CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Mattawa City Council to consider annexation in January

Access points to planned development a sticking point for council members

MATTAWA — Mattawa City Council members may decide Jan. 5 to accept or reject a petition to annex 40 acres into the city. Setting a tentative date followed a two-hour discussion of the development agreement stipulations at the council’s regular meeting Thursday. Rachelle Bradley of SPJ Alliance, the city planners, laid out a timeline. “We still need to go through the negotiation side with the developer, and there’s a public comment period,” Bradley said. “Right now, I want to get this agreement into the developer’s hands (Friday), and we’ll give them about a two-week period to negotiate.” If the negotiations are successful, city officials will advertise the annexation petition and ask for the opinions of city residents...

Quincy approves contract with employee union

QUINCY — Quincy city officials and the Teamsters Union local representing the city’s public works employees have reached an agreement on a new three-year contract. The Quincy City Council approved the contract on a 4-0 vote during a special meeting Nov. 28. City administrator Pat Haley said in a later interview that the contract replaces one that expired at the end of 2021 and was extended a year while city and union representatives worked on a new one...

Cold to stay

Chances of snow to diminish, but it’s going to stay cold

MOSES LAKE — Of course, it’s that time of year, and the first snowfall of the season Tuesday night closed schools, left people with driveways and sidewalks to shovel, discombobulated morning commutes, annoyed a lot of cats and delighted a lot of dogs. And while the snow might get cleared off the road and schools will get going again, the snow is here to stay, at least for a while. Jon Fox, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Spokane, said Wednesday morning that snow showers might linger through Thursday, and possibly into Friday night. New snow amounts are forecast to be minimal, an inch or less. “It’s not going to melt though, unfortunately,” Fox said...

QVMC contractor selection could start by mid-December

QUINCY — A request for bids from construction firms to build the new Quincy Valley Medical Center could be issued by mid-December. In addition, QVMC board members are scheduled to vote on a resolution to sell the bonds to finance the project at the Dec. 19 meeting. Hospital board members received an update on the project at the regular meeting Nov. 28. Joe Kunkel, the consultant working with QVMC officials on the project, said hospital officials will make a presentation Dec. 1 to the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board, asking that the hospital district be allowed to waive some of the requirements of the bid process. If the request is allowed, the district will be able to hire a contractor immediately, Kunkel said...

Jitka Garza takes over at Othello Anytime Fitness

OTHELLO — Jitka Garza said the goal of a fitness routine is to make life better, whatever that goal might be for each athlete. Garza is the new owner of Anytime Fitness in Othello, and she cut the ribbon at her business on Nov. 23. “That’s the goal, to get you better, in your movement, your mobility, whatever you need,” she said. “Very important for your daily life to do certain movements, to get better.”....

Tip a Cop fundraiser returns to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — As a matter of fact, yes, those are police officers and sheriff’s deputies cleaning tables, delivering hamburgers and drinks and occasionally breaking into song. The fifth annual Tip a Cop is scheduled for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 7 at Rock Top Burgers & Brew, 930 N. Stratford Rd. in Moses Lake. Deputies from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Moses Lake Police Department officers will be working the floor for that two-and-a-half-hour stretch, handing out menus and delivering meals and drinks. The tips they earn go to the Shop with a Cop program sponsored by each department. Rock Top employees make a donation as well as sponsoring the event...

‘That’s what I heard about Moses Lake, the strength was in the people’

Moses Lake School District Superintendent sees challenge, opportunity ahead

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School District Superintendent Monty Sabin said transparency and visibility are important, both in themselves and because they help build trust. Sabin was hired as the new superintendent in March, replacing former superintendent Josh Meek, who parted ways with the district in 2021. Sabin’s hiring also followed two years of turmoil as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The relationship between school districts throughout the country and their communities was damaged as a result. “I’m really hopeful of trying to earn the trust back. We don’t always agree on everything - which is understandable, it would be a boring world if we all thought alike,” Sabin said. “But no matter what we do as a district, I hope that people know we’re acting with integrity and with people’s best interest at heart, no matter what we’re doing. “You can disagree on an issue, a policy or a decision, but as long as you can do that knowing that the information was out there (and) that people understand why you did it, you can respect each other,” he said.

