LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: It’s time to celebrate...

The Columbia Basin is filled with amazing people, businesses and places.  

You already knew that, though. What you may not have realized is that it’s already time to start nominating your favorite people, businesses and places for this year’s Best of the Basin publication. The Columbia Basin Herald takes this time each year to look at the people, shops and places that make your lives a bit better, just by existing.  

Nominations for Best of the Basin opened Friday and will continue through Oct. 24. Readers can submit their nominations by scanning the QR code next to this column, or, just visit HTTPS://BIT.LY/BESTOF2025. Voting will run from Nov. 4 to Dec. 3 and results will be published Dec. 31.  

Our goal with the Best of the Basin is to just take time to celebrate the wonderful place we live in and all it has to offer. And, more importantly, to do that with our readers.  

So, here’s what I’d like to suggest to you. Grab a cup of coffee, an ice-cold soda or whatever your favorite relaxation beverage is and sit down and submit your nominations. There are tons of categories from favorite restaurants, to top community servants and where your go-to place is for a good time on the weekend — whether that’s a hobby shop or a sports bar or even a fun place for a swim on a hot summer day.  

Take your time, think about the people and places you think make the Basin a better place to live, and drop in that nomination. Just make sure to do so by Oct. 24.  

Behind the scenes, we do a lot to manage this annual event to keep it fun and organized. We look for duplicate nominations and combine them. We talk to the owners of the shops, restaurants and venues that come up in the process, and we give them a chance to get showy and brag themselves up a bit.  

Keep in mind, this is Best of the Basin, so we’re looking for entries from all over Grant and Adams Counties. Give us your nominations for Moses Lake, Quincy, Ephrata, Othello, Warden and all of the other cities we cover. Tell us who is kicking butt and takin’ names.  

Once we have everything organized after the nominations period, we’ll open up voting and the community gets to pick the top entries from each category.  

Most of all, have fun with it and let us know what you think is the BEST of the Basin. There are braggin’ rights at stake — or steak, depending on the category.  

Oh, and let the businesses and people you nominate know that you nominated them and why. Everyone could use some kudos now and again. 

Let’s make this year’s event fun.  

Sincerely, 

R. Hans “Rob” Miller
Managing Editor
Columbia Basin Herald
Basin Business Journal 

Note: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect closing date for nominations. It has been corrected above. 

    Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to be directed directly to our nominations page.