Ephrata going chrome

Annual Car Show & Shine set for Saturday in downtown

EPHRATA — The cars – and trucks, and motorcycles, and whatever else – will gleam in the sun again Saturday at the Anything with Wheels Show and Shine car show.

Road construction scheduled in Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — Crews have started work on two major street improvements in Soap Lake, and a third is scheduled to start next month. The installation of a lighted crosswalk at Southeast Third Avenue and South Daisy Street (State Route 17) has been completed.

Basin events calendar for July 19-28

COLUMBIA BASIN – This week, the Basin has plenty of fun ahead with comedy, shiny cars, live music and a chance to support local athletes.

City administrator provides Ephrata water update

EPHRATA – The city of Ephrata is working to upgrade its water systems on multiple fronts with a new water tower, redrilling two wells, regained water rights and upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment facility, according to City Administrator Ray Towery. That includes recently-installed freshwater and gray water infrastructure to take water to the new Grant County Jail and to take reclaimed water to the Port of Ephrata.

WA job market adds 7,100 jobs in June

OLYMPIA - Washington's job market saw positive growth in June, with an estimated 7,100 new jobs added and the unemployment rate remaining steady at 4.9%. While the unemployment rate had been slowly rising over the past few months, it still remained below 5% since summer 2021 according to the Washington Employment Security Department.

Soap Lake Folk and Food Festival off to a successful start

SOAP LAKE — Three-digit temperatures couldn’t keep folks away from the first annual Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival Saturday. “We had people messaging us on Facebook saying, ‘You know what, it was hot, but I still stayed in the park for 12 hours,’” said Kim Anderson, one of the organizers of the festival. “That's some dedication. They wouldn't have done that if they didn't really enjoy what was going on.”

14U River Dogs win North Washington tournament

EPHRATA – The 14U Columbia Basin River Dogs went 3-0 over the weekend to claim the Babe Ruth 14U North Washington State Tournament at Johnson-O'Brien stadium in Ephrata, defeating the 14U Moses Lake All Stars 12-0 in the title game on Sunday.

ACH Legion wins division title

HARTLINE – Saturday’s sweep of Ferris allowed the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Senior Legion baseball team to clinch a division title, finishing the regular season 16-0 and winning the Area 3 AA National Division.

WA Supreme Court leaves high-capacity magazine ban in place

(The Center Square) – Washington's ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines will remain in effect after a Monday decision by the state Supreme Court.

Legion continues win streak

ACH baseballers improve to 14-0 record with doubleheader sweep

HARTLINE – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline AA Senior Legion baseball team kept the wins coming on Friday night, winning both games against Gonzaga Prep AA at the Hartline Ball Fields. The wins come after another doubleheader sweep on Monday, where ACH Legion defeated Shadle Park.

Local styling

Restyle Home Staging & Design owner looks at elevating home visions

MOSES LAKE — DeeDee Clune is looking to make sure locals have their homes set up in a way that works for them and wants homebuyers to see what living in the homes they shop for might look like. That’s the point of being an interior designer, and why she operates Restyle Home Staging & Design.

Disappearing America

Exhibit at Moses Lake Museum brings rural relics to life

MOSES LAKE — Artist Deon Matzen will make an appearance at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Friday to open her new exhibit. “My theme for this show … is “Vanishing Rural America,” Matzen said from her home on Whidbey Island. “I work on old barns that are falling down – the old-style barns, not the contemporary metal loafing shed-style barn – Trucks, barns, any kind of old detritus. Most of what you’ll see is that, although there are a number of wildlife paintings too. I call them ‘varmint paintings.’” The exhibit will kick off with a reception at 4 p.m. Friday where patrons can meet Matzen and nibble on refreshments while checking out the artwork.

Ephrata-Soap Lake Ag Boosters in need of donations

EPHRATA — Organizers of a fund to support 4-H, Grange and FFA participants from Ephrata and Soap Lake at the annual stock sale during the Grant County Fair said the fund needs donations.

Columbia Basin Hospital Foundation supports hospital mission

EPHRATA – As a public hospital district operates, it needs community support to keep its mission of serving the community’s health needs. That may be purchasing chairs, organizing volunteers or working to fund upgrades to medical equipment said Susan Scheib, the hospital’s director of communication and development.

Red Raiders sweep AA River Dogs in Tuesday doubleheader

MOSES LAKE — On a hot Tuesday evening at Larson Playfield, the Othello Red Raiders took down the AA 18U Columbia Basin River Dogs in both games of a doubleheader, winning the first game 12-2 before riding out to a 13-4 win in the nightcap. “We felt pretty good,” Othello Head Coach Sonny Garza said. “Obviously the weather was rough so we had to battle through that, but that’s something we knew coming in. We had to just work through it. The kids have been playing pretty good baseball, so we were excited coming in here and trying to play some good baseball.” Othello struck first in the opening game on Tuesday, as shortstop Sonny Salazar put the Red Raiders up 1-0 in the top of the first with an RBI single that sent home second baseman Quade Gonzalez IV. The Red Raiders added two more runs in the top of the third with RBI doubles by Gonzalez and left fielder Aaden Montes, later scoring four more runs in the top of the fourth with RBI from pitcher Kal-El Ozuna, Gonzalez and Salazar, as well as right fielder Carlos Castillo scoring on an error.

Nation’s birthday draws big crowd to Othello

OTHELLO — It was a good day for a birthday party. Othello residents and visitors turned out for the parade and filled Lions Park for the annual July 4 celebration - games, a car show, sports tournaments, food, live music, fireworks - sponsored by the Othello Chamber of Commerce.

Auto theft suspect pleads guilty, sentenced to jail time

EPHRATA – Patrick Hoffman, 32, of Moses Lake was sentenced Tuesday after entering guilty pleas for two felonies and one gross misdemeanor before Grant County Superior Court Judge Tyson Hill.

IRS data: WA lost 18K people, $1.66B in taxable income in 2021

(The Center Square) – Washington state saw a net loss of 18,798 taxpayers and their families between calendar years 2021 and 2022, according to Internal Revenue Service migration data released last week. That represents a loss of nearly $1.66 billion of taxable income, although Washington does not have a state income tax.

Royal City celebrates Summerfest this weekend

ROYAL CITY — Royal City’s annual celebration will take place this week. Summerfest, traditionally held the second weekend in July, will take place this Friday and Saturday, and it promises to be fun.

ACH Legion takes down Freeman

ROCKFORD – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Senior Legion baseball team got its seventh and eighth wins of the summer season in a doubleheader sweep of Freeman on Tuesday, defeating the Dawgs 12-2 and 18-8 on the road. The doubleheader came 10 days after ACH’s previous outing.