SAM FLETCHER
Staff Writer
Recent Stories
Grant County Fairgrounds holds first mass vaccination event
A steady stream of cars snaked around cones throughout Saturday at the Grant County Fairgrounds, with 1,000 COVID-19 shots distributed for the first mass vaccination event in the county.
From threatened to endangered
The decline of Washington’s largest hawk implies greater concerns
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking public input on its periodic status review for the ferruginous hawk, as it is recommending a change from threatened to endangered status.
Annual pro-life rally sees big turnout
Mark Krcma, the pro-life chairman of the Knights of Columbus in Moses Lake, thought numbers might be down for the annual pro-life rally at the intersection of Stratford and Valley roads because of the pandemic. This was not the case.
Moses Lake liquor store burns
No one was injured in a fire Saturday night at Moses Lake Liquor & Wine, officials said.
No bird feeders until March
WDFW extends recommendation of removing backyard bird attractants.
Recent reports of sick or dead birds at backyard feeders across Washington is prompting the Department of Fish and Wildlife to recommend people temporarily discontinue feeding wild birds or take extra steps to maintain their feeders.
Quincy's Paradise Park neighborhood enters Phase Two of development
Aho Construction just entered its second phase of the Paradise Park neighborhood in Quincy, with buyers able to pick out lots and plans.
Free Family Saturday goes curbside after two decades
Families knocked on the glass door Saturday of the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center to collect a paper sack of arts and crafts.
Heart Matters CPR & 1st Aid has in person class
At Heart Matters CPR & 1st Aid in Ephrata, a banner hangs on the wall with the company logo. The words "Heart Matters" lie within a red heart owner and instructor Justina Heflin’s daughter drew, with cursive lettering trailing off to an irregular electrocardiogram line – a direct copy from Heflin's son’s monitor before his heart surgery.
Quincy Public Market open for ‘open air’ indoor seating
Launching the Quincy Public Market has been an ongoing challenge, owner Larry Jones said.
‘Quiet stress’ plagues Washington
American Addiction Centers, a provider of substance addiction treatment resources, conducted a survey of 3,000 adults and found that nearly one in three Washingtonians say they believe they have suffered from ‘quiet stress’ this year as a result of social isolation on top of regular winter blues.
Biden-Harris Administration will create ‘subtle changes’ in Grant County
Because Grant County is so red, the national administration will have little effect beyond a "change of tone."
On the front line: Public works director tries to broaden employees’ roles as first responders
Public works professionals work incredibly long hours during a crisis, supporting other agencies and communicating with the public, he said. After a long night’s work, they drive through the coffee stand, where others are being recognized, and are overlooked, he said.
Off to the races: Riders mount up to test their speed
About 80 barrel racers gathered Friday beneath pavilion lights in the Grant County Fairgrounds for the first practice of the year.
Sand Scorpions hold first fun run of the year
Forty Jeeps, quads, pick-ups, buggies and bikes lined up Saturday at the Moses Lake Mud Flats and Sand Dunes for the Sand Scorpions ORV Group’s first fun run of the year.
Housing development springs up near Moses Lake High School
A new 7.7-acre housing development, Sydney Acres, is in its early stages near the Moses Lake High School, as it broke ground in November.
Grant County Landfill and Ephrata sewer getting major upgrades this year
The recent Ephrata City Council decision for additional rate increases of disposal and sewage will provide major upgrades in both systems.
Fitch Family Farms to launch community garden
This year, Fitch Family Farms will convert into a community-oriented space, where volunteers can decide what is planted, do a little work and take some produce home.
Winter, weather bring hazards
Portable heaters, Christmas lights and family gatherings: winter brings all kinds of unique hazards.
Alternatives to green: Ground cover options have pros and cons
While grass is the most popular ground cover by far, it's not the only option.
Moses Lake man organizes coat drive
Eric Salgado took it upon himself to organize a coat drive and hand-deliver donations from his car.
Potholes Bass Club increases annual donations tenfold
Typically, Potholes Bass Club donates $1,000 to Washington food banks. But with COVID-19 restricting tournaments and fundraisers, it wasn't able to generate nearly as much income, so it decided to donate $10,000 instead.
'Shut down the shutdown': Protesters gather in front of Grant County Courthouse
About 15 people stood in front of the Grant County Superior Courthouse Wednesday to protest Gov. Jay Inslee’s ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
Othello man remains at Harborview after collision on Christmas
An Othello man is still in Harborview Medical Center after suffering a broken leg and internal injuries in a head-on collision Christmas Day, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Sand Scorpions burn Christmas trees for 31st year
On New Year’s Day, diesel engines quaked across the cookies and cream terrain of snow on the Moses Lake Sand Dunes, as pick-ups, Jeeps and ORVs pulled up to turn the casual holiday to a sort of "Mad Max" movie.
New Year's fireworks sales triple at local stand
The Sand Scorpions, an ORV group, sells fireworks across Grant County. In a normal winter, they sell 24,000 fireworks. This year, they sold 74,000.
Fire temporarily closes Grant County Landfill
Due to a fire, the Grant County Landfill closed on Tuesday, but opened for usual hours Wednesday morning.
Rep. Alex Ybarra appointed lead Republican on education committee
Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, was appointed as the lead Republican on the House Education committee, and will serve as a member on the Civil Rights and Judiciary, and Health Care and Wellness committees.
White Christmas defies the odds
According to climate.gov data, Grant and Adams counties have about a 48% chance of at least one inch of snow on Christmas. This year, the areas beat the odds.
Santa and friends help animals in need
Children lined up Saturday as Central Park Villas staff positioned Christmas trees, lights, candy canes, an inflatable minion and a place for Santa and his elf to sit.