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
New Discovery in town
Discovery Cider Company set to open in Ephrata in early November
EPHRATA – A building on Basin Street will soon be home to a new business in Ephrata, the Discovery Cider Company. “So, initially, we opened a cidery on the west side, in Tacoma,” said Brennan James, who owns the cidery with his wife, Berlyn Sandstrom. “We opened it as Tin Hat Cider Company, and it started because I just liked cider.” ...
Ephrata cuts the ribbon for Columbia Ridge
EPHRATA – Community members and Ephrata School District officials stepped into Columbia Ridge Elementary’s newly renovated gym for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 28...
Grant officials host appreciation lunch for staff
EPHRATA – Elected officials from throughout Grant County were on hand to cook up and serve burgers, hot dogs and appreciation to county staff in front of the Grant County Courthouse Wednesday...
Q&A with Ephrata trustee candidates Mike Fleurkens and Jordan Hansen
EPHRATA – Two candidates are vying for a seat on the Ephrata School Board. Mike Fleurkens and Jordan Hansen made it past the primary over the summer...
Five arrested in drive-by investigation
MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake Police Department Interim Chief, Cpt. David Sands issued a statement Friday indicating four arrests have been made in the investigation of an Aug. 13 shooting that led to the death of Jeremy Flores, 36, of Moses Lake.
Honoring service
Art Semro Post Auxilliary and Legionnaires host ceremony honoring local, national heroes
EPHRATA — Dozens of residents, city officials and first responders showed up at the Grant County Courthouse in Ephrata on Monday to join the American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 28, and Legionnaires in remembering those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and in the various conflicts and emergencies since that day...
Art and walk to raise Alzheimer’s awareness set for Friday, Saturday
MOSES LAKE – Area residents will be flexing their artistic talents and putting on their walking shoes to decorate for Colors of Hope, Friday, and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday. “I did a little bit (of art) last year, and people really enjoyed that. They enjoyed having something to look at, and it was something for them. Specifically for them,” said Karisti Cox, who is organizing the event...
Wash. unions join in support of climate-friendly jobs
MOSES LAKE – Six Washington-based unions are teaming up to take advantage of Washington’s legislative environment and the need for workers to fill environmentally-friendly jobs created by that environment...
509-raised author up for regional award
SEATTLE — An Othello-raised writer and veteran now living in Seattle is a finalist in the annual Washington State Book Awards for his poetry collection, “We Had Our Reasons.” Ricardo Ruiz said he’s excited to have been recognized, especially early in his writing career. “It’s the first thing I have published,” Ruiz said. “... I left the Army in 2016 and went to Big Bend (Community College) and studied business. And then came to (the University of Washington) with the intent to study business, but ended up going and just following a whim and just being like, ‘I want to write poetry.’” Ruiz said that eventually led to him getting a book deal and having the book go well. Now, the first thing he’s published is up as a finalist for Book of the Year in the state. It’s been a bit of a hectic road to get where he’s at, he said.
Student to teacher
Columbia Ridge alum comes back to school to teach
EPHRATA — Tristyn Eldredge has come full circle in her journeys around Columbia Ridge Elementary School in Ephrata. She started there as a student, then came back as a paraprofessional and this year, she’s at the head of a fourth-grade classroom as a teacher. “One of the biggest things that I’m looking forward to is just giving back to the school that, you know, that shaped me into who I am,” Eldredge said. The path to becoming a teacher was a bit of a winding road, Eldredge said, with her initial goal being to study criminal justice and become a juvenile probation officer.
Clean buildings
State law requirements for facility efficiency approaching
REDMOND – The Washington Legislature passed the Clean Building Performance Standard in 2019, and operators of commercial buildings now have set deadlines to ensure their properties 50,000 square feet and larger are in compliance with the law. While there are penalties for noncompliance, Albireo Energy’s VP and General Manager Ivan Aron says it’s also a matter of getting a return on investment...
