Ellington

Dorathy Wynn Smith

Nov. 8, 1950 – May 9, 2024

Dorathy Wynn Smith, 73, lifelong Washington State resident, passed away May 9, 2024, in Moses Lake, WA at the age of 73. She was born November 08, 1950, in Eatonville, Washington to Orval F. Smith and Williane H. Smith (Wehmhoefer), the second oldest of three children.

Othello-ACFD 5 negotiations continue

OTHELLO – The Othello City Council meeting Tuesday featured an update from the city regarding its contract negotiations with Adams County Fire District 5, with a mediation date set for July 25. The city recently provided ACFD 5 with a two-year notice of termination of its contract.

MLSD board approves loan to general fund

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School Board members will take out an interfund loan to ensure the district can meet its payroll and at least most of its expenses in June. Board members approved the loan from one fund to another at a special meeting Thursday.

ROAD REPORT: Stratford Road bridge to be resurfaced this weekend

MOSES LAKE — Drivers will have to find alternate routes over the bridge at State Route 17 and Stratford this weekend - construction crews will be working to resurface it.

Othello Preschool reports on operations, priorities

OTHELLO – Othello School District Early Childhood Director Jennifer Garza presented to the Othello School Board Tuesday evening, following the board’s May 21 site visit at the Othello Preschool, on how the preschool is doing and some of its priorities over this school year.

Basin golfers swing strong at state

COLUMBIA BASIN – Four golfers finished in the top 10 of their respective state golf tournaments last week, including a state champion and a runner-up from Almira/Coulee-Hartline and Ephrata.

Last Stand Rodeo brings in thousands for 72nd annual event

COULEE CITY – The Coulee City Rodeo Association hosted the 72nd annual Last Stand Rodeo over Memorial Day weekend, featuring a range of competitions and events at the Coulee City Fairgrounds and around town. Pete Thiry, who has served as the CCRA’s president for almost 20 years, said the event was a success.

Grant County looking for new morgue site

MOSES LAKE — Grant County will need a new morgue, and county officials are looking for land to build one. Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison said the need for a new facility arose because the existing one is in Samaritan Hospital. A new Samaritan Hospital is under construction, but it won’t include a new morgue. Grant County Central Services Director Tom Gaines said that’s because there’s only so much space available at the hospital.

PRCA Last Stand Rodeo results

COULEE CITY – The Coulee City PRCA Last Stand Rodeo finished up Sunday evening at the Coulee City Fairgrounds, with a total payoff of $$52,802. Events included bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, barrel racing, steer roping and bull riding.

Pullman considers short-term rental rules amid Airbnb boom

(The Center Square) – The City of Pullman is considering how to regulate short-term rentals, or STRs, like Airbnbs after its prior policy left the municipality without a way to enforce compliance.

Law enforcement logs for May 31, 2024

MOSES LAKE – The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Trump convicted in New York

NEW YORK, New York – A jury returned guilty verdicts on 34 felony counts in the hush-money case against former President Donald J. Trump Thursday making him the first former U.S. President to be convicted of a felony after serving in the Oval Office.

Legals for May, 31 2024

WA foam packaging ban goes into effect Saturday

(The Center Square) – That container of leftovers from your favorite restaurant may look different starting Saturday when the sale and distribution of expanded polystyrene, or EPS, products in or into Washington state is prohibited. Polystyrene foam is better known by the brand-name Styrofoam.

Big sports on the small screen

Big sports on the small screen

Dale Edwin Schoessler

Dale Edwin Schoessler, age 71 of Othello, passed away on May 24, 2024. He is in the care of the Neptune Society.

Ephrata Class of ‘54 gathers for reunion, scholarship ceremony

EPHRATA – This year’s class of graduates includes 277 students at Ephrata High School. In 1954, that number was only 66 or so, said Gary Osborn, a representative for the class.

Almira Coulee Hartline takes ‘silver’ in state 1B baseball

EPHRATA — The Almira Coulee Hartline baseball team finished a successful season with an appearance in the state 1B final four, falling to DeSales Catholic 6-0 in the state championship game at Johnson-O’Brien Stadium Saturday. Warriors coach Hunter Lee said the day belonged to DeSales and winning pitcher Sal Sisk.

Tigers to walk the stage Friday

EPHRATA – Ephrata High School’s Class of 2024 will celebrate graduation at Kiwanis Field at 7 p.m. this Friday, per Ephrata School District staff.

The Basin honors its heroes for Memorial Day

SOAP LAKE, EPHRATA, QUINCY – Community members gathered at Valley View Memorial Park, the Ephrata Cemetery and Quincy Valley Cemetery on Monday to honor those who have served the U.S. and preserved its way of life. “Veterans made a promise to defend our country with their life if necessary. It is up to the living to ensure their promise is remembered,” said American Legion Art Semro Post 28 Commander Mike Montaney during the Ephrata event.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Honor and hope

I had the privilege of attending three Memorial Day events Monday wherein area residents visited the cemeteries in Soap Lake, Ephrata and Quincy to honor those who served our country and are no longer with us. Some of those soldiers died in combat or in the course of military service away from the front lines. The lifestyle associated with putting on a uniform isn’t easy and there are all sorts of reasons we lose those in the service. Training accidents, helicopter crashes and way too many more. All too often these days, it isn’t the bullet of an enemy that takes down a service member or veteran – it’s mental health issues related to the things people have seen and done in service to our great nation. I spoke with one veteran at the Ephrata event who said he’s lost 11 of his brothers and sisters in arms to suicide after getting out of the military.

Free dental clinic this weekend

MOSES LAKE —The Moses Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church will sponsor a two-day free dental clinic for local residents from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Spring Festival organizers plan future, celebrate success

MOSES LAKE — As anyone who was downtown - or in McCosh Park, or played 3 on 3, or went to one of the concerts, or ran in the fun run, or walked in the parade - can attest, the 2024 Moses Lake Spring Festival packed them in. In fact, there was so much going on the organizers were thinking about ways to accommodate more growth in the future.

New Warden school board member talks priorities

WARDEN – After a few meetings serving on the Warden School Board, the district’s newest board member Tiffany Hymas discussed some of her goals, priorities and perspectives going into her appointed term.

Legals for May, 30 2024

WA clean energy project mired in ‘no man’s land’ amid planning setbacks

(The Center Square) – The Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center generating wind and solar energy south of the Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington was expected to begin construction in 2021. Three years later, the project is still in the planning phase, with Gov. Jay Inslee most recently sending the proposed site certification agreement back to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council for reconsideration.

MLSD to eliminate equivalent of 85 more positions

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District will reduce its staff for the 2024-25 school year by about 85 jobs among its classified employees. The new reductions are in addition to about 100 layoffs announced May 15. The new round of reductions affects classified (non-teaching) employees only, according to a MLSD press release. The previous reduction affected certificated (teaching) employees and administrators.

State track and field results

Ephrata’s Roberts, Belino win state titles

MOSES LAKE – Five state championships were won by local track and field athletes at last week’s State Track and Field Championships, hosted in Tacoma for 4A-2A teams and Yakima for 1A-1B teams.

Robert Paul Medrano Jr.

Robert Paul Medrano, Jr.

Beverly wildfire prompts evac notice

BEVERLY – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office has reported a wildfire of more than 10 acres. An evacuation order has been issued in Beverly from A Street to Morrison Street to the Columbia River. Those not in the immediate evacuation zone but nearby in the town of Beverly should be ready to evacuate for their safety. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

‘Everybody that’s here loves cars’

Spring Festival car show fills Moses Lake’s Third Street with cool cars

MOSES LAKE — The bass contest proved that none of the trucks at the Moses Lake Spring Festival car show had sound systems so powerful they could break windows. But anybody standing next to the orange 2005 Chevrolet Silverado felt their lungs vibrate when owner Santana Palacios turned up the volume. A lot of people were impressed.

Title secured: Knights win 1A softball championship

RICHLAND — The Royal offense exploded to put up 16 runs on the board in Saturday’s 1A state championship game against No. 6 seed Seton Catholic, as the No. 8 Knights defeated the Cougars 16-4 in six innings to take home their first state championship in fastpitch softball.

Othello council considers pushcart rules

OTHELLO — In the age of mobile businesses and part-time side gigs, Othello city officials are working to ensure proper city regulation while promoting entrepreneurship. Othello City Council members passed an ordinance in April to regulate food truck operation and considered pushcart regulations at the regular council meeting Tuesday.

Adams Co. planning broadband infrastructure expansion

RITZVILLE — Construction could start as early as August on a project to bring fiber optic cable to the Ritzville and Lind areas. Adams County Public Works Director Todd O’Brien said fiber installation in the two cities would be the first phase of a two-phase project. The second phase will be the addition of fiber in an area south of Othello.

Huskies go 3-2 at state tournament

SELAH – No. 9 seed Othello went 3-2 at last week’s 2A State Softball Tournament in Selah, picking up wins against No. 8 Olympic, No. 14 Enumclaw, No. 12 Lynden but suffering losses to No. 1 Sedro-Woolley and No. 2 North Kitsap. The Huskies’ opening game of the tournament was a rematch of last season’s state opening round, facing off against the Olympic Trojans. Othello lost 11-3 a year ago.

Two arrested for trespassing, possible theft near Ritzville

RITZVILLE – Two subjects were arrested in association with a trespassing and subsequent theft complaint in the 1500 block of E. Rosenoff Road, near the Ritzville Memorial Cemetery Monday.

Deputies execute PIT maneuver to stop reckless driver

OTHELLO – Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies aided Othello Police Department officers after a passenger vehicle failed to stop for an OPD patrol vehicle, according to an ACSO statement.

Dogs and cats available for adoption at Adams County Pet Rescue

OTHELLO — It’s been a busy few weeks at Adams County Pet Rescue - there was the kitten that may have fallen out of a vehicle, and those puppies found in a haystack, among many other dogs and cats.

Hispanic-owned businesses show power of hard work

MOSES LAKE — Brothers Vincent and Ben Hernandez and friends Ulises Sanchez and Hector Guerrero all had pretty good jobs. They had different goals though, goals that required a willingness to take a risk and do some hard work.

Cougars take second in 2B softball tournament

YAKIMA — Reaching their first state championship game in program history, the No. 6 seed Warden Cougars fell 13-5 to No. 1 Adna, placing second in the 2B State Softball Tournament.

Legals for May, 29 2024

Othello man arrested in fuel theft case

OTHELLO – Anthony Earl Lee, 33, of Othello was arrested for suspicion of theft in the second degree and suspicion of unlawful use of red dyed diesel after an investigation by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

No injuries in Wheeler Road fire

MOSES LAKE — No injuries were reported in a fire at an industrial facility on Wheeler Road in Moses Lake Monday afternoon.

Open house set for Reclamation fire station

GRAND COULEE – Construction work at the Bureau of Reclamation fire station is near completion near the west gate to the Grand Coulee Power Office near the intersection of Highway 155 and B Street.

Wet week helps crops

OLYMPIA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service’s weekly report for Washington indicates that the week ending May 26 was wetter than average which is anticipated to be good for crops across the state.

Pasco schools to offer online program statewide

(The Center Square) - Students across Washington state will have the opportunity to attend Pasco School District next year without leaving their homes, thanks to a recent expansion of an online learning program.

Association of WA Business endorses two of three initiatives on the fall ballot

(The Center Square) – The board of directors of the Association of Washington Business – the state’s oldest and largest business association – has endorsed two of three initiatives on this November’s ballot. AWB’s board has voted to endorse Initiative 2109, repealing the state’s capital gains tax, and Initiative 2124, allowing employees and self-employed individuals to opt out of coverage under WA Cares, the state’s mandatory long-term care insurance program.

Box score roundup for May 25

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball, softball and boys soccer games from May 25.

Marion Martin Moore

Oct. 11, 1931 — May 26, 2023

It has been one year since my grandfather Martin passed away on May 26, 2023 at the age of 91; he is dearly missed and honored every day. Martin passed away peacefully with his beloved cat Fancy by his side.

Judith Ann Johnson Clark

July 26, 1944 – May 16, 2024

Judith Ann Johnson Clark passed away in her sleep May 16, 2024. She was born July 26, 1944, in Hamilton, Montana. Her daughter, Cherae, her sister, Marilyn, and her mother, Alice, precede her in death. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Charles, and her four children, Charla (Jay), Michael (Linda), Eric and Nathan (Stacey). She is grandmother to 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A private memorial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to Moses Lake Senior Center.

Carol Hofstetter

Dec. 19, 1946 – May 25, 2024

In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 25, 2024, Carol Hofstetter, 77, passed peacefully in her sleep after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Bremerton, Washington on December 19, 1946, Carol Ann Kent-Hofstetter grew up on the west side of the state.

