Moses Lake Roundup to raffle demo derby experience

MOSES LAKE – Have you wanted to participate in a demolition derby, but didn’t have a car? The Moses Lake Roundup has a solution for that. Along with sponsor Brandon Douglass from Windermere Real Estate, the Moses Lake Roundup is auctioning off an opportunity to participate in the Agri-Service Demo Derby by driving a 1974 Camaro Demo Car...

Details emerge in fatal Ephrata-area collision

EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office has released the names of those involved in a fatal accident west of Ephrata Saturday morning, as well as other information about the collision. The two people who died were Dejay E. Troupe, 23, of Spokane and Mya Kay Avila, 18 of Ephrata, according to a GCSO statement...

Vantage Bridge to be resurfaced

Construction work on I-90 crossing of Columbia River starts this year, continues to 2026

VANTAGE — Preliminary work, with some minor impacts on traffic, will begin later this summer on a project to replace the road surface of the Vantage Bridge. The major work - which will have major effects on traffic - begins in spring 2024 and will continue through fall 2026...

Youth art sought for national competition

COLUMBIA BASIN — Young artists are invited to try for a chance to be shown at the Capitol, according to a statement from U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-WA...

Colorful view

VANTAGE – One of the horse sculptures at the Wild Horse Monument above Vantage, Monday morning. Several of the horses have graffiti left by taggers on them, but the view is otherwise breathtaking from the top of the ridge.

Kraken vs. Avalanche

NHL playoffs see Seattle facing off against defending champion Colorado

SEATTLE — After qualifying for the postseason in only the franchise’s second year, the Seattle Kraken will match up against the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs...

RECAP: Basin diamond action

ACH Baseball, Warden softball remain undefeated.

COLUMBIA BASIN – Competition on baseball and softball diamonds across the Basin is heating up as teams enter the final month of the regular season. See below for an update on how local baseball and softball teams fared in last week’s games. All scores are according to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association...

‘Washington Remembers’

Museum exhibit brings World War II home

MOSES LAKE — Thirty-four countries at war. More than 70 million men in arms. Roughly 3% of the world’s population dead by the end. The Second World War only lasted six years, and America’s part in it less than three, but few eras define the world we live in so much, or loom as large in our national consciousness. “World War II is a topic of endless fascination for people just because it was so complex and so world-changing,” said Dollie Boyd, the director of the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, which is currently hosting an exhibit dedicated to that conflict. “It's the memories and the experiences of the people who are there at the time.” The exhibit, titled “Washington Remembers World War II,” is actually one piece in a three-part whole. One part comes from the Washington Secretary of State and focuses on the experiences of Washingtonians from different walks of life as the war touched them.

Keeping the foundation

New Country Deli owners look to preserve menu, serve community

EPHRATA – Country Deli on Basin Street in Ephrata was recently bought by siblings Gabriela and Jeovani Dircio. The pair said they’re committed to staying the course and keeping the current menu the same while doing a bit of a refresh in other aspects of the business. “It’s a great place,” said Gabriela. “We were raised in Ephrata and Grant County and Country Deli holds a lot of great memories to ourselves and the community.”

Health clinic provides care for pets and their people

SEATTLE — Whether she’s living out of her car or crashing on a friend’s couch, Grace Stroklund can’t contain her smile when she’s greeted after a hard day’s work by her dog, Nugget. Homeless in the greater Seattle area for half of her life, Stroklund, 28, who works as a line cook, said when it comes to veterinary care for the 6-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix that brings her so much joy, she “would do anything.”

Quincy tops Royal in non-league match

QUINCY – The Jacks used a strong second half to surge over Royal in Saturday’s non-league matchup, riding out to a 6-1 win over the Knights. “(Royal) is doing pretty well in the south in their league, and it was a game we were really looking forward to because of their standings and their record,” Tafoya said. “We knew it was going to be a tough one, and to come out on top is just going to place us better throughout the rest of the season.”

