Ellington

MLSD closed Monday as teachers opt to strike, negotiations to continue

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District will be closed Monday as a precaution for a potential strike by the Moses Lake Education Association, the district’s teacher's union. MLEA said their executive board voted to initiate a strike starting Monday, if an agreement was not reached by Sunday night after negotiations ended.

GALLERY: November 2025 in review

COLUMBIA BASIN — November in the Basin began with memorials for the departed, surged through state sports championships and finally began to look like winter during Thanksgiving week. Here are a few highlights from last month.

Students stacking up

Ephrata Lego robotics teams share presentations with school board

EPHRATA — The Ephrata School District board room was packed Wednesday night with people standing off to the side after all the seats filled, just to get a glimpse of the presentations. Children sang, shared their science projects and captured the attention of the school board.

Mavs eager to take the next step on the court

MOSES LAKE — As Mavericks Head Coach Craig Groth prepares for his second year leading the group, he feels confident this team can take the next step. “They got acclimated to the new system. They learned a lot from it, and now that the system has been in place, and they know what their role is, we're able to come together and build upon the success from last year,” Groth said.

Moses Lake teachers commit to Monday strike, if no agreement reached

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Education Association executive board voted to initiate a strike Monday if an agreement is not reached with the Moses Lake School District by the end of mediation Sunday, according to a statement from MLEA issued Friday afternoon.

Othello man injured in Dodson Road crash

EPHRATA — An Othello man was injured when he failed to negotiate a curve and rolled his semi-truck and trailer Friday morning at the intersection of Dodson Road and Interstate 90.

Commerce Department names Economic Development and Competitiveness czar

OLYMPIA — Andrea Chartock has been tapped to lead the state’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, according to an announcement from the Washington State Deparetment of Commerce, which administers that office. Chartock was previously with the international development company DAI and has more than 25 years of experience in global economic development, spanning more than 30 countries.

Law, fire training scheduled Friday, Saturday in Moses Lake neighborhood

MOSES LAKE — Both the Moses Lake Police Department and Moses Lake Fire Department will be using houses near Samaritan Hospital for training exercises Nov. 28 and 29, with some of the activity possibly visible – and audible – in nearby neighborhoods.

Lions basketball returns with experience

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions are returning to the court this week with a team of experienced players after having no seniors last season. This year, Lions Head Coach Josh Kast said the team is going to use their experience to advance further. “They’re a young group and they’ve been doing nothing but progressing,” said Kast. “That’s the cool thing about a young group of kids is they’re going to grow and they’re going to learn significantly throughout their eighth-, ninth-, 10th-grade seasons and by the time they’re juniors and seniors they’re able to compete at a higher level.” The Lions concluded the previous season with a 13-9 record, qualifying them for the district tournament where the team won in the first round against Cascade Christian Academy, but fell in the second round against Soap Lake.

Sandra Almeda Chaffee

1945 - 2025

Sandra Almeda Chaffee passed peacefully on October 16, 2025, at the age of 79. Sandra was born on December 14, 1945, to Alvin and Jane McCouiston in Phoenix, Ariz. and grew up hunting and fishing with her family.

BASIN EVENTS: December 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Now that the Thanksgiving turkey coma has passed, it’s time to get off the couch and start the December festivities. Here are some things happening this month.

Ferguson appoints Tyson Hill to the WA Court of Appeals

EPHRATA — Governor Bob Ferguson appointed Tyson R. Hill to the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III, marking the governor's inaugural appellate judgeship appointment since taking office in January. This appointment, effective January 1, 2026, comes as Division III Judge George Fearing prepares for retirement on the same date. Fearing announced his retirement in July of this year.

Knights set for semifinal game at home Saturday

ROYAL CITY — This weekend the Royal Knights (11-0) will host the Lynden Christian Lyncs (10-1) at home Saturday at 3 p.m. in the semifinals of the 1A state football tournament. With a win, the Knights could be headed back to the state championship game, however, they remain focused on one game at a time.

Use common sense when warming up with a space heater

MOSES LAKE — Winter weather has come to the Basin, which means a lot of people will be looking for ways to keep warm. Space heaters can be a useful, portable way to heat up a room, but you have to be careful with them and the fire risks they present. “Maintain space between the heater and any combustible object: clothes, blankets, anything that could catch fire,” said Moses Lake firefighter Seth Ellis. One in six residential fires on average are caused by heating equipment, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. Of those, about a third are caused by space heaters, but those fires result in 88% of civilian deaths and 80% of civilian injuries from heating-related fires. The number of fires caused by heaters has dropped from more than 70,000 annually to about 40,000, largely due to safety features like switches to shut the device off when it tips over.

Weather forecast for the week of Nov. 28

Weather forecast for the week of Nov. 28

Legals for November, 28 2025

Mavs coach excited for new wrestling season

MOSES LAKE – After a year of improvement, the Moses Lake High School wrestling squad is ready to hit the mats once again. Head Coach Jose Tanguma said he gets excited when a new season arrives. “We have a good group of kids, a very strong freshman class that came up through our wrestling club, and in these kids, you can see they're very mature for being freshmen, and they're setting high goals for themselves," Tanguma said.

Othello to revert to previous practice, hire city administrator

OTHELLO — The mayor of Othello will not simultaneously be city administrator under the terms of an ordinance amended by Othello City Council members Monday on a unanimous vote. The revisions came at the request of council member John Lallas. “I want to repeal that resolution,” Lallas said at the Nov. 10 council meeting. “The city of Othello goes back to a city administrator-mayor city.”

Seahawks favored over Vikings ahead of week 13 matchup

MOSES LAKE — The Seattle Seahawks (8-3) are set for a showdown at Lumen Field against the Minnesota Vikings (4-7) on Sunday at 1 p.m. According to ESPN, the Seahawks have a 69% chance to win. Head Coach Mike MacDonald is confident his players can bring the right level of physicality to the gridiron.

Young Devils team plans on statement season

WILSON CREEK – The Wilson Creek Devils girls basketball team is bringing a young, but talented group of players onto the court this season. Jeff Sackmann returns as the team’s head coach and plans to build off of last year’s successes. “We had a great group of girls and really had a mixture of a couple seniors that had played a lot and a few other girls who had never played before,” said Sackmann. “We just really kind of came together as a team and had a lot of fun.” The Devils finished the last season with a 13-9 record earning third in the Central Washington B league and made a deep run in the postseason. Their success in the regular season allowed for Wilson Creek to host Entiat where they would win 36-27.

Cougars prepare for competitive EWAC season

WARDEN – The Warden Cougars boys basketball team is returning to the court for another intense season in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference East. After a tough end last season, the Cougars are working to stay competitive. “Last season, we had our ups and downs with a lot of injuries, sickness hit us pretty good,” said Cougars Head Coach Brent Erdmann. “It wasn’t a bad season, but we didn’t quite reach our potential.”

Wahluke ready to bounce back on the court

MATTAWA – The Wahluke Warriors put together a 9-15 season under first year Head Coach Anfernee Cortez. Despite the record, he said last season was great for growth. “I thought there was a lot of learning last season for us, especially with a team full of guys going through their first year starting on varsity. I think just with that, I know there's going to be some growing pains and some learning,” Cortez said.

E. Columbia Basin Irrigation District recognized for perseverance

OTHELLO — A local irrigation district board was the recipient of an award from the Columbia Basin Development League designed to recognize people and organizations that find a way to overcome the obstacles. Jon Erickson, CBDL board chair, said the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District directors exemplify the Perseverance Award.

ACH prepares for big matchup against DeSales

COULEE CITY — The four-seeded Almira/Coulee Hartline Warriors football team will be headed to Walla Walla tomorrow to face the number one-seeded DeSales in the semifinals of the 1B state tournament. This will be the final matchup before facing either Liberty Christian or Wahkiakum in the championships at Husky Stadium.

Moses Lake tree lighting kicks off the holidays

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake has reached a landmark, according to Downtown Moses Lake Association Executive Director Mallory Miller.

COLUMN: Head west, they say

This column came together probably as quickly as my decision to move from Columbus, Ohio to Moses Lake. When I graduated from Denison University in May 2024, I remember being overcome with emotion after receiving my degree.

To prepare for colder weather, adopt Whiteout

OTHELLO — Oh, the weather outside is frightful. But little Whiteout is so delightful. And since she’s no place to go, take her home, take her home, take her home. She is a female mixed breed puppy who has been spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. Now all she needs is the perfect person to put in her application and take her home, take her home, take her home. If interested, visit AdamsCountyPetRescue.com and fill out her application. If you can’t adopt right now but would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Legals for November, 27 2025

Othello council approves money for Taggeres Park upgrades

OTHELLO — How to allocate the city’s money was the subject of a lengthy discussion by the Othello City Council at its regular meeting Monday. Spencer Williams, the city’s finance officer, said the draft budget that was presented for a public hearing was the result of a long process.

Warden man struck on crosswalk in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on West Broadway Avenue near South Beech Street around 5 p.m. Tuesday. Traffic was rerouted for a time while emergency services worked to help the victim.

Man arrested after pursuit in Othello for vehicle theft

OTHELLO — At around 11:30 p.m. Monday, Othello Police Department units pursued a stolen vehicle. Officers had attempted a traffic stop, but the driver failed to yield, prompting the pursuit, said Detective Sergeant Brent McFarlane.

MLSD reaches agreement with Principals Association

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District and the Moses Lake Principals Association announced a tentative agreement on a new contract. The Moses Lake School Board will have to formally approve the contract.

One arrested for domestic assault near Ritzville

RITZVILLE — On Tuesday, Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the westbound Schrag rest area for a reported domestic assault.

ACSO recovers stolen farm equipment

NINE MILE FALLS — The Adams County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant with the assistance of Stevens County Sheriff’s Office in connection with an ongoing burglary investigation from 2024.

Big Sky Now: Recapping the Brawl and full FCS playoff preview

It was one of the biggest weekends of the season, and Week 13 delivered shakeups across the Big Sky.

Knights welcome new leader ahead of season

ROYAL CITY – After a successful season last winter where the Royal Knights went 27-3, new Head Coach Tim Ravet is excited to lead them into the future. He is excited to join a winning culture, he said. “That culture is built at home, and you could tell the families and the community care about winning. They're about doing it the right way, about the kids just playing the right way and kind of shaping them from boys to men, it's just the right situation for me,” Ravet said.

WA college sports schedule: Nov. 28 – Dec. 5, 2025

MOSES LAKE — College athletes finish up their fall seasons and begin to transition into their winter schedules. See where your favorite teams will be headed this Thanksgiving weekend.

Groff transferred back to permanent power

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District announced Groff Elementary repairs are going well, with a focus on electrical grounding and related systems. The school has successfully transitioned Groff’s electrical service back to permanent power from the Grant County Public Utility District. It had been transferred to a special line to ensure any problems with the facility did not cause a power outage in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Eagles look for a successful senior-led season

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles girls basketball team anticipates another successful season after finishing 12-9 last year. The Eagles return with another strong squad and a desire to earn a district title. “Last year we had a really good season,” said Eagles Head Coach Leonard Lundgren. “We were one game away from going to state.” At the end of last season, the Eagles made it into the second-place game at districts where they ultimately fell to Pateros to take third in the Central Washington B league. While this was an earlier end to their season last year, it leads to strong prospects as they enter this season.

One shot in unincorporated Moses Lake on Tuesday night

MOSES LAKE — There was a shooting in the 4800 block of Stratford Road Tuesday night in unincorporated Moses Lake. One person was injured and taken to the hospital, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

Quincy Police Department logs as of Nov. 18-24, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Quincy Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Huskies look for success on the mat with fresh leadership

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies head into the season with hopes to repeat the success from previous seasons with new leadership in the head coaching positions. Girls Head Coach Sammy Rocha took over last season and boys Head Coach Reuben Lopez will be stepping into the head coaching position for the first time this season. “I already had really strong leaders last year, and everything went as planned,” said Rocha. “Lots of youth, but that youth has a lot of experience and coming into this year I still have that same core from last year.” Both Lopez and Rocha have had years of experience with the team and worked extensively with the athletes last season to build the team they have today. At the end of last year, the Huskies girls team would finish second in state. The boys finished third.

Jacks hoopsters eye league breakthrough after transition year

QUINCY – After three straight league titles, the Jacks moved up to the Central Washington Athletic Conference last season and finished 7-14. Despite moving to a higher level of competition, Head Coach Scott Bierlink said he loved how his players competed. “The CWAC last year was loaded,” Scott said. “But we were real competitive. Kept most games close, so I was actually happy with our performance last year.” The Jacks made an appearance in the 2A district tournament play in game against East Valley but fell short 79-58. However, with their first year back in the CWAC behind them, Scott is confident his players will be ready to compete in a league he believes won’t be as top heavy.

A beacon of warmth in Ephrata

His Helping Hands looking for coat donations to help locals get through winter

EPHRATA – In a world where the cold can bite and hunger gnaws at the edges of self-esteem, a local nonprofit, His Helping Hands, is turning that frost into warmth and that hunger into nourishment. Founded in 2011, the organization continues to make an impact through outreach programs, including a coat closet and a Christmas gift giveaway for children.

Mavs’ historic season ends with quarterfinal appearance

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-1) fell to the Lake Stevens Vikings 76-41 on the road in the quarterfinals of the 4A state football tournament. Despite the loss, Head Coach Brett Jay was proud of how his players fought to the end.

Lions volleyball reflects on successful season

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions ended their season with a 10-8 overall record in the district tournament. Lions Head Coach Dean Spurbeck said it was a great season for the team and highlights the development the program has seen in recent years.