MLHS grads set an example at Peninsula Elem.

MOSES LAKE — Students at Peninsula Elementary School and Moses Lake High School seniors who once attended Peninsula had a message for each other. The Peninsula students wanted the seniors to know Peninsula was proud of the class of 2024; the seniors wanted Peninsula students to know they could be wearing that cap and gown someday.

Cougars defeat Broncos in 2B softball first round

Friday matches push Warden to 2B state championship game

YAKIMA – The first round of the 2B State Softball Tournament saw a matchup of teams from the Columbia Basin, with the No. 6 seed Warden Cougars mounting a comeback to defeat the No. 11 seed Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos 6-4 on Friday. LRS led the game 2-0 through the fourth inning.

Moses Lake Distillery settles into new location

MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake Distillery has been bottling spirits for sale in the region since 2021, operating out of a shop off of State Route 17, as well as running a small tasting room now located in Downtown Moses Lake. Owner Zachary Hughes said the distillery began as a side project.

Royal bests Cedar Park Christian in 1A semifinals

Knights make second straight state championship game

RICHLAND – The No. 8 seed Royal Knights got back to the 1A State Softball Tournament’s championship game after defeating No. 4 Cedar Park Christian 6-4 in the semifinal on Saturday morning, capitalizing on a four-run bottom of the first to take an early lead. Royal bested No. 1 seed Montesano, who the Knights played in last season’s state title game, 6-4 in the state quarterfinals on Friday.

Weather for the week of May 28, 2024

Weather for the week of May 28, 2024

Class of 2024 to say goodbye to high school

MOSES LAKE — The class of 2024 throughout the Columbia Basin closes out an eventful high school career with graduation ceremonies over the next two weeks at area high schools.

Legals for May, 28 2024

Knights fall to Overlake in 1A title match

RENTON – A late goal allowed No. 4 seed Overlake to defeat No. 3 Royal in Saturday’s 1A boys soccer state title game in Renton, with the Owls saving a Royal penalty kick in second-half stoppage time to seal the 1-0 victory.

MLSD budget woes continue

District may borrow from capital fund to make payroll

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District has found another issue as it works to untangle accounting and budget errors that have put the district in a financial chokehold. Board members, administrators and staff from Education Services District 171 are prioritizing getting a clear picture of the district’s finances and dealing with 2023-34 school year challenges before tackling the 2024-25 budget.

ACH advances makes 1B state championship

EPHRATA — Almira Coulee Hartline pitcher Caiden Corriea, in glasses, is lifted up by his teammates after a dominating pitching performance that put the Warriors in the 1B state title game in Ephrata Saturday. ACH defeated two-time defending state champion Naselle in the semifinal game Friday. Results of the state championship game were not available by press time. A full story on the Warriors’ weekend will be in Wednesday’s Columbia Basin Herald.

Premera, MultiCare agreement maintains access to facilities for over 100K people

(The Center Square) – Premera Blue Cross and MultiCare Health Systems have agreed to the terms of a new contract, which will ensure members' access to approximately 1,000 healthcare providers statewide.

Shirley Timm

May 18, 1940 — Feb. 15, 2023

Shirley Timm, 83 at time of death, of Moses Lake, passed away at her daughter’s home in Alabama on Feb. 15, 2023. She was born Shirley Marx on May 18, 1940, in Dickinson, North Dakota, where she was raised and graduated.

Box score roundup for May 24, 2024

COLUMBIA BASIN – Box scores for baseball, boys soccer and softball games from May 24. Box scores for weekend games will be compiled and published in the Wednesday, May 29 edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.

Opponents of WA capital gains repeal hit campaign trail

(The Center Square) - Backers of the No on Initiative 2109 campaign are off and running. I-2109, set for the ballot in November, asks voters to repeal the capital gains tax. State lawmakers passed a capital gains tax in 2021. It taxes 7% on the sale of stocks and bonds and other assets above $250,000, with some exemptions.

Eligible WA students to get summer meal cards

(The Center Square) – More than 500,000 Washington state children will receive new EBT cards for summer meals. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program called SUN Bucks was approved by the federal government in 2022, but this is the first year each participating state has access to the funds.

Sign-up for MCBONES Coyote Canyon Mammoth Site tours starts June 1

KENNEWICK – According to a May 17 announcement from the MCBONES Research Center Foundation, sign-ups for public and group tours at the Coyote Canyon Mammoth Site, a dig site in Kennewick, begin June 1. Reservations can be made for June through October.

Pear Bureau receives $4M global marketing grant

MILWAUKIE, OREGON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $4.025 million grant under the Regional Agriculture Promotion Program to build demand for American pears in global markets with a high potential according to a Pear Bureau Northwest press release.

Olympic National Park ranks fourth in KURU Footwear top ten hiking list

MOSES LAKE – According to a May 22 statement from KURU Footwear, the organization conducted an analysis of all 63 U.S. National Parks to identify the top ten for hiking based on factors such as number of trails, trail length, average trail rating and park crowd levels.

Electric City audit report released

ELECTRIC CITY – The Washington State Auditor’s Office released Monday its report and summary of the office’s audit of Electric City’s financial statements from January 2021 through December 2022. The summary reported no findings of material weaknesses or non-compliance.

Work on Vantage Bridge expands to seven days per week May 31

MOSES LAKE — It being a holiday weekend - and bringing with it a lot of traffic - most road projects will be taking a break for Memorial Day, with many resuming Tuesday.

ESD 105 Superintendent reflects on service district’s operations, goals

YAKIMA – Serving four counties, including Kittitas, Yakima and portions of Klickitat and Grant County, Washington’s Educational Service District 105 provides support for 25 school districts – including Royal School District and Wahluke School District – and more than 66,000 students. ESD 105 Superintendent Kevin Chase explained his perspective on the basic purpose of an ESD.

State golf final results

COLUMBIA BASIN – Four local golfers finished in the top 10 of their respective state golf tournaments this week, while 10 made the second-round cut. 4A Boys - Indian Canyon Golf Course, Spokane Sophomore Mason Bradford - tied-fifth place, score of 143; 69 in the first round, 74 in the second round.

Nine tennis players qualify for state

COLUMBIA BASIN – Nine local tennis players qualified for state tournaments this season, with matches beginning Friday at locations in Seattle, Yakima and Kennewick. 4A Boys Singles - The Pacific Clinic and Kamiakin High School, Kennewick Moses Lake’s Marwan Warnick vs Olympia’s Kevin Shen - 10 a.m. at The Pacific Clinic. Winner to quarterfinals, loser to the consolation bracket.

ECBID breaks ground on EL 86.4 irrigation system

OTHELLO – The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District was joined by landowners, key partners and elected officials for a groundbreaking ceremony on the EL 86.4 system Monday, according to a Tuesday announcement from the ECBID. Construction on the system began immediately after the event. The EL 86.4 is an irrigation water delivery system for the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program. According to the announcement, the project will reduce the current normalized cost for landowners in the affected area. Tom Tebb, Director of the Office of Columbia River for the Washington Department of Ecology, attended the groundbreaking ceremony and commented on the project in the announcement.

State Fire Marshal releases Memorial Day safety tips

OLYMPIA – According to a Wednesday statement from the Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office, during Memorial Day weekend in 2023 there were 10,658 incidents in Washington State requiring Fire or EMS response. These incidents resulted in $3,489,572 in property loss. “Please keep fire safety in mind as we honor those that have fallen,” the statement said. The statement urged members of the public to follow these tips to stay safe during this year’s Memorial Day:

Moses Lake Rotary gives out $75,000 in scholarships at awards banquet

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Rotary Club gave out $75,000 in scholarships during Tuesday evening’s Rotary Scholarship Foundation Awards Banquet, held at Pillar Rock Grill in Moses Lake, bringing the total of Moses Lake Rotary’s scholarship awards since 1980 to $950,000. The ceremony began with a few words from a former Rotary Club scholarship recipient, Elena Bewick...

Knights open state playoffs with win over Klahowya

RICHLAND – No. 8 seed Royal opened up the 1A State Softball Tournament with a win against No. 9 Klahowya on Thursday, defeating the Eagles 10-0 at Columbia Playfields in Richland. “I think the girls were confident and really meshing well after four games on Saturday at districts,” Royal Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said. “They came in aggressive and ready to play.” The Knights picked up 11 hits in the win, led by senior Raegan Wardenaar, junior Lily Delarosa, sophomore Taylor Webb and junior Adalynn Andersen, who all had two hits.

Legals for May, 24 2024

Moses Lake School Board hears from concerned community

MOSES LAKE — Decisions on a modified educational plan for the Moses Lake School District could be coming later today, although they may be delayed. Moses Lake School Board members have scheduled a workshop for 3 p.m. for further discussion on proposed spending and staff reductions for the 2024-25 school year. The discussions follow the rejection of the district’s educational programs and operations levy and the discovery of an accounting error. As of May 11, staff from the North Central Education Service District estimated that MLSD would have to reduce its 2024-25 budget by about $20 million. About 100 staff members, both teachers and support staff, could lose their jobs, and among other things, the district’s entire extracurricular activities program could be reduced or eliminated for 2024-25.

Track and field state begins

Local track and field teams began state competition on Thursday, with 4A, 3A and 2A teams competing at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma and 1A, 2B and 1B teams traveling to Yakima to compete at Eisenhower High School. Results from the meets will be included in the Columbia Basin Herald next week.

Six Basin squads reach state softball tournaments

COLUMBIA BASIN – It all comes down to this; six Basin softball teams qualified for their respective state softball tournaments, with games being hosted in Richland, Selah and Yakima beginning Thursday afternoon. Read along for a look at where teams were seeded in their brackets as well as a look at first-round matchups.

Moses Lake’s Villegas signs with University of Idaho Spirit Squad

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Senior Kamaya Villegas signed her letter of intent Wednesday in the Moses Lake High School gym to join the University of Idaho’s Vandal Spirit Squad as part of both the university’s Vandal Gems dance and Vandal Cheer teams. “I'm feeling pumped up,” Villegas said before the signing. “I'm excited.” Villegas said her choice of UI was influenced both by the university’s dance and cheer programs and by the school itself. “I looked into it and, I don't know, I just wanted to try out for some dance teams and I kind of liked Moscow too,” she said. “And I like the campus and everything, so I was like, why not try out here? And I did. It was between going into the military or doing this or going somewhere far and dancing.”

Lupe (Mitzi) Cruz

Sept. 25, 1936 – May 22, 2024

Lupe (Mitzi) Cruz, 87, passed away on Wednesday, May 22 at 12:35 a.m. peacefully, with her loving family at her side. She was born September 25, 1936, in Fairmont City, Illinois. As a child she went to school in Cle Elum. She then moved to Yakima until she married Henry Zarate Sr. Later in life she married Pedro Serrano. Lupe is survived by her brothers Johnny Cruz (Jane) and Dennis Barbeau; sisters Mary (Linga) Vielmas (Jose), Josephine Manley, and Patricia Brogan; daughters Mary (Baby) Zarate, Margie Rodriguez (Carlos) and Kathy Zarate (Eddie); grandchildren Tom Zarate (Celinda), Shawna Garcia, Melissa Nimley (Sateah), Christina Garcia, Jason Zarate (Gina), Channel Enriquez (Clarence), Chalissa Badley, Kathleen Badley, Jessica Hayworth and Blake McDougall; 18 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. She is preceded in death by her parents Toribio and Martha Cruz; her brothers William (Memo) Cruz, Jack Cruz Jr. and Frank Cruz; her sisters Mary Lou Cruz, Sally Cruz and Ruth Cruz; her son Henry Zarate, Jr. and her first husband Henry Zarate, Sr.

Harvey Raymond Ruff

April 20, 1944 – May 13, 2024

The family of Harvey Raymond Ruff, 80, of Warden, Washington is saddened to announce his passing on May 13, 2024. He was born April 20, 1944, to Raymond and Hilda Ruff in Ritzville, Washington and was the older brother to his sister, Bonnie. Harvey was raised on a dryland wheat farm in Ruff; his love for farming and agriculture carried throughout his life. After graduating high school and Big Bend Community College, he married Barbara Gail. They had two daughters, Lori and Lisa, and he started his own farm raising wheat, hay and peas. He left the farm and became the manager for Brotherton Seed Company for 46 years before retiring. Harvey was a 4-H leader; he loved sharing his knowledge and skills with the youth in his community. He started raising sheep to ensure the best stock for his daughters and other 4-H members. Harvey spent a great deal of time, yearly, at the Grant County Fair supporting the 4-H and FFA organizations plus enjoying the rodeos.

From player to coach

2023 graduate Ali Stanley begins coaching with the Royal Knights

ROYAL CITY – When Ali Stanley graduated from Covenant Christian School in the spring of 2023, she anticipated playing collegiate softball locally in Moses Lake, suiting up for the Big Bend Vikings.

