Lady Vikings upset in first round of NWAC to Puget Sound

PASCO — The Lady Vikings were hoping to avenge an early-season loss to South Puget Sound in the opening round of the Northwest Athletic Conference Basketball Championship on Wednesday, but a tough night shooting for Big Bend allowed (23.5% from the field) the Clippers to hold on for a 57-45 victory.

Law enforcement logs for March 7, 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.

WSU's Dayana Mendes finding her footing after road to recovery

PULLMAN - The morning following the Washington State women's basketball team's 67-59 home win over San Francisco, WSU Associate Head Coach Laurie Koehn started her morning off watching film to prepare for the Cougars' next opponent. She couldn't help but notice the difference she saw in Washington States' freshman forward, Dayana Mendes.

Business Expo showcases an expanding community

MOSES LAKE — The signs of construction were everywhere at Tuesday’s Business Expo: fluorescent vests, orange shirts, barrier tape and even a traffic cone wandering around the show.

Legals for March, 7 2025

MLSD institutes security protocols after Columbia Middle School threat

MOSES LAKE – On Wednesday at around 11:45 a.m. the Moses Lake School District was made aware of a potential threat related to Columbia Middle School for Friday, according to MLSD Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Help us keep perspective...

Regardless of how someone feels about Donald Trump, there are going to be things that happen over the next four years that are going to make you feel one way or another about a controversial something-or-other.

Legals for March, 6 2025

North Elementary closed Wednesday after water issue

MOSES LAKE – North Elementary was closed Wednesday after an unforeseen water issue. According to Moses Lake School District’s Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon, the City of Moses Lake has construction underway nearby, opened a fire hydrant and debris got into the water. Then, when teachers started to arrive at around 8:30 a.m., an unfamiliar smell had filled the building, which caused MLSD to make the decision to bus students to an alternative location.

Senior Events for March 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — The weather is getting nicer and there’s no shortage of things for seniors to do in the Basin. Here are a few ideas:

Area districts respond to OSPI immigration guidelines

OLYMPIA —The Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction released guidelines in January outlining practices it said are to ensure the protection of immigrant students' rights in K-12 public schools. The OSPI report comes after President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14148 rescinded a policy that limited Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ability to operate in schools, hospitals and places of worship.

WA lawmakers consider extending unemployment to striking workers

OLYMPIA - Washington lawmakers are revisiting a bill that would extend unemployment insurance to workers on strike. The bill was reintroduced this year by Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, reviving debate among labor advocates and business associations. “Without a social safety net during a strike, workers are faced with tremendous pressures to end the strike quickly or never go on strike in the first place,” Riccelli said in public testimony. “I think this levels the playing field.”

Othello resident booked after hiding in field from ACSO

OTHELLO – Monday afternoon at around 3 p.m., the Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a call saying two suspicious males were near the reporting party’s residence in the 800 block of S. Taylor Road in Othello. The deputies arrived on scene and made contact with a vehicle. While deputies were attempting contact with the two men, one of them took off running to a nearby field.

Legals for March, 5 2025

FRESH NEWS: The ice is (almost) gone, so let’s fish

MARDON – With the ice disappearing from the reservoir and the sunny days forecast for the week ahead, this is the signal we’ve been waiting for.

Illegal burn escapes, consumes 61 acres near Ephrata

EPHRATA – An illegal burn in the 12500 block of Road C.3 NW escalated into a significant wildfire on Friday, threatening nearby residences and posing challenges for firefighting crews, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 13. “It definitely is a large fire,” GCFD 13 Battalion Chief Mathew Meulman said. “That was pretty uncommon to see that rate of spread this early in the season with how our temps are, and especially during the nights that we're going to give it very wet, cool nights. It definitely was a large fire for this time of year.”

NEWS BITES: March 4, 2025

NEWS BITES: March 4, 2025

Columbia Basin Herald intern has a passion for politics

MOSES LAKE — Elizah Lourdes Rendorio didn’t really know what to expect from the Columbia Basin. “I was a little bit scared, I'm not gonna lie,” she said. “I just knew that my audience is very different from the people that I usually write to, or the people that I surround myself with or grew up with. So. I was definitely hesitant at first. I was scared that I was going to (upset) the wrong people, but I haven't. People have been very receptive, and I don't think there was any reason for me to be scared.”

Othello man arraigned for possessing explicit images of children

OTHELLO — An Othello man was arraigned Feb. 26 in federal court in the Eastern District of Washington on 11 counts of possession or production of material with sexually explicit images of children, extortion and interstate communication of a threat.

Man killed in accidental shooting

MOSES LAKE — An 18-year-old Moses Lake man was killed when he and another man were reportedly playing with a gun late Thursday night.