2,500 families expected for Moses Lake Food Bank Thanksgiving distribution

MOSES LAKE — The line of cars stretched for the better part of a mile at noon Monday, an hour into Moses Lake Food Bank’s Thanksgiving meal distribution. “We have 2,500 families, and we’re anticipating all of them by Wednesday,” said food bank Operations Lead Jim Gantenbein.

Grant Fairgrounds suspends riding activities amid EHV-1 outbreak

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Fairgrounds has announced a suspension of all private riding and open riding activities until at least December 16, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-1 that was initially reported in Waco, Texas.

Grant County Fairgrounds: a legacy of community and celebration

MOSES LAKE – The Grant County Fairgrounds, a cherished community hub, has stood as a testament to local traditions and agricultural heritage since its establishment in 1949, according to Fairgrounds Director Jim McKiernan. To commemorate its enduring significance, the fairgrounds recently released a collection of vintage photographs that chronicle its rich history. The first Grant County Fair was held Sept. 27-28, 1911, in Wilson Creek. There is not a lot of information available on this original event, but it included three parades. After that, Ephrata hosted the 1912 and 1913 fairs, according to previous reporting done by the Columbia Basin Herald.

Legals for November, 26 2025

WSP urges caution after 3 injured on Hwy. 2

MOSES LAKE — The Washington State Patrol is urging caution after an accident sent three individuals involved in a Berne-area collision to Cascade Medical Center Tuesday evening. The accident was determined to be caused by one of the drivers going too fast for the conditions, according to the release. Throughout Tuesday afternoon, Eastern Washington had rain and snowfall occurring throughout the region with an inch or more of snow in some areas.

Purple Sage Meadows developer considering suit against Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — A dispute between North Pacific Investments and the city of Soap Lake has intensified following NPI’s recent decision to file a formal legal appeal against the city's administration. The developer says Mayor Peter Sharp's denial of the Purple Sage Meadows' affordable housing project—a $66 million initiative intended to provide 232 affordable homes—represents an unjustified obstruction of the planned development.

$75M Ephrata schools bond to go on February ballot

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School Board unanimously approved to move forward on the $75 million bond proposition on the February 2026 ballot to replace Grant Elementary and Parkway Intermediate schools along with partially renovating Ephrata High School.

Rehaume retiring as Othello PD chief

OTHELLO — Aaron Garza has been appointed as interim chief of the Othello Police Department, effective Nov. 30, when current Othello PD Chief Dave Rehaume retires. Rehaume announced his retirement Monday. Mayor-elect Ken Johnson said how the city will fill the permanent job is still to be determined.

GCSO explains weekend dog removal

MOSES LAKE — Last Thursday the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Grant County Animal Outreach worked in a joint effort to assist a citizen who had accumulated over 20 dogs onto their property. “The owner acknowledged that he was overwhelmed and surrendered the dogs,” said Kyle Foreman, Public Information Officer for GCSO.

Adams County election results finalized Tuesday

RITZVILLE — Othello voters rejected a construction bond to repair the Othello Community Pool and elected a new mayor. Lind voters also elected a new mayor. Election results were certified Tuesday.

Grant County Election results

EPHRATA — The Grant County Election results were certified Tuesday with around 16,000 voters having filed ballots.

Scam resurfaces in Grant County

EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office has announced that a scam has resurfaced with callers pretending to represent local law enforcement agencies or court personnel and asking for money.

Grant County Jail logs as of Nov. 25, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Pedestrian struck on Broadway in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on West Broadway Avenue near South Beech Street. The road was closed off for a time while emergency services worked to help the victim.

She Tink a good home is in her future

OTHELLO – Tink, an adult Chocolate Labrador Retriever, is looking for her new best friend. She has this sneaking suspicion that she will have the most wonderful home in her future. She is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. Now, all she needs is the loveliest person to visit AdamsCountyPetRescue.com and fill out her adoption application. She says if you can’t adopt right now, that’s ok but you could still help the local shelter but visiting the website and clicking “donate.”

WA college football recap – Week 13

MOSES LAKE — As college football reaches the end of the regular season, most Washington teams are nearing key rivalry games. As they aim for a strong finish, see how they fared in week 13.

COLUMN: The military oath

So we all know from the get-go, the oath of enlistment is the same across all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. It is codified in 10 U.S.C. §502. “I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

LETTER: The high cost of school construction: A call for reform

Excessive soft costs • 35-45% of school construction budgets are consumed by soft costs – engineering, design and planning – before a single nail is driven or cement poured. • These costs must be reined in and redirected toward actual construction.

Ephrata Superintendent message to the community

Tiger Community: Our world seems more divided than ever. Everywhere we look, differences spark conflict, quick judgments dominate conversations, and it can feel like understanding is impossible. These are challenging times—and our kids see it too.

Katherine D. Waters (Turk)

1955 — 2025

Katherine was born October 28, 1955, to Ivan and Agnes Waters in Sapulpa, Okla. She passed away November 18, 2025.

Tim Mullowney

1932 – 2025

Tim William Mullowney passed away peacefully of natural causes on November 18, 2025, at the age of 93. He was born August 6, 1932, in Billings, Mont. Tim grew up in Ballantine, Mont. and graduated from Huntley Project High School in 1950.

Young Broncos roster ready to hit the mats

LIND – As the 2025 wrestling gets started, Head Coach Jason Hilzer’s excitement is growing. He said if he had to pick a favorite sport to coach, it would be wrestling. “I get super excited,” Hilzer said. “I always tell (students), I don't know if I have a favorite sport, but I will tell you, whatever you put into wrestling is what you'll get out. If you want to put 110% in, that's what you're going to get out.” Unlike most other sports structured with starters and backups, Hilzer said wrestling is great because everyone gets to participate because they are spread across multiple weight classes.

Lions strive to strengthen basketball community in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions boys basketball team has set its sights on another successful season but have also set a community goal to build up basketball in Moses Lake. “We accomplished most of what we wanted to do (last season) which was to win our league and to win districts,” said Emerson Ferguson, head coach for the Lions. “We fell short of winning at regionals... so that kind of left a bad taste in our mouths so we’re working really hard to make sure it doesn’t happen this year.” The Lions finished the last season with a 20-5 record going undefeated in league matchups and taking first in the Central Washington B District 5 tournament. At state, the Lions made it all the way to the quarterfinals before falling to Almira/Coulee Hartline.

Tigers prepared to overcome league rivals

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers wrestling team is preparing to build off their returning young team from last season and strive for greater postseason success. The Tigers will once again face a tough Central Washington Athletic Conference as they push to distinguish themselves. “We had a decent season (last year), and we were just about a .500 team,” said Tigers boys Head Coach Joe Knox. “We’re building a program.” Last season, the Tigers had multiple players on both the boys and girls teams making the state tournament. The girls team ended up taking nine athletes to state after placing in the top ten in districts, said Tigers girls Head Coach Raul Tejeda.

ACH Warriors ready for another run to state

COULEE CITY – After falling short by three points in the state championship last season, the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (27-2) return to the court this season with the same expectations. Head Coach Graham Grindy said the standard has been set especially since they return most of last year's roster. “Bringing back what we brought back, statistically, we're bringing back a lot of our major players that led us in scoring, rebounding, defensively, all the areas. We definitely have high hopes,” Graham said.

MLIRD, Port of Moses Lake enter cooperation agreement

MOSES LAKE — The Port of Moses Lake and the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District have approved a memorandum of understanding with the intention of pooling their efforts when it comes to projects of mutual interest. Port Commissioner Darrin Jackson said working together should be both more effective and more cost-effective.

MLSD passes resolution due to potential teacher strike

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District Board of Directors passed a resolution on Thursday in response to an possible strike by teachers represented by the Moses Lake Education Association. MLEA members voted to authorize a strike if a labor agreement is not met by Friday, Nov. 28.

Bingo nights raise money for K-9 programs

MOSES LAKE — About 100 people filled the Moses Lake Taproom Thursday, hoisting pints and stamping bingo cards to support Columbia Basin K9s. So far this year, the bingo nights have raised a bit more than $100,000. “I’ve done a ton of fundraisers down there over the last couple of years, and that was probably one of the biggest ones,” said Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete, who served as MC and bingo caller for the event.

Legals for November, 25 2025

More than 20 dogs removed from Grant Co. residence

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Animal Outreach responded to a call from Grant County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday where a local citizen was in critical need of assistance with more than 20 dogs that had accumulated onto the property.

Port of Moses Lake spending $2.8M for military training upgrades

MOSES LAKE — Upgrading the military training area at the Grant County International Airport, extending sections of the fire suppression system and changing runways designations are among the projects in Port of Moses Lake’s 2026 capital budget. But Kim DeTrolio, director of finance and administration, said the capital budget is subject to change.

WA average fuel prices drop for tenth week in a row

MOSES LAKE – For the tenth week in a row, Washington’s average fuel price has decreased. As of ten weeks ago, on Sept. 15, average fuel prices were sitting at $4.66. As of Nov. 24, prices are sitting at $4.18, a nearly 48-cent difference.

Adams County Jail roster for Nov. 24, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is the active list of inmates for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office listed in order of the date of arrest. The Adams County Jail is closed, so inmates are housed in other jurisdictions.

Sweet boy looking for cozy home

MOSES LAKE – Papa Roach, around three years old, is one of the newest residents at Grant County Animal Outreach. He attended the GCAO groundbreaking last week and disliked it when Megan Baum set him down during the ceremony. Baum said he loves attention; to be held and he has her “wrapped around her finger.” If this sweet pup seems like a perfect fit for your family visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and fill out his application. If you can’t adopt right now but would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

3 area teachers honored by Granco FCU

MOSES LAKE – Granco Federal Credit Union announced its 2025 Teacher of the Year winners.

Jacqueline Lee Lowry

Jacqueline Lee Lowry, 79, passed away November 18, 2025 surrounded by her family in the comfort of her home. She was born in Ellensburg, Wash., then shortly after moved to Moses Lake where she lived out the remainder of her life. Jackie graduated from Moses Lake High School in 1964.

Janet Staples

Janet (Jan) Kay Staples, 67, of Moses Lake, Wash. passed away due to a stroke on November 19, 2025, at the Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., surrounded by family and friends.

Sam Darnold throws for 244 yards 2 TDs as Seahawks beat the Titans 30-24

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Both Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks bounced back quite nicely from their first road loss this season. Darnold threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns , and the Seahawks beat the Tennessee Titans 30-24 Sunday for their fifth win in six games. The quarterback, picked off four times in last week's loss to the Rams, put the Seahawks ahead to stay with a 63-yard TD pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the second quarter.

‘Exactly what I needed’

Community Court graduate has his life on track

MOSES LAKE — Ricky Boehler has stood before his share of judges in his time. But Wednesday he was laughing, smiling and sharing pizza with one rather than worrying about sentencing.

Mom Helping Moms toy drive accepting donations

MOSES LAKE — With Thanksgiving and Christmas come the opportunity to help people in need, with a plethora of organizations providing plenty of options. The Moms Helping Moms charitable organization is looking for donations and volunteers to help with its seventh annual toy drive. Founder Jeannie Austin said Moms Helping Moms assisted more than 270 children in 20204, and based on the requests, the need is greater in 2025.

Blasting caps neutralized in Ephrata

Authorities remind public to take extra caution around dangerous materials

EPHRATA — Early afternoon Thursday, Ephrata Police Department was called for suspected blasting caps found in the northwest section of town at a construction storage yard. “They were found in a steel container. When they opened the container, they recognized that they were explosive devices. They immediately called MACC dispatch and the Ephrata Police Department responded,” Captain Troy Froewiss said.

Weather forecast for Thanksgiving week 2025

Weather forecast for Thanksgiving week 2025

WA Department of Health reaffirms vaccine safety, addresses autism claims

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Health made a statement Friday that vaccines are an essential tool for protecting people’s health. It also stated that it is joining health agencies and associations across the country, such as the Autism Science Foundation, in confirming that there is no credible scientific evidence linking vaccines to autism.

Carson steps down as Soap Lake Chamber VP

SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce Vice President Susan Carson made a statement at the recent regular council meeting that she will be stepping down from her role and the chamber as a whole, at the end of 2025. She also let the community know Abate of Grant County will not host any further events in the Soap Lake community.

Legals for November, 24 2025

Soap Lake Creative District creating tile mural

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Creative District is inviting residents and visitors alike to participate in a unique community art project—the Tile Mural Project. Designed to engage the local community in a creative pursuit while beautifying the town, this initiative encourages participants to paint tiles that will be displayed as a large mural on the James Building.

ACH earns big win over Naselle in quarterfinals

MOSES LAKE — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors faced the Naselle Comets in the 1B state quarterfinals at Lions Field Saturday afternoon. The number four-seeded Warriors were dominant on the field and earned a 61-26 victory to move on to the state semifinals.

Knights dominate on the gridiron to advance to semifinals

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-0) stormed through Seton Catholic Cougars 48-10 in a rematch of last year's 1A state football championship. However, this came in the quarterfinal round as the Knights earned a first round bye.

Sex offender arrested near Royal City

ROYAL CITY — Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Tyler May, 30, at his home in the 14200 block of Road A.7 SW about 3.5 miles east of Royal City Saturday.

Quincy to pay Yakama Nation in civil settlement

QUINCY — The city of Quincy will make a $400,000 payment to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation for fisheries restoration along the Columbia River. The payment is part of the settlement of a civil lawsuit brought against the city by the organization Columbia Riverkeeper. Tom Elliot, Yakama Nation fisheries manager, said the money will be used to pay part of the cost of riverbank restoration.

Ephrata School Board meeting changed to 5:30 p.m. Monday

EPHRATA — The Ephrata regular school board meeting Monday will begin at 5:30 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. with a presentation with Ephrata School District’s Lego robotics teams.