Huskies fall to Hazen 6-5

OTHELLO – Down three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, a late rally wasn’t enough for the Othello Huskies to overtake Hazen on Thursday afternoon, falling 6-5 in Othello. “We really battled offensively, and it was good to see that our kids could battle at the plate,” Othello Head Coach Sonny Garza said. “Putting the ball in play, putting pressure on the defense. It was really good to see that.”

Mavs’ comeback falls short, lose to Richland 11-9

MOSES LAKE – The final score of Wednesday’s fastpitch softball matchup between Moses Lake and Richland doesn’t tell the full story of the game, as the Mavs nearly pulled off a come-from-behind victory after being down 11-0 at the bottom of the third inning. Richland defeated the Mavs 11-9, remaining undefeated on the year. Moses Lake fell to 8-2.

Cleanup time

MOSES LAKE — Jennifer Shipman and her daughter Tiffany were busy helping sweep the alley between Broadway and Third Avenue Saturday morning, all part of the effort by both the Downtown Moses Lake Association and the City of Moses Lake to clean up the city. “I try to help whenever I can,” said Shipman, a commercial loan officer with Banner Bank in Moses Lake. “Whenever I can fit it into my schedule, I try to help out.”

Local law enforcement hopes for expanded vehicle pursuits

OLYMPIA – The passage of Senate Bill 5352, which reinstates some circumstances in which law enforcement can pursue a vehicle, has many law enforcement agencies saying the bill is a start but is not enough. “This definitely puts things in a step in the right direction for sure,” said Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete. “It really does. And I think we knew as far as law enforcement executives, we were not going to turn the page all at one time. We knew it was going to be bits and pieces every year – that a year goes by with data that's collected to show that in 2021 a really big mistake was made.”

Substantial vehicle purchases recommended for MLSD

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District should start buying some vehicles, not just buses but also work trucks and vans, district officials said during the Moses Lake School Board meeting Thursday. “The moral of the story is that (the district’s transportation fleet) is aging,” said Jeremy O’Neil, the district’s chief operations officer. “Investments need to happen.”

Two killed in accident west of Ephrata

EPHRATA — An accident Saturday morning west of Ephrata left two people dead and resulted in the closure of Sagebrush Flats Road, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.

Mollahiettes reign on

MLHS dance and drill team brings home two state championships

MOSES LAKE — It is one of the ironies of state competition that the biggest meet of the year is also the last performance for the team - the last one ever. Molahiettes team co-captain Payten Chlarson said that fact struck home as the team waited to perform at the WIAA Dance/Drill State Championship last month. “When we’re on deck, that’s when you realize that’s your last time doing that routine,” Chlarson said. “The last time you’re ever going to be on the floor with that team and that group of girls, (and) especially for the seniors, the last time you’re ever going to be on the floor. So it was like a bittersweet thing. But it’s nice knowing that you worked so hard to get to that point where you can go out on the floor. So it’s a good feeling.” ...

Bomb threat verified as hoax

GRANT COUNTY — A bomb threat emailed to the superintendents of 35 school districts across the state — including Ephrata School District and Almira-Coulee-Hartline — on Wednesday was determined to be a hoax, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. “It was a global threat all through the state,” said Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete. “It’s been verified as a hoax.” ...

Moses Lake considers water conservation

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council has delayed consideration of major changes to the city’s water conservation ordinance to May after council members expressed concern over how the new conservation rules would be enforced and the council’s ability to review the rules in the future. “There should be a sunset clause to revisit this,” said Mayor Don Myers during the roughly two-hour-long regular council meeting on Tuesday. Utility Services Manager Jessica Cole told council members the proposed changes would make current water conservation requirements year-round, limit summer lawn watering and irrigation to three days per week, prohibit watering between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on watering days, ban it outright on Monday, limit the amount of water people can use on their lawns after a rainstorm and require immediate repairs to leaky water pipes.