News Bites for July 26, 2023
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 7 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
Space Burger booth open March 13-15
MOSES LAKE — Those who can’t wait for the Grant County Fair can get their Space Burger fix next weekend, according to an announcement from the Lioness Club of Moses Lake. The iconic Grant County sandwiches will be available at the Grant County Fairgrounds March 13-15, according to the announcement. There is no admission fee to get into the fairgrounds that weekend.
SENIOR EVENTS: March 2026
COLUMBIA BASIN — Plays, art shows, auctions and more await seniors in the Columbia Basin this month. Here are some opportunities to get out and about in March.
Valentine’s Day cards flood Brookdale Hearthstone with love
MOSES LAKE — Residents at Brookdale Hearthstone Assisted Living in Moses Lake got Valentine’s Day greetings from across the country last month. “I believe that the only states we have not received (cards from) yet are Vermont and Maine,” Lifestyle Director Imelda Broyles said Feb. 24. “We keep receiving new cards every single day. They have not stopped. My residents are in awe with every single one of the cards that we’ve been receiving.” The Hearts Across America project started as a way for children in school classrooms to exchange Valentine’s Day cards with classes in other states or even countries, but the idea has expanded to senior living facilities, according to the project’s social media.