Friday, December 19, 2025
28.0°F

Ephrata Legion Post and Auxiliary to host fundraiser to support youth civics

R. HANS MILLER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 months, 1 week AGO
by R. HANS MILLER
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities. | March 11, 2025 3:00 AM

EPHRATA – The American Legion Post 28 and Auxiliary will host a fundraiser to support students who will be participating in Boys State and Girls State, according to the post’s Jane Montaney.  

The festivities start at about 4:30 p.m. with attendees given a chance to mingle and look over silent auction items, Montaney said. Dinner will begin around 5 p.m. and will consist of a traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage main course in recognition of St. Patrick’s Day – which is right around the corner Monday, March 17, – and an option to have ham instead, for those without a taste for Irish food. In keeping with the theme, the event will also feature a Blarney Stone, or at least as close as one can get without booking an international flight. There is a $20 cost for the meal which will also include cake. Children 7-12 years old cost $10 and younger children eat free. 

A live auction will begin at 7 p.m.

The special guest for the event is Trish Ward, American Legion Auxiliary president for 2024-2025, Montaney said. Ward should arrive around 6 p.m. after a flight delay caused a scheduling adjustment but will be on hand to speak with guests.  

Montaney said members of the public are welcome to come to dinner and participate in the silent auction.  

The goal of the event is to ensure the post and auxiliary can support young people in learning good citizenship and civics. Supporting programs like Boys State and Girls State helps to achieve that goal. Participants in the programs get the opportunity to attend a trip that creates a simulated democracy government that youth can participate in and learn from, Montaney said. They then work on a variety of projects to get mock bills passed and often have an opportunity to meet various legislators to learn about the work they’re doing to serve their constituents.  

“When they get there, they check in and they’re assigned to a city, and then that city is in a county, so they’re learning all of those government things, all the way up to the state legislature,” Montaney said.  

For more information, contact the Ephrata post at 509-754-2761. The post is located at 276 8th Ave. NW in Ephrata, near DK’s Drive In.  

ARTICLES BY R. HANS MILLER

Awareness helps prevent porch pirates’ success
December 6, 2025 11:23 a.m.

Awareness helps prevent porch pirates’ success

EPHRATA — At least 58 million packages were stolen in the U.S. last year, with about 25% of Americans being the victims of theft, according to the United States Parcel Service. At the local level, there are thefts occurring regularly as well, but that doesn’t mean that you’re stuck being the victim, authorities say. “The experience of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office is that package theft happens regularly,” said GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman. “It is a crime of opportunity. When someone’s out looking to try and make a quick buck, they may drive through a neighborhood looking for unattended packages on the front porch.”

December 4, 2025 5:57 p.m.

Gorge shooting trial rescheduled to 2026

EPHRATA — The trial in the case of James Kelly, the man charged in the June 2023 shooting that led to the deaths of two women at the Beyond Wonderland music festival held at The Gorge Amphitheatre, has been bumped to early next year, according to court documents.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: In appreciation of educators ...
December 8, 2025 1 a.m.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: In appreciation of educators ...

An experience I recently had with a school district, quite honestly, has left me gob-smacked a bit. I am in awe of the teachers and administrators at school districts throughout the region and what they have to deal with. Let me get back to the beginning, though. Journalists often cover a wide variety of topics and are constantly looking for ideas for stories that will matter to readers. As such, when we hear of events of interest, we sometimes ask to attend so we can either cover it, or, as in this case, learn how to cover a topic better.