Quincy girls look to get more wrestlers to state, despite format changes

QUINCY — Changes are coming to Washington girls high school wrestling in 2022-23, but Quincy coach Devan Silva said he’s optimistic about his team’s chances no matter how the changes shake out. “Really high expectations for the team,” Silva said. “And I think our (returning wrestlers) have really expectations for themselves.” Girls wrestling has been split into two classifications for 2022-23; 4A and 3A schools will be in one classification, with 2A, 1A, 2B and 1B schools in the other. Previously wrestlers in all classifications competed in one state tournament. Quincy tied for 13th at the 2022 Mat Classic, with Shannon Workinger winning a state title and Gloria Ramirez finishing sixth.

Quincy boys basketball team wants to exceed expectations

QUINCY — Quincy High School boys basketball coach Scott Bierlink said the Jacks may very well exceed expectations in the 2022-23 season. “I’m optimistic that we can give ourselves a chance to win another league title, and win another district title and go back to state,” Bierlink said. The Jacks went 21-5 in 2021-22, winning the Caribou Trail League with a 13-1 record, winning the district title and advancing to the state tournament for the first time since 2009. They won their first game at the state tournament before losing to eventual state champion Lynden Christian.

Othello boys wrestling looks to keep on improving

OTHELLO — The Othello High School boys wrestling team came a long way last season, and coach Rudy Ochoa II said he hopes to build on that success for the 2022-23 season. “Last year was a unique year, in that we started the season with only one state participant on our team,” Ochoa said. The Huskies made up for that lack of experience – Othello finished third in class 2A at the 2022 Mat Classic after winning the district and regional championships.

‘At the end of the day, I’m a teacher first’

For Rudy Ochoa II, teaching way to give back

OTHELLO — Rudy Ochoa II said the influences that led him to a teaching career were all around him. His mom Gloria Ochoa was, and is, a counselor who works for Adams County, and his dad Rudy Ochoa Sr. works at Scootney Springs Elementary, and as a coach in Othello, Rudy Sr. is something of a legend. “My dad, he coached all of us,” Ochoa said. Ochoa’s wife Eden is a teacher at Scootney Springs. His brother is a teacher and coach too; his sister was a teacher and coach, and still coaches. Another sister also is a coach, and so are two of this brothers-in-law, while his sister-in-law works in education too.

Parades, celebrations mark start of holiday season

MOSES LAKE — The first two weeks of December will be filled with parades, visits with Santa, tree lighting - lots of lights everywhere, in fact – as local communities celebrate the season. The annual Ag Appreciation Parade will roll down Third Avenue in Moses Lake at 7 p.m. Dec. 2. The parade is preceded by a street party beginning at 5 p.m. in Sinkiuse Square, at the intersection of Third and Ash streets. The ag parade is sponsored by the Downtown Moses Lake Association and is a way to recognize one of the most important economic sectors of the community, according to the DMLA.

Quincy to look for funding for indoor recreation facility project

QUINCY — Quincy city officials will be looking for funding options in 2023 to build an indoor recreation facility. Quincy City Council members directed city employees to start looking for money for the project on a 6-0 vote during the regular meeting Tuesday. With no discussion, council members decided to look for funding to build a facility of approximately 143,000 square feet, the largest of the four options presented to the council in late 2021. When it’s completed the Quincy Field House will be located in a currently-undeveloped section of Lauzier Park, just off 13th Avenue Northwest. City Administrator Pat Haley said in a later interview that preliminary plans for the project included the option of building the facility in phases or all at once. ‘“They chose the full buildout option,” Haley said. “The council decided they didn’t want to phase it.” Quincy Parks and Recreation Director Russ Harrington said in a later interview that the field house would be part of a larger project of both indoor and outdoor recreation facilities in the park. “It’s about 30 acres that we’re going to develop out there,” Harrington said.

