In Other News
Parks commission, youth survey, school calendars, daylight-saving time.
EPHRATA SEEKS PARKS COMMISSION MEMBERS
EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is seeking two volunteers willing to serve on the municipal parks commission.
Commission members advise city officials on park improvements, maintenance needs, recreation priorities, and capital projects. They may also conduct focus groups or other public meetings to gather community input.
The commission meets at noon on the first Monday of every month at the Ephrata Recreation Center.
Prospective applicants should email a letter of interest to parks and recreation director Josh Johnson at jjohnson@ephrata.org. Letters will be reviewed and appointments made by Mayor Steve Oliver.
SL YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE SURVEY
SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Prevention Coalition is asking local residents to share their perceptions in a state survey on whether alcohol and drug use by young people is a problem in the community.
The online survey, available in English and Spanish, takes 5 to 7 minutes to complete and is anonymous. Questions pertain to misuse of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/vaping, and prescription drugs by young people in grades 6-12 along with demographics information. Participants may skip questions or stop at any time.
“Drug prevention is no easy task, but it is an exceptionally worthy effort. Our youth deserve the best opportunities for a healthy future,” said Ryan Boldman, SLPC coordinator through Grant County Fire District No. 7, in a Feb. 25 press release.
“One of the greatest tools we have in drug prevention is understanding the community's perceptions toward substance use,” said Boldman. “Please take this short survey to help our community provide the most effective prevention services and educational materials.”
The “Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative” survey is administered through the Washington State Health Care Authority. For more information, email Boldman at slpc.coordinator@gcfd7.org.
EPHRATA SCHOOL CALENDAR OK’D FOR TWO YEARS
EPHRATA — Ephrata School Board members last week approved calendars for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.
Each calendar calls for students in grades 1-12 to return to classrooms on the first Wednesday in September, followed a day later by kindergartners. Classes would end with early release on the second Friday in June in both school years with high school graduations held a week earlier.
Winter breaks will last 10 days and spring breaks are planned in the first full week of April. Teachers will have four professional development days before school starts.
The adopted calendars were favored by 49% of the 196 certificated and classified staff members who cast advisory ballots on three options, principal Shannon Dahl told school board members during their Feb. 23 meeting. Another 40% of staff who voted preferred a calendar which started each school year two days earlier and had one less professional development day.
‘SPRING FORWARD’: DST STARTS SUNDAY
Daylight-saving time starts at 2 a.m. this Sunday, March 8, when clocks “spring forward” one hour.
As a reminder, the weekend change from Pacific Standard Time is also a good time for residents and businesses to change batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Daylight-saving time will end on Sunday, Nov. 1. Washington is among the states which have lobbied Congress to enact legislation making DST permanent in the U.S. So far, Congress has not.
The Canadian province of British Columbia announced earlier this week that it will now remain on daylight-saving time year-round.
ML MAC’s FREE FAMILY SATURDAY
MOSES LAKE — The City of Moses Lake Museum & Art Center will host its monthly Free Family Saturday activity on March 7 with craft construction of fun, functional “clover suncatcher windchimes.”
The event is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. at the museum, 401 S. Balsam Street in the Moses Lake Civic Center.
All supplies are provided, but registration is required. Families may sign up for a free year-long pass at the museum’s registration portal.
