Gratitude marks Ephrata 2023 graduation

EPHRATA — One of the things Ephrata High School graduating senior Kacie Shannon said she came to realize in high school is that no one is solely responsible for their own success. “In every case, there was some type of support system in place, whether it be a friend, a family member, a teacher or a mentor. In some cases, success was derived directly from a bit of friendly competition,” Shannon said during her speech at the Ephrata High School class of 2023 graduation ceremony on June 2.

Hard work pays off for 2023 Jacks

QUINCY — Brand-new Quincy High School graduate Xavier Tagle said there was a lesson in the ceremony on June 10. “All those years, all that work, and it pays off,” he said. “It feels great (to graduate). I can’t wait for the future.” Tagle said his goal is to work in the tech field, starting with a couple of years at a community college. Mya Nguyen echoed Tagle’s sentiments about the pleasure of seeing work pay off. “I’m very grateful,” she said. “It’s very rewarding for all the hard work I’ve put in,” she said, adding that she plans to become a nurse.

Warden grads focus on kindness, hard work

WARDEN — Work hard and be kind. Those are what Warden High School class of 2023 valedictorian Quinn Erdmann said are the most important things she learned during her four years of high school. “We learned to work hard, dream big, make mistakes and be kind,” Erdmann told her fellow graduates. “We persevered and worked together to get here today. With help from our teachers and staff members, this has prepared us for life outside of high school.” While everyone is going to have to work hard to realize their dreams and achieve their goals, being kind is by far the most crucial thing Erdmann said she learned in high school.

Lending a paw

Builder rallies community to upgrade animal shelter

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Animal Outreach recently got some much-needed upgrades. Moses Lake developer CAD Homes teamed up with several other businesses this spring to build new kennels at the county animal shelter, along with some other much-needed improvements.

Airshow roaring over town on Father’s Day Weekend

MOSES LAKE — This year’s Moses Lake Airshow is going to be a little louder than the previous three airshows. Largely because the number of jet acts, everything from the most modern warplanes in U.S. inventory to one of the oldest combat jets flying is scheduled to show off and grace the skies of this year’s Moses Lake Airshow, which is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 18-19, at the Grant County International Airport...

Sage-N-Sun '23

Not much sunshine but a lot of fun at Ephrata festival

EPHRATA — With an overcast sky and temperatures in the mid-60s, there wasn’t much sun on Saturday for Ephrata’s annual Sage-N-Sun festival. But that didn’t bother participants or spectators one bit. “It’s a good day today. It’s a wonderful day,” said James Burton, a long-time Ephrata resident who rode a little electric scooter alongside this year’s parade down Basin Street. “It’s nice to have Sage n’ Sun with nice weather.” ...

Memories, pride at MLHS PALS graduation

MOSES LAKE — Six students in the PALS club (the Life Skills class) at Moses Lake High School were recognized for their accomplishments with a special graduation ceremony June 7. “Amazing students,” said Life Skills instructor Cristina Dinges.

Getting 'Rad'

Moses Lake BMX kicks off summer racing

MOSES LAKE – Riders of all ages took to the Larson BMX Track on Friday night to kick off Moses Lake BMX’s Summer Series, moving the weekly Local Single Point Races to Friday evenings. “Here in Moses Lake we run what’s called total points, which means all the riders get a score regardless of their place,” Assistant Track Operator Russell Beck said. “First place gets the most points, second place gets a little less and so forth. Those points are totaled by their placing. It’s like an accumulative point total.” ...

Warden school board mulling student reps

WARDEN — The Warden School Board is considering adding two student members to the district’s governing body this fall. “The board of directors really recognizes the value of student representation and student input as we’re conducting daily business on behalf of the school district,” Superintendent Scott West said during a first read of a proposed policy...

Added options

George development eases the housing strain a little

GEORGE — The new housing in George is almost finished. “We had a 27-lot subdivision,” said Drew Scott, owner of CAD Homes LLC, which is building the houses. “We started last year and it's all sold out now. It went quick.” ...

Events calendar for June 13-18

COLUMBIA BASIN – There’s plenty to do in Grant and Adams counties over the next week. Take a look:

Potato market looking strong

DENVER — The value of grocery store potato sales rose 16% during the first three months of 2023 as the total volume of sales fell by 4.4%, according to a press release from PotatoesUSA, the national marketing board representing U.S. potato growers...

Ephrata to spend $135K for emergency well repairs

EPHRATA — The city of Ephrata is going to spend around $135,000 on emergency repairs to one of its wells. According to Interim City Administrator Kurt Adkinson, the city needs to do emergency repairs work on Well 9, which serves the southwest portion of the city and provides some water to the reservoirs that ensure adequate water pressure in Ephrata...

White Trail roundabout may open next week

QUINCY — The new roundabout at White Trail Road and State Route 28 could be ready for traffic by next week and possibly by tomorrow, although that’s less likely. “Looks like we could see the intersection open by early next week, with a couple of days of flagging to add permanent striping after the materials have set,” wrote Lauren Loebsack, communications manager for the North Central region of the Washington Department of Transportation, in answer to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald...

Bill to protect gas stoves introduced in Congress

OLYMPIA — A bill introduced Monday would protect gas stoves from proposed federal limitations, according to an announcement from Rep. Dan Newhouse, R – Washington. In February, the U.S. Department of Energy proposed an “energy efficiency standard” for gas cooking products. This would be the first energy performance standard imposed on residential cooktops, the announcement said...

‘Desert Sun’

Moses Lake Museum exhibit reflects artist’s love of light

MOSES LAKE — Here in the Basin, we know we have a lot of sunshine, and we generally like it that way. But sometimes it takes a relative newcomer to give us a fresh appreciation. “I've lived here three years now, and I love all the sunny days,” said artist Fran Church, whose exhibit “Desert Sun” is currently showing in the Ramon Cerna Community Gallery at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center. “I thought the desert sun would be a good theme for the show since I've been doing sunbursts for a while.” ...

News Bites for June 7, 2023

EPHRATA — Some special kids will get a chance to wear the chief’s hat Thursday...

Shooting suspect sought in Adams Co.

RITZVILLE — Adams County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect in a drive-by shooting, according to a statement from the ACSO...

New Viking in town

Hopkins looks to bring an “exciting” playstyle to Viking MBB

MOSES LAKE – New Big Bend Head Coach Jason Hopkins comes to Moses Lake looking to bring excitement back to the Vikings on the basketball court. “I was really attracted to the history and tradition of the program,” Hopkins said. “I’m from Washington, from Edmonds, and I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of coming back home and coaching, being a head coach in the state.” Hopkins brings a myriad of experience to Big Bend, including; being a junior college assistant, an assistant coach at Idaho State, a head high school coach in Hawaii and a club coach in Seattle, as well as a playing career collegiately at Lipscomb and professionally in Mexico and China. The new Big Bend head coach said his playing and coaching careers have helped him identify which types of players can help a program.

Fish & Wildlife encourages hunter education before fall busy season

OLYMPIA — The fall hunting season may seem a long way off, but it’s still time to think about mandatory hunter education classes before it begins, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife...