NANCE BESTON

Memorial recognizing 30 years after Frontier tragedy to be held Sunday

MOSES LAKE — Thirty years after the tragedy at Frontier Middle School, the Moses Lake School District will hold “We Remember,” a community gathering centered on healing, unity and continued support, according to organizers. The event takes place Sunday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. at the Frontier Middle School cafeteria.

Ephrata SD to host guided bond tour

EPHRATA — Community members will have the chance to see firsthand how the Ephrata School District’s proposed 2026 bond would impact local schools during a guided building tour at 5 p.m. on Feb. 4.

‘Showing their Tiger stripes’

Ephrata’s Ridge Robotics shines at state

EPHRATA — Columbia Ridge Elementary School’s Lego Robotics team, Ridge Robotics, earned the Engineering Excellence award at this year’s state competition, held in Spokane.

Ephrata High tackles ‘Grease’ in aging PAC

EPHRATA — As students at Ephrata High School prepare to debut the musical “Grease,” they’re also grappling with the limits of a Performing Arts Center which they say is increasingly difficult to work in. While excitement builds around the school’s first musical in years, the production is in a facility students say is plagued by flickering lights, sound failures, creaking floorboards and a cramped backstage.

Ephrata High students protest ICE

EPHRATA — Around 25 students from Ephrata High School protested Immigration Customs Enforcement Wednesday morning by skipping their second period. The students began the protest at EHS, walking down Basin Street and looping in front of the courthouse back to the school.

Soap Lake council approves interim agreement for finance director

SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake City Council held a special meeting Tuesday to review and approve an interim agreement for a finance director. They also continued discussion around the job posting for a combined city administrator and finance treasurer.

MLSD outlines proposal for new elementary

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District’s Facility Advisory Committee is recommending the district replace North Elementary and Larson Heights Elementary with a single new elementary school in north Moses Lake. This decision, committee members say, is driven by aging infrastructure, long‑term cost savings and the opportunity to leverage millions in state construction funds.

Sharp utility account receives additional scrutiny

SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake Mayor Peter Sharp has paid his city utility balance in full after previously owing nearly $3,600, according to city staff. Of that amount, roughly $3,200 had been more than 90 days past due, based on public records.

A look at the 2026 Northwest Hay Expo: Industry leaders gather amidst challenges

KENNEWICK — The Northwest Hay Expo, an annual event for stakeholders in the hay industry, attracted a diverse group of attendees this week, despite challenging market conditions. President of the Washington Hay Growers Andrew Eddie said they had expected lower numbers this year because of the difficult hay season.

Fuel prices rise in WA, nationally

MOSES LAKE — For the second week in a row, both national and Washington fuel prices increased, and Grant County’s 14‑week streak of falling gas prices came to an end with a four‑cent climb. Adams County did not follow the national trend and instead saw a slight two‑cent decrease.

Subject arrested for trespassing, threats with knife

WARDEN — On Friday, the Warden Police Department arrested Jean Alverez, 21, Warden after receiving a disturbance call in the 300 block of West Fifth Street. According to a statement from Warden PD, reporting parties said a male subject, later identified as Alvarez, came into the residence and made verbal threats while displaying a knife. He also made threats with the knife, according to Warden PD.

Vehicle burns near Moses Lake on Friday

MOSES LAKE — Friday afternoon, Grant County Fire District 5 received a call for a vehicle fire in the 4900 block of Stratford Road. A small old truck had ignited, according to Fire Chief Dan Smith. The fire resulted in a large cloud of smoke, but no injuries or property was damaged. Smith said GCFD 5 contained the fire quickly.

MLSD board votes to support WIAA amendment, two state initiatives

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School board voted on a resolution to support Washington Interscholastic Activities and Athletics Amendment No. 21, Washington State Initiative IL 26-638 and Washington State Initiative IL 26-001, on Thursday night.

Grant County begins work on comprehensive plan

MOSES LAKE — Grant County is working on its 10-year comprehensive plan, which will impact policies in the next twenty years in the county. Last night, the county hosted the first meeting of three in Moses Lake for citizens to ask questions and provide feedback for the update. Future meetings will happen in Royal City and Mattawa; however, dates are not finalized yet.

