BASIN BOX SCORE: Mavericks girls soccer discusses season and more

MOSES LAKE - On this episode of the Basin Box Score podcast, hosts Caleb Perez and Mike Maynard sit down with Mavericks girls soccer Head Coach Alysha Overland, Miciah Higley and Amaya Perez. They give insight into their season thus far and where they hope to take it going forward into their next home game.

Adopt somethin’ spicy

MOSES LAKE — Wasabi is an adorable little gray and white kitten that’s just a bit shy of four months old. She has wide, pleading eyes that are just begging for a saucer of milk and a snuggly human to love on. She’s a domestic shorthair and is already spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped and ready for adoption into a loving home. While she appreciates the love she gets at Grant County Animal Outreach, she wants a permanent home with a person or family that cares for her. Find out more about Wasabi and the other pets at GCAO by visiting grantcountyanimaloutreach.org or by calling 509-762-9616. The shelter is located at 6725 Randolph Road NE, near Moses Lake. If you are unable to adopt, click the donate button at the top of the website to pitch in.

New complex in Moses Lake ready to rent

MOSES LAKE — The Modern Heights apartments, located smack in the middle of Moses Lake, are almost finished. “We have about half of them ready to go,” said Doug Robins, development coordinator for the project and the designer of the complex. “We have people moving in right now.”

AI learners win prizes, gain skills in NCW Tech Alliance contest

MOSES LAKE — The North Central Washington Tech Alliance Skill-a-Thon has ended, and four Grant County residents are among the winners. “The winners walked away … with some knowledge of cybersecurity and different kinds of AI technology,” said David Estrada, NCW Tech Alliance STEM Program manager for Moses Lake.

Roadwork to close SR 243 south of Mattawa starting Monday

MATTAWA — Drivers heading south of Mattawa can expect State Route 243 to be closed for a short stretch between Mattawa and Desert Aire, beginning Monday.

Basin housing market stabilizing

MOSES LAKE — Just a few years ago, homes for sale in the Basin were few and far between. Today, things seem to have moved more or less back to normal.

Moses Lake council, school board candidates discuss issues at forum

MOSES LAKE — Candidates for the Moses Lake City Council and Moses Lake School District discussed school and city finances, trust and water at a forum sponsored by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. Joel Graves, running for city council, said Moses Lake has some challenges to address. “These aren’t problems that we can keep kicking the can down the road on,” he said. Council candidates Deanna Martinez, Graves and Jeremy Davis, and school board candidate Mike Nordsten, answered questions submitted by the forum’s sponsors. Council candidate Jim Perez sent a statement, saying work commitments kept him from attending. Chamber Manager Debbie Doran-Martinez said school board candidate Lila Baker had declined to attend, citing her withdrawal from the race due to health reasons.

Voting begins today in WA

OLYMPIA — The voting period for Washington State’s General Election officially commences today, offering residents the opportunity to participate in shaping their local government. “Elections that are accessible, secure, and transparent are the cornerstone of our democracy, providing you with the opportunity to make your voice heard on a variety of issues,” Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said in a statement. He emphasized that the upcoming general election would empower constituents to have a say in who represents them and to weigh in on measures that directly impact their lives in Washington.

BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 17-25

COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you celebrate Halloween or harvest, there’s no shortage of macabre fun this week in the Basin, plus crafts, live music and more. Here are some ideas for getting out and about:

DAR calls for stories, memories from farmers

MOSES LAKE — Local residents are invited to share their memories through a program by sponsored by the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, according to an announcement from the DAR. In preparation of the USA’s 250th anniversary celebration, the DAR Karneetsa Chapter is looking for farmers throughout Grant, Adams, and Kittitas counties to share their memories and knowledge of the years 1970-1990, particularly about the impact of the eruption of Mount St. Helens on the agricultural community, according to the announcement. The chapter will arrange interview times with individuals between now and Nov. 15 to record their stories, according to the announcement. The interview should not take more than 20 minutes; an interview prep sheet will be sent prior to the scheduled recording. Once a day and time has been scheduled, the recorded interview will take place at the Quincy Museum. In partnership with America 250, participants will be encouraged to share their story about history, hopes and dreams for the future.

WA college sports schedule: Oct. 17-24, 2025

MOSES LAKE – College athletes continue to battle through the season as the weather gets colder and the games get hotter. Check out where your favorite college team will be playing this week.

