‘Our favorite time of year’

Shop with a Cop brings smiles to both children and officers

MOSES LAKE — The heavy police presence outside local stores recently wasn’t because of a crime wave. It was police officers engaging in their favorite annual event. “This is one of those times throughout the year that we don't have to go and ask for volunteers to help,” said Moses Lake Police Chief David Sands. “The first day we put it out, I think we got 20-some people say ‘Yeah, we’re in.’ That's just under half the department right away.“

Chimney maintenance is essential for safety

MOSES LAKE — With Christmas just around the corner, lots of folks are using their fireplaces for warmth, roasting chestnuts or just a pleasant atmosphere. But before Santa pays your chimney a visit, you should make sure it’s in good working order. Chimney fires are responsible for more than three-fourths of residential building heating fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Regular inspections and cleaning are the best way to prevent that, said Michael Harper, known as The Chimney Guy. “If they’re using (the fireplace) aesthetically – date night, Christmas, New Year’s, show-off times, something in the background here and there, (they should) have it inspected once a year for peace of mind,” Harper said. “If they’re using it two to three days a week religiously through the winter months, they need to have it cleaned once a year.”

Grant County building permits for Dec. 19, 2025

Unincorporated Grant County

BASIN EVENTS: Dec. 19-27

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and a lot of people will be spending time at home with their families or at the church of their choice. Still, there are a few things happening around the Basin. Here are some ideas:

More park improvements planned for Royal City in ‘26

ROYAL CITY — Lions Park in Royal City now has a soccer field, so city officials will be working on the next phase of improvements in 2026. The first phase of upgrades to Apple Avenue also is scheduled for 2026, and both are among the projects reflected in the city’s 2026 budget. The budget was approved by Royal City City Council members Tuesday.

Jacks hosts first league match of the season

QUINCY — The Quiny Jacks wrestling team hosted Selah in their first league match of the season where both teams found success on the mat. The Jacks will use this match to kick off their season as the competition begins to ramp up over the next few weeks.

Legals for December, 19 2025

Sideline view

A view from the sidelines near the Seahawks’ end zone at the beginning of Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Seahawks held a tight lead for the first and second quarters.

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.

Mavericks shine on the road

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (2-0) are off to a strong start to their season after defeating the West Valley Rams 54-24 Tuesday. Head Coach Jose Tanguma said he was glad to see his wrestlers make improvements.

Moses Lake Police Department logs for Dec. 12-14, 2025

Moses Lake Police Department logs for Dec. 12-14, 2025

Sleep Diagnostic Center physician pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud

Charges involve charging Apple Health for recalled, altered CPAP devices

BREWSTER — A Brewster physician who operates a sleep diagnostic clinic in Moses Lake and Wenatchee will be sentenced March 24 as part of a Wednesday plea deal on Medicaid fraud charges.

Qualifying irrigation-only wells approved by Moses Lake council

MOSES LAKE — Public agencies and semi-public organizations will be allowed to drill individual wells to water fields and other publicly accessible green spaces under the terms of an ordinance approved by the Moses Lake City Council at the last meeting of 2025. Council members have been discussing the ordinance for about three months, following a meeting with Moses Lake School District officials.

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.

Eudell "Bud" Hankla

Eudell “Bud” Hankla passed away on December 13, 2025, with his family around him.

Big Sky Now: Quarterfinal recap and historic Super Brawl as Cats and Griz battle for a place in the finals

In a first-ever playoff meeting - Montana faces Montana State in Bozeman this weekend for the Super Brawl!

Overdraft is ready to merge assets with you

MOSES LAKE — This holiday season, diversify your portfolio with purrs. Overdraft is a big, lovable cat who is fully vaccinated, microchipped and neutered. Overdraft looks forward to crediting someone’s life joy. If you want to skip the interest rates, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and apply for Overdraft because he offers unlimited returns in love. If you can’t adopt right now but would like to make smart investment in helping a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Ephrata water tower kept offline due to programming issue

EPHRATA — The Ephrata water tower could not be connected yesterday, as originally planned, according to Public Works Directors Rob Harris. Instead, the city will have to wait another one to two weeks for some programming issues to be fixed.

Quincy man killed in early-morning crash

QUINCY — A Quincy man was killed when the car he was driving was hit by another car about five miles west of Quincy early Thursday morning.

Braden Huff scores a career-high 37 points as No. 7 Gonzaga beats Campbell 98-70

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Braden Huff scored a career-high 37 points on 16-for-18 shooting as No. 7 Gonzaga beat Campbell 98-70 on Wednesday night. Graham Ike added 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Steele Venters had 13 points for Gonzaga (11-1).