Spice up your life with Peppercorn

MOSES LAKE — Peppercorn is a pup who is full of flavor and ready for his fur-ever home. He was one of four dogs who made a grand appearance at the Grant County Animal Outreach groundbreaking. He came to the shelter at the end of October and since then, he has shown the staff his full personality. He is a hyperactive dog who loves to move. He said walks are his favorite part of the day. He is around six months old, vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. If this sweet boy seems like a perfect fit for you or your family, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and turn in an application. If you can’t adopt right now but you would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Grant County Sheriff’s Office logs as of Nov. 21, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Team unity, defense lead to undefeated start for Vikings

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Vikings (4-0) extended their win streak to four-straight after defeating the Edmond Tritons 71-38 at home Friday. Head Coach Preston Wilks said he went with his jumbo lineup. “It was a good win for us, because we had our bigger lineup tonight, and so we were a little nervous about (Edmonds) athleticism and their ability to get by us on the perimeter. I'm happy that we held them to 38 points. I had no idea that we'd be able to do that defensively with all our big girls out on the perimeter... they played really well,” Wilks said.

Joshua Julian

1976 — 2025

Joshua Anthony Julian, age 49, of Ephrata, WA, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on November 13, 2025, following a tragic car accident.

Festival of Trees to support cancer patients

EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin Foundation’s Festival of Trees fundraiser this year will benefit cancer patients and their families, said Foundation Director Corinne Isaak.

City of Ephrata, port enter interlocal agreement for economic grant

EPHRATA — In a move towards driving economic revitalization, the City of Ephrata has entered into an Interlocal Agreement with the Grant County Port District No. 9. The agreement aims to facilitate a joint application for a grant from the Community Economic Revitalization Board, providing an opportunity for the City and Port to collaboratively develop a comprehensive economic development plan.

Major work coming to Quincy’s A Street Northeast in 2026

QUINCY — People driving around Quincy will be encountering some roadwork next spring, with two projects along a major thoroughfare. City Engineer Ariel Belino told Quincy City Council members a third project will close a section of A Street Northeast.

Soap Lake applying for $40,000 ARTS grant

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake City Council unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the Soap Lake Creative District and the city to move forward on a $40,000 ARTS Washington grant application for new wayfinding signage. The council also approved for city officials to move forward on finalizing a budget for the project before the grant application was due Thursday.

Knights, Mavs, ACH head to state quarterfinals

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, three Basin football teams will look to take the next step in state football competition. The Royal Knights (10-0), Moses Lake Mavericks (11-0) and Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (9-1) will all play in quarterfinal games Saturday afternoon.

Cougars football looks back on successful season

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars football team concluded their season with a 6-4 record making it all the way into the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference Central Washington B 2B football crossover before being eliminated from postseason play. While being just short of state, Cougars Head Coach Brent Cox said this was overall a very successful season.

Is your roof ready for winter?

EPHRATA — Your roof may look ready for winter. But is it really? “You (think you’re) fine until you see a stain,” said Sergio Miramontes, sales manager for Heavenly Roofing. “And when do you usually see a stain? In the winter. By the time you’re seeing it, it’s been leaking for seven to 10 years. Now you’ve got problems with your attic, probably mold on your sheeting or your insulation. It’s already wet, like cotton candy. It’s created issues, but no homeowner thinks about that.” The time to find out about problems is before they get big, Miramontes said. Having the home inspected regularly can alert a homeowner to problems that they wouldn’t notice ordinarily. Especially in older homes, Miramontes said; problems develop that aren’t obvious to the untrained eye. “Even if it’s a couple of nails that don’t have tar, that’s an issue,” he said. “Your pipe boots, they’re cracked. The longer you wait (to have it inspected), the more it’s going to cost you … Next year, your roof is going to cost you more than it did last year.” It’s best to inspect a roof at least once a year, according to Allstate Insurance, and twice a year if the home is older. Homeowners should bring in a professional to check it, as moving around on a roof is dangerous without the proper training.

Legals for November, 21 2025

Big Sky Now: Inside the Brawl of the Wild with interviews of former brawl players

Big Sky Now, host Luke Schmit sits down with former Montana linebacker Ryan Tirrell and former Montana State safety Rylan Ortt to talk about what it’s really like to compete in the Brawl of the Wild.

BASIN EVENTS: Nov. 21-29

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s Thanksgiving week, and there are turkey-related events happening everywhere in the Basin, plus holiday shopping, crafts and much more. Here are some ways to enjoy the week:

Shots fired in Washtucna, one arrested

WASHTUCNA — In the early morning of Nov. 16, according to Adams County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 100 block of North Main Street in Washtucna after multiple gunshots were reported in a residential area.

Officiating issues lead to questions regarding Mavs game

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks pulled off a late comeback win over the Bothell Cougars 17-14 in the first round of the 4A state football tournament, wherein multiple possibly inaccurate calls by officials were made against both teams. However, since the conclusion of that game accusations of inappropriate officiating have been made. A parent of a Bothell player made claims that officials overseeing the game had direct ties to Moses Lake and the Mavericks football program. They referenced the Washington Officials Associations code of conduct, which she said states that ties to the team must be disclosed.

Telehandler accident near Royal City sends 1 to hospital

ROYAL CITY — One subject was injured when the telehandler he was driving lost its brakes and crashed at a moderate speed into an apple orchard in rural Royal City, according to a statement made by Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

GCSO recovers $20K tool for GCFD 5

MOSES LAKE — In August, Grant County Fire District 5’s fire station on Mae Valley Road was burglarized, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman.

Big Sky Now: Vandals frustrated after officiating error, Cat-Griz preview

On this episode of Big Sky Now, we recap Montana’s strong finish to conference play, Montana State’s statement win at home, Idaho’s tough loss on the road, and key performances from Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, and Northern Arizona.

No injuries in Larson community attic fire

MOSES LAKE — Nobody was hurt in a fire Thursday afternoon in the Larson community, according to Grant County Fire District 5 Battalion Chief Travis Svilar. “There was one occupant in the house at the time of the fire,” Svilar said. “She was able to escape without injury.”

Moses Lake Police Department logs as of Nov. 20, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Moses Lake Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

A baby bear? No, Baby Boo Bear, ready to be adopted

MOSES LAKE – Baby Boo Bear, a new resident at Grant County Animal Outreach, is looking for his forever home. He is around 1.5 years old, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. He loves ear pets, belly pats and good cuddles. If he seems like your perfect little pal, visit GrantCountyAnimalOuteach.org and fill out his application. If you can’t adopt right now but you would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Eagles fall to Sacramento State, focus on Senior Day finale

CHENEY – Eastern fell in straight sets to Sacramento State on Wednesday night, according to a statement from EWU athletics. The Eagles were led by Kalista Lukovich and Alyssa Radke with seven kills apiece, while Elle Bruegman anchored the defense with 14 digs. Eastern also continued to showcase one of its season-long strengths at the net, out-blocking the Hornets 9–3 with seven solo blocks.

Cai earns First GNAC Player of the Week honor of 25-26

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington University Women's Basketball senior guard Asher Cai opened the 2025-26 season with a big splash at the CCAA-GNAC Crossover to garner her the GNAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week the conference announced Monday afternoon.

WA Collegiate Sports Schedule: Nov. 21-28, 2025

MOSES LAKE — College sports in Washington are at full capacity with some teams preparing for postseason play and others looking toward a long season. Check out where your favorite team will be headed this week.

Crash near Washtucna claims 1, closes road

WASHTUCNA — A collision on state Route 26 just west of Washtucna claimed a life Thursday morning, according to a statement from the Washington State Patrol. At a little after 11 a.m., a Ford pickup was traveling southbound on Marcellus Road about six miles west of Washtucna and failed to stop at the stop sign on SR 26, said WSP Public Information Officer Sgt. Greg Riddell. The pickup was struck by a semi-truck traveling westbound on SR 26 and came to rest on the westbound shoulder of the highway. The semi came to rest on the eastbound shoulder.

Eastern European traditions on display at Basin schools

EPHRATA — Columbia Basin Allied Arts kicked off its annual school tour Monday, with a performance for Grant and Columbia Ridge students in Ephrata by Trio Barynya.

WDFW stocks 65,000 jumbo rainbow trout for Black Friday fishing

OLYMPIA — In a bid to encourage outdoor activity this Thanksgiving weekend, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is set to stock nearly 65,000 jumbo rainbow trout across 25 lakes statewide. The initiative offers anglers the chance to participate in the annual Black Friday fishing event, with fish weighing up to three pounds and measuring up to 17 inches each.

Entire WA Congressional delegation votes to release Epstein files

WASHINGTON D.C. — After years of controversy over the files of the disgraced financier, the late Jeffrey Epstein, the US Congress voted Tuesday to publicly release the files. All members of the Washington Congressional delegation voted in favor of the release.

Buckets N Boards brings high-energy percussion and fun

MOSES LAKE — Buckets N Boards isn’t easy to define. “There’s comedy, there’s acrobatics, there’s song and dance,” said Shawn Cardwell, director of Columbia Basin Allied Arts, which is presenting the show Saturday at the Wallenstien Theater.

Public School Employees of Moses Lake hold back on strike issue

MOSES LAKE — On Tuesday, the Public School Employees of Moses Lake held a membership meeting to vote on whether classified staff would or would not support the Moses Lake Educators Association if they choose to strike. PSE decided it will not be taking a formal stance of support if a teacher strike is officially called.

Reuben Lopez takes over as Othello boys wrestling head coach

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies boys wrestling team will be under new leadership this season after longtime coach Rudy Ochoa II stepped away from the role in the offseason. Reuben Lopez will be taking over the position as the eighth-ever coach in the program’s history.

LETTER: Homelessness demands compassion, not control

In July 2025, President Trump signed “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets.” The order frames homelessness as a crisis of addiction, mental illness, and public disorder. It directs federal agencies to support states that expand civil commitment programs and prioritize treatment over housing. While it promises funding incentives, it risks reducing human beings to problems of “crime and disorder” rather than neighbors in need. For the veteran without a home or the family priced out of housing, this framing misses the mark. Utah rushed to comply, announcing a 1,300-bed homeless services campus in Salt Lake City. Leaders say it will provide treatment, recovery, and transitional services. Supporters call it bold action; critics warn it could become a warehouse for the poor. The campus may help those with severe health needs, but it risks overlooking the many who are homeless simply because housing costs outpace wages.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Focusing on civic literacy...

Over the course of the last year, we’ve published several stories and opinion pieces related to civic discussions and literacy. There’s a reason for that.

Legals for November, 20 2025

GCFD 3 to add new advanced life support vehicle

QUINCY — Grant County Fire District 3 will begin implementing the recommendations from a study that looked at ways to strengthen emergency medical services in the Quincy Valley. The district will add another vehicle for EMS calls to the district’s inventory. “The next step will be to add a fire-based advanced life support intercept unit in George,” said GCFD 3 Chief David Durfee. “It’s an important step for EMS in the Quincy Valley.”

Soap Lake entrepreneurs ready for Small Business Saturday

SOAP LAKE —This holiday season, the Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce invites community members to support their local businesses by participating in Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, a nationwide initiative aimed at bolstering small enterprises after the busy Black Friday shopping sprees. This year marks the sixth year that Soap Lake has embraced this event, which encourages residents to shop small and discover unique, locally curated gifts.

New Ephrata tower full, final testing underway

EPHRATA — The long-awaited completion of Ephrata's new water tower is in its final stages, as city officials report that the structure is expected to significantly enhance water pressure and volume throughout the community. Public Works Director Rob Harris confirmed that the new reservoir, which can hold approximately 3.8 million gallons of water, has been fully filled and final tests underway, with hopes of becoming fully operational by the end of the month.

Fire department, animal shelter funding allocated in Othello budget

OTHELLO — The city of Othello will keep funding in its 2026 budget for a separate city fire department and increase the funding for the city’s animal shelter facility. The 2026 budget will be considered by Othello City Council members by mid-December. Funding for the fire department and the animal shelter were among the items on a list of potential expenditures.

Wildcats fall in close game against Otters

SEASIDE, Calif. — The Central Washington University men’s basketball team (3-2) split its time in the West Region Crossover on after falling to the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (2-0) on Saturday. This was following the Wildcat’s 80-68 victory over Menlo on Friday. “We needed to do a better job of guarding the three-point line today. That was an emphasis going in, and we gave up 15 of them,” said Wildcats head coach Brandon Rinta. “I give our guys credit for fighting the whole game. We dug ourselves out of a hole and cut it to one possession. Just couldn’t get the stop we needed late.” The Wildcats started off strong with a 7-0 run in the first half. The Otters would get on the board with a free throw, but CWU would respond with a layup from junior Jordan Clark.

COLUMN: Mariners start the offseason right

On Monday, the Seattle Mariners announced that Josh Naylor re-signed with the team on a five-year deal for $92 million. Re-signing the star first baseman is an excellent first step in a successful offseason for the Mariners, who should be looking to reload and make another run at a World Series.

Dawgs close home slate with Michigan and UCLA

SEATTLE — The final home week of the season has arrived for the University of Washington Huskies volleyball, who host two must-win matches this Thursday and Saturday at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington (11-15, 6-10 Big Ten) needs to win out to finish at .500 and have a shot at NCAA tournament inclusion.

Huskies win in rivalry matchup against Cougars

PULLMAN – The University of Washington Huskies (4-1) earned a 81-69 victory over the Washington State University Cougars (1-3) last Friday in a rivalry matchup. This game marked the 301st all-time meeting between the two programs.

Grant County Jail logs as of Nov. 19, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Get'cha head in the game, adopt Troy

MOSES LAKE — You gotta get'cha get'cha head in the game, according to High School Musical's Troy Bolton. In this case, getting your head in the game, is considering adopting this furry friend, Troy. Although this Troy, to our knowledge, does not have the ability to shoot hoops, he will bring your more joy than the Disney Channel Original Movie ever did. He is around seven months old, small, vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Now all you have to do is get'cha head in the game and visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.com to fill out his application. If you can't adopt right now but you would still like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click "donate."

