Public meetings on MLSD finances begin tonight
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 months, 2 weeks AGO
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District will be holding a series of public meetings throughout October to address the district’s financial structure and issues that led to its current financial difficulties, according to a press release from MLSD. The first meeting will be held today from 6 to 7 p.m. at Sage Point Elementary, 4000 W. Peninsula Drive.
The following meetings are Oct. 7 at Endeavor Middle School on Oct. 14 at Vanguard Academy and Oct. 22 at Frontier Middle School. All are from 6 to 7 p.m.
There will be an opportunity to ask questions and work with MLSD officials to discuss the potential forensic audit. Interim Superintendent Carol Lewis also confirmed there will be a Spanish interpreter present for the meetings. However, the meetings will not be available virtually.
“Well, the community meetings specifically are so that we can do a few things,” Lewis said during the Sept. 26 MLSD school board special meeting. “One is to do some basic explanation of how school district finance works. Then within that explanation, what we know went wrong in Moses Lake. Then to offer people an opportunity to ask questions and just open questions and we'll answer them as truthfully as possible with facts. Then the culminating question to the people who attend is, what will we need to move forward as a community?”
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Law enforcement software changes present challenges, opportunities
MOSES LAKE— The Grant County Sheriff’s Office and municipal police departments in Grant County switched from Spillman to 365 Labs for its law enforcement software at the beginning of 2025. Since the upgrade, departments have been learning the new software and certain functions are still being discovered, workshopped and taught to the agencies.
Soap Lake City Council considering elimination of lake water use
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake City Council met for its first meeting of the year Wednesday. The meeting began with an executive session in regard to the performance of a public employee with no action following. Lake water usage, officer recognition and other items were addressed afterward.
Ephrata Fire’s 2024 year in review
'We feel blessed by the individuals down here'
EPHRATA — As the Ephrata Fire Department begins a new year, 2024 proved to be a transformative period, according to Chief Jeremy Burns. The department saw significant achievements in operational efficiency, community engagement and volunteer involvement. Burns talked about the department's accomplishments over the past year and outlined goals for 2025.