EPHRATA — The Ephrata Police Department released an announcement about October being Crime Prevention Month. The release has several tips to protect both yourself and your property. The tips are as follows: be aware of your surroundings, become familiar with the vehicles on your street, close your garage doors, don’t leave your car idling unattended, get to know your neighbors, lock your front and back door, safely secure items of value and report crime and suspicious activity to law enforcement.  

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Fire Department released a statement reminding people to not plug space heaters into a power strip. The department says that the amps required by the space heater could easily overload the strip and cause a fire. 

MATTAWA — The Mattawa Police Department will be hosting a Coffee with a Cop on Saturday at Sky’s Coffee. The event is held to help connect the officers with the community and allow residents to ask questions and share thoughts.   

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office released a statement regarding National School Bus Safety Week which is from Oct. 21 to Oct. 25. The statement reminds residents to never pass a school bus when the stop paddle is out, and the red lights are flashing. There are kids crossing the road and passing the school bus can have terrible results.  

“Stop on yellow, stop on red, If the stop paddle is out, kids are crossing ahead,” reads the statement.  

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Animal Outreach released a statement saying that it will be by-appointment only on Mondays. Reach out to [email protected] for an appointment. Tuesday through Saturday will resume normal walk-in appointments. 

GCAO will also offer 25% off all dog adoptions over the age of five from Oct. 22 until Nov. 1.  

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Patrol released a statement about the statistics in 2024 for WSP. There have been 9,097 impaired driver arrests, 26,622 seatbelt violations, 26,214 distracted drivers, 95,356 aggressive drivers, 25,597 collisions investigated, 361,435 speeding drivers and 202 fatality collisions.  

WSP reminds residents that traffic-related tragedies are preventable. They ask residents to buckle up, drive sober and obey speed limits to keep all road users, including pedestrians, safe. The WSP said by working together with residents, there can be safer roads for everyone.  

QUINCY — The Quincy Police Department released a statement congratulating Officer R. Arana for completing his field training. 

SPOKANE — The U.S. National Weather Service Spokane Washington will be hosting two free virtual training classes. One is Oct. 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. which will be about snow measuring training. The second one is Oct. 30 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. regarding cold season spotter training. Register at Weather.gov/spokane.