Grant Co. Hospital District 1 ballot to change after court decision
EPHRATA – Dr. Brandon Penix will be removed from the November 2023 ballot for Grant County Hospital District 1’s third district seat after a decision by Grant County Superior Court Judge Tyson Hill wherein Penix’s candidacy was examined. “The candidate must be eligible for the office at the time he files his declaration of candidacy. A person attempting to meet the residency requirements for the purpose of running for office cannot cure an invalid residency by moving to the location after filing a declaration for office,” Hill said when reading his decision to the sparsely filled courtroom...
Woman struck by train in Ephrata
EPHRATA — A 58-year-old woman suffered multiple injuries when she was struck by a train while trying to cross the tracks at the Ephrata Amtrak station shortly before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Ephrata Police Chief Erik Koch said. “I heard that she had several fractures,” Koch said. “So, both legs, arm and a possible neck fracture.” ...
Ephrata boil advisory lifted
EPHRATA — The boil water advisory for the city of Ephrata was lifted shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday, Ephrata City Administrator Ray Towry said. The advisory had been issued because of some concerns with water pressure and backflow into the city’s water infrastructure. “We felt very confident the results would indicate there was no threat to the community based on the situation, and we think the state drinking water people felt the same way. That’s why it was an advisory boil and not a full-blown boil order. It was strictly a precautionary step,” said City Administrator Ray Towry...
A plan to buy
oing homework ahead of time can smooth out the homebuying process
EPHRATA – The housing inventory in the Columbia Basin is tight, but preparing ahead of time can make the process of buying one of the homes that is available a lot easier. “The starting point is to find a lender that they trust and get a pre-approval through the lender,” said Staci Faw of Windermere REal Estate/Central Basin, LLC. “Because without having a pre-approval, they don’t know what their buying power is.” ...
Cooling livestock
Local feed store operators discuss available options for helping livestock healthy in extreme heat
EPHRATA – The sign at the SubWay in Ephrata read 105 degrees Wednesday afternoon, and temperatures throughout the area have been high all week, including on the various ranches in the area. Ranchers have a variety of tools though to help keep their livestock from overheating. Ensuring animals have easy access to clean water troughs is important, said Megan Feekes of Hales Farm and Feed in Ephrata...
Fair showing
Horse showmanship competitors display promise, practiced skills
MOSES LAKE – Perhaps the only thing more colorful than the variety of horses in the Harwood Pavillion Tuesday morning were the outfits of the young equestrians who came to show off their skills. One standout was Bailey Brown, a young horse lover who dressed in more English than Western attire for the event she’d worked hard to prepare for...
GALLERY: Barn views
MOSES LAKE – A large part of the fair in any rural area is friendly competition among area youth agricultural organizations such as 4-H, Future Farmers of America and The Grange...
FIRE REPORT: Red flag warning issued, fires burn around the Evergreen State
MOSES LAKE – The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Monday afternoon in light of extreme high temperatures, potential for high winds and low relative humidity throughout the Pacific Northwest, but especially on the western side of the Cascades. "Today's red flag warnings are in effect for extremely hot, dry, unstable weather west of the Cascade crest,” said Regional Fire Planner for the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service Ian Rickert. “The challenging fire weather conditions coincide with areas that are experiencing abnormally dry to severe drought.” ...
Local residents tell cancer to take a hike
MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake Police Department officers, members of the community and at least one loving wife joined Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr Saturday morning at 9 a.m. for a fundraising walk to support the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s efforts to battle the disease. “I’m not a crier,” Fuhr said. “But, when I came around the corner and saw how many people had showed up, I got a little verklempt.” ...
Waterworks: Ephrata finalizing plans for water infrastructure upgrades
EPHRATA — Providing water and sewer services to a city laid out like a reverse saddle is challenging, but the city of Ephrata is working to improve the associated infrastructure, which is aging and needs adjustments to meet the needs of the county seat. “You know, 90% of this stuff is due to aging treatment plants,” said Nancy Wetch, a project engineer with Gray & Osborne, Inc., a Yakima-based firm helping the city with fresh water and sewer systems upgrades. “There are some issues with capacity, but for the most part, it’s because your plant is 25 years old. Nothing is getting younger and nothing is getting newer. That’s why we’re doing this upgrade.” ...
