Tractor-pickup collision injures Royal City man

ROYAL CITY — A Royal City man was airlifted to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland after the tractor he was driving was rear-ended about seven miles east of Royal City.

Basin soccer roundup Oct. 30 – Nov. 4

MOSES LAKE – District tournaments are well underway as multiple Basin teams are still competing for an opportunity to advance to the state tournament. In the last week some teams have fallen out while others are on the verge of earning a state tourney bid. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.

Ephrata hospital bond fails with voters for second time

EPHRATA – Columbia Basin Hospital ran its $30 million bond proposition for a second time during the general election. The proposition as of 8 p.m. Nov. 4 ballot count has been rejected with about 1,100 votes, or nearly 56% of voters against it. Around 44%, or almost 830 people voted in favor of the bond. There are still around 900 ballots to count. The election will be certified Nov. 20.

Light Up Columbia Basin

Do you have what it takes to be the Champion of Lights?

MOSES LAKE — Basin residents can turn loose their inner Clark Griswold and help students at the same time.

Legals for November, 6 2025

Oliver voted in as Ephrata mayor-elect

EPHRATA — The initial Nov. 4 ballot count shows Steve Oliver winning the Ephrata Mayoral election with 630 votes, or nearly 55% of the vote. Incumbent Bruce Reim had 516 votes, or about 45% of the vote. The election will be certified on Nov. 20.

Las Vegas attempted murder suspect arrested in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — A Las Vegas man was arrested and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder after he was arrested at a Moses Lake business at about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Northwest Sport Management Summit returns to CWU for sixth year

ELLENSBURG – The sixth-annual Northwest Sport Management Summit is returning to Nicholson Pavilion on Thursday, November 13, and anyone in the community is welcome to attend.

Irvin 'Dean' Callahan

Nov. 10, 1945 — Nov. 1, 2025

Irvin “Dean” Callahan, 79, of Royal City, Wash., passed away while on vacation in Butte, Mont., on Nov. 1, 2025.

Mavs volleyball players make All-League

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks announced the All-League selections for Big 9 volleyball this season. Mavs Head Coach Krystal Trammell said these players were selected for their work both in sports and in the classroom.

Basin teams heading to state XC meet

MOSES LAKE – This weekend, four Basin schools will be represented in the WIAA state cross country meet across three different levels. In 1A, the Royal Knights are sending two runners, freshman Akleigh Hebdon and senior Carlos Barajas.

Homeschool Science Fair showcases student learning

EPHRATA – What do electricity, water, food, volcanos and slime have in common? These were some of the topics covered at this year’s science fair for the Little House in the Desert homeschool group in Ephrata on Saturday, Nov. 1. Six-year-old Joshua Wilson made homemade slime. He learned “that if you put in more water, the more it stretches.”

Legals for November, 5 2025

Grant County General Election results 2025

EPHRATA — Quincy, Ephrata and Soap Lake voters are picking a mayor, Columbia Basin Hospital district voters are considering a construction bond proposal and there are contested races for Quincy and Moses Lake city council seats. Unofficial results from the 2025 general election are below. Some ballots remain to be counted and updates will be provided as the County Auditor's Office completes tabulation in the days to come.

Huskies finish season in second round of districts

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (8-11) concluded their season in the second round of the district tournament after falling to East Valley 0-3 on Saturday. The Huskies Head Coach Steve Parris said the team felt prepared for the game but struggled once they got on the court.

WA college football recap – Week 10

MOSES LAKE – October football has concluded, and several Washington college football teams are looking to take the next step in the last leg of the season. Some stumbled in week 10 while some get rest up on a bye week. See below how your favorite teams fared over the weekend and their current record.

GCSO to purchase new drug detection K-9

EPHRATA – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is currently in the process of purchasing a drug detection K-9 for use both inside the Grant County Jail and for deployment into the field. "The addition of a drug detection K-9 not only adds safety for inmates and jail employees but also helps improve the quality of professional service our corrections staff delivers to the community," said Phil Coats, Chief Deputy of Corrections in a statement from GCSO. "This enhancement will start at the existing jail and will move with us as we enter our new jail in 2026." The K-9 is being funded in part by settlement money received from Washington state lawsuits filed against three U.S. opioid-distribution companies for their role in the opioid epidemic. GCSO is investing nearly $28,000 to purchase the K-9, train it and its handler and provide opioid overdose-reversal kits.

Man dies at Grant County Jail

EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin Investigative Team will be investigating the death of an inmate found unresponsive in his cell at the Grant County Jail early Tuesday morning. The name of the victim, 54 years of age, has not been released.

Shutdown threatens Head Start funding for Family Services of Grant County

MOSES LAKE — The Head Start program operated by Family Services of Grant County will have to close after Nov. 14, at least temporarily, if federal funding is not restored. Executive Director Sally Gundry said the funding cycle for the Moses Lake facility meant its federal money stopped as of Nov. 1.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Nov. 4-8, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN – Local athletes from around the Basin are now deep into the postseason as they compete to create new legacies in the area. See where your local teams will be headed this week.