‘New life’

Seattle Rock Orchestra brings a different sound to the Beatles with Moses Lake performance

MOSES LAKE — The Fab Four never sounded like this. The Seattle Rock Orchestra, consisting of 17 instrumentalists, three vocalists and one highly-animated conductor, took the stage at the Wallenstien Theater Friday night, playing selections from the Beatles’ last two albums, “Abbey Road” and “Let It Be.” It was the last show of the Columbia Basin Allied Arts 2022-23 season...

Adams Co. police logs for May 3

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Birth announcements for May 3

Othello Community Hospital welcomed the following new Columbia Basin community members to the world in April.

New law set to help prosecute sexual assault crimes

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law on Monday a measure intended to make it easier for prosecutors to pursue sexual assault cases in court, according to a press release from the Washington State Legislature’s Democratic Caucus...

Othello PD chief announces retirement

OTHELLO — A reception is scheduled for 3 to 6 p.m. May 30 to recognize Othello Police Department Chief Phil Schenck, who announced his retirement Tuesday. Scheck has been OPD chief for nine years, working for the Sunnyside Police Department prior to that. He’s been in law enforcement for 34 years. The reception will be at the OPD office in Othello City Hall, 500 W. Main St.

Othello council approves dispatch service agreements

OTHELLO — If all agencies approve the interlocal agreements, the city of Othello will continue to provide dispatch services for Adams County Fire District 5 and Othello Community Hospital, but the cost will go up. Othello City Council members unanimously approved dispatch agreements with both agencies Monday. “This three-year agreement includes an increase of 8% in 2023, and 3% in 2024 and 2025,” David Rehaume, Othello Police Department assistant chief, told council members. “This increase is necessary due to our increased costs for personnel.” ...

Lind fire injures one

LIND — A Lind man was transported to East Adams Rural Healthcare and treated for smoke inhalation after a fire damaged a residence in Lind early last Wednesday morning.

Basin sports schedule May 3-9

COLUMBIA BASIN – Welcome back to district tournament season! Eleven local teams begin their respective district tournaments in baseball and boys soccer over the week, aiming to advance to state tournament berths. Check out all that and more and this week's sports schedule. The schedule will be updated on www.columbiabasinherald.com as teams progress through their brackets...

PITCH RECAP: Basin boys soccer teams prep for postseason

COLUMBIA BASIN – Local boys soccer teams are preparing for postseason runs, as tournaments began on Monday with Ephrata playing Grandview in the Central Washington Athletic Conference. See below for upcoming tournament matchups and how teams stack up with the end of the regular season on the horizon...

31 flavorful years

Baskin Robins' employee reflects on more than three decades of serving scoops.

MOSES LAKE — Lori Friend was 31 years old when she started dishing up Baskin-Robbins’ 31 flavors of ice cream in Moses Lake in 1992. “I’ve been here 31 years at this very location,” Friend said. “I’ve been through three owners. They’ve been really good to work around my schedule and my kids’ schedules. So I’ve just continued on working here.” ...

DNR offers wildfire readiness tools

OLYMPIA – As the temperatures heat up outside, the Washington Department of Natural Resources is working to raise awareness of wildfire risks across the Evergreen State. “At DNR, we often say that no one is immune from the effects of wildfires,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “But even the simplest measures – such as cleaning up pine needles and dry leaves, or moving firewood 30 feet away from your home – can make your home more resilient to the growing threat of wildfire.” ...

Insurance commissioner to exit office

OLYMPIA - Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced Monday that he will not be seeking reelection, ending a more than two-decade-long tenure in office.

Candidate filing opens May 15

RITZVILLE/EPHRATA — Positions on city and town councils, school boards, fire and hospital districts will be among the offices open for election in November 2023. Filing week for those positions begins May 15, but people can file by mail from now until the end of the filing week, according to information from the Grant County Auditor’s Office. City council seats are open in every community in Grant and Adams counties, along with the mayor’s jobs in Mattawa, George, Soap Lake, Grand Coulee, Warden, Ritzville, Hatton and Washtucna. Positions also will be up for election in local school districts, most hospital and fire districts, and most port districts...

Grant PUD recreation surveys begin this month

EPHRATA — Starting this month, people using Grant County Public Utility District recreation facilities will be asked to participate in an in-person survey. Shannon Lowry, PUD license compliance and lands services manager, said it’s a survey the PUD is required to conduct every three years. “This is a big year for us,” Lowry told PUD commissioners April 11. “We’ll spend a lot of time out there talking to people.” ...

Quincy man arrested after alleged vehicular incident

QUINCY – Brian Reyes Beltran, 21, of Quincy was arrested after surrendering himself at the Quincy Police Department, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office statement. His is facing charges of first degree assault-domestic violence...

May 2023 community calendar

A community calendar for the Columbia Basin.

Inslee announces that he will not seek reelection

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inlsee, a Democrat who sought to make the state a leader on progressive policies from climate change to gun violence prevention, said Monday he will not seek a fourth term in office...

Senior events for May 2023

COLUMBIA BASIN – This month offers a variety of events for seniors and their families in the Columbia Basin, including live music, a farmers market at the park and meals with friends.

Dent proud of committee’s bipartisan effort in 2023 session

MOSES LAKE – Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, said that there is a lot he has to be proud of from this session, but the thing he was most proud of was the bipartisan effort to tackle bills by him and several other lawmakers. “I think, for me, there were a lot of wins,” said Dent. “The kind of wins that you don’t see.”

Ephrata paraeducator recognized for saving student's life

EPHRATA – Grant Elementary Paraeducator Lee Er Phua-Sharp saved a student’s life with CPR when she found him unresponsive on the playground, according to an Ephrata School District press release. “(Phua-Sharp)was in the right place, at the right time and had the right skills for the situation,” said Grant Elementary School Principal, Shannon Dahl. “She did an amazing job caring for our student and remaining calm and collected despite the noise and activity of the playground.” ...