Cruise Night Out

Moses Lake Classic Car Club to host cruise through Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Classic Car Club will take to the streets to celebrate its 50th birthday with a Cruise Night Out.

Customer opinion sought on future Grant County PUD rate structure

MOSES LAKE — Grant County PUD electrical rates, relative power use and revenue and rates in the future were topics of discussion and questions during a “rate strategy” presentation from PUD employees Tuesday in Moses Lake.

Moses Lake’s Gephart signs with CWU

MOSES LAKE – Friends, family and coaches gathered in the gymnasium at Moses Lake High School to celebrate senior Sylvie Gephart signing her letter of intent to run cross country and track and field at Central Washington University on Tuesday afternoon.

Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport opens new $92 million terminal free of debt

(The Center Square) - Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport opened the doors to its new terminal Wednesday morning, sending its inaugural flight to Seattle and back before noon.

Survey: More young adults in Washington smoke weed on a daily basis

(The Center Square) – Members of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board were briefed Tuesday on the latest Young Adult Health Survey.

Fire report: Wildfires slow down with cooler weather

COLUMBIA BASIN — Perhaps due to the cool, wet weather, wildfires were nowhere to be found Wednesday in the Columbia Basin. In Kittitas County, the Pumphouse Fire, which had been discovered Monday near Ryegrass Summit on Interstate 90, was controlled at 3 acres. A few prescribed fires continued to burn in Stevens and Ferry counties. The largest were the 300-acre Mima Mounds Fire and the 208-acre Bitterbrush Fire, both on the Spokane Reservation. These other wildfires were burning around Washington Wednesday afternoon:

Columbia Basin Herald closed Monday for Memorial Day

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Herald will not publish an edition Monday in recognition of the Memorial Day holiday. The office will be closed. Publication will resume Tuesday.

North Central ESD Superintendent talks district services, goals moving forward

WENATCHEE – Washington’s North Central Educational Service District, also known as ESD 171, offers more than 140 programs and services that address all areas of K-12 education and administration, according to the NCESD website. Superintendent Michelle Price discussed what differentiates NCESD from other service districts and what similarities are shared between the nine different districts. “In the realm of student support, we provide all kinds of opportunities that would help with student outcomes in each school district,” Price said. “For instance, connected learning. We have a whole team on the ground that helps connect industry partners and school districts to help make experiences available for students that they would not otherwise have, to explore careers, to investigate careers and maybe even to go into internships and apprenticeships.” The other aspect of NCESD’s services are directed toward school districts more than directly to students.

Chamber seeking volunteers for Sage-N-Sun

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce is seeking volunteers for this year's Sage -N-Sun Festival set for June 7-8. Takedown and cleanup volunteers are needed for Saturday, June 8 starting at about 10 p.m. the Saturday of the event. The chamber is also looking for two additional judges for the Grand Parade and someone to supervise the cornhole activities at the festival. That attraction will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and sifts are set for two-hour increments. The festival is also looking for a face-painting vendor for the event To volunteer, contact the chamber at 509-754-4656 or email the chamber at ephratawachamber@gmail.com. More information on the event is available at ephratachamber.org.

Bids awarded for Soap Lake street rebuilding, resurfacing

SOAP LAKE — No start date has been established for two street repair projects planned for Soap Lake this summer. Contracts for the projects were awarded by the Soap Lake City Council last week. Tommer Construction, Ephrata, was awarded the bid on a project to resurface streets throughout town in an effort to prolong their life. Tommer bid $992,000. The city received a grant from the Washington Transportation Improvement Board to pay all the costs of the project. Selected streets will be resurfaced with a process known as scrub seal. Michael Woodkey of Gray and Osborne, the city’s engineers, said in an earlier interview that scrub sealing will slow down deterioration of city streets. It’s similar to chip seal, but it includes a step to push the rock and tar material into the existing cracks.

Janea Fowles Pixton

Janea Fowles Pixton, 70, was a loving wife, a devoted mother, a favorite among grandmas, a caring daughter/sister/aunt, a loyal friend, and a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What more can be said of a great woman who left an undeniable imprint upon the hearts of everyone she met? Born on July 10, 1953, in Sandpoint, Idaho to proud parents LaVelle and Evona Fowles, Janea was the youngest of six children. While her family didn’t have much in material possessions, they more than made up for it with love in their home. Undoubtedly, Janea knew she had parents and siblings who loved her and that was enough.

GALLERY: Basin spring sports

COLUMBIA BASIN – The spring sports season comes to a close this week, with state championship events being held in baseball, boys soccer, golf, tennis, track and field and softball.

Basin sports schedule May 22-28

COLUMBIA BASIN – Check out this week’s sports schedule, featuring local baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and track and field events.

State golf first-round scores

COLUMBIA BASIN – The first round of boys and girls state golf championships was held on numerous courses around the state on Tuesday, with some local golfers posting high marks on the opening day.

Desert Aire Airport District votes to eventually dissolve district

DESERT AIRE – Grant County Airport District 1, also known as the Desert Aire Airport District, held a special meeting Saturday with members of the Desert Aire community to discuss the district’s future, during which the commissioners voted to begin the process of dissolving the district.

Memorial Day remembrance events scheduled

MOSES LAKE — Veterans, especially those who died in service to their country, will be remembered with Memorial Day ceremonies in communities around the Columbia Basin.

Bowfishers reap harvest of carp at Carp Classic

MOSES LAKE — High winds affected participation, but bowfishers still removed about 2,600 pounds of carp from Moses Lake in the fifth annual Carp Classic Saturday.

Royal School District discusses reducing positions, tighter budget

ROYAL CITY – The Royal School Board discussed its efforts to work with a tighter budget during special and regular meetings Monday. Superintendent Roger Trail said the budget reductions will not require lay-offs, but will lead to reduced staff.

Candidates vying to head OSPI spar over how state funds Wa's public schools

(The Center Square) – Amid district budget shortfalls and complaints from some school leaders about a lack of money from Olympia, state funding was a hot topic at an election forum featuring candidates for the office of Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Wallen to stay as Grant County PUD chief executive officer

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD General Manager Rich Wallen will stay in that position, rather than resigning to take a job with the Chelan County PUD. Utility district commissioners announced Wallen would be staying during a workshop Tuesday, followed by a statement from Commissioner Terry Pyle warning against listening to rumors.

Jacks close out 2024 season

VASHON – The No. 10 seed Quincy Jackrabbits traveled across the Cascades to begin the 1A Boys State Soccer Tournament over the weekend, opening with a 2-1 win over No. 7 Toppenish before seeing their season coming to a close with a loss to No. 2 Vashon Island.

Legals for May, 22 2024

Fire report: Burn barrel triggers wildfire near Ephrata

EPHRATA — A 10-acre wildfire started Monday evening after an unsupervised burn barrel spread to nearby vegetation in the area of Naylor Junction, southwest of Ephrata, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 13. A quick response had the wind-driven fire contained within 20 minutes of the call, but mopping up took two-plus hours for 10 trucks. Nothing was damaged, although if the fire had gone unreported or unchecked several minutes longer property damage would have likely resulted, the district wrote. Burn barrels have been illegal in Washington since 2000, according to GCFD 13, whether they’re attended or not. These other wildfires were burning around Washington Tuesday afternoon:

Grant County PUD manager to stay on the job

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD General Manager Rich Wallen will continue in that job. Utility district commissioners made the announcement during a workshop Tuesday morning, followed by a statement from Commissioner Terry Pyle warning against listening to rumors. Commission Chair Tom Flint said commissioners wanted to make it clear where they stood. “As you know, there has been a quite a bit of rumor and misinformation floating around the district,” Flint said. “The commission would like to clarify some of that. The commission has never asked Rich Wallen to resign.” All five commissioners supported, and still support, Wallen, Flint said.

National Holstein Convention set for June 24 through 27

SALT LAKE CITY — Registration is open for the junior and adult National Holstein Convention, scheduled for June 24 through 27 in Salt Lake City.

Box score roundup for May 18

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for local baseball, boys soccer and softball games from May 18.

26 Basin golfers swing on to state

COLUMBIA BASIN – Twenty-six Basin golfers will travel across the state for their respective State Golf Championships, held at courses in Liberty Lake, Spokane, Chehalis and Tumwater.

Seat belt emphasis patrols statewide through June 2

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Patrol is conducting emphasis patrols for seat belt use through June 2. It’s part of the annual seat belt enforcement campaign sponsored by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

Grand Coulee Dam laser light show resumes this weekend

GRAND COULEE — Public tours of the John W. Keys pump-generating plant and the laser light show at Grand Coulee Dam resume this weekend for the summer.

Royal City teacher nominated for National History Day Teacher of the Year award

ROYAL CITY – Royal Middle School Social Studies Teacher Emily Ovenell was nominated in the middle school division of National History Day’s 2024 Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year award according to a May 13 announcement from NHD

Man sentenced for sexually abusing children in Othello

PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregon man who was convicted of sexually abusing two girls in Othello was sentenced Thursday to more than 12 years in prison, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern Oregon.

Educational Service District 123 Superintendent discusses priorities, services

PASCO – Washington Educational Service District 123, based out of Pasco, serves 23 school districts in seven counties of Southeastern Washington – including Othello School District – with more than 70,000 students, according to ESD 123’s website.

Fire report

Grant County firefighters train near Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Fire District 5 got in some training on an acquired structure on Road 10 Northeast Saturday, according to an announcement from the fire district

Grant County physician surrenders license

OLYMPIA – The Washington Medical Commission has accepted the permanent surrender of the license to practice medicine of Grant County oral surgeon Thomas J. Laney, according to an announcement from the WMC

Identification pending on crash victim

CRESCENT BAR – Identification is pending on a man found dead in a car near Ancient Lakes Road near Crescent Bar late Saturday afternoon.

Knights reach final four with shootout win over Seton Catholic

ROYAL CITY – Penalty kicks determined the winner of Saturday’s 1A Boys State Soccer quarterfinal match between No. 3 seed Royal and No. 11 seed Seton Catholic, with the Knights advancing to the state semifinals with a 3-1 shootout win over the Cougars.

ACH defeats Northport, reaches state semifinals

WENATCHEE – Runs were hard to come by in Saturday’s 1B State Baseball Tournament quarterfinal matchup between No. 3 seed Almira/Coulee-Hartline and No. 6 Northport, but the Warriors advanced to the state semifinals with a 1-0 win over the Mustangs.

Legals for May, 21 2024

News bites for May 21, 2024

EPHRATA — An Ephrata man was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault – domestic violence and making a bomb threat after portions of the neighborhood around the 10 block of K Street Northeast were evacuated Sunday night. Nicholas Svetich, 49, was arrested Monday morning, according to a release from the Ephrata Police Department. “Due to threats made by the suspect, neighbors were evacuated as a precaution,” the release said. “Neighbors were notified they could return to their homes (Monday morning).” OTHELLO — A former law enforcement agent who thought he was meeting an underage girl in Othello and instead found police officers waiting for him has been convicted of attempted online enticement of a minor, according to a statement from the Othello Police Department.

Construction begins on new Habitat for Humanity house

MOSES LAKE — Workers from Bailey and Sons Construction started clearing the site for a new Habitat for Humanity house in Moses Lake on Monday, about five years after the last house was finished. Executive Director Rebecca Mabius said there have been some changes, including almost all new board members, and some challenges since the last house was built. “It really has been a journey,” she said. “It’s definitely been a great learning opportunity for myself and our board members.”

Janea Fowles Pixton

Janea Fowles Pixton, 70, died May 14, 2024, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Visitation will be Friday, May 31, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Visitation will continue Saturday June 1, 2024, from 2 p.m. until the 3 p.m. funeral service at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 477 E Honeysuckle Ave., Hayden, Idaho. Graveside service will be held at the Hooper Cemetery in Hooper, Utah.

Janet (Barney) Brooks

March 1, 1940 — May 8, 2024

Born March 1, 1940, at their home in Huntington, Utah to Stanley and Bardell (Norton) Barney, Janet was the youngest of three siblings. Janet spent her early years living in Price and Springville, Utah. In 1945, Janet and her family moved to Tacoma, Washington where her parents worked in the Tacoma shipyards supporting the war efforts. Janet went to school in Tacoma and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1958. Throughout her early life, Janet enjoyed ice and roller skating, writing for her school newspaper, sewing with her mother, going to church and spending time with her friends. She started writing Harris Brooks Jr. while he was on an LDS mission during her senior year of high school because her good friend said he needed someone to write to. They continued to write until his mission was completed. Harris had to report for military duty in Seattle and then traveled to Tacoma to meet Janet. They met face to face on a Friday and by Sunday they were talking about marriage. They were married Sept. 1, 1959, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

‘That was great softball’

Moses Lake fastpitch softball wins Big 9 title, advances to state

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School fastpitch softball coach Mike Hofheins assessed the game for his team after the Mavericks’ 7-0 win over West Valley (Yakima) Saturday. “That was great softball,” Hofheins said.