‘Cancer sucks’
Moses Lake police chief faces cancer with family, community and Fred Hutch by his side
MOSES LAKE — “Cancer sucks.” That’s what it says on the new cancer survivor’s ribbon tattoo on Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr’s abdomen, which he got recently after having surgery to have his gallbladder and surrounding cancerous tissues removed...
Washington Day Trip: Bygone Byways Interpretive Trail
LEAVENWORTH – Travel about 30 miles northwest of Leavenworth on U.S. 2, and you’ll find the Bygone Byways Interpretive Trailhead. Wrapped in a bow-shaped piece of land between the highway and Nason Creek, the trailhead offers public restrooms and a walking path of about a mile that overlooks the stream and offers opportunities to see wildlife...
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Covering the county seat
Last month, the Grant County Journal ran its last issue after more than a century of publishing and serving Ephrata and the surrounding area...
Ephrata council offers appreciation for Adkinson
EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council awarded former Interim City Administrator Kurt Adkinson with a trophy honoring his service to the community during its July 19 meeting now that new City Administrator Ray Towry is fully engaged in the city’s top administrative position.
Ephrata approves changes to new fire truck order
EPHRATA — Ephrata’s new fire truck is seeing a bit of a delay and will cost about $74,000 more than initially anticipated due to multiple factors, Ephrata Fire Chief Jeremy Burns said. “It’s about $64,000 for engine, transmission and driveline and there’s another dozen components besides the engine and transmission,” he said. Another $10,000 in change orders to the fire engine have been submitted that will accommodate specific needs the Ephrata Fire Department has, Burns said. The change orders and other complications such as supply lines have delayed the overall process. The most recent change comes as the engine selected to power the truck – a 380-horsepower motor – is no longer produced by the manufacturer, Cummins. That model is no longer produced due to federal emissions requirements. However, a higher-horsepower motor – churning out up to 500 horsepower – will operate some of the fire engine’s secondary equipment such as pumps better, Burns said.
Super friends
Hair Masters Salon & Spa offers beauty services with a dash of friendship
SOAP LAKE — Sina Long said she just kept coming to work after her late boss passed away and ended up taking on the shop owner role at Hair Masters in downtown Soap Lake. “I’ve been working here since ’94,” Long said. “The gal that used to have The Hair Master, Carol Rutherford, this was her shop and I just kept coming to work after she passed away from cancer. She was not only a coworker but a good friend, and I still think about her to this day. Her family still contacts me, and we stay in touch.” ...
The Cardman
Ephrata hobby shop looks to welcome everyone in a safe, fun place
EPHRATA — While there have been – quite literally – stumbles along the way, The Cardman hobby shop is now open in Ephrata and Derran Donoghue and partner Melissa Craven are excited to be in Tiger country. “The first thing I want to do is, I want to make this for the community,” Donoghue said. “That’s what (now-closed Ephrata Sports Cards) brought to the community. We want to just basically take the torch from (that store) and build it for the younger (people in the area).” ...
Fentanyl crisis in Grant County
Local authorities express significant concern over fentanyl’s prevalence in the community.
EPHRATA – According to staff at the Grant County Jail, roughly 90% of detainees arrive with some substance abuse-related concern. Of those, roughly 70% have some level of dependency on fentanyl. The Grant County Morgue is seeing sadly similar increases. “We’re starting to see (fentanyl addiction) as a huge issue inside the jail,” said Grant County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Chief Deputy Phil Coats. “And, from what I’m hearing talking to some of the people that are withdrawing from it is that it is so severe that actual suicide rates have actually gone up in jails because they don’t want to have to deal (with withdrawals.) It hurts too much.” ...