GCSO unveils 2025-27 strategic plan

EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office has launched a strategic plan for 2025-2027, focusing on employee engagement, community outreach, maintaining accreditation and transitioning operations to a new jail complex. Sheriff Joey Kriete outlined priorities during a Tuesday interview, emphasizing the importance of enhancing public safety and operational effectiveness.

Firefighters get hands-on training with donated houses

MOSES LAKE — The alert that came out from MACC Dispatch Monday, that a house on East Terrace Avenue in Moses Lake was engulfed in flames with people inside, was part of an exercise with no actual fire or victims involved. Instead, it was designed to be a training simulating a real situation firefighters might respond to.

Moses Lake High School theater troupe to present ‘Mamma Mia!’

MOSES LAKE — The curtain goes up on a tale of lost love, family complications and a wedding on the beach as the Moses Lake High School Theatre troupe presents “Mamma Mia!,” opening Friday. Sharon Winningham, drama advisor and director, said the musical has established itself as a classic. “It is a beloved musical,” Winningham said. “The kids are excited. The parents are excited. There’s just something special about ‘Mamma Mia!,’” Winningham said. “‘Mamma Mia!’ is that show that they grew up on.” The 1999 play is based on the music of the Swedish pop group ABBA, whose songs were part of the soundtrack of the late 1970s. It’s the story of Sophie (Ruby Nishida in the MLHS production) who’s about to get married. It’s all good – her mom Donna (Calissa Dalton) approves of her choice – but there’s a little bit of a glitch.

Holy grounds

Coffee fundraiser puts shoes on children’s feet

OTHELLO — The hot coffee served Sunday by an Othello youth group will help some Othello children with new shoes this winter. “We call it Coffee for a Cause,” said church volunteer Shelley Kensler. “It’s (run by) the Presbyterian youth, and we use the money to purchase shoes for Othello school kids.” The Ironworks Cafe & Market was packed Sunday morning with people who wanted to help further the ministry, or maybe who just wanted coffee and a homemade cinnamon roll. Middle and high school students from the Othello First Presbyterian Church youth group made and served the drinks. Kensler and her husband made the cinnamon rolls themselves, she said. “We do this once a year,” she said. “Erica (Rattray, owner of Ironworks Cafe) donates the use of Ironworks and one of her employees, and really some of her resources too. And then other people donate the other materials that go into it. It’s all pure profit for the program.”

Legals for November, 19 2025

Quincy Police Department logs: Nov. 8-13

The reports below were provided by the Quincy Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

WA resident first to test positive for new type of bird flu

GRAYS HARBOR — The Washington Department of Health confirmed that one Grays Harbor resident has tested positive for H5, a type of avian influenza. Further testing shows the virus to be H5N5, a type of avian influenza that has previously been reported in animals but never before in humans, according to DOH.

Othello schools EP&O levy proposal on February ballot

OTHELLO — Othello School District voters will be asked to accept or reject an educational programs and operations levy in February 2026. The community committee formed to help determine an EP&O levy amount is also being asked to come up with a plan to look at OSD facility needs. “The first need is the levy,” said Othello Superintendent Pete Perez.

Warden resident arrested Sunday for alleged assault, rape

WARDEN – On Sunday morning, the Warden Police Department was notified of a female being treated for injuries at the hospital in Othello. The female reported that the injuries occurred when she was assaulted physically and sexually by a prior domestic partner at their residence in Warden.

Lutacaga Elementary fifth graders graduate from D.A.R.E. program

OTHELLO —The Othello Police Department celebrated the graduation of fifth graders from Lutacaga Elementary School Monday, marking a significant milestone in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. The graduation highlighted the diligence and leadership shown by students throughout the ten-week program, according to OPD Chief Dave Rehaume.

Othello man convicted of odometer tampering

OTHELLO — U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano announced Monday, that Reynaldo Garza, a 53-year-old resident of Othello, Washington, was convicted on October 1, 2025, by a federal jury in Spokane on five felony counts of odometer tampering. The conviction culminated from an investigation led by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, which revealed Garza's scheme to deceive unsuspecting buyers by altering the odometers of high mileage used cars.

Roberts scores four touchdowns as ACH rolls past Entiat

COULEE CITY – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (9-1) defeated the Entiat Tigers 57-14 at home to advance to the quarter finals of the 1B state football tournament. Head Coach Brandon Walsh said his team has come together recently.

College football recap – Week 12

MOSES LAKE – College football across Washington excelled in their matchups. Some of these matchups resulted in teams securing key conference wins while others help team morale as they try to finish the year strong. Washington State (5-5) vs Louisiana Tech The Cougars defense delivered a dominant performance as they stormed their way to a 28-3 win over Louisiana Tech. According to a statement by WSU athletics, this is the fifth time this season the defense has held their opponent to 10 points or fewer. Head Jimmy Rogers had positive feedback about the Cougs’ win.

Curl up with Kip and a cold one

MOSES LAKE - Kip, a mixed breed pup is looking for someone to throw his "cold one" and then cuddle up on the couch with him. He is around three months old, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. If he seems like the perfect pal for you, visit GrantCountyAnimalOuteach.org and fill out his application. If you can't adopt but are looking to help a local shelter, visit the website and click "donate."

Amber Alert issued for two WA girls

Update: The Amber Alert has been canceled per the Washington State Patrol. MOSES LAKE — An Amber Alert has been issued for 12-year-old Vanessa Gleave and 8-year-old Audrey Gleave, who were last seen at about 6 p.m. Tuesday in Montesano, in Grays Harbor County in southwestern Washington. The girls are believed to be with Carolyn J. Gleave, 40, traveling in a 2014 black Subaru Forester with Washington license plate No. AZB4600, according to the Washington State Patrol alert. They may be heading toward Deer Park north of Spokane, according to the Washington State Patrol, which issued the alert on behalf of the Odessa Police Department. Carolyn Gleave is described as 5 feet 8 inches and 120 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, according to the alert. Vanessa is 5 feet 4 inches and 90 pounds, with blond hair and hazel/brown eyes, and Audrey is 4 feet 6 inches with brown hair and blue eyes, according to the WSP.

Balanced Attack Lifts Eastern Washington Past Eastern Oregon

CHENEY – Eastern Washington picked up its first win of the season on Monday night, defeating Eastern Oregon 91–73 behind balanced scoring, strong rebounding, and improved second-half defense. The Eagles were led by Isaiah Moses with 22 points and Straton Rogers with 17 points and 10 rebounds—EWU's first double-double of the season. Kiree Huie added 14 points, JoJo Anderson scored 13, and Alton Hamilton IV chipped in 10. EWU shot 52.2% and outrebounded the Mountaineers 42–31.

Ruth Norman (Sweet)

1944 – 2025

Ruth Norman (Sweet) was born in Hayward, California, on March 14, 1944, to Josephine and Theodore Lischeid. She had one brother, Paul, who was born in 1948. In 1954, the family moved to North Seattle, Wash., where Ruth grew up and attended local schools through high school.

First baseman Josh Naylor agrees to $92.5 million, 5-year contract with Seattle Mariners

SEATTLE (AP) — First baseman Josh Naylor and the Seattle Mariners finalized a $92.5 million, five-year contract on Monday. Naylor gets a $6.5 million signing bonus payable within 120 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office and salaries of $10 million next season, $16 million in 2027, $18 million in 2028, $20 million in 2029 and $22 million in 2030. He has a full no-trade provision, requiring his approval to be assigned to any other team.

Seahawks can build on strong defensive showing in loss to Stafford and the Rams

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold's four interceptions and the Seahawks' failure to convert in the red zone overshadowed another strong performance by Seattle's defense. The Seahawks held Matthew Stafford and the Rams to 249 yards in Sunday’s 21-19 loss. That's the second-lowest total of the season for Los Angeles. “Our guys fought incredibly hard,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “I thought we executed well, gave them some tough spots. That’s what we talk about.”

Mavs swim complete season at State

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team went to King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way to compete in the WIAA state tournament over the weekend. Five qualifying swimmers competed across five events where they found both individual and team success.

Grant PUD GM says electricity is indispensable

EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District General manager John Mertlich said electricity is not only crucial, but indispensable, in today’s world. “On the supply curve for everything, the first 5% is power, and the rest of the curve doesn’t happen without it,” Mertlich said.

Port of Moses Lake commemorates 60th anniversary

MOSES LAKE — The Port of Moses Lake celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding with a reception at the terminal Nov. 13. “The port has served as a venue for remarkable historical moments,” said Dan Roach, port executive director. “It’s also been a catalyst for growth, supporting diverse industries from agriculture to aerospace., and fostering a thriving community.”

STCU surprises Soup on Saturdays with $5K donation

MOSES LAKE — Spokane Teachers Credit Union had a surprise for a local nonprofit Friday morning. We usually pick up one to two local nonprofits within our community that we can support their needs,” Branch Manager Kerrie Petersen told representatives from Soup on Saturdays. “We chose you guys this year … and so we have a check for $5,000 that we would like to donate to you.” “Oh my God, yes,” Soup on Saturdays Secretary Mindi Brimhall said through tears. Brimhall was at STCU with SOS founder and President Trinette Mullineaux, Treasurer John Killian and Social Media Director Cassandra Wixom to receive a donation, but they had no idea how much it would be, Petersen said.

Grant County Sheriff’s Office Log as of Nov. 13, 2025

CBTECH students push in their own fire engine

MOSES LAKE — The Fire Science students at Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center held their first push-in ceremony last week, welcoming home their new fire truck. The truck was a donation from the city of Moses Lake, and while the program had borrowed it in the past, it’s now all theirs, explained CBTECH Fire Sciences teacher Lynn Dodd. “It was a fire truck that was still in service,” Dodd said. “It was a backup of a backup of a backup, but if for some reason the city needed it, they could come and get it and they could utilize it. This last summer it failed pump testing and was deemed no longer an asset to the city. It doesn’t meet the requirements to be an in-service engine anymore … So we can do whatever we want with that truck and stock that truck and train on that truck, and it now is an asset of our class.”

Adams County Jail roster for Nov. 18, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Legals for November, 18 2025

Paws on the ground

Grant County Animal Outreach breaks ground on new shelter

MOSES LAKE – Cars lined Randolph Road Northeast as a crowd of people and pups gathered Monday afternoon for a milestone in local animal welfare. Grant County Animal Outreach officially broke ground on its new shelter facility located on Randolph Road Northeast just a short distance from the shelter’s current location.

Thanking Harold Hochstatter for his service

When the Columbia Basin Herald printed its appreciation of our veterans on Nov. 11, Moses Lake’s local history expert and former state Sen. Harold Hochstatter was inadvertently left off the spread. As with all the other veterans, we’d like to extend our thanks to Hochstatter for his service. Hochstatter served in the 362nd Signal Company during his active duty years from 1959-1967 and earned the rank of Specialist Second Class. We thank Hochstatter and all of our nation’s veterans for serving with grace and honor.

REC Silicon sales decrease in third quarter

MOSES LAKE — REC Silicon has received another short-term loan from its largest shareholder for $13 million. According to REC’s third quarter report, released Nov. 4, company revenues were about $3 million less than the second quarter of the year.

Adopt this Goofy Goober

OTHELLO – Goofy Goober, sillier than his name sounds, is looking for his forever home. He is a sweet boy, with a lot of interesting personality quirks. He is a shar-pei mix, vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. If this sweet goober seems like your perfect new companion, visit AdamsCountyPetRescue.com and fill out his application. If you want to help a local shelter, but can’t adopt, visit the website and click “donate.”

Gas prices remain steady in Grant Co, nationally

MOSES LAKE – On Nov. 17, gas prices saw a slight decrease in Washington. However, prices remained the same as the previous week in both Grant County and nationally. Adams County had a slight increase this week.

Huskies’ rally but fall short in playoff loss

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (9-2) fell short 24-21 to Sehome in the 2A state football tournament after a late comeback attempt was unsuccessful. Defensive Coordinator Kevin Hale said he was proud of the Huskies giving themselves an opportunity to win, even if it did not go their way. “We had some difficulties and penalties and turnovers. We made it tough on ourselves, but ultimately, we gave ourselves a chance to win at the end and just couldn't quite do it,” Hale said. The Huskies took an 8-7 lead after the first quarter, but Sehome responded in the second quarter, tallying off 10 points to take a nine-point lead at halftime. The Huskies offense erupted in the third quarter with 13 points, but Sehome was able to maintain the lead with another score of their own and hold in the fourth quarter for the win.

Late comeback lifts Mavericks to state quarterfinals

MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-0) defeated the Bothell Cougars 17-14 in a physical first round matchup of the 4A state football tournament. Head Coach Brett Jay was visibly overcome with emotion after their hard-fought win.

One shot in Cascade Valley, suspect not in custody yet

MOSES LAKE – One person was taken to Samaritan Hospital after suffering a gunshot wound in an incident in the 7900 block of Dick Road in Cascade Valley Sunday evening. The suspect is not in custody as of 12 p.m. Monday, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman. However, detectives are still investigating.

Rams have 4 interceptions, Seahawks miss long field goal on final play in Los Angeles' 21-19 win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Rams made four interceptions and they kept Seattle out of the end zone for the first 57 1/2 minutes. Los Angeles' offense scored three touchdowns against the Seahawks' vaunted defense. This meeting of streaking NFC West powers still came down to a long field goal attempt as time expired. When Jason Myers came up short and wide right from 61 yards, the Rams celebrated a messy victory — but one with season-defining potential.

Downtown Tree Lighting to kick off season in Moses Lake Friday

MOSES LAKE — Downtown Moses Lake will be a hopping spot Friday, with food, games, music and the lighting of the downtown Christmas tree. Oh, and a visit from Santa Claus, but without the sleigh.

