MLPD investigating Saturday morning drive-by

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Police Department is investigating a drive-by shooting – the second such incident in less than two weeks – after officers were dispatched to Olympic Drive in response to reports of a shooting.

ACSO handles two high-speed chases Thursday

RITZVILLE – Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies had an eventful day Friday that included two high-speed chases which led to a combined total of four arrests. In the first incident, two Ritzville men were arrested on suspicion of car theft and other charges following a pursuit through Ritzville and the Lind area March 27.

Ephrata's Trachsler retires after nearly three decades of service

EPHRATA – Ephrata City Hall will be a little emptier today after Leslie Trachsler, the beloved city clerk and finance director of Ephrata, completed her last day Friday. This concluded a 28-year career dedicated to the community and its governance. In an emotional farewell gathering held at the Ephrata Recreation Center, city officials, employees and community members came together to honor Trachsler’s extensive contributions to the city.

MLSD denies reports of rosaries being taken from students

MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake School District staff deny claims that students have had rosaries taken from them at Frontier Middle School after a student who attended that campus was killed in a March 21 drive-by shooting.

Columbia Basin Events for April 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Spring has sprung in the Basin and it’s time to check out the flowers in Othello and Quincy, art in Coulee City, businesses in Ephrata and jobs in Moses Lake, among a host of other things. Here’s what’s happening in April:

Second of three suspects arrested in Moses Lake drive-by case

BEAVERTON, Ore. - The Moses Lake Police Department announced the arrest of Mathew Valdez, 18, or Moses Lake in Beaverton, Oregon with the assistance of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon and the U.S. Marshals Service.

WA Legislature passes school safety bill

Unanimous vote in both houses moves Nikki Torres's bill to Ferguson's desk

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Legislature has passed Senate Bill 5004, aimed at modernizing emergency response systems in K-12 schools, in a unanimous vote of 98-0 by the House and 49-0 by the Senate. The bill focuses on implementing advanced safety measures, including panic or alert buttons, to improve response times during emergencies. The bill is now making its way to Governor Bob Ferguson for review.

Homeownership in reach for Hispanic buyers

MOSES LAKE — The National Association of Realtors recently released its “2025 Snapshot of Race and Home Buying in America,” and the numbers tell several different stories, particularly where Hispanic homeowners and buyers are concerned.

Law enforcement logs for March 28, 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.

Legals for March, 28 2025

Two men sought in connection with fatal drive-by shooting

MOSES LAKE — Two Moses Lake men are being sought in connection with a drive-by shooting March 21 that left a 14-year-old Moses Lake boy dead.

Advancing Tigers

Highly Capable Program lets students enrich their education

EPHRATA — A school district has all kinds of children in it, and those children learn at different paces. Some have learning disabilities and need a little extra help, while others excel in one or more academic fields.

SLPD loses two officers, receiving assistance from GCSO

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Police Department currently has two officers, according to Acting Chief Robert Geates, him and one other officer. SLPD will be getting one lateral officer from Alaska after he completes his training. Geates also said he has one other officer “on background” and one officer in academy.

Collision kills driver near Quincy

QUINCY — Adams Road near Quincy was closed for about three and a half hours Wednesday afternoon due to a collision between a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle. The car’s driver was killed in the crash. The collision occurred at about 12:45 p.m., according to a release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, between Road 5 Northwest and Road 6 Northwest. The driver’s name was withheld pending notification of family members, said Kyle Foreman, GCSO public information officer. The case is still under investigation.

Three Wildcats named CSC Academic All-District

ELLENSBURG – Three Central Washington University Basketball standouts were tabbed to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, CSC announced Tuesday. Asher Cai and Sunny Huerta represented the Wildcat Women's Basketball Team while Jordan Clark was the sole representative from the Men's Basketball Team while all three 'Cats will move on to the CSC Academic All-America ballot which will be announced on April 15.

Othello man arrested after Moses Lake standoff

MOSES LAKE — An Othello man was arrested Wednesday afternoon for hit and run and outstanding warrants after he briefly barricaded himself in a Moses Lake home.

Report expected by October on Othello pool options, cost

OTHELLO — What to do about the Othello Community Pool will be the subject of a study that should be completed by October. A meeting of a community committee tasked with coming up with a recommendation is scheduled for Friday. Committee members and city officials will be meeting with consultants from NAC Architecture and Trinity NAC, Spokane, sometime in the next two weeks.

Annual narcotics enforcement report released

iNET reports an increase of drug seizures and overdoses in Grant Co. in 2024

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team released its annual report Monday, revealing a rise in drug-related activity in the region for 2024. The report noted increases in drug seizures, overdose deaths and overall criminal activity.

More signs planned for busy Adams Co. intersections near Othello

OTHELLO — Additional warning and stop signs will be installed at 14 intersections in the Othello area. Adams County Commissioners approved $833,000 for the project Tuesday.

One arrested in Friday drive-by case

RICHLAND – The Moses Lake Police Department has announced the arrest of a 14-year-old male from Mattawa in connection with the Friday drive-by shooting after the suspect went to Kadlec Hospital in Richland to obtain treatment for an accidental gunshot wound sustained in the attack.