Bring a little chocolate into your life, adopt Cocoa Bean

SOAP LAKE – Cocoa Bean came to the Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry after getting lost from her previous owners and never claimed. She is a smaller chocolate pit/husky mix between two and three years old. She is currently shelter’s favorite comedian. Cocoa Bean is known for her shenanigan's, high energy antics and independent spirit which frequently make the staff giggle. She is a sweet (duh, she’s named after chocolate), friendly, curious and very toy motivated girl. If you need a little more sweetness or maybe a few more laughs in your life, adopt Cocoa Bean by visiting RockBottomRocker.org. For those who can’t adopt but would still like to help the local shelter out visit their website and click the donate button. There are also opportunities to foster pets, if that’s more your speed.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: A Basin made proud...

Over the last week, we’ve seen local athletes venture across the Cascades to the Tacoma Dome to compete in the Mat Classic. The Columbia Basin Herald reached out and spoke with every wrestling coach in the area and we’re continuing follow up coverage on those wrestlers who did particularly well on the mats.

Casting time: Trout fishing opens Saturday on some local lakes

MOSES LAKE — There may still be piles of snow around the Basin, but one spring milestone is rapidly approaching: the opening of trout season. About two dozen lakes in Eastern Washington will open Saturday for trout fishing, according to an announcement from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Most other lakes open the fourth Saturday of April, which this year falls on April 26.

Lady Cougs to face Pepperdine today

PULLMAN – The Washington State Lady Cougars are set to end their inaugural season in the West Coast Conference today at 1 p.m. against Pepperdine at Malibu.

Moses Lake woman found deceased

MOSES LAKE – On Monday night, 60-year-old Rauline Silva was found deceased behind the Moses Lake Safeway according to Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison. A person had called into the Moses Lake Police Department at around 9:40 p.m., reporting an unconscious woman behind the store, according to MLPD Captain Jeff Sursely. Sursely did not have any other information on the matter. An autopsy was performed the following day and determined Silva had died at around 10:02 p.m. Monday from acute methamphetamine intoxication, according to Morrison.

Bill to raise lid on local WA school district levies moves forward

(The Center Square) – A bill that would increase the amount of local property tax collections allowed by school districts in Washington state passed the House Finance Committee on Tuesday.

LETTER: Martin Luther King Jr., Charlie Jones and Black History Month

Recently, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was celebrated in Moses Lake. Charlie Jones (one of the primary sponsors of past events who passed last year) was honored along with Martin Luther King Jr. I watched a YouTube program last week ( “Plymouth vs Jamestown Kings and Priests”) that provided a positive and balanced historical view of America's founding, the influence of Christianity and the contributions of many Black Americans like Harry Hosier and others not as well known as Frederick Douglass, Josiah Henson, Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, and Martin Luther King Jr..

Multimillion-dollar commitment will advance key cwu initiatives

ELLENSBURG - Central Washington University has received a multimillion-dollar commitment from Rob and Valerie Moehring to create a Presidential Innovation Fund, which will be used to invest in new strategic priority initiatives.

LETTER: Sustaining Columbia Basin agriculture through USAID

Dear Editor, In the expansive fields of the Columbia Basin, our farmers’ dedication yields abundant harvests that have long extended beyond our region, reaching those in dire need across the globe.

Legals for February, 27 2025

Grant Co. road construction season starts March 10

EPHRATA — A section of Westshore Drive is scheduled for a complete rebuild in 2025, and upgrades are planned for a section of Stratford Road. Westshore Drive construction begins March 10. A pedestrian trail and traffic circles will be added in Desert Aire, and a third section of Drumheller Road will be graded. Those are among the road improvement projects scheduled for Grant County in 2025.

Doyle Thomson

1935 – 2025

Doyle Thomson, 90, loving husband, father, grandfather and friend passed away February 16, 2025, at his home in the Coventry House Assisted Living with his daughter by his side.

Leroy K. Weber

January 19, 1931 – November 25, 2024

Leroy K. Weber passed away November 25, 2024 at the age of 93. There will be a celebration of life, starting with graveside services at the Royal City Cemetery on March 15, 2025, at 10 a.m. followed by a memorial service at First Baptist Church of Moses Lake, 724 W 4th at 2 p.m. Lite refreshments following.

MLSD board determines no civil rights infringement

Lack of access to PE impacts campuses with minority populations more than others

MOSES LAKE – In the Feb. 20 meeting of the Moses Lake School Board, the issue of equity in physical education resurfaced, spurred by a civil rights complaint submitted by Larry Dagnon, a teacher at North Elementary which he presented at the previous Feb. 6 meeting.

Othello's Solorio crowned state champ in 215 bracket

OTHELLO – Anthony Solorio, a senior at Othello High School, achieved a lifelong dream over the weekend, capturing the state championship title in the boys 2A wrestling competition at 215 pounds with a record of 36-13.

Maverick swimmers break personal records at state

FEDERAL WAY — The Moses Lake High School boys swim team finished the state meet with a long list of personal records. The Mavs tied with Kentwood for 26th place with nine points. Luke Molitor was Moses Lake’s highest placer, finishing 14th in the 100-yard butterfly.

ICE arrests Othello woman, teen son left to run family food truck

OTHELLO —Eighteen-year-old Raul Gomez-Eudave woke up on a Saturday morning earlier this month to a flood of missed calls and text messages. When he unlocked his phone, his heart dropped.

Committee proposed to redesign state flag

OLYMPIA – Is Washington’s State flag a relic of days gone by and should it be redesigned? A bill in this year’s Legislature says the question is worth considering and proposes establishing a committee to explore the idea.

Wildcats headed to Westwood for rugby battle with No. 11 UCLA

ELLENSBURG – The number 10 ranked Central Washington University Wildcats rugby team, currently sitting at 2-2, will be headed to Westood, California this weekend for a pairing against UCLA in the team’s third away game for the season. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Wallis Annenberg Stadium.

Band formed out of loss comes home to Ephrata

EPHRATA — The boys – and girl – are back in town. The band Millergold, four of whose members graduated from Ephrata High School, will perform two shows in their hometown this weekend. The first show will be Friday evening at Ephrata High School’s Performing Arts Center, and the second will be Saturday at 12 Hawks Sports Bar & Grill. “We did Cabaret at (EHS) and really loved music,” said Nate Elliott, the band’s bass player and a 2015 EHS graduate. “We did choir, and then kind of went our separate ways for about 10 years.”