Newsbriefs

Retreat to the library

The Grand Coulee Dam School District board will hold its retreat from 5-9 p.m., Monday, Sept. 11, at the high school library. The board plans to discuss and set goals for the current school year. The retreat is open to the public.

Headed to D.C.

School Superintendent Paul Turner, board member Ken Stanger and ESD financial representative Sally Ryan will attend an Impact Aid meeting in Washington D.C., Sept. 23-27.

Virus found in mosquito samples

The Washington State Department of Health reported that additional mosquito samples this week tested positive for the West Nile Virus.

So far this season, West Nile Virus has been identified in 13 mosquito samples, primarily in the Moses Lake area. One of the samples had been from the Wilson Creek area.

There is currently no active surveillance for WNV in other parts of Grant County.

So far this year, statewide, WNV has been reported in six horses, one bird and 28 mosquito samples.

There have not been any human or animal infections in Grant County this year, according to officials.

DNR bans all outdoor burning statewide

With multiple fires burning on the landscape and communities suffering from dense layers of smoke, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has expanded its burn ban to cover the entire state.

“Wildfire and smoke is affecting every community around the state as we see the hot, dry summer take its toll on our forests,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “Without any relief from this weather in the foreseeable future and with our firefighters spread across the Northwest, we can no longer allow outdoor burning anywhere in Washington.”

DNR has been implementing burn restrictions regionally as local conditions warranted. The statewide ban means outdoor burning is prohibited on all forestlands that DNR protects from wildfire. Anyone caught violating the burn ban can face fines.

On Monday, Labor Day, DNR firefighters responded to 21 new fire starts.

County extends burn ban

Grant County has extended burn restrictions to Sept. 30. And on Monday, the county commissioners agreed to put annual restriction in place from June through September, Electric City Fire Chief Mark Payne said Tuesday.