ACH baseball sweeps Wellpinit in doubleheader

COULEE CITY – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline baseball team continued its strong start to the season with a doubleheader sweep of Wellpinit on Tuesday, winning by scores of 17-1 and 16-1.

Washington crop update

The information below was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its March 26 Crop Progress and Condition report provided by the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Olympia. For more information about ag statistics, the USDA’s NASS may be reached at 800-727-9540.

Travelers urged to check for travel impacts at Vantage Bridge, along alternate routes

VANTAGE — Work on the Vantage Bridge is expected to lead to delays – maybe long delays – especially on busy summer weekends. As a result the Washington Department of Transportation is suggesting that drivers look for alternative routes on those busy weekends. The $79 million project will repair the bridge deck, which has shown signs of deterioration. Work is scheduled for spring, summer and fall through 2027. Cost of the project is about $79 million. Megan Lott, DOT public information officer for the South Central region, said travelers should prepare for longer trips, no matter what route they take.

Design starting for event center at Grant Fairgrounds

MOSES LAKE — A preliminary design for a new event center across the street from the Grant County Fairgrounds could be finished this year. The existing fairgrounds complex is scheduled for some upgrades sometime this year, including additional lighting in a spot that’s very popular during the fair. Fairgrounds manager Jim McKiernan said the event venue would be something a little different for Grant County. “Our goal is to be able to host a 750-person event, with catering, kitchens and some breakout rooms, and stuff like that,” McKiernan said.

DNR announces controlled burns

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Natural Resources announced eight prescribed burns throughout the state Monday. The eight separate burns will occur over the spring and cover up to 2,580 acres of state trust land.

Weather for the week of March 25, 2024

Weather for the week of March 25, 2024

Legals for March, 25 2024

Ephrata schools select new assistant superintendent

EPHRATA – Ephrata High School Principal Aaron Cummings has been named the district’s new assistant superintendent, according to a press release from the district. The selection comes as Assistant Superintendent Ken Murray looks to assume the role of interim superintendent for the 2024-25 school year.

DIAMOND RECAP: Basin teams in full swing

COLUMBIA BASIN – Baseball and softball season is now in full swing across the Columbia Basin, as local squads have been competing in non-league contests to prepare for their respective conference seasons. Read along for a look at how teams have fared through the early weeks of the season.

USDA approves disaster designation for Washington’s cherry growers

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the state’s request for a natural disaster designation in light of losses incurred during the 2023 cherry crop. The extreme heat in eastern Washington, which began in the spring, led to a condensed harvest window coinciding with California’s delayed cherry harvest. “Last year, Washington’s cherry growers lost around half their crop to extreme weather. Now, as they prepare to kick off their new season, this disaster designation from the Secretary of Agriculture will help growers access federal assistance to keep this $1 billion industry going and ensure Washington’s famously delicious sweet cherries make it into shopping carts,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington. All 12 members of Washington’s congressional delegation sent a request on Feb 1. to Agriculture Tom Vilsack to approve the natural disaster designation.

Blending education and technology a goal for Wellman

OLYMPIA – On the last Monday morning of the 2024 legislative session, Washington State Sen. Lisa Wellman’s office brimmed with sunlight, an early peek at spring, as she sipped tea from a white mug.

GALLERY: Basin baseball, softball and soccer

MOSES LAKE – Spring sports kicked off less than three weeks ago, and local squads are wrapping up their non-league slates before heading into their respective conference matchups.

‘We are on a mission’

Cellarbration! breaks its own fundraising record for BBCC scholarships

MOSES LAKE — You know it’s a successful auction when a carrot cake sells for $10,000.

Land use designation process for Moses Lake 12th elementary school still in the works

EPHRATA — Advertising for bids for - and construction of - the 12th elementary school in Moses Lake is on hold while the land sale is still pending. Grant County officials said the process of revising the land use designations to allow construction and use is ongoing.

Tigers defeat Wenatchee 10-3

EPHRATA — A four-run bottom of the third gave Ephrata the lead for good in Tuesday’s non-league softball contest against Wenatchee, defeating the Panthers 10-3 and improving to 3-2 this spring.

Legals for March, 21 2024

Experts preview 2024 Washington apple industry

MOSES LAKE — Several factors will likely play a significant role in 2024’s apple industry, including labor shortages, legislation, water availability issues, a strong export market and last year’s opening of the Indian market, according to representatives of the Washington Apple Commission and the Washington Tree Fruit Association. Washington State Tree Fruit Association President Jon DeVaney said it is too early for a real crop prediction. “We will not really start trying to do an initial estimate for talking to our members until later in the spring,” DeVaney said. “Crops can be affected by so much weather in between the early part of the season and when harvest begins. We try not to make too many firm predictions too early.”

Othello to hold 26th Annual Othello Spring Clean-Up Days

OTHELLO – The city of Othello will be holding the 26th Annual Spring Clean-Up Days from April 1 to April 6, according to a Thursday announcement from the city.

FRESH NEWS: Largemouth, walleye and trout waking up at Potholes

The current water level on Potholes Reservoir is 1,043.3 feet, dropping 0.3 feet this past week. We are 3.2 feet below full pool. We have had a warm week of weather this past week. Surface temperatures have warmed to the mid-40s on the main reservoir and to the mid-50s back in the sand dunes. The fish are waking up! The largemouth bass fishing has picked up as they are now making their way back into the sand dunes. The bass fishing is fair at this point with several nice catches of largemouth reported. Fish mid-way back in the dunes. Throw 1/2-ounce black-and-blue jigs, swim jigs, jerkbaits and Texas-rigged plastics.

Patricia Whitefoot influenced generations of Indigenous students

WHITE SWAN - At home in White Swan, Washington, on the reservation of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Patricia Whitefoot has evidence that her decades advocating for Native American education have been well-spent.