Newsbriefs

Men arrested on Banks Lake

Fish and Wildlife officers arrested men on Banks Lake Dec. 8 on multiple charges, seized seven gill nets and 376 whitefish.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police Detachment 16, which patrols Douglas, Grant and Adams counties, conducted patrols in two-man teams throughout the night and into the early morning hours using covert surveillance techniques to observe many shore fishermen and boats at the north feeder canal, the department reported. One person there was apprehended allegedly using a gill net on the fish, which were nearing the peak of the spawning season.

Near Dry Falls Dam in Coulee City, officers arrested three men as they returned to their vehicles with the fish and nets, the department said.

The team of five officers includes one who could converse with the suspects in Ukranian and Russian to obtain their statements.

The fish were donated to charity, the department said in on its Facebook page.

Accessory buildings

meetings set

Two meetings have been scheduled in January to discuss the size of accessory buildings allowed in Electric City.

The first, Jan. 6, will be a planning commission workshop at 3 p.m. at the Electric City council chambers. The workshop also includes fences and “home occupation” permits.

The city council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. in the council chambers on Jan. 22 on amendments suggested by the planning commission.

The changes to the zoning code on accessory buildings has been a topic at both the planning commission and council for 18 months.

The public is encouraged to attend the meetings.

Local gas

prices below state average

Average retail gasoline prices in Washington have fallen 9.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.57 Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 2,666 gas outlets in Washington. This compares with the national average that has fallen 9.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.28, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Unleaded gas was offered in Grand Coulee Monday for $2.29 or $2.39 a gallon.