STAFF REPORT

WSU to hold dryland farming field day

PULLMAN — Washington State University will be hosting a field day at its Lind Dryland Research Station on Thursday, June 16, according to an announcement from the school...

AMBER Alerts come to Instagram

OLYMPIA - Starting this week, all Washington State AMBER Alerts will appear on users’ Instagram feeds. David Richey, Managing Director of the Western division for U.S. Scarlet Oak Strategies said in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald that this additional way of delivering AMBER Alerts will provide hundreds of thousands of daily users a way to help when a child goes missing in Washington...

Wash. Supreme Court orders sanctions in election lawsuit

OLYMPIA - On June 1, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that the Washington Supreme Court had ordered $28,000 in total sanctions against a group and their attorney who filed a lawsuit falsely claiming voter fraud in the 2020 election. In the release, Ferguson said his office successfully brought sanctions against the group and the attorney who had filed the lawsuit for their “frivolous legal challenge of the 2020 election,” the release stated.

Grant transit gets new buses

MOSES LAKE — Grant Transit Authority recently acquired three new clean diesel buses, according to a press release from the agency. The 30-foot coaches come with enhanced safety features including updated restraint systems for securing wheelchairs and other mobility devices, as well as automatic ADA annunciator systems that announce the bus’s location and the stops it is approaching, the release said. Except for the new buses, all of GTA’s fleet is 13-19 years old...

Indigenous-owned gaming contributes billions to WA economy

OLYMPIA — The Washington Indian Gaming Association said the state’s tribal casinos contributed $6.6 billion to the state’s economy in 2019 and $5.6 billion during pandemic-shuttered 2020, all while providing around 55,000 jobs for Washington residents. “Tribes are running gaming and other business not to generate private profits, but to fund critically needed government services for some of the poorest and most historically marginalized communities in Washington State,” said Rebecca George, WIGA executive director and an enrolled member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe...

Soap Lake Dollar General opens

SOAP LAKE – A press release on May 31 announced the official opening of the Soap Lake Dollar General. The new store, located at 79 Highway 28 West was constructed during the first few months of the year. The Soap Lake location is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m...

StoryCorps MobileBooth to visit Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Local residents will have a chance to tell their stories for posterity this summer. StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs, according to a press release from the organization...

Moses Lake museum offers free Saturday event

Free seashell jellyfish craft event open to all

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center will hold its regular Free Family Saturday this weekend, according to a press release from the museum. The featured craft will be seashell jellyfish. The class begins at 12 noon at the museum. Registration is required and can be made online at https://bit.ly/3wZSUm0. Activities are first come, first served and continue until supplies run out. The museum offers Free Family Saturday the first Saturday of every month. There is no charge and all ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

Quincy mayor terminates COVID-19 emergency order

QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Paul Worley has terminated an order dating from 2020 declaring a civil emergency. Worley issued the termination proclamation May 16, and a resolution approving Worley’s action was approved by the Quincy City Council May 17. The civil emergency order was issued March 16, 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and followed a proclamation of civil emergency from Gov. Jay Inslee. In the May 16 proclamation, Worley said with pandemic conditions improving, the order is no longer needed.

Columbia Basin traffic update for May 31

COLUMBIA BASIN — Travelers can expect some delays on North Central Washington highways this week as road construction projects continue...

Colville casinos to add sports betting

OMAK — Colville Gaming, which runs three 12 Tribes Colville Casinos in Central Washington, announced last week that it has signed a deal with slot machine, software maker and gaming specialist IGT to provide sports betting at the tribes’ casinos. “Thanks to IGT we feel confident in our ability to provide our guests with an exciting and secure sports betting environment, and we look forward to opening our doors to sports enthusiasts soon,” said 12 Tribes Colville Casinos COO Tony Posey in a press release...

Paving work to resume on I-90

MOSES LAKE — Paving in the westbound lanes of Interstate 90 from Moses Lake to the Grant-Adams county line is scheduled to begin June 1. ..

Columbia Basin Memorial Day observances

COLUMBIA BASIN — People around the Basin will gather to honor fallen servicemen and -women on Monday, as is traditional for Memorial Day...

CWU grad students offer student counseling service

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington University psychology graduate students are getting some real-world experience providing much-needed support for nine Kittitas County youths this spring, supplying free mental health services that weren’t otherwise available to them, according to a press release from the university...

Suspect in Cedillos murder returned to Grant County

EPHRATA — A former Moses Lake man was returned to Grant County and booked into the Grant County Jail Thursday in connection with the death of a Moses Lake woman in early March...

