County bans alcohol at Moses Lake Sand Dunes

This story was published Tuesday, April 19th, 2005

By Lynne Miller, Herald Basin bureau

EPHRATA -- Alcohol will be banned at the Moses Lake Sand Dunes off-road-vehicle area beginning May 1, Grant County commissioners decided Monday.

The decision came after at public hearing attended by more than 50 people, with 21 testifying. Of those, 14 opposed the ban and seven favored it.

But the three commissioners said the action is necessary for public safety. A similar ban at the Beverly Sand Dunes, a 500- to 600-acre area near Mattawa, may be imposed later after the county gets legal land descriptions from state agencies.

One of the ban's opponents, Mick Hansen of Moses Lake, told the commissioners the new rule would turn away tourists and mean less money for Grant County.

Others opposing the ordinance included area ORV users, a businessman, a pizza vendor and two property owners who said they were concerned drinkers would migrate to their farmland.

Peny Archer of the ORV group Sand Commandos said deputies should use current laws to nab drunk drivers.

Last Memorial Day weekend, deputies wrote about 155 tickets for underage drinking or off-road driving offenses at the 3,000-acre Moses Lake dunes, where 5,000 to 8,000 people visited. The area, about 10 minutes from downtown Moses Lake, is open to 4-wheel-drive trucks, ATVs and motorcycles.

The seven people who spoke in favor of the ordinance included Samaritan Hospital's emergency room supervisor, a sand dunes accident victim, three Grant County sheriff's deputies and two ORV users.

"There's kind of this aura now, people don't want to ride, they come to watch the mayhem," said Chief Deputy Courtney Conklin.

Barbara Karas of Wenatchee said she favored the ban and recounted an alcohol-related accident she was in five years ago. Karas, then 36, said she broke both legs, her back, both arms and left shoulder after a Ford truck she was riding in attempted to jump to a nonexistent dune.

Commissioners Deborah Moore, Richard Stevens and LeRoy Allison approved the proposed ordinance without changes.

"I hate to see peoples' personal liberties eroded, but the few ruin it for the many, it falls down to that," Stevens said. "I'm sorry it comes down to that."

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/lo...-6273782c.html

 

You know that doesn't hurt my feelings at all. What'll happen is all the idiots won't show up because they go there for the party and actual decent duners will still be there. I'm sure there will be a few tipped back in camp after hours but this'll bring a little sanity back, keep the douchebags out, and in all likelihood preserve a riding area for the future.

 

Shady, I agree with you.
If things had kept going the way they were the area probably would have ended up getting shut down.
It's too bad that the idiots can't control themselves and force the county to take this action.

 

I'm with y'all. Banning the consumption of alcohol at sand dune parks will cut down on a lot of stupidity. There will still be accidents and arrests each season even without alcohol, but the numbers will be drastically reduced. Even though I beleive that people should be adult enough to be responsible, I know that a lot of people aren't. Before I joined the Army, I lived in Waynoka for about six years, and I had visited my grandparents there ever since I was born. During that time, I saw first-hand what people are capable of when tanked. There are too many things to mention, but you already know what most of them are. Honestly, I wish that Oklahoma would do the same at Little Sahara. I hate the duners that come in, get blasted, trash the park, speed everywhere they go, disrespect everyone, and act like we locals are idiots because we live in a small town. The majority of the people that visit the dunes are good people, but the morons that act like there are no laws or consequences out there give all of the locals a bad impression.

 

I talked to the Sherrif yesterday morning in Moses, and basically, it means no booze anywhere, even in your rig and especially not around the campfire. $100 first time $250 second $500 third and don't come back. They told us that if they werent busy with fights and accidents and douche bags ripping people off, that they will be going camp to camp checking. "it's not a revenue thing though" yeah right...

It just seems like they could go after the underage, and the fools out there that always have 10-15 drunks riding in the back of their P.o.S 4x4's.
How about charging people? maybe that would help keep out the idiots.

 

it may not be a revanue thing. I think they probably make more money off underage drinkers, at least in utah if your 18-20 it's $460. but if your under 18 it only $150. not to mention all the money they get from dui and reposesing the dui drivers vehichle.

 

No doubt there will be a handfull of "over the top" officers going from camp to camp harassing people that are'nt giving anyone a hard time. Probably vehicle inspections entering the dunes and random "at will" inspections any other time. This is what it comes down to when a few bad apples ruin it for everyone. 50 people turning out to voice their opinion is pretty sad for or against the ban.

 

could have been worse, they could have banned the dunes!

 

SHADDY ONE YOUR ON TAP WITH YOUR QUOTE AS WE GET OLDER WE SHOULD GET WISER ALSO.... GETUM BOYS.................JIM.....

 

holiday weekends at moses are a ZOO!!!!

simply put,,,,,people die!!!!

They need to get it under control,,,somehow