Reykdal visits Wahluke

State superintendent learns of challenges faced by rural, underfunded district

MATTAWA – Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal visited Wahluke School District Thursday afternoon for a tour and various discussions and panels with teachers, administrators and students. “It's a great visit. I do a lot of these around the state, but it's nice to see everyone's unique community, particularly a school district where your elementary, middle and high (schools) feel like such a family,” Reykdal said in a later interview.

Quincy hosts Special Education Field Day

QUINCY — Connie Martin, special education director for the Quincy School District, said she had a goal for the participants in the Special Education Field Day Friday. “I want them to be able to have their moment to shine,” she said. “To be able to participate in a sports event and get their moment in the spotlight. And for their parents to see it.”

Weather for the week of May 20, 2024

Weather for the week of May 20, 2024

GALLERY: GCAO pets looking for homes

MOSES LAKE – Grant County Animal Outreach is over capacity and asking for the community to consider adoption or fostering to help out. The shelter has a capacity of 47 dogs, but many animals are paired up in kennels where possible to accommodate the roughly 150 animals they’re currently caring for.

CWU online Master’s of Education program now offers special education endorsement

ELLENSBURG – Ever since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act – also known as IDEA – became law, K-12 schools have been required to offer special education services to students with unique needs, to ensure equitable access to education for all. However, teachers certified to provide these services are in short supply, partially due to a lack of flexible options for getting those certifications.

Wahluke falls to Seton Catholic in state playoffs

ROYAL CITY – Wahluke’s season came to a close on Friday night, after the No. 6 seed Warriors fell to No. 11 Seton Catholic in the second round of the 1A Boys State Soccer Playoffs in Royal City. Seton Catholic scored two goals in the first half, eventually winning the match 3-0.

Knights defeat Meridian in state tourney

ROYAL CITY – The No. 3 seed Knights opened the 1A Boys State Soccer Tournament with a win over No. 19 Meridian on Friday, defeating the Trojans 1-0 to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal round.

Legals for May, 20 2024

Grant Co. first responders recover remains near Crescent Bar

CRESCENT BAR – Grant County first responders have recovered a body from a vehicle near Ancient Lakes Road, Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman said Saturday shortly before 8 p.m.

STUDIO BASIN: Grant Co. Commissioner Rob Jones and state playoffs

MOSES LAKE – Grant County Commissioner Rob Jones joined Managing Editor R Hans "Rob" Miller for the news segment of the STUDIO BASIN Podcast this week. The pair discussed the process and cost of filing for office - Jones is running for reelection - as well as a variety of projects going on in the county. Jones also discussed how inflation has impacted the various businesses he owns and operates. In sports, Sports Reporter Ian Bivona and Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer break down several of last week's district playoff games, including Moses Lake baseball, Royal and Wahluke boys soccer, Ephrata and Othello softball and Soap Lake tennis. The STUDIO BASIN podcast can be found on your favorite podcast apps, or downloaded directly at https://bit.ly/4blqNzr.

Box score roundup for May 17

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for softball, baseball and boys soccer games from May 17.

Wenatchee School Board closes elementary, cuts 63 staff

(The Center Square) – Wenatchee School District is closing the doors to Columbia Elementary following a unanimous School Board decision on Tuesday to "ensure the long-term sustainability" of the district. Enrollment has been declining throughout the district since 2015, with around 916 students having left since then. That loss of students is paired with a loss of funding, as the state sees the two factors as intertwined, according to WSD's website.

Opponents of three fall ballot initiatives come out swinging

(The Center Square) – Efforts to convince Washington state voters to reject three initiatives on the ballot this fall are in full swing. Initiative 2117 would repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act, Initiative 2109 would repeal the state’s capital gains tax and Initiative 2124 would allow Washingtonians to opt out of the state’s mandatory long-term care benefit program.

FIRE REPORT: State mobilizes for Tidyman Road, other fires burn around WA

KLICKITAT COUNTY — State fire assistance has been mobilized under the Washington State Fire Services Resource Mobilization Plan in support of local firefighters working to contain the Tidyman Road Fire located in Klickitat County across the Columbia River from The Dalles, according to a statement from the state fire marshal’s office Friday.

Janea Pixton

Janea Pixton, 70, died May 14, 2024, in Hayden, Idaho. Janea was born July 10, 1953, in Sandpoint, Idaho. A full obituary will appear in a later edition. Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of arrangements.

Judy Lozar

December 2, 1942 – May 14, 2024

Judy Lozar, 81, of Moses Lake, passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 14, 2024. She was born on Dec. 2, 1942, in Potlach, Idaho. She was married to Tim Lozar for 37 years before his passing in 1999. Judy enjoyed bingo and doing crossword puzzles.

Blake Chandler Marcusen

April 18, 1997 – May 12, 2024

Blake Chandler Marcusen, 27, of George, passed away suddenly on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake due to complications with pneumonia. Blake was born on April 18, 1997, to Allan and Linda Marcusen and spent his early years playing on the family farm with his two older brothers. He participated in 4-H and enjoyed sports, especially football. He had a love for fast cars and was always thrilled to drive his mother's Hellcat. He attended Royal High School. Blake was devout in his faith and passed away while serving the Lord as a service missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He thoroughly enjoyed his time and the friends he met as a missionary. Blake was loved by all who met him. He was well known for his good-natured humor and his ability to make lasting friends, of which he had many. His rib-crushing, heartfelt hugs, quickness to smile and laugh and resolute faith will be greatly missed. His absence will be deeply felt by all.

Eunice Mae Carpenter

Eunice (born Unas) Mae Carpenter, 95, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2024. She remained in her home of 65 years until the day of her death. Eunice was born in 1929 in Crystal, North Dakota. She was the firstborn of her mother Maggie and father Albert Springsted. Eunice spent her summers painting interiors and exteriors with her father in his painting business and working in the family gardens and farms. She often told the story of being on a runaway horse and buggy ride back in the North Dakota farmlands. Being almost six feet tall, she was a star basketball player throughout her youth. Paul met Eunice when he was on leave from the army and driving a potato truck through a field where she was picking potatoes in in North Dakota. She was a stunning beauty. Eunice was feisty until the end, living up to a dear neighbor friend’s nickname given her years before, Tiger. She was a caring and ever-present mother and grandmother. For many years she hosted large family holiday dinners and summer gatherings and was well known as a fabulous cook. Eunice was firm in her faith, daily praying for family and friends.

Lane closures on SR 17 this weekend, other projects continue

MOSES LAKE — Lane closures are scheduled for the State Route 17 bridge that crosses Interstate 90, starting at 8 p.m. today and lasting through Monday. Crews will be working 24 hours per day, from Friday night through 6 a.m. Monday.

Talented on the field, and in the classroom

ACH baseball and softball teams win academic state titles

COULEE CITY – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association announced its academic state champions for the spring sports season on Tuesday, with the Almira/Coulee-Hartline baseball and softball teams both posting the highest team average GPA in each sport.

Othello board reflects on national conference

OTHELLO – Monday afternoon’s Othello School Board meeting saw a presentation from Superintendent Pete Perez and the board members on their time at the National School Board Association’s annual conference from April 6 to 8 in New Orleans.

‘Paintings of My Life’

Artist with Down syndrome opens show at the Moses Lake Museum

MOSES LAKE — Beth Anna Margolis sees a potential painting in everything. “You’ve got to get out there, out in the daylight, and see nature,” she said. “You have to see, and see, and see more.”

Grant, Adams counties need more housing, Department of Commerce says

OLYMPIA — The state of Washington will need to build more than 1 million new residences over the next 20 years to catch up to current demand and accommodate new residents, according to a report released this week by the Washington Department of Commerce. The Housing Advisory Plan was issued by the Washington State Affordable Housing Advisory Board.

FIRE REPORT: Royal Slope Fire District puts out fire with limited water

ROYAL CITY — A small fire broke out at an orchard around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 12000 block of Road A Southeast near Royal Camp, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Because the fuel involved polyurethane netting and other combustibles, Royal Slope firefighters allowed the fire to burn under controlled conditions for a while, in order to limit water use and avoid creating contaminated runoff in irrigation waterways. The fire was out by about 4:30, the GCSO wrote.

Law enforcement logs for May 17

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

CWU women’s rugby team earns six All-American selections

ELLENSBURG – Six Central Washington University women's rugby players earned Division 1 Elite All-American honors this season, as announced last week by the College Association of America. Team captain Tessa Hann was named to the first team for a third consecutive year, while teammates Jessica Postle, Lauren DiPasquale, Shaylee Coulter-Fa'amafu, Winnie Namosimalua, and Lilly Thomas were named to the second team.

Cougs qualify 22 individuals, two relay teams for NCAA West First Round

PULLMAN — Washington State men's and women's track and field will send a combined 27 student-athletes — 13 men and 14 women — to compete at the 2024 NCAA Division I West First Round, May 22-25, in Fayetteville, Ark. The Cougars' women's 4X100-meter relay team along with the men's 4x400 relay squad will also compete at next week's opening round of the 2024 NCAA Track and Field Championships, hosted by the University of Arkansas at John McDonnell Field.

Moses Lake, ACH baseball heads to state

COLUMBIA BASIN – After advancing through their respective district tournaments, both the Moses Lake Mavericks and Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors qualified for their respective State Baseball Tournaments. Read along for a look at upcoming matchups for both squads.

Quincy, Royal and Wahluke soccer begin state playoffs

COLUMBIA BASIN – Three Basin soccer teams will hit the field for the state tournament, all of which are 1A squads; Royal, Wahluke and Quincy.

A memory of the Mount St. Helens eruption 44 years later

Guillermo V. Castaneda of Granger sent this poem to the Columbia Basin Herald in commemoration of the eruption of Mount St. Helens, which took place 34 years ago Saturday. At the time of the eruption, Castaneda was the director of the Migrant Health Clinic in Wenatchee and was in the process of setting up a community medical and dental clinic for migrants in Moses Lake, he wrote.

Lind facing unbudgeted expenses, errors and $1.7 million loan

LIND – The Lind Town Council dealt with several issues during Tuesday’s regular meeting, including about $40,000 in unbudgeted expenses due to clerical errors dating back to 2008, other staff errors and a $1.7 million loan offered by the Department of Health.

Legals for May, 17 2024

Uzbek delegation visits Big Bend

MOSES LAKE — Interest in a longtime Big Bend Community College educational exchange program brought a delegation of business owners and university professors from the central Asian nation of Uzbekistan to campus Tuesday.

Honor Flight fundraiser set for Saturday

EPHRATA – A nacho and taco feed and dessert auction will be held on May 18 – also known as Armed Forces Day – by the Ephrata American Legion and Auxilliary. Proceeds from the event will help veterans who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the War on Terror go to see memorials in Washington D.C. that were built in their honor.

Sprucing up downtown

Work of Moses Lake students yields colorful results downtown

MOSES LAKE — Samatha Underwood said one lesson she’s learned in three years of planting the flower boxes in downtown Moses Lake is that people really are paying attention. “People actually do appreciate this,” she said. “We actually had somebody in a truck roll down the window and yell, ‘Thank you.’”

Shoppers hunt for the good stuff at museum yard sale

MOSES LAKE — The appeal of a yard sale is that hunt for treasure. Maybe the treasure is a 1930s radio in a handsome wood cabinet. Maybe it’s jewelry or artwork, maybe a vintage baseball mitt or even a 1970s sewing pattern catalog. The thrill of the hunt attracted shoppers to the Rusty Mammoth sale Friday night and Saturday at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center.

Lind council rescinds vote to vacate Mayor’s position

LIND – The Lind Town Council voted 4-0 Tuesday to approve motions by council member Robert Dew to rescind the council’s April 23 votes to vacate Mayor Paula Bell’s position and appoint council member Jamie Schmunk as temporary mayor. Council member Mike Wold was absent. Dew said that he had previously believed the votes to be legal, but has since heard conflicting opinions on the subject.

Huskies defeat Tigers for CWAC title

SELAH – A five-run bottom of the fifth inning helped surge No. 1 seed Othello past No. 3 Ephrata in Tuesday’s Central Washington Athletic Conference district championship game, as the Huskies moved on to the 2A State Softball Tournament with a 12-5 win over the Tigers.

Aerobatics coming to Ephrata this weekend

EPHRATA – The International Aerobatic Club Washington Chapter No. 67 begins their slate of activities at the Port of Ephrata this weekend with an aerobatic camp set to begin Saturday and run through the following Saturday.

