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
ML City Council postpones decision on transitional campus
Moses Lake City Council voted unanimously to postpone a vote that would have allowed city staff to move forward with hiring a planning consultant for a proposed $13-17 million transitional campus for the shelterless on West Central Drive during its Tuesday meeting.
Cancellations continue for ML school bus routes due to COVID-19
The Moses Lake School District canceled eight bus routes Monday morning in response to bus drivers and bus driver assistants who had COVID-19 or reported close contact with positive cases of the disease.
Off the road: MLSD forced to cancel bus routes due to COVID-19, seeks substitute drivers
The Moses Lake School District was forced to cancel 13 bus routes on Wednesday, 15 Thursday and another dozen on Friday after bus drivers and bus driver assistants were in short supply due to having COVID-19 or being exposed to someone with the virus.
MLSD moves forward with search for a superintendent
The Moses Lake School District Board of Directors on Thursday heard an update from Bill Jordan regarding the district’s ongoing search for a superintendent.
GC Fairgrounds to add new events this year
Grant County Fairgrounds is set to host a variety of events this year, including the annual Grant County Fair and the first annual ’90s Tribute Fest, said Grant County Fairgrounds Director Jim McKiernan.
Grant County faces problem of catalytic converter thefts
A catalytic converter was reported stolen from a transit bus at the Meditech Mobility facility at 630 E. Broadway Ave. in Moses Lake over the weekend, one theft of dozens like it already this year in Grant County, according to law enforcement authorities.
GCSO responds to two possible drive-by shootings
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office responded to two possible drive-by shootings in Moses Lake on Sunday and Tuesday morning, both in the 1000 block of Vandenburg Loop Northeast, near the intersection with Doolittle Drive, according to GCSO Lt. Ricardo Char.
Moses Lake police respond to shooting on Vince Road Northeast
Moses Lake Police Department officers responded to a report of gunfire in the 8600 block of Vince Road Northeast shortly after 10 p.m. Friday.
MLSD board members to decide how to accommodate growth
Phil Crocker of Teater-Crocker, Inc. – a planning consultant for the Moses Lake School District – delivered a presentation during the school board’s Thursday meeting on needs the district is facing in the next few years as the district’s student body continues to grow.
Inslee activates Washington National Guard due to omicron
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced during a Thursday afternoon press conference he is activating 100 Washington National Guard troops to help in hospitals and taking other measures to help hospital workers slammed with an overload of patients during the current surge of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Moving toward permanence: Moses Lake identifies new site for Open Doors Sleep Center
Moses Lake City Manager Allison Williams provided an update on the city’s plans to address the needs of those facing shelterlessness in the city during Tuesday’s Grant County Board of Commissioners meeting.
Hankins named Moses Lake mayor; Myers deputy mayor
The city of Moses Lake has a new mayor, as city council members voted to elect Dean Hankins to the role during their Tuesday evening meeting.
MLSD to hold open house for Vanguard Academy
The Moses Lake School District will host an open house for potential students interested in attending its latest campus, Vanguard Academy, from 6-8 p.m. today at Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, 900 Yonezawa Blvd. in Moses Lake.
Man arrested in connection with alleged rape in Othello
A Connell man was arrested Friday in connection with an alleged rape near Othello.
Two arrested in connection with drive-by near Othello
Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a drive-by shooting in the 2100 block of West Shelly Road in the Othello area Wednesday evening, according to the ACSO.
ACSO officers help recover vehicle; 3 arrested
Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a recovered stolen vehicle call Jan. 3 in which the vehicle reportedly was followed by the caller, according to an ACSO social media.
Grant County commissioners say no to county income taxes
The Grant County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to institute a ban on a county-assessed income tax for Grant County residents. In doing so, the county joins Moses Lake and several other Washington municipalities in opposition to such a tax.
INET seizes $2.08 million in illicit drugs; suspect makes bond
Officers with the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, also known as INET, seized about $2.08 million in methamphetamine and fentanyl pills on Dec. 24.
