R. HANS MILLER

Grant Co. Community Court celebrates first graduate

EPHRATA – Grant County’s Community Court celebrated its first graduate after a year of serving the county with a program designed to divert defendants away from a cycle of jail time, substance use, arrests and more jail time Wednesday afternoon. State Rep. Alex Ybarra, R–Quincy, attended the event and said it was an emotional experience and equated changing the court environment to choosing a school that works for a student. While a criminal court may help some, Community Court might be a better fit for others.

Grant GOP resolves leadership crisis

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Republican Party has had an identity crisis for the past several months after some Precinct Committee Officers opted to remove David Hunt as Grant County Party Chair during an Oct. 5, 2023 meeting, citing legal issues Hunt is facing and electing Andrew Koeppen as chair. Hunt said the October meeting’s chair election is invalid. Washington GOP Chair Jim Walsh expressed frustration in a letter to both sides of the issue.

GCSO K-9 officers discuss dog selection, entering law enforcement

EPHRATA – Grant County Sheriff’s Office K9 officers Malli and Uno are settling in with their new handlers after being acquired by the department in early March. The two Belgian Malinois, Malie and Uno, are working through training with handlers Deputy Zane Bundy and Luis Jimenez, respectively. Both officers have had experience with canine officers in the past, Jimenez as K9 Zedd’s handler and Bundy has done some informal understudy work with Jimenez.

Grant Co. Community Court reaches first year

EPHRATA – Grant County has its share of repeat offenders who can be considered proverbial frequent fliers through the court system, but a program that began about a year ago works to help them land on firmer runways as they move through the system.

GCFD 13 promotes three to command positions

EPHRATA – Grant County Fire District 13’s command staff looks a bit different than it did a week ago after a badge-pinning ceremony that promoted two firefighters to captains and one to battalion chief last week.

Ephrata schools security officers foster connections

EPHRATA – Mike Crowder and Greg Hutchison are familiar faces at Ephrata High School. The two security officers, both of whom have law enforcement experience, have their office inside the Ephrata High Commons. Crowder said the location of their office is by design.

Area leaders assemble to address opioid epidemic

DESERT AIRE – Leaders from around the Columbia Basin gathered at the Wanapum Heritage Center Thursday to discuss the ongoing battle against Fentanyl – a synthetic opioid that caused nearly two dozen deaths in Grant County last year – and other opioids in the Columbia Basin. “(In Grant County in 2022), for opioids in general there were 486 patients and 23 deaths to an opioid overdose,” said Grant County Health District Harm Reduction Program Coordinator Mariah Delon Munoz.

Columbia Basin Foundation works to help establish legacies

EPHRATA – The Columbia Basin Foundation has been working for years now to help ensure community members throughout the Basin can leave a lasting legacy in their hometowns, counties and communities they’re a part of, said Corrine Isaak, CBF executive director. That was the goal set by founders Rick Honsowetz and Randy Dickinson, she said.

Gonzaga partners with Ziplines Education to advance E. WA workforce

SPOKANE — Gonzaga University announced a partnership with Ziplines Education in late March designed to help Zags and other Eastern Washington students fortify their skills in the workforce through certification programs. “Our goal has been to expand our professional offerings in the community so that people have more ways to learn through Gonzaga,” said Rachelle Strawther, director of Gonzaga’s Center for Lifelong Learning. “Gonzaga has been very well known for undergrad and graduate education, and, of course, basketball. But, noncredit learning is somewhat new to Gonzaga’s overall portfolio.”

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: It takes a village…

EPHRATA – We’ve all heard the old saying telling us that it “takes a village to raise a child” or some similar paraphrase. After my experience last Thursday with the We Are Ephrata Town Hall, I’d have to say that it’s also important to note that it takes a village to raise a town.

‘78 years of prayers’

Memorial Christian Church to sing last hymn, but considers a seed of Hope

EPHRATA – After more than 70 years, Ephrata’s Memorial Christian Church will soon shut down after decades of service to the community, Pastor Don Dunn and church elders said in an interview with the Columbia Basin Herald last week. “It’s an aging thing…,” Dunn said. “One of the people in another church in town says that they’re aging out, and I think we’ve kind of aged out and the ministry has changed.”