Annual Chamber Golf Tournament celebrates 24

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce held a luau-themed golf tournament at the Links at Moses Pointe on Friday to help raise money for the chamber. This was the 24th year of the chamber golf tournament which saw a record number of participants as they had to increase the number of teams from 32 to 36 making the total number of golfers 144 for the day. All 18 holes were sponsored with most having games for golfers to play to win prizes as they made their way through the course, said Debbie Martinez President of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Five MLPD officers promoted, civilian honored

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Police Department swore in a new generation of leaders at the Moses Lake City Council Tuesday, according to an announcement from MLPD Chief David Sands, and also awarded the Citizen Service Award. The officers who were promoted following a rigorous and stressful training process, according to Sands, were:

Former customs officer found guilty in Othello child sex case

SPOKANE. — Koby Don Williams, 49, has been found guilty of one count of Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor, according to a May 15 press release from Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

Ephrata School District hires two new campus leaders

EPHRATA — Ephrata School District officials have announced the selection of Ashlie Miller as the new principal at Ephrata High School. Levi Spencer has been hired as the new assistant principal at Ephrata Middle School.

Community clean-up day Saturday

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce will host a community clean-up day on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Icicle River open to spring Chinook sport fishing

LEAVENWORTH — The Icicle River near Leavenworth will be open for spring Chinook hatchery salmon fishing through June 30. The river opened for spring Chinook hatchery fishing today.

Four Mavs sign to play college softball

MOSES LAKE – Four Maverick softball players signed on to continue both their athletica and education careers at the collegiate level on Monday, and were celebrated by friends, family, coaches and teammates. Moses Lake seniors Trinity Nations, Emmie Olsen, Morgan Ross and Mikayla Schwartz were celebrated at the softball field at Moses Lake High School Monday afternoon...

Acting super issues letter to MLSD families:

Moses Lake School District Acting Superintendent Carol Lewis released the letter below to families of students in the district Wednesday afternoon. The letter is printed in full without any editing from Columbia Basin Herald Staff:

Edward Harry Dawson

Edward Harry Dawson, 92 of Soap Lake, Wash., passed away at McKay Healthcare on Sunday, May 12, 2024. No service is scheduled at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Nicoles Funeral Home in Ephrata, WA.

A dash of caffeine

MOSES LAKE – Desert Coffee owners Shannon Paine, left, in pink, and Kimberly Berry cut the ribbon on their new location at 5219 Patton Blvd. in Moses Lake Tuesday, surrounded by Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce members. Paine and Berry have been selling coffee drinks from a mobile trailer, they said, and recently had the opportunity to add the stand.

Are home sellers on strike in Washington? Realtors speculate on the market

(The Center Square) – Springtime typically sees increased buyer and seller activity when it comes to houses. But in Washington state, “Sellers are on strike,” according to Jeff Smart, president of Washington Realtors.

Othello seeks contract mediation with ACFD 5

OTHELLO – The city of Othello is seeking third-party mediation for contract negotiations with Adams County Fire District 5 after giving two-year notice on May 8 that the city will be terminating its current contract due to increasing costs. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said in the May 8 announcement that ACFD 5 has been unwilling to negotiate with the city. He said the mediation process is written into the city’s contract with the fire district, a five-year contract was implemented in Feb. 2018.

Four Mavs sign to play college football

MOSES LAKE – The gymnasium at Moses Lake High School was crowded on Monday afternoon, as numerous fellow players, coaches, friends and family gathered to watch Maverick seniors Caleb Jones, Hayden Throneberry, Joel Middleton and Kyson Thomas sign on to play college football. “It’s like a dream come true,” Thomas said.

Garden Party highlights new things coming for CBAA

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Allied Arts Garden Party brought folks together from all over the Basin to further the local arts scene Saturday. The amount of money raised was not available before press time. “We don't have to leave our area for amazing arts and culture,” Cardwell told the crowd. We are the arts and culture here. You are the arts and culture here.”

Eagle boys tennis wins league title

SOAP LAKE – In just the fourth season since returning to the courts, the Soap Lake boys tennis team came out on top of last week’s Central Washington B league tournament, headlined by Xavier Gonzales-Robinson reaching the finals in singles and Francisco Ortega and Logan Northup making the doubles finals.

‘Guaranteed maximum price’ accepted for jail construction

EPHRATA — The maximum cost for building the Grant County Jail and Grant County Sheriff’s Office - just for construction, not equipping it or paying construction fees - will be $131.56 million. The Grant County Commissioners approved an agreement for the “guaranteed maximum price” for construction Tuesday. That’s about $3 million less than the estimated cost for construction made in April, which was about $134.21 million. Grant County Central Services Director Tom Gaines said in a separate interview that reflects changes in the construction market.

Basin sports schedule May 15-21

COLUMBIA BASIN – Check out this week’s sports schedule, featuring local baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and track and field events. This schedule will be updated at columbiabasinherald.com as teams progress through their respective district and state tournament brackets.

Wahluke superintendent addresses audit findings

MATTAWA – The Washington State Auditor’s Office released Thursday its audit report on Wahluke’s financial statements and federal awards from Sep. 2022 through August 2023, which included findings for some of the district’s federal award procedures.

Quincy tennis finishes season

QUINCY — The Quincy High School tennis team ended its season Saturday at the boys Caribou Trail League championships and the girls District 6 championships in Quincy. Both were qualifiers to advance in state competition, and the Jacks failed to send any players to the next round.

Legals for May, 15 2024

Moses Lake superintendent placed on admin leave

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School Board voted in a special meeting Tuesday to place Superintendent Monty Sabin on administrative leave. Assistant Superintendent Carol Lewis was named acting superintendent at the same meeting.

Four arrested in burglary case

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Sheriff’s deputies arrested four people Monday suspected of a Friday robbery near Moses Lake, according to a statement from the GCSO.

Small fire scorches land near Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — A small fire broke out Monday near Soap Lake, but was quickly extinguished, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 7, which serves the Soap Lake and Coulee City area.

The other Bob Fergusons withdraw from governor’s race

(The Center Square) – Two Bob Fergusons have withdrawn their short-lived candidacy for governor after state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, also a candidate for governor, threatened the other guys with legal action.

FRESH NEWS: Largemouth fishing looking good at Potholes

The current water level on Potholes Reservoir is 1,045.9 feet, dropping 0.45 feet this past week. The water temperature on the main lake is right around 64 degrees. The sand dunes are in the mid- to upper 60s. Potholes Reservoir did make it to full pool this year – to 0.05 feet above normal full pool. It is dropping now with the temperatures and irrigation demand. The largemouth bass fishing continues to be very good. Fish back in the sand dunes. Throw 1/2-ounce black-and-blue jigs, swim jigs, jerkbaits, chatter baits, Senkos, spinnerbaits, frogs and Texas-rigged plastics. Fish are in 1-12 feet of water. The largemouth are on beds. The smallmouth are spawning. Fish 5-20 feet using Ned rigs, Senkos, spinner baits, drop shot rigs, blade baits, crankbaits and tubes. Fish the rock piles around Goose Island and along the face of the dam and up Lind Coulee.

LETTER: Vacation rentals in the R-1 zone

Dear Editor, Vacation rentals in the R-1 single-family zone are parasites. They lower property values of adjacent homes, infringe on multiple neighbors’ rights to peacefully enjoy their homes, are vacant months at a time, and use limited residential parking and other infrastructure for commercial purposes – infrastructure paid for by neighborhoods. They are a source of friction and hard feelings. There is no value added living near a vacation rental.

Desert Aire hosts fire preparedness informational event

DESERT AIRE – Representatives from the Desert Aire Owners Association, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Grant County PUD, as well as Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, and community members from Desert Aire met Wednesday for a fire readiness informational event at the DAOA building.

FIRE REPORT: 2 fires hit Grant Co. Monday

COLUMBIA BASIN — The warm weather has arrived and with it the fire season, as Grant County faced two wildfires Monday. At about 1 p.m. a report came in of a blaze about a mile south of Wanapum Village in southwestern Grant County, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The fire grew to 100 acres and caused SR 243 to close briefly due to smoke across the roadway before it was knocked down, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire was human-caused, the NIFC wrote.

Knights defeat Wahluke in SCAC district final

TOPPENISH – The second half of Saturday’s South Central Athletic Conference district championship game came to a wild finish, as the Royal Knights overcame a late game-tying goal by Wahluke to defeat the Warriors 3-2 in Toppenish. “This is an every year back-and-forth, back-and-forth with these guys, and to lose twice to them in the season by one goal, you feel a little like you deserve to get a win here,” Royal Head Coach Jens Jensen said. “To get it, that’s special. We’re jacked up and looking forward now, but we’re going to enjoy this for a few days.”

Mavs softball team wins Big 9 title

Split doubleheader with Eastmont not enough to keep Moses Lake from trophy

MOSES LAKE – Splitting Friday’s road doubleheader against Eastmont was enough for the Moses Lake softball team to lock up the Columbia Basin Big 9 league title, winning the first game 2-1 before falling 15-4 in the nightcap. “After our previous three tough games – against West Valley and Othello – where we played pretty well in all three, I think we had a lot of confidence going in,” Moses Lake Head Coach Mike Hofheins said. “We were playing sharp, we were playing clean. The girls were mentally and physically ready to go.”

Huskies reach CWAC district title game with win over Selah

OTHELLO – The No. 1 seed Huskies defeated No. 4 Selah 13-0 in Saturday’s Central Washington Athletic Conference district semifinals, advancing to the district championship in Selah on Tuesday. “With Selah, you never really know (what to expect),” Othello Head Coach Alyssa Martinez said. “They can say ‘We’re not our best,’ but you can never count Selah out because they’re always a great competitor. Having all week to prepare for our opponent has been great.”

Bob Ferguson threatens legal action against other Bob Fergusons on ballot

(The Center Square) – Washington State Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bob Ferguson has threatened legal action against two other candidates running for governor who share the same name as him.

Study shows how night shift work can raise risk of diabetes, obesity

SPOKANE — Just a few days on a night shift schedule throws off protein rhythms related to blood glucose regulation, energy metabolism and inflammation, processes that can influence the development of chronic metabolic conditions. The finding, from a study led by scientists at Washington State University and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, provides new clues as to why night shift workers are more prone to diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders. “There are processes tied to the master biological clock in our brain that are saying that day is day and night is night and other processes that follow rhythms set elsewhere in the body that say night is day and day is night,” said senior study author Hans Van Dongen, a professor in the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. “When internal rhythms are dysregulated, you have this enduring stress in your system that we believe has long-term health consequences.”

WSU student turns textile scraps into wearable art

PULLMAN — When Kiah Conway first walked into a Washington State University storage room filled with hundreds of pounds of fabrics, remnants, and scraps, a sense of overwhelming possibility hit her hard. That hasn’t changed, even nearly a year later. “Every time I go into that room, I see why some of it has sat there so long,” said Conway, a junior double majoring in apparel design and merchandising. “But sometimes I find something that’s so gorgeous, I’m shocked to see it. The more you dig, the better it gets. It feels like scavenging, but you can find gold in there.” Conway recently created two garments, a dress and a jacket, using almost nothing but leftover material from the storage closet. The closet is full of donated fabrics and remnants, sewing supplies, and scrap materials from different student design projects in WSU’s Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design, and Textiles. The materials are kept so they don’t go into landfills.

Four Vikings represent Big Bend in All-Washington Academic Team

MOSES LAKE — Four Big Bend Community College students were recently selected to the All-Washington Academic Team, an honor that recognizes academic achievement, leadership accomplishments and community involvement. Adalee Bauer, Alejandra Cerna, Leslie Estrada Vera and Yuridia Juarez were honored during a ceremony at South Puget Sound Community College last week, where they heard from Gov. Jay Inslee and other speakers. Ninety-one students, representing the state’s 34 community and technical colleges, were named to the 2024 All-Washington Academic Team. The program is in its 28th year.

Groundbreaking celebrates new Coulee City clinic, library

COULEE CITY — Construction could begin this year on the first phase of a project to build a new medical clinic and library in Coulee City. Local officials held a groundbreaking for the project May 10. Officials from the Town of Coulee City and the Port of Coulee City have been working on obtaining funding to build new facilities for the library and clinic, an effort that dates back to 2015, according to a press release from the port.

Legals for May, 14 2024

Stratford Road shooting leaves one injured

MOSES LAKE — One person was injured and a suspect was detained after a shooting on Stratford Road about 16 miles north of Moses Lake Monday evening.

Inslee makes case for voters to preserve Climate Commitment Act

(The Center Square) – At a Monday morning press conference regarding the results of the state’s Climate Commitment Act, Gov. Jay Inslee sought to make a thinly veiled case for why voters should reject an initiative on the November ballot that would repeal the revenue-generating program.

