Groff transferred back to permanent power
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 week, 1 day AGO
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District announced Groff Elementary repairs are going well, with a focus on electrical grounding and related systems. The school has successfully transitioned Groff’s electrical service back to permanent power from the Grant County Public Utility District. It had been transferred to a special line to ensure any problems with the facility did not cause a power outage in the surrounding neighborhoods.
“Restoring permanent power at Groff marks an important milestone in a long and complex project,” MLSD Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon said.
At the end of September, Groff was placed on temporary service by Grant PUD, allowing the building to be offline as crews worked on grounding and electrical issues within the school.
“Re-energizing the building through its permanent electrical service indicates that the corrective measures tied to the grounding loop have progressed to a point where electrical functionality can be restored,” reads a statement from MLSD.
Shannon said building repairs are on schedule. The district still anticipates that the school will be able to be used by the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.
Other repairs in the building are also progressing, Shannon said. In the last couple of weeks, Groff crews have removed the stair finish material. The team is preparing for repair and refinishing work on the stairs.
Along with this, layout markings have been completed in the building, which mark the affected floor areas throughout the building that will need to be addressed or removed.
“We are grateful for the crews who have worked to get to this point, and we remain focused on the work ahead,” Shannon said.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Mayor Peter Sharp takes oath of office
SOAP LAKE – Grant County Commissioner Kevin Burgess adminstered the oath of office to Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday. Sharp was previously appointed to this role at the Sept. 18, 2024, council meeting after his predecessor Allen DuPay quit during the Aug. 7, 2024, meeting.
Newhouse, colleagues introduce infrastructure bill
WASHINGTON D.C. — On November 21, 2025, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the Urban Canal Modernization Act, HR 6279, aimed at addressing the deteriorating condition of urban canal infrastructure across the country. This legislation, sponsored by Representatives Dan Newhouse, R-WA; Mike Simpson, R-ID; Adam Gray, D-CA; and Russ Fulcher, R-ID focuses on providing federal support for the extraordinary operation and maintenance of urban canals deemed to be at significant risk of failure. “As communities in Grant County and elsewhere face serious risks from aging canal systems, it is imperative that we act now to ensure vital water infrastructure is maintained and upgraded,” Newhouse wrote in a statement. “The Bureau of Reclamation’s canals are in dire need of repairs, and the surrounding communities who rely on them would be at risk if they were to fail. This legislation provides local authorities with additional resources to manage these critical pieces of infrastructure while protecting the people and property around canals of concern.”
Ephrata water tower waiting for final tests
EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is still waiting for the final testing to come back to the water tower. The city had originally hoped the tower would be connected to the water system by Thanksgiving; however, the intensive water testing is taking longer than anticipated.