Quilted service

Seamsters recognize veterans' service to nation

MOSES LAKE — The quilts come in a variety of designs and sometimes in different colors. They all have the same purpose - to recognize military veterans for their service to the country. The Basin Piecemakers make the quilts, and their members took some of them to Brookdale Hearthstone in Moses Lake on Nov. 9 for the facility’s veterans. Guild member Nancy Latham said the group has donated 24 quilts in the Moses Lake area this year, and sent another five to the VA hospital in Spokane. “We’ve wanted to cover the local veterans, and especially the Vietnam veterans because they weren’t recognized at all,” Latham said...

Traffic collision leads to new path for Quincy veteran

QUINCY — Nicole O’Shea said she had planned out at least some of her future, starting with her enlistment in the U.S. Army. And then all of a sudden everything changed. It was the winter of 2004, and she was on her way from Quincy to Yakima for training. “It was February and it was super-foggy,” O’Shea said. “I had to pull over to clean my windshield off, so I could see. I got rear-ended at 70 miles an hour; I was almost at a complete stop. Rocked my world, in a not-so-good way.” At the time O’Shea said she thought she was okay...

Wagner leads in ACSO race

RITZVILLE — With an estimated 800 ballots left to count, incumbent Dale Wagner is leading challenger Matthew Carlson in the race for Adams County Sheriff. In vote totals released Tuesday night, Wagner had 1,091 votes (56.24%) to 832 (42.89%) for Carlson. To date, there are 17 write-in votes. Wagner is running for his third term. “I am happy with the results thus far,” Wagner wrote in response to an email from the Herald. “I am excited to continue to press forward with the work of our office. Our campaign support has been great.” ...

‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ to open in Othello

OTHELLO — A story of young men who deceive, and the romantic trouble it causes them, comes to the stage in Othello this weekend. The Othello High School production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 10 through 12 on the stage at McFarland Middle School, 790 S. 10th Ave. The Oscar Wilde play premiered in 1895, and director and OHS theater arts teacher Thomas Christesen said that for him it hasn’t lost its appeal. “I love the show,” Christensen said. “And this particular batch of kids, I felt were up to the challenge. Because it’s not easy.” ...

Valdez appointed to Othello City Council

OTHELLO — Danae Valdez has been appointed to fill the empty position on the Othello City Council. Linden was appointed to the seat after council members interviewed four candidates at the regular meeting Monday. Linden replaces Maria Quezada, who resigned Oct. 24. In her resignation letter, Quezada said her job made it difficult for her to give the council position the time it warranted. Linden is an Othello native, she said, and the branch manager and loan officer for the Columbia Bank branch. She has three children, one each in high school, middle school and elementary school...

'A buddy bench

Larson Elementary hosts dedication of memorial honoring late student

MOSES LAKE — Ella’s Nana Lana Redal said purple was Ella’s favorite color. So the butterfly bench Redal commissioned in Ella’s memory reflects that. Sarah Steffler and her daughter Ella Muongmany were killed in a traffic accident in August of 2018, just before Ella was to start first grade at Larson Heights Elementary. Redal wanted to add a memorial for her daughter and granddaughter at Larson, where she is a first-grade teacher. The bench was dedicated Friday afternoon...

Othello advances to round of 16 with 48-14 win over Shadle Park

OTHELLO — With the Othello Huskies leading 21-14 after a competitive first half, the Shadle Park Highlanders kicked off to start the second half. The ball went to Othello’s Sonny Asu. Asu said he told his teammates at halftime that he would angle for the sideline if the ball came to him on the second half kickoff. It did, and he did. “I saw my blockers spread out in front of me, pushing back,” Asu said. He worked his way down the sideline and cut back about midfield. “And it was off to the races,” Asu said. 80 yards later Asu crossed the goal line, increasing Othello’s lead to 28-14 on the way to a convincing 48-14 win. With the win Othello advances to the round of 16 in the 2022 2A state football playoffs.

Mattawa Council approves well rehabilitation

MATTAWA — Water, and ensuring there’s enough of it, was a subject of discussion at the Mattawa City Council meeting Thursday. Council members voted unanimously to rehabilitate one of the city’s three wells, following a recommendation from Nancy Wetch of Gray & Osborne, the city’s engineers. The well is located in Hund Park. “This well is your oldest well - I think it dates back to the late Seventies, early Eighties,” Wetch said. “At this time, it’s not running at all.” Engineers and city employees reviewed Mattawa’s existing water system in 2020, and from that came a recommendation to update the electronic systems on the Hund Park well, and if necessary do some work on the well itself. “It needs an updated warning system, updated controls, everything updated,” Wetch said.

