Youth and suicide: Knowing the signs and accessing resources can save lives, experts say

MOSES LAKE — Suicide is the second-leading cause of death in Washington for people between the ages of 10 and 24, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Youth suicide is on the rise regionally, according to locals who work with people in crisis.

Grant Co. Jail construction on schedule for summer 2026 opening

EPHRATA — Construction of the new Grant County Jail is progressing rapidly, with Chief Deputy of Corrections Phillip Coats of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office expressing optimism about the facility’s completion. The new jail will comprehensively address the current needs of inmates, staff, and the community, with several innovative solutions integrated into its design, Coats said.

Ephrata school bus driver takes passengers personally

EPHRATA — Brenda Wurl has become a beloved fixture within the Ephrata School District as a bus driver, where her enthusiasm for children and dedication to safety has set a high standard within the community, according to the Transportation Director Adam Roduner. “Brenda, our longest-serving driver, is a wonderful example of the heart and dedication our entire team brings to their work,” Superintendent Ken Murray said. “We are deeply grateful for Brenda and for every member of our transportation staff who shows up, rain or shine, to serve our students and families.” With over 15 years of experience under her belt, Wurl said she has established a unique rapport with her young passengers and their families, making her not just a driver, but also a trusted role model.

COLUMN: Panic in Seattle after week one?

Many Seahawks fans packed Lumen Field in great anticipation to see the newest version of their favorite team. I imagine many questions filled their minds. Can Mike MacDonald take the next step? Are Cooper Kupps best behind him? Was Sam Darnold a one-year wonder?

Mavs secure road win against Huskies

OTHELLO – The Moses Lake Mavericks volleyball team travelled to face the Othello Huskies Tuesday evening where the Mavs secured a 3-0 victory. “I think the first two sets we started off a little slow, but once we have our energy up and we all start having fun with each other, that’s when we really come together and we play as a team,” said Mavs player Madison Witwer.

Classical singer, pianist to perform Saturday in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The public is invited to a collaborative recital Saturday by pianist Oksana Ejokina and singer Misha Myznikov, according to an announcement from the Moses Lake – Central Basin Music Teachers Chapter of the Washington State Music Teachers Association, which is sponsoring the concert.

Legals for September, 10 2025

Lions take a road loss against Odessa

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions volleyball team fell on the road in their season opener Tuesday evening against Odessa with a final score of 1-3.

Huskies roll ahead of Ellensburg to start season

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies made a strong start to their season after earning a 49-0 win on the road over Ellensburg Saturday evening. “We’re senior-dominated, we have guys with a lot of experience,” said Huskies defensive coach Kevin Hale. “We have all-state quality guys at certain positions, so we expected to do well, and we did on both sides of the ball.”

College football recap

BOISE, Idaho — On Saturday, several collegiate football teams from Washington completed their second week of the season. Some saw success, while others fell short. Eastern Washington According to a statement by EWU Athletics, the Broncos seized the momentum quickly, scoring 14 points in the first five minutes of the game. Boise State put up 20 points in the first quarter and had the game quickly under control. The Eagles broke through in the second quarter, as Jared Taylor engineered a 10-play, 62-yard drive, culminating in a Taylor touchdown run. The Broncos answered right back with a quick touchdown and tacked on a late field goal to go into halftime with a 23-point lead. “There were some bright spots, but not a lot of highlights. We’ll have to watch the film, but we did not play a clean game defensively,” Head Coach Aaron Best said. “We didn’t knock any balls out and missed some tackles. Offensively was not complimentary either. We did not stay on the field on third downs. Punting was inconsistent and we can’t keep putting the defense in between the 40s. We had a short week, and we’ll take tomorrow off, then look at the game on Sunday.”

Basin teams compete at Ellensburg Invitational

ELLENSBURG — The Ephrata Tigers, Othello Huskies, Royal Knights, Wahluke Warriors and Warden Cougars cross country teams all travelled to Irene Rhineheart Park in Ellensburg Saturday morning to compete in an Invitational Relay event. “The Ellensburg Relay provides a great opening race for the season,” said Tigers coach Lyndsy Roberts. “The coed relay feature helps build team chemistry and the distance of 1.5 miles gives athletes a chance to race fast over a manageable distance. The knee-deep water feature also brings an exciting and memorable moment.” The event featured an individual race as well as a team race where both boys and girls ran together. Ephrata and Othello were two of the top teams in the boys individual race one, with the Tigers taking second and the Huskies taking fourth. Ephrata and Royal also made the leaderboard in the girls relay with the Tigers taking ninth and the Knights taking 13th.

Mavericks defeat Hermiston at home

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Mavs defeated Hermiston at home 3-1 to secure their first victory of the season. Head coach Krystal Trammell said her players came to play. “The girls were very excited,” Trammell said. “They like playing Hermiston; they are a really good team. They're fast-paced, and they were pretty hyped up to get out there and play again."

Othello Fair & Rodeo coming Wednesday

Fair may be small, but it makes up for it with friendly atmosphere, welcoming community

OTHELLO — Longtime volunteer Becky Flint said there’s just something about the Othello Fair. “We may not be the biggest, but we definitely are the friendliest,” she said.

Huskies volleyball enters season with renewed confidence

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies volleyball team is aiming to rebound this season after finishing 2-15 last year and falling out of the district tournament in the first round. “I think it was a lot of young people, and it was kind of just something to adjust to,” said Huskies’ senior Abbie Douglas.

Warden starts season with 32-13 win

WARDEN – The Warden Cougars football team started their season off strong with a 32-13 victory over Medical Lake as they push to solidify themselves as a top contender in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference. “It was pretty good,” said Cougars running back Danny Martinez. “First half blocks were settling in kind of flaky, but by the second half they actually got good blocks they got a good hold and actually earned some yards.”

Mavs secure first win on the road

MOSES LAKE – On Thursday, the Mavericks opened their season on the road against Oak Harbor and brought home a 49-6 win. Head Coach Brett Jay said he was happy with what he saw from his team. “I thought our effort was great, and I thought our attitude is great, and we're excited for the win, and we're going to clean some things up moving forward,” he said.

A young Lions team rallies around their junior and senior leaders

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions volleyball team is preparing themselves for another deep run in the postseason this year after ending the previous season 12-6 record and making a deep run at districts. “Last season I thought was pretty good,” said Head Coach Dean Spurbeck. “We didn’t quite make it to state, (but) they continued to get better.”

Tigers’ cross country ready to compete at state level

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers Cross Country team is preparing for another year of competition after finding success last season but just missing out on the state tournament. “This year we’re looking to go for some redemption to earn a state spot,” said Tigers Head Coach Lyndsey Roberts. “We’ve got most of our runners returning and we’re really excited about the potential.” Last year, the boys team finished second in the Central Washington Athletic Conference and qualified for state, but missed out on the championship by a few points, said Roberts. The girls team was in the middle of the league, but had strong front-runners, including Abigail Chamberlain, Savannah Harper and Hannah Malone.

Warden volleyball works to repeat past success under new head coach

WARDEN – The Warden Cougars volleyball team is tracking another run at the state tourney this year with new head coach Katie Roylance leading the team. The coach wants to maintain a winning culture this season. “You have those returning players who know where that expectation is and I’m probably just going to bump that bar up just a little bit and just try and hold that expectation,” said Roylance.

Eagles volleyball boasts strong senior class

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles are preparing for another successful season after finishing the last season 16-5 and earning second in districts and making the second round of the state tourney. “Last season was probably our best season since I’ve been coaching,” said Eagles Head Coach Niki Noble. “I was really proud of the girls for how hard they worked.”