Carp Classic defies weather to improve lake

MOSES LAKE — The Carp Classic wasn’t as big as it could have been, but it went well, all things considered. Twenty-seven boats filled with bow hunters set out from Connelly Park Saturday. That’s eight more boats than last year, said organizer Ty Swartout. “The biggest year we ever had was 39, but this was good,” Swartout said, “I was excited to see 27 boats. The weather wasn’t that great, so I didn’t know what to expect, but all in all we ended up having a decent tournament.”

Report: Pacific Northwest states some of the worst for military retirees

(The Center Square) – The Pacific Northwest is home to the worst states for military retirees, with Washington state coming in No. 50 and Oregon ranking No. 51, according to a new study by WalletHub, a personal finance platform and app. WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across three broad categories: economic environment, quality of life, and health care in its “2025’s Best & Worst States for Military Retirees.” Rankings were also based on several subcategories, including retirement-friendliness toward veterans, job opportunities for veterans, and housing affordability.

Valentin D. Meza

May 21, 1940 — May 12, 2025

Valentin D. Meza is the second of his sixth-generational Meza Legacy. Valentin was born on May 21, 1940, and passed away peacefully at his lifelong residence on May 12, 2025. Valentin and his only brother Guadalupe were born in Asherton, Texas and they are the children of Jesus and Francisca Meza. They moved to Moses Lake in 1957. He married Maria Angelita Briones in 1957 and raised their children and remained married for 59 years to Angelita until her passing in 2016. Valentin was an excellent provider to his family. He was a loyal member to the Laborers Local 348 for 56 years. He received numerous awards from his union. He worked on numerous projects throughout Washington state. He retired in 1989.

Della Mae Dykes

Dec. 31, 1925 — May 13, 2025

Della Mae Dykes departed from this life on May 13, 2025, in Richland, Washington. Della was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on Dec. 31, 1925, to Marzetta (Carter) and Floyd Peery. Della was a child of God and faithfully attended the Royal Baptist Church. Della’s love for her family, friends and God is what kept her active and engaging for 99 years. Della had many friendships that lasted over 60-plus years. While her friendships were a blessing, her favorite role was Mom and Grandma. Mom’s passion was cooking and baking for her family and friends. Mom didn’t just serve a meal; she presented a feast that was stirred up with her love.

Civil Air Patrol prepares to head to California

EPHRATA—The Civil Air Patrol’s Color Guard is preparing to head to California on Saturday for its regional competition. “What we’re going to be doing here is we’re going to be cleaning our rifles, practicing for a uniform build, and reading over the ledger we’re going to practice for the upcoming competition,” said CAP Second Lt. Austyn Miller.

New wildlife feeding ban takes effect in WA amid concerns of CWD

OLYMPIA — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has adopted new regulations prohibiting the feeding of deer, elk and moose statewide, effective last Friday. This decision comes as a precautionary measure to mitigate the risk of transmitting Chronic Wasting Disease, an always-fatal neurological disease that affects cervids, among Washington’s wildlife populations. The rule was formed in response to the discovery of CWD in Eastern Washington for the first time in 2024. With no known cure for this disease, state officials identified the need to reduce concentrations of cervids at feeding sites, which could accelerate the spread of this and other wildlife diseases.

Second annual Brent Reese Memorial Car Show coming June 7

MOSES LAKE — The Brent Reese Memorial Car Show is roaring back around June 7. “Our first annual (car show) was a wild success,” said Jeremy Reese, who organized the show in honor of his father, who passed away from ALS in 2020. “We raised about $4,000.” Last year’s show featured 64 registered vehicles and about 1,200 spectators came by to admire them, Reese said.

Moses Lake BMX hosts Gold Cup qualifier tournament

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake BMX had a busy weekend May 17-18 with two days of action-packed bike competition. The two-day affair saw over 400 riders each day of competition, according to Moses Lake BMX Track Operator Jeff Niehenke. “The event went incredibly well; we have a huge group of volunteers that really executed well, even despite the huge rain delay. Everything ran smoothly, and we ran a very quick event, which is hard to do with that many riders and the logistics involved,” Niehenke said. On Saturday, the event for the day was the double-point state qualifier, which saw around 450 riders compete. The races started at 1 p.m. and were running smoothly until a thunderstorm rolled in and caused delays. The rain made the track too muddy to be safe for riders, so Niehenke and the BMX crew had to delay the second half of races until the next morning.

