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.”

Local hospitals face 'challenging financial landscape' after Big Beautiful Bill passage

MOSES LAKE — The recent approval of new federal Medicaid rules will affect local hospitals and medical providers. What that impact will be, however, is still unclear. “So much is still unknown,” Glenda Bishop, chief executive officer for Quincy Valley Medical Center, wrote in reply to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald. “We simply do not have enough data to predict with accuracy any outcomes.”

FIRE REPORT: Nearly 7,000-acre fire burning near Kettle Falls

KETTLE FALLS – The Hope Fire has burned around 6,800 acres and is uncontained as of Thursday, according to InciWeb. This is the largest fire burning in Washington as of Thursday. “As far as we know, there might be (a) little bit of fire growth going on due to the inversion lifting over parts of the fire, but we don't have big winds on it today,” Public Information Officer Gayne Sears with Northeast Washington Interagency Type 3 said.

Legals for July, 11 2025

Two Moses Lake men arrested in drug distribution case

MOSES LAKE — Two Moses Lake men were arrested, one of whom is being held in the Spokane County Jail, in connection with two search warrants served by the Moses Lake Police Department Wednesday. Moses Lake Police Chief Dave Sands said federal charges are pending against the two men. “These are both being prosecuted at the federal level. If the prosecutions are successful, these subjects will be out for quite a bit longer than state-level prosecution,” Sands wrote in answer to a question from the Columbia Basin Herald.

EPHRATA MAYORAL RACE: Bruce Reim

EPHRATA – As the city of Ephrata approaches its upcoming mayoral election, incumbent Bruce Reim seeks to continue his eight-year tenure. He said his extensive experience in government and community activism underlines his commitment to Ephrata, which he believes is transitioning from a small town to a robust city.

EPHRATA MAYORAL RACE: Steve Oliver

EPHRATA – Candidate Steve Oliver, a long-time local business owner and community advocate, is putting forth his vision to revitalize the city of Ephrata. Oliver, who has owned Tarot Tattoo for 25 years, believes a strong focus on entertainment and infrastructure is essential for the city's growth and sustainability. “I am a business owner and a parent. The condition of the city has just gotten to the point where we're desperate for entertainment around here,” Oliver said. “Things are dilapidated and falling apart, and it just seems it's just like a trajectory downward.”

Local BMX rider heading to world championships in Denmark

MOSES LAKE – Alli Kay Tatum started riding dirt bikes in 2021 when she was 12-years-old. Four years later, she is going the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. “It was just surreal, it finally happened. I never thought it would happen, but I was just really excited,” she said.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Every day an adventure...

Being a journalist is sometimes like riding a tornado. One moment you’re out at the county fair helping young folks celebrate the hard work they put into a Future Farmers of America Project, the next you’re out covering a shooting, and an hour later you’re sitting in a school board meeting while folks debate whether buying better smelling soap or softer toilet paper is more important.

Legals for July, 10 2025

Moses Lake considering new shopping cart, sidewalk ordinance

MOSES LAKE — Revisions to Moses Lake’s ordinance for the use of public sidewalks and a new ordinance governing shopping carts taken from businesses will be voted on at the July 22 Moses Lake City Council meeting. Council members reviewed the proposed ordinances during the July 8 meeting, and council member Don Myers suggested a change to the proposed shopping cart ordinance. “I was looking at Federal Way, and they had a (provision) in there that waived the fee for shopping cart retrieval if (the business) had security measures in place for shopping carts,” Myers said.

MLPD conducts operation near Samaritan Hospital

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Tactical Response team is conducting an operation near Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake close to the intersection of E. Wheeler Road and S. Buchanan Street. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Othello honors Independence Day with its annual celebration

OTHELLO — The Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce hosted the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration in Lions Park. The event lasted all day Friday with a parade, games, tournaments and a fireworks show. “Overall, I think it was a great event,” said Jackie Wilhelm, Othello Chamber Manager. “I think we’ve kind of worked on the things that needed to be worked on, and everything went well as far as the organization and the planning and getting people in and out of the park.” Wilhelm said her favorite part of the celebration is the flag-raising ceremony. “That's something that I’ve tried to make sure we highlight and incorporate every year,” she said.

Hofheins ready to join the Pirates next spring

MOSES LAKE — Being a dual-sport athlete is no easy task, but Raegen Hofheins has done it her whole life. In fact, she had trouble narrowing down to two sports when she got to Moses Lake High School. “I have always been a pretty active person. When I was little, I played probably five sports at a time, and once I hit middle school, going into high school, I had to decide on which ones were my favorites, and I have played softball since I was 4 years old,” Hofheins said. Hofheins also opted to keep up with volleyball during her time at Moses Lake.

Francis 'Frank' Bodway III

1942 – 2025

Francis “Frank” Bodway III passed away at home after a short battle with cancer at the age of 82. Frank was born on August 27, 1942, to Francis Bodway II and Helen (Branniger) Bodway in Riverside County, California. He was raised in Petaluma, California where he attended & graduated from Catholic School, he then joined the Navy and served from 1960-1963 where he took part in nuclear bomb testing.

Audrian Huff

1940 – 2025

Audrian Eleanor Huff passed away at home July 2, 2025, in Moses Lake, WA with her husband Michael Riggs at her side. She was 84. While her passing means she is no longer suffering, it leaves an absence in the hearts and lives of those who were lucky enough to call her wife, mother, grandma, or friend.

Mulligan’s at the Pointe under new management

MOSES LAKE — Out on the very western edge Moses Lake, away from the downtown core and the shopping centers, there’s a restaurant that many local people still haven’t experienced. “This place really is a little hidden gem,” said Megan Costello, food and beverage manager for Mulligan’s. “(We have) a beautiful view, a huge outdoor seating area, a 75-inch TV for sporting events.”

Legals for July, 8 2025

Basin area fire departments see mixed July 4, regionally

MOSES LAKE — The July 4 holiday is traditionally celebrated with fireworks – and in summer conditions of the Columbia Basin, traditionally a time for fires. Some fire crews were answering calls all night, while others had little activity. “I’m just glad the Fourth is over this year. We made it through another one,” said Tom Salsbury, chief of Adams County Fire District 5.

Othello's Coronado ready for junior year at CWU

OTHELLO – Ever since she was little, Annalee Coronado has loved the game of basketball. She has dedicated most of her youth to training and developing as a player to reach the collegiate level. “My sister had a good group of girls growing up that she played with and that’s what drew me to it. I saw my big sister doing it. My dad pushed me to do it, and I started when I was in second grade,” she said.