Ephrata's Grant Elementary upgrades to go to bid
EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District will ask for bids for a complete remodel of Grant Elementary School, an ESD press release said. Plans to renovate the Ephrata High Performing Arts Center and PAC gymnasium have been placed on hold due to budgetary constraints though. “The world has changed in many ways since Ephrata initially approved the 2019 bond,” said Tim Payne, Ephrata School District Superintendent. “We could not have anticipated the pandemic-related cost increases we’ve experienced at projects currently underway at Columbia Ridge Elementary and Ephrata Middle School.” ...
Alleged Gorge shooter pleads not guilty
EPHRATA – James Kelly, the suspect accused of killing two people and injuring two others at the Gorge Amphitheatre campground during last month’s Beyond Wonderland music festival, has entered a plea of not guilty, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office...
'Mental health care desert'
Local veteran counselor works to support vets through War Trauma Program.
QUINCY – Robert Bates has experienced the mental health challenges of combat first hand and he wants to help his brothers and sisters in arms recover from the same through his work with Washington’s War Trauma Program. “The (Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs) War Trauma Program – I actually signed their contract this month, and that’s kind of why I’m here is beating the bushes and trying to get the word out, letting people know that we’re actually here and we’re here to help,” he said...
30 years: Downtown Moses Lake Association celebrates pearl anniversary
MOSES LAKE – Music, shoppers, bean bag tossers and fun took over downtown Moses Lake near Sinkiuse Square on Saturday as the Downtown Moses Lake Association celebrated three decades of serving the community – an anniversary ordinarily symbolized with a pearl if it were a marriage. “It went well,” said DMLA Executive Director Rosenda Henley. “It was a good turnout for being a first event.” ...
Caleb Perez
Local student tackles the news business and other adventures
MOSES LAKE — Caleb Perez, whose byline you may have seen floating around in the Columbia Basin Herald’s pages, likes to try a little bit of everything, whether that’s sports, journalism or making a podcast with friends. “I did not do anything in high school other than what was required of me,” Perez said. “I did kind of have a philosophy that, if I don’t commit to anything in high school, then I can kind of try a lot more things, which I was able to do because I’d spend after school either playing games or learning to shoot hoops or even trying Frisbee golf. … Basically, anything that came up, I could try.”
Investigators release more details in Gorge shooting case
WENATCHEE – Moses Lake Police Department Detective Edgar Salazar is on administrative leave following the incident wherein he reportedly shot shooting suspect James M. Kelly, according to a press release from Captain Brian Chance of the Wenatchee Police Department...
UPDATED: Gorge victims, alleged shooter identified
EPHRATA — Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison has released the identities of the two fatally-shot victims from the Sunday evening shooting at The Gorge Amphitheatre’s campground and Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete has identified the alleged shooter. “The suspect is 26-year-old James M. Kelly of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He was hospitalized for a gunshot wound and was returned to Grant County today where he is lodged in the Grant County Jail. He is held for investigation of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and one count of first-degree assault domestic violence,” Kriete said...
UPDATED: Active shooter arrested at Gorge Amphitheater
GEORGE – An evening shooting at The Gorge Amphitheatre campground near George has left two victims dead and three people, including the shooter, injured, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman. “At about 8:20 p.m. or thereabouts, there was a shooting in the campground. The shooter was fleeing the scene and also firing shots,” Foreman said...
900 acres burn near Rocky Ford Creek
EPHRATA – A Wednesday afternoon fire near State Route 17 at Rocky Ford Creek was reportedly caused by a vehicle fire involving a farm tractor, said Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman...
Fire season starts in Grant Co.
SOAP LAKE — Fire season has kicked off in Grant County with three fires in less than 24 hours – one just north and east of Soap Lake, one at the intersection of State Route 17 and Stratford Road in Moses Lake on Tuesday and another at Rocky Ford Creek between Ephrata and Moses Lake on Wednesday...