New Royal City mayor focused on proactive management

ROYAL CITY — New Royal City mayor Ryan Piercy said the city has benefited from good leadership for the last couple of decades.

Knights set foundation for winning culture

ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (9-10) may have fallen just short of a 1A state tournament bid, but for first year Head Coach Lisa Lawrence, it was about establishing a new culture.

MLSD, union negotiations continue amid potential work stoppage

MOSES LAKE — Tensions are escalating between the Moses Lake School District and the Moses Lake Education Association as contract negotiations remain unresolved, leading to the possibility of a work stoppage by teachers and other staff. MLEA recently voted to authorize a strike should a labor agreement not be reached by November 28, 2025.

Weather for the week of Nov. 17, 2025

Weather for the week of Nov. 17, 2025

Moses Lake Police Department logs for Nov. 13, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Moses Lake Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Legals for November, 17 2025

Broncos secure bring home the bronze at state

YAKIMA — The Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos volleyball team completed their season in the 2B state tournament, where they earned third place. The Broncos played tough teams throughout the tournament and finished out their bracket in a five-set showdown against Manson.

Three injured in Interstate 90 hit and run

RITZVILLE — Three people were injured when an unidentified driver hit the back of their car and sent it rolling multiple times on Interstate 90 about 12 miles northeast of Ritzville Nov. 13. The driver of the second car fled on foot.

Search expands for missing Umatilla tribal member

PENDLETON — Officers with the Umatilla Tribal Police Department are asking for the public’s help in finding a 71-year-old man who disappeared on the Umatilla Indian Reservation Oct. 5.

MLPD conducts targeted enforcement at Civic Center Park

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Police Department Street Crimes Unit and Major Crimes Unit conducted a targeted enforcement operation at Civic Center Park in response to the ongoing municipal code and criminal violations. During the operation, according to MLPD, detectives made contact with 12 individuals. Of that, five arrests were made.

The sweetest Teddy

MOSES LAKE — Teddy, known formally as Theodore loves walks, rides in cars and is looking for his right-hand man. He loves being around people. It is unknown how he does with children, but he likes to chase cats. He is neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. He has picked up potty training, pretty well according to Animal Rescue Friends Society of Grant County. To fill out his adoption paperwork and take home your fur-ever friend, visit ARFSGC.com. If you can't adopt, but still want to help a local rescue visit the website and click "donate."

ACH finishes fourth in state

YAKIMA — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors volleyball team’s season came to a close at the state tournament at Yakima’s SunDome Thursday evening where they finished fourth. Despite not finishing off the season with a win, the team was proud of their own efforts and achievements made over the last few months.

BASIN BOX SCORE: Soap Lake volleyball recaps their season and state tournament appearance

MOSES LAKE - On this episode of the Basin Box Score podcast, Caleb Perez and Mike Maynard sit down with Soap Lake volleyball seniors Alyson Zufall, Liana Sushik and Head Coach Niki Noble. The trio takes us through their journey to the 1B state tournament, highlight moments from the season and insider lingo for team celebrations.

Interest down, inventory up in Basin housing market

KIRKLAND — The prospects for home buyers in Washington are looking up, according to data released last week by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which tracks real estate trends in 27 Washington counties.

George M. Whitney Jr.

June 30, 1953 - November 11, 2025

George Marvin Whitney Jr., 72, passed away peacefully at his residence in Moses Lake, Washington, on Nov. 11, 2025, after a short illness. George was born on June 30, 1953, to Marvin and Iris Whitney. George is survived by his wife Lisa; his children Pauline (Keaton) and Rose (Adam); his three grandchildren Kate, Leo, and Cole; and his brother Ray (Norma) and their family: Mark (Aunna), Lauren (Clay), and Nathan (Mariah).

BASIN EVENTS: Nov. 13-25

COLUMBIA BASIN — The weather is getting nippy and the holidays are fast approaching. Whether it’s shopping, art, music or theater, there’s something for everybody happening in the Basin this week.

Coffey Anderson brings laughs and tears for Veterans Day

QUINCY — Probably at least half the audience had never heard of Coffey Anderson before his concert began Tuesday night. An hour later, he had a whole auditorium’s worth of new best friends.

Moses Lake to host budget hearing

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake residents will have a chance to register their opinions on the city’s 2026 budget at a public hearing during the Nov. 26 Moses Lake City Council meeting. The public hearing is being continued from Wednesday’s council meeting. Finance Director Madeline Prentice said that while the city’s projected general fund deficit should be smaller in 2026, there’s still a deficit.

When buying a first home, listen to the pros

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes, the first step to homeownership is simply taking a step. “The best thing for us to do is to start with a loan application and let me talk with you a little while,” said Guild Mortgage Branch Manager Anne Fisher. “Let's figure out what are your needs, what are your goals.”

Grant County Animal Outreach to break ground on new shelter

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Animal Outreach will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its new shelter facility at 2 p.m. Monday on Randolph Road Northeast, marking a milestone in the organization’s mission to provide improved care for animals in the community. With a projected cost of $2.5 million, the new facility is set to address the growing needs of the area’s sheltered pets, especially following the surge in animal intake during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This shelter will serve all of Grant County, not just Moses Lake, with the exception of Quincy, which has its own shelter,” stated Moses Lake City Administrator Rob Karlinsey. He emphasized the immediate necessity for the project, noting, “The current shelter has outlived its useful life, is in a state of disrepair, and is operating at more than double its capacity.”

From underdogs to contenders

Wahluke girls soccer sees a culture shift

MATTAWA — After a 7-0 loss in the first round of the 1A state tournament to Seton Catholic, the Wahluke Warriors’ (14-7) season has come to an end. Though a loss is never welcomed with open arms, Head Coach Cele Lopez is still happy with what his team accomplished this season. “I’m just really happy I told the girls yesterday before jumping on the field, ‘We are already winners just by being here,’” Lopez said. Before the season started, Lopez said they had their hands full since they housed a less experienced roster.

Legals for November, 14 2025

Winchester collision results in Ephrata man's death

WINCHESTER — At around 2 p.m. Thursday, there was a two-car fatality collision on State Route 28, around seven miles east of Quincy. The road was closed for several hours while the Washington State Patrol conducted an investigation.

Moses Lake teachers vote to strike if contract not ratified

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Education Association, the teachers' union for educators in the Moses Lake School District, has voted to strike if they do not have a ratified contract by Nov. 28.

State patrol emphasis in Adams, Grant counties over Thanksgiving holiday

OTHELLO — Traffic emphasis patrols will begin Nov. 20 in Adams, Grant and Kittitas counties as Washington State University students and other drivers travel to Western Washington for the Thanksgiving holidays. The emphasis patrols will be in effect through Nov. 30. “District 6 troopers in Moses Lake and Ellensburg will be patrolling (in those counties) focusing on speeding and driving too fast for conditions, distracted (or) impaired driving and other collision-causing violations,” the Washington State Patrol wrote in a memo. Drivers will see increased WSP patrols on state routes 26 and 17 as well as Interstate 90 from the Vantage Bridge over Snoqualmie Pass, the memo said. “We encourage travelers to pay close atte

Moses Lake food drive going well

MOSES LAKE — The city of Moses Lake’s food drive has gone well so far, according to Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Superintendent Dollie Boyd. The food drive, spearheaded by the museum, has received assistance from the Larson Recreation Center and Grant County Fire District 5 Station No. 1. “People’s (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are starting to come in,” Boyd said. “I know there was a lot of stress about that, but the holidays are still coming around, and we just wanted to do what we could to help out.” Around 250,000 Washington residents should have received their full SNAP benefits for November as of Nov. 7, according to a statement from Gov. Bob Ferguson.

Coach reflects on winning season for the Mavericks

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (10-7-1) were eliminated in the first round of the 4A state tournament 8-0 by the Issaquah Eagles. It’s always hard to see a season come to an end, Head Coach Alysha Overland said, but the Mavericks have a lot to be proud of. “This program hasn’t seen state in 10 years now, so the girls battling through everything we’ve faced this season, and getting to that point, I think we’re all just very excited and still proud of the point that they got to,” Overland said. Overland said her players competed well in their game against Issaquah. They were able to hold the Eagles to a 2-0 lead going into halftime. However, in the second half the game escaped the Mavericks as Issaquah put up six goals to seal the win. Overland said the Eagles were a strong team that was well rounded and were efficiently passing the ball.

1B/2B State Volleyball roundup

YAKIMA – Local basin teams, Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors, Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos, and Soap Lake all entered the state tournament this week and competed against fellow 1B and 2B teams across the state. See below the results from the state tournament and some highlights from the tournament.

Mice test positive for bird flu in Grant County

MOSES LAKE — Six mice in Grant County have recently tested positive for avian influenza, also known as the bird flu, according to a statement from the Grant County Health District. “It’s not brand new that we are finding bird flu in mice or other mammals. There have been reports of rodents testing positive for bird flu throughout the United States. It can be found in other mammals, not just birds,” GCHD Public Information Officer Lexi Smith said.

New ordinance will allow some Moses Lake irrigation-only wells

MOSES LAKE — Public and semi-public organizations would be allowed to drill shallower-depth wells to help water their property under the terms of an ordinance reviewed by the Moses Lake City Council Wednesday. Water from those wells will be used for irrigation only. Mayor Dustin Swartz said the ordinance is designed to take some of the pressure off the city’s existing municipal water system.

Diamond in the ruff

OTHELLO – Tumble, a border collie mix, is the perfect companion for anyone who loves a brisk fall walk. He is a younger pup who is vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. If you want a furry friend in your life that makes you laugh and also is willing to snuggle up to you on the hard days, he is your guy. If you are interested in adopting this sweet boy, visit AdamsCountyPetRescue.org and fill out an application. If you can’t adopt right now but you would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

State Route 28 closed for next handful of hours near Winchester

QUINCY – State Route 28 is closed at Winchester due to a fatal collision as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The Washington State Patrol is asking travelers to seek alternate routes. “The collision just happened within the last twenty minutes,” WSP Public Information Officer Jeremy Weber said. “I would assume the road would be closed for the next three to four hours. I cannot say for sure because when we have a fatal collision it needs to be investigated very thoroughly. It takes several hours to measure everything, fly drones, and complete the investigation." Weber said a detour will be set up soon by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Train theft attempted in Warden

WARDEN – On Wednesday night, Bunge, a food producer located in the 1800 block of West First Street, was nearly a victim of train theft, according to Warden Police Department Chief Jeff Gann.

Judith ‘Judy’ Church

August 24, 1937 – November 3, 2025

Judith “Judy” Ann Church, 88, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away on Nov. 3, 2025, in Federal Way, Washington. Born on Aug. 24, 1937, in Portsmouth, Ohio to Eugene Samuel Crull and Eileen Pearl Hawkins Crull, Judy was the eldest of three sisters and a former resident of Moses Lake and Othello, Washington. A celebration of life will be held on Dec. 6 at Pillar Rock Golf Course in Moses Lake from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dress in your holiday colors. Join for lunch and share a story.

COLUMN: Is this the year for the Zags?

As the Washington air turns bitter and cold, sports fans will trade in the cold beer, perhaps for a warm cider, as they sit down for the start of the college basketball season. After a second-round exit in the NCAA men's basketball tournament last March, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are poised to bounce back this season.

The purr-fect Toast

MOSES LAKE — Toast, marked like America’s favorite breakfast, is ready to be adopted from Grant County Animal Outreach. She said she has enjoyed her stay, but she is looking for someone's house to hang out in, more permanently. She is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. All you have to do is visit GrantCountyAnimalOuteach.org and fill out her application. She said she will make the time you took worth it. However, if you are unable to adopt and would still like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Washington State fires athletic director Anne McCoy

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) — Washington State athletic director Anne McCoy has been fired. Jon Haarlow, the chief operating officer of the school's athletic department, will serve as interim athletic director. The Cougars will conduct a national search for McCoy's replacement, the university said Wednesday in a statement announcing the move.

Ephrata's annual leaf pick-up set for next week

EPHRATA – Next week, starting Nov. 17, Ephrata residents can have leaves picked up right off the curb of their house.

Generations Church to offer trees, Christmas presents

MOSES LAKE — The Generations Church Christmas tree lot is both moving and expanding this year. “We’re moving our tree lot to our church property, and then we’re going to combine it with an indoor sale, which is hopefully a new and improved garage sale,” said Patty Culver, a member of Generations church who is organizing the sales. “We’ve weeded out the junk and focused on Christmas stuff: clothes and toys and books.”

Grant Co. CHI to host transportation access event

EPHRATA — The Grant County Coalition for Health Improvement is set to host an event, “Paving the Way: Community Solutions for Transportation Access,” on November 18. This initiative is part of the CHI series, aimed at addressing pressing community issues through public engagement and collaborative efforts.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Support local causes this holiday season ...

If you’re looking to enjoy the holidays, you’re not alone. Across the Columbia Basin, people will be baking turkeys, holiday shopping, decorating their homes, and reminding children to behave or they’ll get coal in a stocking.

Eagles to face Northern Colorado Saturday after nail-biting loss to Montana

CHENEY — Eastern Washington University’s football squad made a good showing last weekend, narrowly losing to No. 2 Montana, according to a statement from EWU Athletics. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 22-0 lead early in the second quarter led by Keali'i Ah Yat who completed 14 of his first 15 passes. EWU cut that lead by eight points, leaving the score 22-14 at halftime.

EWU loses to Weber State, heads next to Montana

CHENEY — The Eastern Washington University volleyball team fell Friday to Weber State 20–25, 15–25 and 23–25, according to a statement from EWU Athletics.

