NANCE BESTON
Staff Writer
Recent Stories
Tiger spirit to wave in the wind
EPHRATA – One hundred, bright orange or black flags, adorned with the letter “E” will start waving in the wind decorating Basin Street on various occasions.
FIRE REPORT: Four fires contained Labor Day weekend, including Kachess Complex
MOSES LAKE – Significant progress was made over the weekend as firefighters were able to bring four wildfires under control around Washington.
Warden Community Days filled with community
Gators, motorcycles, horses and visitors fill local town with festive attitude
WARDEN – Cheers chanted, horses galloped and motorcycle engines roared down Second Street in Warden Monday. In celebration of Labor Day, the town had a three-day celebration.
Ritzville Rodeo celebrates 54 years
Cowboys, cowgirls, livestock and breast cancer awareness
RITZVILLE – The sounds of cheering, the cracking of pop cans and pools of pink shirts and cowboy hats fill the stands.
Health District hosts community resource fair at McCosh Park
MOSES LAKE – Purple and white flags decorated the lawn at McCosh park Saturday for National Overdose Awareness Day. The purple flags represent the 254 lives saved from an overdose and the 108 lives lost to overdose, from 2018 to 2022 in Grant County. The statistics come from reports to the Grant County Health District, according to Mariah DeLeon, the organizer of the event.
Moses Lake man sentenced for shoplifting
EPHRATA – James Douglas Clary, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree burglary and one count of third-degree theft on Aug. 27.
Soap Lake aims to build on last year’s wins
SOAP LAKE -- The Soap Lake Eagles will be fun to watch this season, head coach Garrett Devine said. Devine says that they have a lot of the same players returning this year and he plans on building on what they learned last year.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it is.”
Police urge people to hang up, prior to becoming the next victim of a scam
MOSES LAKE – Police departments across the country, including those in Grant County, have reported a rising incidence of scam calls targeting vulnerable individuals, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman.
Playing some good old Ephrata football
EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers will start the season with strong senior leadership and up and coming players according to head coach Patrick Mitchell. Last year the team had a 6-4 season and Ephrata were the first in its district.
FIRE REPORT: 1,600 acres burned in Adams Co.
RITZVILLE – The Schrag Road Fire began at around 12:19 p.m. on Tuesday. The fire burned 1,600 acres according to NIFC. It also leveled two older unopposed buildings, according to the Adam’s County Sheriff’s Office. ASCO believes the fire was started by a farmer mowing.
New school year, new playground for Tiger Club Preschool
EPHRATA – This last summer, crews moved play equipment from city property onto school district property at the Tiger Club Preschool, according to a press release from Ephrata School District.
MLSD begins school year
Interim superintendent addresses public concerns
MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake interim superintendent, Carol Lewis released a statement on Aug. 23 for the celebration of back to school. The statement begins by saying that the financial situation the MLSD is in is not the fault of students, staff, school administrators or the community and measures are being taken to regain financial traction, according to Lewis.
FIRE REPORT: Schrag Road fire in Adams Co. contained
RITZVILLE – As of 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, state-mobilization resources took command of the Schrag road fire and will remain on the scene for the rest of the day for mop-up as needed, according to Adams County Fire District 2.
FIRE REPORT: Two fires sparked in Grant Co., one in Adams
MOSES LAKE – A fire blazed up in Adams County shortly after noon Tuesday. The fire burned around a five mile stretch of land, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and closed at least one lane of I-90. Two older unoccupied buildings were lost to the fire, according to ACSO.
MACC dispatch supervisor retires after 34 years
MOSES LAKE – Becky Stokoe, Multi Agency Communications Center 911 supervisor and former longtime dispatcher retired Monday. Stokoe worked as a dispatcher for 34 years, starting in 1988. She was one of the original MACC dispatchers, beginning that role in 1998. “I liked, you know, helping people and making sure all the responders made it home at night and keeping them safe,” Stokoe said. “I'm going to miss it very much.”
