In Other News
FIRE DESTROYS PICKUP AT OASIS PARK
EPHRATA – A fire of unknown origin destroyed a pickup truck at Oasis Park late Sunday afternoon, reported the Ephrata Fire Department.
Chief Jeremy Burns said the pickup owner, Patty Bjornstad, had just returned to Ephrata from an extended hunting trip and stopped at the park to empty the wastewater tanks on her travel trailer. While they were draining, Bjornstad stepped into the camper trailer and when she came out saw that her truck was on fire in the engine compartment.
Flames engulfed the pickup, which was destroyed. The vehicle loss was estimated at $20,000 along with contents valued at $1,000. The property was insured and the fire did not extend to the trailer, said Burns.
Ephrata police also said there was exploding ammunition and flames venting from propane tanks.
There were no injuries in the incident, which was reported at 3:57 p.m. The fire department responded with a command officer and eight firefighters.
Burns said family members helped Bjornstad gather her belonging and transport her trailer home.
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY SCHEDULES
Local, state, and federal offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Ephrata City Hall and the Grant County Courthouse will also be closed on Friday, Nov. 28. So will state offices, which recognize Friday as Native American Heritage Day.
Ephrata and Soap Lake schools will have early releases for students at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 26, with classes resuming Monday morning, Dec. 1.
WDFW TO LAUNCH NEW MOBILE APP
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to launch a new digital app, MyWDFW, that will align with the 2026 license year.
App users who become a mobile license customer will have valid products beginning April 1, 2026. People with existing 2025 products will remain paper license holders until that date, then have the option to switch to mobile for the 2026 license year. For the rest of this calendar year, 2025 licensing products will be available only on paper.
In a Nov. 19 press release, the department said the free application will be available from Google Play and Apple's app stores and most of its features will be accessible offline. It will support license purchases, display hunting and fishing privileges, and enable electronic tagging for a wide range of game species, including deer, elk, turkey, and black bear.
The app will also be able to report migratory bird harvests, submit end-of-season harvest reports and catch record cards for select fish species, provide access to customer licensing (WILD) profiles, and offer an “enforcement view” for WDFW officers.
The new app is described as “complementary” to WDFW’s existing Fish Washington® app. More information about the two, their differences, and tips to guide users to their preferred app, is available on WDFW’s website.
The department said the launch is “the first step” in a long-term plan to phase out paper stock licenses in favor of mobile licensing, and that more information about the transition will be shared as it becomes available.