Moses Lake man arrested for discharging firearm, resisting arrest

MOSES LAKE — On Thursday at around midnight, Moses Lake Police Department responded to a reported gunshot on Grape Drive and Highway 17. When officers arrived, they learned suspect Travis Hanson, 42, of Moses Lake had fired a gun into the air while arguing with his neighbor. There were no reported injuries.

Soap Lake mayor addresses utility debt

SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake Mayor Peter Sharp said he's established a repayment plan with the city to pay an outstanding balances on his city utility accounts. Public records show Sharp owes about $3,600, with roughly $3,200 more than 90 days past due.

Dent says early session marked by cooperation, tight budgets and measured expectations

OLYMPIA — As the Washington Legislature moves through the early days of its 60‑day session, Rep. Tom Dent, R‑Moses Lake, says the tone at the Capitol has been calmer than last year, with lawmakers still sorting through priorities and positioning their bills for consideration. “It’s early. There have been a lot of bills dropped, and we’re hearing bills in committees,” Dent said. “But there hasn’t been anything really controversial show up in my world at the moment.” Dent said that while controversial bills do exist, they have not appeared in the committees he serves on. Instead, he sees a cooperative mood taking shape.

Warden School District proposes two replacement levies

WARDEN — The Warden School District has proposed two levies to the community for the Feb. 10 election. The Educational Programs and Operations Levy and the Capital Levy for safety, security and instructional technology improvements are both designed to support the district's ongoing operational needs and infrastructure improvements. Superintendent Marc Brouillet said both levies are important in maintaining educational standards and student safety. "Without this funding, we would be unable to maintain the quality of education that our students deserve," Brouillet said. "We rely heavily on these local funds to supplement what the state provides." The two levies are estimated to cost taxpayers a total of $2.82 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Both levies are set for a two-year term and are replacements of previous levies passed by voters.

Jamaican man arrested for allegedly scamming 87-year-old man

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office Crime Reduction Team arrested a man from Jamaica accused of scamming an older Grant County man of over $100,000. The suspect, Damion O. McDonald, 36, was booked into Grant County Jail Sunday, after a stakeout.

Richardson named to Grant County Superior Court

OLYMPIA — On Friday, Governor Bob Ferguson announced the appointment of Washington Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Richardson to the Grant County Superior Court. Richardson’s appointment has already taken effect, beginning Jan. 9. “I am honored by this appointment and grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Grant County,” Richardson said in a statement. “I am committed to careful, fair decision-making and to treating every person who comes before the court with dignity and respect.”

Subject arrested for vehicle theft, outstanding warrant

WARDEN — On Saturday night, the Warden Police Department was able to recover a stolen vehicle with one subject arrested, according to a WPD statement. At around 1 p.m., the department was called to a residence in the 900 block of South Washington Street, for an unrelated incident.

Gas prices increase nationally, WA; relief in Grant and Adams Co.

MOSES LAKE — After seventeen straight weeks of falling fuel prices in Washington, the trend came to a halt this week, with statewide averages ticking up by nearly a cent. Nationally, a similar seven‑week streak of declining prices also ended. But despite the upward pressure elsewhere, both Adams and Grant counties continued to see slight relief at the pump.

Ephrata Schools bond – Ephrata High School

EPHRATA — As the Ephrata School District prepares to bring a $75 million bond proposal to voters in Feb. 2026, one of the components is a plan to renovate Ephrata High School. The proposal aims to address aging infrastructure, scattered campus layout and growing instructional needs.

Ephrata School District proposes Grant Elem. replacement

EPHRATA — Grant Elementary – an overcrowded, nearly 70‑year‑old school where more than 40% of students learn in portables – has become a driver behind the Ephrata School District’s $75 million Feb. 2026 bond proposal to replace the aging campus, according to Ephrata School District officials.

Ephrata Schools bond: Parkway Intermediate

EPHRATA — Parkway Intermediate School is one of the campuses the Ephrata School District is looking to replace with a proposed $75 million, 25-year school construction bond. The bond measure is set to appear on the Feb. 10, 2026, ballot, and will fund not only a replacement of Parkway but also Grant Elementary’s replacement and improvements at Ephrata High School.