Competitive spirit

Ephrata’s Addison Mills signs with Corban University to play college volleyball

EPHRATA – Ephrata’s Addison Mills has signed with Corban University, a Salem, Oregon-based Christian institution, on a full-ride volleyball scholarship. Mills, a pin hitter on the court, said she had to consider her options after getting offers to play multiple sports – in part due to her height and competitive nature.

Firearm theft reporting now mandatory in WA

OLYMPIA — Gun safety legislation requiring the reporting of lost or stolen firearms has been signed into law as of Tuesday. The new law passed through the Washington Legislature as House Bill 1903 and was sponsored by Rep. Liz Berry, D-Queen Anne, and requires that a report be made within 24 hours. “States with these laws have a 30% lower risk that guns will be purchased in that state and recovered after a crime in another state,” Berry said. “By giving law enforcement the tools they need to identify and investigate patterns of gun trafficking our communities will be safer. This bill will save lives.” While Berry said she feels it will save lives, the National Rifle Association has said that the bill punishes law-abiding gun owners who have been the victims of a crime with fines of $1,000.

DNR announces controlled burns

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Natural Resources announced eight prescribed burns throughout the state Monday. The eight separate burns will occur over the spring and cover up to 2,580 acres of state trust land.

Changes incoming at Ephrata library

EPHRATA – The North Central Washington Libraries branch in Ephrata is, like the majority of NCWL branches, slated for some remodeling and upgrades in the near future, said Aaron Loeffelbein, supervising librarian at the Ephrata location.

Future leaders

Ephrata High FBLA students learn applicable skills on their way to state competition

EPHRATA — Future Business Leaders of America is the largest career and technical organization in the U.S., said J. Ryan Shannon, a communications teacher and advisor for the FBLA chapter at Ephrata High School. “It’s the largest career and technical student organization in the country, facilitating students learning and opportunities within the business community and learning the skill sets that will help them be successful in various aspects of business, whether that be the actual operational or the technical side of the business,” he said. Aided by fellow EHS teachers Scott Sandberg, Katie Cummings and Keeva Kimble, Shannon helps EHS FBLA’s 81 members work on a variety of projects in multiple fields to develop the skills they need to pursue a variety of careers. Skills have a wide range of fields from broadcast journalism to client services and simply understanding how to conduct themselves professionally as they network or develop relationships in a work environment, Shannon said. The various fields of development are evaluated in three categories at state-level competition: objective testing, roleplaying and presentations.

Tigers have mixed results on the court in first two meets

EPHRATA – The Ephrata boys tennis team had a mixed result in the players' first couple of pre-league meets, first in Quincy on Saturday then in Chelan on Tuesday, said Tigers head tennis coach Courtney Burck.

EPHRATA TIGERS: Solid reload

Despite losing several solid golfers from last year, Tigers looking to do well on course in 2024

EPHRATA – Ephrata Golf Coach Greg Hewitt said he expects both the 12 girls and 14 boys on the Tigers golf team to perform well this year as he works to move the team into competition this spring, despite it being a “reload year” for the team. “This is a reloading year and we’re not considering that for the boys,” he said, “We’re considering it as we are reloading and the expectations are still there.”

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: We are Ephrata Town Hall set for March 28

EPHRATA – The Columbia Basin Herald will be hosting a town hall at the Ephrata High School Performing Arts Center at 6 p.m. on March 28 with representatives from the City of Ephrata, Ephrata School District, Columbia Basin Hospital, Ephrata Chamber of Commerce, Port of Ephrata and Grant County Sheriff’s Office on a panel.

Ephrata girls tennis looks to anchor players as new faces fill team

EPHRATA – Britney MacLeod, head coach for girls tennis at Ephrata High School, said she’s excited for the new season to start, especially since it means she’s working with her cousin, Courtney Burck, who took the mantle of head boys varsity tennis coach this season.

Ephrata baseball enters 2024 under new HC Tempel

EPHRATA – New coach. New season. New opportunities. The Ephrata Tigers have a new head baseball coach in the form of David Tempel, a social studies teacher at Ephrata High School who has known the players he’s working with this spring for some time.

New Tiger boys tennis coach focused on skill building, agility, competitive play

EPHRATA – Courtney Burck has stepped into the role of the new varsity boys tennis coach at Ephrata High School with excitement and has an appreciation for the help she’s gotten as she takes on the new role going into the 2024 spring tennis season.

