NANCE BESTON

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.

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.

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: 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.

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: 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.

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.

Fire near Soap Lake destroys property, hospitalizes one

SOAP LAKE – The Road 20 Fire, which began at about 10 p.m. Tuesday near Soap Lake, has been determined to be caused by 25-year-old David Teslyuk, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

FIRE REPORT: Washington’s largest fire now fully contained

MOSES LAKE – As of 6 p.m. on Tuesday, the Big Horn Fire, once the largest active blaze in Washington, has been fully contained. The fire, which scorched approximately 51,600 acres, began at 1:07 p.m. on July 22. As of Tuesday, at 6 p.m. the fire has been turned back over to local jurisdiction according to InciWeb.

FIRE REPORT: Local districts give updates on fire season

SOAP LAKE – Grant County Fire District 7 is doing well on resources for July, even with 98 fires breaking out according to GCFD 7 Fire Chief Chris Baker. Baker said he is concerned about fireworks and uncontrolled burns though.

Climate credit applications available to Washingtonians

OLYMPIA — Up to 675,000 households will receive a $200 credit on utility bills due to $150 million funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. According to Gov. Jay Inslee, this funding aims to reduce health risks from climate change and lower electricity costs for low and medium-income households.

FIRE REPORT: Fires burn over two million acres nationwide

MOSES LAKE – As of Monday morning, there are 102 large active wildfires being managed nationwide, burning an estimated two million acres according to the National Interagency Fire Center. In Washington there are around 182,300 acres burning according to NIFC.

MLSD continues working toward balanced budget

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District Board of Directors continued to develop a balanced district budget during its regular Thursday meeting. District staff highlighted significant budget cuts, previous spending and highlights from the previous school year during the meeting.

FIRE REPORT: Two fires light up in Spokane County Friday

SPOKANE — Two new wildfires began Friday afternoon in Eastern Washington, according to information released by state and federal authorities.

FIRE REPORT: Swawilla Fire uncontained, still growing

GRAND COULEE — The Swawilla Fire, ignited by lightning July 27, is located 11 miles east of Grand Coulee and grew to roughly 17,389 acres by Thursday. The fire remains uncontained according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Keeping Families Together Act reduces dependency cases in Grant Co.

MOSES LAKE – Grant County Juvenile Court is seeing a decrease in dependency cases in the last couple of months. Dependency cases involve issues with guardians of minors, which includes minors in the foster care system and minors being relocated to other family members.

Grant Co. Jail project moving quickly

EPHRATA – The New Grant County Jail is progressing rapidly according to Tom Gaines, the Grant County central services director. He provided updates on the new Grant County Jail during the County Commissioners meeting on Monday.

FIRE REPORT: Multiple new fires break out across WA

SELAH – The North Wenas Fire started on Monday at 7:45 p.m. located in Yakima County near Selah, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire is estimated at 1,500 acres and growing with no containment. The fire is threatening homes, the electrical grid, irrigation and cultural areas. Level three evacuations are in effect on Tuesday.

WA delegation shows the Evergreen State’s aerospace leadership at UK airshow

OLYMPIA – The largest delegation from Washington state ever, led by Lt. Governor Denny Heck and State Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, is currently in the United Kingdom attending the 2024 Farnborough International Air Show.

Grant Co. commissioners receive infrastructure updates

EPHRATA – During the Grant County Board of Commissioners meeting Monday they received updates from the central services and the development service directors to begin their day, followed by a variety of other updates.

Soap Lake sewer leak stopped quickly

SOAP LAKE – On Saturday, a citizen alerted authorities to effluent seeping out of a manhole cover near West Beach in Soap Lake. The City of Soap Lake Public Works team, led by Supervisor Darrin Fronsman, swiftly responded to the emergency, according to an announcement by Soap Lake Mayor Allen DuPuy.

FIRE REPORT: Local fire causes road closure, lightning storm causes 9 WA fires

EPHRATA — Grant County Fire District 13 and Ephrata firefighters dealt with a 25-acre burn near Highway 28 and Road E NW Sunday, closing Highway 28 at Naylor Junction and Neva Lake Road. By 5:14 p.m. the fire was handled, and by 5:35 p.m. the highway was reopened. Fire is inferred to have been sparked by a bird on a power line, and was wind driven. The Miners Complex Fires consist of nine wildfires caused by lightning strikes on July 17 and 18. The storm caused about 1,000 lightning strikes across Oregon and Washington. Fire crews are battling a 500-acre complex of lightning-caused fires in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, which has prompted trail closures and warnings from the U.S. Forest Service. The Miners Complex include: Miners Fire, Vista Ridge Fire, Dolly Creek Fire, Sulphur Three Fire, Sulphur Four Fire, Sulphur Thirty-Four Fire, Upper Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, Lower Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, and Plummer Fire.

FIRE REPORT: Wilson Creek fire out as of Friday

WILSON CREEK – The Road R Fire, also listed as the Wilson Creek Fire, in Grant County, was put out on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and crews began to monitor hot spots, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The road between R-NE and Wilson Creek is open again beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Murray plans school updates, announces priorities

EPHRATA – Ken Murray has stepped into the role of Superintendent of Ephrata Schools. In a community message on the Ephrata school’s website he elaborated on three focuses as the superintendent which include fiscal responsibility, facility updates and long-term planning.

WA job market adds 7,100 jobs in June

OLYMPIA - Washington's job market saw positive growth in June, with an estimated 7,100 new jobs added and the unemployment rate remaining steady at 4.9%. While the unemployment rate had been slowly rising over the past few months, it still remained below 5% since summer 2021 according to the Washington Employment Security Department.

Ephrata School District receives two clean audit reports

EPHRATA – The Washington State Auditor’s Office recently completed two audits of the Ephrata School District, both resulted in no significant deficiencies. The audits included an accountability audit and a financial statement and federal grant compliance audit, covering September 2020 to August 2023 and September 2022 to August 2023, respectively.