News Bites for July 26, 2023
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 4 months AGO
Sheriff Joe Kriete swore in two new corrections deputies Monday, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Eric Rojas, left, rejoined the GCSO after a hiatus of about a year, according to the statement, while Deputy Eric Clark, right, is new to the GCSO and will attend the Basic Law Enforcement Academy in August.
COURTESY PHOTO/GCSO
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | July 26, 2023 1:30 AM
COULEE CITY — The Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team and Homeland Security joined forces to make a sizable drug bust in Coulee City Thursday, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Daniel King, 56, of Tulalip, was arrested and booked into Grant County Jail for two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, according to the GCSO.
King allegedly traveled from Western Washington to sell more than 50 fentanyl pills and crystal methamphetamine to a customer in Coulee City, according to the statement. When King arrived at the residence in the 200 block of North Second Street, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and INET detectives arrested him on felony distribution charges without incident.
INET recovered more than 5 grams of a crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine, more than 50 blue pills believed to be fentanyl, more than $500 in cash, a working digital scale commonly used to weigh narcotics and several empty small baggies commonly used in the drug trade to package narcotics after being weighed, according to the statement.
INET was asked to assist in the investigation by GCSO after a possible overdose death in the same neighborhood of Coulee City on July 18, according to the statement. The investigation into that death is still ongoing.
OTHELLO — Registration for the last session of swim lessons at the Othello pool closes Friday, according to an announcement from the city of Othello.
The third session begins Monday and goes through Friday, Aug. 11, according to the announcement, and space is limited. Interested participants may visit at the Parks and Recreation building, 81 E. Pine, to get help signing up or register online at parks.othellowa.gov.
RITZVILLE — A candidates forum will be held Thursday in Ritzville, according to a statement from the Ritz Theatre, which will host the event.
The forum will include candidates for all contested races in the city of Ritzville, according to the announcement, including for mayor and two city council positions. Theater doors will open at 6 p.m., and concessions will be sold.
The Ritz Theatre is located at 107 E. Main Ave. More information is available by calling the theater at 509-659-1950.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Wahluke Jr. High earns Culture Kick-Off Award again
MATTAWA — Wahluke Junior High School has been honored with the 2025 Culture Kickoff Award for the second year in a row, according to an announcement from the Association of Washington School Leaders and the Association of Washington School Principals.
Cops for Tots
Moses Lake Police collect toys for local children
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Police Department is focused on supporting local children this year with their revamped annual toy drive. “We had been doing this for a while, through Toys for Tots,” said MLPD Public Records Technician Cristina Valdez. “But last year we decided to change it to Cops for Tots so that we could make sure the toys stayed within our own community.” Officers and support staff stationed themselves outside both entrances of the Moses Lake Walmart Saturday evening.
Local bean bag champ eyes pro game
MOSES LAKE — We’ve seen the game at almost every outdoor community gathering: two or more players tossing bean bags at a board tilted up at an angle, aiming for a hole in the board. But that bean bag toss game, also called cornhole, is more than just a casual pastime; it’s a serious sport with dedicated players. “I’m trying to go pro right now,” said Camryn Barrientoz of Moses Lake. “I was No. 2 in Washington, and since I did really well in this regional (tournament), it got me enough points where it bumped me up to No. 1 in Washington.” That regional tournament was held in Wenatchee Dec. 12-13, and Camryn, along with his doubles partner Jay Robins, took back-to-back titles, according to an email Camryn sent the Columbia Basin Herald.