New Mattawa business to start construction this fall

MATTAWA — A new convenience store is scheduled to open in spring 2026 at the west side of the intersection of Government Road and State Route 243 in Mattawa. Owner Hardeep Singh and Port of Mattawa officials recognized the start of the project with a groundbreaking July 30.

Adams County Jail remodel could begin early next year

RITZVILLE — Remodeling of the Adams County Jail could begin in spring 2026. Adams County Commissioners authorized county officials to go ahead with a draft design for the project within the existing budget Tuesday. Todd O’Brien, county public works director, said the goal is to determine what can be done with the money and square footage available.

Allison Stanley ready to be a Knight

MOSES LAKE – For Allison Stanley, sports have been a part of her life ever since she could walk, she said. She played every sport one could think of. Even dirt bike racing, but she wound up falling in love with softball, she said. “It was just the competitiveness, and you had to fight for everything. It wasn't just handed to you. You had to win every at-bat, and just that competitive edge that I always got from softball and how I'm always chasing to be better,” Stanley said.

Jacks softball alum, Morris, moving forward

QUINCY – This fall, former Jacks softball player Emilee Morris will be attending Saint Martin University to play for the Saints. Her journey to Lacey, Washington, was not a linear path. After walking away from Lamar Community College, she was content never playing again, she said. “It was just like a whole wave of just anger where I just like, I threw away all my cleats, I threw away a bunch of stuff, and I was kind of just like, I'm okay with never playing again,” Morris said.

Knights’ Brown eager to hit the pitch for the Huskies

ROYAL CITY – On May 28, Knights soccer player, Anderson Brown, announced his commitment to play for the University of Washington’s soccer program. According to Brown, he is glad to finally put this decision behind him. “It was a long decision, but (I feel) little sense of relief, but also some hunger, too, to get ready to be at the division one level,” Brown said.

Miguel Andujar hits 2 HRs to help Athletics beat Mariners 5-4

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Miguel Andujar hit two home runs, Jeffrey Springs pitched six solid innings and the Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Wednesday night. Brent Rooker and Darell Hernaiz also homered for the A's, who have won six of their last seven games.

Othello searching for new softball head coach

OTHELLO — The Othello High School softball team is looking for a new head coach for the 2025/26 season. The new athletic director, Carlos Gonzalez, will be looking into candidates in the coming weeks. “I know that (former head coach) Rudy Ochoa built an amazing program here that lasted more than 20 years,” said Gonzalez. “Those are very big shoes to fill and when you think of the legacy that he left behind, but also the players that have come through the program that could help potentially continue to carry our tradition of being a competitive team in our state, we’re going to explore every option to find and encourage the most qualified people to apply to this position.” Candidates for the position are open to include other coaches and administration within the school district alongside people in the community who might be qualified to coach. He said that the district is going to take as much time as necessary to fill the position.

Crime declining, drugs climbing locally, statewide

OLYMPIA — In the 2024 Crime in Washington report published by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, released Monday, a noticeable decline in crime rates across various categories was reported. Various police chiefs and Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said trends found within the report were mostly reflected locally.

Othello pool bond headed to Nov. ballot

OTHELLO — Othello residents will be asked to approve or reject a $3.55 million construction bond to make repairs and upgrades to the Othello Community Pool. The bond will be on the ballot in the Nov. 4 general election. The unanimous decision from the Othello City Council came after a lengthy discussion of the options. “I don’t think this is a very easy decision,” said Chris Dorow, the chair of a committee tasked with looking at the options.

Victor Gilliland

1934 — 2025

Vic Gilliland, long-time professor of the biological sciences and known as Big Bend marathon runner and national cyclist, passed away June 28, 2025, after battling a long-term illness with courage, integrity, and perseverance. He was 90.

Moses Lake Police Department logs for July 28, 2025

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Police Department provided the incident details noted below. Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

ROAD REPORT: I-90, SR 282 projects under way

MOSES LAKE — It being the height of summer – long sunny days, long warm evenings, the swimming pool, barbecues – it's also the height of construction season. Drivers going to and from Ephrata and traveling certain sections of Interstate 90 through Grant County already know about the delays.

