CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Ybarra expects ‘twists and turns’ in 2025 WA session

QUINCY — State Representative Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, said the Washington Legislature has some big decisions to make, which he expects will result in a turbulent legislative session. “I think it’s going to be a big fight over there. I think there are going to be a lot of twists and turns,” Ybarra said. “But it’s going to be really, really interesting.”

Grant PUD commissioners approve new rate policy

EPHRATA — After extensive discussion, multiple community and customer meetings and analysis of different proposals, Grant County Public Utility District commissioners adopted a new rate policy Dec. 10.

Increase proposed in Grant PUD large load application fees

EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District commissioners will decide in early 2025 whether to raise the application fee for new large load customers. New clients will need to pay significantly more than they have historically under the new rules. The current application fee is $2,500 for customers asking for one-half to two megawatts, wrote Christine Pratt, PUD public information officer. Customers asking for two to 10 megawatts pay $6,500, the10 to 20 megawatts fee is $15,000. Customers asking for up to 40 megawatts pay $52,000.

Water, sewer rates to increase in Quincy

QUINCY — Fees will increase for building permits, water, sewer and garbage services in Quncy in 2025. Quincy City Council members approved the increases at the regular meeting Tuesday. Finance Director Carrie Lnenicka said the city has tried to keep rates low, but the water and sewer systems both need upgrades.

Children go around Ritzville to shop with cops, first responders

RITZVILLE — The children and their escorts fanned out around Ritzville Saturday – checking their budgets, evaluating their options, carefully making their selections. Their escorts pushed the carts, helped the children make decisions and occasionally turned on the police car or fire truck lights. Shop with a Cop (and other first responders) provided local children with a shopping buddy, a sweet ride and a chance to pick out gifts for their families.

Attendance, readiness addressed by Othello SD

OTHELLO — Keeping children in school and getting them back in school when they’ve stopped attending were among the topics of an extensive discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Dec. 9.

Grant PUD rates to increase in 2025

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD customers will be paying more for electricity in 2025, although not all customers will see the same increase. Utility district commissioners approved the 2025 budget with a 3% overall rate increase at their regular meeting Dec. 10.

Moses Lake boosts funding for GCAO

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Animal Outreach will receive additional funding for 2024 from the city of Moses Lake and will get an increase in its funding from the city in 2025 and 2026. The additional money for 2025 was included in the budget passed by the Moses Lake City Council Dec. 10.

Grant PUD 2025 budget approved

EPHRATA — The Grant County Public Utility District is projected to spend about $312.2 million in 2025, when all income and expenses are added up. Utility district commissioners approved the 2025 budget Dec. 10. The PUD is projected to end 2025 with about $237.8 million in carryover.

Moses Lake to reopen city manager application process

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Council members have decided to reopen the application process for city manager candidates. Council members interviewed two candidates Dec. 12 but decided against hiring either of them. The candidates, Blaine Oborn and Aaron Palmquist, met with community members as well as the council Dec. 11 and 12. Mayor Dustin Swartz said council members decided in the end to reopen the application process. “We will continue to look,” Swartz said.

City council approves 2025 Moses Lake budget

MOSES LAKE — The city of Moses Lake is projected to spend about $117.2 million in 2025, which will require using about $6.7 million from the city’s reserves. Moses Lake City Council members approved the 2025 budget at their regular meeting Tuesday. That’s a decrease from the preliminary budget, which was about $119.62 million. Council members held a workshop after the preliminary budget was presented in November and made some changes.

Candidates interviewed for Moses Lake city manager

MOSES LAKE — Two candidates for Moses Lake city manager answered questions from city residents and municipal staff in an informal session Wednesday. That was followed by a day of interviews with Moses Lake City Council members and residents Thursday.

Adams Co. Commission workshop addresses Othello homeless camp

OTHELLO — Adams County officials didn’t come to any conclusions about ways to address the challenges presented by a homeless encampment west of Othello in a discussion Wednesday afternoon. But Adams County Commissioner Jay Weise said the meeting was a start toward finding answers, not the end.

Newhouse provides ‘toolkit’ for people fighting fentanyl

YAKIMA — U.S. Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Fourth District) has published a list for people looking for resources to help them deal with fentanyl use. “The fentanyl crisis touches every corner of our communities, and we must work together to prevent opioid overdose,” Newhouse wrote in a release announcing what he called the “fentanyl resource toolkit.”

GALLERY: Moses Lake heritage commemorated at 2024 Ag Parade

MOSES LAKE — Tractors, horses, cars, trucks, work trucks and people took to the streets of Moses Lake Dec. 6 decked out in lights and costumes for the annual Ag Parade.

Better year in 2024 for apples, cherries — not so much for pears

YAKIMA — After two years of bumpy weather and bumpy harvests, the 2024 apple and cherry harvests were closer to average. Pear growers were not so lucky.

Christmas lights, music, fireworks at Othello celebration

OTHELLO — Othello celebrated the coming of the Christmas season with a day of games, food, fireworks and a parade full of twinkling lights, costumes and candy Dec. 7.