Man robs Safeway pharmacy in Ephrata
An armed man walked into the Safeway at 1150 Basin St. SW in Ephrata on Christmas Eve and walked out with hundreds of pain pills, according to Ephrata Police Department Capt. Erik Cook.
Grand Coulee Dam overhaul ensures 30 more years of service
The Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration recently announced a long-running overhaul of three generators at the Grand Coulee Dam was completed in September 2021, according to a press release from both agencies.
Due caution: Mindfulness can prevent fraud in repairs, remodeling
Winter weather, the start of the new year and a plethora of home improvement shows may see Columbia Basin homeowners eyeing repairs or improvements to their homes.
Water needs loom: Moses Lake eyes future of the city’s supply
During its last meeting of the year, the Moses Lake City Council heard an update on the city’s fresh water supply and the need to maintain and expand water sources for the city over the next two decades with certain city wells having reduced water levels.
GCSO internal affairs investigation into time reporting yields mixed results
An investigation into allegations of inappropriate time reporting on the part of Grant County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division Chief Ken Jones was completed with mixed results, according to a report from Capt. Edgar Reinfeld of the Wenatchee Police Department, the agency that conducted the inquiry.
Body found in Quincy under suspicious circumstances
The Quincy Police Department announced Tuesday the body of a Hispanic man was found outside in the 300 block of H Street Southwest late in the afternoon under suspicious circumstances.
Grand Coulee Dam School District voters to decide on two levies
The Grand Coulee Dam School District will have two levy propositions on the ballot for the Feb. 8, 2022, special election. The levies will be continuations of the capital, safety and technology levy and the educational programs and operations levy, according to the Grant County Elections Office
Adams County Sheriff’s Office gets busy two days; three arrested for alleged vehicle theft
Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said Tuesday his department made eight arrests Monday and Tuesday – three of which were associated with vehicle thefts.
It's cold: Officials urge shelterless to seek warming centers
Moses Lake officials are asking those facing shelterlessness to seek warming centers as temperatures this week are expected to remain below freezing, and even below zero in areas with snow cover.
Moses Lake City Council discusses roundabout project
Moses Lake City Council members received an update on the upcoming installation of a traffic circle at the intersection of North Grape Drive and state Route 17 during the council’s Dec. 14 meeting.
ML man appears in court in alleged assault case
A Moses Lake man appeared in Grant County Superior Court Thursday for allegedly assaulting a woman he knew and interfering with domestic violence reporting.
Moses Lake School Board considers sale of land to Grant County
The Moses Lake School Board approved moving forward with the potential sale of property located at the northwest corner of the intersection of West Valley Road and Paxson Drive during its Dec. 16 meeting.
Moses Lake man appears in court on rape charges
A Moses Lake man accused of raping a child, which resulted in a baby’s birth, had his first appearance Thursday afternoon in Grant County Superior Court.
On pause: Ephrata halts work on sewer improvements after archaeological find
Construction of sewer improvements on Third Avenue in Ephrata has been put on hold after some unspecified archaeological artifacts were found while crews were digging in late November.
Four subcontractor workers fired in political banner incident at MLSD site
Four employees of a subcontractor have been dismissed from their positions after raising a political banner with epithets directed at President Joe Biden at the construction site for Vanguard Academy, the Moses Lake School District’s new specialty high school.
ML man arrested in alleged assault of infant
A Moses Lake man was arrested Saturday after an investigation allegedly identified him as a suspect in a child abuse case.
ML police search for suspect in alleged armed robbery
The Moses Lake Police Department is looking for the suspect in a possible armed robbery, who was described as a white woman between the ages of 30 and 40 and about 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, 7 inches tall.
Commission appoints new prosecutor for Grant County
Members of the Grant County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday afternoon to appoint Kevin McCrae as chief prosecutor for the county.