In Other News

ADVERSE WEATHER, FLOODING CLOSE STATE HIGHWAYS

WENATCHEE – The Washington State Department of Transportation has closed both Blewett Pass on State Route 97 and a portion of  U.S. Highway 2 west of Leavenworth due to potential flooding and adverse weather conditions.

US 2 is closed east of Stevens Pass from Coles Corner at mile post 85 through Tumwater Canyon to Leavenworth at mile post 99 due to high water. The closure was announced Thursday morning. Currently, there is no estimated time for reopening and no detour is available.

Situated at an elevation of 4,100 feet, Blewett Pass is a main transportation route in central Washington between the areas of Ellensburg/Cle Elum and Leavenworth/Wenatchee. Northbound travel on SR 97 is closed at milepost 150 at the junction with Highway 970, 20 miles north of Ellensburg, and southbound is closed at milepost 177, six miles south of Highway 2. The department initially announced the closure around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Numerous other highways are closed around the state, particularly in western Washington, due to heavy rain and water over roadways. Updates can be viewed on WSDOT’s real-time travel map .

NEWHOUSE COMMENTS ON USDA FUNDS FOR FARMERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., on Monday issued a statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture announcement of a  $12 billion allocation for one-time payments to American farmers over “temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs.”

“I appreciate President Trump and (Agriculture) Secretary (Brooke) Rollins for rolling out a bridge to get farmers and ranchers through lean times,” wrote Newhouse, who represents central Washington’s Fourth Congressional District, one of the nation’s prime agricultural regions. “I know they understand, as I do, that producers would prefer market certainty over direct payments from the federal government.”

But Newhouse said farmers in central Washington and across the U.S. are “reaching a breaking point because of supply chain issues, high input costs, and uncertainty around foreign market access.”

Of the $12 billion provided in the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, up to $11 billion will be allocated to row crop farmers producing barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, and sunflower. Those payments are expected to be released by late February.

The remaining $1 billion will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA program such as specialty crops and sugar. Details for those payments are still under development by USDA, said Newhouse.

“While this announcement primarily benefits row crop producers, other specialty crop growers will need additional assistance as they struggle to make ends meet due to continued high labor costs," said Newhouse.

The congressman said he will continue “working with this Administration to lower labor costs, reduce regulatory burdens, implement the agriculture provisions of the Working Families Tax Cut, and ensure American farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to make it to the next growing season."

EPHRATA FOOD BANK TAKING REQUESTS FOR HOLIDAY BASKETS

EPHRATA – Requests for Christmas food baskets and holiday gifts for kids are being accepted by the Ephrata Food Bank.

Local families in need can call the food bank at 509-754-5772 and leave a message with their name and phone number, or sign up in person on Mondays and Thursdays between 2-4 p.m.

Requests for both baskets and gifts must be received by Monday, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m. while requests for food basket only must be received by 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18.

Distribution is planned from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. S.W.

The food bank is located at 1010 A St. S.E.