Santa Claus flies into town

RITZVILLE – Santa came to town for a drive-by visit with community members from as far away as Lind Saturday, Dec. 19.

The big man was flown in by helicopter courtesy of Life Flight, landing on the Ritzville Grade School grounds at 2 p.m. Flying Santa in on the 20-minute flight from Moses Lake was pilot Gary Schales, accompanied by paramedic Amanda Brown and nurse Brandon Bowolick.

“When the flight was coming in, the kids were so excited you could hear them shouting over the noise of the helicopter landing,” East Adams Rural Healthcare CEO Corey Fedie said.

Fedie, along with Lind Ritzville Coo...