FIRE REPORT: Cold front to elevate fire conditions in Grant and Adams Co.
MOSES LAKE – According to the National Weather Service’s Spokane office, there will be a cold front blowing through the region with high winds that will elevate fire conditions.
MLSD passes budget, appoints new board member
MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake School District passed its budget Thursday night meeting in which all four school board members voted yes on the budget proposal. A double maintenance and operations levy failure and accounting discrepancies caused significant difficulty in establishing a budget for the 2024-25 school year.
More than $20K in drugs confiscated at Bass Canyon concert
GEORGE – Over the weekend, a concert event held at the Gorge Amphitheater saw an extensive narcotics investigation led by multiple law enforcement agencies, according to a press release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Cox appointed interim Soap Lake City Administrator
SOAP LAKE – Peter Sharp ran his first regular Soap Lake City Council meeting as the Mayor Pro Tempore after former Mayor Allen DuPuy resigned earlier this month. There were 23 people in attendance outside of the council, police, fire department and public officials.
FIRE REPORT: No new Washington fires Thursday
MOSES LAKE – Washington saw no new wildfires emerge prior to press time Thursday, though several fires continue to burn in the state.
FIRE REPORT: GCFD 3 receives $553,000 in grant funds
QUINCY – Grant County Fire District 3, which serves the Quincy area, has received $553,000 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, according to an announcement from the district. GCFD 3 wrote in the statement that it plans on using the funds to get a new water tender to replace their aging one.
Taylor resigns from Soap Lake Council
SOAP LAKE – In the closing comments of the Aug. 21 Soap Lake City Council Meeting, Council Member Leslie Taylor resigned from the council. Taylor’s term was set to expire in 2027.
MLSB interviews potential members
MOSES LAKE — On Tuesday night the Moses Lake School Board had a special meeting to hire a new school board director to fill the seat left vacant by Kevin Fuhr’s resignation in June. The MLSB interviewed five candidates, each giving an opening statement and answering six questions.
Adams County Commissioner incumbents lead in final primary results
RITZVILLE — The Adams County Auditor certified the election results for the Aug. 6 primary election on Aug. 20. There are 8,117 registered voters in the county. There were 2,560 ballots counted which was 31.54% of voter turnout.
Burgess, Jones leading in Grant County primary
EPHRATA — The Grant County Auditor certified the election results for the Aug. 6, primary election on Aug. 20. There were 48,753 registered voters and 17,308 ballots counted, which was 35.5% of voter turnout. Commissioner District 1 had three candidates and 6,128 votes. Kevin R. Burgess, Republican, had the most votes at 3,036. Followed was Amador J. Castro, Republican, with 1,823 votes. Dave Bren, Republican, withdrew from the race before the primary but after the ballot was printed. He received 1.239 votes. There were 80 write-in votes. Commissioner District 2 had two candidates and 4,680 votes. Rob Jones, Republican, received the most votes at 2,857. David Henderson, Republican received 1,717 votes. There were 106 write-in votes.
FIRE REPORT: Royal Slope EMS trains on Vantage Bridge
ROYAL CITY — Royal Slope Fire Rescue EMS participated in rope rescue training on the I-90 Vantage Bridge on Tuesday. The training was hosted by Garco Construction with the Washington State Department of Transportation and Grant County Fire District 8 also attending. “It was good to practice using the resources on the bridge before something happens,” Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said. According to a statement from the GCSO, the training simulated how firefighters will access and remove a bridge maintenance employee who falls from the bridge deck onto lower portions of the bridge.
