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.

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.

WA’s ban on assault weapon sales withstands another round in court

A judge last month once again upheld Washington’s 2023 law banning the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms classified as assault weapons. But the dispute is likely not over. The gun rights advocacy group suing to overturn the ban says it will appeal. And whether restrictions like Washington’s are constitutional may eventually be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Washington’s law doesn’t prohibit owning assault weapons, just their manufacture, importation, distribution or sale. The term “assault weapon” is defined in the law, including with a list of specific firearm models, such as AR-15s.

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.

From overtime thriller to championship stage

The Knights meet Cashmere once again

ROYAL CITY — On Friday, the No. 1 seed Royal Knights (12-0) will travel to Husky Stadium to play the No. 2 seed Cashmere Bulldogs (11-1) in the 1A state championship game. The Knights Head Coach Wiley Allred was not surprised to see the Bulldogs reach the state championship game. “I was hoping there wasn't a team better than them, because that's a pretty tough team right there. We'll meet our match,” Allred said. When these two met in October, it was the Knights pulling off a late comeback to win 21-15 in overtime. Coming into that game, both teams were undefeated. The Knights had only allowed seven points all season, while the Bulldogs had not allowed a score by any team.

Lions’ Ferguson hits 1K points in win over Entiat

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions basketball team earned a statement 75-29 win in their season opener against Entiat. During this victory, Lions senior Johnny Ferguson hit a personal milestone of 1,000 career points. “I didn’t even know that I was going to hit 1,000,” said Johnny. “I was pretty shocked and it was a surreal moment.” The Lions started the game off with a strong offensive front while also preventing their opponent from scoring for the majority of the first quarter, gaining an early 25-7 lead. This continued into the second quarter as the speed and physicality of the Lions’ game plan kept Entiat down to extend the lead to 49-13 by the end of the half.

COLUMN: A moment of gratitude during conflict

At the time of writing, the Moses Lake Education Association is on its third day of striking as they work toward an agreement with the Moses Lake School District. It’s no secret these strikes have led to a ripple effect of outcomes, the most notable that school has not been in session this week as negotiations continue and teachers strike.

The Floral Cottage opens in Ephrata

Local shopkeeper helps celebrate special moments with floral flair

EPHRATA — The Floral Cottage, a new floral design shop owned by Liz Graaff, held its open house Monday, drawing members of the community to celebrate the launch of the store. Located in the heart of Ephrata, the shop provides flower arrangements, plants and locally sourced gifts inspired by Graaff’s passion for floral arrangement. "I absolutely love flowers," Graaff said as she welcomed each guest into her shop with a smile.

Local organizations collect Christmas presents for children

MOSES LAKE — There’s a lot of talk about the true meaning of Christmas, but it’s hard to deny that one of the best parts is seeing children open their new toys.

Legals for December, 4 2025

Ephrata water tower waiting for final tests

EPHRATA — The City of Ephrata is still waiting for the final testing to come back to the water tower. The city had originally hoped the tower would be connected to the water system by Thanksgiving; however, the intensive water testing is taking longer than anticipated.

Mavs pull ahead of Tigers in season opener

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers and Moses Lake Mavericks basketball teams faced off in their first game of the season on the Tigers home court. It was a close competition, but ultimately the Mavs came out on top with a 48-37 victory. “It was a little slow in the beginning, but I think it’s just first game of the season, I think we have really good guys and I’m excited for the season,” said Taggart Rathbun, a junior for the Mavs. The Tigers took control in the first quarter, scoring 13 points and holding the Mavs to only three. Moses Lake quickly turned things around in the second quarter where they scored 17 points to tie up the game at 20-20 at the end of the half.

UW soccer enters elite 8 of NCAA Tournament

STANFORD, Calif. — The University of Washington Huskies soccer team (13-6-2) will continue their postseason bid into the quarterfinals after overcoming Stanford on Sunday. This win marks the eighth time the Huskies have won at least 13 games in a season under Head Coach Jamie Clark.

Noreta Colleen Haney

1938 – 2025

Noreta Colleen Haney of Wasilla, Alaska, passed away November 21, 2025, in the care facility where she resided. Noreta was born March 19, 1938, at Twin Falls, Idaho, to parents John Leroy Hansen and J. Wilda Cameron.

Caligo is ready to come home with you

OTHELLO — Caligo is a very sweet girl who loves to play and has a lot of energy. Fully-grown, she’s a graduate of the Ridge Dog program and is well behaved. She’s medium sized in-person, but has a ginormous heart that will pull you in. Like all of the pets available for adoption at Adams County Pet Rescue – adamscountypetrescue.com - Caligo is spayed/neutered, up-to-date on all of her shots and microchipped. For more information, visit the shelter’s website. The shelter is located at 1961 W Bench Road in Othello. If you are unable to adopt, donations may be made on the shelter’s website and volunteers are appreciated.

Big Sky Now: FCS Playoff preview

The Big Sky Now panel breaks down everything you need to know heading into Round 2 of the FCS Playoffs — starting with the most dramatic moments from Round 1.

Mavs set to bounce back this season

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks girls basketball team is getting back on the court this week and is setting their goals for what they hope to accomplish this season. Mavs Head Coach Matt Strophy said the team is striving to bounce back after a tough end last season. “We had our fair share of struggles. We had a solid league, take a look at Davis high school as the state champions last year and they returned just about everybody,” said Strophy. “I know when it came to win-loss record, it was not what we are used to at Moses Lake High School for girls' basketball, so it was challenging for sure.”

Senior events for December 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — The weather outside may be frightful, but the holiday events this month make the chill in the air a little more bearable. Here are some opportunities to get out and about in December:

Wildcats stay perfect after weekend sweep

ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Wildcats are off to a 6-0 start to their regular season after their sweep last weekend over San Francisco State Gators and University of Mary Marauders. With a new group of players leading this season, Head Coach Randi Richardson said she feels great about where the team is at. “We're learning a lot about ourselves every game we step out onto the floor as it truly is a really new group playing with each other,” Richardson said. “We're trying to find that camaraderie out on the floor and that unity at times, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but we are finding ways to win and compete in the moment and get the job done.”