E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

Dennis note: OK, so what is/was a poundmaster? Well, as I understand the meaning of the word: “A poundmaster was a local government official responsible for the feeding and care of stray livestock such as hogs, cattle, horses, sheep, and geese.” It is spelled as one word sometimes and two words sometimes. Read on.

From the CBH on Feb. 15, 1977:

Brown operates security service

Charles Brown has resigned as Moses Lake City Poundmaster and is operating United Security Patrol in the city. The security patrol offers services to local homes and businesses and is not affiliated with Moses Lake Security, he said.

From the CBH on July 28, 1981:

New office

The Community Service’s Office of the Department of Social and Health Service opened for business Monday in their new location at the corner of Southwest and First Northwest in Ephrata.

Test postponed

The Russell D Smith Power Plant wasn’t fired up Monday for a test as planned because of some leaks in the hydraulic system.

The $7.1 million plant saw some maintenance work, and officials say the generator may be turned on today if the leaks have been repaired. The official opening of the plant is scheduled for Aug. 15.

Soap Lake chief switches posts

Soap Lake Police Chief Mike Nevers will soon take on new status in the police community as a Grant County Sheriff’s deputy.

Nevers said to day that he will resign as the small resort town’s police chief, effective Saturday.

Nevers and his wife, Sherri, came to Soap Lake in September 1980 when he took a position as a Soap Lake patrolman. He became police chief when Ken Murray resigned the position this winter.

Nevers said he is looking forward to working for the county. He will use his eight years of police experience to patrol the rural Moses Lake area.

“I enjoyed Soap Lake, but I’ll really enjoy the county,” he said. He intends to move to the Moses Lake area in about two months. Nevers said patrolman Dave Marrs will likely take over as acting police chief. The position is under the mayor’s jurisdiction who, with the consensus of the city council, will fill the vacancy.

From the CBH on Oct. 7, 1981:

Royal City needs logo

The Town of Royal City needs a logo.

The city council Tuesday made plans to sponsor a contest for the best design of a logo for the town, which will then appear on city water tanks, letterheads and on the cover of the comprehensive plan.

Anyone can enter the contest. The winning entry will be worth $25. The council hasn’t set a deadline for entries.

In other business, the council set an Oct. 20 public hearing at city hall to receive input on how 1982 federal revenue sharing money should be used.

The council also adopted an animal control ordinance detailing pet owners’ responsibilities, and councilmen also leased 10 acres of land owned by the city to Spud Brown.