R. HANS MILLER
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities.
Recent Stories
Meeting essential needs
Thriving Together Toward Tomorrow conference focuses on building community through collaboration
WENATCHEE — A growing turnout gathered at the Wenatchee Convention Center on October 22 for Thriving Together NCW’s Thriving Together Toward Tomorrow Summit, an opportunity for regional organizations to focus on meeting the essential needs of Washingtonians in their respective areas through networking and collaboration.
Multiple shooting cases moving through Grant Superior Court
EPHRATA — Multiple cases associated with shootings are winding their way through Grant County Superior Court, including the case of James Kelly, the suspect in the shooting at the Beyond Wonderland music festival at The Gorge Amphitheater in June 2023.
Stoke Space raises $510M for manufacturing of Nova launch vehicle
KENT — Stoke Space Technologies – with facilities in Moses Lake, Kent and Cape Canaveral, Florida – has secured $510 million in funding though Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund and Silicon Valley Bank supporting manufacture of the company’s Nova Launch vehicle. The funding more than doubles its total capital raised to $990 million, according to a press release from the company.
2 graduate from Community Court with hopes for bright futures
MOSES LAKE – Two participants in Grant County’s Community Court Program graduated Wednesday afternoon after completing addiction treatment and other steps to walk away from drugs and the poor decisions they can lead to. In the case of Sherm Rowland, the graduation is a walk away from a trying past and a celebration of just more than 18 months of being off drugs.
March shooting suspect back in custody after failure to appear
SOAP LAKE — The Moses Lake Police Department announced the arrest of Samuel Ramirez, 26, in association with the investigation of a March 8 shooting that led to the son of Wash. Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, being seriously injured. A second man, Luis Medina, 28, was arrested in mid-March and has since pleaded guilty and is serving jail time.
Sila begins manufacturing at Moses Lake plant
MOSES LAKE — The building is completed and staff are on-hand at the Sila Nanotechnologies plant in Moses Lake is ramping up to begin producing batches of its trademarked Titan Silicon product to help produce the batteries that will power electric cars, consumer electronics, drones, satellites and other tech, while providing jobs to area residents like Sila’s Plant Manager Rosendo Alvarado.
Likely remains of Travis Decker, wanted for killing his daughters in Chelan County, found
WENATCHEE – The Chelan County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday the discovery of human remains believed to be those of Travis Decker, who has been the subject of a months-long manhunt after the bodies of his three daughters were found near the Rock Island Campground near Icicle Creek due west of Leavenworth.
Ephrata Sports Complex changes on the way
EPHRATA – Several changes to the Ephrata Sports Complex are in the planning stages in the city of Ephrata, as the Parks and Recreation Department works to accommodate increased use of the facility and encourage economic activity associated with it. “With the addition of middle school sports over the past few years, the middle school has used that facility for some of their events,” said City Administrator Ray Towry.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Community matters...
As I write this, I just finished speaking at the Ephrata Rotary Club’s weekly meeting at Country Deli in Ephrata. The banquet room in the back of the restaurant was filled with more than a dozen folks who were there not just to grab a meal, but to share some positivity and talk about the work they can do to make the community an even better place to live.
Ephrata School District considering spring 2026 bond
EPHRATA — After more than a year and a half of work, the Ephrata School District’s District Facility Study Group has decided to recommend putting a $75 million bond package on the February 2026 ballot. The goal of the workgroup, said Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray, was to ensure all of Ephrata’s students had quality learning spaces. “Primarily, people had an opportunity to see what we were able to accomplish with our 2019 bond and the facilities that are in place at one of our elementaries, and then, obviously, at Ephrata Middle School,” Murray said. “And one of the real goals, initially, was they saw how safe those facilities are. They saw how (those facilities incorporate) current trends in terms of the types of spaces that you could create for students.” Murray said the bond package, if approved, would have a tax bill impact but allow the district to remodel and expand Ephrata High School, replace Grant Elementary and Parkway Intermediate schools and provide a better Performing Arts Center for students. Some of the work had initially been approved by voters in 2019 along with funding, but inflation caused by the pandemic and other factors caused their cancelation and the funding was zeroed out through a process called defeasement.