One arrested for suspected Grant PUD wire theft
NANCE BESTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 months, 1 week AGO
On Tuesday night, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jeffrey Hughes, 50, of Moses Lake for suspicion of stealing copper wire from the Grant Public Utility District Wenatchee Drive substation in Moses Lake.
NANCE BESTON/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
MOSES LAKE — On Jan. 3, Grant County Public Utility District filed a complaint with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office after noticing a hole cut in the chain link fence at the Wenatchee Drive substation.
On Tuesday night, GCSO arrested Jeffrey Hughes, 50, of Moses Lake, for suspicion of stealing copper wire from Grant PUD, according to GCSO.
Grant PUD reported both a hole in the fence and tool marks on the fence locks, which deputies assume was someone attempting to cut the locks, according to a statement from GCSO. Deputies also discovered a man with the same description as Hughes seen outside the substation fence in the early morning of Jan. 3.
According to the Grant County Jail Roster, Hughes was booked for two Grant County District Court warrants and second-degree burglary.
ARTICLES BY NANCE BESTON
Soap Lake council tables tourism committee plan, debates planning services
SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake City Council approved several administrative resolutions Wednesday but postponed decisions on tourism funding and planning services after an hours‑long discussion over staffing, contracts and oversight.
Soap Lake council unanimously votes no-confidence in Mayor Sharp
SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake City Council unanimously passed a vote of no-confidence against Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday evening, taking effect immediately after passage. Councilmember Kayleen Bryson read the resolution as the only comment on the matter. Sharp did not comment during the meeting.
Measles reported in Grant County
EPHRATA — Grant County health officials are urging families to check their vaccination records after two unvaccinated children in the same household tested positive for measles, marking the county’s first confirmed infections of 2026. Grant County Health District said it was notified on March 17 that both children, who were recently exposed during international travel, had contracted the virus. One child was briefly hospitalized; both are now recovering at home. Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny said the cases underscore how quickly measles can spread — and how effectively it can be prevented.