Latest news with #GrantCountyRepublicanParty
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Applications sought for Grant County Prosecutor
May 27—EPHRATA — Applications are being accepted through June 13 from qualified attorneys for the job of Grant County Prosecutor. Incumbent Kevin McCrae announced his resignation effective Aug. 3. In his resignation letter sent to the Grant County Commissioners, McCrae said he had decided not to run for reelection in 2026. "Due to some family issues, along with another opportunity, I feel it best to part ways with the (prosecutor's office) this summer, rather than next year," McCrae wrote in his resignation letter. The prosecutor is a partisan office, and McCrae ran as a Republican. Because of that, the Grant County Republican Party will conduct the initial applicant reviews. "We were notified that he had resigned," said Republican Party Central Committee Chair Andrew Koeppen. "Once he resigns, the Grant County Republican Party — or if he was a Democrat, it would be the Democratic Party — will have to come up with three recommendations to fill his position." Names of the three finalists are sent to the Grant County Commissioners. "(The commissioners) ultimately have the final say on which one they will choose," Koeppen said. There are qualifications for the job. "They have to fulfill the same qualifications as if they were running for the prosecutor's office," Koeppen said. That includes having a license to practice law in Washington. Applicants must include a resume detailing their professional experience and education, a cover letter explaining their interest in the job, and at least five professional references. Applications must be emailed to chair@ Applicants will be interviewed July 12. "We want to get it to the county commissioners as soon as legally possible," he said. Interviews will be conducted in open session, but no public comment will be accepted, Koeppen said. Commissioner Cindy Carter said the finalists will go through a separate interview process with the commission. "The interviews are open to the public," she said. Commissioners can discuss the candidates in executive session, but the vote will be in a public session, she said. Koeppen said he wants the selection process to be as open and transparent as possible. "This is an extremely important position. The prosecutor's office sets the tone for law enforcement here in Grant County, and we want to make sure the process is done in such a way that the community, law enforcement and every prosecutor that will work under (the new prosecutor) has full confidence this process was done openly, fairly and transparently," Koeppen said. Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands said other qualities should be considered in a new prosecutor. "I think the biggest thing for us, and I would think all law enforcement, is a good partner, someone that wants to work with us and do the right things," Sands said. "Keep the citizens of Grant County safe."
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lincoln Day Dinner draws big crowd
Feb. 25—MOSES LAKE — Members and guests of the Grant County Republican Party gathered Saturday night to discuss the issues, network and fundraise at the annual Lincoln Day dinner. Andrew Koeppen, county chair, said the dinner was sold out. "Our preliminary numbers show this was another record year," Koeppen said. The Lincoln Day Dinner is a longtime annual event for Republicans, and the 2025 dinner featured talks from William Kirk with Washington Gun Law and Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy), who represents the Ninth District in the Washington House of Representatives. Koeppen said it's the party's annual fundraiser and a place for Republicans and others to meet and talk with each other. "There was a lot of discussion and strategizing," he said The Lincoln Day Dinner is also about celebrating what the party stands for, he said, and its history. "It's really about celebrating Lincoln Day and the freedoms that we have," he said. "We're honoring the Republican legacy. It's to celebrate conservatism and (the Republican Party)." In his speech, he said, he outlined what some of those fundamentals are. "Respect, dialogue, personal responsibility, limited government and protection of our freedoms," he said. The 2025 Washington legislative session is in full swing, and Dye outlined some of the bills she's sponsoring, as well as other bills that have been introduced — some good from the Republican perspective, and some bad. Kirk discussed gun laws in Washington, as well as the rights gun owners have under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Koeppen said he highlighted the continuity of change. Trends that seemed firmly established six months or even two months ago have changed, he said. He cited the decrease in people crossing the U.S. borders without documentation. As an immigrant himself, he appreciates the importance of immigration, he said, but the rights and well-being of American citizens should be prioritized. Koeppen said he thinks Grant County can be a leader in bringing some of those changes to the state of Washington. "That's the exciting part about it," he said. The dinner drew officeholders and party members from throughout Grant County, as well as officials from neighboring counties. An auction was part of the evening; Koeppen said it's the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Grant County GOP. "It was a very positive night," he said.