‘It’s happening’

New Moses Lake Food Bank facility to open in December

MOSES LAKE — After eight years of effort, donations and fundraising efforts throughout the community, it’s here. Moses Lake Food Bank Director Peny Archer said Moving Day is about a month away. “The official move-in date is Dec. 5,” Archer said. The building, about 10,000 square feet, will house the food bank’s local distribution area; a separate building refurbished in 2020 houses food to be distributed to other regional food banks. Food is delivered to the Moses Lake food bank and then redistributed to 34 food banks in central Washington.

Q&A with Adams Co. Sheriff candidates

With the general election next Tuesday, the Columbia Basin Herald submitted some follow-up questions to candidates running for office in Grant and Adams counties. Incumbent Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner and challenger Matthew Carlson each received the same questions. The Herald appreciates the candidates’ taking the time to answer the questions...

Bomb squad responds to suspicious device near Othello

OTHELLO — The discovery of a suspicious device in a vehicle belonging to a fugitive led to the evacuation of some residences in the 300 block of South Reynolds Road north of Othello Wednesday afternoon. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said the suspect, Nicholas Romero-Rivera, 34, Othello was still at large as of Wednesday. He is being sought in connection with an incident Oct. 28. “We’re still looking for him,” Wagner said in a later interview...

Quincy shows economic development promise, officials say

QUINCY — Grant County, including Quincy, is drawing a lot of interest from businesses looking for new or additional locations, according to local economic development officials. Grant County Economic Development Commission Director Brant Mayo and economic development consultant Pat Boss talked to Quincy City Council members about some of the possibilities at the regular meeting Tuesday. “With Grant County, we are seeing an unprecedented amount of businesses wanting to come into our area, through all sectors – data centers, manufacturing, ag, aerospace,” Mayo said. “In fact, our liaison with the Washington Department of Commerce (said) we are the busiest EDC in the state. We have more live projects going on than any other county at this point in time.” ...

Othello playground design could begin this month

OTHELLO — Construction should begin next spring or early summer on upgrades to the playground at Othello’s Lions Park. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan estimated the project cost will increase by about $800,000 from the original $1 million estimate. Logan said city officials should receive construction contracts for the project this week, and design can begin once those contracts are in hand. Once the design is completed the project will go out to bid, he said. “That anticipates we would begin the project sometime in May or June,” Logan said. “Those (estimates) are in perfect worlds.” ...

Research recommended when making Medicare decisions

MOSES LAKE — Rolling up on retirement - or even just rolling up on 65 - brings with it certain rituals, among them deciding what to do about Medicare. Medicare, of course, is health insurance for people 65 years of age and older, although it can be available to people younger than 65 if they meet qualifying criteria. “When you apply for retirement or disability benefits from Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board) it also serves as your application for Medicare,” according to information on the Medicare website. “Once you get approved for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits, you’ll automatically get Part A coverage, without having to pay a premium for it, once you’re eligible for Medicare.” ...

Badge discussion

Q&A with Grant County Sheriff candidates

GRANT COUNTY - With the general election a week away, the Columbia Basin Herald submitted some follow-up questions to candidates running for office in Grant and Adams counties. Grant County Sheriff’s Office candidates Joey Kriete and Joe Harris each received the same questions. Harris and Kriete are running to replace Tom Jones, who resigned as sheriff in July. Their answers are below and have been slightly edited for clarity and to fit the available space. The Herald appreciates the candidates’ taking the time to answer the questions...