On ‘Wicked’ in print

Why Gregory Maguire’s Oz isn’t for kids — but is for grown‑up wonder

MOSES LAKE — “Wicked” and the sequel “Wicked: For Good” have taken over my household. After the first watch at Fairchild Cinemas, I was hooked on the extension of the Oz universe. But, when I went back to the source — Gregory Maguire’s novel — I discovered a world far darker, stranger and more adult than the glittering emerald we see on stage and screen.

MLSD saw challenges, achievements in 2025

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District experienced a challenging year in 2025, marked by financial struggles, labor disputes and notable academic accomplishments. The district's resilience was on full display as it navigated a series of challenges while also fostering pockets of success throughout the academic year, Superintendent Carol Lewis said.

Washington average fuel cost under $4 for 4 weeks

MOSES LAKE — Gas prices decreased nationally, in Washington state and Grant County. However, Adams County saw a slight increase of one cent this week.

Protesters express frustrations regarding ICE, Venezuela Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Area residents gathered on Stratford Road in Moses Lake to protest the recent deaths of Renee Nicole Good, 37, of Minneapolis and Kieth Porter, 43, of Los Angeles. Both incidents involved Immigration Customs Enforcement agents. They also expressed frustration regarding the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Oliver’s first council meeting, several resolutions passed

EPHRATA — Mayor Steve Oliver led his first Ephrata City Council meeting Wednesday night, with council passing several resolutions regarding tourism funding, vactor truck enclosure project and amending the grant application for A Street.

Soap Lake to establish a tourism committee

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake City Council unanimously approved the creation of a Tourism Development Committee to handle city tourism funds at Wednesday's council meeting.

GCAO had a transformative 2025

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Animal Outreach achieved several goals in 2025, including groundbreaking on a new facility, nearly 300 adoptions and successes in community outreach. Challenges presented themselves in the form of the agency’s current outdated facility and animal hoarding.

Soap Lake Events Committee to meet

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Community and Senior Center will host its second meeting for the newly formed Events Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 5 p.m. This initiative aims to revitalize community engagement through family-friendly events. “We really want to focus on family-friendly and all ages events for our community,” volunteer Genevieve Gray said. The committee was created in response to community members expressing their desire to restart events that had previously been successful in bringing people together. Gray said it’s important for community involvement in the committee.

Grant County Health District mandates overdose reporting

MOSES LAKE — In a move to enhance community health and safety, the Grant County Health District has implemented a policy requiring healthcare providers to report all opioid overdoses starting in Jan. 2026. This change, which centers on real-time data collection, comes as a response to the growing opioid crisis affecting the region, marked by rising overdose deaths and emergency medical service responses. The decision to classify overdoses as a reportable condition received unanimous support from the Grant County Board of Health, which approved it through Ordinance 2025-04. The GCHD has noted that while certain diseases are already mandated to be reported to local health authorities, overdoses have not been subject to similar requirements at the state level. The new reporting protocol is hoped to bridge the data gap. Dr. Alexander Brzezny, the Grant County Health Officer, said this matter was urgent.

Ephrata Fire Department reflects on 2025

Increase in calls, new equipment and future EMS funding challenges

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Fire Department experienced a busy year in 2025, responding to a total of 513 calls for service. Fire Chief Jeremy Burns provided an overview of these calls, revealing that approximately 65% were related to Emergency Medical Services, while only 10% were actual fire calls. The remaining 25% fell into various categories such as fire alarms, elevator rescues and hazardous conditions. “The bulk of our responses still falls right in that close to 70% category of EMS calls, which is where we’ve been training for years,” Burns said. In comparison to previous years, Burns indicated that call volume saw a slight increase. The department previously contracted with American Medical Response ambulance services, during which their call load averaged around 550 calls. After switching to Lifeline ambulance services in July 2023, Ephrata witnessed a reduction of almost 100 calls for service, primarily due to differences in the types of calls each service handled.

One arrested for suspected Grant PUD wire theft

MOSES LAKE — On Jan. 3, Grant County Public Utility District filed a complaint with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office after noticing a hole cut in the chain link fence at the Wenatchee Drive substation. On Tuesday night, GCSO arrested Jeffrey Hughes, 50, of Moses Lake, for suspicion of stealing copper wire from Grant PUD, according to GCSO.

