A hand up: SLPD supports community with benevolent fund

SOAP LAKE - The Soap Lake Benevolent Fund provides ways for the Soap Lake Police Department to support the community and build a positive relationship with local residents at the same time.t. “A kid’s bike gets stolen, (if) we can’t find it, we have the ability to buy the kid a bike or a family’s house burns down, it gives us the ability to go buy clothes or basic supplies for somebody,” said Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox...

Othello Fair car show features sweet rides

OTHELLO — Johnny Suarez had the spray bottle out, polishing his Subaru WRX to a gleaming shine. The Subaru was among the entries in the second annual car show at the Othello Fair Saturday, and it’s been a work in progress for a while.

Eight large fires continue to burn in Washington

WASHINGTON - There are eight large fires in Washington according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center as of Sept. 20. The site defines a large fire as any wildland fire in timber 100 acres or greater, and 300 acres or greater in grasslands/rangelands, or has an Incident Management Team assigned to it.

Zags' Bosselmann earns third Defensive Player of the Week award

SAN MATEO, CALIF. – Gonzaga women’s soccer goalkeeper Lyza Bosselmann was named as the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, following strong performances against Weber State and Idaho State. The award is the third of Bosselmann’s career, earning the Defensive Player of the Week last September as well as in the Spring 2021 season...

Bonneville Power names new VP

PORTLAND — The Bonneville Power Administration has named Bill Leady as the agency’s new vice president of Power Services Generation Asset Management, overseeing the BPA’s power marketing and sales operations and helping the BPA plan its future business development, according to a BPA press release. Leady joined the BPA in 2015 as an asset policy advisor overseeing the administration’s joint effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation to develop a long-term strategic plan for U.S. government operations on the entire Columbia River system. Federal agencies operate 31 hydroelectric dams in the Pacific Northwest, the press release said. According to the release, Leady is a U.S. Military Academy West Point graduate with a Masters of Science in engineering from Purdue University in Indiana and a U.S. Army veteran who has been deployed overseas on numerous occasions, including to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Haiti.

Henley’s 3-sack performance garners conference award

Cougar linebacker brings in new honors in old tradition

SAN FRANCISCO – Cougar linebacker Daiyan Henley was named the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, following a career performance against Colorado State on Saturday. In the 38-7 win over the Rams, the graduate transfer from Nevada made a career-high in tackles (13)and sacks (3). Henley also forced two fumbles in the win. Henley’s three sacks were the most by a Cougar in a game since Hercules Mata’afa’s three sacks against Utah in 2017, the same season where Mata’afa was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. The three sacks are also the most by a Pac-12 player in a game this season, and Saturday’s performance boosted Henley to the Pac-12’s leader in sacks so far this season...

Basin sports schedule for Sept. 21-27

As local sports carry on in the Basin, many teams have begun to enter league play in their respective conferences. Check out this week’s high school sports schedule, featuring football, volleyball, soccer and multi-school events...

Donut time

Sweet and savory treats now freshly baked in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Danielle Bailey and her husband James had a simple idea: Moses Lake needed a donut shop. “I have lived in Moses Lake my whole life,” Bailey said as she sat in the very pink, blue and white interior of Corner St. Donuts. “I have very fond memories of Donut Depot back in the day. I used to go in there with my grandfather and play on the stools and hang out.” Donut Depot was a gathering place, Bailey said, the center of a community where people came to visit. And she wanted to create something like that, a place where grandparents and parents can bring their children and make those same kinds of memories. So when the old Taco Time at the corner of Third Avenue and Alder Street closed and the building became available, Bailey said the opportunity was too good to pass up. “This was a good location, and definitely a need for it in Moses Lake,” she said.

Soap Lake opens new basketball courts

SOAP LAKE - After several years of challenges, Smokiam Park in Soap Lake has a new basketball court for community members to enjoy.

Week in sports: Sept. 13-19

COLUMBIA BASIN – From the gridiron to the rodeo arena, the Basin saw several athletic competitions throughout the past week. Check out some photos from athletic events over the past week.

Soap Lake says goodbye to the Sheppards

SOAP LAKE — Grant County Fire District 7 said goodbye on Friday to two long term members; Chief Kirk Sheppard and his wife Patricia, who was the secretary for the board of commissioners.

Othello PRCA Rodeo results

OTHELLO – The Othello PRCA Rodeo wrapped up Saturday evening at the Adams County Rodeo Grounds, with a total payoff of $35,269. Events included bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding.

A lot going on during Othello Fair finale

OTHELLO — The announcer ran down the list of events at the Othello Fair just after noon Saturday – the car show near the entrance, music on the brand-new main stage, the stock sale underway at the livestock barn. “We have so much going on today,” she said. There was in fact a lot going on during the fair’s finale Saturday, from the annual fair parade downtown on Saturday morning to the second performance of the Othello Rodeo Saturday night.

Mattawa annexation request reviewed in public hearing

MATTAWA — Mattawa City Council members will make a decision on Oct. 6 regarding a proposal to annex 40.5 acres of land near Wahluke High School into the city limits. The proposed annexation was the subject of a public hearing Thursday. “This proposal includes acreage that will be zoned for residential (use), and then there will be subdivision and residential components in the future if the applicant is successful in their annexation,” said Rachelle Bradley of SCJ Alliance, the city’s planners. The applicant, CAD Homes of Moses Lake, has announced a tentative plan to develop single-family and multifamily housing on the property. The first phase would include about 26 acres...

Scientists track how huckleberries fare in changing climate

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from 13 counties in a long-running $1 billion lawsuit over timber revenue and what constitutes “the greatest permanent value” when it comes to forest management. The denial ends a six-year legal battle over logging practices on 700,000 acres and is a victory for the state Department of Forestry and environmental groups. The decision leaves in place a lower court ruling saying that Oregon can manage forests for a range of values that include recreation, water quality and wildlife habitat — not just logging revenue. “It’s the end of the road for what has been a false narrative for far too long … that it’s the public forestland’s obligation to provide the bulk of the revenues for local communities,” Ralph Bloemers, who represented fishing and conservation groups in the case, told Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Fire ban lifted at Mt. Rainier National Park

ASHFORD – Mount Rainier National Park has lifted the parkwide fire ban according to a release on Sept. 16. Campfires will be permitted at the park’s three campgrounds, the release said, the Ohanapecosh Campground, the Cougar Rock Campground and the White River Campground. The release states the ban was put in place to reduce the risk of human-caused wildland fire during critical weather conditions, ongoing unhealthy air quality due to wildfire smoke and increased concerns related to nearby wildfire activity...

Local scores Sept. 12-16

A summary of Columbia Basin sports scores as of Sept. 16, 2022.

ACH levels record at 2-2, defeats Wellpinit in three sets

COULEE CITY – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors volleyball team evened their record at 2-2 on Thursday night, defeating Wellpinit in three sets.

Soap Lake loses 22-0 to Bridgeport

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Eagles came close, but they couldn’t quite get into the end zone, losing to the Bridgeport Mustangs 22-0 Friday in Soap Lake.

Asu’s last-second touchdown pushes Othello to 14-13 win over Ephrata

EPHRATA – It was a windy night at Kiwanis Field in Ephrata on Friday night, where Othello senior kicker Brandon Garza stepped onto the field to attempt a game-winning extra point after a touchdown by senior running back Sonny Asu in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.