Sixers 14U fall in Meltdown championship

MOSES LAKE — Last weekend, Central Washington Sixers 14U baseball competed in the Moses Lake Meltdown tournament. Despite falling short in the championship game, head coach Rey Lopez said his players played some of their best baseball all summer. “We lost the championship game, but it was probably one of our best games of the season,” he said. “Overall, I was really pleased with everyone's performance. You know, they didn't give up. They played really hard ... the boys improved individually, and it showed; they played with heart.”

STUDIO BASIN: Railroads, MLSD budget and the conclusion of baseball

On this week’s episode of the STUDIO BASIN Podcast, Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer discusses the potential of the Columbia Basin Railroad being sold. The railroad runs from Connell to Ephrata, going through Warden and Moses Lake. Schweizer also discussed REC Silicon and what the company may do with its Moses Lake facility.

Mariners successful weekend series against Astros

SEATTLE (AP) — Randy Arozarena hit a solo home run and Luis Castillo threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners beat the Houston Astros 6-1 on Friday night. Arozarena hit an elevated fastball from Astros left-hander Brandon Walter (1-3) out to left-center field in the fourth inning for his 18th home run of the season. In the process, Arozarena became only the second player in the majors this season with 10 or more home runs over a 14-game stretch.

Sara Belle Falconer

1966 – 2025

Sara Belle Falconer, 58, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025, in Brooksville, Florida. Born December 19, 1966, in Moses Lake, Washington, she was the beloved daughter of Gilbert George Falconer and Marjorie Ellen Falconer (Kays).

Harley Ottmar

1927 – 2025

Harley Ottmar, 97, of Moses Lake passed away at Samaritan Hospital on July 16, 2025. Harley was born in Wheeler, Washington, on October 30, 1927, to Christ and Pauleen Ottmar.

QUINCY CITY COUNCIL POS. 5: David Dormier

QUINCY — Dave Dormier said he’s running for a new term on the Quincy City Council because he thinks Quincy has made progress, and he wants to continue that progress. He cited the case of family friends as an example. “A young couple who graduated from Quincy High School. They didn’t go to college, but they were able to get good jobs in town, and after four years they were able to buy a brand-new house,” Dormier said. “That’s our goal, to have our town be that way. I want to be able to continue to have good job opportunities for people who want to stay and build their lives here.” Dormier is running for council Position 5. He’s being challenged by Pete Shelton. Ricardo Ruesga Loera also filed for the seat, but told the Columbia Basin Herald that he’s not actively campaigning.

QUINCY CITY COUNCIL POS. 5: Pete Shelton

QUINCY — Pete Shelton said he’s running for Quincy City Council because Quincy is changing, and he believes he can help with the transition. “I decided to run because Quincy, to me, is at a turning point,” Shelton said. “I’m working in the data center industry, and I’ve been a farmer, and I’m pretty rooted in both the tech industry and (agriculture). I see an opportunity as a council member to bridge the two worlds.” Shelton is running for council Position 5 against incumbent Dave Dormier. Ricardo Ruesga Loera also filed for the seat but told the Columbia Basin Herald that he’s not actively campaigning.

Creative pizza pies

Moses Lake's Slices restaurant brings artisan pizza and other treats to patrons

MOSES LAKE — A family-owned establishment, Slices, is carving out an unusual niche in the local dining scene. Co-owners Becky and John Boyer took a leap of faith during the pandemic, transforming their post-COVID uncertainty into a business that celebrates community and culinary creativity, Becky said. "After COVID, we found ourselves in an unexpected situation. My husband John and I decided to open our restaurant, Slices, which kind of just landed in our lap," Becky said.

Average Joes become Moses Lake lower division champs

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Men’s softball league held division games Thursday evening at Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex. The lower division entered the championship round and the upper division decided who will play in the championships on Friday. “It’s just nice to get the buddies together,” said Nick Overland, the coach for the Average Joes. “It’s nice to interact with other teams, make new friends.”