Adding perks to a Rose

Othello business owner adds new café to boutique

OTHELLO — Desert Rose Designs owner Melody Anguiano said she wants the new Desert Rose Cafe to be the kind of place where people can take their time. She had customers who already spent time browsing the Desert Rose boutique - and besides, she likes a cup of coffee and a conversation with friends, she said. “My dream was just to see people relaxing and meeting here,” Anguiano said. The new cafe, 745 E. Hemlock St., is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It’s inside the building that has housed Desert Rose Designs for more than a decade. Desert Rose was a floral and gift shop when Anguiano bought it in 2015, and she expanded the gift line and added clothing and accessories to the boutique. Adding a coffee bar seemed like a natural next step. “I wanted the opportunity to invest in the building, and expand,” she said. “It was like, okay, coffee (and) flowers - obvious. Shopping while you’re drinking your coffee.” ...

Moses Lake Community Coalition

Local organization works to strengthen families, reduce substance abuse

MOSES LAKE — Helping parents navigate some of the challenges of the job, and to keep children away from substance abuse, is the goal of a group working to recruit partners in pursuit of that task. Moses Lake Community Coalition Coordinator Megan Watson said the group sponsors classes periodically throughout the year to give parents and children a look at the world from each other’s point of view. It also sponsors periodic classes to give parents specific strategies they can use to help with the job of parenting. “A lot of times, we just go off how we were raised. Everybody just does what their parents did,” Watson said. “But now we’re starting to see, as we’re tracking more and more child behavior, (that) negative, aggressive, difficult child behavior has increased over the last 10 years.” ...

Huskies overcome rough start

Othello defeats East Valley 35-10 in season capper

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies overcame a raggedy first half, shut down the East Valley (Yakima) offense in the second half and finished the regular season with a 35-10 win. “That’s about as ugly as you can play and still win,” said Othello defensive coach Kevin Hale. He attributed the rocky start in part to the two-week layoff since the team’s last game; the Oct. 21 game with Kelso was canceled at the last minute. But the Red Devils came out ready to play, Hale said. “I give East Valley credit, their hustle, their toughness,” Hale said. I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys.” ...

Moses Lake SD board approves state-required transgender policy

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School Board approved the addition of a policy governing district response to transgender students at the regular board meeting Thursday. A policy covering the issue is required per state law. “This is a requirement; our legal counsel is advising us to approve it,” Moses Lake Superintendent Monte Sabin said. “I know there are some strong feelings on both sides of this, but the law exists.” Board members Susan Freeman and Paul Hill voted against the measure in a 3-2 vote. Sabin brought the policy to the board at the Oct. 13 meeting, saying it had been discussed in June and July 2021, but that the board had not taken action. Hill and board member Alana DeGooyer asked for more information before taking a vote. Freeman asked if the proposed policy could be added to the district’s already-existing non-discrimination policy. That already included transgender students, she said...

Samaritan approves wage increase, effective Sunday

MOSES LAKE — Samaritan Healthcare employees, except hospital administrators and staff physicians, will receive a 3.5% raise, effective Oct. 30. Hospital commissioners approved a recommendation made by administrators at the regular commission meeting Tuesday. Steve Brooks, Samaritan’s chief human resources officer, said the raise will help retain current staff and make Samaritan a more attractive alternative in the search for employees. “We’re going to make sure we’re competitive with the local market,” he said. Brooks estimated the pay increase would cost Samaritan about $149,000 per month on an annualized basis. It would add up to about $1.8 million per year...

Q&A with Grant County Commissioner candidates

GRANT COUNTY - With the general election just days away, the Columbia Basin Herald submitted some follow-up questions to the candidates running for public office. Incumbent Grant County Commissioner Cindy Carter and challenger Jeff Foster each got the same questions. Their answers are below and have been lightly edited for clarity and to fit in the available space. The Herald appreciates both candidates’ timely responses...

Quincy seeks general contractor for hospital project

QUINCY — A request for proposals for a general contractor to build the new Quincy Valley Medical Center could be issued by early December. Joe Kunkel, the consultant working with hospital officials on the project, said whether or not the RFP goes out in December depends on approval of a district request to the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board. “This is a state agency that gives the opportunity to public agencies like yourself to use a construction management-general contractor approach in lieu of doing a hard bid,” Kunkel said. Normally a public works project is designed first, then is advertised for bid, Kunkel said. Quincy hospital district officials want to hire a general contractor to be part of the design process. “So they can help as you are (designing) this, they can do estimates throughout the project, they can do constructability reviews as your project is being designed,” he said.

