Wildcats qualify 11 for Outdoor Championships
INDIANAPOLIS – Central Washington University Track and Field put out a statement Tuesday to announce that 11 student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships running from Thursday, May 21 through Saturday, May 23 in Welch Stadium at Emporia State University. Eight female track and field student-athletes qualified. Layla Fields, Zoe Gonzales, and Ashlyn Nielsen all qualified as part of the 4x100m relay team while Donna Marie Harris and Carley Huber qualified as part of the 4x400m relay team. Julie Castillejo will be a relay alternative due to quick turnarounds from some individual events. Ellie DeGroot qualified as a member of the 4x400m relay team as well as for the 400m hurdles. Maliyah Gordon was a qualifier in the shot put. Elise Hopper will represent the crimson and black in four events: the 4x100m relay, the 4x400m relay, the 400m dash, and the 200m dash.
DNR warns eastern Washington forests are primed for severe wildfires
(The Center Square) - State officials say eastern Washington forests are “overstocked” following years of fire exclusion policies and management practices that have left drier areas ripe for serious wildfires. The warning came Tuesday as the Department of Natural Resources develops alternative management practices for eastern Washington. DNR staff briefed the state Board of Natural Resources on the issue ahead of a June meeting, where they will discuss options that could affect thinning and controlled burns. Cameron Crump, manager of the DNR’s Forest Resources Division, said active management is “widely accepted” as necessary to restore a resilient landscape. Prescribed burns were a more common active fuel management tool until the 1990s, when DNR’s policies placed new regulations on the practice.
UW upsets Ohio State in first Big Ten Tournament win
OMAHA, Nebraska — The 11th-seeded University of Washington Huskies (24-31) kept their postseason alive as they earned an 8-6 victory over the sixth seeded Ohio State Buckeyes (30-24) Tuesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Both the Huskies and the Buckeyes traded two-run blows throughout the game, according to a release from UW Athletics, but ultimately UW found themselves able to gain the advantage in the bottom of the ninth. Neither team scored in the first two innings, but UW got on the board first in the top of the third with two runs on two bases-loaded walks. This put the Huskies at 17-9 when scoring before their opponent.
State actuary: $4 billion pension transfer raises odds of future taxpayer bailouts
(The Center Square) - State pension officials warned Tuesday that a new law allowing the Legislature to pull nearly $4 billion from a retirement plan for first responders will significantly increase the likelihood of future taxpayer bailouts.
Washington College athletes earn GNAC honors
MOSES LAKE — Several Washington college athletes received special awards from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Friday. According to a press release by the GNAC, eight awards were announced, with Maurice Woodring, Colton Magruder and Ben Stensland bringing home individual accolades.
UW claims 22nd IRA national championship in rowing
Golf River, California — The University of Washington Huskies men’s varsity eight rowing team won the IRA National Championship Sunday afternoon with a comeback victory that took a full team effort. According to a release from UW athletics, this is the 22nd National Championship in program history and the 10th under Huskies Head Coach Michael Callahan. “That’s as good as it gets,” said Callahan. “I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a faster boat or a more cohesive crew. When you’re a coach, you want to see your guys put it all together in the biggest moments and that’s what they did.” As reported by Regatta Timing, a site that tracked the IRA Championship, during the final events, the UW Richards team took first with a time of 5:44.335 to beat Harvard by 0.683 and the UW Tasker team took first with a time of 5:37.493 to beat California by 1.059. The UW Martin team took second with a time of 5:43.612 and the UW Bosnes team took fourth with a time of 6:32.250.
Rock-throwing suspect arrested after Capitol campus chase
OLYMPIA — A 21-year-old man was arrested early Thursday after allegedly smashing windows at the Washington State Legislative Building and leading officers on a brief pursuit through the Capitol Campus. According to the Washington State Patrol, a trooper heard loud noises around 1:15 a.m. and spotted a man throwing large rocks at first-floor windows on the building’s northwest side. When another trooper arrived, the suspect fled in a white 2009 Chevrolet Malibu.
College athletes prepare for 2026 NCAA Track & Field championships
MOSES LAKE — The college track and field season is coming to an end this week as athletes from around the state are heading to the NCAA Outdoor championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
The World Cup kicks off June 11; locals weigh in on the tournament
MOSE LAKE—The FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 with host countries the United States, Canada and Mexico ready to stage the biggest event in sports. Billions will be watching worldwide and attending the many stadiums in North America’s cities staging the games – Seattle being one of them. The Columbia Basin Herald asked community members about their interest in the tournament and their predictions of a champion. As one would expect, the Mexican American fans locally expressed the greatest interest and fervor for the tournament. Rafael Torres spoke while bowling at Tin Pin in Moses Lake. He was visiting the area from Yakima for vacation. Torres is an avid fan of the Mexico team and is hopeful they will make it into the second round. Though rooting for Mexico, Torres favors Brazil to win the championship.
From World Cup call-ups to NCAA breakthroughs, local colleges make news
MOSES LAKE — Even when the academic calendar reaches its end, college athletics continue their work into the summer. See below some of the latest headlines from local Washington colleges.