MLSD to cut about 100 teachers; further cuts coming

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District will start the next school year with about 100 fewer teachers, according to an MLSD press release. Non-renewal notices are expected to be issued to about 100 provisional teachers, according to the release. A provisional teacher is one who is either in their first three years of teaching in Washington or who has received a low evaluation and meets certain other criteria, according to RCW 28A.405.210.

Quincy takes next step toward water, sewer upgrades

QUINCY — Design work is beginning on a project to upgrade sewer systems in the city of Quincy. The city’s water system will be getting some upgrades too, among them a new water tower.

WDFW announces Snake River spring Chinook salmon fishing closure

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Monday spring Chinook salmon fishing on the Snake River is immediately closed until further notice.

Warden School District state audit reports no findings

WARDEN – The Washington State Auditor’s Office audit on Warden School District for the period of Sep. 1, 2022 through Aug. 31, 2023, released Thursday, reported no findings of noncompliance, significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the district’s financial statements and federal award uses.

Box score roundup for May 11

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball, softball and soccer games from May 11.

Tennis season ends for Quincy Jacks

QUINCY — Quincy’s Victor Torres lines up the shot during a consolation round doubles match at the District 6/Caribou Trail League tennis championships Saturday in Quincy. Both the boys and girls teams ended the season at the tournament. A review of the Jacks’ tennis season will be in the Wednesday edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.

WA gubernatorial candidates spar over public safety plans

(The Center Square) – Gubernatorial candidate and Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is not impressed with Republican candidate Dave Reichert’s newly released public safety plan. "Dave Reichert must really like Bob's public safety plan, because he copied much of it,” Ferguson’s campaign told The Center Square in an email.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Trust must be earned and the clock is ticking

Last week, I penned a column focused on the Moses Lake School District levy election. My primary point with that column was that voter turnout countywide was abysmal, leading to a small minority of voters deciding on vital issues in the community and to illustrate that there are consequences when we don’t vote in larger numbers.

Jose 'Joe' Betes

Dec. 21, 1943 — May 7, 2024

Jose (Joe) Antonio Betes, 80, of Moses Lake, WA passed away on May 7,2024. Joe was born on December 21, 1943, to Edwardo and Auncia Betes in Undues Pintano, Spain. He was one of 9 children, Alfredo, Filo, Angel, Sebastian, Juaquin, Jesus, Maria and Miguel.

Evald Leaf

1922 — 2024

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Allied Arts Garden Party brought folks together from all over the Basin to further the local arts scene Saturday. The amount of money raised was not available before press time. “We don't have to leave our area for amazing arts and culture,” Cardwell told the crowd. We are the arts and culture here. You are the arts and culture here.”

Basin races have mix of challengers, unopposed incumbents

MOSES LAKE — The filing period for the 2024 election closed Friday with a mixed grouping of candidates at the county and state levels. Some will run against multiple challengers while a few incumbents have exclusive spots on the ballot.

Warden High School blood drive sees one of its largest turnouts

WARDEN – Warden High School hosted a Vitalant blood drive April 30 in the blood donation organization’s mobile bus center. Warden District Nurse Janna Benzel said the drive was possibly the district’s biggest yet. “We actually had one of our best turnouts for our blood drive and we ended up with a backup list as well,” Benzel said. “So (Vitalant was) considering coming back and doing another one soon. We don't know if that'll happen yet, before the end of the school year. We had about 10 or 11 students on a backup list … I believe what we totaled up for the end of the day was we had 26 donors.”

Weather report for the week of May 13, 2024

Weather report for the week of May 13, 2024

CWU artist unravels a distorted familial past to celebrate the beauty of the present

ELLENSBURG - McKenzee Guzman, a Central Washington University art student, presents her BFA senior exhibition, “Lest We Suffer.” The exhibition opens today in Gallery 231 in Randall Hall on the CWU campus.

Legals for May, 13 2024

MLSD board approves layoffs after levy failure, accounting issues

Notices will be provided to employees in the coming weeks, program cuts expected as well.

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District Board of Directors voted in a special meeting Saturday to move forward with a resolution to authorize needed budget cuts after the district’s maintenance and operations levy failed on the ballot for the second time this year. More than 100 staff, including teachers and staff, are expected to lose their jobs after the levy failure.

STUDIO BASIN: Moses Lake School Board, swatting incident and district playoffs

MOSES LAKE – On this week’s episode of the STUDIO BASIN podcast, senior reporter Cheryl Schweizer and Sports Reporter Ian Bivona break down recent headlines in the Columbia Basin Herald, including recent Moses Lake School Board meetings, an officer-involved shooting in Moses Lake, a swatting incident in Ephrata and Boeing firefighters picketing at the Moses Lake facility.

Camp Zanika Lache registration slots still open

WENATCHEE – Slots are still available at Wenatchee’s Camp Zanika Lache, a co-ed overnight summer camp for youth and teens ages six to 17.

Tigers open postseason with win over Prosser

EPHRATA – The No. 3 seed Tigers dominated in Thursday’s Central Washington Athletic Conference district tournament game, defeating No. 6 Prosser 14-0 in five innings. “We have a problem with us getting ahead of ourselves and thinking past the certain game that we’re playing, so we were really (focusing) in against Prosser so we can be prepared against East Valley this weekend,” Ephrata junior Jaemyson Durfee said.

Box score roundup for May 9-10

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball and softball games from May 9-10

Mavs win Big 9 baseball title, punch ticket to state with win over Eastmont

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks are once again moving on to the 4A State Baseball Tournament, having defeated Eastmont 8-2 in Friday’s Columbia Basin Big 9 district championship game in Moses Lake.

Maverick softball wins league title

Moses Lake fastpitch splits doubleheader with Eastmont

EAST WENATCHEE – Moses Lake clinched the Columbia Basin Big 9 softball league title with Friday’s 2-1 road win over Eastmont, locking up home-field advantage in next weekend’s Big 9 district tournament.

Florence "Sue" Bunch

Florence “Sue” Bunch passed away December 16, 2023. A memorial service is set for May 19, 2024, at noon at Pilgrim Lutheran Church at 640 E. Elm Street in Othello. Interment will follow on May 20, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens, 1915 W. Cemetery Road in Othello.

Video of MLPD officer-involved shooting released

MOSES LAKE — Video from a body camera worn by a Moses Lake Police sergeant filmed during an officer-involved shooting incident at Motel 6 in Moses Lake May 4 has been released.

'The Hunt for Yarely' to take the stage at Vanguard on May 18

MOSES LAKE — The play “The Hunt for Yarely” will be performed at Vanguard Academy at 1 p.m. Saturday, according to an announcement from the Columbia Basin Conservation District.

Othello to terminate contract with ACFD 5

OTHELLO – The city of Othello announced Wednesday that they have provided a two-year notice of termination of its agreement with Adams County Fire District 5 due to a significant increase in the contract’s cost over the last year.

Road work season in full swing

MOSES LAKE — Road construction throughout the Columbia Basin is chugging along as several area projects move forward as spring progresses into summer. Resurfacing of State Route 17 through Moses Lake has moved on to the resurfacing part of the project. Crews started working on the project in April, with the first phase being the replacement of ADA-accessible sidewalk ramps at intersections throughout the project area. The second phase of the project will involve resurfacing about seven miles of SR 17 where it runs through Moses Lake. Work on that began May 8.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Your vote matters, and here's why

I recently met with a Moses Lake School District official who made a good point. If all of the employees with MLSD had voted in favor of the maintenance and operations levy, the levy would have passed with ease.

Mavs boys win Big 9 track title, girls finish second in league

MOSES LAKE – The 2024 regular season was a successful one for the Moses Lake boys track and field team, as the Mavericks clinched their first Columbia Basin Big 9 team title with last week’s win over Eisenhower.

Home sales up despite higher interest rates

KIRKLAND — Activity in the housing market increased in April in spite of rising interest rates, according to data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which compiles statistics from 26 of Washington’s 39 counties. Interest rates have increased by 0.38 percentage points over the past month to 7.17%, continuing to constrain prospective buyers’ purchasing power and prospective sellers’ willingness to give up low-interest-rate mortgages, according to the NWMLS.

Law enforcement logs for May 10

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Reading riders: Moses Lake school bus driver collects books for kids

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake school bus driver has found a way to encourage students to love the written word. Tony Lavalle, known to his young passengers as Mr. Tony, has begun distributing books to the students who ride his bus to and from Groff Elementary School. “This year, I started Read a Book Monday,” Lavalle said. “The student comes on board and they read a book, and that usually keeps them quiet, and it keeps them in their seat. This is a really effective tool for me to help manage the kids to ride safe and ride respectfully.”

Basin events for May 11-19

COLUMBIA BASIN — Here are a few things to do in the Basin this week. This listing is noncomprehensive and event details may change or events may be canceled at the organizers’ discretion. Readers are encouraged to call ahead or verify the information below online prior to the event.

BASIN SOCCER ROUNDUP: Three teams clinch state bids

COLUMBIA BASIN – Three Basin squads have qualified for their respective boys state soccer tournaments, as district tournaments wind down to a close.

Othello’s Eldred, Haro sign with Wenatchee Valley

OTHELLO – Othello seniors Don Eldred and Felipe Haro signed their national letters of intent to play college soccer at Wenatchee Valley College Wednesday evening at Othello High School. According to Head Coach Bernie Garza, Eldred and Haro chose where to do the signing, which was located in the OHS Cafeteria.

Basin student named one of 2024 Presidential Scholars

ODESSA – Odessa High School student Jacob Scrupps was one of 161 high school seniors named 2024 United States Presidential Scholars and one of five Washington students who received the honor, according to a Thursday announcement from the U.S. Department of Education.

Next salvo fired in WA Supreme Court in high-cap mag ban case

(The Center Square) – The public could learn within a few months or sooner if the Washington Supreme Court will take up the Gator’s Custom Guns case related to the state's ban on the buying or selling of high-capacity magazines. That’s the assessment of Pete Serrano with The Silent Majority Foundation, representing the Kelso gun retailer. Serrano is also running for state Attorney General.

Legals for May, 10 2024

Budget, CBTECH director hot topics at MLSD board meeting

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School Board conference room was filled to capacity Thursday evening as community members came to hear about the district’s financial prospects and to speak about alleged disciplinary action taken against a school administrator.

Two arrested in pistol-whipping incident in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Two men were arrested Tuesday morning in a domestic incident at an apartment in downtown Moses Lake, according to a statement from the Moses Lake Police Department.

Mohammad Said

I still remember when my Dad told me not to fight. As the only Arab and Muslim family in Ephrata, we dealt with discrimination every day. One day I asked my Dad what to do as I'd been getting in fights at school. "Forgive them," he said. "They don't know any better. You must be an example to them."

Joe Lewis Whitver

Feb. 23, 1936 – April 26, 2024

Joe Whitver of Ephrata, Washington died Friday, April 26, 2024, at McKay Rehab and Health Care in Soap Lake, Washington. Joe was born February 23, 1936, to Ray and Opal Whitver in Amboy, Illinois.

Washington AGO sues Catholic Church for documents in child abuse investigation

(The Center Square) – Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is asking a court to enforce a subpoena against the Catholic Church’s Seattle Archdiocese in an effort to obtain documents related to a child abuse investigation.

New name, new owners, same family

Third generation of Harrisons to run jewelry store in Ephrata

EPHRATA - The jewelry store voted Best of the Basin for 2022 and 2023 is back, but it might look a little different. Located in the same spot in Ephrata, 4 Basin St NW, Harrison’s Jewelry Co. will have the same great service, quality jewelry and even jeweler as Harrison’s Diamonds and Designs, just under a new name and new ownership.

A good start: First-ever Othello Cinco de Mayo brings together community despite weather

OTHELLO – Othello’s first-ever Cinco de Mayo celebration took place all day Saturday in Lions Park, bringing community members together to celebrate the holiday’s cultural heritage with a range of activities and events.

Grant Co. generating interest as solar farm location

EPHRATA — With solar power touted as an important part of meeting future energy needs, Grant County is getting increasing interest from companies proposing to build solar generating facilities. Grant County Deputy Development Director Jim Anderson-Cook said that currently county officials are working on eight proposed projects. All of them are between Royal City and Coulee City, most in the Quincy-Ephrata area. “We are getting a lot of attention,” Anderson-Cook said. “The Columbia Plateau in general is getting a lot of attention.”

Stamp Out Hunger coming Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Mail carriers will be picking up more than the mail this Saturday, as part of the U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

BBCC hosts health careers workshop for high school students

MOSES LAKE — On May 3, Big Bend Community College hosted Grant County Scrubs Camp — a one-day workshop for high school students to explore healthcare careers.

