Fatal plane crash, wind warning, stabbing arrest, pickleball paint

Royal Slope man dies in plane crash

ROYAL CITY — A longtime Royal Slope resident was killed in a small plane crash Wednesday evening, reported the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

The deceased pilot was identified as 89-year-old Dwain Edward Forester. He was the lone occupant of the aircraft that crashed into a field near the intersection of Adams Road South and Road 11-SW. The incident was reported shortly after 5 p.m.

There was no fire or risk to the public, and recovery operations were underway, according to the GCSO report. The family was notified and the accident was under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.

High winds forecast Friday in Central WA

SPOKANE — The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind advisory for central Washington beginning around 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25, and continuing into the evening.

Southwest winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph are predicted until around 9 p.m. The weather service advisory said blowing dust will reduce visibility to less than one mile in some locations, high-profile vehicles may encounter difficult driving conditions, tree limbs may blow down, and there could be related power outages.

Affected areas include the Columbia Basin, Waterville Plateau, and the Palouse region of southeastern Washington.

Suspect arrested after alleged stabbing

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man faces a felony charge of domestic second-degree assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly stabbing a male family member during an early morning altercation Wednesday.

Authorities were notified of the incident shortly after 1 a.m. at a residence in the 4900 block of Road I.6-NE near Moses Lake. The complainant said her 27-year-old boyfriend was stabbed in the back by his half-brother, identified as Brayden Allen Clark, 18, who also has a residency listing of Polson, Montana.

Clark was taken into custody without incident by Grant County sheriff’s deputies. According to a report, Clark was playing cards with his older brother, Cameron M. Fletcher. Clark became upset by the way Fletcher treated his girlfriend. An argument ensued and Clark alleged that Fletcher grabbed him by the throat and Clark responded by stabbing him with a foldable spring-loaded knife. Fletcher sustained a laceration near his left shoulder blade and was transported to Samaritan Hospital for medical care, the report stated.

During an initial appearance Wednesday afternoon in Grant County Superior Court, Clark pled not guilty to the assault charge and a Nov. 11 trial was scheduled.

Pickleball painting underway

EPHRATA — Work was underway this week to paint the City of Ephrata’s six new pickleball courts.

A crew from Pickleball Court LLC was applying an acrylic surface coat, color coats, and finishing lines to the new facility, located at the Ephrata Sports Complex adjacent to the city’s skateboard park and Splash Zone aquatic center. 

City officials hope the courts will be playable later this month or sometime in October.

Tommer Construction Co. of Ephrata completed the concrete base and adjacent asphalt parking lot earlier this summer.

The city has also applied for state grant funding that, if received, will help pay for an overhead cover in 2027 at the facility, which is also intended to include a basketball/futsal court. The Paul Lauzier Foundation is also a major contributor toward the project.

A group of pickleball enthusiasts has lobbied city officials since early 2023 to consider adding court space as a recreational amenity for the community.