Drivers urged to prepare for winter weather

OLYMPIA — Drivers can start installing studded tires on vehicles Nov. 1. The Washington State Department of Transportation said in a press release that studded tires are legal through March 31. All-weather tires without studs are legal year-round. Drivers should start preparing for bad weather before the snow starts to pile up, the press release said. Department of Transportation Maintenance Operations Manager James Morin wrote in the press release that WSDOT crews are prepared for winter conditions, but that drivers need to be ready also...

Fundraising raffle underway for Quincy PD’s Cops & Kids

QUINCY — The Quincy Police Department is sponsoring a fundraising raffle and accepting donations for the department program that works to make the holiday season brighter for families in need. The winners in the QPD “Cops & Kids” raffle will be announced Nov. 3. Jazzlynn Silva, a detective with QPD and one of the organizers, said the department provides Thanksgiving meals for families as well as assisting the families at Christmas. “We aim to help eight to 10 (families),” Silva said. “It all depends on the money that we raise.”.....

Brass quintet performs in Moses Lake Thursday

MOSES LAKE — Selections from the classical brass repertoire come to Moses Lake Oct 27 when the group Seraph Brass performs in concert. The five-woman ensemble will take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Wallenstien Theater on the Big Bend Community College campus. The concert is sponsored by the Central Basin Community Concert Association. It’s the second of the association’s four concerts for the season. The CBCAA returned to the Wallenstien Theater after a year away while the space was being renovated...

Tigers grab 20-17 win in OT

Final hustle on the field changes rough pass to victory against Mustangs

EPHRATA — With the game in overtime, the Prosser Mustangs leading 17-14 and the Ephrata Tigers down to their last couple of chances, Ephrata quarterback Travis Hendrick took the snap. The football bounced away on the wet turf. Kiwanis Field was in pandemonium, players from both teams were scrambling for the ball, but Hendrick got there first. He scooped up the ball, ran out to the left and threw downfield. Running back Hudson Sager was in the end zone and caught the pass for a touchdown and a 20-17 overtime win for Ephrata. “It wasn’t the perfect throw, but (Sager) made the perfect catch,” Hendrick said after the game. “... I just try to keep calm.” ...

Mattawa council delays annexation vote again

MATTAWA — The Mattawa City Council may decide whether or not to annex 40 acres of property into the city at its Dec. 8 meeting. Council members voted to continue the annexation application process to Dec. 8 at the regular meeting Thursday. The vote was 5-1, with council member Alex Heredia voting no. “I would ask that we make sure we stay to that date (for a decision), if at all possible,” Heredia said during the discussion before the vote. The annexation proposal was discussed at the Oct. 6 meeting, but council members delayed a vote after asking for more information. Rachelle Bradley of SCJ Alliance, the city’s planners, requested that the council delay the decision until Dec. 8 to allow planners to gather the information. Previously Bradley had recommended approving the application with the stipulation that an agreement be negotiated between the city and CAD Homes, the company requesting annexation...

Produce stands fill local niches

OTHELLO/QUINCY — Nature is said to abhor a vacuum; agriculture definitely does. Two produce stands, one in Othello and the other in Quincy, show how farmers saw a niche in the market and fashioned a product – a similar product, but not the same – to fill it. Pam Schmidt said her family’s Sunny Farms Fruit Stand, 2050 E. Main St., Othello, serves mostly local customers. “We get to do a lot of visiting, a lot of talking. We know our customers very well,” Schmidt said. White Trail Produce, 10024 Road U NW, Quincy, is located just off Highway 28, a main route to and from Wenatchee. Alejandra Toevs said the family fruit stand gets a lot of customers who are in transit.

New bathrooms going in at Grant Co. Fairgrounds

MOSES LAKE — The framing is up for a new bathroom and storage area in the space between the commercial and 4-H buildings at the Grant County Fairgrounds. Tom Gaines, Grant County Central Services Director, said completion is scheduled for January. Project cost will be about $1.6 million, he said, but that’s paying for more than a bathroom. The design has to tie together two buildings of different sizes, he said. “There’s a lot going on there,” Gaines said...

