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.

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.

The stakes are high as the Seahawks and Rams square off in a game with division title implications

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Sam Darnold was far from his best the last time he and the Seattle Seahawks squared off against his hometown team and he is amply aware he will need to perform better than when he tossed four interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 16. Darnold and the Seahawks' rematch Thursday night with the Rams carries significant NFC West title implications. The Seahawks (11-3) and Rams (11-3) are tied atop the division and a game ahead of the 49ers, and a win for either team would put them in the driver’s seat to secure the title and potentially the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

Xi Beta Xi raises money for Othello Food Bank

OTHELLO — The ladies of Xi Beta Xi showed their support for the Othello Food Bank last week, to the tune of $2,413. “We held a holiday auction,” said Xi Beta Xi Vice President Debbie Pegram. “All of us in the group (brought) silent auction items, and we invited all the other groups in town.”

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.

Moses Lake BMX showed growth, strength in ‘25

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake BMX group had a big year in 2025 as they experienced growth in their riders and the facility. With the season ending in November, Jeff Niehenke, President of Moses Lake BMX, has had time to reflect and plan for what’s to come at the start of the next season. “This year went really well,” said Niehenke. “We were in two new beginner leagues, and we just had a lot of growth from the beginner leagues.”

Newhouse to retire from Congress

WASHINGTON D.C. — Fourth District Representative Dan Newhouse has announced he will not seek reelection to the US Congress in 2026. The announcement was made Wednesday. “This decision comes with no reservations or remorse, only gratitude for the tremendous opportunity to have represented my home state in Congress,” the statement 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.

COLUMN: Seahawks ready for a Super Bowl run?

Ahead of their Thursday night showdown against the Los Angeles Rams (11-3), the Seattle Seahawks are currently 11-3 and one of the hottest teams in the NFL. The sea birds are on a four-game win streak. Their last loss?

Legals for December, 18 2025

Boys and Girls Club logo allegedly used in Moses Lake scam

MOSES LAKE — Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin officials are warning people that scammers apparently are using the club’s logo and claiming to be affiliated with the organization. The scammers allegedly were soliciting money door to door along Third Avenue early Tuesday afternoon.

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.

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.

Grant County Jail roster as of Dec. 17, 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. Listing is not comprehensive.

Warden puts on strong performance against Wahluke

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars out dueled the Wahluke Warriors 54-18 on the mat Tuesday. Head Coach Johnny Hernandez was happy to see his wrestlers come out fast against the Warriors. “They came out with a little extra energy today. It's always good to see that. We do a good job of getting them juiced up before the match. They really performed tonight,” the coach said.

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.

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.

Dorow appointed to Othello City Council

OTHELLO — Chris Dorow has been appointed to a vacant position on the Othello City Council. Dorow was appointed by unanimous vote after candidates for the seat were interviewed at the Dec. 8 council meeting. There was no discussion. Dorow replaces Denae Valdez, who resigned from the council in November. “We had seven members of the public apply for this position,” said Othello Mayor Shawn Logan.