Newsbriefs

NPS re-opens recreation area after shutdown

Following an agreement between Congress and the President last Friday, the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area has “resumed regular winter operations,” a press release from LRNRA stated Monday.

“Staff will be out inspecting facilities and making necessary repairs throughout the park,” the release stated. “With reduced winter staffing, this will take time. Please visit http://www.nps.gov/laro for updated information about the park.

“Lake Roosevelt’s employees thank you for your patience and are happy to be back at work, serving the American people and welcoming visitors to their national parks,” the release adds.

Porcupine Bay Campground and Boat Launch is still closed while Lincoln County Public Works continues rebuilding the road taken out by a massive landslide in 2017.

Health District: Get your flu shots

Grant County Health District is receiving reports of flu cases, with about 40 percent of them in the school-age population, the district said in a news release last week.

“GCHD is still encouraging all residents 6 months and older to get their flu shot,” the release stated. “Flu activity typically increases in the winter months when people spend more time indoors around each other. People who haven’t been vaccinated against the flu still have time to get the vaccine before the season reaches its peak.”

The district has noted one lab-confirmed influenza death in the county so far this year.

The number of cases of “Influenza A” is leveling out at 342 so far, but now is the time of year when “Influenza B” starts spreading more rapidly. So far, three such cases have been reported in the county.

There have been at least 17 deaths from flu in Washington state so far this season.

Man arrested after shooting

Douglas County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Brewster man Saturday after a man in Bridgeport was shot twice, Sheriff Kevin Morris stated in a news release Monday.

Jaime Valdovinos-Sanchez, 29, was arrested and booked into Okanogan County Jail for first-degree assault following a midnight shooting in which Benjamin Pineda-Castrejon, 32, sustained two gunshot wounds at the 400 block of Crane Orchard Road. He was taken to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee and released several hours later.

The sheriff’s office is still investigating the shooting.

Keller Ferry closed

Keller Ferry, which connects SR-21 from the Wilbur area to the Keller area, is closed indefinitely due to a weld crack, according to Beth Bousley, communications manager for the Eastern Region of the Washington State Department of Transportation.The closure started at 11:15 a.m. on January 25.

“Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes during this closure,” a notice on the DOT website states. “The Coast Guard asked us to take it out of service to get it repaired,” Bousley said. “Repairmen are working on getting an estimate and a timeline, and it needs to be approved by the Coast Guard before it’s back in service.”

LR school day to be made up in June

The Grand Coulee Dam School District board voted to make up the Jan. 23 school day, which was canceled due to snow, on June 13, which will be the new last day of school. June 12 was previously scheduled as the last day of the school year.

Free tax preparation offered

Free in-person tax preparation will be available at the Grand Coulee Dam Seniors for people of any age. The program, which is hosted by the American Association of Retired Persons, is open to the public on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. from Feb. 13 until April 10.