FIRE REPORT: Two fires blaze up in Grant County over the weekend
QUINCY — At 2 p.m. Sunday a 35-acre blaze started on Overen Road outside of Quincy. The fire was quickly contained two hours after it started with Fire District 3, Fire District 13, Ephrata Fire Department and Bureau of Land Management Fire responding to the fire according to David Durfee, Interim Fire Chief of Fired District 3. “We got it under control pretty fast, air resources showed up, but we didn’t have to use them because our teams had it under control,” Durfee said. The fire only burned wildlands, no structures or injuries occurred according to Durfee. The teams continued to mop up the fire into Sunday night to ensure it wouldn't spread.
Grant County officials address fair shooting
MOSES LAKE — On Aug. 19, the Grant County Commissioners and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office held a meeting to discuss the shooting Friday night at the fair. This was the first shooting to occur in the history of the Grant County Fair, according to Kyle Foreman, the GCSO public information officer. According to a statement issued Saturday by the GSCO, the incident began as a gang-related verbal argument between the suspect and members of a rival gang. The suspect, a 15-year-old from Wenatchee, drew a handgun and fired one round, striking a 16-year-old girl in the back and a 14-year-old girl in the leg. Jim McKiernan, Grant County Fair Director, said that the 14-year-old underwent surgery for a three-point repair of her femur. The 16-year-old girl's condition is stable, with no further updates.
Paws and applause: 4-H youth compete in obedience contest
MOSES LAKE — The Happy Tails 4-H Club held its annual dog competition show at the Grant County Fair for children and their dogs. Wednesday’s events included obedience and dog judging.
FIRE REPORT: GCFD 7 receives grant funding for fire equipment
SOAP LAKE – Grant County Fire District 7 received two U.S. Department of Homeland Security firefighter grants totaling almost $773,000. The department’s press release says that these grants are very competitive.
Crazy Train plays homage to rock legend at the Grant Co. Fair
MOSES LAKE – Colorful lights blared in all directions as the sun set behind the stage. People were dancing, falling over and screaming lyrics back to the band on the stage. The sound of drums, strings and Vinny Cormier’s voice could be heard from the gates of the fair.
FIRE REPORT: International firefighters in PNW to fight fires
MOSES LAKE – A team of 65 senior firefighters from Australia and New Zealand has arrived in the Pacific Northwest to help combat the region's severe wildfires. Upon arrival, the firefighters received briefings at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, before being dispatched to major wildfire incidents, including the Willamette Complex South on the Willamette National Forest and the Pioneer Fire in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
FIRE REPORT: Kachess Complex continues burning
CLE ELUM — The Kachess Complex consists of three lightning-sparked fires that began in the Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on August 9 and 10, 2024, according to InciWeb, an interagency wildfire-tracking website.
Fair crime-free so far
MOSES LAKE — There had been no charges or crimes this year at the Grant County Fair as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman.
Wrangling goats and winning ribbons
MOSES LAKE — The young people line up outside of the pen, wrangling the goats they have been raising all season and waiting for the judge to call them into the ring. Goat heads buck, feet fly into the air and one by one they trot into the enclosure, often pulling the goat by its leash and sometimes its tail to get them inside. The young agriculture enthusiasts wait for the judge to walk by and examine their goats.
Soap Lake mayor, mayor pro-tem step down
City council appoints new mayor pro tempore, considers careful mayoral selection
SOAP LAKE – Allen DuPuy stepped down as the Soap Lake Mayor at the city council meeting on Aug. 7. DuPuy was elected as the mayor on Nov. 29, 2023, after he beat incumbent Michelle Agliano. DuPuy served eight months of his four-year term.
Grant County Fair officially begins
MOSES LAKE - The Grant County Fair had its opening ceremony yesterday at 10 a.m. around AN empty flagpole with an audience of more than 100 people. The smell of fried goods and livestock filled the air.
