Local styling

Restyle Home Staging & Design owner looks at elevating home visions

MOSES LAKE — DeeDee Clune is looking to make sure locals have their homes set up in a way that works for them and wants homebuyers to see what living in the homes they shop for might look like. That’s the point of being an interior designer, and why she operates Restyle Home Staging & Design.

Ephrata intersection closed Tuesday for bridge work

EPHRATA — Drivers should plan alternate routes to get in and out of downtown Ephrata next Tuesday as Washington Department of Transportation crews work on the bridge over the railroad tracks at the intersection of state Route 282 and state Route 28.

Disappearing America

Exhibit at Moses Lake Museum brings rural relics to life

MOSES LAKE — Artist Deon Matzen will make an appearance at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Friday to open her new exhibit. “My theme for this show … is “Vanishing Rural America,” Matzen said from her home on Whidbey Island. “I work on old barns that are falling down – the old-style barns, not the contemporary metal loafing shed-style barn – Trucks, barns, any kind of old detritus. Most of what you’ll see is that, although there are a number of wildlife paintings too. I call them ‘varmint paintings.’” The exhibit will kick off with a reception at 4 p.m. Friday where patrons can meet Matzen and nibble on refreshments while checking out the artwork.

Sasquatch expert to speak at library

KENNEWICK — Mid-Columbia Libraries will host a two-day lecture series entitled “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science” Friday and Saturday at the Kennewick Public Library, according to an announcement from the library. Dr. Jeff Meldrum, a professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University, will discuss the work of various experts on the evidence for a large, undiscovered North American primate and analyze the scientific arguments for and against its existence, according to the announcement. Meldrum delves into the creature's history and invites individuals interested in human evolution to form their own conclusions. On Friday, July 12 Meldrum will present “The Patterson-Gimlin Film 50+ Years Later” at 7 p.m., looking at the famous 1967 film footage that purported to show Bigfoot walking in northern California. The makers, Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin, always maintained that the footage was genuine, but many experts have dismissed the film as a hoax. There will be a meet-and-greet starting at 4:30 p.m. before the lecture.

Law enforcement logs for July 12, 2024

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Ephrata PD July 3 Report of a suspicious bag of clothing left in the early morning hours in the 100 block of Basin Street Northwest. Clothes were removed from the property.

FIRE REPORT: More than 100 human-caused fires in the Northwest so far this summer

PORTLAND, Ore. — Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington, according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service. While firefighters have been largely successful in putting out these preventable fires, the extremely hot and dry conditions are significantly ramping up fire danger across the region. “We’re entering a very dangerous time period in the Pacific Northwest wildfire season,” Ed Hiatt, Pacific Northwest assistant fire director for operations, wrote in the statement. “Mother Nature turned on the oven for a week in local forests and now we’re preparing for the potential of dry lightning and gusty winds.” Local responders are closely tracking these deteriorating conditions where any new wildfire will have the potential to spread rapidly and burn intensely right from the start. And as firefighters respond to lightning-sparked fires a preventable, human-caused wildfire can limit the availability of needed engines, dozers, helicopters and other resources.

BASIN COMMUNITY CALENDAR JULY 12-18

Here are a few things to do to take your mind off the heat this coming week:

Legals for July, 12 2024

Ephrata-Soap Lake Ag Boosters in need of donations

EPHRATA — Organizers of a fund to support 4-H, Grange and FFA participants from Ephrata and Soap Lake at the annual stock sale during the Grant County Fair said the fund needs donations.

Burgess says planning for growth part of Grant Co. Commission's job

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Commission candidate Kevin Burgess said county and city governments need to think ahead when planning for growth. Burgess is running for the seat in Commission District 1; Danny Stone, the incumbent, did not file for reelection.

