Tractor rollover, Paws in the Pool, Overdose Awareness Day, fatal wreck

Tractor driver hurt in canal rollover

EPHRATA — A Soap Lake man was injured in a tractor rollover accident Monday afternoon near the 16000 block of Frey Road NW, about one-quarter mile north of Ephrata city limits.

Authorities said Michael White, 43, was driving south on the West Canal road when his enclosed cab John Deere tractor and attached baler veered off and traveled down the east side of the canal embankment.

The tractor continued through several trees and a wire fence, rolled, and came to rest in a driveway near a residence, according to reports from Ephrata police and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.­

White sustained unspecified injuries and was initially transported to Columbia Basin Hospital, then airlifted to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee, said a sheriff’s office spokesman.

The accident was reported at 2:42 p.m. Monday in the 2800 block of Pierce Road NW, located between the irrigation canal and Frey Road.

“Paws in the Pool” to wrap up Splash Zone summer

EPHRATA — It’s the last week of operation for Ephrata’s Splash Zone aquatic center, which has amended its daily hours.

The pool is open this Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Splash Zone will conclude its summer season with the annual “Paws in the Pool” event from 10 a.m. to noon. Dog owners are invited to bring their amiable pooches for a romp in the surf. 

“We hope you’re able to stop by and enjoy the pool one last time before we wrap up another great season,” the city Parks and Recreation Department said in an online post.

GCHD Overdose Awareness Day event

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District is inviting the public to its fourth annual community resource fair and International Overdose Awareness Day event, scheduled this Saturday, Aug. 29, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McCosh Park, 401 W. Fourth Ave. in Moses Lake.

“Overdose remains a growing public health crisis. In Grant County alone, 100 overdose-related deaths were reported between 2021 and 2023,” the health district said in a recent press release. “International Overdose Awareness Day is an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and promote prevention and recovery efforts.”

Organizers say the event is open to anyone wanting to better understand how to support individuals struggling with substance use disorder — “Whether it's yourself, a loved one, or a member of the community.” Those attending can take part in naloxone training, explore local support resources, and honor those affected by overdose.

As part of the tribute, purple flags may be dedicated to individuals whose lives were saved with naloxone — a life-saving medication which rapidly reverses an opioid overdose — while white flags will honor those who were lost to overdose.

The health district is partnering with the Moses Lake Farmers Market to host this year’s event. Organizations that wish to participate in IOAD as a resource may register at https://bit.ly/IOAD2026.

More information is available by emailing the GCHD harm reduction coordinate at mdeleon@granthealth.org.

One dead, one injured in wreck near Warden

WARDEN — One driver was killed and another injured in a two-vehicle collision Monday evening on State Route 17 North, about two miles southwest of Warden, reported the Washington State Patrol.

The deceased driver was identified as 26-year-old Jessica C. Detwiler. Her town of residence was not immediately known, according to the WSP report.

Troopers said Detwiler was driving north on the highway when her 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier crossed the centerline and struck a southbound 2018 Kia Sorento head-on. Detwiler, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Kia driver, 21-year-old Karol A. Sanchez of Othello, who was wearing a seatbelt, sustained unspecified injuries and was airlifted to Kadlec Hospital in the Tri-Cities.

Both vehicles were totaled and towed from the scene. The collision was reported at 6:40 p.m. Monday.

It was undetermined whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the wreck, which remained under investigation.