Clergy members could become mandatory reporters of child abuse

OLYMPIA – When Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, learned how Jehovah’s Witness elders in Spokane had covered up child sexual abuse for years, she looked to the law for answers.

WA Legislature will not proceed with property tax increase

OLYMPIA – A bill – Senate Bill 5770 – to increase the annual cap on property tax collections dies in the Senate after receiving a hard pushback from Senate Republicans. The prime sponsor of the bill, Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Puyallup, announced that it would not move forward to the Senate floor.

BBCC men’s, women’s teams fall in back-to-back games

MOSES LAKE – The Big Bend men’s and women’s basketball teams fell in their outings last week, first losing to Spokane Falls at home on Wednesday before losses on the road to Treasure Valley on Saturday, according to a statement from BBCC Athletics.

WSU seed grant program announces recipients

PULLMAN – The Office of Research, in partnership with the Washington State University’s Pullman Chancellor’s Office, has launched a new seed grant program for WSU Pullman faculty. The Inspire! Community Engaged Research Seed Grant Program supports the development of and capacity for community-engaged scholarship.

CWU to hold public quarterly meeting Thursday and Friday

ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington University Board of Trustees will hold its quarterly two-day meeting beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Wellington Event Center on the CWU campus, according to a Feb. 8 CWU announcement. The meeting is open to the public.

Warden School District enrollment growing

WARDEN — During Thursday’s regular Warden School Board meeting, Warden Superintendent Scott West and members of the board discussed Warden’s increasing enrollment numbers and its impact on the district’s future, as well as the district’s levy and the board’s vacant position.

Othello schools implement new point-of-entry security upgrades

OTHELLO – The Othello School District installed new Secure Access Keypads at all its school buildings Feb. 5. Moving forward, all visitors are required to check in through the keypad, which allows school staff to see and speak with the visitor before letting them enter.

Champion Jacks

Quincy defeats Omak in CTL district title game

WENATCHEE – The Jackrabbits held off a late Omak comeback bid in Saturday’s Caribou Trial League district championship game, defeating the Pioneers 72-71 in exciting fashion. “Wild ending, wild game – everything you’d want in a high school basketball game,” Quincy Head Coach Scott Bierlink said. “It certainly wasn’t a clean game on our part, but our motto’s been ‘Survive and advance,’ so that’s what we did.”

Farming on display

Spokane Ag Show brings in ag businesses of all kinds

SPOKANE — The agricultural community pulled out all the stops last week at the Spokane Ag Show, held at the Spokane Convention Center Tuesday through Thursday.

Basin weather for Feb. 12, 2024

Basin weather for Feb. 12, 2024

Legals for February, 12 2024

STUDIO BASIN: GCSO update, basketball action and swim & dive

EPHRATA – In this week’s episode of the STUDIO BASIN Podcast, Managing Editor R. Hans “Rob” Miller speaks with Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete regarding GCSO’s goals for the year. Highlights include recruitment efforts, two new K9 officers, an update to the development of the county jail and Kriete’s kudos to his staff. Next, Sports Reporter Ian Bivona and Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer break down basketball action at Ephrata, Royal and Almira/Coulee-Hartline, recap the district wrestling tournaments around the east side and discuss Moses Lake boys swim and dive team’s district title win.

Washington’s H-2A bill aims to enhance data collection, faces fiscal concerns

OLYMPIA - Washington Subsitute House Bill 2226, aims to address wage suppression in the H-2A guest worker program. The bill advances to the Senate with a 54-42 vote. A companion bill, Senate Bill 5996 awaits movement from rules to the Senate floor.

Legislation would impose fines for untreated sewage discharge

OLYMPIA – A proposal to fine counties and cities when untreated sewage is released into Puget Sound is part of an effort to save dwindling salmon runs. The bill, proposed by Rep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm, imposes a 1-cent-per-gallon fee on municipal discharges of untreated sewage into Puget Sound. The bill, HB 2290, is part of a comprehensive five-bill bipartisan initiative to preserve salmon populations and support the fishing community.

Counselors detail MLSD bullying prevention efforts

MOSES LAKE — Counselors reviewed programs used by the Moses Lake School District to combat bullying in a presentation to the Moses Lake School Board Thursday. “I can tell you with assurance that all counselors employed by the Moses Lake School District care very deeply about this topic,” said Columbia Middle School counselor Chris Mason.

District bound: Lions advance to title game, defeat Waterville-Mansfield

MOSES LAKE – An offensive surge late in the second quarter carried on into the second half for the No. 1 seed MLCA/CCS Lions, who defeated No. 4 Waterville-Mansfield 58-39 Friday night in the semifinal round of the Central Washington 1B district tournament.

Success celebration

Moses Lake students celebrate hard work, overcome challenges at Open Doors graduation

MOSES LAKE — The diploma Kadence Spencer received Thursday night was the visible symbol of hard work and success.

Marjorie "Marje" Hohnstein Kennerud

Feb. 13, 1924 – Jan. 19, 2024

Marjorie Hohnstein Kennerud, 99, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2024, in Wenatchee, just short of her 100th birthday.

Marion Derreal Boswell, Jr

Jan. 12, 1928 – Feb. 5, 2024

Marion Derreal Boswell, Jr. went to be with the Lord on February 5, 2024. He was 96 years old. He will be missed by his large and extended family, but also everyone who met him as well. He never met a stranger. He was born in Howe, Oklahoma to Marion (Buck) Francis Boswell, Sr. and Agnes Lee Cherry on January 12, 1928.

Othello going to the birds

Sandhill Crane Festival flying into town March 22-24

OTHELLO – The 26th annual Sandhill Crane Festival will be held in Othello from March 22 to 24 with a series of lectures, tours, hikes and activities located at Othello Church of the Nazarene, McFarland Middle School and the surrounding area.