Ephrata school administrators discuss bullying

EPHRATA – If you ask them, Ephrata School District Superintendent Tim Payne and Assistant Superintendent Ken Murray will tell you that schools in Ephrata aren’t immune to bullying. However, they’ll also tell you they do their best to manage it.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Covering sensitive situations

MOSES LAKE – In yesterday’s edition of the Columbia Basin Herald we covered two delicate topics that require a great deal of empathy, compassion and thought to handle correctly. Those are the topics of bullying and the death of a student, Jett Johnson, who attended Ephrata High School.

An infectious smile

Ephratans remember Jett Johnson

EPHRATA – The halls of Ephrata High and Middle schools have seemed a bit dimmer for the last week and a half. Jett Johnson, a sophomore at the high school and son of Heidi Johnson, a math teacher at EMS, died in a car accident the night of Monday, Feb. 19.

GCSO looks back and plans forward

EPHRATA – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office saw successes and challenges during Sheriff Joe Kriete’s first year in office in 2023. Kriete said he’s overall very proud of his department and has a deep appreciation for the support county residents generally show him and his officers.

Sewer line issues on Division in Ephrata

EPHRATA – City of Ephrata staff believe a sewer line has collapsed on Division Avenue E. between J and K streets near the pickleball courts, according to City Administrator Ray Towry.

Ephrata School District examining new math curricula

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District is considering two possibilities when it comes to math curriculum for students from kindergarten through fifth grade. The new education materials will replace EngageNY branded materials. Educators

Letter from the editor: Pets are a community responsibility

As a community, we’re still struggling in the Columbia Basin to take care of the animals in our communities. While some progress has been made as funding becomes available to establish a new shelter for Grant County Animal Outreach, funding to ensure the operations of Adams County Pet Rescue are still a bit up in the air.

Modern furnishing decisions

Finding the right tech level when shopping for home goods

EPHRATA — Matt Moore of Moore Furniture in Ephrata said the styles and models of furniture and appliances have remained similar or the same since the pandemic started as furniture and appliance manufacturers have struggled with supply chain issues and such. Good options are out there, but even with the slowdown in model changes, thinking through a purchase is still important. “You had a whole year where you couldn’t get anything, and it was a windfall for us because we actually warehouse and we had stuff to sell,” Moore said. These days though, models that were in the warehouse and showroom now are similar if not the same because of logistics issues. However, that doesn’t mean that some thought doesn’t need to go into a purchase. Integration of technology into what used to be simple furniture is important, he said. People want USB ports to plug in their electronics such as phones, tablets and handheld game consoles. Hidden conveniences go a long way in an era where digital toys are everywhere.

Ephrata’s ‘new’ mayor pro tem looks at growing as residents choose

EPHRATA – After serving on the Ephrata City Council since 2015, Matt Moore has taken on a new title: mayor pro tem.

Samaritan payroll faces ‘technical issue’

MOSES LAKE – Samaritan Healthcare staff reported not being paid as they’d expected Friday morning, and the hospital’s administration indicated that a technical issue with one of the companies involved in processing the health care provider’s payroll had been the culprit that caused the issue.

Eight locals arrested: Joint investigations with city, federal, state agencies land Moses Lake residents in jail

MOSES LAKE – According to the office of U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref, based in Spokane, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, Moses Lake Police Department, Border Patrol and the Washington Department of Corrections have arrested eight people in the Moses Lake area. Those arrested are facing charges related to narcotics and illegal firearms.

Ephrata appoints officers, talks water rights and billing

EPHRATA – The Ephrata City Council appointed new officers including a new mayor pro tempore during the board’s regular Jan. 17 meeting. They also received an update on the city’s new water utility billing processes and approved stopping service cancellations while residents and city staff adjust to the new system.

Ephrata School Board accepts grant, reviews finances

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School Board had a busy evening during their regular meeting Monday night with multiple financial topics, security and the acceptance of the resignation of Superintendent Tim Payne.

Rooted in community

Ephrata Grocery Outlet owners enjoy being a part of a small town and connecting with people.

