Nothing like a good book
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 2 months AGO
A boy reads “Kondo & Kezumi Reach Bell Bottom” by David Goodner to a kitten at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day.
COURTESY PHOTO/ADAMS COUNTY PET RESCUE
A child reads at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day while a kitten gives his face a sniff. The readers brought their own books, of varying reading levels.
A kitten learns about his own species from a picture book read by a girl at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day event July 13.
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 25, 2024 3:00 AM
OTHELLO — Adams County Pet Rescue’s first Kitty Litterature event July 13 worked out well all around, said ACPR Board Member Tammy Foley.
“It was kind of a win-win to get kids reading in the summertime and get extra attention and love for little shelter kitties,” Foley said.
Sixteen children came down to the shelter and read books to the kittens there, Foley said, and another 12 came and were put on a waiting list. Readers brought their own books, ranging from oversized picture books to more advanced chapter books.
“(The cats) didn’t think it was story time, they sort of thought it was recess,” Foley said. “But the more the kids read, the more they settled down, and several of them were snuggling in the kids’ laps. After two hours when the kids left, every one of those kitties was sound asleep.”
Foley said she got the idea from a shelter she worked at previously in Louisiana. The Kitty Litterature was such a success, the shelter is planning to make it a regular thing, alternating months with Books and Barks, where kids will read to the shelter dogs.
“I have a feeling that Books and Barks will fill up even faster than Kitty Litterature because generally speaking, we have more dog lovers,” Foley said.
Books and Barks will debut Aug. 6. The registration link will be posted shortly before that on ACPR’s Facebook Page, Foley said.
Joel Martin may be reached via email at [email protected].
A child reads at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day while a kitten gives his face a sniff. The readers brought their own books, of varying reading levels.
A kitten learns about his own species from a picture book read by a girl at Adams County Pet Rescue’s Kitty Litterature Day event July 13.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
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