Newsbriefs

Coulee Dam voters will

get a drop box

Coulee Dam residents can look for ballot drop boxes to placed in town in the near future.

Douglas County Auditor Thad Duvall visited the Coulee Dam Town Council Wednesday to explain that the county needs a place to put a drop box, which has been required by state law.

Duvall said he’d been authorized to also ask for Okanogan County by that county’s auditor, Lori Thomas.

The two counties used to operate a polling place at the town hall each election day. That ended in 1997, Duvall said.

The town council voted unanimously to allow a drop box at the town hall.

The town administration will work with the auditors on a suitable site and design.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over starts Friday

Each summer in Washington state, an average of 149 people die in traffic crashes. That is the deadliest season of the year on the state’s roads, statistics show.

During all of 2016, impaired drivers were involved in crashes that resulted in 277 deaths and another 371 serious injuries. These crashes are completely preventable. That is why extra DUI patrols will be out statewide from Aug. 18 to Sept. 4. The patrols will be looking for drunk or drugged drivers, and will uphold all traffic laws.

In Grant, Adams, Lincoln and Ferry counties; the Adams, Lincoln, Ferry, and Grant County Sheriff’s offices; the Ephrata, Grand Coulee, Moses Lake, Othello, Quincy, Republic, Ritzville, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden Police Departments; and the Washington State Patrol will be canvassing the roadways in search of impaired drivers.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is designed to encourage all drivers to make the right choice. Designate a sober, drug-free driver; take a cab; catch a ride share, Uber, Lyft or walk with a friend.

The extra patrols are part of Target Zero — striving to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030. For more information, visit http://www.targetzero.com.