Classical sound

Concert Association show will highlight cello and piano, plus a little holiday fun

MOSES LAKE — The Central Basin Community Concert Association will present “Classical Sounds of the Season” Dec. 4. The concert replaced the one originally planned by pianist and Moses Lake native Collin Hansen, who was unexpectedly unable to come from Finland to perform. “Classical Sounds of the Season” will feature Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra cellist Kevin Hekmatpanah and pianist Yoon-Wha Roh.

Legals for November, 13 2025

Eagles conclude season at state tourney

YAKIMA —The Soap Lake Eagles volleyball season came to a close Wednesday morning after falling 1-3 to Wakiakum in the first round of the state tournament. Following the hard-fought battle, Eagles head coach Niki Noble said how proud she was of the way the team played this season.

Awareness helps protect people from increasingly sophisticated scammers

MOSES LAKE — A check of the records all the way back to Sumerian clay tablets shows that scammers are always looking for new ways to separate people from their money. Kyle Foreman, public information officer with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, said scamming is a volume business.

Applications open for apple industry training program

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Applications are open for a program designed to provide training and networking opportunities for young professionals in the apple industry. Recipients of the 2026 NextGen Apple Fellowship will be announced in February. The program is sponsored by USApple, the industry’s national trade organization.

Ephrata schools bolster local food bank efforts

EPHRATA — In a demonstration of community spirit, the Ephrata School District successfully gathered nearly 750 pounds of food for the Ephrata Food Bank during their recent food drive, coinciding with conference week. The initiative, which engaged students, staff, and families alike, is part of the district's ongoing commitment to support local charitable efforts.

MLSD, union agree to enter mediation

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District has requested mediation to advance ongoing contract negotiations with the Moses Lake Education Association, the union representing non-administrative certificated staff. The MLEA has agreed to partake in the mediation process, which is facilitated by a neutral mediator from the Public Employment Relations Commission.

Othello pool construction bond failing

OTHELLO — The fate of the Othello Community Pool, whether it will reopen and if so, how soon, will be in the hands of new Mayor Ken Johnson and a new Othello City Council. Johnson and the new council members will take office in January.

Tigers XC runners find success at state

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers cross country team sent six runners to the state tournament at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. While the Tigers didn’t have enough runners to place as a team, Caleb Fitts, Niko Diaz, Maddax Iverson, Hannah Malone, Savannah Harper and Rebecca Wiser each found personal success in their final times.

Grant County Jail roster as of Nov. 12, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Pretty in pink

AdamsCountyPetRescue.com

Donor support helps finance Othello museum upgrades

OTHELLO — The Othello Community Museum will be expanding its schedule with the help of donations and an Othello business. Steve’s Refrigeration & Heating started work Monday on repairs and upgrades to the museum’s heating and cooling systems.

Educators share plans to ‘Educate Tomorrow’ at LEAD Summit

MOSES LAKE — During the first day of the LEAD Summit, local school district superintendents Carol Lewis from Moses Lake, Andy Harlow from Wahluke, Nik Bergman from Quincy and Ken Murray from Ephrata came together to discuss the challenges that schools are facing and their plans to adapt education into the future.

Locals recognized for contributions to STEM

WENATCHEE — Three locals were honored at the NCW Tech Alliance Awards ceremony last week. Quincy High School student Gerardo Guerrero and Big Bend Community College Professor of Chemistry Lindsay Groce received the K-12 Future Technology Leader and STEM Champion of the Year awards, respectively. Cooper Cox, BBCC alumnus and current Washington State University student, was a finalist for the STEM College Innovator of the Year.

Members Exhibition opens Friday at Moses Lake Museum

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center’s Members Exhibition is in its fourth year, and it’s breaking records, said Gallery Coordinator Veronica Talbot. “It’s over 160 pieces, with over 50 artists,” Talbot said. “We have quite the array (of media). We have acrylics, we have oils, we have wool wreaths. We’ve got a skull.”

COLUMN: It’s time to get serious about solving our state’s energy challenges

For residents of the Pacific Northwest, January 2024 might be memorable because of the winter storm that brought ice and severe cold to the region, leading to major power outages. It might be memorable, but there’s also a good chance you have moved on with little or no recollection of that particular storm amid a jumble of winter memories. But for anyone who works for an electric or gas utility, the dates Jan. 12-16, 2024, really do stand out. That’s the week in which the region came dangerously close to not having enough energy to keep our homes warm and lights on. The memory of that storm, and the wakeup call that it provided about the urgent need to produce more energy, came up for discussion at the Energy Solutions Summit on Oct. 30 in SeaTac. The gathering was the first in a series of solutions summits stemming from Washington in the Making 2040, a long-term economic vision for Washington launched in June by the AWB Institute and Washington Roundtable.

Legals for November, 12 2025

Court ruling releases SNAP benefits for Washingtonians

OLYMPIA – Following a federal court ruling requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, hundreds of thousands of Washington residents are receiving their overdue food assistance benefits for November. This development comes after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to cease withholding food benefits for low-income Americans.

Grant Co. Democrats collect for food bank

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Democrats took to the streets again Tuesday, this time to collect food for the Moses Lake Food Bank. “People have a right to eat,” said Dave Hammond, who was standing on the corner holding signs that said “Feeding the hungry is patriotic” and “Donate here.” “The thing I like about this is it’s going to go to the food bank, and anybody who needs it can get it.”

Applicants sought for Othello City Council position

OTHELLO — Applications will be accepted through 5 p.m. Dec. 5 for an open position on the Othello City Council. The new council member will replace Danae Valdez, who announced her resignation Oct. 27.

Multiple injury collision on I-90 Tuesday morning

RITZVILLE – On Tuesday morning before 10 a.m., one mile outside of Ritzville, there was a multiple vehicle collision on both sides of Interstate 90, according to a press release from Washington State Patrol. Both sides of East and West I-90 were blocked. Washington Department of Transportation, Washington State Patrol and fire assistance were on scene. The scene was cleared shortly after 3 p.m.

Quincy PD logs for Nov. 11, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Quincy Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

College football recap – Week 11

MOSES LAKE — As the college football playoff rankings start coming out every Tuesday, teams are starting to battle for a spot in the big dance. However, week 11 proved to be a destructive week for both top Washington football programs.

Big Sky Now: Playoffs near as Montana teams and Idaho State hold the line

The Big Sky Now panel breaks down Montana’s dominant win over Eastern Washington, Idaho’s gritty road performance at UC Davis, and Montana State’s bounce-back victory against Weber State.

Eagles enter state tournament as thirteenth seed

COLUMBIA BASIN – The Soap Lake Eagles (12-4) finished second in the district tournament after overcoming Entiat 3-2 but fell to Waterville-Mansfield in the district final. The Eagles will compete in the state tournament this week, starting as the thirteenth seed.

Leadership, talent drive Mavs to back-to-back state appearances

MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks competed in the 4A state cross country meet. Head Coach Larry Dagnon said he was proud of the effort his runner put forth over the weekend. “We wished we had run faster, obviously, but you could just tell when it was all said and done... that was a fast group of people they were racing with,” Dagnon said.

Basin football roundup – Week 10

MOSES LAKE – Basin football has wrapped up district play, and a few teams are heading to their respective state tournaments. Over the next couple of weeks, they will compete in a series of win or go home games in the pursuit of a state title. See below which teams advanced and their current record.

COLUMN: What does service mean to you?

Veterans Day for me means I will be the recipient of ritualistic platitudes such as “Thank you for your service,” from people who have no concept of the rewards or costs of service. I don't think those who repeat this mantra have ill intent, and I know that repeating such phrases is actually done with extreme gratitude. It is simply done without understanding the sacrifices that were made.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: A proper thanks...

Like Rob Bates said in his column that sits next to this one in the print edition for Veterans Day, the “Thank you for your service” messages he gets each year on this holiday to honor living veterans can come across as uninformed, though well-intentioned and appreciated, nonetheless.

A heartfelt thank you from the CBH team

MOSES LAKE — The only reason the team at the Columbia Basin Herald can do our jobs is because of the dedication of veterans who have protected our Constitutional freedoms for well over 200 years. Freedoms like the First Amendment which guarantees a free press. We thank all of our local veterans for their contributions to preserving our freedoms and their hard work after their service to ensure the Columbia Basin is a wonderful place to live.

Soap Lake Salutes Fun Run celebrates veteran contributions

SOAP LAKE — On Saturday, a 2K and 5K fun run was held at Smokiam Park in Soap Lake. The fundraiser event was aimed at raising more awareness around Veterans Day, said event organizer Britton Baker.

American Legion offers veterans support

EPHRATA — Jane Montaney said the door is always open for military veterans at the American Legion. “The American Legion family is always there to welcome other veterans,” Montaney said.

Counting down the days until Ephrata Cabaret

EPHRATA — As the curtain rises for yet another season of the highly anticipated “Cabaret,” the Ephrata High School community is buzzing with excitement. This year, under the direction of long-time music educator Tim O'Donnell, approximately 90 students have come together to create a unique performance that promises to entertain audiences of all ages.

WA leaders express support for veterans

MOSES LAKE — In communities across Washington State, veterans are receiving heartfelt recognition for their service today. This day is not only an opportunity to acknowledge the sacrifices of our nation’s servicemen and women but also a time to reaffirm our commitment to supporting them in their transition to civilian life, Washington officials say.

Legals for November, 11 2025

Gas prices decline statewide, locally

MOSES LAKE — The average fuel prices have dropped in Grant and Adams counties and statewide in Washington. However, the national average price saw a slight increase this week.

$5.8M planned in capital projects at Port of Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The Port of Moses Lake is projected to generate about $12 million in revenues and spend about $16.07 million in 2026. The preliminary budget was reviewed by commissioners Monday. “We’ve had some economic conditions – we're losing a tenant and a user of our wastewater, so port staff is working to fill those spaces,” said Kim DeTrolio, the port’s director of finance and administration.

MLSD settles with Absher Construction on Vanguard project

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District has reached a conclusive settlement agreement with Absher Construction Company, effectively closing out all remaining contractual obligations related to the construction of Vanguard Academy. This resolution was officially accepted by the MLSD Board of Directors during their regular meeting on November 6, 2025.

Basin Sports Schedule: Nov. 12-15, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN – District tournaments have concluded and now a few local teams remain who will be competing at the state level. See where our local teams will be playing this week.

Knights earn first round bye in state playoffs

ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (10-0) once again showed their dominance on the field on Friday where they earned a 69-0 victory over King’s Way Christian in the 1A District tournament. This victory not only sent the Knights into the state tournament but gave them the number one seed to have a first-round bye.

Adams County Jail roster

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is the active list of inmates for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office listed in order of the date of arrest. The Adams County Jail is closed, so inmates are housed in other jurisdictions. Inmates are listed chronologically with the most recently arrested individual listed first. This listing is as of the morning of Monday, Nov. 10, 2025.

Adopt this rare phenomenon

OTHELLO – Eclipse, named after the scientific phenomenon of the moon covering the sun, promises to bring light to even the darkest days. She is a small domestic short hair whose blue eyes could make anyone become a cat person. She is a sweet girl who loves cuddling and showing off her parkour skills. She is spayed, vaccinated, microchipped and ready for adoption at Adams County Pet Rescue. Visit the website at AdamsCountyPetRescue.com and fill out her application. If you can’t adopt right now but you would still like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Moses Lake boy’s food drive takes off for second year

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake boy is holding his own holiday food drive in conjunction with Care Moses Lake, according to an announcement from Care Moses Lake founder Michaelle Boetger.

Linda Louise Crow

Linda Louise Crow, 83, of Moses Lake passed away November 6, 2025. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories.

Add a little fall spice to your life

EPHRATA – Cinnamon Stick, Cinna for short, is sweeter than any fall treat. She is around 12 weeks old, spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. She is a chihuahua mix. Although small, she packs a lot of personality. She is available for adoption at Columbia Basin Pet Rescue. To fill out an application, visit their website at ColumbiaBasinPetRescue.org.

DeMarcus Lawrence scores 2 defensive TDs and Seahawks dominate Cardinals in 44-22 win

SEATTLE (AP) — Before Sunday, DeMarcus Lawrence had scored two touchdowns in 148 NFL games over 12 seasons. With a couple of huge assists from Tyrice Knight, Lawrence doubled his career total by the end of a dominant first half for the Seattle Seahawks, who beat the Arizona Cardinals 44-22. Lawrence returned two fumbles for touchdowns, and became the sixth player since at least 1991 with two defensive touchdowns in the first half of a game.

Veterans Day parade planned in Ephrata

EPHRATA — The American Legion Art Semro Post and Unit 28 is proud to host the 28th annual Veterans Day Parade in Ephrata Tuesday, Veterans Day, honoring the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces, according to an announcement from Post Auxiliary Secretary Rebecca Pettingill.

Moses Lake library contract extended, but questions remain

MOSES LAKE — The city of Moses Lake will maintain the existing funding level for the Moses Lake Public Library for 2026 and will not ask NCW Libraries for more money next year. City officials will be evaluating the building in 2026, and Mayor Dustin Swartz said city residents will be invited to be part of that process.

CliftonLarsonAllen consolidates in new Moses Lake office

MOSES LAKE — CliftonLarsonAllen has a new home in the Columbia Basin. The accounting firm, which has had offices in Moses Lake, Quincy and Othello, is consolidating those offices into a single location on Yonezawa Boulevard in Moses Lake. The company cut the ribbon on its new building Wednesday in a ceremony with the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Weather for the week of Nov. 10, 2025

Weather for the week of Nov. 10, 2025

Grant County eatery looks to raise funds for food donations

OTHELLO — With SNAP benefits up in the air, a lot of people are stressing about how they’re going to fill their fridges, and many others are looking for ways to help. Potholes Bar & Grill is taking some steps to bring the two together.

