Nesmith wins state championship at veterans golf tournament

MOSES LAKE – On Sunday, Nick Nesmith, Moses Lake, competed in the Veteran Golfers Association’s state championship and won to qualify for the West Region Championship in August. According to Nesmith, he won by eight strokes. “When I looked at the score sheet on my 18th hole, I saw that I had won by eight strokes, and the next thing I got was a text message from my wife telling me ‘Congratulations,’” he said.

Ephrata mayoral candidates debate issues

EPHRATA – Ephrata Mayoral candidates came to the Columbia Basin Herald office Monday to talk about their positions on the issues. Incumbent Bruce Reim and opponent Steve Oliver answered questions around transparency, tax burdens, criminal activity and the local economy.

Adams County Jail roster for July 16, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is the active list of inmates for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. The Adams County Jail is closed, so inmates are housed in other jurisdictions.

Legals for July, 17 2025

Grand opening of Royal City Public Library fills the house

ROYAL CITY — The new Royal City Public Library filled the house during its grand opening July 12. Susan Piercy, president of the Friends of the Royal City Library, said it was a great day. “It was full. It was packed,” Piercy said. The Friends of the Library raised the money for the new library, which, at about 4,000 square feet, is more than three times the size of the former library.

5 must listen to podcasts for summer road trips

MOSES LAKE – As summer continues, the season of long road trips, scenic vistas and family vacations beckons once again. With most cars equipped with a Bluetooth connection or a functional auxiliary port, podcasts have emerged as a favored form of entertainment for travelers. They not only serve as a distraction from the monotony of the open road but also provide companions for deep introspection, humor and even education. Among the myriad offerings available, five podcasts stand out as my exemplary choices for road-tripping: Heavyweight, Normal Gossip, American Scandal, The Truth and This American Life.

Sixers 14U come up short in Sunday action

ELLENSBURG – On Sunday, the Central Washington Sixers 14U baseball team were defeated in the championship round of the Clash of Kittitas tournament. They fell to the Spokane Expos with a final score of 8-11. Baseball is a game of inches, according to head coach Rey Lopez. “Really proud of the boys who worked really hard,” Lopez said. “It is disappointing as a coach, just because the time and the effort that the boys put in, and they were looking forward to going in and winning the championship game.”

Mattawa library expands hours, looking for new librarian

MATTAWA — Hours of operation have been extended at the Mattawa Public Library. Amanda Brack, communications and engagement manager for NCW Libraries, said the change came at the request of library patrons. “They recently expanded their hours after hearing from the community and city council that more evening hours would be helpful,” Brack wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Engage mindfully ...

For much of my adult life, I intentionally put myself in the background of different situations. I was content being a behind-the-scenes worker, whether that was in the military, in state government or as a cub reporter.

Columbia Basin Hospital celebrates 75 years

EPHRATA — Columbia Basin Hospital was important to the community 75 years ago, and it’s still a vital part of Ephrata’s health care. “The grand opening (of the hospital building) was in 1958, and they had over 2,000 people attend,” said Communication and Development Director Susan Scheib.

MLSD takes preliminary look at 2025-26 finances

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District board held a special meeting Thursday to discuss preliminary budget numbers. “Tonight, we are going to do a fairly high overview of our budgeting process, and then some of the aspects, particularly around our revenue,” Superintendent Carol Lewis said.

Hot, dry, windy conditions incoming

MOSES LAKE — While the winds are forecast to die down Tuesday, hot summer temperatures – and increased fire danger – will be sticking around. Jeremy Wolf, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Spokane, said temperatures will increase again after Tuesday. “(Temperatures) will be rebounding back up for the middle to the end of the week,” Wolf said.

GCSO blotter for July 15, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Dent, Franz say bipartisan support led to progress in WA wildfire response

MOSES LAKE – Getting anything done in politics takes solid relationships and the ability to reach across political divides, regardless of how partisan the overall conversation is. Former Washington Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, a Democrat, and local State Representative Tom Dent, a Republican, and their successes in advancing wildfire management are a prime example of that, they say. “Everything, from what I learned and how quickly we were able to make the changes and get results, is based on relationships,” Franz said in a late June interview. “It’s based on valuing other people’s opinions and their experience and their expertise.”

Moses Lake youth arrested for possessing explicit images of children

MOSES LAKE — A 17-year-old boy was booked into juvenile detention Friday for possessing images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct after a search of his phone in connection with an unspecified homicide case.

Huskies’ Ozuna ready for Big Bend baseball

OTHELLO – In the top of the fifth inning of the regional game of the Othello Huskies versus WF West Kal El Ozuna made a play he said he will never forget. Two Huskies inch away from second and third base as he steps up to bat. “We were down five to zero to start the game out, and we just kept clawing our way back,” he said.

‘My cup runneth over’

Psalms 23 offers coffee with a dash of hope and a pinch encouragement

MOSES LAKE — The 23rd Psalm is one of the best-known passages in the Bible, filled with assurances of God’s protection and favor. That’s what Larisa Vorobey had in mind when she opened her new business. “I lost my mom, and then my baby, and then I found myself navigating life as a single mom, (all) within six months,” said Vorobey, owner of Psalms 23, a new coffee shop in Moses Lake. “There were moments I didn’t think I would make it through, but even in the darkest times, God was with me. So, Psalms 23 became a promise I held on to.”

Legals for July, 14 2025

Warden to raise trash rates

WARDEN – The Warden City Council unanimously passed a garbage rate increase beginning Sept. 1. “With our contract with Consolidated Disposal Service, who does our sanitation services in the community,” City Admin Kriss Shuler said. “In our contract, we have a biannual adjustment for cost of living, so that cost of living over the two years is 4.8% and so what that is is they increase our cost, and then we pass that on to our consumers of our community, which we'll talk about next, an ordinance change.”

OTHELLO SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR DISTRICT 3: Juan 'Jerry' Garcia

OTHELLO – Juan “Jerry” Garcia, born and raised in Othello, is running for Director of District 3 on the Othello School Board. He said that this decision comes from his goal to give back to the community that shaped him into the man he is today. “When I was younger, we never had in my generation a student representative as far as I know and this is pretty exciting,” said Garcia. “I’m open to hearing what the kids have to say because they will say things that we would never even consider because they are in that position directly.”