Mattawa wastewater treatment facility nearing completion

MATTAWA — After a lot of work, repairs, refurbishment and upgrades of Mattawa’s wastewater treatment facility are nearing completion. Mattawa Public Works Director Juan Ledezma said crews are in the process of learning the new systems. “Staff has been receiving training as equipment is available, installed or comes online. There has been no tie-in yet, so basically no waste from the current system into the new system,” Ledezma told Mattawa City Council members Dec. 4.

Pope Leo XIV gets into Christmas spirit with prayer for peace at Spanish Steps

ROME — Pope Leo XIV got into the Christmas spirit Monday by taking part in a very Roman papal tradition: praying for peace at a statue of the Madonna near the Spanish Steps on the Dec. 8 feast day that kicks off the Christmas season. Leo greeted thousands of well-wishers who braved the cold to watch the American pope on his inaugural outing to the statue. They were treated to a popemobile romp through Rome's historic center, which has been decked out for the start of the holiday shopping season. The pope got a special honor from the association of shop owners of the Via Condotti, the chic shopping street that extends from the Spanish Steps and features such brands as Bulgari, Hermes and Prada.

Quincy Police Department Logs as of Dec. 9, 2025

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

Skyview Dental opens new clinic

MOSES LAKE — The new Skyview Dental clinic is open. “It’s been under planning for about two and a half years,” said Dr. Calvin Despain at the clinic’s ribbon-cutting Friday. “We broke ground in March of this year and then just finished up and started seeing patients a couple of weeks ago.” The 6,000-square-foot clinic features 10 treatment rooms with brand new equipment, arranged in an open, airy space that allows Despain and his staff to move around easily between patients. “It’s built around patient comfort, Despain said. “We’ve got the most advanced equipment and dental chairs that are available … We do same-day crowns. We have 3D printing where we can get dentures made faster. We have our 3D X-rays … We have our little special surgery rooms (where) we can have a nice private place for people to be who have longer procedures.”

Legals for December, 9 2025

Public opinion sought on Grant PUD rate proposals

EPHRATA — Grant County PUD customers are invited to give their opinions about electrical rates for 2026 and beyond at a public hearing at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the PUD’s main office, 30 C St. SW, Ephrata. It’s the start of a two-week public comment period on the new rate proposal.

Grant County PUD commissioners planning more study sessions

EPHRATA — Grant County Public Utility District commissioners will cut their business meetings to one per month and add a workshop instead, according to a resolution under consideration by PUD commissioners Tuesday. Commissioner Tom Flint said it’s an attempt to become more efficient. “We’re getting rid of some of the commission meetings, but we’re adding work study sessions,” he said. The longstanding schedule has been business meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday, with a workshop, if needed, on the third Tuesday. If commissioners approve the updated resolution, the first business meeting of the month will be eliminated. The change would go into effect on Jan. 1.

Soap Lake council discusses hiring freeze, legal counsel

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake City Council voted to hire a short-term secondary attorney and to begin a temporary hiring freeze at the Dec. 3 regular council meeting. Both items were added to the agenda during the meeting and passed with 4-1 votes. Council member Judith Gorman voted no on both matters.

Ban on police face coverings pitched ahead of WA’s 2026 legislative session

California in September became the first state to ban law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings, in response to immigration raids where federal agents wore masks. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state over the prohibition last month. Democratic lawmakers here in Washington are now planning similar legislation. Washington’s proposal, spearheaded by Sen. Javier Valdez, D-Seattle, and Rep. Julio Cortes, D-Everett, resembles California’s law. The Trump administration says the California policy jeopardizes the safety of federal officers, including those from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and is unconstitutional because it tries to regulate federal activities.

Rep. Tom Dent outlines his legislative priorities for upcoming session

OLYMPIA — As the 2025 legislative session approaches, Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, has articulated a clear agenda centered on addressing critical aviation taxation issues, supporting wildfire management efforts and improving agricultural labor conditions – issues he believes are vital for the economy of Washington State.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office Jail Roster as of Dec. 8, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Mavs lose in close game against Ferris

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks played in a close matchup against fellow 4A team in the Ferris Saxons but fell 63-64. The two teams fought hard through all four quarters, but ultimately the Mavs would come just short of a victory. “It was a tough game, real close from the start all the way to the finish,” said Mavs Head Coach Craig Groth. “Both teams played well and it just came down to they just made a couple more plays down the stretch than we did.”

Broncos win in competitive game against the Cougars

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars (0-3) fell to the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague/Washtucna Broncos (1-1) 58-45 Saturday. Despite the loss, Head Coach Emily Cox said this game showed how far they’ve come in the last year. “I thought the girls overall did really well,” Cox said. “They came to play, they worked hard and really were trying to clean up and do our fundamentals better. I felt like (in) this game they did better.” The Cougars started strong in the first quarter by taking a 13-9 lead. However, the Broncos responded in the second to go into halftime with a 29-25 lead over Warden. In the second half, the Cougars hung close with LRS but ultimately the game escaped them in the fourth quarter and the Broncos took the win.

Rashid Shaheed returns kickoff 100 yards for TD and Seahawks blow away hapless Falcons 37-9

ATLANTA (AP) — With the game tied after a lackluster first half, Mike Macdonald knew his team needed a spark. The Seattle coach called on newcomer Rashid Shaheed to provide it. Shaheed returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and the Seahawks never looked back, beating the hapless Atlanta Falcons 37-9 on Sunday.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: In appreciation of educators ...

An experience I recently had with a school district, quite honestly, has left me gob-smacked a bit. I am in awe of the teachers and administrators at school districts throughout the region and what they have to deal with. Let me get back to the beginning, though. Journalists often cover a wide variety of topics and are constantly looking for ideas for stories that will matter to readers. As such, when we hear of events of interest, we sometimes ask to attend so we can either cover it, or, as in this case, learn how to cover a topic better.

Weather for the week of Dec. 8

Monday: Mostly cloudy and rain likely, with a high near 53. Mostly cloudy in the evening, with a low of about 42.

Bills begin streaming in ahead of WA’s 2026 legislative session

Washington lawmakers are warming up for a sprint.

Washington state faces two-front challenge to meet future energy demand

(The Center Square) – As Washington state invests in the electrification of its public transportation fleet while preparing for a ban on privately owned new gasoline-powered vehicles in 2035, regional energy stakeholders are addressing the practical issues of having the transmission lines necessary to meet demand.

Adams County Jail remodel to start in spring 2026

RITZVILLE — Remodeling of the Adams County Jail is projected to begin in May 2026, with the project completed by the end of next year. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said the project will put the county closer to reopening the jail. “We’re going to get a safer, more functional facility, updated to a standard we can manage safer and easier,” Wagner said. “It’ll allow for a lot of different things – easier access for the jail staff and inmate safety, (and) ability to allow more space to our dispatch area, which has been a major fire concern for several years. We’re making it a safer and better functioning environment.” Demolition is projected to begin in April. The jail was closed in 2022 following an inmate’s attack on another inmate and a corrections officer that left both severely injured. It’s been closed since. Wagner cautioned that even with the remodeling, additional staffing will be necessary.

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.