Gov’t offices to remain open Friday, but closed Monday

COLUMBIA BASIN - All city and county government offices in Grant and Adams counties will maintain their regular hours on Friday, May 27, though they will be closed for the holiday honoring our fallen service members...

Newhouse pens bill to keep China from buying US farmland

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Dan Newhouse announced Thursday that he is introducing a bill that would prevent individuals or organizations associated with the government of the People’s Republic of China from buying any public or private agricultural land in the United States, as well as from participating in any U.S. Department of Agriculture programs with the exception of food safety inspections...

No vaccine required for incoming BBCC students

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College students will no longer be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine when the fall quarter begins on Sept. 19, according to a press release from the college. The vaccine mandate will remain in effect for state employees...

Mt. Rainier Nat. Park partially open this weekend

ASHFORD – Many areas within Mount Rainier National Park will be accessible to visitors beginning Memorial Day weekend, despite 13 feet of snow on the ground at Paradise, according to a press release from the National Park Service....

Federal grants available for zero-emission school bus purchases

SEATTLE — The Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that $500 million in grant funding is available to school districts to buy zero-emission buses, according to an agency press release.

Bureau of Land Management fire restrictions go into effect Friday

PORTLAND — The Bureau of Land Management has announced a series of fire restrictions will go into effect beginning Friday on federal land throughout Washington and Oregon, according to a BLM press release.

Ephrata hires new wrestling coaches

EPHRATA - In a press release on May 24, the Ephrata School District announced the hiring of two new coaches for the High School wrestling program.

Two men arrested after property owner holds them at gunpoint

MATTAWA — Two Mattawa men were booked into the Grant County Jail after a Mattawa-area property owner held them at gunpoint when he allegedly found them on his property early Tuesday morning.

COVID-19 boosters available for Washington children

OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Health has announced that booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are now available for children 5 to 11 years of age. The DOH is recommending a booster dose of vaccines for children who have received their initial vaccinations...

ML airshow seeks volunteers

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Airshow is looking for a few good volunteers to help get this year’s air show off the ground.

Third Thursday events return to downtown Moses Lake this summer

MOSES LAKE — The Downtown Moses Lake Association will join the Moses Lake Farmers Market to sponsor a series of downtown markets every third Thursday from June to September. The first Third Thursday is scheduled for June 16. The DMLA will sponsor “open mic nights” during Third Thursday. The market will be open from 4 to 8 p.m., with the open mic performances from 6 to 7 p.m. The remaining Third Thursdays are scheduled for July 21, Aug. 18 and Sept. 15...

Othello earns top seed in state softball tournament

SELAH — The Othello Huskies softball team will open state tournament play against West Valley of Spokane at noon Friday at Carlon Park in Selah. Othello enters the tournament as the top seed.

Biting dog sought by authorities

WENATCHEE - The public’s help is asked in identifying a dog that bit someone on Thursday in Wenatchee, according to a press release from Wenatchee Valley Animal Care & Control.

USDA forecasts Higher Washington Wheat Harvest in 2022

PORTLAND — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting a major increase in wheat production in Washington in 2022, according to a report published by the department’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

AG settles poultry gouging lawsuit

OLYMPIA — Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced on Thursday that chicken producer Mar-Jac Poultry will pay the state $750,000 as the company seeks to settle its portion of a major state lawsuit against 19 poultry producers alleging improper business practices.

CWU officially installs new president

ELLENSBURG - Jim Wohlpart was officially installed as Central Washington University’s 15th president on Thursday during a ceremony on the Ellensburg campus, according to a release by the university. Wohlpart assumed office in June 2021, but installation ceremonies were postponed...

Ephrata SD selects new Parkway principal

EPHRATA - The Ephrata School District announced via a press release that current Grant Elementary School Dean of Students Jeremy Vasquez has been selected to fill the role of principal at Parkway Intermediate School. “I am very honored and excited to assume the position of Parkway Intermediate School Principal. As a lifelong teacher, coach, community member and parent, I have a vested interest in the success of the Ephrata School District and the Ephrata community at large,” Vasquez said in the release...

Potato exports rise with mixed distribution

DENVER — U.S. potato exports rose in the nine months from July 2021 through the end of March 2022, according to data released Wednesday from producer group USAPotatoes.

