In Other News

FATAL COLLISION CLOSES HIGHWAY

QUINCY – One person was killed and another injured in a three-vehicle pileup about five miles west of Quincy that temporarily closed a portion of State Route 28 early Thursday morning (Dec. 18), reported the Washington State Patrol.

Alvaro Lopez Olmedo, 23, Quincy, sustained fatal injuries in the wreck and was pronounced dead at the scene, said troopers.

Lopez Olmedo, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was westbound when his 2007 Subaru Impreza sedan traveled into the eastbound lane and was struck broadside by an oncoming car driven by Miguel A. Marron, 39, of Cashmere. Marron’s vehicle – the make and model were not specified in the report – was then rear-ended by a 2014 Chevy Cruze driven by Marisa A. Roddick , 46, of East Wenatchee.

Speed too fast for conditions was identified as the cause of the collision, which was reported at 5:31 a.m. Troopers said all three vehicles, which were totaled, came to rest fully blocking both lanes of the highway.

According to the WSP report, Marron received unspecified injuries and was transported to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. Roddick was not hurt in the wreck. Both drivers were wearing seatbelts.

QCBID DIRECTOR ELECTION

QUINCY – Fred S. Butler was elected to the Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District’s board of directors representing Division 3 after a final tabulation of ballots on Wednesday, Dec. 17, announced district secretary-manager Roger Sonnichsen.

Butler will begin a three-year term on Jan. 6 after outpolling fellow candidate Philip Stadelman, 73-44, Sonnichsen said in a press release.

The QCBID is divided into seven divisions with elected directors representing irrigation water users. Along with Butler, other current directors are Steve Omlin (Division 1), John Rylaarsdam (Division 2), Mike LaPlant (Division 4), Teddy Zografos (Division 5), Ko Weyns (Division 6), and Derek Allred (Division 7).

Quincy is the largest of three local irrigation districts operating within the federal Bureau of Reclamation’s Columbia Basin Project in south-central Washington. Water pumped from the Columbia River at Grand Coulee Dam flows south through a series of reservoirs, canals, and pumping plants to irrigate over 680,000 acres of farmland.  The project also provides electrical power, flood control, wildlife habitat, and recreational areas in the lower Columbia region.

 ‘BLUE CHRISTMAS’ SERVICE PLANNED

EPHRATA – GracePoint Church in Ephrata will hold a special “Blue Christmas” service for those who may be struggling or experiencing a difficult time during the holidays.

Intended to provide a time of peace and comfort, the afternoon service is planned for Sunday, Dec. 21, at 2 p.m. There will be Stephen Ministers available to pray with individuals if they would like. Childcare will also be available.

GracePoint Church is located at 327 C St. S.W. in Ephrata. For more information, visit the website or call 509-754-3351.

PUD OIL CLEANUP ‘SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED’

VERNITA – Grant County PUD officials announced last week that cleanup operations were “substantially completed” following a Dec. 3 spill of mineral oil into the Columbia River from the utility district’s Priest Rapids Dam.

In a Dec. 10 Facebook post, the district estimated the total amount of oil spilled at 84 gallons. That’s less than an initial estimate by the Washington Department of Ecology of 240 gallons.

Ecology was the lead agency for the in-water cleanup, working with the PUD and its contractor GrayMar Environmental. The three were in agreement on the “substantially completed” characterization, the district said.

At the time, Graymar was continuing patrols to look for any oil sheen on the river surface and absorbent booms remained in place in some areas. However, the PUD expected to resume normal operation by this week of the dam’s affected turbine/generator unit, which was being serviced when the oil was spilled.

“To date we have not received any documented reports of negative effects from the spill to wildlife, fish or spawning areas,” the PUD said in its updated post.  

 Ecology also commented with an online update last week regarding the cleanup effort.