Safety concern: Adams Co. Jail in need of repairs, staffing to reopen

RITZVILLE — Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said the situation facing Adams County in its efforts to reopen and maintain the county jail is not unique. “There are a couple of sheriffs who called me (recently) and said, ‘How did you shut your jail down? Because we can’t do it right now.’ Everybody is dealing with it,” he said...

Irrigation water to flow next week

MOSES LAKE —The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District will begin filling the East Low Canal for the 2023 irrigation season on March 22, according to a statement from the ECBID. The East Low Canal serves the Moses Lake, Warden, and Othello areas of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District and the Connell (Block 18) area of the South Columbia Basin Irrigation District.

Spreading love

Local musician looks to ensure his passion for music is contagious

MOSES LAKE — For L.J. Polmateer, music is a labor of love. “I love playing music. I love taking care of my family, and what got me into music was the message of love,” Polmateer said. “I like trying to spread that message of love.” A guitarist, Polmateer has been playing his reggae-flavored music in and around Moses Lake both as a solo artist and as part of One Solution with percussionist Cotey Fondren for about 12 years now, keeping busy as he raises his family and works full-time during the days on RVs...

‘A director is a teacher’

Working with actors is crucial to success in directing, Cheri Barbre says

SOAP LAKE — For Cheri Barbre, the play’s the thing. Barbre is the artistic director of Masquers Theater, an actor and director with the troupe for more than 20 years. But her involvement with the theater dates back to her days at Ephrata High School. “Last time I counted, it was 60 plays total. That’s everything, directing and acting,” she said...

Hi Tide to perform in concert April 3

MOSES LAKE — The sounds of the Caribbean will be coming to the stage at the Wallenstien Performing Arts Center; the Cayman Islands duo Hi Tide will perform in concert at 7 p.m. April 3. The concert is sponsored by the Central Basin Community Concert Association...

Spring art show coming to Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE – Mihail Kivachitsky will be holding a spring reception and art talk at the end of this month featuring new work created for the Soap Lake gallery...

Columbia Basin Allied Arts

Local organization works to ensure rural Washington has access to creative performances

MOSES LAKE – Columbia Basin Allied Arts has been around for nearly five decades, said CBAA Executive Director Shawn Cardwell. The organization started at Big Bend Community College and works to ensure everyone in Grant, Adams and Lincoln counties has access to the arts. “There are so many events that I’m really proud of; that I love doing,” Cardwell said. “But I really think I am most excited about serving some of the most rural and smallest school districts and on the other hand, some of the largest elementary schools with the lowest income or highest (non-English speaking student percentages in the student body)” ...

Gorge Amphitheater shows for 2023 - so far

GEORGE - The following shows are currently scheduled at The Gorge Amphitheatre located at 754 Silica Road NW in Geirge. Prices are subject to change at the discretion of the host and do not include booking fees and other incidental charges. Some ticket prices are only valid if purchased in pairs or greater amounts. Camping is also available for some shows at an additional cost. For more information, visit www.gorgeamphitheatre.com.

Mattawa man dies in trailer fire

MATTAWA — A Mattawa man died when the travel trailer he was living in caught fire late Saturday night. Juan Castaneda, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire in the 21000 block of Road 24.7 SW, according to a press release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The fire was reported at about 10:30 p.m. ...

Othello roundabout construction rescheduled

OTHELLO — Construction of a roundabout at Cunningham Road and State Route 17 in Othello, originally scheduled for 2023, has been delayed to 2024 or 2025. Lauren Loebsack, North Central region communications manager for the Washington State Department of Transportation, wrote that the project is in the design phase in 2023. “We are working on 60% design this spring,” Loebsack wrote in response to an email from the Herald...

WA Senate passes police pursuit bill

Bill would expand law enforcement's ability to enforce the law, but some say it doesn't go far enough.

OLYMPIA – Senate Bill 5352, a bill related to vehicular pursuits, passed the State Senate floor last week and moved on to the House. Local police and legislators say the bill is an improvement, but not enough though to deal with skyrocketed property crime and other offenses. “There are still some gaps but for the most part this is a good bill,” said Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin Fuhr. “It restores reasonable suspicion, instead of having to have probable cause which is huge for us,” said Fuhr...

‘The very concerned zone’

Moses Lake faces water supply issues as population grows

MOSES LAKE — It’s Moses Lake Municipal Services Director Kirk Holmes’ job to make sure that everyone in Moses Lake has enough water to drink. Making sure that goal is maintained over the next few years, especially as the city grows and the deep aquifers that provide much of its water slowly decline will take a lot of work...

WSU women earn No. 5 seed in NCAA Tournament

PULLMAN – After winning the Pac-12 Tournament for the first time in program history, the Washington State women’s basketball team earned a No. 5 seed in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Cougars will match up against No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast in the first round of the tournament on Saturday. “They are just so unbelievably good, (Head Coach Karl Smesko) does such a good job at Florida Gulf Coast,” WSU Head Coach Kamie Ethridge said after the team’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show watch party on Sunday. “They have a lot of transfers in every year, he meshes them together. He’s one of the best coaches in the country, so it’s going to be a really tough matchup.” ...

Quincy Valley Medical Center bonds issued

QUINCY — Property owners in Grant County Hospital District 2 will be paying a little less than first projected for the construction bonds to build the new Quincy Valley Medical Center. Property owners will be paying an estimated 39 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, down nine cents from the original projection.

Am. Legion announces oratorical scholarship finalists

EPHRATA – The American Legion held its Washington semi-finals and finals of its Constitution Speech Contest at Big Bend Community College on March 11...

Quincy man arrested for alleged gasoline theft

QUINCY — A Quincy man was arrested on suspicion of theft and trespassing after he allegedly broke into the gas pump at an orchard near Quincy to fill his car...

Task force on missing indigenous women proposed to continue

OLYMPIA — A state task force on missing indigenous women, created in 2021, will be extended at least two more years if a Senate-passed bill is approved by the House and governor. The bill, Senate Bill 5477, sponsored by Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, would implement recommendations identified in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force...

Catalytic converter theft bill gets hearing

OLYMPIA — A bill to combat catalytic converter theft in Washington moves forward today with a hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee, according to a statement from Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview...

GCSO welcomes new deputy

EPHRATA — Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete, left, administered the oath of office to Deputy Sheriff Eli Verduzco on Monday. Verduzco comes from the Lower Yakima Valley and will be going to the Basic Law Enforcement Academy in the near future, a release by the Sheriff’s Office stated.

Moses Lake temple visitation day announced

MOSES LAKE – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has announced the opening of its new temple in Moses Lake to the public for tours...