EPHRATA – Steve and Heather Brown bought the Ephrata Grocery Outlet location in late 2022, and now, just over a year later, they appear to be happy with the decision to buy in a smaller community.

Grant PUD satisfaction survey shows positive results overall

EPHRATA – Grant County Public Utility District commissioners heard an overall satisfactory report on customer satisfaction from Alex Dunn, vice president of research with Strategies 360 which conducts the PUD’s annual customer satisfaction survey.

Cold work

EPHRATA - Trucks were stationed at the old track in Ephrata near Walmart on Tuesday as crews were set to begin demolition to prepare the site to become the new Grant County Jail. County officials have stated that a lot of tires had to be removed from the site prior to construction prep beginning.

New City Hall needed, but only being discussed informally thus far

EPHRATA — A new city hall for Ephrata has been talked about for at least 15 years, but isn’t on the immediate horizon, according to Ephrata City Manager Ray Towry. However, that doesn’t mean one will not be needed as city staffing continues to grow to meet the needs of residents. “We’ve certainly outgrown this space, so it’s out there on the horizon at some point,” Towry said.

Ketterer sworn in as MLIRD board member

EPHRATA – The Grant County Commission was joined by guests during their Tuesday meeting as Joe Ketterer was sworn in as a member of the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District by Judge John Knodell.

Officers, deceased identified in Quincy officer-involved shooting

QUINCY – The names of those involved in a Monday incident that lead to one Quincy Police Department officer being stabbed twice and the death of a man have been released by investigators with the Central Basin Investigative Team.

Payne to depart Ephrata School District

EPHRATA – Ephrata School District Superintendent Tim Payne has decided to resign from the district, citing personal, family and health issues, according to an ESD press release. His last day with the district will be June 30.

Cloudview Kitchen’s evolving local flavor, community focus

SOAP LAKE — Cloudview Kitchen was founded a little more than a decade ago by Jim Baird and Theresa Sergneri. Since then, the idea for the restaurant-slash-bakery-slash-coffee-house has evolved and matured. “Theresa and Jim started it …,” said co-owner Dusty Bolyard. “Jim wanted to start a nonprofit farm in Ephrata and with that, Theresa wanted to start the kitchen project to go along with it as a cooperative venture. They ran them together collectively – he ran the farm and she ran the kitchen.” The kitchen had closed down about a year before the pandemic started, but after talking with friends and family, the kitchen reopened with Bolyard, Blayne Walsh, Ursula Bolyard, Amanda Higginson and Geraldo Higginson coming together as partners in the business. Each brought their own flair to the shop that makes it unique, not just for Soap Lake and the Columbia Basin, but anywhere you might go.

QPD officer stabbed, civilian killed in food mart incident

QUINCY – One unidentified man is deceased after two Quincy Police Department officers responded to a call for assistance at the Jackpot Food Mart at 308 F Street Southeast in Quincy a little after 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Ephrata Middle School portable burns, no injuries

EPHRATA – A portable at the Ephrata Middle School suffered a fire in its attic Friday morning, according to Ephrata School District Public Information Officer Sarah Morford.

Celebrating FRESH NEWS: MarDon’s Fisher offers support to anglers

OTHELLO – Each week I get an email from Pete Fisher at MarDon Resort with a column letting readers know what fish are biting on, the depth they’re biting at and sharing a success story of someone who tossed a line into the Potholes Reservoir and came back with a fish worthy of a proper fish story.

Endangered Species Act hits 50 as legislators questions success

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Enacted in 1973, the Endangered Species Act turned 50 in 2023 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that the ESA had been effective in wildlife conservation and has saved about 99% of the species under its care, including several in Washington state. However, Congress is looking at whether the legislation goes far enough to protect species and build up those species’ populations enough to remove them from the Endangered Species List.

Fatality accident, GCSO collision shut down SR 17

MOSES LAKE – State Route 17 was closed for nearly four hours Thursday night after two accidents led to the death of one woman and non-fatal injuries for two Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Bill aims to protect WA residents from secondhand exposure to narcotics

OLYMPIA – The fentanyl crisis is on the proverbial docket for the 2024 Washington Legislative Session.

Gorge shooting court dates set

EPHRATA – James M. Kelly, 26, the suspect in the June 18 shooting at the Beyond Wonderland music festival, has multiple court dates coming up.