Construction should begin in early 2026 on Othello broadband expansion

OTHELLO — Installation of additional fiber optic cables south of Othello is projected to start early next year. A bid for the project should be awarded before the end of this month or in early January. Adams County Engineer Scott Yaeger said the timing of the project depends on selecting a contractor, a process that has hit a roadblock. “Until a contract and contract bond are executed we will not know an estimated construction timeline,” Yeager wrote in response to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald. Adams County received a $10.3 million Washington Department of Commerce grant in 2022 to expand fiber connectivity. The area south of Othello is the second and final phase of that project. The county is installing the fiber; providing internet service to homes and businesses will be the work of private companies. The new fiber backbone will provide access south and southwest of the Othello city limits, an area around the Othello Golf Club along West Bench Road and surrounding subdivisions. Some areas originally in the county project got fiber access from the expansion of private companies in the meantime.

Awareness helps prevent porch pirates’ success

EPHRATA — At least 58 million packages were stolen in the U.S. last year, with about 25% of Americans being the victims of theft, according to the United States Parcel Service. At the local level, there are thefts occurring regularly as well, but that doesn’t mean that you’re stuck being the victim, authorities say. “The experience of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office is that package theft happens regularly,” said GCSO Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman. “It is a crime of opportunity. When someone’s out looking to try and make a quick buck, they may drive through a neighborhood looking for unattended packages on the front porch.”

Iowa State hires Jimmy Rogers as coach after Matt Campbell leaves for Penn State

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State wasted no time finding a replacement for Matt Campbell, hiring Washington State's Jimmy Rogers as its football coach on Friday night. The Cyclones moved quickly after Campbell left to take over for the fired James Franklin at Penn State on Friday. They agreed to a six-year deal with Rogers, who led Washington State to a 6-6 record in his lone season after a two-season run at South Dakota State that included an FCS championship.

Young Huskies team falls in first two matchups

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies girls basketball team fell short in their first two matchups of the season, losing 33-50 on the road Tuesday against Omak and 32-46 at home against Connell. Despite this, the young Huskies team is still optimistic. “Things didn’t go too bad, but they could’ve gone a lot better,” said Huskies sophomore Khloe Valdez. “Could have connected a little bit better as a team and talked some more.” Following a tough loss against Omak, the Huskies returned home on Thursday to play the Connell Eagles in another nonleague matchup. In the first quarter, the Eagles scored eight unanswered points before the Huskies put up four by the end of the quarter.

Moses Lake School District, teachers union reach tentative agreement

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Education Association announced late Friday night that the union has reached a tentative agreement with the Moses Lake School District. Classes will resume Monday, according to a press release from the MLEA.

Six-peat!

Knights win sixth straight 1A state championship

ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (13-0) are the 1A state football champions for the sixth straight season. The Knights held off a late comeback by the Cashmere Bulldogs to win 21-20 at Husky Stadium.

Huskies earn two wins to start off the season

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies basketball team got its season off to a good start with two victories. The first was on the road Tuesday with a 69-42 win over Omak and the second was in an exciting home matchup against the Connell Eagles Thursday night. “We started off a little rough in the first quarter and we brought it up in the second quarter,” said LJ Nunez, a sophomore for the Huskies. After defeating Omak handily on the road, the Huskies were excited to return home to face Connell. The Huskies started off very strong in the first quarter with Quade Gonzalez sinking back-to-back threes and Nunez keeping pressure under the net to earn six points, but Connell would quickly gain momentum and pull ahead of the Othello toward the end of the quarter.

Small, local shops offer unique Christmas gifts

MOSES LAKE — Plenty of people do all their Christmas shopping from the comfort of their laptop. But just a few blocks away, local small businesses are offering things you won’t necessarily find online. “Most of our shoppers, they're looking for something unique, not something they can get from Amazon or from China,” said Ken Haisch, one of six vendors at Third Avenue Antiques in Moses Lake.

BASIN EVENTS: Dec. 5-13

COLUMBIA BASIN — The holiday season is in full swing with community festivals, bazaars, performances and more. Ignore your inner Grinch, get out and celebrate with your neighbors. Here are some of the festivities happening in your community:

Mayor Peter Sharp takes oath of office

SOAP LAKE – Grant County Commissioner Kevin Burgess adminstered the oath of office to Mayor Peter Sharp Wednesday. Sharp was previously appointed to this role at the Sept. 18, 2024, council meeting after his predecessor Allen DuPay quit during the Aug. 7, 2024, meeting.

Republicans prepare for 'train wreck' as Democrats eye new taxes to fill $2B gap

(The Center Square) – House and Senate Republicans say they have a “front row seat to a train wreck” next month as the Legislature prepares to fill a $2 billion state deficit with more taxes amid record spending.

Legals for December, 5 2025

Man arrested in Cascade Valley shooting

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a Nov. 16 shooting in Cascade Valley that left a man with non-life-threatening injuries.

Gorge shooting trial rescheduled to 2026

EPHRATA — The trial in the case of James Kelly, the man charged in the June 2023 shooting that led to the deaths of two women at the Beyond Wonderland music festival held at The Gorge Amphitheatre, has been bumped to early next year, according to court documents.

Shingle is looking for a good spot on the couch

OTHELLO — Shingle is one of those dogs who loves a good belly rub – or a mediocre belly rub for that matter, according to his friends at Adams County Pet Rescue.

'South hill rapist' Kevin Coe dies in Federal Way

(The Center Square) – Kevin Coe, the infamous “South Hill rapist,” died Wednesday at an adult family home in Federal Way. He was 78. The Federal Way Mayor’s Office and the Federal Way Police Department confirmed he was reported dead of natural causes. As reported by The Center Square, Coe was recently released from the civil commitment center at McNeil Island after doctors and staff members there determined he was no longer a threat to the public because of his advanced age and declining health.

Royal SD voters to decide on educational programs and operations levy in February

ROYAL CITY — Royal School District voters will be asked to accept or reject a two-year educational programs and operations levy request in a special election Feb. 10. If it’s approved, it would replace the district’s existing levy approved by voters in 2024. Royal Superintendent Roger Trail said the levy rate would remain unchanged.

Grant County announces snow removal and sanding guidelines

MOSES LAKE – Grant County Public Works has announced its snow plowing and sanding protocols in preparation for the winter season through a statement from Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

Wahluke falls to Tri-Cities Prep in home opener

MATTAWA — The Wahluke Warriors (0-1) were defeated 46-24 in their home opener by the Tri-Cities Prep Jaguars. Despite the loss, Head Coach Makai Hirai said he was proud of the effort his players gave on the court. “That was the biggest thing that I took away is we had a lot of effort. We have a lot of girls who are hungry, and the coaches were excited about (that). Our girls look pretty motivated ... they’re working hard,” Hirai said. The Jaguars started fast and held the lead the entire game. Tri-Cities Prep put up double-digit scores in each quarter except for the third. The Warriors finished strong with 10 points in the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars came out victorious.

WA COLLEGIATE SPORTS SCHEDULE: Dec. 5-12, 2025

MOSES LAKE — College athletes head deeper into the winter season as the remaining fall teams prepare for deeper runs in the post season. See where your favorite teams will be heading this weekend.