New officer joins Quincy PD

Quincy City Council approves additional SROs

QUINCY — Emily Pratt said she’s always been interested in helping the community, and being a police officer is the way she wants to do that. Pratt was sworn in as the newest Quincy Police Department officer at the regular Quincy City Council meeting Tuesday. “I’m very excited,” Pratt said about starting her new job. Quincy Police Chief Keith Siebert said Pratt started her field training with QPD Monday. Pratt said she worked for two years as a corrections deputy at the Chelan County Regional Jail in Wenatchee before applying for the position with QPD. Community service was something that always attracted her, she said, and joinin QPD gives her a chance to act on that ambition. “It’s a dream that I’ve had since I was very young,” she said...

Grant County PUD 2023 budget includes recommended rate increase

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD commissioners will consider a 3% overall rate increase for 2023, followed by a 2.5% increase in 2024 and a proposed 2% increase in 2025. That’s the recommendation of the PUD’s staff, presented to the commissioners at a budget hearing Oct. 11. Utility district rates have remained unchanged since 2019. John Mertlich, senior manager of financial planning and analysis, said the 3% rate increase next year, decreasing to 2.5% in 2024, best fits the PUD’s long-term goal of predictable rate increases, while taking into account the impact of inflation. And inflation is having a big impact.....

Hometown Harvest

Quincy celebrates first annual festival with a look at its diversity and history

QUINCY — Jose Machado and Juliana Sandoval both said tradition matters, and tradition and history were on display Saturday at the Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum. Machado is the leader of Mariachi Imperio, based in Wenatchee, and he said the band members play mariachi as a way to remember their family roots. “It’s mostly the tradition for me,” Machado said. “It’s more of a feeling.” “For us, it’s about the music,” Sandoval said...

MLSD examines transgender requirements

Board seeks efficient ways to meet requirements of state law

MOSES LAKE — The first reading of a policy designed to address possible discrimination against transgender students generated discussion and a request for additional information at the Thursday meeting of the Moses Lake School Board. Board members Alana DeGooyer and Paul Hill asked district Superintendent Monte Sabin to research the district’s existing non-discrimination policies and see if state requirements could be met by amending what the district already has, or if a separate policy is needed. Sabin said the policy had been discussed in June and July 2021, but the board had not taken action at that time...

Making it happen

Manufacturing Week tour stops in Moses Lake, focused on area facilities

MOSES LAKE — Association of Washington Business President Kris Johnson said the Manufacturing Week tour that stopped in Moses Lake Thursday is designed to demonstrate that the manufacturing sector is alive and well. Johnson said Grant County is an example. “There are 93 companies in Grant County, 4,300 women and men who go to work for them every day,” Johnson said...

Quincy schools discipline policy undergoing changes

QUINCY — Quincy School District officials are working on a program designed to improve discipline while keeping students in school. Assistant Superintendent DJ Garza discussed the district’s “Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports” plan with Quincy School Board members at the regular meeting Tuesday. “(The program) is a framework for building better habits for students,” Garza said. “We’re all creatures of habit, and all students come to us with a set of habits, good or bad.” The goal is to change bad habits, hopefully before student behavior becomes a problem in the classroom. The program starts with a set of behavior expectations that are the same at all five elementary schools, Quincy Middle School and Quincy High School, Garza said...

Meet the Herald Part 2:

The news crew

Back in September, we began introducing the members of our team to our readers, starting with the administrative team. Today, we continue with the editorial department. Lots of people read the news every day. But who are the people who write it? Here’s a look at the names and faces behind the stories.

Weekend celebration: Quincy Hometown Harvest Fest features history, culture

QUINCY — Three Quincy organizations are working together on a weekend of art, music, cultural recognition, historical demonstrations, hay rides and a host of activities at the first Hometown Harvest Fest, beginning Friday. “I think it’s going to be a phenomenal weekend,” said Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum Director Harriet Weber. Entry into most events is free; the exceptions are the Art, Wine and Brews Walk at the Quincy Public Market Saturday night and the straw maze at Becerra Farms Saturday and Sunday...