Trails, pedestrian access fruits of first 20 years of multimodal system

MOSES LAKE — Almost two decades after Moses Lake residents started building a walking trail system, some work is done, some is still left to do, and some projects have been abandoned. Participants in planning the “multimodal” system conducted a review of the project and will present their report to the Moses Lake City Council Tuesday.

Better training recommended for Moses Lake accounting staff in audit finding

MOSES LAKE — Auditors with the Washington Auditor’s Office recommended that Moses Lake city officials provide more training for staff after finding some money was allocated to the wrong funds in a review of the city’s financial statements for 2021.

Quincy aquatic center, indoor sports arena design coming in 2025

QUINCY — Quincy Parks and Recreation District residents will get a chance to see the designs for the new Quincy Aquatic Center and the indoor sports facility, called the Q-Plex, in 2025. Quincy City Administrator Pat Haley said the two projects are at different stages of design.

Levy Q&A center stage at MLSD forum

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School District voters will be asked to accept or reject a four-year educational programs and operations levy in a special election Feb. 11. If it’s approved, the maximum collectible amount would be $11.21 million in the first year, $12.56 million in the second year, $13.37 million in the third year and $14.24 million in the fourth year.

Prince looking fur a comfy castle

Prince is looking for a loving family for the holidays. The chocolate Rottweiler mix is 8 years old and neutered. He has an adoption fee of $250 and is in the care of Grant County Animal Shelter in Moses Lake. For those interested in taking home the royal boy visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.com or call 509-762-9616.

Ag Parade glitter

An Ag Parade participant enjoys the ride down West Third Avenue in Moses Lake Friday night. The parade drew farm equipment, trucks, work trucks, cars, horses and people, walking and riding the route and mostly decked out in Christmas lights. Full coverage of the parade will be in the Columbia Basin Herald next week.

Questions, answers, discussion at MLSD community forum

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School District Superintendent Carol Lewis answered questions about school operations in the wake of severe budget cuts, technology, teachers responding to challenges in the classroom and billing during a wide-ranging question and answer forum Thursday.

Moses Lake city manager candidates to meet with residents Wednesday

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake residents are being invited to meet the three finalists for the position of city manager from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Moses Lake Civic Center, 401 S. Balsam St.

Quincy preliminary budget projected at $113M

QUINCY — The city of Quincy is projected to spend about $113.49 million in 2025, according to its preliminary budget. Being a preliminary budget it’s still subject to changes, and Finance Director Carrie Lnenicka said some changes are in the works.

Grant PUD projected to finish 2024 in the black

EPHRATA — The Grant County Public Utility District was in the black at the end of the third quarter of 2024. The third quarter results were presented to the PUD commissioners at their Nov. 26 meeting.

Two Othello roundabouts scheduled for 2025 construction

OTHELLO — While the timelines haven’t been determined yet, two new roundabouts are planned for spring and summer 2025 around Othello. One on State Route 17 will impact travelers who may ordinarily bypass the city.

Othello residents invited to weigh in on parking regs

OTHELLO — Othello residents are being asked for their suggestions for some off-street parking regulations. Othello Planning Commission members are reviewing regulations for RVs and other vehicles, providing adequate sight distance at intersections, and some regulations governing alley parking. Their recommendations will go to the Othello City Council for consideration.

Grant PUD reduces budgeted spending, increases income

EPHRATA — An unexpected contract to sell a portion of its dam-generated power and the need to clarify details on capital projects resulted in adjustments to the Grant County Public Utility District’s budget by about $55.6 million.

Attendance, readiness addressed by Othello SD

OTHELLO — Keeping children in school and getting them back in school when they’ve stopped attending were among the topics of an extensive discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Dec. 9. Attendance and getting children ready for school was one part of a review of the Othello School District strategic plan, but John Weisman, instructional improvement director, said education starts with attendance.

REC Silicon reports lower third-quarter earnings

MOSES LAKE — A delay in shipping polysilicon materials led to a delay in production, which led to a drop in earnings for REC Silicon in the third quarter of the year. The company announced a few days after releasing its third quarter earnings report that some of the obstacles delaying delivery were cleared. The company cut back some operations at its Moses Lake facility as a result of the decreased earnings, according to its quarterly earnings report.

HopeSource officer says homelessness a community issue

MOSES LAKE — HopeSource Chief Operating Officer John Raymond said the work his organization does helps people find stable housing. But ultimately, he said, the homelessness problem is about more than money. Raymond gave an overview of HopeSource’s programs in Grant County to the Moses Lake City Council Nov. 26. During that discussion Mayor Dustin Swartz asked Raymond about the future.

Caring for animals, and the cost, discussed at Moses Lake council meeting

MOSES LAKE — A request from Grant County Animal Outreach for additional funding from the city of Moses Lake led to a discussion of animal welfare and its cost at the regular Moses Lake City Council meeting Nov. 26. Sara Thompson Tweedy, president of GCAO’s board of directors, requested that the city increase its funding to $181,000 in 2025. Mayor Dustin Swartz said that might be difficult. “We have challenges of our own,” Swartz said.

