Repaving near Moses Lake switching to nighttime

MOSES LAKE — Repaving work on a section of Interstate 90 near Moses Lake has switched to nights at least through this week.

Big Sky Now: Who runs the Big Sky in 2025? Montana, MSU, Idaho and Eastern Washington season breakdown

The 2025 season is here, and Big Sky Now is breaking down everything you need to know about the Big Sky Conference.

Sam Darnold impresses in preseason debut with Seattle Seahawks, win against Kansas City Chiefs

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold looked the part of a franchise quarterback in his first appearance at Lumen Field as the Seattle Seahawks beat the Kansas City Chiefs 33-16 in a preseason game on Friday night. Darnold, who did not appear in the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, completed 4 of 4 passes for 34 yards on the opening drive.

Grant County Fair safety measures effective, organizers say

MOSES LAKE – While there were some minor heat injuries and a few mischievous teens during the 2025 Grant County Fair as of Saturday afternoon, the event went off without any serious incidents according to fair organizers and law enforcement. In part, that’s due to added security measures taken over the past year.

Law enforcement focused on impaired drivers

Drunk or high driving will be the focus for police in Grant County through Sept. 1

MOSES LAKE — Grant County law enforcement agencies are participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” emphasis patrols through Sept. 1. The campaign started Aug. 13.

Local trainer: How student athletes can prep for fall sports

MOSES LAKE – Over the next few weeks, student athletes in the Basin will be making their return to their respective sports. As summer break ends, the trainer at Moses Lake High School, Lily Rodriguez, has some pointers athletes can use to be in the best shape possible.

Moses Lake Roundup brings excitement to the Grant County Fairgrounds

MOSES LAKE – In the last few days of the Grant County Fair, community members were treated to the annual Moses Lake Roundup. From Thursday to Saturday, the rodeo took center stage with several events like bareback riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling and bull riding. “I just love being able to go around all the crowds and different people that you see and being able to put on a show for them and get on great bucking horses. It's awesome, and I love it,” Jay McAllister said.

Property purchased for new Grant County Morgue

MOSES LAKE — Construction on a new Grant County morgue is scheduled to start this fall. County officials interviewed possible contractors Aug. 14, with the selection announced in late August or early September. “We would expect to make a decision on a general contractor pretty rapidly,” said Tom Gaines, Grant County Central Services director.

Cage riders take danger for granted

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes zooming around on motorcycles inside a cage runs in the family.

Nonprofits the heart of community life

Celebrating the organizations that uplift the Columbia Basin on National Nonprofit Day

MOSES LAKE — It takes a lot of people, many of them working for nothing, to make a great community. This weekend will be a chance to honor those folks. Aug. 17 is National Nonprofit Day, a day set aside to recognize those organizations that serve their communities, from the big nationwide charities and advocacy groups to the small local service club. The one thing they all have in common is their impact on the communities they serve.

Moses Lake Demo Derby concludes

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Demo Derby held the second half of its events Wednesday night with more drivers, dirt and another round of demolition. “It’s always easier on the second day because everybody is going with the flow already” said Aaron Schrodt, organizer for the Moses Lake Demo Derby. “Everybody did great, we had a couple roll roll-overs, but everybody was safe.”

Vikings volleyball season preview

MOSES LAKE – As the Vikings return to the court for practices, there is a lot of optimism in the air for head coach, Lindsey Linthicum. As they prepare for their first scrimmage game today at Centralia, she said the team is starting to gel. “That's been really fun to see the girls kind of making those connections,” Linthicum said. “It's just fun to see their personalities coming out, and the girls are recognizing those personalities, and every once in a while we get a good laugh out of each other.”

Plant clinic offers insights at Grant County Fair

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Fair brings a lot of interactive experiences for the community to engage with. Sometimes these experiences can be educational, like the Master Gardeners’ clinic. “Our job here is to provide a plant clinic that is for anybody who comes in and asks a question about what’s what they need, either about watering, gardening or pruning,” said Barbara Guilland, a volunteer for Washington State University’s Master Gardener Program. WSU’s Master Gardener Program and the Columbia Basin Conservation District had educational booths in the Agriculture Building. WSU had a lot of information about plant care for this time of year.

Legals for August, 15 2025

Schoonover Road construction begins, other road projects progressing

RITZVILLE — A section of Schoonover Road north of Ritzville is closed to traffic as construction crews start work on a complete rebuild. Schoonover Road is closed from Rosenoff to Rehn roads. “Currently the contractor has ground the existing pavement and is working on clearing vegetation on the shoulder, and will then begin the earthwork portion,” wrote Adams County Engineer Scott Yaeger in response to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald. Construction is scheduled for completion Nov. 4. The old road surface will be removed, the roadbed rebuilt with improved drainage, the road widened, and guardrails added where needed, Yaeger said in an earlier interview. It’s the first year of a multiyear project; the first phase project cost is about $3.13 million.

Surplus multi-season deer and elk tags soon available

OLYMPIA – Deer and elk hunters who applied for a Washington multi-season application earlier this year will have a chance to purchase some of the remaining surplus tags this month. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that 2,693 multi-season deer tags and 160 multi-season elk tags will be available for sale in August, with sales occurring on separate days to streamline the process.

Grant PUD line safety demo focused on safety

MOSES LAKE — It is the message of the Lineman Safety demonstration put on by Grant County Public Utility District that while it’s easy to forget power lines are overhead, the electricity they transit must be respected.

New Wyndham Microtel coming to Ephrata

EPHRATA – Ephrata residents can look forward to additional hospitality options as a new Wyndham Microtel is set to break ground next year. The owners expect to open the doors by June or July 2026. The hotel, which will feature 81 rooms—including 16 suites—will occupy a footprint of nearly 36,000 square feet, making it about 25% larger than the existing Holiday Inn Express in George, spokesperson Dustin Canfield said.

Volunteering at the fair can be a family affair

MOSES LAKE — The benches in the horticulture building at the Grant County Fair are filled with flowers, carefully matched with entries and ribbons. Of course, somebody has to do all the work of matching the ribbons to the right flowers. That was the work of the two sisters and their children sitting around a table piled with supplies. “We’re the Kalamakis crew,” said Hailey Everett, Spokane.

Ephrata approves grant programs

EPHRATA – During the August 6 regular Ephrata City Council meeting, the city approved six resolutions addressing a variety of issues including contracts, street maintenance, transportation and communication. Two of those involved grants that would make improving transportation and managing growth easier.