Legals for May, 20 2025

Double the love and twice the cuddles

MOSES LAKE – Adopt double the cuteness, adopt this bonded pair. Rosco, male, and Dolly, female, are looking for a home that will take them in together. They love each other dearly and would be devastated if they were separated. Rosco is neutered and Dolly is spayed; both are fully vaccinated. They are both cuddle bugs and when you aren’t home, they will have each other to keep one another company. Rosco and Dolly were declawed before they came into Grant County Animal Outreach care. GCAO's policy is not to support declawing, but we are dedicated to ensuring these wonderful cats find a safe and happy indoor home. Could that be with you? If so, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and fill out their application. If you can’t take in the pair but you would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

1,100-acre fire contained near Grant-Kittitas border

ELLENSBURG — On Sunday afternoon around 12:35 p.m. firefighters were dispatched to Bourne Springs for a fast-moving wildland fire at the Yakima Training Center. “It occurred in an open training area, and it was caused due to training activities,” Yakima Training Center Public Affairs Officer Paul Noel said. The fire was located near the Grant County and Kittitas County border, near Mattawa.

Gas prices rise in Grant Co., WA and nationally

A look into Memorial Day weekend travel

MOSES LAKE — Gas prices across the nation rose, impacting both Grant County and Washington state, according to the American Automobile Association. However, gas prices are still lower than last year at this time, which is good for travelers this upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Last week, Grant County was sitting at $4.28 per gallon for the second week in a row, but as of Monday gas prices had risen $0.02 per gallon, bringing the average gas price in the county up to $4.30, according to AAA. This is the same price consumers saw during the week of April 28. This week Adams County saw a decrease in gas prices from $4.20 to $4.18 this week, according to AAA. Two weeks ago, gas was averaging $4.17, lower than currently. Both Grant and Adams counties remain around the median of gas prices across the state, according to AAA. Wahkiakum County remained the most expensive for the second week in a row at $4.80 which is a $0.05 increase from the previous week. Asotin County also remained the cheapest at $3.84 which is a $0.07 increase from last week.

Littering fines, plastic bag prices to increase this summer

OLYMPIA — In Washington, customers will begin to pay more for plastic bags, and those who choose to litter will be facing high fines after Gov. Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 1293 into law Saturday. “People who dump garbage in our beautiful state must be held accountable,” said sponsor Rep. Mark Klicker, R-Walla Walla, in a statement. “Increasing the littering penalty for the first time since 1993 is an important step in addressing our horrible littering problem.” HB 1293, which received bipartisan support and ultimately passed with a 46-2 vote in the House and a 27-20 vote in the senate raises the penalty for littering to a class 2 civil infraction. Littering was previously a class 3 civil infraction.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: May 20-24

COLUMBIA BASIN – Local teams finish up their district tournaments and head off to state championships. Here’s the lineup for this week:

Employers ready to recruit at WorkSource Hiring Event

MOSES LAKE — Folks who are looking for work will stand a good chance of finding it May 30 at WorkSource’s Spring Hiring Event.

Mavs unified soccer is about family, not competition

MOSES LAKE – According to Ryan Hadfield, his coaching background is 100% in baseball. At least that was the case nine years ago when he arrived at Moses Lake High School and there wasn't an opening for a baseball coach. After talking with the athletic director, he learned about Moses Lake’s unified sports program.

Touch a Truck event supports Ephrata Food Bank

First responders, local companies gather to ensure locals are fed

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Fire Department's annual "Touch a Truck" event Saturday drew a crowd despite early rain showers, as community members visited the Splash Zone parking lot to engage with a variety of large vehicles. The event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., served as both a fun outing for families and a fundraiser for the Ephrata Food Bank.

GCHD calls on federal officials to protect Medicaid

MOSES LAKE – Earlier this month, the Grant County Health District announced the passing of a resolution to call on federal leaders to protect and maintain funding for Medicaid. The proposed federal budget calls for possible extensive cuts to the program, which provides health care coverage for millions nationwide and thousands within Grant County.

Groff Elementary 2025-26 plans in the works

MLSD reviews feedback from parents on this year and ideas for next year

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District board met Thursday night for a regular meeting to discuss the feedback the district received from parents at Groff Elementary for next year.

Champion Tigresses

All seven Ephrata High girls head to state golf competition this week

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers’ girls golf team secured the title of district champions after the tournament on Monday and will move on to the state championship. This is following the team earning the league title the week prior.