Royal Intermediate School welcomes new principal

ROYAL CITY — Royal Intermediate School will have a new principal next year, according to an announcement from the Royal School District. Karl Edie will take over the reins at RIS in the fall, the RSD wrote.

Opening WA Trust

Washington Trust Bank’s new location on Basin Street in Ephrata will have its official grand opening May 23 at 11 a.m. A ribbon cutting will be held by the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce and the public is welcome to stop by and see the new branch.

Compression brake use limited in Ephrata

EPHRATA – The Ephrata City Council has approved an ordinance restricting the use of non-muffled compression brakes within city limits. The move comes after a resident expressed concerns about noise associated with compression brakes.

Ephrata Sports Complex building burns, likely arson

EPHRATA – The concessions building at the Ephrata Sports Complex located behind the Ephrata Fire Department on A Street SE is a total loss after a Tuesday evening fire that started in a port-a-potty located next to the building. Authorities say the cause is likely arson.

ACSO holds community connection night in Lind

LIND — Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner, Undersheriff Adolfo Coronado and new Jail Commander Kelly Watkins came down to Lind Community Church Tuesday evening to give an update on the department and allow the community to ask questions.

Wahluke advances to district final, state with win over Toppenish

MATTAWA – It took a penalty shootout to determine the winner of Tuesday’s South Central Athletic Conference district tournament semifinal, where Wahluke outscored Toppenish 4-2 in penalty kicks to defeat the Wildcats 3-2. Wahluke surrendered two second-half goals that sent the match into overtime.

Diamond box score roundup for May 6-7

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball and softball games from May 6-7.

Wade Allen Pugh

Wade Allen Pugh passed away March 4, 2024. A memorial service will be held June 8, 2024, at 1 p.m. at 8960 Broad Street NE, Moses Lake, Wash. All who knew and loved Wade are welcome to join us and share their memories.

Building permits for April 6-May 3, 2024

Building permits for April 6-May 3, 2024

Grant PUD general manager announces resignation

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD General Manager Rich Wallen has announced his resignation, effective June 14. Wallen will become the chief operating officer of the Chelan County PUD. Wallen’s resignation was submitted May 7. It was announced in a press release, and Public Information Officer Christine Pratt said the PUD would not have any further comment. Wallen has worked for the PUD for seven years; he was appointed as general manager in February 2022. He started as managing director of power production in 2017 and was named chief operating officer in 2019.

Swatting incident caused by false active shooter report in Ephrata

EPHRATA – A report of an active shooter at the Ephrata Walmart was false according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and was the result of swatting – a practice of reporting a fake emergency to authorities to get a reaction, often to harass those at the location the false incident was reported to have occurred.

CWU MFA thesis exhibit opening May 14

ELLENSBURG — Starting next week, the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery at Central Washington University will host Anemoia, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) thesis exhibition by Matthew Potter and Charlie Tadlock.

Faith and perseverance at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast

MOSES LAKE — “God’s not done with you yet.” That was the theme of this year’s Moses Lake Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast Tuesday morning at Pillar Rock Grill in Moses Lake.

Basin sports schedule May 8-14

COLUMBIA BASIN – Check out this week’s sports schedule, featuring local baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and track and field events. This schedule will be updated at columbiabasinherald.com as teams progress through their respective district tournament brackets.

Five local law enforcement officers honored

MOSES LAKE — Four Moses Lake Police officers received the Washington State Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Friday, according to an announcement from the MLPD. A Grant County Sheriff’s deputy was also honored, the GCSO announced.

Carp Classic coming May 18

Annual tournament looks to put a dent in nuisance fish population

MOSES LAKE — Bowfishers in the Basin will get a chance to show their skills and help clean up the lake at the Moses Lake Carp Classic Saturday morning. This is the fifth year the tournament has been held at Moses Lake, organizer Ty Swartout said. The purpose is both to remove an invasive species from the water and to educate the public about the damage carp do in the lake by furthering the spread of blue-green algae, he said. Blue-green algae can be dangerous to humans, and parts of the lake are periodically closed to swimming and boating because of it.

Mavs sweep West Valley, split Big 9 title with Eastmont

MOSES LAKE – Friday’s sweep of West Valley (Yakima) locked up a share of the Columbia Basin Big 9 title for Moses Lake, defeating the Rams 5-2 and 5-3 on the road.

Legals for May, 8 2024

Mavericks defeat Huskies 5-1 in non-league battle

OTHELLO – A three-run home run from sophomore Emmie Olsen gave Moses Lake the lead for good in Monday’s non-league matchup with the Othello Huskies, eventually taking down the Huskies 5-1 on the road. “We pitched phenomenally, we executed some small ball really well and played a full, complete team seven-inning win,” Hofheins said. “To put up five against (Othello senior Amarie Guzman) is outstanding because she’s as tough as they come.”

Adams Co. receives funding for bridge rebuilds

RITZVILLE — Adams County officials are scheduled to start work this fall on the first of six bridges that will be rebuilt to accommodate the widening of the East Low Canal.

Lack of firefighting resources sparks potential building moratorium near Spokane

(The Center Square) – When a building moratorium that prevented development in Latah Valley ended last year, real estate sprung up while firefighting resources idled; now Spokane is considering its return.

Othello council approves new summer youth recreation program

OTHELLO – The Othello City Council unanimously approved Monday the Parks and Recreation Department to implement a three-week summer youth recreation program in June and July for children ages four to 12 with a fee of $45 per child.

Immigration, workforce integration addressed at economic conference

ELLENSBURG — The pattern followed by current immigrants to the United States is similar to earlier periods of higher immigration. Both workers and employers must adjust when integrating immigrants into the workplace. Those were among the conclusions from speakers discussing immigration and its impact on the workplace in Washington at the annual Economic Outlook Conference Monday at Central Washington University in Ellensburg.

FRESH NEWS: Crappie make first appearance on Potholes

MARDON — The current water level on Potholes Reservoir is 1,046.35 feet, coming up 0.15 feet this past week. We are currently 0.15 feet below full pool. The water temperature on the main lake is right around 50 degrees. The sand dunes are staying in the mid- to upper 50s. The largemouth bass fishing continues to be very good. Fish back in the sand dunes. Throw 1/2-ounce black-and-blue jigs, swim jigs, jerkbaits, chatter baits, Senkos, spinnerbaits, frogs and Texas-rigged plastics. Fish are in 1-12 feet of water. The largemouth are on beds. The smallmouth are spawning. Fish 5-20 feet using Ned rigs, Senkos, spinnerbaits, drop shot rigs, blade baits, crankbaits and tubes. Fish the rock piles around Goose Island and along the face of the dam and up Lind Coulee.

Washington’s increasing gray wolf population moving further west

(The Center Square) – Hikers have more to watch out for than bears this summer. Washington state's gray wolf population has increased over the last 15 years, said Julie Smith, endangered species recovery section manager for the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, during Wednesday’s episode of "The Impact" on TVW.

Confluence physician wins state award

WENATCHEE — Confluence Health pediatrician Doug Eisert was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Leah Layne Memorial Health Leadership award from the Washington Rural Health Association.

Virginia Lee Conway

Celebration of Life for Virginia Conway will be held May 11th at the Presbyterian Church at 2 p.m.

Marvin W. Brooks

May 17, 1956 – Feb. 9, 2024

Marvin W. Brooks passed away on February 9, 2024, around 10 a.m. due to cancer. He was born on May 17, 1956, in Colville, Washington to Robert and Louise Brooks.

Prayer space: Moses Lake’s first mosque moves into renovated church building

MOSES LAKE — The former church building at Third Avenue and Elm Street is once again a house of worship, as the Moses Lake Islamic Center. “In central Washington state there (were) only three mosques, in Yakima, Tri-Cities and Spokane,” said Abdelnasir Elmalik, one of the regular congregants at the Islamic Center. “But now we have two (more), in Wenatchee and Moses Lake.”

Legals for May, 7 2024

Jacks defeat Manson in postseason opening round

QUINCY – The Jacks opened the postseason with a 1-0 win over Manson in the 1A District 6 tournament, surviving a late Trojan comeback bid. Down 1-0 in second-half stoppage time, the Trojans had a run on the Quincy net, later leading to a penalty attempt. The shot missed, firing over the net.

Local Boeing firefighters continue to picket during lockout

MOSES LAKE — Staffing, safety and pay scales are at the root of a contract impasse that’s had Boeing firefighters locked out of the company’s Moses Lake facility since Saturday. “Currently, there is no fire protection here at Grant County other than one manager that's been here since Friday,” said Daryl Gummere, business agent for IAFF Local I-66, the union representing Boeing firefighters. “They're trying to protect the plant with just one person.”

Huskies win over East Valley

Othello baseball headed to CWAC title game after successful Saturday outing

OTHELLO – A three-run bottom of the second inning helped push Othello over East Valley (Yakima) in Saturday’s Central Washington Athletic Conference district semifinal, with the Huskies defeating the Red Devils 4-2. “We were excited and confident,” Othello junior Sonny Salazar said. “We worked all year for this – all summer, the winter – we were ready and prepared.”

Box score roundup for May 4

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball and softball games from May 4

SR 17 paving to begin May 8 near I-90

MOSES LAKE — The second phase of repaving of the section of State Route 17 that runs through Moses Lake will begin Wednesday. The second phase is paving, and so drivers should plan for a little slower traffic through the work zones, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation.

WDFW extends special hunt deadline

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has extended the special hunt permit application deadline one week, until midnight May 22, according to a Monday WDFW announcement.

Mattawa working to upgrade, restart Well 2, implement park improvements

MATTAWA – Mattawa Public Works Director Juan Ledezma and Gray & Osborne Civil Engineer Jamin Ankney provided an update to the Mattawa City Council on ongoing Well 2 re-equipping design and construction and park improvements at Hund Memorial Park during Thursday’s regular meeting.

WA economy slowing but in relatively good condition, state economists say

ELLENSBURG — Washington’s economy, its job market and unemployment were topics of discussion at the annual Economic Outlook Conference Monday at Central Washington University. Dave Reich, executive director of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, said the state is still dealing with the aftereffects of 2020.

STCU coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Spokane Teachers Credit Union’s Moses Lake branch should be open by fall, according to Dan Hansen, a spokesman for the credit union.

Ag market May 6: Grains, Livestock mixed

Wheat for May was up 26.25 cents at $6.3225 a bushel; May corn rose 10 cents at $4.57 a bushel, May oats was off .75 cent at $3.9525 a bushel; while May soybeans gained 33 cents at $12.3475 a bushel. Beef mixed and pork lower on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Jun. live cattle was up .30 cent at $1.7697 a pound; May feeder cattle dropped 1.90 cents at $2.4140 a pound; while May lean hogs lost .25 cent at $.9217 a pound.

WA ranchers bearing brunt of grizzlies returning to North Cascades

(The Center Square) - After years of discussion and public meetings, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have signed a final agreement to bring grizzly bears back to the North Cascades Mountain range. The plan calls for a “founder population” of 25 bears over the next five to 10 years, releasing the animals in remote parts of the forest.

Cybersecurity education varies widely in U.S.

PULLMAN -- Cybersecurity programs vary dramatically across the country, a review has found. The authors argue that program leaders should work with professional societies to make sure graduates are well trained to meet industry needs in a fast-changing field.

Louis Lynn Barbour

Dec. 17, 1932 – May 1, 2024

Louis Lynn Barbour was born December 17, 1932, in Johnston County, North Carolina and passed away at his home in Moses Lake on May 1, 2024, surrounded by his family. He was 91.

William Eric Galliart

Jan. 1, 1960 – April 30, 2024

William Eric Galliart, age 64, passed away unexpectedly at home in Moses Lake, Washington, on April 30, 2024, during his battle with cancer. Eric was born in Pratt, KS, on January 1, 1960 to Carol and Robert “Bob” Galliart.

Ready to pour: Moore Brewing Company opens Tuesday

MOSES LAKE — Moore Brewing Company is ready to open its doors – and its deck, and its beer taps – to the public. “Our first thing was at Brews & Tunes (in 2022. It was super fun,” said Lorie Moore, who owns the business with her husband Chris and her father-in-law Brad. Chris’ son Zach is the brewmaster. “We were still home-brewing at the time,” said Chris.

Royal students headed to National History Day contest

ROYAL CITY — Six students will represent Royal schools at the National History Day competition in Washington D.C. next month. The six were among 33 students who participated in the state competition held in Kirkland April 27, said Royal Middle School social studies teacher Emily Ovenell, who coordinated the students’ entries. The students who placed in the top two at state were eligible for nationals, she said.

