Teachers address MLSD elementary schedules, activities

MOSES LAKE – At the Moses Lake School District Board meeting on September 18, concerns were brought to the board from district staff and community members regarding lingering reductions in elementary school schedules and the implications for student learning, particularly in areas such as physical education, music, library access and special education services.

CAST for Kids ignites a love of fishing

MOSES LAKE – The Catch a Special Thrill for Kids foundation is a nonprofit public charity that helps children who have special needs and disadvantages enjoy a day of fishing. The organization has been around since 1991 and has since expanded to 26 states, including Washington. “I think these kids deserve to be celebrated and included,” said Melissa McCalmant, CAST’s Western Operations Manager and NW/Rocky Mtn. West Regional Manager. “Just spending a day with them and watching the excitement on their face, it’s just life-changing.”

Legals for September, 24 2025

Changes to Medicaid spark controversy, confusion

MOSES LAKE — New requirements for applicants and recipients of Medicaid, scheduled to go into effect in 2027, have caused confusion and controversy. Who qualifies and how recipients maintain eligibility have been the subject of extensive discussion since HR 1, the bill that established them, was approved by Congress in July. Democrats have claimed the bill will devastate health care for Americans, while Republicans have boasted about the measure's savings and potential to reduce the national debt.

OTHELLO MAYOR: Logan vs. Johnson

OTHELLO — Two candidates are running for the job of Othello Mayor, Ken Johnson and incumbent Shawn Logan. Both were sent identical questions, with a 150-word limit. Johnson did not submit any answers.

Sports Schedule Sept. 24-31, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN – The weather is cooling down but fall sports for our local athletes are red hot. Check out who the local high school teams will be facing this week.

Washington football recap

MOSES LAKE – Local Washington college football programs have played another week of games on the gridiron. While the Cougs and the Huskies faced off in the Apple Cup, the Eastern Washington Eagles earned their first win of the season, see below how each team fared last weekend.

ACH Warriors suffer first loss of the season

COULEE CITY – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (1-1) fell short 44-18 at home to Liberty Christian Friday. Head Coach Brandon Walsh said that, despite the loss, it was good to have a game against a high-quality opponent. “It was one of those matchups that you want to have this time of year to see where you're at against a high-quality opponent, and it didn't go our way, but now we know where we need to go to get better. They played hard and competed the whole game,” Walsh said.

Tigers roar past Ellensburg

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers’ football team earned a strong 43-20 home victory over Ellensburg Friday night to improve their record to 2-1. “We started off kind of shaky, we made a few mistakes, but we tied it together, and then we came out and did what we needed to do to win,” said Tigers junior Ty Plaisted.

LETTER: Support our teachers and students

To the Editor, There was a buzz in the air that something special was going to happen at the ML school board meeting Sept. 18. I decided to go. As I pulled into the Columbia Basin Tech driveway, I was surprised to see so many people and cars. What’s going on? I parked and went in and took a seat at the board meeting. A few moments later, many people in red shirts streamed in. Well over a hundred. Ah – all the buzz was on point.

Wayne C. Brown

1940 — 2025

Wayne Clair Brown, 85, of Royal City, Washington, passed away September 17, 2025. He was born on June 13, 1940, in Victor, Montana, the fourth child of Harold D. Brown and Lila May Steffensen Brown. The family moved to Charlo, Montana, when Wayne was two, and he grew up there alongside his eight siblings.

Bob Burress

Feb. 21, 1936 — Sep. 20, 2025

Bob Burress was born February 21, 1936, in Gordon, Nebraska. He passed away on September 20, 2025, at home in Moses Lake, Washington, after a long hard-fought battle with cancer.

WA fuel prices second highest in nation

MOSES LAKE – Last week, Washington led the nation with the highest fuel prices, beating both California and Hawaii. These states have traditionally led the charts this year, according to AAA. This week, California is once again leading the nation at $4.67 with Washington close behind at $4.62, or a four-cent decrease from last week. Hawaii is third in the nation at $4.47.

‘Blockbusters to Broadway’

Central Basin Community Concert Association opens season with Jason Lyle Black

MOSES LAKE — The Central Basin Community Concert Association kicks off its 2025-26 season Thursday, with a performance by Jason Lyle Black’s Electric Trio.

MLSD holding steady in standardized testing

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School Board met Sept. 18 to discuss recent state and local test scores in the district. Both the SMARTER Balance Assessment and the science assessment are done at the state level. The district does local testing called iReady to see if students are at or above grade level for English and math.

QUINCY CITY COUNCIL POSITION 4 Q&A: Royer vs. Esparza

QUINCY — Andrew Royer, the incumbent, and Rey Esparza are running for Position 4 on the Quincy City Council. The Columbia Basin Herald provided identical questions to each candidate, including a word limit. Esparza did not respond to several requests for comment.

Quincy Food Bank raising money for new facility

QUINCY — The Quincy Food Bank is trying to build a new facility to meet growing needs in the community.

WDFW takes over Beezley Hills Preserve

EPHRATA – In a move for conservation efforts in Washington State, the Nature Conservancy has transferred ownership of the 9,000-acre Beezley Hills Preserve to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The goal is to bolster habitat conservation efforts, particularly for endangered species such as the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, and provide opportunities for low-impact public recreation, according to WDFW Communications Contact Nicole Jordan.

Ephrata releases findings following water leak incident

EPHRATA – The City of Ephrata released an after-action review following a significant water leak incident that occurred Sept. 1. The leak, which was detected in the early morning hours, prompted a week-long precautionary boil water advisory for residents. The review was an analysis of what transpired, highlighting both successes and areas for improvement.

Ephrata priest gets last-minute visa reprieve

EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin nearly lost a popular priest due to a government glitch. But in a twist that could almost be called miraculous, it didn’t happen. “My visa … expired on June 30,” said Fr. Cesar Izquierdo, pastor at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Ephrata. “In order for me to continue (my work), I needed a permit because it’s a paid position.” Izquierdo was working in the U.S. on an R-1 visa, which is a special visa issued to religious workers – priests, pastors, missionaries, nuns and so forth – to conduct their ministries in the United States. R-1 visas are good for a maximum of five years, and during that time, the holder can apply for a green card, which Izquierdo did.