Newsbriefs

Meeting

cancelled

The town of Coulee Dam cancelled its regular meeting of Wednesday, July 24, because town officials stated that there wasn’t any business to transact. The council’s next scheduled meeting is Aug. 14, at 6 p.m.

Scam

warning

Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones is warning the public to be on guard for a person calling and seeking donations for the sheriff’s office. It’s not real – it’s a scam.

“The Grant County Sheriff’s Office does not phone people asking for donations,” said Jones. “We also don’t solicit donations over email or social media.”

Jones said a Moses Lake-area citizen received a call from a man saying he was from the sheriff’s office and asking for a donation.

“The truth is the call was just another attempt by a scam artist to separate a citizen from their money,” Jones said. “Because there are always scams circulating around the globe, citizens are targeted and victimized daily via phone, email or social media.”

He said people should contact their local law enforcement agency if they believe they have been the target or victim of a scam.

Astronomy events

coming up

A National Park Service program will give people a chance to take in a little astronomy next month.

You can find out what the sun looks like using solar filtered telescopes and solar glasses for safe viewing of the nearest star during “Solar Observation” events during the day, then take in “Stargazing and Sky Tours” at night, plus watch for meteors in the Perseid Meteor Showers, which should peak August 12-13 but are visible even now just before dawn.

The events are free to all and will only be cancelled in case of cloudy skies.

Friday, Aug. 9

Solar Observation: 1-3 p.m. at Spring Canyon

Stargazing: 8:30-11:30 p.m. at Crescent Bay.

Saturday,

Aug. 10

Solar Observation: 1-3 p.m. at the Visitor Center at Grand Coulee Dam.

Stargazing: 8:30-11:30 p.m. at Crescent Bay.

WSP: avoid the needless death of a child

The Washington State Patrol is urging adults to never leave a young child alone in a car — especially in the sun.

In 2013, at least 19 children nationwide have died after being left unattended in motor vehicles during sunny weather, none in Washington, the WSP says.

Even with the windows cracked two inches, the internal temperature of a motor vehicle can exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of minutes. On sunny days when the outside temperature may be in the 60s, the internal temperature of a motor vehicle can still exceed 110 degrees within one hour.

Heatstroke is caused when the internal temperature of the body exceeds 104. A child’s body will heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When the child’s body temperature reaches 107, damage to the cells and internal organs will occur.