‘This has changed our lives’

Moses Lake apartment community welcomes farm workers and low-income residents

MOSES LAKE — The Cape at Interlake had its grand opening Tuesday, with a ribbon-cutting and an open house for the community. “This property is primarily targeted for farm workers, folks who are in the agriculture industry, but we also have additional set-asides for people who are disabled or families with children,” said Taylor Hunt, development manager for Vaughn Bay Construction, which built the Cape at Interlake.

BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 3-11

COLUMBIA BASIN — Leaves are falling, mornings are getting cooler and fall activities are ramping up. Here are some things to keep your autumn spirit alive.

FIRE REPORT: Oct. 3, 2025

MOSES LAKE — Three larger fires were mostly contained this week with no further updates to be provided. There are around 132,000 acres actively burning in Washington as of Thursday afternoon, around 35,000 fewer than Monday.

Legals for October, 3 2025

Chances for legislative cooperation slowly improving, legislators say

EPHRATA — Making progress in the Washington Legislature requires cooperation between Democrats and Republicans, and there some signs that more legislators are getting more interested in cooperating. That was one of the conclusions when Senator Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and Representatives Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, and Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, talking to Ephrata City Council members Wednesday

WDFW looking for public input on hunting season planning

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is encouraging public involvement as it embarks on a three-year planning process for hunting seasons from 2027 to 2029. The department has opened a scoping period, inviting feedback on potential changes to hunting regulations that will help inform future proposals.

Ephrata school board welcomes new staff, discusses enrollment

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School Board convened on September 29, for a regular meeting that showcased developments in the district, including the introduction of new certificated staff members, an update on student enrollment and recognition of community support.

Royal City farm to host Dahlia Days this weekend

ROYAL CITY — Dahlia lovers will have a chance to top up their supply this weekend – and have a little end-of-summer fun at the same time. Gray Girl Farms in Royal City is holding its annual Dahlia Days U-pick event Saturday and Sunday.

Roundabout proposed between Ephrata and Soap Lake

EPHRATA — A new roundabout will be coming to State Route 28 between Ephrata and Soap Lake, probably in 2028. The Washington Department of Transportation is looking for information and ideas from Ephrata-area residents while the project is still in design.

Big Sky Now: Week 5 shocker as Montana defeats Idaho, Cal Poly upsets Sac State

This week on Big Sky Now, we break down everything from Week 5 of Big Sky Conference football and look ahead to Week 6.

Vikings fall short on the road

MOSES LAKE – On Wednesday, the Big Bend Vikings (2-14) traveled to Ontario, Oregon to face Treasure Valley. In three sets, the Vikings were defeated 3-0. Head Coach Lindsey Linthicum said she is trying to change their approach to the mentality of the game.

Derryck Wagner

1951 — 2025

Derryck Edward Wagner, born November 26, 1951, in North Dakota, passed away on September 26, 2025, at the age of 73. A proud Navy Vietnam Veteran and longtime resident of Moses Lake, Washington, Derryck lived with grit, curiosity and a heart big enough to carry his family and passions through every chapter of his life.

Marilyn Jean (Miller)  Kochner

1953 — 2025

Marilyn Jean Kochner, 72, was born July 18, 1953, in Seattle, Washington, to Barbara and Kinney Miller.

Bonded guinea pig sisters looking for a home

SOAP LAKE – Looking for an addition to your family? How about two? Dolly and Blossom, bonded guinea pig sisters, are looking for their forever home. They are up for adoption at Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry, and they will come with their cage and all supplies. If anyone is interested in adopting these sweet girls, visit Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry’s Facebook and message them that you are interested. If you can’t adopt some fluffballs, but want to help a local shelter, visit RockBottomRocker.org and click “donate.”

Eagles earn win over Devils

WILSON CREEK – The Soap Lake Eagles (4-3) earned a convincing road win over the Wilson Creek Devils (3-7) Wednesday evening. Both teams were looking to overcome losses from the day prior.

Off-duty GCSO officer arrested for domestic violence

SOAP LAKE – An off-duty member of Grant County Sheriff’s Office was arrested for a domestic violence incident, according to a statement from GCSO. The officer’s identity was not initially released, but was later reported by GCSO as Corrections Deputy Nickolas Eifert.

Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans out approximately 6 to 8 weeks with upper-body injury

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans will be out for six to eight weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Wednesday. The 23-year-old Evans is expected to miss the first few weeks of games, including Seattle’s season opener on Oct. 9 against the Anaheim Ducks. In August, the left-shot defenseman agreed to a two-year contract extension which gives him an annual salary of $2.05 million and runs through the 2026-27 season

MLSD suing Fowler over alleged Groff deficiencies

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake School District announced earlier this year it would be pursuing litigation with Fowler General Construction, the company that built Groff Elementary School, and a third-party guarantor, Western Surety Company. The district claims there were defects, misrepresentations, and concealment associated with the project, according to MLSD Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon.

Sila begins manufacturing at Moses Lake plant

MOSES LAKE — The building is completed and staff are on-hand at the Sila Nanotechnologies plant in Moses Lake is ramping up to begin producing batches of its trademarked Titan Silicon product to help produce the batteries that will power electric cars, consumer electronics, drones, satellites and other tech, while providing jobs to area residents like Sila’s Plant Manager Rosendo Alvarado.

COLUMN: The Seahawks are winning the Smith trade

We are already a month into the 2025 NFL season. Teams with immense hype coming into the season have either met or exceeded expectations or have plummeted into obscurity – like my Cincinnati Bengals.