BBCC to present Drum Fest on Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College will get rhythm this Saturday when the Drum Fest takes over the Wallenstien theater. “It will be a workshop-slash-mega drum line,” said John Owen, associate professor of music at BBCC.

WIAA votes against trans athlete policy changes

RENTON – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association completed a vote on several different amendments, including two regarding transgender athletes. Both proposed amendments for trans athletes failed during the vote.

Three bills for rural communities pass the legislature, signed by governor

OLYMPIA — Gov. Bob Ferguson signed 35 bills into law Monday including three pieces of legislation sponsored by Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake. Dent’s bills include topics such as large animal veterinarian care, the pesticide task force and allowing small regional airports to use real estate excise tax funds. “I feel good about what I’ve been able to accomplish,” Dent said. “I’ve been able to do some things that are in my area of expertise, in my wheelhouse, so to speak, and move those bills through the legislature.” Dent said despite three bills being signed into law there are still a handful he is fighting for during the final week of the 2025 legislative session.

BASIN BASEBALL ROUNDUP: April 23, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Another week of basin baseball has concluded. Here is the roundup of games and current records from the last week of play.

Legals for April, 23 2025

Huskies women's tennis victorious in final regular season match

SEATTLE — The No. 18 University of Washington women's tennis team (19-3) closed out the regular season in style Sunday afternoon, sweeping No. 32 Iowa 4-0, according to a statement from University of Washington Athletics.

Quincy continues to consider downtown big rig restrictions

QUINCY — Semi-trucks, where they should and shouldn’t be on the streets of Quincy, is a subject of longstanding discussion, which continued during a public hearing April 15 on a proposed ordinance to change designated truck routes.

18-year-old arrested after clocking 100 mph

MOSES LAKE – Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 18-year-old Marco Martinez-Valencia of Moses Lake at around 1:15 a.m. Sunday.

Legals for April, 22 2025

MLSD reads three policies, no votes occurred

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District School Board did first reads on three proposed policies at the April 18 board meeting. No decisions were made on any policy updates.

BASIN TENNIS ROUNDUP: April 21, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN – Another week of tennis is complete, and the competition is getting fierce. See below how everything is shaking out.

Gary Craig

Gary Gene Craig, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, passed away at home on April 15, 2025, at the age of 77 with his wife Athene and daughters Katie and Bethany at his side.

Donald Ervin Voss

1938 – 2025

Donald Ervin Voss, 87, passed away March 26, 2025. He was born on September 5, 1938, in Lisbon, North Dakota to Evelyn Ufer and Ernest Voss.

Growing market

Master Gardener plant sale to offer veggies, flowers and solid advice

MOSES LAKE — If you haven’t put out your garden yet, it’s not too late. The WSU Grant-Adams Master Gardeners will hold their annual plant sale May 3 at McCosh Park. “We’ll have lots of different kinds of vegetables,” said Master Gardener Diane Escure. “I think we’ve got maybe 12 different kinds of heirloom tomatoes. We have herbs, we have flowering plants, geraniums, sweet potato vines.”

Basin events for April 18-26

COLUMBIA BASIN — Live music, arts and crafts and plant sales await this week in the Columbia Basin. Here are a few things to check out:

BBCC Job Fair connects people, employers

MOSES LAKE — Thursday’s may have been the biggest job fair Big Bend Community College has held. “About 700 job seekers came through here today, maybe more,” organizer Michelle Arceo said about halfway through the four-hour event.

Eagles finish top ten in Big Sky Championship

LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ – Eastern Washington’s womens golf finished ninth in the Big Sky Championships on Wednesday, shooting 911 overall, according to a statement by Eastern Washington University Athletics. "This week's finish was not the outcome we were hoping for after a strong finish last week," head coach Brenda Howe explained. "Day one had some good scores from our one, two and three seeded players, with the four and five struggling. Day two and three, the four and five seeded players [Brooke Mahler and Spencer Cerenzia] stepped up and did their job playing in those positions. Unfortunately, we struggled in the one-through-three spots the last two days."

Ephrata parks ready to welcome residents, visitors

EPHRATA - Anyone just driving through Ephrata on Basin Street may miss some of the parks and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors that the city offers. From hiking on Beezley Hill to picnics at Patrick Park to shooting hoops at Lions Park or working on your kick flip at the city’s skate park, there’s a bit of something for everyone.

BASIN SOCCER ROUNDUP: April 18, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN – As the final weeks of boys soccer creep up, here is how the last week of competition unfolded. See below for the current lay of the land.

‘The budget blackout continues’: WA GOP frustrated by Dems’ tax hike proposals

(The Center Square) – With just 10 days remaining in session, majority party Democrats in the Washington State Legislature have yet to reveal their final budget proposals. Meanwhile, Republicans remain largely powerless to stop an onslaught of tax hikes as part of Democrats’ revenue plan to deal with a projected operating budget shortfall of $16 billion over the next four years.