Invasive weeds threaten Columbia Basin ecosystems

MOSES LAKE – The Columbia Basin has become home to a variety of invasive plant species, with the most notorious being noxious weeds. “Weeds are a big issue,” said Nicole Jordan from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “Letting them go out of control can destroy a lot of habitat for other things.”

Adams County Sheriff’s Office jail roster for Aug. 6, 2025

The reports below were provided by the sheriff's office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Moses Lake considering options for fire, EMS services

MOSES LAKE — Options for changing fire and EMS delivery in and around Moses Lake, or whether to keep the existing system, will be the subject of a study commissioned by city officials. The city has issued a request for proposals for a consultant to study three alternatives, and Mayor Dustin Swartz said it’s a sign of growth in Moses Lake and the surrounding area.

Legals for August, 5 2025

Gas prices see slight decline Grant, Adams Co.

MOSES LAKE – Fuel prices in both Grant and Adams counties saw a slight decline of one cent each. Washington prices stayed steady for the third week in a row and national prices saw a slight increase.

Soap Lake School District passes balanced budget

SOAP LAKE – With major facility upgrades and full staffing on the horizon, the Soap Lake School District has approved a balanced $12.5 million budget for 2025–26.

Ephrata SD passes 2025-26 budget

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District Board of Directors unanimously passed the district's 2025-26 budget at its regular school board meeting Monday. “The process of developing a quality budget that's fiscally responsible, but also responsive to the needs of your staff and your students, is always incredibly challenging, but I feel very blessed to be in a position where we truly believe we're going to be able to do those things again,” Superintendent Ken Murray said.

Ending summer school with a splash

WARDEN — The Warden School District celebrated the conclusion of its summer school program with an exciting Field Day, an event designed to showcase the social and emotional growth of students while offering a vibrant finale to six weeks of enriching activities. “Field Day is kind of a big finale to our six-week program,” said Warden Summer School Supervisor Lisa Lucas. “The kids participate in different sports and games, practicing their social emotional skills and just bonding with one another.” This year’s summer school program hosted approximately 200 students, with a total enrollment of around 270 when including the high schoolers. The program catered to a diverse age range, welcoming students from kindergarten through 11th grade, and provided a unique learning environment over the course of 18 days.

Crime declining, drugs climbing locally, statewide

OLYMPIA — In the 2024 Crime in Washington report published by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, released Monday, a noticeable decline in crime rates across various categories was reported. Various police chiefs and Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said trends found within the report were mostly reflected locally.

Grant PUD examining rate structure changes again

EPHRATA — A new rate structure might be coming to Grant County Public Utility District customers in 2026, and customers will be able to tell PUD commissioners what they think about it beginning in September. Commissioner Tom Flint said electrical rates will be on an upward trajectory, given substantial increases in demand and increased costs to produce electricity.

Gas prices steady this week

MOSES LAKE – Gas prices in Grant and Adams counties, Washington and nationally are identical to last week. “With gasoline demand starting to ease as we head into August, we could see prices gradually decline as we approach Labor Day,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “That said, this is also the time of year when the tropics begin to stir, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on hurricane activity that could disrupt supply and shift the outlook.”

Moses Lake looking for provider for homeless support services

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake city officials will advertise for organizations who want to provide support for homeless people looking for treatment for substance abuse and a way to get to that treatment. Liz Murillo Busby, the city’s housing grant manager, said the city money to pay for the contract will come from document recording fees. “We’re anticipating a contract of about $55,000 for this,” Murillo Busby said.

Immigration arrests surged last month in Washington

Federal immigration arrests across Washington rose sharply in June as the Trump administration continues its aggressive nationwide push for deportations, according to new data. Arrests in June, more than 275, were at least double any month since President Donald Trump reclaimed the presidency in January. At the same time, the share of arrestees in Washington with criminal records dropped sharply, to less than one-third. The figures come from the Deportation Data Project out of the University of California, Berkeley, where researchers received the information via Freedom of Information Act requests. The data runs through June 26. “I think that every community member in our country who is watching the news and comes from an immigrant family is increasingly concerned about their safety here,” said Caedmon Magboo Cahill, director of policy advocacy at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Washington chapter.

Fiscal Fallout: How Washington Medicaid spending quintupled over a decade

(The Center Square) – Washington state’s Medicaid spending has quintupled, or increased five times over, since the 2013-15 biennium, according to an analysis by The Center Square.

SR 17-Cunningham Road roundabout scheduled for 2026

OTHELLO — A long-delayed roundabout will be coming to State Route 17 and Cunningham Road in spring 2026.

Ephrata moves forward with grant applications for street improvement

EPHRATA – The Ephrata City Council convened Wednesday evening during a regular meeting to authorize a resolution to move forward with an application for a grant from the Transportation Improvement Board to fund essential road preservation and enhancements.

$30M hospital bond goes before Ephrata voters

EPHRATA – Those living in and around Ephrata will see a measure on their ballot for the August 5 election for a $30 million bond measure requested by Grant County Public Hospital District 3 – which most residents likely know as Columbia Basin Hospital. The measure has been in the works for some time. “The board started talking about this more seriously right before COVID, and then COVID hit, and everything took a back burner to that,” said GCPHD 3 Board President Amy Paynter.

Fuel prices decrease nationally, locally

MOSES LAKE — There was a slight decrease in gas prices across the nation, including in Washington state and Grant County, according to AAA. The Adams County average remains the same as last week.

Legals for July, 21 2025

Slight decrease in WA, Grant and Adams counties fuel

MOSES LAKE – Washington, Grant and Adams counties saw a slight decrease in average fuel prices this week. However, national prices both saw a slight increase, according to AAA. “With oil prices posting a modest uptick last week, the national average price of gasoline also inched slightly higher, with just over half of U.S. states seeing increases, while nearly two dozen saw declines,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “As we approach the midpoint of the summer driving season, gasoline inventories remain just below average, while diesel inventories are considerably tighter — keeping upward pressure on diesel prices”