Folk festival to debut in Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — Soap Lake will spread its cultural wings this weekend with the first-ever Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival. The festival, which goes all day Saturday at Smokiam Park, will feature musicians from a variety of traditions, as well as food and craft vendors and periodic raffle drawings throughout the day. It’s put on by the Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee. “We've got Mexican music, we've got country music, we've got contemporary folk music, we've got southern folk music, we've got Delta blues,” said Kim Anderson, a lifelong Soap Lake resident who came up with the idea for the festival. “So we're all over the place.” Musicians include conjunto band Tejano Skyz, singer-songwriters Carl Tosten and Billy Stoops, country singer Myra Pearce, blues musicians The Delta G Band and Leif Totusek, whose compositions blend jazz, blues and soukous, a dance music style from central Africa. Many of the musicians have ties to the area, Anderson said; Pearce and Tejano Skyz are based in Moses Lake, and several members of the Delta G Band graduated from Soap Lake High School. Tosten also grew up in eastern Washington, according to his online biography.

Red Raiders sweep AA River Dogs in Tuesday doubleheader

MOSES LAKE — On a hot Tuesday evening at Larson Playfield, the Othello Red Raiders took down the AA 18U Columbia Basin River Dogs in both games of a doubleheader, winning the first game 12-2 before riding out to a 13-4 win in the nightcap. “We felt pretty good,” Othello Head Coach Sonny Garza said. “Obviously the weather was rough so we had to battle through that, but that’s something we knew coming in. We had to just work through it. The kids have been playing pretty good baseball, so we were excited coming in here and trying to play some good baseball.” Othello struck first in the opening game on Tuesday, as shortstop Sonny Salazar put the Red Raiders up 1-0 in the top of the first with an RBI single that sent home second baseman Quade Gonzalez IV. The Red Raiders added two more runs in the top of the third with RBI doubles by Gonzalez and left fielder Aaden Montes, later scoring four more runs in the top of the fourth with RBI from pitcher Kal-El Ozuna, Gonzalez and Salazar, as well as right fielder Carlos Castillo scoring on an error.

FIRE REPORT: Moses Lake sends crews to Lake Chelan fire

MOSES LAKE — The Pioneer Fire burning along the eastern shore of Lake Chelan is still growing, and was at 12,265 acres Wednesday, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Containment remained at 14%. The fire, which has been burning since June 8, is being fought by 818 personnel, including six firefighters from the Moses Lake Fire Department, according to MLFD spokesperson Heather Kok.

Legals for July, 11 2024

Two WA juvenile rehab facilities suspend intakes for first time due to overcrowding

(The Center Square) – Two juvenile rehabilitation centers have suspended the intake of new offenders due to overcrowding, according to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families. This reverses a two-decade trend of a decreasing juvenile rehabilitation institutional population.

Ephrata school registration open

EPHRATA – Registration is now open for the fall semester with the Ephrata School District for all campuses, according to information released by the district. The new school year is set to begin August 29 with orientation days on August 26 and 27. The information needed and the registration website may be accessed at https://bit.ly/ESDREGISTER24. The site includes school supply lists, information on bus routes and meals and other information to help parents get their children set for the return to school – after a wonderful summer, of course.

Statewide crime mostly down, still higher than 2019

LACEY — While crime in most categories declined in Washington between 2022 and 2023, crime rates are still higher than they were in 2019. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs released crime data for 2023 Tuesday.

Nation’s birthday draws big crowd to Othello

OTHELLO — It was a good day for a birthday party. Othello residents and visitors turned out for the parade and filled Lions Park for the annual July 4 celebration - games, a car show, sports tournaments, food, live music, fireworks - sponsored by the Othello Chamber of Commerce.

Success on the diamond

Royal Head Softball Coach Lisa Lawrence discusses state title win

MOSES LAKE – After leaving the 2023 1A State Softball Tournament with a second-place finish, the Royal Knights had high aspirations for this year’s edition of the tournament.

FIRE REPORT: Pioneer Fire still growing in North Cascades

MOSES LAKE — The Pioneer Fire burning along the eastern shore of Lake Chelan continued to grow Tuesday, reaching 10,677 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Containment remained at 14%. Eleven crews, 13 helicopters, five engines, 14 water tenders and 13 heavy equipment units were devoted to fighting the blaze, which has been burning since June 8.