FIRE REPORT: Retreat Fire remains steady as containment improves
NACHES – The Retreat Fire is the largest fire in Washington as of Tuesday. The fire has scorched 45,600 acres of land but is 70% contained as of Tuesday – a 10% improvement from the prior day. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
FIRE REPORT: 1,500 acres scorched in Douglas County
COULEE CITY — On Saturday evening a fire broke out near state Route 17 and Road 9 Northeast in Douglas County. The fire burned approximately 1,500 acres, according to Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Crews got to the fire, and most of the initial attack was contained by 11:30 p.m. on Saturday night. The responding agencies included Grand Coulee Volunteer Fire Department, Electric City Fire Department, Coulee City Fire Department, Douglas County Fire District 3, Douglas County Fire District 5 and others.
Canal breach fixed in record-breaking time
MOSES LAKE — A breach in the East Low Canal was fixed within five days and back to delivering water by Saturday. Last Monday, there was a canal breach on the East Low Canal near Roads N and 4 Northeast. The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District began the dewatering process, removing water from the canal, immediately, said Jennifer Korfiatis, the public relations specialist at the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, which maintains the canal.
FIRE REPORT: Kittitas County has a multi-fire outbreak
KITTITAS COUNTY — On Friday and Saturday, Kittitas County saw an outbreak of eight fires, six of them being 10 acres. The fires include from largest to smallest: Thomas Mountain Fire, 10 acres; Stave Creek Fire, 10 acres; Davis Peak Fire, 1 acre; Anna Bell Drive Fire,1 acre; Waptus Fire, 0.5 acre; Bear Creek Fire, 0.5 acres and Skeeter Creek Fire, 0.1 acre.
FIRE REPORT: Swawilla fire contained
MOSES LAKE – The Swawilla Fire, ignited by lightning at 11:30 p.m. on July 17, was Washington's largest active blaze, having consumed approximately 53,500 acres. The fire is now 98% contained, as of Thursday according to InciWeb.
FIRE REPORT: Williams Mine Fire expands rapidly
WHITE SALMON -- The Williams Mine Fire started Monday at about noon and was only burning five acres; however, the fire quickly expanded to more than 2,700 acres Tuesday and expanded again to about 4,500 acres Wednesday with no containment according to NIFC. According to InciWeb, a national fire tracking site, the fire is currently wind-driven and moving primarily south. Smoke will be heavily visible for Trout Lake, Washington and surrounding communities until the fire is contained.
FIRE REPORT: Combine tractor ignites, burns wheat near Coulee City
GRAND COULEE – A vegetation fire started shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday near G Road in Douglas County, near Coulee City. The fire was caused by a combine tractor igniting. The combine fire spread to the crop of wheat and burned about 350 acres.
Photo enforcement tech in full effect in Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — There has been a significant increase in tickets being issued via photo enforcement technology for running red lights or speeding in school zones. The implementation of the tickets began on June 6. In June there were only 43 tickets. However, in July the court saw 1,159 tickets from the photo enforcement devices.
Five Columbia Basin hikes for August adventures
MOSES LAKE – As August ushers in perfect outdoor weather, there's no better time to lace up your hiking boots and discover some of Washington’s trails. Here are five destinations worth visiting. Additional hiking opportunities in the area can be found at www.alltrails.com. Trails may require a Discover Pass which can be picked up at most local outdoors stores.
FIRE REPORT: Washington’s largest fire 90% contained
MOSES LAKE – The Swawilla Fire, ignited by lightning at 11:30 p.m. on July 17, is Washington's largest active blaze, consuming approximately 53,400 acres. However, the fire went from 70% containment on Saturday to 90% on Monday.
FIRE REPORT: Triple-digit temperatures blaze through Washington
MOSES LAKE – On Friday, record-breaking triple-digit temperatures swept across Washington, ushering in extreme heat and a heightened risk for wildfires according to a National Weather Service press release.
Cantwell says FAA oversight of Boeing lacking
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has requested the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a root cause analysis of its oversight of aviation manufacturers, according to an announcement from Cantwell’s office.
FIRE REPORT: Two more fires contained before WA heat wave
MOSES LAKE -- Two fires were contained in Washington on Thursday including the South Columbia Basin Fire and the Black Canyon Fire.