In Other News
ROUNDABOUT CLOSURE
EPHRATA – The new vehicle roundabout at the intersection of Nat Washington Way and State Route 282 will be closed overnight beginning at 4 p.m. today and Tuesday, Sept. 15-16, to allow work crews to install permanent striping.
Detours will be in place during the two overnight closures. The following mornings, the roundabout will reopen at 6 a.m. for regular traffic, announced Grant County Central Services in a Facebook post.
Another temporary closure is planned in the future for installation of permanent lighting at the intersection. A date was not yet specified.
Officials encourage motorists to plan for a little extra travel time due to the detours and to drive safely.
FATAL WRECK
SOAP LAKE – An Ephrata man died following a motorcycle wreck on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 10, at a location about nine miles east of Soap Lake, reported the Washington State Patrol.
Troopers said Jesse A. Perez, 36, was riding east on State Route 28 East when he lost control of a 2004 Harley-Davidson FXDI motorcycle for an undetermined reason. Perez, who was wearing a helmet, was ejected and came to rest in the highway’s eastbound lane. The motorcycle crossed the roadway and came to rest in the westbound ditch.
The time of the accident was not known, but authorities were notified shortly before 9 p.m. of a body in the roadway after it was struck by a 2012 Dodge pickup towing a trailer. The truck was driven by Yuri I. Bondarchuk, 53, of Renton. Neither he or a passenger was injured, according to the WSP report.
Grant County sheriff's deputies initially responded and secured the scene, and highway traffic was temporarily detoured by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Perez was pronounced dead at the scene by the Grant County coroner and a trooper notified the next of kin.
The incident was under investigation, the State Patrol said.
EMERGENCY PHONE ALERTS
EPHRATA – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that emergency alerts sent via telephone notification system will now show a Cle Elum, Washington phone number: 509-260-3440.
“This is NOT a scam,” the sheriff’s office said in the Sept. 9 Facebook post.
“You’ll now hear a recorded message, and if you miss the call, you can call back to listen,” the post stated, adding, “Recorded messages will be in English, then repeated in Spanish – another great new feature!”
The sheriff’s office uses a system called Everbridge to distribute time-sensitive public safety messages to residents and businesses. Those might include emergency, severe weather, and community announcements.
Everbridge messages can distributed through multiple communication channels, including text messages, phone calls, email, and social media.
The sheriff’s office said the following options are available to manage alerts:
• Want to opt out of receiving every alert or adjust preferences? Log into your account here: http://bit.ly/4mXuiSo or email us at ecc@grantcountywa.gov.
• Not signed up yet? Register for Everbridge Alerts here: http://bit.ly/46sp0IC
• Prefer simple text-only alerts? Text GCSHERIFF to 888777 or sign up for Nixle here: http://bit.ly/4ngAvIE
WATER TURN-OFF SCHEDULE
QUINCY – The Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District has scheduled final dates for the 2025 irrigation season.
- Monday, Oct. 20: last day for water delivery changes;
- Tuesday, Oct. 21: last full day of water delivery;
- Wednesday, Oct. 22: turn-off date for water at the head of the West Canal.
“This will mark an end to the 2025 irrigation season,” QCBID secretary-manager Roger Sonnichsen said in a Sept. 3 press release. “Quincy District water users having questions regarding this shutdown schedule should contact their Ditchrider or their area Watermaster.”
COUNTY SEEKS BOE APPLICANTS
EPHRATA – Grant County commissioners are accepting applications to fill an alternate-member vacancy on the county’s board of equalization.
Under state law, BOE members hear appeals from property owners regarding their assessed valuations as determined by county assessors or treasurers. Equalization boards are responsible for ensuring all properties are valued at full market value and that comparable properties are assessed at comparable values.
Prospective applicants for the appointment must be Grant County residents, age 18 or older, and able to attend daytime hearings and state-mandated training within one year of appointment.
Members cannot hold elective office or be employed by an elected official. Preferred candidates have a general knowledge of the county plus property appraisal methods, real estate sales and marketing, banking, or farming.
The selected candidate will serve a three-year term. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Applications can be found on the county website. For more information, call the county commissioners office at the courthouse in Ephrata (509-754-2011, ext. 2901) or email BOE@grantcountywa.gov.
