New playground coming to Ephrata’s Lions Park

EPHRATA — Residents of Ephrata can look forward to changes at Lions Park as the local Parks and Recreation Department prepares to renovate the playground with a new structure aimed at enhancing recreation opportunities for children of various age groups.

Assn. of Washington Businesses bus tour comes to Grant Co.

MOSES LAKE — Association of Washington Business President Kris Johnson said the organization’s annual Manufacturing Week tour is designed to give participants a look at businesses – and job opportunities – they may not have known existed.

Cougars make a comeback in OT

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars soccer team (3-7) gained a 2-1 home victory over Columbia after pushing the game into overtime. “I think we really played as a team, and we just talked and it all came through in the end,” said Cougars player Allie Jensen.

Basin cross country teams compete in Battle for the 509

MOSES LAKE – High school cross country teams from around the state met at the Spokane Polo Grounds on Saturday to compete in the eighth annual Battle for the 509. Basin teams that were part of the competition included Ephrata, Lind-Ritzville, Moses Lake, Othello, Quincy and Warden.

Young Tigers squad shines in 3-set victory over Jacks

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers (1-8) defeated the Quincy Jacks (0-9) 3-0 on Tuesday. The Tigers were hitting all cylinders, holding the Jacks to 11 points in all three sets. Head Coach Britney MacLeod said it was good to see her team get a league win Tuesday night.

Meet the Ephrata mayoral candidates today

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce will host a mayoral candidate meet-and-greet Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Pita Pit. Both incumbent Bruce Reim and candidate Steve Oliver will be present and answering questions the chamber has put together.

Mavs find success at Yakima meet

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team traveled to Lions Pool in Yakima last Thursday to compete against Sunnyside and West Valley. At the meet the team found success in the pool and built themselves up for the second half of the season.

WA Congressional delegates respond to shutdown

WASHINGTON D.C. – A government shutdown began at midnight on October 1, 2025, after Congress was unable to pass a new budget bill or continuing resolution before deadline. The shutdown has cast a shadow over various sectors in Washington State, with potential implications for farmers, small businesses and public health. Lawmakers from both parties are weighing in on the effects and responsibilities surrounding the funding impasse.

Improvements planned for Othello’s Kiwanis Park in spring 2026

OTHELLO — Construction of a new splash pad in Kiwanis Park is scheduled to start in spring 2026. Construction was planned for summer 2025, but Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said the need for state agency approval slowed down the project.

Shining bright

Boys & Girls Club auction raises money for local children

MOSES LAKE — The theme for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin was “Shine Bright for the Kids,” and the community did exactly that, to an estimated tune of about $260,000.

Soap Lake celebrates official designation of Creative District

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake community gathered Saturday to mark a significant milestone: the establishment of the Soap Lake Creative District. After years of dedication and collaboration, local leaders, artists, and residents celebrated the district’s official certification, which promises to enrich the city’s cultural landscape and promote its creative economy. The celebration included speeches, displays of artwork, history and community engagement aimed at raising awareness about the district, which is intended to be a hub for creativity and collaboration among local artists and businesses. “We want people to understand that our aim is not just to host events,” Ruthann Tobiason, one of the organizers of the creative district effort, said. “This is about building longer-term plans that will enrich our community and strengthen our creative economy.”

BASIN VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP – Sept. 30-Oct. 6

MOSES LAKE — Another week of Basin volleyball is complete. Teams continue to carve their path to the postseason. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current records.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Oct. 8-15, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Student athletes now head into the second half of their season for fall sports as they prepare for the coming district and state tournaments. See where the local high school teams will be headed this week.

Legals for October, 8 2025

MOSES LAKE CITY COUNCIL 1: Martinez vs. Davis

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Council incumbent Deanna Martinez is being challenged by Jeremy Davis for her position on the council. Both candidates were given identical questions, with a deadline. Martinez submitted her answers, which came in after the deadline, but the delay was due to miscommunication. Davis’s answers were printed Monday, and Martinez’s answers are below.

Three positions open for Grant County Board of Health

MOSES LAKE – The Grant County Health District is looking for applicants to fill three open seats on the Grant County Board of Health.

WA fuel prices hold steady as second most expensive in nation

MOSES LAKE – For the third week in a row, Washington has the second highest average fuel prices in the nation at $4.52, a four-cent decrease from last week. California, the only state in the nation with higher prices, is sitting at $4.66, according to AAA.

East Adams Rural Health lays off staff, looks to address finances

RITZVILLE — A special meeting of the East Adams Rural Healthcare commission is scheduled for 2 p.m. Oct. 15. People who can’t make the meeting in person can join through a link on the district’s social media. The discussion follows further layoffs at the hospital, bringing the total of positions eliminated to 16; Chief Financial Officer Viola Babcock said none of the layoffs were in positions connected with patient care.

College football recap – week 6

MOSES LAKE — After a successful weekend for Washington college football where all three scheduled teams were victorious, we are now in full swing of October football. Across three games, fans were treated to a full spectrum of competitive rivalry wins, offensive domination and late comeback wins.

Broncos serve up a shutout victory at home

RITZVILLE — The Lind-Ritzville Broncos (11-1) swept the Odessa Tigers Monday in the first three sets to win 3-0. Head Coach Cari Galbreath said her team executed well. “I think it was a nice, clean win for us. We just took care of the ball and didn't try to do anything too special,” Galbreath said.