Legals for October, 17 2025

‘Early stages of critical failure’: Funding outlook is grim for WA road upkeep

State transportation officials say they are making the limited dollars for highway and bridge preservation stretch as far as they can — but it’s not far enough. There’s too little money to keep up with repaving roads, repairing aging spans and responding to emergency fixes. “We are in the early stages of critical failure due to lack of funding,” Troy Suing, director of capital program development and management for Washington State Department of Transportation, told a state panel Tuesday. “We are doing everything we can to squeeze out as much service life as we can,” he told members of the Washington State Transportation Commission. “We are underfunded. We are forced to be reactive when we look at our assets right now.”

Renewed legal battle ramps up over Columbia Basin dams and salmon

A long-running court battle over how to balance protections for endangered fish with hydropower dams in the Columbia River Basin has resumed after a two-year pause. Conservationists, anglers and clean energy groups, along with the state of Oregon, asked a federal court Tuesday to grant a preliminary injunction that would change how eight dams on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers operate. They argue that these changes would improve the conditions for salmon and steelhead survival.

Ephrata looking for architect to remodel potential new city hall

EPHRATA — The final layout of a former business recently purchased by the city of Ephrata, and the ultimate fate of the existing Ephrata City Hall, are still to be determined. That will be part of the process of remodeling the old Rite-Aid building at 250 Basin St. SW. Ephrata City Administrator Ray Towry said the first step will be hiring an architect. “We’ll budget for a (request for proposals) for an architect to redesign that space for us next year,” Towry said. “Depending on how involved you want to be, and (how much) we want to involve the public in that design, will determine the length of time it takes.” The existing city hall and the possible uses of the old Rite-Aid building were among the items discussed at the regular meeting of the Ephrata City Council Wednesday. Council members also discussed revisions to a union contract and renaming two streets at the site of the new Grant County Jail.

Cougars compete at Apple Ridge cross country course

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars Cross Country team competed in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference’s week three event at Apple Ridge Cross Country course in Yakima. Cougars head coach Karla Banks said the team had multiple runners set new personal records at the meet. “They all had lots of determination,” said Banks. “I was really impressed, they showed off their talents and their skills, and they did it with a big smile on their face.” Aiden Castro led the Cougars boys team in the three-mile race with a time of 22.59.99. Coming up next was Soren Clausen with 23:12.54 and Enrique Gutierrez with 35:42.45 on the course.

Wildcats rank second in conference preseason poll

ELLENSBURG — On Oct. 14, the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference announced its preseason poll for the upcoming women’s basketball season. The Central Washington Wildcats were voted the second-best team in the conference and received four first-place votes, according to the statement by GNAC. Just ahead of them by a point and ranked first are the Western Washington Vikings. After finishing 23-8 last season, the Wildcats advanced to their first sweet 16 in the NCAA Division II tournament after overcoming Point Loma and Chico State. Heading into this season the Wildcats have reloaded and are poised to make another run, their coach said.

EWU announces stadium renovations

CHENEY — Eastern Washington University Athletics announced they are beginning a series of projects to renovate Roos Field. The first step in this process begins with replacing the track, and EWU athletics held a ceremony for that project on Oct. 10. “The track facility will give our student athletes the space and resources they deserve to train, compete, and pursue excellence,” EWU Athletic Director Tim Collins said. “But make no mistake, the project is about much more than a track. It’s about setting the foundation for the renovation of Roos Field and ultimately, the next chapter of Eagle Athletics.” The envisioned improvements will expand event opportunities, enhance fan experiences, strengthen recruiting efforts, and allow student athletes to compete at the highest levels, the statement said.

Basin girls soccer roundup Oct. 9 – Oct. 14

MOSES LAKE – With just over two weeks left of Basin girls soccer, teams are making their push for a spot in the postseason. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.

Ephrata’s new code enforcement officer focused on standards

EPHRATA – The city of Ephrata hired Ioan Horvat as the new code enforcement and building inspector. Horvat says he aims to bolster the city’s municipal standards and enhance the quality of life for Ephrata residents. “I’ve been working for the last 20 years, mostly in construction and construction management. I focused on quality control, and this is the link to code enforcement,” Horvat said.