Playground planned, tentatively, for Othello’s Kiwanis Park

OTHELLO — A new playground probably will be coming to Othello’s Kiwanis Park, but funding will affect the timeline. It’s the next phase in improvements to the park, some of which are finished, some of which are ongoing. Othello did receive a grant to upgrade the Kiwanis Park basketball courts. A timeline for that project will be announced. Sarah Montemayor, the city’s grant coordinator, said Othello officials submitted grant requests to the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office to upgrade the parking lot and build a new playground. The city got part but not all of the grant, she said.

Eugene 'Gene' Hanover

In loving memory of Eugene 'Gene' Hanover

Eugene “Gene” Hanover passed away peacefully at home in Moses Lake, Washington, on May 5, 2025, at the age of 81, after a courageous battle with a long illness. Born at Wyoming General Hospital in Rock Springs, Wyoming, Gene lived a full, passionate life rooted in love, service, and unwavering dedication to his family and community.

Mavs’ Maddy Bond signs with EWU

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Maverick Maddy Bond committed to compete in track and field for Eastern Washington University Friday afternoon. “I really liked the coaching staff there when I went on my visit,” she said. “Everyone was really nice and friendly, and I like the environment. It’s something I wanted to be a part of.”

Moses Lake port to open new maintenance facility

MOSES LAKE — Port of Moses Lake commissioners will cut the ribbon on a new $1.4 million building May 27. The new maintenance building will replace an existing structure, and Commissioner Darrin Jackson said replacement is overdue.

Long journey

Moses Lake man, 70, rides Palouse to Cascades Trail

MOSES LAKE — Ron Tebow has been a long trail, and it’s a long way from finished. “I’m halfway now,” Tebow said Friday. “Warden is right on half, 120 miles.”

Mavs split doubleheader with Eastmont

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks softball team split their doubleheader against Eastmont Friday winning their first game 9-6 and losing the second 3-13. “We needed to split to win the league title and to get that out of the way was big,” said Mavs head coach Mike Hofheins.

Spokane man arrested for impersonating law enforcement

QUINCY — A Spokane man was booked into the Chelan County Regional Jail on suspicion of second-degree criminal impersonation after he allegedly attempted to stop a car by pretending to be a police officer May 8.

Tigers’ Mullings puts together remarkable season

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers boys tennis team has been nothing short of successful this season, finishing the regular season 15-2. Their success being led by senior Josh Mullings who went 17-0 in singles competition this year.

Lake water improvement may not affect housing

MOSES LAKE — Owners of homes along the shore of Moses Lake may see an improvement in the view from their docks after treatment the water received last summer.

Ephrata passes 6-year transpo plan

EPHRATA – The Ephrata City Council passed its six-year transportation improvement program for 2026 through 2031 unanimously Wednesday night during the council’s regular meeting. “This is a plan for our roads, this is kind of a wish list,” Public Works Director Rob Harris said.

Five fantasy series for ages 12 and up

When I first started fourth grade, I despised reading. Now, that very thought sounds like sacrilege and I’ve gone on amazing adventures all through the pages of books. Not only do I have fond memories of reading particular books, but I grew as both a person and a writer as a result. Generally, fantasy and science fiction have been my favorite genres, though poetry and the occasional biography have drawn me in.

Bigger every year

Moses Lake Spring Fest to dominate Memorial Day weekend

MOSES LAKE — The biggest celebration in Moses Lake’s calendar just keeps getting bigger. Tens of thousands came to McCosh Park for Spring Fest last year. The 3-on-3 basketball tournament fielded 121 teams and there were 472 people at the fun run, said Spring Fest Committee Member Lori Valdez. “The car show had over 200 cars, and they ran out of room,” Valdez said. “They had to turn cars away.”

Beatrice Moncada Sampson

1960 – 2025

It is with mournful hearts that we announce the passing of Beatrice (Bea) Moncada Sampson, 64, on May 4, 2025. Bea endured a long and courageous battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Bea’s warmth, prayerful heart, and unwavering love for her family defined her life. She was a woman of deep strength and quiet resilience with a smile that could light up the room.

Ephrata Fire to hold Touch a Truck event to support Ephrata Food Bank

EPHRATA – Fire trucks, buses, ambulances, concrete mixers, dump trucks, tractors and other emergency vehicles and equipment will fill the Ephrata Splash Zone parking lot on May 17. The Ephrata Fire Department will be hosting its annual “Touch a Truck” event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to raise funds and food for the Ephrata Food Bank.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Stop and be excellent...

With everything going on in the world today – our busy lives, our children’s busy schedules, the political back and forth and the challenges of the economy, to name a few – it's easy to forget to stop and smell the flowers a bit.

MLHS tennis victorious over Eisenhower

MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake boys (9-4) and girls (9-4) tennis were victorious against the Eisenhower Cadets. The boys forced a shutout 7-0 win while the girls held their own with a 5-2 victory. Head coach Jay Dickinson was enthusiastic about the outcome of this match, considering it was much closer when they last met earlier this season.

Ephrata school nurse ensures students thrive despite medical needs

EPHRATA – Pam Cleveringa has been a part of the Ephrata School District since 2010, serving as the school nurse for over a decade. With a nursing career that began in 1999, Cleveringa initially engaged in various nursing roles, including hospital and maternity care. However, upon the recommendation of friends during a time of budget cuts, she transitioned to school nursing, a field where she has since found her passion.

Busy hands: Small core of volunteers keeps Gritman Senior Center serving Ritzville

RITZVILLE — A senior center is sort of like a grocery store or a bank: every town should have one. Big cities have extensive ones, and little towns like Ritzville, well, they plug along through lots of work from volunteers.

Othello receives $1 million capital budget allocation for water reuse facility

OTHELLO — The city of Othello will receive about $1 million from the Washington Senate capital budget for a long-running project for water aquifer storage and recharge.

West hired as Moses Lake School District administrator

MOSES LAKE — Scott West said he thinks his new job is the right fit for him and for the Moses Lake School District. West was hired as executive director of safety and wellbeing last week.