Sixers 16U improves record over the weekend

MOSES LAKE – The Central Washington Sixers had a busy weekend playing on the road against teams from all around Washington and Idaho. They played five games and won three to put their record at 27-7-1 as the end of the season nears. “Our current 16U team is going to move up and start playing at the 18U level,” said Trey Evans, the Sixers' 16U coach. “A lot of our guys are playing varsity baseball, and we want to keep them at the same level that they’re seeing in the high school season.”

Irrigation canal critical to Yakima Valley is at risk of failure after wildfire damage

A 115-year-old canal in the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District that was severely damaged during the Rimrock Retreat Fire last year is now at imminent risk of failure. Fixing the 12-mile waterway will cost an estimated $229 million and involve work spread over more than a decade. But if the canal suddenly goes out of service, officials say it could cause up to $3 billion in losses over three years for 35,000 acres of farms and 28,000 acres of orchards in the Yakima Valley that are part of the irrigation district. Surrounding communities also rely on the canal to deliver water to fire hydrants and other municipal fire suppression systems.

Ephrata Library set for major renovations next spring

EPHRATA — The Ephrata Public Library is gearing up for significant renovations aimed at modernizing the facility and enhancing services for its patrons this upcoming spring. “This comprehensive project is an extension of our ongoing branding efforts, and it will be a significant upgrade that brings our spaces up to date,” Supervising Librarian Aaron Loeffelbein said.

Chester Dorsey

Aug. 29, 1938 — July 14, 2025

On July 14, 2025, at the age of 86, Rev. Dr. Chester Ray Dorsey was welcomed into the arms of the Lord as a good and faithful servant. Chet was born to Chester Gilbert and Nile Fern Dorsey on Aug. 29, 1938, in Garnett, Kansas, and was the oldest of four children: two brothers Ralph and Charles and one sister, Linda. Chet grew up in St. Louis and at a young age, he felt the calling of the Lord to pursue a life in ministry and sharing God’s word. He followed this call wholeheartedly, graduating from Sterling College in 1961, graduating from Dubuque Seminary in 1965 and graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary with a doctorate degree in Theology and Ministry in 1983. While attending Sterling College, he met and began courting Barbara and they married in St. Louis on Oct. 2, 1965. In March of 1969 they welcomed a son, David, and in February of 1973 they welcomed their daughter Kristen, who was chosen to join the family through adoption.

SR 17-Cunningham Road roundabout scheduled for 2026

OTHELLO — A long-delayed roundabout will be coming to State Route 17 and Cunningham Road in spring 2026.

Legion A Warriors playoff run ends in Medical Lake

COULEE CITY – The ACH Legion A Warriors ended their season July 20 after a competitive 8-13 loss against the Medical Lake Dirt Dawgs. Despite the loss, head coach Hunter Lee was happy for his players to get the experience of playoff baseball. “It was a great experience for our guys to be able to play in a playoff type format, and in a bunch of games and not a lot of days, lots of guys got to pitch, played a ton of baseball and close games for all of them. It was a great experience for us,” he said.

OTHELLO CITY COUNCIL POS. 1: Kelli Camp

OTHELLO — Kelli Camp said she thinks the Othello City Council may need a different approach, and that led her to run for an open position. “There has not been much, if any, turnover on the city council in a decade, as far as the seats that were open. I really felt like that was somewhere I could potentially bring fresh eyes and new ideas,” she said.

OTHELLO CITY COUNCIL POS. 1: Genna Dorow

OTHELLO — Genna Dorow said she’s running for a new term on the Othello City Council because she wants to see Othello grow in a way that doesn’t cause problems in the future, and thinks she has the skills to help do that. “I care about the future of Othello,” Dorow said. “As our city continues to grow, I want to make sure we do the right things the right way, with strong infrastructure, affordable housing, smart sustainable planning (and other things). I have a passion for service (for) the city, and there are reasons for that, because of my background. I bring a unique combination of know-how to lead Othello forward. I want to do my best for the people of Othello, and I want Othello to be its best.”