Documentary of JFK in Moses Lake to premiere Thursday

MOSES LAKE — On Sept. 26, 1963, President John F. Kennedy stepped off Air Force One onto the tarmac at Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake. Instead of getting straight on another plane as scheduled, Kennedy stopped for a few minutes, shook hands and chatted with locals at the base. A documentary premiering Thursday at the Moses Lake Civic Center will offer a glimpse into that day. “Imagine spending five minutes somewhere and making an impression on the people you meet for the rest of their lives,” says narrator Shane Humphrey in the 12-minute film “JFK in Moses Lake, Washington.” The film, made by filmmaker Lee O’Connor, features archive footage of Kennedy’s stopover and interviews with people who were present on that day. The screening is hosted by the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center.

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.

‘A Tortured Land’

Moses Lake Museum exhibit showcases the stark beauty of the Columbia Basin

MOSES LAKE — Central Washington artist Don Nutt will return this month to the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center after a long time away, according to an announcement from the museum. “It’s been over a decade since we had the pleasure of showing his work in our space,” Museum Communication Coordinator Natalia Zuyeva wrote in the announcement.

Museum booth at UMANI Festival part of global day of play

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center announced their participation in the Our World: Worldwide Day of Play event this Saturday as part of the activities at its booth at the UMANI Festival. The festivities are set to run from noon to 6 p.m.

Discover hidden treasures at the Moses Lake museum event

MOSES LAKE – The City of Moses Lake Museum & Art Center has announced a special presentation by Humanities Washington speaker Harriet Baskas, scheduled for October 16, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center Auditorium, located at 401 S. Balsam St.

Cookie decorating the focus of Free Family Saturday

MOSES LAKE — ’Tis the season for all kinds of sweet treats, and this month’s Free Family Saturday at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center continues that tradition, decorating gingerbread cookies. “It’s our annual December event,” said Creative Programs coordinator Jenni Shelton. “We’ve done gingerbread cookies for, I think this is the fifth year.” It’s also one of the most popular Free Family Saturday events, Shelton said, drawing 150-200 participants. Most of the cookie artists are children, she said, but parents are welcome to join in too, and many do.

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.

REACH Museum highlights Latino migration stories

RICHLAND — The National Park Service and REACH Museum have collaborated on a new exhibit, “Migration to Community: Latinos/as at Hanford and the Tri-Cities,” according to an announcement from the museum. It will be open for viewing Feb. 4-March 22.

BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 10-18

COLUMBIA BASIN — Fall fun is everywhere as we reach the middle of October. Here are a few things happening in the Basin this week.

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.”

Basin Events for the week of Jan. 24-Feb. 1

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s cold outside, but fortunately most of what’s happening this week takes place indoors. Here are a few possibilities:

Moses Lake museum to showcase preschool artists

MOSES LAKE — The 200-plus artists whose work will go up this week at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center draw their inspiration from many giants in the field: Picasso, Mondrian, Kahlo. What they have in common is that they’re all 3-5 years old.

Reptiles, learning and local fun

April the Reptile Lady coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – The City of Moses Lake Museum and Art Center is hosting free family Saturday, Oct. 4, featuring a presentation from April Jackson or as she’s better known, April the Reptile Lady.

One injured in Desert Aire shooting

DESERT AIRE — One man sustained life-threatening injuries in a shooting at the Shell gas station at 5 Desert Aire Drive SW in Desert Aire Saturday around 5:30 p.m. The case is still under investigation.

Moses Lake Museum exhibit explores humanity

MOSES LAKE — An exhibit opening next week at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center will take a closer look at what it means to be human. “Exploring Human Origins: What Does It Mean To Be Human?” will open Jan. 10, according to Gallery Director Veronica Talbot. It’s a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution, she said.

DAR calls for stories, memories from farmers

MOSES LAKE — Local residents are invited to share their memories through a program by sponsored by the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, according to an announcement from the DAR. In preparation of the USA’s 250th anniversary celebration, the DAR Karneetsa Chapter is looking for farmers throughout Grant, Adams, and Kittitas counties to share their memories and knowledge of the years 1970-1990, particularly about the impact of the eruption of Mount St. Helens on the agricultural community, according to the announcement. The chapter will arrange interview times with individuals between now and Nov. 15 to record their stories, according to the announcement. The interview should not take more than 20 minutes; an interview prep sheet will be sent prior to the scheduled recording. Once a day and time has been scheduled, the recorded interview will take place at the Quincy Museum. In partnership with America 250, participants will be encouraged to share their story about history, hopes and dreams for the future.

Smoke forecast to stick around through Friday

MOSES LAKE — Wildfires and light winds have combined to produce poor quality throughout Eastern Washington, a situation that is forecast to persist for a few days. “We’re kind of under this stable (air) layer,” said Charlotte Dewey, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Spokane. “We don’t have a lot of (air) mixing near the surface.”

One injured in Desert Aire shooting

DESERT AIRE — One man sustained life-threatening injuries in a shooting at the Shell gas station at 5 Desert Aire Drive SW in Desert Aire Saturday around 5:30 p.m. The case is still under investigation.

Ritzville offers parks, museums and more

RITZVILLE — For a town of about 1,800, Ritzville has a lot to do. There are museums, golf and a water park, as well as historic walks and buildings to explore.

FIRE REPORT: AUG. 12, 2025

MOSES LAKE – The fires below were burning and causing smoke and air quality concerns regionally as of Tuesday afternoon.