers, he's worked with dancers, vocalists, musicians, to tell the story of the Ghanaian Ga-Dangme fishermen.”

Legals for March, 25 2024

Mavs’ Vela signs to play soccer in Walla Walla

MOSES LAKE — Family, teammates, coaches and friends got together at the Moses Lake High School to recognize Mavs girls soccer goalie Gabi Vela, who has signed to play for Walla Walla Community College.

Othello student wins $1,000 for Hiawatha art supplies

OTHELLO – Othello resident and fifth-grader at Hiawatha Elementary School Logan Hampton was selected as one of 40 national winners for his popsicle stick art as part of the Popsicle brand’s Stick with Art! contest, providing $1,000 to the winners’ school to purchase art supplies.

Port of Othello approves extension on future $3 million land sale to developer

OTHELLO — Port of Othello Commissioners approved a 90-day extension to their contract with developer Meritage Companies LLC Tuesday. The contract holds two parcels of land for Meritage’s eventual purchase and prevents the port from selling the land to another buyer for the duration of the contract.

Polo Ridge

Hayden Homes opens 12th development in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Hayden Homes kicked off its newest development in Moses Lake, Polo Ridge, with a meet-and-greet event March 14. “We have about 60 home sites,” said Gina Donangelo Barnecut, senior marketing manager at Hayden Homes. “We've got eight different home plans ranging from 1,100 square feet to just under 3,200 square feet, single story, two-story.” The event drew a crowd of local leaders and representatives from the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. Hayden Homes Project Manager Aziel Barraza cut the Chamber’s ceremonial ribbon, and Rob Nalle, senior project manager for Simplicity by Hayden Homes, opened a bottle of champagne and watered the ground with it. Attendees were then treated to a taco lunch catered by Tacos El Rey.

Legals for March, 22 2024

Law enforcement logs for March 22, 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. Ephrata PD March 13 Report of a vehicle stolen in the 400 block of Basin Street Northwest. Report of a vehicle damaged overnight in the 200 block of E Street Southwest. Report of a residential burglary in the 1200 block of D Street Southwest. A welder was stolen from inside the garage. Report of a two-vehicle collision on SR 282. Vehicle 1 passed vehicle 2 westbound but did not allow enough time to get back into the westbound lane and struck vehicle 2, smashing the driver’s side window and damaging the mirror. Vehicle 1 continued and was contacted by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Vehicle 2’s driver and a passenger sustained minor injuries.

Changes incoming at Ephrata library

EPHRATA – The North Central Washington Libraries branch in Ephrata is, like the majority of NCWL branches, slated for some remodeling and upgrades in the near future, said Aaron Loeffelbein, supervising librarian at the Ephrata location.

Experts preview 2024 Washington apple industry

MOSES LAKE — Several factors will likely play a significant role in 2024’s apple industry, including labor shortages, legislation, water availability issues, a strong export market and last year’s opening of the Indian market, according to representatives of the Washington Apple Commission and the Washington Tree Fruit Association. Washington State Tree Fruit Association President Jon DeVaney said it is too early for a real crop prediction. “We will not really start trying to do an initial estimate for talking to our members until later in the spring,” DeVaney said. “Crops can be affected by so much weather in between the early part of the season and when harvest begins. We try not to make too many firm predictions too early.”

Road closure revisions starting Monday north of Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — Traffic control measures will be changed for a few weeks on a project to remove some of the rock slope along state Route 17 from Soap Lake to the Lake Lenore Caves. Sebastian Maraga, communications consultant for the Washington Department of Transportation, said the changes will go into effect March 25, and may last at least three weeks. “The contractor will move to single-lane alternating traffic with 20-minute holds,” Moraga wrote in a press release. “At 20 minutes, traffic will be released in one direction, then stopped to allow traffic to clear in the other direction. The road will be open to two-way traffic without restrictions during non-working hours.”

Advancing education: Warden STEM Day connects students with career pros

WARDEN – The Warden School District held its first Post-Secondary Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Day fair Thursday evening in the Warden High School Gym, with STEM professionals visiting the school to hear students’ presentations on different career paths, followed by a networking event.

Non-surgeons try out surgical robot at Samaritan demonstration

MOSES LAKE — The brightly colored little cones were a little bigger than chocolate kisses. Under magnification from the demonstration da Vinci surgical robot, they looked more the size of cupcakes.

Washington STEM program brings professionals to Wahluke Junior High

MATTAWA – Several professionals from the Hanford Nuclear Site visited Wahluke Junior High’s eighth-grade science class March 15 as part of the Washington State STEM Education Foundation’s STEM Like ME! program, which will head to the junior high’s seventh-grade science class March 22.

Work underway on some county roads, scheduled for others

EPHRATA — Drivers who frequently travel on Road 9 Northwest between Dodson Road and State Route 283 already know it, but drivers who don’t might want to find an alternate route while the road gets some work. Road construction also is planned for a section of Road H Southeast near Royal City, and upgrades to sidewalks and pedestrian ramps in the Larson area north of Moses Lake.