District competitions continue

As district competitions move to the final stages, here are some of the most recent results of those competitions. May 16 results: Almira/Coulee-Hartline fastpitch lost to Inchelium High School 21-23. They take on Wilbur-Creston on May 20 at 1 p.m. at Franklin Park in the consolation bracket. May 17 results: Wahluke fastpitch beat Toppenish High School 14-1 during a play-in for the district tournament. They take on College Place on May 19 at 4 p.m. at College Place High School in the first round of districts. Othello fastpitch beat Selah High School 4-1 to take the District 5/6 Championship and move on to the state tournament. Ephrata fastpitch lost to Ellensburg High School 9-14 in the district tournament and is out of the competition. They finished the season with a 13-11 record. Warden fastpitch beat Granger High School 17-0. They will play River View at Kiwanis Field on May 20 at 4 p.m. in the district semifinals. Othello soccer moved on to state after beating Grandview High School 3-0 in the consolation bracket. They placed second in the District 5/6 competition. They beat Clover Park 2-0 on May 17, in the first round of state. They will take on Columbia River, time and place are yet to be announced.

Soap Lake Suds N Sun planning underway

SOAP LAKE - The annual Soap Lake Suds N Sun Celebration is set for July 2-3 and planning is underway. The two-day event will include a soapbox derby, parade, beer garden, vendors, live music, kids activities, fireworks and the Seattle Cossacks, a motorcycle stunt and drill team.

Inslee appoints Doyle to building code council

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Tuesday he has appointed longtime building industry professional Daimon Doyle to the Washington State Building Code Council. Doyle is a builder, Life Director for the National Association of Home Builders and a former president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, with 30 years of experience in residential construction and a specialty in environmentally efficient, green building, according to a press release from Inslee’s office.

Job Corps recruiting new students

MOSES LAKE — Administrators of the federal Job Corps program have announced a recruitment drive, soliciting young people to fill open positions at Job Corps locations in Washington, including Moses Lake...

Rotary Club of Quincy receives award

WENATCHEE — The Rotary Club of Quincy was recognized for its support of Quincy School District students with a Friend of Children Award from the North Central Education Service District. The award was presented by the NCESD board of directors during its annual awards program on May 12.

State immunization rates decline

OLYMPIA — Immunization rates - for vaccines other than COVID-19 - for children and teens in Washington declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the Washington Department of Health. Immunization rates dropped 13% in 2021 when compared with rates prior to the pandemic, said a DOH press release...

Basin sports weekend roundup for March 13-15

A roundup of the Columbia Basin's high school sporting events from this past weekend.

Climbers rescued from Mount Rainier

MOUNT RAINIER - Two climbers were rescued from the Kautz Climbing Route on Mount Rainier on Friday after inclement weather forced them to halt their climb....

State officials urge poultry growers to take steps to mitigate avian flu

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Agriculture is asking owners of chickens, ducks and other domestic birds to be vigilant following an outbreak of avian influenza in six non-commercial flocks statewide...

USDA Issues health alert for possibly tainted meat

WAHSINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service on Wednesday issued a health warning for ground beef produced by JBS Foods subsidiary Empire Packing and sold in Washington and Oregon in December 2021 after some of the meat tested positive for E. coli O26.

Columbia Basin sports schedule April 6-13

High school sports schedule for the week of April 6-13

I-90 repaving to close lanes, exits this week

MOSES LAKE — Travelers westbound on Interstate 90 will experience some delays next week as paving begins on a section of freeway near Moses Lake. . .

WCOG settles suit with redistricting commission

OLYMPIA — The Washington Coalition for Open Government and the Washington State Redistricting Commission agreed Thursday to settle a lawsuit brought by WCOG over alleged violations of the Open Public Meetings Act, according to a press release from WCOG. The parties reached an agreement on a consent decree to present to Thurston County Superior Court for approval.

Moses Lake woman dies from injuries in suspected medical emergency-caused collision

A Moses Lake woman died Thursday morning from injuries in a collision Wednesday night on Road 4 Northeast, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office social media post.

Special election preliminary results show few school levies failing

Preliminary results were in Tuesday night for a special election, which saw a handful of communities across the region casting ballots on school levies and tax increases.

Othello man dies in collision south of Warden

An Othello man died Saturday morning in a collision on Road U Southeast, near Road 10 Southeast, south of Warden, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office social media post.

Sens. Warnick and King criticize response to Kittitas County offer to help clear snow on state highways

Sens. Warnick and King say they are shocked and very disappointed that the state Department of Transportation refused Kittitas County’s offer to help clear snow off key highways because county employees are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.