Weather for the week of May 6, 2024

Weather for the week of May 6, 2024

Legals for May, 6 2024

Changes to Grant Co. marijuana regs coming in July

EPHRATA — While some licenses have been issued to multiple entities, as of April 25 the unincorporated areas of Grant County have 117 active licenses for marijuana producers and 29 for marijuana processors. There are 57 tax parcels in the unincorporated areas where people are producing or processing marijuana, according to data that Grant County Development Services personnel obtained from the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board.

UPDATED: MLPD officer, suspect injured in Motel 6 shooting

MOSES LAKE – Zachary Allen Stockton, 37 of Moses Lake was arrested after an officer involved shooting at the Motel 6 at 2822 W. Driggs Drive in Moses Lake Saturday at about 8:20 p.m.

Knights defeat Wapato in SCAC tournament

ROYAL CITY – The Knights opened the South Central Athletic Conference district tournament with a win over Wapato on Thursday, taking down the Wolves in a 2-0 victory to advance to the district semifinals. “The deliveries were better, the corners were better, the free kicks were better,” Royal Head Coach Jens Jensen said. “Some of the other guys we moved around did a good job, so I’m happy.”

Huskies take down Selah in OT, advance to CWAC final

OTHELLO – Othello reached the Central Washington Athletic Conference district final for the third consecutive season after mounting a comeback against Selah on Thursday, defeating the Vikings 3-2 in overtime. “We had a really slow start in the first 15 minutes,” Othello Head Coach Bernie Garza said. “There was no energy, but in the last 20 minutes, we were on fire. The guys were motivated, the guys were excited, firing on all cylinders. We were still down 2-1, but we found a way to get the second goal.”

Box score roundup for May 2 & 3, 2024

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball and softball games from May 2-3.

Lawmaker hopes to ensure WA bridges aren't vulnerable to Baltimore bridge collapse

(The Center Square) – More than five weeks after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, the remains of a fifth construction worker were recovered on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Md., state officials said in a news release. Gonzalez was one of six workers who went missing in the collapse. One additional worker remains missing.

Local Boeing firefighters locked out pending contract negotiations

MOSES LAKE – Boeing firefighters began picketing at the Moses Lake Boeing facility on Tyndall Road NE on Saturday. Their contract with the aircraft manufacturer expired at 12:01 a.m. that morning.

STUDIO BASIN: Sheriff Joey Kriete and Basin playoffs

MOSES LAKE – Managing Editor R. Hans "Rob" Miller sits down with Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete to discuss a recent fundraiser for the Columbia Basin Canines group, which works to support area K9 officers and their handlers. The pair also discusses increasing domestic violence in Grant County, the factors that can lead to domestic violence and some of the organizations in the area that work to help families struggling with the issue.

Pike named Columbia Middle School principal

MOSES LAKE — Ryan Pike will take the reins at Columbia Middle School next year, according to an announcement from the Moses Lake School District.

Last piece of steel framing goes into place at Samaritan Hospital

MOSES LAKE — That short piece of steel framing had been around. It was the last steel beam going into the framing at the new Samaritan Hospital. Samaritan Healthcare Chief Executive Officer Theresa Sullivan chronicled some of its travels before it was tacked into place. The last piece of framing marks a milestone, and it’s treated accordingly.

Sheriff: Domestic violence an increasing problem in Grant Co.

EPHRATA – Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said last week that domestic violence continues to be an issue in Grant County with the number of calls year-over-year increasing for aid in domestic violence situations. He said the growth may be proportionate as the county’s population grows, but the growing numbers are still cause for concern.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Vetting national and regional news

MOSES LAKE — Today’s media landscape often looks like a big bowl of spaghetti tossed against a wall already splattered with curry, leftover taco meat and gummy worms. It ain’t pretty, and it’s not always easy to decide, especially for national and global news, where to get information.

UPDATED: Spokane SWAT, MLPD, partners conduct joint raid in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – Spokane SWAT officers, Moses Lake Police Department officers and other law enforcement agencies conducted a raid on the old EconoLodge location at 316 S. Pioneer Way in Moses Lake at about 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.

Moses Lake Farmers Market kicks off Saturday

MOSES LAKE – Beginning on opening day Saturday, the Moses Lake Farmers Market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in McCosh Park, behind the Surf ‘n Slide Water Park, with local craft, produce and food vendors selling their goods. Moses Lake Farmers Market Board President Rachel Naff discussed the basics of the market.

Filling a need: New homes coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Last year, looking for a new home in Moses Lake was like a bad dream. The home construction industry was in a slump, and people who needed a place to live were out of luck. Add to that a spate of manufacturers setting up operations in town, and the crunch became even greater.

Law enforcement logs for May 3, 2024

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Legals for May, 3 2024

Chip sealing underway near Othello, Royal City next

ROYAL CITY — Road crews will start chip-sealing on a 30-mile section of State Route 26 in the Royal City area beginning in mid-May. Crews are scheduled to finish chip-sealing on a section of SR 26 near Othello later this week. Additional chip seal work is scheduled for US Highway 97 between Tonasket and Oroville in Okanogan County, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation.

News bites for May 3, 2024

MOSES LAKE — The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of an armed and dangerous fugitive, according to an announcement from the Moses Lake Police Department. Christopher Valle-Maciel, 18, is wanted in connection with a Nov. 12 homicide in Moses Lake, according to the statement. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 113 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and first-degree drive-by shooting. Anyone with information regarding Valle-Maciel’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Marshals Service at 1-800-336-0102 or www.usmarshals.gov/tips.

BASIN SOCCER ROUNDUP: Six squads begin playoffs

COLUMBIA BASIN – Postseason competition on the soccer field began on Tuesday for Basin teams and continues over the next two weeks. Read along for a look at where teams stand heading into the playoffs.

DIAMOND RECAP: Welcome to the postseason

COLUMBIA BASIN – District playoffs in both baseball and softball have started across the Columbia Basin, with local squads looking to qualify for their respective state tournaments.

Columbia Basin farmers hopeful irrigation program will stretch water resources

(The Center Square) – Farmers in the central and eastern portions of Washington state are hoping recent developments related to the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program will mean the eventual completion of canal systems to supply water from the Grand Coulee Dam. In the meantime, farmers have been relying on deep wells they've been given permission to drill as a temporary measure.

Missing Colville tribal member located, reported safe

NESPELEM – Colville tribal member Amanda Pakootas, who was missing and reported by police to be held against her will, was located Monday night in Spokane and is reported to be safe, according to an announcement from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

Candidate filing opens Monday

EPHRATA — Two countywide elected positions in Grant and Adams counties, county Superior Court seats, all state Representative and some state Senate seats will be up for election in 2024. Two positions also are up for election on the Grant County PUD board. Candidate filing week is next Monday through Friday.

May 2024 Basin Events

COLUMBIA BASIN — There’s no excuse for being bored in the Columbia Basin this month. This listing is noncomprehensive and event details may change or events may be canceled at the organizers’ discretion. Readers are encouraged to call ahead or verify the information below online prior to the event.

What rescheduling marijuana means for WA cannabis industry

(The Center Square) – The Biden administration’s move to reclassify marijuana as a lower-risk substance has broad implications for the cannabis industry at large, including in Washington state, a pioneer in the legal cannabis industry. On Dec. 6, 2012, Washington became the first state in the nation to legalize recreational use of marijuana and the first to allow recreational marijuana sales, alongside Colorado. Washington had previously legalized medical marijuana in 1998.

WSU partners with community colleges to enhance urban forests

PUYALLUP — Washington State University is working with four community colleges to improve tree canopy cover in several urban areas throughout the state. The five-year project, designed to increase resilience amid a changing climate, is supported by a nearly $1.8 million Inflation Reduction Act grant from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. WSU researchers will collaborate with faculty and students at Spokane Community College, Highline Community College (Des Moines, Washington), Whatcom Community College (Bellingham, Washington), and Tacoma Community College to create thriving urban forests in neighborhoods near those schools.

New Ephrata Schools leaders share working vision

EPHRATA – As the 2023-24 school year winds down to a close, newly-selected Ephrata School District Superintendent Ken Murray and his soon-to-be Assistant Superintendent Aaron Cummings said they’ll be focused on being purpose-driven and detailed in their approach to running the district together.

Big Bend's Upward Bound program inducts 35 new members

MOSES LAKE — Thirty-five high school students from Grant and Adams counties were formally welcomed into Big Bend Community College’s TRiO Upward Bound Program Tuesday night. The program aims to get more high school students into college, and by joining Upward Bound, students are pledging their commitment to pursuing a college education. That commitment is a big deal, and deserves to be recognized, said Big Bend TRiO Upward Bound Director Anita De Leon.

The Cost of farming: Irrigation expenses follow a unique set of rules

MOSES LAKE — When it comes to the cost of farming, irrigation – especially in the Columbia Basin – is a cost that has to be factored in and planned for with each acre having a place in the water-cost equation.

Legals for May, 2 2024

Hanford Site cleanup takes steps forward and backward under new agreement

(The Center Square) – Several state and federal agencies have reached an agreement modifying their approach to cleaning up the radioactive and chemical waste buried beneath Washington's Hanford Site, a decommissioned nuclear production complex

Warden School Board fills vacant seat

WARDEN – During their April 25 meeting, the Warden School Board approved the appointment of Tiffany Hymas to board position 2, which has been vacant since January after former board member Dave Whitney left the position. Hymas will serve the remainder of the term, through 2025.

Experts give Moses Lake parents a heads-up about gangs

MOSES LAKE — Be alert – that was the message from educators and police at a parent night meeting held at the Moses Lake School District Tuesday to discuss youth gangs. “Do you know where your kid’s at?” said Shelby Jensen, school safety coordinator for Educational Service District 125, based in Tri-Cities. “Do you know who they're around? Do we make sure that we’ve got frequent bedroom checks? Are we getting up in their business?”

WDFW seeks public comment on proposed cougar season rules

OLYMPIA — The public comment period on proposed changes to cougar hunting seasons will be open through June 21, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Washington Trust to cut ribbon on new location

EPHRATA — Washington Trust Bank will celebrate the opening of its new Ephrata location with a ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. May 23 at the new branch, 261 Basin St. SW.

Odessa groundwater area bridge rebuilds receive fed funds

WARDEN — The efforts of Washington legislators have resulted in federal funding to rebuild bridges as part of a long term project to switch irrigators to surface water in a section of the Columbia Basin Project.

Ephrata Senior Center gets new wheels

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Senior Center will ride a little better now, thanks to a grant from the Paul Lauzier Foundation that bought the center a new van. The van replaces a 14-passenger bus, said center Manager Kathy Anderson.

Ephrata Chamber to host community clean-up day

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce will be conducting a community clean-up and beautification event on May 18 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

David Mark Womack

March 5, 1956 – Nov. 6, 2023

David Mark Womack, 67, of Ephrata, Wash., passed away Nov. 6, 2023, due to cardiac arrest.

Box score roundup for April 29-30

MOSES LAKE – Box scores for baseball and softball games from April 29-30

Warden sweeps Royal in softball doubleheader

WARDEN — Warden High School softball coach Randy Wright said Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of the Royal High School Knights was the performance he wanted to see with one week left in the regular season. Warden came from behind to take the first game 9-8 in extra innings and won the second game 7-3. “That’s the sort of thing I was looking for,” Wright said.

Mavericks open series with a win over West Valley

MOSES LAKE – A three-run bottom of the third inning was enough to send Moses Lake over West Valley (Yakima) in Tuesday’s Columbia Basin Big 9 matchup, with the Mavericks later winning the ballgame 4-1.

Hundreds attend Mattawa Children’s Day celebration

MATTAWA – Hundreds of residents in and around Mattawa headed to Hund Memorial Park Saturday to celebrate El día de los niños/El día de los libros, also known as Day of the Children and Day of the Book.

Historic view: Things have changed a lot over Lillian Tokunaga’s life

MOSES LAKE — Lillian Tokunaga was born in 1924, into a much different world. Tokunaga turned 100 last week, and has lived in Moses Lake for 76 years. (She’s always liked Moses Lake, she said.) But before moving to Moses Lake her life took her halfway around the world, into some very challenging places.

Metal by the lake: Springfest offers hard rock and R&B lineup and family fun in the park

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Spring Festival just keeps getting bigger and bigger. “A representative from the county called us (after last year’s Springfest) and said, ‘Hey, just so you guys know, your fest is no joke.’” said Spring Festival Committee Member Lori Valdez. “They counted 57,000 attendees from Thursday to Sunday at our festival.”

Basin sports schedule May 1-7

COLUMBIA BASIN – Check out this week’s sports schedule, featuring local baseball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and track and field events. This schedule will be updated at columbiabasinherald.com as teams progress through their respective district tournament brackets.

Legals for May, 1 2024