Legals for November, 10 2025

Grant Co. LEAD Summit 2025 examines opportunities countywide

MOSES LAKE – The first day of the LEAD Summit hosted by the Grant County Economic Development Council was held at the Grant County Fairgrounds Wednesday and Thursday. Local leaders from the area came together to share the future plans for the county.

Mavs punch ticket to state with district playoff win

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (10-0) defeated the Issaquah Eagles 49-35 at home in the 4A district playoff game to advance to the state tournament. Lineman Theo Kalasountas said it felt good to get a postseason win at home.

Potato Expo 2026 to be held in Dallas

DALLAS – Potato Expo 2026, North America's largest annual potato industry conference and trade show, is heading to Dallas Jan. 6-8 at the Gaylord Texan, according to an announcement from the National Potato Council. The event, hosted by the National Potato Council, invites U.S. and international potato supply chain partners to connect, share insights, and collaborate to kick off the new year.

Soap Lake Creative District asks for new signage

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Creative District asked the Soap Lake City Council to consider an Washington State Arts Commission grant application and matched fund assistance for new wayfinding signage throughout the district. The council unanimously decided to move forward by creating a memorandum of understanding and looking at matching dollars for the project.

Grant County Sheriff’s Office log as of Nov. 7, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Warriors defeated in season finale

MATTAWA – The Wahluke Warriors (2-8) finished their season with a 28-6 loss at home to the Grandview Greyhounds on Thursday. For Keaton Zirker, he was grateful to put on the pads and represent the Warriors one last time.

Eagles seniors reflect on season after concluding at home

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles (2-6) finished their season at home against Oroville, where they fell 0-54 by the end of the night. Despite the loss, the Eagles were still proud of the efforts that they put out and are happy with the season they had.

A sit down with Tigers football Head Coach and quarterback

MOSES LAKE - On this episode of the Basin Box Score podcast, Caleb Perez and Mike Maynard sit down with Tigers Head Coach Patrick Mitchell and quarterback Brady Hendrick. We discuss how the regular season went, a shared passion for small town football and expectations for a successful postseason. Hear about all of that and more on this week's episode.

Linda Hermeone Taylor

1936 – 2025

Linda Hermeone Taylor was born on December 14, 1936, in Havre, Montana, to Leo and Edith Wall. Linda did not meet her father, Leo, as he died the day before she was born.

BASIN EVENTS: Nov. 7-15

COLUMBIA BASIN — This week celebrates veterans, and there are several events honoring those who served. There are also holiday markets, live performances and much, much more. Here are a few possibilities:

Fairy tale: Othello HS to stage ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

OTHELLO — It’s your typical teenage drama. Boy loves girl. Girl’s father wants her to marry someone else. Girl runs away and both boys look for her. A mischievous fairy sprinkles a potion on everybody that makes them all fall in love with the wrong people. Wait, what?

Longwill’s first year brings culture shift to Jacks football

QUINCY – On Oct. 30, the Quincy Jacks (1-8) finished their season with a loss to the Othello Huskies. Head Coach Seth Longwill still came out proud of the foundation his team built in his first year leading them.

Covenant Homeownership Project showing results

MOSES LAKE — Washington’s Covenant Homeownership Project is beginning to do what it’s designed to. “As of the beginning of last week, 886 people had closed on their homes using this program,” writes Margret Graham, communications director for the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. Another 92 buyers are waiting to close, she wrote.

Quincy railroad crossing work scheduled for 2026

QUINCY — Roadwork for 2025 isn’t quite finished in Quincy, and plans are underway for projects in 2026. Upgrades to the railroad crossing on Columbia Way are among them, and Quincy Engineer Aerial Belino said that’s the first in a series of upgrades to railway crossings.

Warden general election update

WARDEN – Most of the Warden races this year were unopposed, except Warden School board position number five between Shawn Clausen and Ryan Arredondo. As of the Nov. 5 ballot counts, Clausen is in the lead with 153 votes. Arredondo has 36 votes.

Grant County building permits

Grant County building permits

Legals for November, 7 2025

Authorities identify Grant Co. Jail inmate who died

EPHRATA — A man who died while in custody at the Grant County Jail Tuesday has been identified as Ruben Trevino, 54.

Othello mayor elect says a number of issues need attention

OTHELLO — Ken Johnson leads the race for Othello mayor in unofficial results updated Thursday afternoon, and said some issues require immediate attention if he wins. As of Thursday, Johnson had 478 votes to 398 for Logan.

Ephrata info portal gives residents planning insights

EPHRATA — The Ephrata City Council got a look at some long-term plans and the grants to fund them at its meeting Wednesday evening. The information was on a new interactive website, and City Engineer Dave Bren walked the council through them.

Ephrata general election update

EPHRATA – Ephrata voters had nine candidates and the Columbia Basin Hospital Bond to vote upon during the general election. Of those races, seven of them were candidates who ran unopposed.

Soap Lake general election update

SOAP LAKE – As of Wednesday at 5 p.m., both Soap Lake Council members Andrew Arnold and Kayleen Bryson have been re-elected by voters, both running unopposed. Rebecca Leavell is leading in the Soap Lake school board position five. The Soap Lake mayoral race is still too close to call. According to the Grant County Auditor, there are still around 4,600 ballots left to count. Around 10,000 ballots have been counted already.

Tractor-pickup collision injures Royal City man

ROYAL CITY — A Royal City man was airlifted to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland after the tractor he was driving was rear-ended about seven miles east of Royal City.

Grant County Jail roster as of Nov. 6, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

GALLERY: Highlights from Basin sports

MOSES LAKE — The last week of Basin sports saw a lot of stiff competition as district tournament games continue. Here are a few highlights from those games.

Basin soccer roundup Oct. 30 – Nov. 4

MOSES LAKE – District tournaments are well underway as multiple Basin teams are still competing for an opportunity to advance to the state tournament. In the last week some teams have fallen out while others are on the verge of earning a state tourney bid. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.

Soap Lake fun run to support veterans set for Saturday

SOAP LAKE – On Saturday, a 2k and 5k fun run is being held at 10 a.m. at Smokiam Park in Soap Lake. The fundraiser event is aimed at raising more awareness around Veteran’s Day, said event organizer Britton Baker.

Marjorie "Marjie" Miles

1939 – 2025

Marjorie “Marjie” Miles, 86, passed away on October 13, 2025, peacefully in the comfort of her home in Kirkland, surrounded by her family.

He is quick! He is fast! He is up for adoption!

MOSES LAKE – Speedracer isn’t just fast, but he is also the perfect companion for snuggling up. He is a medium mixed breed pup, who is vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. He is around two years old. If interested in meeting this quick guy, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and fill out his application. If you want to help a local shelter, but can’t adopt, visit the website and click “donate.”

COLUMN: Shaheed trade an underrated move

As defensive stars like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were getting traded out of New York, the Seattle Seahawks made an underrated move. They got an absolute speedster, Rashid Shaheed, from the New Orleans Saints for a fourth and fifth round draft pick in 2026.

Moses Lake collecting food, necessities this month

MOSES LAKE — The City of Moses Lake will collect food and other necessities for the Moses Lake Food bank this month, according to Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Director Dollie Boyd.

Ephrata hospital bond fails with voters for second time

EPHRATA – Columbia Basin Hospital ran its $30 million bond proposition for a second time during the general election. The proposition as of 8 p.m. Nov. 4 ballot count has been rejected with about 1,100 votes, or nearly 56% of voters against it. Around 44%, or almost 830 people voted in favor of the bond. There are still around 900 ballots to count. The election will be certified Nov. 20.

Light Up Columbia Basin

Do you have what it takes to be the Champion of Lights?

MOSES LAKE — Basin residents can turn loose their inner Clark Griswold and help students at the same time.

Legals for November, 6 2025

Community's help sought in finding at-risk Quincy man

QUINCY — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office and Quincy Police Department are seeking the public’s help in locating a man who left the Quincy Valley Medical Center at around 5:40 p.m. Wednesday evening. The man is not wanted for any crimes, but officers are concerned he may harm himself.

Ephrata water tower 20% full

EPHRATA – On Tuesday, the City of Ephrata began filling its new water tower after completing disinfection and pressure testing. As of Wednesday, the tower is 20% full, with mandated testing beginning. The tower, if results come back clean, will be filled the rest of the way and operational by Thanksgiving, according to Public Works Director Rob Harris.

Oliver voted in as Ephrata mayor-elect

EPHRATA — The initial Nov. 4 ballot count shows Steve Oliver winning the Ephrata Mayoral election with 630 votes, or nearly 55% of the vote. Incumbent Bruce Reim had 516 votes, or about 45% of the vote. The election will be certified on Nov. 20.

ACFD 5 voters approving levy lid lift

OTHELLO — The “levy lid lift” approved by Adams County Fire District 5 voters will help fill the funding gap left when the city of Othello broke off contract negotiations in 2024, but ACFD 5 Chief Tom Salsbury said it won’t fill that gap completely. “It doesn’t come close to what we were getting,” Salsbury said.

Bus hit after driver fails to yield near Warden

MOSES LAKE — No one was injured when a school bus failed to yield to an oncoming vehicle about five miles south of Moses Lake Tuesday evening.

Las Vegas attempted murder suspect arrested in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — A Las Vegas man was arrested and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder after he was arrested at a Moses Lake business at about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Narcotics seized, two arrested in Moses Lake traffic stop

MOSES LAKE — Two unidentified suspects were arrested and drugs and cash were seized as a result of a traffic stop and multiple search warrants served in Moses Lake Tuesday night.

Mavs volleyball falls to Ike in districts

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (9-8) volleyball season came to a close Tuesday evening after falling 0-3 to Eisenhower in the Big 9 district play-in round. The Mavs played in a tight three set match but fell short at the end of each.

Northwest Sport Management Summit returns to CWU for sixth year

ELLENSBURG – The sixth-annual Northwest Sport Management Summit is returning to Nicholson Pavilion on Thursday, November 13, and anyone in the community is welcome to attend.

Wahluke upsets Knights at Royal City

ROYAL CITY — The Wahluke Warriors (12-6) defeated the Royal Knights (13-4) 1-0 on Tuesday after outdueling them in overtime penalty kicks. It was a physical game from the beginning; Warriors Head Coach Cele Lopez said he was proud of the way his players stuck through it.

Mavs soccer secures victory in district play

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks soccer team (8-6-1) earned a 3-0 win during the Big 9 district play-in round against West Valley Tuesday evening to move on to the next round in the district tournament. “I think we really came out to play today and I’m very proud of us,” said Mavs senior Miciah Higley. “Just very excited for what comes next.”

Irvin 'Dean' Callahan

Nov. 10, 1945 — Nov. 1, 2025

Irvin “Dean” Callahan, 79, of Royal City, Wash., passed away while on vacation in Butte, Mont., on Nov. 1, 2025.

School bus hits pickup truck, no one injured

MOSES LAKE — No one was injured when a school bus failed to yield to an oncoming vehicle about five miles south of Moses Lake Tuesday evening.

Considering dementia's warning signs

MOSES LAKE — About 42% of adults over 55 will develop dementia eventually, according to the National Institutes of Health. Yet for such a common phenomenon, it’s very little understood.

Homeschool Science Fair showcases student learning

EPHRATA – What do electricity, water, food, volcanos and slime have in common? These were some of the topics covered at this year’s science fair for the Little House in the Desert homeschool group in Ephrata on Saturday, Nov. 1. Six-year-old Joshua Wilson made homemade slime. He learned “that if you put in more water, the more it stretches.”

Mavs volleyball players make All-League

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks announced the All-League selections for Big 9 volleyball this season. Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said these players were selected for their work both in sports and in the classroom.

Basin teams heading to state XC meet

MOSES LAKE – This weekend, four Basin schools will be represented in the WIAA state cross country meet across three different levels. In 1A, the Royal Knights are sending two runners, freshman Akleigh Hebdon and senior Carlos Barajas.

Minions, sharks and superheroes take over downtown Ephrata

EPHRATA – Every October, the charming town of Ephrata transforms into a whimsical wonderland, drawing in hundreds of families for the annual Trick or Treat event. The quaint downtown area, lined with vibrant autumn leaves, becomes a bustling hub of excitement as children dressed as superheroes, princesses, and various creatures roam the streets with wide-eyed wonder.

Ephrata Senior Center Thrift Store gets new wheels

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Senior Center Thrift Store has a new truck, thanks to a grant from the Paul Lauzier Foundation. “We asked the board for $10,000 budget to get a new one,” said Store Manager Tandra Harrington. “We found some different options, and about that time the Paul Lauzier grant opened up. So instead of using the $10,000 that (the board) granted us, we went ahead and wrote for the grant and the Paul Lauzier Foundation granted $40,000.” it wasn’t a quick process, Harrington said. The previous truck’s engine had blown up six or eight months earlier, she said. The new truck is a 2021 Ford Econoline, Harrington said. It will be used primarily for pickup and delivery. “We do two pickups per week,” Harrington said. “And then its used for any materials or supplies needed for the store, and for dump runs.”

Legals for November, 5 2025

Adams County General Election results 2025

RITZVILLE — Othello voters are choosing a mayor and deciding the fate of a bond to repair the Othello pool; Lind voters are choosing a new mayor. Adams County Fire District 5 is submitting a revenue request to its voters. Unofficial results from the 2025 general election are below. Updated numbers will be provided as mail-in ballots come in and are counted.

Grant County General Election results 2025

EPHRATA — Quincy, Ephrata and Soap Lake voters are picking a mayor, Columbia Basin Hospital district voters are considering a construction bond proposal and there are contested races for Quincy and Moses Lake city council seats. Unofficial results from the 2025 general election are below. Some ballots remain to be counted and updates will be provided as the County Auditor's Office completes tabulation in the days to come.