Moses Lake Police Department logs for July 21, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Moses Lake Police Department. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Dan Newhouse advised not to hold public events after man arrested for making death threats against GOP congressman, his staff

WASHINGTON — Just about every time Rep. Dan Newhouse posts on Facebook, the comments start pouring in with the same question from his constituents across central Washington. “When is your next public meeting??? Would love to ask some questions!” one person wrote under a post celebrating the Grand Coulee Dam’s anniversary on Wednesday. “In the area yet again and STILL no time for a Town Hall,” another commented after the Republican lawmaker posted photos from an event in Richland on July 10.

Summerfest draws crowds to Royal City

ROYAL CITY — Any way you measure it, Summerfest was a success. “I would say on Friday we had over 2,500 people, and then after the parade on Saturday, we had over 3,000 people in the park,” said Summerfest Committee Chair Jill Larsen. That’s more than the population of the town, she added, which was about 1,900 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census.

‘Fresh every day’

Kallstrom Corn stands a staple in the Basin and back again for summer

MOSES LAKE – As summer arrives in full bloom, the sight of Kallstrom Corn stands dotted throughout the Columbia Basin has returned, marking the beginning of the sweet corn season for locals awaiting the taste of the Kallstrom sweet corn. “The corn crop looks really healthy. It has a nice dark green color,” co-owner Mark Kallstrom said. “The weather started out cool, but it warmed up just enough; we got the heat units to bring it out a couple of days earlier.”

Montemayor closing chapter at Othello

OTHELLO – When Jordan Montemayor looks back at his baseball career at Othello High School, he said he wouldn't change a thing. “It's crazy that it's over. It went by in a heartbeat, but I had a lot of fun, and I wouldn't change anything if I went back. I would do it all the same way again,” he said.

Climbing to new heights in Landfall Games’ ‘Peak’

MOSES LAKE – There have been a variety of cooperative games released in the past couple of years including an indie game released last month called “Peak” made by Aggro Crab and Landfall games. “Peak” presents players with both a challenging and rewarding gameplay loop and is worth the try for anyone interested in a unique take on the action-adventure genre.

ACH Legion 18u takes two wins in Ephrata

EPHRATA – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline American Legion Warriors 18u baseball team earned two wins while hosting a pre-playoff tournament in Ephrata Wednesday afternoon. The team earned wins against both Trail AA Orioles 17u and Ferris Legion AA allowing them to host their first round of bracket play today at noon. “I like how we’ve been playing, I hope we can continue to do what we need to do when we need to do it,” said ACH Legion coach Mike Correia.

Legion A splits doubleheader in playoffs

HARTLINE – On Wednesday, the ACH Legion A Warriors hosted the first round of their playoffs in Hartline. They split their doubleheader against the Trail Orioles A and the Cheney Summer Hawks A teams. Head coach Hunter Lee said he was proud of how his team rallied. “We got the job done. We want at least one (win), so we get to advance to the knockout round this weekend, but we definitely have to limit the walks and hits by pitches,” Lee said.

Larry Allen Weis

May 17, 1953 – July 15, 2025

Larry Allen Weis, 72, of Ephrata, Washington, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025, with his wife Debbie and daughter Autumn by his side. Born in Walla Walla, Larry was the youngest son of Bob and Emma Lou Weis. He grew up in Richland and graduated as a proud Richland Bomber in 1971. Known affectionately as “Big Guy,” he was loved for his big heart, humor, and generosity.

Classic cars, cool cars, Spud Run at All city Classic Car Show this weekend

OTHELLO — Slow drags, fun cars and the Spud Run return to Othello Friday and Saturday at the 29th All Cities Classic Car Club Show and Shine. Longtime organizer Jim Purdy said it’s open to all vehicles with wheels. “Cars, bikes, pedal bikes – bring them down,” Purdy said.

Ephrata Parks and Recreation hosts summer athletic activities

EPHRATA – As the Columbia Basin enters the middle of summer, Ephrata Parks and Recreation has a variety of events and activities to keep both youth and adult athletes busy through the end of the season. “From young age groups to older age groups, just bringing a sense of community and doing something together is always good, helps put a smile on people's faces,” said Gunnar Blankenship, the Recreation Supervisor at Ephrata Parks and Rec. “Just a way to get out and move and stay active during the summer months, it’s always good and keeps people healthy and happy.”