Mavs and Chiefs
MLHS Class of 2023 goes out with style
MOSES LAKE — With mortar boards bedecked in flowers, back-the-blue flags, comedic statements, family names and hopes for the future, this year’s Moses Lake High School graduates walked the stage and stepped toward their futures, proud families watching from the stands at Lions Field. MLHS Principal Sheila Kries opened the ceremony with an analogy discussing how life’s experiences are like a watershed – appropriate for one of the larger schools in the Columbia Basin – and wished the students well. This year’s graduating class chose former School Resource Officer Zach Jennings as their staff speaker, and he shared a few memories of his time with the 2023 Mavs – who appeared to identify more as Chiefs, having had that mascot for much more of their high school careers – and a bit of humorous advice. “Growing old is mandatory – growing up is optional,” Jennings said.
‘I like to stay young and party all night’
Moses Lake youth brings big energy to a ‘crunched up’ town.
MOSES LAKE – Maximiliano Robert House has aspirations – and all of them involve having fun. “I like to stay young and I party all night,” Max said...
Letter from the Editor: Sad but fond farewell
The Columbia Basin will be losing a valued friend this month. After more than 116 years, the Grant County Journal will print its last issue at the end of June. The closure was announced in the Journal’s June 1 edition. The staff at the Columbia Basin Herald is saddened by the loss of another local newspaper, especially one so close to home. We’ve been happy to have a good relationship with the staff at the Journal and deeply respect and appreciate the service they’ve provided to the region for so long...
Bill to protect gas stoves introduced in Congress
OLYMPIA — A bill introduced Monday would protect gas stoves from proposed federal limitations, according to an announcement from Rep. Dan Newhouse, R – Washington. In February, the U.S. Department of Energy proposed an “energy efficiency standard” for gas cooking products. This would be the first energy performance standard imposed on residential cooktops, the announcement said...
GALLERY: Spring Fest Headliners
MOSES LAKE – Tone Loc, Montell Jordan and Vanilla Ice headlined Spring Fest in Moses Lake this year. The photos below highlight portions of their shows which celebrated the music of the ‘90s and had the rappers performing some of their hits from that era.
Soap Lake council accepts Walmart grant, tables cleanups
SOAP LAKE – During their regular meeting Wednesday, the Soap Lake City Council voted unanimously to accept a $1,250 grant from Walmart and tabled decisions on spring and fall cleanups for the city...
Special session called to complete Blake decision work
OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced that he has called a special session to begin May 16 to address drug possession legality impacted by what is known as the Blake decision. “My office and I have been meeting with legislators from all four caucuses and I am very optimistic about reaching an agreement that can pass both chambers,” Inslee said. “Cities and counties are eager to see a statewide policy that balances accountability and treatment, and I believe we can produce a bipartisan bill that does just that.”
Letter from the editor: Fond farewell
MOSES LAKE – Rebecca Pettingill, one of the Columbia Basin Herald’s reporters for the last few years is leaving the publication for an opportunity with Big Bend Community College...
Artistic celebration
Columbia Basin Allied Arts celebrates founding anniversary with fundraiser
MOSES LAKE – Columbia Basin Allied Arts celebrated nearly five decades of bringing the arts to the Columbia Basin on Saturday. CBAA Director Shawn Cardwell said the event was a success overall and expressed her appreciation to attendees and other supporters. “It is always nice to spend time with the community. CBAA is grateful for every opportunity we get to share the work we are doing, and even more grateful for all those who spend time to listen and contribute to our success. Thanks to all who joined us on Saturday, to those who donated to our mission and those who supported the event. We are already planning for next year,” Cardwell said...
Business shindig
Ephrata Chamber hosts its first business expo, hopes to make it a yearly tradition.
EPHRATA – Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Director Rita Witte said she was excited at the response as the chamber hosted its first annual business expo during its April 12 business after-hours. “I think my excitement was that everybody else was excited,” Witte said. “Everybody else was happy with how it went.” ...
Colorful view
VANTAGE – One of the horse sculptures at the Wild Horse Monument above Vantage, Monday morning. Several of the horses have graffiti left by taggers on them, but the view is otherwise breathtaking from the top of the ridge.