Moses Lake couple injured in car crash

ELLENSBURG — A Moses Lake woman was transported to Harborview Medical Center after the car she was driving hit an embankment and rolled Aug. 29.

Celebrating all things Warden

WARDEN — The annual Warden Community Days kicked off this past weekend, drawing crowds for a series of events celebrating the region’s agricultural heritage and community spirit. As the Labor Day festivities unfolded, residents gathered to enjoy activities ranging from a vibrant parade to an inflatable costume race, marking the occasion with laughter and camaraderie. “Warden Community Days is a way for us all to come together,” said Warden Mayor Rosaelia Martinez. “It’s wonderful to see everyone supporting one another. This event brings a great sense of pride to our agricultural community.” The event began on Saturday with a classic car show, followed by a free community dinner featuring hamburgers and hot dogs—a highlight for many attendees.

Options under discussion for former Red Rock Elementary building

ROYAL CITY — The condition of the former Red Rock Elementary building, and its eventual fate, is prompting discussion among Royal City residents and city officials. “We’ve had some concerns with people continuing to break in,” said Royal City Mayor Michael Christensen. The building, located at the intersection of Calla Street and Hawthorne Avenue Northwest, originally was sold in 2005 by the Royal School District, according to records from the Grant County Auditor’s Office. The property is held jointly. Any plans to remodel or use the property haven’t materialized, Christensen said.

Moses Lake Police Department logs for Sept. 1, 2025

Moses Lake Police Department records

Ephrata Police Department logs for Sept. 4, 2025

Ephrata Police Department logs

Ephrata boil notice to extend at least to Thursday

EPHRATA – The City of Ephrata has issued a boil advisory for residents after a water line leak was discovered Monday near the old juvenile detention building. “They are currently grabbing the samples for the test results right now,” City Clerk Katie Kapalo said Tuesday morning. “They're going into the different parts of town and making sure they're getting an accurate sample of the whole city. Then those are being taken to the state lab.”

EWU to offer law enforcement leadership program

CHENEY — Eastern Washington University plans to launch a Law Enforcement Leadership & Practice program in the fall of 2026 to help working police officers build practical skills, advance in their careers, and meet the evolving challenges of modern policing, according to an announcement from the university.

WA businesses preparing for new retail sales taxes to hit consumers Oct. 1

(The Center Square) — One month from Labor Day, a slew of Washington businesses will be subject to new retail sales taxes, which will be passed onto consumers. The 2025 Washington State Legislature passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (ESSB) 5814, which added new business activities to the definition of retail sales. Those new taxes will be collected starting Oct. 1. According to the Washington Department of Revenue, new business activities impacted by the tax include advertising services, live presentations, information technology services, custom website development services and more. “Not only is it going to be a significant new tax on a

Othello Chamber celebrates start of school with community

OTHELLO — Technically summer has a couple more weeks to run – Sept. 22 is officially the first day of fall – but summer seems to end when school opens. Othello schools opened last week, but the Othello Chamber of Commerce couldn’t let summer go without one last party.

FIRE REPORT: Sept. 2, 2025

Air quality moderate across most of Washington

COULEE CITY – A fire broke out between Soap Lake and Coulee City just west of Lenore Lake Monday afternoon on the rimrock area overlooking the lake and State Route 17. According to radio traffic, it began as a fire in light flashy vegetation and quickly grew to 60 acres and had reached about 400 acres by the end of the day. Several units, including a helicopter, were reportedly fighting the fire. The cause was unknown as of press time.

Glen Williams water access to be closed for improvements

MARDON – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will temporarily close the Glen Williams Water Access Area on Potholes Reservoir beginning Sept. 8 to allow for planned improvements. The closure is expected to last through Oct. 23.

Anchor AS becomes majority shareholder in REC Silicon

MOSES LAKE — Enough shareholders responded to an offer to buy outstanding shares of REC Silicon to increase the proportion of shares owned by Anchor AS to more than 50%. Anchor AS is a subsidiary of the Hanwa Group, which owned about 45% of REC Silicon previously.

BASIN SENIOR EVENTS: September 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — The grandchildren are back in school, the summer family visits are done and there are plenty of things to get out and do this month. Here are a few:

Ephrata residents asked to boil water, minimize water use due to broken water pipe

EPHRATA – The City of Ephrata issued a boil water advisory Monday morning after a primary water line broke on the west side of the irrigation canal behind the juvenile facility, according to City Administrator Ray Towry.

Wenatchee Valley Symphony unveils 2025-26 season schedule

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-2026 season will be entitled “Season of Hope,” according to an announcement from the orchestra. Under the leadership of Music Director Nikolas Caoile, the season will offer a dynamic mix of timeless masterpieces and bold contemporary works, showcasing the talent and versatility of the orchestra, the WVSO announcement said.

BASIN EVENTS: September 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — The days are cooling off – well, maybe a little – and the kids are back in school, which means fall is just around the corner. Here are some things to do to help you recover from the summer.

Ferguson pauses approval of major solar project in central Washington

Gov. Bob Ferguson is tapping the brakes on a controversial solar farm proposed in south-central Washington to allow more time to appraise concerns of Yakama Nation leaders. Ferguson on Friday turned down a recommendation for the Carriger Solar project from the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council and directed the state panel to reconsider tribal officials’ desire for tougher conditions to protect cultural resources. But the first-term Democratic governor signalled his eagerness to sign off on an updated development agreement that is due from the council by Oct. 21.

9th Circuit Court rebuffs bid to overturn WA state voting map

(The Center Square) – The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled in favor of a group of voters in the Yakima Valley in a case concerning recently redrawn legislative boundaries in Washington state. The court said the new boundaries for the 15th Legislative District do not discriminate based on race.

Quincy man injured in tractor-pickup collision

QUINCY — A Quincy man was airlifted to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane after the tractor he was driving, allegedly without lights, was hit by a car about five miles south of Quincy early Thursday morning. Miguel Contreras, 34, was driving south on State Route 281 on a tractor at about 4 a.m. Thursday, allegedly without the lights on, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol. Contreras was rear-ended by a pickup driven by Isael Solano, 45, Quincy, the WSP memo said. The impact knocked both vehicles into the ditch, it said. The collision closed SR 281 for about four hours. Solano was not injured. Charges of driving a vehicle without legal lighting are pending against Contreras, the WSP memo said.

FIRE REPORT: AUG. 28, 2025

Air quality moderate across most of Washington

MOSES LAKE – The fires below were burning and causing smoke and air quality concerns regionally as of Thursday afternoon.