In Other News
School board vacancy, political rally, blood drive, WA location names.
Vacancy on Ephrata School Board
EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District is accepting applications from persons interested in filling a vacancy on its five-member board of directors following the departure of member Jim Adams, who resigned effective June 30.
Prospective candidates must be U.S. citizens, qualified voters, and reside within the boundaries of Director District No. 4. The district includes a portion of southwest Ephrata city limits, but is mostly rural extending from Sagebrush Flats Road south to Interstate 90. Additional information including a detailed description of the boundary is available on the school district website and from the district office.
Applicants seeking appointment must submit a statement describing why they want to serve on the board, along with their biographical information or a resume. Neither statement should exceed one typewritten page. The application deadline is 3 p.m. on Friday, July 24.
Candidate interviews will be conducted in August, with the selected appointee to be seated at the school board’s Aug. 24 meeting.
The position will be up for election on the November 2027 ballot.
Old Time Political Rally at GC Museum
EPHRATA — The Grant County Historical Museum will host its traditional Old Time Political Rally on Wednesday, July 22, in advance of the Aug. 4 primary election.
Voters can learn more about candidates on the ballot for Grant County races. Invitations have also been extended to candidates seeking election in the 4th Congressional District and the state’s 13th Legislative District.
Admission is free to the public. Gates open at 5 p.m. with candidate speeches beginning at 6 p.m. Each candidate will have five minutes for their presentation. Organizers expect the outdoor rally to conclude by 7:30 p.m.
Seating is limited. Those attending are advised to bring their own chair and, with warm weather anticipated, perhaps a hat and umbrella for shade.
The candidates have been asked to furnish non-alcoholic beverages, and the local American Legion will be grilling hotdogs for a nominal fee.
For more information, call or text Mike Montaney at 509-989-4417.
Red Cross blood drive planned in August
EPHRATA — The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ephrata Recreation Center, 112 Basin St. S.W.
Red Cross officials say all blood types are needed right now. Anyone age 17 or older, weighing 110 pounds or more, and in good general health is a potential donor.
An appointment can be scheduled by calling 1-800-733-2767 or online at www.redcrossblood.org. A pre-donation “Rapid Pass” questionnaire can also be completed on the website. Prospective donors should bring personal identification and donor cards, or download the Blood Donor App on their smartphones.
What’s in a name? MAC program has answers
MOSES LAKE — How did geographic places (like Moses Lake) and iconic landmarks in Washington state get their names?
That eclectic topic will be explored during a free public presentation this Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. in the Moses Lake Museum and Art Center’s Civic Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St.
“All Over the Map: Stories Behind the Names of WA Places and Things” is part of the America 250 Speaker Series presented by the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “opening minds and bridging divides by creating spaces to explore different perspectives.”
Feliks Banel will be Thursday’s featured presenter. He has served as deputy director of the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle, and has produced television, radio, and podcast programs about local history which earned Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award recognition.
The event is suitable for all ages and admission is free.
The Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Washington Secretary of State’s Office, the Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service at Washington State University, and generous private donors.
For more information, visit the website at www.humanities.org.
