Pivotal moments

Royal students showcase history’s defining events

ROYAL CITY — There’s an old adage that says “For want of a nail, the kingdom was lost,” meaning that big changes in history often hinge on single events. Royal School District students identified some of those pivotal moments at the Central Washington Regional History Day competition Saturday at Davis High School in Yakima.

Mattawa passes dangerous dog rules

MATTAWA — The Mattawa City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve new codes regarding the city’s animal control operations and the designation of potentially dangerous dogs, as well as restrictions for problem dog owners. City Attorney Katherine Kenison introduced the changes to the code. “This ordinance is in response partially to your current animal control ordinance, which doesn't really address the potentially dangerous dog component of dangerous dogs under the state statute, and it didn't define a process for how you're handling potentially dangerous dogs,” she said. “You've had, as you've heard, some more activity with your dogs at large, which has resulted in a few incidents where there has been some human contact with the dogs.”

Warden golf coach discusses young team, season aspirations

WARDEN – Warden Boys Golf Head Coach Tim Carlberg outlined what the team is expecting as the spring golf season begins and what the team’s focuses are this year. “Our turnout numbers have been really good,” Carlberg said. “The size of our team is doubled this year, so I've got quite a few kids turning out. Some of our core players are very young, and they have a little bit of experience playing golf, so we're building our program, and the kids that have a little bit of experience under their belt are competitive with the kids from other schools.”

Broncos bring 10 golfers into 2024 season

RITZVILLE – Including one state qualifier returning from last year’s team, the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague golf team brings a unit of 10 golfers into the 2024 season, an increase of last year’s six players. “We’ve got a pretty good sophomore class,” LRS golf coach Jack Welker said. “I think five freshmen came in and they’re all a good group of kids that have been working together and playing on the golf course since they were little.”

Young but talented Mavs hit the course

MOSES LAKE — It’s a young group of Mavericks on the links this year. “We have one senior is all,” said Terry Melbye, the Moses Lake High School boys golf coach. “We have one senior; all the rest of them are freshmen, juniors and a couple of sophomores.”

Royal golf team has challenges, opportunities

ROYAL CITY — The Royal High School golf team has an uphill climb ahead of it this year, said Coach Pete Christensen. “We had high hopes until a couple of our boys went back to playing soccer,” Christensen said. “They played soccer their freshman year and came to golf last year and they did really well in golf and they went back to soccer this year. We thought we'd have a run at the league and district title but now it's going to be really tough.”

Huskies golf coaches discuss new season

OTHELLO – Trevor Salsbury and Heather Ochoa, head coaches of the Othello Boys and Girls Golf teams respectively, discussed how they feel going into the new season and what they expect this year to look like. “I’m hopeful,” Salsbury said. “We're very young this year; I lost three of my seniors last year who were my three feeding golfers and it's kind of a rebuild year. But we have a lot of young golfers who are doing well and I have one senior who's doing pretty well. I’m just hoping that they continue to progress throughout the season…They’re taking instruction very well, they're eager to get better, so I think they're on the right path.”

Huskies fall 11-9 to Shadle Park

OTHELLO – The Huskies suffered their first loss of the 2024 season Monday afternoon, losing 11-9 at home in a non-league contest against Shadle Park. The Highlanders went up 7-0 after the first two-and-a-half innings, but Othello was able to battle its way back into the game.

Grant County bridge work under way

MOSES LAKE — Two Grant County bridges will be closed for a while, maybe a long while, while one is repaired and the other designed and rebuilt. Bridge 247, southeast of Warden on Road W Southeast, has been removed completely. Bridge 202, east of Moses Lake on Road N Northeast, is still there but one end is resting on temporary supports. Grant County Engineer David Bren said the trouble at Bridge 202 was discovered by an anonymous truck driver.

Port of Mattawa makes legislative headway

MATTAWA – Port of Mattawa officials discussed Monday efforts made by the port during the 2024 legislative session, including a scope change for Washington State Department of Commerce funding and a piece of legislation that may bear fruit in the future.

SR 17 repaving begins April 1 in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Construction begins April 1 on a project to resurface a seven-mile section of State Route 17 through Moses Lake.

VROOM into 2024

Car shows in the Columbia Basin

MOSES LAKE – As spring pulls up and shows its face in the beams of our headlights, there are loads of car shows coming to the Columbia Basin over the next few months. Car aficionados can polish their valve covers, get their cameras ready and head out to take a look at streets full of classic sedans, antique vehicles, street rods, rat rods, lowriders, modern mods, trucks, motorcycles and much more at car shows throughout the rest of the year.

Officers soon will be allowed to work part-time

OLYMPIA – Washington remains 51st in the nation for police officers per capita, and one answer to that problem might be allowing officers to work part-time. Senate Bill 5424, sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, would do just that. It awaits the governor's signature.

Work on Vantage Bridge begins this week

VANTAGE — The Vantage Bridge will be subject to single-lane closures beginning this week as crews start a multiyear project to replace the bridge deck.

Quincy rail project receives $4.5M in state funding

QUINCY — The Port of Quincy Rail Infrastructure Expansion Project has recently been awarded $2 million in funding from the Washington State Legislature and $2.5 from the U.S. Congress, according to a Monday announcement from the port.

Odessa groundwater project receives $5.5M in state funding

RITZVILLE — The 2024 Supplemental Capital Budget for Washington includes $5.5 million in funding for the EL 22.1 Pipeline Turnout Project in the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program, according to a Monday announcement from the EL 22.1 Landowner Association.

Harlow discusses stray dog problem with Mattawa City Council

MATTAWA — Wahluke School District Superintendent Andy Harlow spoke with the Mattawa City Council during Thursday’s regular meeting to discuss an ongoing issue of loose and stray dogs coming onto school campuses.

Tigers roar onto the diamond

Ephrata opens season with wins over Orting, Quincy

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers opened the 2024 season with two wins on Saturday, defeating Orting and Quincy at home with scores of 3-1 in both outings. “We had great pitching in both of those games,” Ephrata Head Coach David Tempel said. “Our pitchers were able to minimize big innings from the other team in both games; we gave up an early run, and then they were able to settle in and all three guys played really great for us.”

Moses Lake Wrestling Club takes sixth at folkstyle state tournament

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Wrestling Club took sixth as a team with 131 points at last month’s Washington State Wrestling Association’s folkstyle state tournament, seeing 29 wrestlers reach the podium at the Tacoma Dome.

Weather for the week of March 11, 2024

Weather for the week of March 11, 2024