Lane changes

Mattawa approves speed limit update, no-parking zones.

MATTAWA — Speed limits will be lowered to 25 miles per hour on Road 24 SW from the roundabout at State Route 281 to Pat-Chee Drive, and no parking will be allowed on sections of Boundary Road and Riverview Avenue. Mattawa City Council members approved the changes after extensive discussion at the regular meeting June 1...

Summer entertainment coming up for local communities

EPHRATA – A long summer evening just seems like a good time to be outside. Three local towns will help families make the most of summer evenings with a monthly series of free outdoor movies. In Ephrata there’s also a free summer music series....

Legals for June, 7 2023

Encore!

Basin Community Theatre show samples the music of Broadway

MOSES LAKE — The tunes that made Broadway great will fill the air, as Basin Community Theatre presents “Encore! A Broadway Musical Review” this month. “We've taken favorite musicals from our cast and from our director, and put a show together,” said producer Marion Wyman. “So it's going to be songs, it's going to be dances … We had (cast members) write down their suggestions, and if they wanted to sing a solo, and that’s how we put the show together.” The show takes songs and dances, 12 of them solos, from about 30 different Broadway musicals, although Wyman said the list wasn’t yet complete as of Wednesday. The range of musicals is broad, including “Oklahoma!,” “Funny Girl,” Camelot” (and the Monty Python spoof, “Spamalot”), “The Wizard of Oz” and more.

Dru Gimlin 3-on-3 tournament takes to streets of Quincy

QUINCY – The Dru Gimlin 3-on-3 basketball tournament returned to the streets of downtown Quincy on Saturday, commemorating the 20th year of the Dru Gimlin Foundation and honoring the 20 years since Gimlin’s passing in February 2003.

Dodson Road project underway

Grant County works to upgrade roadway between I-90 and Ephrata.

EPHRATA — Drivers using Dodson Road between State Route 282 and Road 4 NW will be experiencing some delays as that section of the road gets a new layer of asphalt. “It’s under construction right now,” said Grant County Engineer Dave Bren...

Senior events for June 2023

Here's a few of the things happening in the Basin this month that seniors can enjoy. June 6 TOPS Weight loss support group. 8 a.m. every Tuesday at Lake City Foursquare Church, 333 N. Central Drive. Info: 509-350-2175. Tech help hour Basic computer and internet use assistance with the librarian. Online guided basic computer use tutorials through Northstar digital and WISC-Online. 2-3 p.m. every Tuesday at the Ephrata Library, 45 Alder St. NW. Info: (509) 754-3971 or [email protected].

Twila M. Benjamin

Twila M. Benjamin, a devoted wife, loving mother, and cherished grandmother, passed away peacefully on May 30, 2023, in Nampa, Idaho at the age of 95. Born to Bertha Cusic Montgomery and Ralph Eugene “Monty” Montgomery, Twila began her journey on July 19, 1927, in Colorado. Twila would proudly boast about attending Princeton and Harvard (high schools), sharing the amusing irony of the prestigious institution names. Twila went on to live a remarkable life filled with faith, family, and adventure. Twila's path led her to Caldwell, Idaho, where she met and married William Hiram Benjamin. They were united in marriage on Feb. 20, 1949, and were married for 37 years until Bill’s passing in 1986. They were blessed with seven children, who brought immeasurable joy and pride to their lives. In the late 1950s, Twila and Bill relocated to Royal City, Washington, where they purchased land and forged lasting connections within the community. Twila's passion for faith led her to become a founding member of the Royal City Church of the Nazarene, where she actively participated in various church programs and ministries, including Sunday school, Caravan and Bible quizzing.

Mattawa council approves housing action plan

MATTAWA — After about five months of discussion, the Mattawa City Council approved a housing action plan at its regular meeting Thursday. City officials are working to apply for funding to upgrade and expand the city’s water and sewer systems, and updating development regulations, including an action plan, is part of that. “The plan has also been reviewed by the (Washington Department of) Commerce and it is sufficient,” said Rachelle Bradley of SCJ Alliance, the city’s planners...

9 taken into custody in MLPD emphasis patrol

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Police officers, assisted by members of the Washington State Department of Corrections and agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrested a number of people in what the MLPD calls an emphasis patrol of a Moses Lake hotel Wednesday afternoon. “We’ve been receiving complaints from citizens regarding the Econo Lodge,” MLPD Detective Sgt. KyleMcCain said, noting concerns about foot traffic around the hotel and suspicions people might be selling and buying drugs...

