Local Coronavirus Update

The Grant County Health District reports 15 additional confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday with the total now at 544. Friday’s cases are from Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy, Royal City and Warden. Two cases confirmed on Thursday were removed from the totals due to the patients not being from Grant County. 10 people … Read more

Inslee Pauses Phase 4

Governor Jay Inslee announce a pause on counties moving to Phase 4 of the economic reopening due to the rising number of coronavirus cases. Eight counties had been eligible to move from Phase 3 to Phase 4 which is essentially no restrictions. Inslee says it is an evolving situation and they will continue to make … Read more

Local Coronavirus Update

The Grant County Health District reports 17 additional confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday with the total now at 531. Thursday’s cases come from Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake and Quincy. The district continues to investigate how these individuals contracted COVID-19. 9 people are currently hospitalized and 6 people died from COVID-19 complications. Adams County officials reported … Read more

Free Thermometers For Manufacturers

The Association of Washington Businesses is partnering with the state and local chambers of commerce to distribute no-cost temporal thermometers to manufacturers across the state. According to a news release the goal is to use the no-touch thermometers in helping to keep the state’s manufacturing workforce safe. Supplies are limited so only one thermometer per … Read more

COVID-19 Case Counts Increasing In Grant County

The confirmed coronavirus case counts are rising in Grant County and Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny says it’s not because more people are being tested. The health district is investigating the exponential increase in cases since early May and Brzezny says they can’t tie to known clusters meaning COVID-19 is being spread throught he community … Read more

Appeals Court Upholds Murder Conviction

An Ephrata man loses his appeal to his conviction and 55-year sentence for killing his 82-year-old landlord in 2014. It took two trials for Chad Bennett to be found guilty of killing Lucille Moore and was given an exceptional sentence. Attorneys for Bennett appealed claiming the trial court erred by denying his motion to dismiss … Read more

Police Will Educate, Not Enforce Mask Mandate

Two Adams County law enforcement agencies weigh in on enforcing Governor Jay Inslee’s mandatory mask-wearing executive order that takes effect today. Othello Police Chief Phil Schenck says Inslee’s order is a public health safety measure and not a mandate for law enforcement to detain, cite, or arrest violators. Sheriff Dale Wagner says they will continue … Read more

Office Building Construction Under Way

Work is proceeding on a 13,000 square foot office building at the Broadway Business Park on Block St. in Moses Lake. The building’s contractor says they are close to an agreement with a local tenant that would use about 40% of the new space. This building is to be completed in about two months then … Read more

MLSD Starts Planning For Fall

The Moses Lake School District assembles a team of teachers, staff, and administrators to formulate a plan for reopening schools this fall. The 70-member School Recovery Task Force will focus on ways to reopen classrooms while keeping students safe and healthy by mitigating and minimizing the spread of the coronavirus. The district is seeking public … Read more

No Tickets For Mask Violations

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement on enforcement of Governor Jay Inslee’s mandatory mask wearing executive order that takes effect on Friday. The statement says Inslee’s order is not a mandate for the sheriff’s office or local law enforcement to detain, cite or arrest suspected violators and deputies have larger public safety priorities … Read more