GCFD 7 expands EMS, training programs

SOAP LAKE — As part of a concerted effort to improve emergency medical services, Grant County Fire District 7 has announced significant expansions to its coverage and operational capabilities. Under the leadership of Chief Erick Brittain, the district is now providing Intermediate Life Support in addition to its existing services, a move that is expected to greatly benefit the community it serves, said Brittain.

Upcoming community meeting for Ephrata schools

EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District is hosting two upcoming meetings to allow the community to ask questions and engage with district officials on the schools and the proposed $75 million bond. “Our schools are the heart of Ephrata,” Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray wrote in a statement. “This bond will secure the next 40 years of our community’s K-8 schools and set up Ephrata High School for the next phase of improvements. It would allow us to replace outdated buildings, strengthen safety and create learning environments that support students now and for decades to come.”

I-90 closed on Snoqualmie, no scheduled time for reopening

MOSES LAKE — As of 4:45 p.m. Tuesday Eastbound Insterstate-90 is closed starting at milepost 48, according to the Washington Department of Transportation. The roadway had multiple spinouts and collisions near the Snoqualmie Pass summit. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, there is no estimated time for the roadway to be reopened.

Grant Co. legislators pre-file legislation

OLYMPIA — Grant County Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake and Sen. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, have pre-filed bills for the upcoming 2026 legislative session. Rep. Alex Ybarra has not filed any bills, but has said in prior coverage that energy is a priority for the session that begins Jan. 12 and ends March 12.

Gas prices drop again, but remain high in WA

MOSES LAKE — Lower fuel prices continued this week, with Grant and Adams counties, Washington and national average fuel prices dropping from last week’s prices.

Hot Wheels, collectibles stolen from storage units

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office Crime Reduction Team is asking for help with two recent burglaries. One is regarding a large quantity of Hot Wheels, the other is 60 to 80 boxes of Warhammer miniatures.

One jailed, one hospitalized from knife wounds on New Year’s Eve

MATTAWA — On Thursday night, two subjects had a disagreement resulting in both parties injuring one another with knives. Mario Cortez Perez, 34, was arrested and booked into Grant County Jail while his roommate was transported to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.

Decades of consistency

Reim’s leadership left a lasting mark, city staff, community members say.

EPHRATA — On a cold winter morning, the executive team gathers as they always do, Tuesday at City Hall. And as they always did, Mayor Bruce Reim listens first — head tilted, eyes narrowed, taking in the latest on crews, contracts, permitting and plans. Only this time, there’s a coda.

Oliver sworn in as new Ephrata mayor

EPHRATA — Steve Oliver was formally sworn in as the new Mayor of Ephrata during a city council workshop Monday, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the community. Oliver’s election victory in the Nov. 2025 General Election, where he received 937 votes against incumbent Bruce Reim's 819 votes.

Ephrata’s 2025: A year of infrastructure, parks and branding

EPHRATA — As 2025 draws to a close, the city of Ephrata reflects on a year marked by investments and improvements in its water infrastructure, park facilities, buying a new facility and branding initiatives. The city added a new water tower, upgraded its water reclamation facility, installed new park bathrooms, began replacing the playground equipment at Lions Park and formed its first brand.

Mathis sworn into Ephrata council seat

EPHRATA — On Monday night, the Ephrata City Council and Mayor-Elect Steve Oliver attended a workshop to discuss roles and swear in Oliver and the council’s newest member.

Port of Ephrata reports 2025 successes

Port administration plans for infrastructure growth in 2026

EPHRATA — The Port of Ephrata has marked a successful year of growth and innovation, according to Executive Director David Lanman. The Port's accomplishments include infrastructure upgrades, new services like Jet A fuel and Hertz rental cars, as well as collaborations with area partners to create opportunities.

Quincy pursuit ends in one arrest

QUINCY — Raymundo Villalobos Chavarin, 20, of Quincy was arrested early Sunday morning after leading Grant County Sheriff’s deputies and Quincy Police Department officers on a pursuit around the Quincy area, according to a statement from GCSO.

Gas prices remain below $3 nationally, $4 in Washington

MOSES LAKE — As the year ends, gas prices across the nation are sitting at their lowest. Nationally, the gas average remains under $3 a gallon. Across Washington, although higher than the national average, fuel is sitting under $4 a gallon.