911 upgrades

Grant County call center looking at improving systems to serve community.

MOSES LAKE — Grant County’s Multi-Agency Communications Center fielded a record number of calls in May — over 10,000 for the month — according to MACC Technical Services Manager Gerrit Klein. “On the 28th (of May), we, for the first time in our history, surpassed 10,000 calls for service in one month. Our computers actually crashed,” Klein said. “We ran out of (case) numbers.” ...

RECAP: Basin teams conclude baseball, softball seasons

COLUMBIA BASIN – High school baseball and softball seasons across the Basin wrapped up last weekend, with four teams taking home hardware from their respective state tournaments. Read along to see how each team finished in 2023. All scores and records are according to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association...

Legals for June, 2 2023

June 2023 Community Calendar

June 2 First Friday Jam Anyone with an instrument can come and play; anyone with ears can come and listen. Potluck at 6 p.m., jam 7-9 p.m. at George Community Hall, 403 W. Montmorency Blvd. Info: www.georgecommunityhall.com. Preschool story time Kids will read books, do fingerplays and action rhymes, sing songs, and explore with other activities. 10:30-11 a.m. every Friday at the Warden Library, 305 S Main Ave. Info: 509-349-2226. June 3 Dru Gimlin 3-on-3 basketball tournament This will be the 20th anniversary for the tournament. The tournament features an adult division ages 18 and older, youths in fifth grade through high school and boys and girls divisions. Proceeds go to the Dru Gimlin Foundation, named for the QHS student who died in a traffic accident. The foundation works to ensure children in Quincy can participate in athletics. First game starts at 9 a.m. on Central Avenue South in downtown Quincy. CBBRE Spring Classic Barrel racing. Begins at 7 a.m. at the Grant County Fairgrounds, Moses Lake. Moses Lake Farmers Market Every Saturday until the end of October. Fresh produce, crafts and more. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at McCosh Park, Moses Lake. Info: moseslakefarmersmarket.com. Family Free Saturday Twirling ladybug or bee. Continues until supplies have been exhausted. Adult must accompany child during activity (no drop-offs). 12-2 p.m. at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, 401 S. Balsam. Info: 509-764-3830.

News Bites for June 1

QUINCY — Saturday’s sudden rainstorm triggered a flash flood at Adams Road and Road 13 Northwest, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Mud, rocks and debris were scattered across the roads, the GSCO wrote. Grant County Road District 3 responded to the area and cleaned the road up, and the GCSO statement did not indicate any injuries or property damage. Here’s what else happened over the weekend in the Columbia Basin:

Fairgrounds seeking some fee increases for 2024

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Fairgrounds Director Jim McKiernan is proposing a new fee structure for the Grant County Fairgrounds next year that will set minimum stall usage requirements for horse events and raise some fees for commercial and animal-related events. “We’re raising some rates slightly,” McKiernan said. “These are fairly small increases, and we’ve decreased the fee for the rodeo arena to get more people to use that.”

Columbia Basin swimming pools publish opening dates

MOSES LAKE — It’s that time of year – city crews have swept out all the dead leaves, all the toys are back up and the pool is full, or almost full. Summer is dead ahead. The Surf ‘n Slide Water Park, 401 W. Fourth Ave., has already opened for the summer – the joint was jumping Memorial Day weekend – and will be open the first two Saturdays and Sundays in June. Daily operation begins June 15, after Moses Lake School District classes are dismissed for the summer.

Legals for June, 1 2023

Raindrops and moonlight

Spring Festival parade marches on despite downpour

MOSES LAKE — For a bit, it didn’t look like there would be a Moonlight Parade down Third Avenue on Saturday night. “There’s going to be a parade,” said Spring Festival organizer Sean Salis as he sat in the cab of his truck between phone calls and text messages. Salis drove off, rain still falling. A downpour drenched the 6 p.m. Kiddie Parade, and students, staff and teachers from North Elementary School braved the wet and made their way down Third to Frontier Middle School as soggy spectators applauded.

Graduations in the Basin coming soon

COLUMBIA BASIN – Area high schools will be celebrating graduation the first two weeks of June. The Columbia Basin Herald will be attending each of the ceremonies listed below and will provide coverage in a keepsake edition of the paper on June 12 so that graduates can have one issue that brings all of their graduation celebrations together with their friends at nearby schools. Additionally, look in tomorrow’s edition for a commemorative insert with photos of this year’s grads...