Ephrata rings in the holidays with Bells on Basin on Saturday

EPHRATA — Bells on Basin will fill downtown Ephrata with holiday spirit Saturday, with games, shopping and a lighted parade. “It's a festive event that a lot of people look forward to, to kick off and bring everybody together for the holidays,” said Ephrata Chamber of Commerce Director Britney MacLeod.

Grant PUD seeks rate input

EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District customers have until Dec. 23 to submit their comments on proposed rate hikes that would go into effect in April 2026. Comments can be submitted at Grant PUD: Commission Meetings. Customers commenting at the last PUD commission meeting of 2025 said higher rates are going to be a challenge. Commissioner Terry Pyle said the PUD is facing challenges too.

Local experts eye AI to help develop the future

MOSES LAKE — AI technology has been developing quickly over the last few years with multiple avenues and questions arising regarding its use in everyday life. NCW Tech Alliance hopes to guide North Central Washington in how to utilize this technology as it continues to evolve. “AI is a general-purpose technology and so it’s much easier to understand what’s possible and the vastness of what opportunities there are in AI if you think about it in that way,” said Sue Kane, CEO of NCW Tech Alliance.

GCFD 7 audit findings spur improvements

SOAP LAKE — Grant County Fire District 7 has recently undergone its first federal audit due to the receipt of over a million dollars in grant funding, which has revealed several areas of improvement regarding financial reporting and compliance with federal regulations.

Lions best Devils in girls rivalry matchup

MOSES LAKE —The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions (4-0) hosted the Wilson Creek Devils (4-1) on Thursday, where the Lions earned a 50-28 victory. The two teams both face a tough week following their matchup before going into winter break.

Local legislators discuss 2026 session

MOSES LAKE — Washington 13th District legislators previewed what they see as the challenges of the upcoming 2026 session at a meeting with Moses Lake city officials and residents Tuesday. State Senator Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and Representative Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake along with Rep. Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, outlined some of their plans and ideas as well as the major business of the 2026 legislative session. Warnick said the state faces some challenges.

ACH Warriors defense shines in win over Lions

COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (2-1) are off to a hot start after defeating the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions (4-1) 61-18 at home Monday. Head Coach Nikki Strock said their start to the season has shown how much her team has grown since last season.

Lions boys dominate at home against the Devils

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions boys played at home against the Wilson Creek Devils Thursday where they earned a 68-29 victory over their Central Washington B League rival. “It was a lot of trying to push the ball up the court, trying to get really good shots and the boys were really unselfish with the ball,” said Lions Head Coach Emerson Ferguson. “I really like how they were moving the ball and getting good open shots at the basket.”

Women combine talents to open businesses in shared space

MOSES LAKE — Three woman-owned businesses held a ribbon-cutting and grand opening at their new location in Moses Lake Thursday. The office at 815 W. Third Ave. holds an accounting firm, a massage service and a waxing room. “We’re a one-stop shop,” Mandy Schuh said. Schuh is the owner and founder of both Pillar Rock Accounting and Seventh Sense Serenity massage service. As Pillar Rock, she and her assistant Esmeralda Sanchez handle after-the-fact bookkeeping: general bookkeeping, payroll processing and bank and credit card reconciliation. That’s the business people see when they walk in the front door. In a quiet, gently-lit room in the back of the office, Schuh massage services, including Swedish, intraoral massage, myofascial, reflexology and the Japanese technique called Reiki.

3 council members renew oaths of office in Ephrata

EPHRATA — Three Ephrata City Council Members were sworn in Wednesday evening after winning their respective races. Mayor Bruce Reim administered oaths of office to Matt Moore, Kathleen Harris and Phil Borck during council’s regular meeting.

Basin boys basketball roundup, Dec. 11–17

MOSES LAKE — Winter sports is well under way as several teams have multiple games under their belts. Some have fared well with hot starts while others are finding opportunities for growth. See below how your favorite teams fared as of late and their current records.

STUDIO BASIN: A round-up of MLSD contract, strike coverage

MOSES LAKE — On this episode of the STUDIO BASIN Podcast, Reporter Nance Beston and Editor R. Hans Miller discussed the conflicts at the Moses Lake School District, including the budget shortfall, recent teacher contract and financial plans for the future.

Mavericks fend off Panthers in close home win

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (3-2) held off the Wenatchee Panthers in a competitive 46-43 win at home Friday. After the hard-fought win, Mavs Head Coach Matt Strophy complimented the Panthers for the challenge they gave Moses Lake. “They work super hard. They made us earn everything we got, and hopefully we did the same to them. I like the energy on both sides, so I'm just glad we came out on top with (Breanna Bischoff) knocking down those two free throws to kind of ice that game. That was really sweet,” Strophy said.

Local bean bag champ eyes pro game

MOSES LAKE — We’ve seen the game at almost every outdoor community gathering: two or more players tossing bean bags at a board tilted up at an angle, aiming for a hole in the board. But that bean bag toss game, also called cornhole, is more than just a casual pastime; it’s a serious sport with dedicated players. “I’m trying to go pro right now,” said Camryn Barrientoz of Moses Lake. “I was No. 2 in Washington, and since I did really well in this regional (tournament), it got me enough points where it bumped me up to No. 1 in Washington.” That regional tournament was held in Wenatchee Dec. 12-13, and Camryn, along with his doubles partner Jay Robins, took back-to-back titles, according to an email Camryn sent the Columbia Basin Herald.

Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry launches Angel Tree program for rescue pets

SOAP LAKE — As the holiday spirit fills the air, Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry animal rescue is ready to spread some cheer to furry friends waiting for their forever homes. This year, the organization announced the launch of a pilot program inspired by traditional angel giving tree initiatives. However, this project takes a twist: it centers on the animals at the rescue.

Sheriff talks crime, enforcement at Mattawa town hall

MATTAWA — Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete held a town hall meeting at Wahluke High School Dec. 9, discussing law enforcement issues affecting Mattawa and Desert Aire. “You're going to probably hear me say a million times. We can't do this alone,” Kriete told the attendees. “We have to have our communities out here to help us and share information with us and give us ideas. We get a ton of new and great ideas from the community.”

Cops for Tots

Moses Lake Police collect toys for local children

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Police Department is focused on supporting local children this year with their revamped annual toy drive. “We had been doing this for a while, through Toys for Tots,” said MLPD Public Records Technician Cristina Valdez. “But last year we decided to change it to Cops for Tots so that we could make sure the toys stayed within our own community.” Officers and support staff stationed themselves outside both entrances of the Moses Lake Walmart Saturday evening.

Revised Moses Lake ordinance designed to recover some MLFD costs

MOSES LAKE — An ordinance revision approved by the Moses Lake City Council will allow more consistent billing of insurance companies in cases of emergency response by the Moses Lake Fire Department. In certain circumstances, property owners or vehicle owners may be responsible for paying whatever emergency response costs are not covered by insurance. The revisions passed on a 6-1 council vote Tuesday, with council member Victor Lombardi voting no.

Ephrata water tower up and running

EPHRATA — After several weeks of waiting, the City of Ephrata has finally got its state test results back for the water tower, showing the water is negative for any contaminants. “We are looking forward to getting everything online,” Ephrata Public Works Director Rob Harris said.

Girls Basin basketball roundup, Dec. 11-17

MOSES LAKE — Winter sports is well under way as several girls basketball programs have multiple games checked off. Some have started strong while others seek improvement. See below how your favorite teams fared as of late and their current records.