Dick Cheney, one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in US history, dies at 84

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dick Cheney, the hard-charging conservative who became one of the most powerful and polarizing vice presidents in U.S. history and a leading advocate for the invasion of Iraq, has died at 84. George W. Bush’s vice president died Monday from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said Tuesday in a statement. In Cheney’s hands, the vice presidency became a nexus of influence and manipulation — no longer the timid office whose occupants had tended their boss’s ambitions, gone to endless banquets and often waited in the wings for their own shot at the prize. When he bunkered in secure undisclosed locations after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, that was less an inconvenience for Cheney than a metaphor for a life of power that he exercised to maximum effect from the shadows.

Huskies finish season in second round of districts

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (8-11) concluded their season in the second round of the district tournament after falling to East Valley 0-3 on Saturday. The Huskies Head Coach Steve Parris said the team felt prepared for the game but struggled once they got on the court.

WA college football recap – Week 10

MOSES LAKE – October football has concluded, and several Washington college football teams are looking to take the next step in the last leg of the season. Some stumbled in week 10 while some get rest up on a bye week. See below how your favorite teams fared over the weekend and their current record.

Groff Elementary renovations underway

MOSES LAKE – The ongoing renovation of Groff Elementary School is making significant strides, as the Moses Lake School District takes measures to rectify construction deficiencies within the building, according to Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon. The district has been actively removing elements that pose safety concerns, including the complete removal of the gym floor. In an official statement released on October 31, 2025, the district confirmed that the previous gym floor was fully removed due to necessary mitigation efforts.

Othello Food Bank faces capacity challenges amid increased demand

OTHELLO – The Othello Food Bank, a cornerstone of food security in Adams County, continues to serve the community with dedication, despite facing capacity challenges. Executive Director Jose Garza emphasizes the importance of partnerships and community donations, as their capacity to store and distribute food is stretched thin. “The key to our success is the environment we’ve cultivated through partnerships with farmers, growers, and local agencies,” Garza said. “We’re well-connected throughout the state, which allows us to be productive. However, our biggest challenge isn’t the food itself; it’s having the space to put it.”

GCSO to purchase new drug detection K-9

EPHRATA – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is currently in the process of purchasing a drug detection K-9 for use both inside the Grant County Jail and for deployment into the field. "The addition of a drug detection K-9 not only adds safety for inmates and jail employees but also helps improve the quality of professional service our corrections staff delivers to the community," said Phil Coats, Chief Deputy of Corrections in a statement from GCSO. "This enhancement will start at the existing jail and will move with us as we enter our new jail in 2026." The K-9 is being funded in part by settlement money received from Washington state lawsuits filed against three U.S. opioid-distribution companies for their role in the opioid epidemic. GCSO is investing nearly $28,000 to purchase the K-9, train it and its handler and provide opioid overdose-reversal kits.

Educational programs and operations levy proposal goes to Wahluke voters Feb. 10

MATTAWA — Wahluke School District voters will decide the fate of a four-year educational programs and operations levy in a special election Feb. 10. If it’s approved, it would replace the four-year levy approved by voters in 2022. Property owners would pay an estimated $2.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value, the same as the current levy. District superintendent Andy Harlow said that due to the way taxes are structured, the proposed rate can change as property values change.

Basin volleyball roundup Oct. 28 – Nov. 3

MOSES LAKE – The regular season for Basin volleyball has concluded and several teams are neck deep in district tournament competition. With eyes on a state tournament bid, many teams are hoping to peak at the right time. See below where your favorite team stands and their current record.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office Jail Roster for Nov. 5, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is the active list of inmates for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office listed in order of the date of arrest. The Adams County Jail is closed, so inmates are housed in other jurisdictions.

Adopting Penny, it just makes 'cents'

MOSES LAKE – Penny, bronze, like the coin she is named after, is looking for someone to spend their pennies on her and love her for the rest of her life. She is a six-month-old terrier, spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. She gets along with other dogs, cats and children. Her adoption fee is $325. If you need this coin for your “piggy bank” visit Handsnpawswa.org to fill out her application. If you can’t adopt right now but would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Man dies at Grant County Jail

EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin Investigative Team will be investigating the death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the Grant County Jail early Tuesday morning. The name of the victim, 54 years of age, has not been released.

Big Sky Now: Idaho's overtime thriller and Montana teams stay hot

The Big Sky Now crew breaks down Montana’s workmanlike win in Ogden, Idaho’s overtime thriller over Northern Arizona, and Idaho State’s statement upset over UC Davis.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office Jail Roster for Nov. 5, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Car club raises $4,000 for first responders

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Classic Car Club will donate the proceeds from its Cars, Cops, Coffee and First Responders car show at a ceremony today. The event, which was held Oct. 18, raised $4,000 for local emergency services, according to club member Dave Robins. The money was raised through entry fees into the car show, Robins said, and also through donations from local residents and businesses.

Dutch, sweeter than pie

MOSES LAKE – Thanksgiving is coming up which means it's time to break out the baking goods and begin with apple pie season. Dutch, named after the best type of apple pie, is also the best boy. He is a German shepherd mix who is around three months old, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. If interested in meeting or adopting him, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and fill out his application. If you can’t adopt right now but you want to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

JoAnna Jean Thompson

April 29, 1931 – Oct. 27, 2025

JoAnna, 94, passed away peacefully on Oct. 27, 2025, in Moses Lake, Washington. She was born on April 29, 1931, in Nampa, Idaho to Earl and Elda Arzt, though everyone remembers her loving stepfather Orval Lyle as her dad. She married Clinton (Bud) Thompson on Nov. 12, 1949, in Colville, Washington. They moved to Odessa, Washington in 1953 and became part-owners of Empire Electric with Bud as an electrician and JoAnna the bookkeeper. She also kept busy being a homemaker, florist, caterer and decorator extraordinaire. JoAnna was a member of the Heritage Church and their women’s group, helping with countless church dinners, receptions and funerals.

Eberle’s late goal helps Kraken beat Blackhawks 3-1

SEATTLE (AP) — Matty Beniers and Jordan Eberle each had a goal and an assist as the Seattle Kraken beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Monday night. Jamie Oleksiak also scored for Seattle, and Joey Daccord finished with 29 saves. Andre Burakovsky scored for Chicago and Arvid Soderblom stopped 21 shots.

General election ballots due today

MOSES LAKE – Today is the final day to vote in the 2025 General Election. Ballots are due by 8 p.m. today.

Moses Lake food bank in need of donations

MOSES LAKE – The Community Services of Moses Lake is gearing up for the next holiday season while also preparing for uncertainty at the federal level.

Mavs swim team finds success in districts

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team competed in the Big 9 District 5 tournament with the preliminary round and diving events taking place Thursday and the finals taking place Saturday. The results from the finals qualified two Mavs for the state tournament with around six in the wildcard.

Moravida honors departed loved ones, celebrates Hispanic culture

MOSES LAKE — After all the Halloween candy is gone, the costumes are put away and the decorations are brought inside, it’s time to get down to the solemn part.

Piper Barn Show opens Wednesday

MOSES LAKE — There’s a lot going on at the Piper Barn Show this week, but one thing not to miss is the cinnamon rolls. “They are amazing,” said Julie Piper Phipps, who organizes the four-day market every year. “People line up and wait for them. They make about 400 a day and they sell out by noon.” Phipps’ daughters and daughters-in-law – whom she calls “her girls” – make the rolls, she said, much like she did when the show debuted in 1988. Phipps’ mom, Sheila Piper, started the show on the family farm with a friend in 1988. Circumstances forced them to close it up in 2001, but when Phipps and her husband moved back to Moses Lake in 2012, she decided to start the ball rolling again.

Audience participation

Crestview Christian School third-grader Delanie Palmen exchanges a high-ten with Sandy Eslick Friday at Monroe House in Moses Lake. Crestview students sang songs, recited Bible verses and showed off their cursive handwriting prowess for residents.

Moses Lake dentist buying back candy

MOSES LAKE — Children who got a little more Halloween candy than they wanted – or who just want to make a little cash – can sell it to the dentist. Smile Surfers Kids Dentistry in Moses Lake is holding a candy buyback this week, according to Front Office Lead Erica Cardenas. “We do $2 a pound,” Cardenas said. “It's not necessary to book an appointment; we are just doing walk ins.”

Legals for November, 4 2025

Quincy celebrates Halloween

QUINCY — Cartoon characters, dinosaur wranglers, clowns and plenty of other creatures filled the streets of Quincy on the Trick or Treat walk Oct. 31 sponsored by the Quincy Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Shutdown threatens Head Start funding for Family Services of Grant County

MOSES LAKE — The Head Start program operated by Family Services of Grant County will have to close after Nov. 14, at least temporarily, if federal funding is not restored. Executive Director Sally Gundry said the funding cycle for the Moses Lake facility meant its federal money stopped as of Nov. 1.

Arizona woman injured in Adams County collision

CONNELL — A Golden Valley, Arizona, woman was airlifted to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland after her car was hit about a mile north of Connell Monday morning.

Gas prices down slightly in Grant, but up in Adams

MOSES LAKE – Gas prices have dropped for the second week in a row in Washington, Grant County and nationally. However, Adams County saw a slight increase in fuel prices.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Nov. 4-8, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN – Local athletes from around the Basin are now deep into the postseason as they compete to create new legacies in the area. See where your local teams will be headed this week.

Lions defeat Eagles to extend win streak to five

MOSES LAKE — On Friday, the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian Lions (7-2) defeated the Soap Lake Eagles (2-6) 53-8 at home. Lions Head Coach Josh Kast said while the offense started hot, he was pleased with how the defense played as well.

Tigers win in OT over Grandview

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers (6-3) earned an impressive 26-20 win over Grandview in overtime during their senior night game on Friday. This win helped the Tigers secure their position in the postseason as they compete in the district tournament this weekend. “What we tried to talk about all week was that we needed to treat the game like a playoff game,” said Tigers Head Coach Patrick Mitchell.

Knights defeated in semifinal, hope still alive for state play

NACHES — The Royal Knights (13-4) were defeated 3-0 by the Naches Valley Rangers in the semifinal of the 1A district tournament Saturday. The Rangers captured momentum early and did not let it go.

Basin football roundup – Week 9

MOSES LAKE – Friday was the last day of October football for all and for many Basin teams, the final game of their regular season. As teams gear up for district tournaments, see below where your favorites stand and their current record.

Senior events calendar for November 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Holiday shopping, music, crafts and fun await this month in the Basin. Here are a few things to put on the calendar.

Halloween Spirit at the Monroe House

Halloween Spirit at the Monroe House

Sam Darnold leads Seahawks to easy 38-14 win over Commanders, who lose Jayden Daniels to arm injury

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Sam Darnold was in the type of groove a quarterback rarely experiences. Then someone told him about it. “Someone at halftime said to me that I hadn't thrown an incompletion,” Darnold said. “So I think he's to blame for throwing an incompletion in the second half.”

P.E.A.C.E. from the Lord’s Kitchen

Local ministry serves meals without fanfare or judgment

MOSES LAKE — The Bible says that man does not live by bread alone, but that doesn’t mean that food isn’t pretty important.

Soap Lake council makes allegations against mayor

SOAP LAKE — On Oct. 15, at the regular council meeting, several Soap Lake City Council members made allegations against Mayor Peter Sharp of unlawful recording in city buildings, including the Soap Lake Police Station, Soap Lake City Hall and the Soap Lake Tourism Center, sending an inappropriate email to city staff and misuse of city credit cards.

Important community elections to be decided tomorrow

EPHRATA — A $30 million bond proposal for Columbia Basin Hospital, a $3.55 million bond request for the Othello Community Pool, levy lid lift proposals for Mattawa Community Medical Clinic and Adams County Fire District 5 are among the issues on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. Ballots must be returned by Nov. 4, either through the mail or a drop box, and mailed ballots must have a Nov. 4 postmark or earlier to be counted.

Weather for the week of Nov. 3, 2025

Weather for the week of Nov. 3, 2025

Legals for November, 3 2025

Knights shutout win secures undefeated regular season

ROYAL – On Thursday, the Knights (9-0) football squad followed up the soccer game prior to it with a 76-0 win over the Wapato Wolves. Head Coach Wiley Allred said his players did their jobs to finish the regular season undefeated.

Local offices to be decided on Nov. 4 ballot

EPHRATA — Voters will be selecting people to fill a variety of local elected positions in Grant and Adams counties in tomorrow’s general election, everything from school boards to hospital district commissions to city councils. Most candidates are running unopposed, but some races attracted multiple candidates.

Man stabbed in early morning assault

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake woman was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault and robbery after a man was stabbed and car stolen at a Moses Lake business early Saturday morning.

Knights advance in district soccer

ROYAL – The Knights (13-3) defeated Omak 5-0 in the first round of the 1A district tournament on Thursday. Head Coach Jens Jensen said the Knights became dangerous once they settled into the game.

Mavs fall in close matchup against Eastmont

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (9-7) fell 2-3 in their senior night home match Thursday evening against Eastmont. Despite the loss, Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said it was still a good night to celebrate the seniors in their final home match of the regular season.

Huskies seize victory over Jacks

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (8-1) earned a 63-0 win to end off the regular season during their senior night on Thursday against the Quincy Jackrabbits (1-8). The Huskies now prepare to head into the postseason following their victory.

NCW Libraries conversation to examine divisions in America

WENATCHEE — What we all have in common – and what we don’t – will be the subject of a virtual program at North Central Washington Libraries this month. “Can We Get Along? Examining Our Personal Experiences of Connection and Community” will be streamed on Zoom Nov. 13. “(It’s) an hour-and-a-half conversation about how do we come together to connect, especially when we're coming with different experiences in life (and) different opinions,” said Alicia O’Dell, director of adult programs for NCW Libraries. “How do we find ways to build community during divided times?”