Port of Othello focused on large and small business development

OTHELLO — The Port of Othello’s mission can be summed up in one sentence. “The port is here to bring jobs and build Adams County and the Othello area,” said Executive Director Chris Faix.

Adams County 2024 election results certified

RITZVILLE — With the final results in, about 64.99% of eligible Adams County voters cast ballots in the 2024 general election. The results were certified Tuesday. That’s lower than county turnout in the last two presidential elections. Turnout was 76% in 2020 and 72.6% in 2016.

Fire, water, sewer projects part of Othello facilities proposal

OTHELLO — Establishing a municipal fire department and building a new sewer plant, animal shelter and facility to treat surface water are among the projects under consideration in Othello’s six-year capital facilities proposal. Othello City Council members reviewed it Monday as part of ongoing budget discussions.

Mattawa well rehab underway

MATTAWA — The second phase of a project to rehabilitate Mattawa’s oldest well is underway with the removal of the old well house in Hund Memorial Park.

Season of change for Wahluke basketball

MATTAWA — The 2024-25 basketball season is going to be one of change for the Wahluke boys team, which has a new coach and a whole new lineup. Three of the Warrior starters on the 2023-24 team were seniors, and new coach Anfernee Cortez said there have been other changes as well.

New season, new league for Jacks wrestling

QUINCY — Just like all other boys and girls wrestling teams statewide, the Quincy Jackrabbits are starting a new season. But unlike all other teams statewide, the Jacks are starting in a new – and tough – league.

Three returning state placers lead Royal girls wrestling

ROYAL CITY — With returning state placers and a growing program, Royal's girls wrestling coach Jesus Carlos Villa said it’s shaping up to be a good season.

Volunteers keep Thanksgiving food distribution running smoothly

MOSES LAKE — The customers drove up and the volunteer crews went into action. Bags of onions and potatoes, turkeys or chickens, the makings of a Thanksgiving dinner were loaded – with some hash browns for breakfast – and the cars waved through. The Moses Lake Food Bank distributes Thanksgiving baskets the three days leading up to the holiday, and traditionally Monday is drive-thru day.

Rail, airfield improvements planned at Grant Co. International Airport

The Port of Moses Lake is projected to spend about $8.8 million for its operations and wastewater treatment facility in 2025 and generate revenues of about $9.38 million. Port commissioners approved the 2025 budget Monday.

Columbia Basin road projects in DOT draft plan

MOSES LAKE — A walking and bike path between Patton Boulevard and Grape Drive, widening 13th Avenue Southwest in Quincy and pedestrian upgrades to Nelson Road are among the projects proposed by the Washington Department of Transportation for 2025-28. The WSDOT released its draft four-year project proposal for comment this week.

Moses Lake man pleads not guilty to murdering grandfather

EPHRATA — A Moses Lake man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder (domestic violence) in the killing of his grandfather in Moses Lake.

Regional parks district approves first-ever budget

QUINCY — The Quincy Valley Regional Parks District is projected to generate about $4.5 million in revenue and spend about $2.08 million in 2025. District commissioners approved the district’s 2025 budget Tuesday. All the district’s income in 2025 will be its property taxes. Commissioners also approved a resolution authorizing the collection of property taxes for 2025. Property owners will pay 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value to the district.

Othello sewer rates to increase

OTHELLO — Othello residents will see their sewer rates increase by one-half of one percent each year over the next three years. The rates became part of a discussion of current and future needs during the Othello City Council meeting Nov. 12. The rate for 2025 will be $65.42 per month for a single-family residence in the city limits. Owners of a single-tenant commercial building will pay $65.42 for the first 1,000 cubic feet of wastewater, and $2.64 for every 100 cubic feet of water in excess of that.

Consultant to be hired to examine Othello pool

OTHELLO — Othello city officials will hire a consultant to make a detailed examination of the city’s swimming pool to give city residents some options in repairing or replacing it. Othello City Council members allocated up to $150,000 in the 2025 budget to pay for an evaluation at the regular meeting Nov. 12.

Fentanyl report shows drug's impact on Central WA

Task force examines possible ways to address illicit drug that kills daily

YAKIMA — Congressman Dan Newhouse, R–Wash., said he wanted to learn more about fentanyl and its impact in Central Washington after a conversation with a constituent. “There’s an individual in my district, actually from Yakima, who called my office with a very compelling story about his family. He had two sons that, within a short amount of time, passed away because of fentanyl overdoses,” Newhouse said. “He came to the realization that something needs to be done.”

Snow, wind and rain forecast for Basin

MOSES LAKE — All things considered, it might just be best to stay home Tuesday night and add a little time to any travel plans Wednesday morning, even if it’s just to work. Snow is coming – not a lot of snow is forecast for Moses Lake and points south, but wind is coming along with the snow.