New name, new owners, same family

Third generation of Harrisons to run jewelry store in Ephrata

EPHRATA - The jewelry store voted Best of the Basin for 2022 and 2023 is back, but it might look a little different. Located in the same spot in Ephrata, 4 Basin St NW, Harrison’s Jewelry Co. will have the same great service, quality jewelry and even jeweler as Harrison’s Diamonds and Designs, just under a new name and new ownership.

A good start: First-ever Othello Cinco de Mayo brings together community despite weather

OTHELLO – Othello’s first-ever Cinco de Mayo celebration took place all day Saturday in Lions Park, bringing community members together to celebrate the holiday’s cultural heritage with a range of activities and events.

Grant Co. generating interest as solar farm location

EPHRATA — With solar power touted as an important part of meeting future energy needs, Grant County is getting increasing interest from companies proposing to build solar generating facilities. Grant County Deputy Development Director Jim Anderson-Cook said that currently county officials are working on eight proposed projects. All of them are between Royal City and Coulee City, most in the Quincy-Ephrata area. “We are getting a lot of attention,” Anderson-Cook said. “The Columbia Plateau in general is getting a lot of attention.”

Stamp Out Hunger coming Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Mail carriers will be picking up more than the mail this Saturday, as part of the U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

Wade Allen Pugh

Wade Allen Pugh passed away March 4, 2024. A memorial service will be held June 8, 2024, at 1 p.m. at 8960 Broad Street NE, Moses Lake, Wash. All who knew and loved Wade are welcome to join us and share their memories.

Carp Classic coming May 18

Annual tournament looks to put a dent in nuisance fish population

MOSES LAKE — Bowfishers in the Basin will get a chance to show their skills and help clean up the lake at the Moses Lake Carp Classic Saturday morning. This is the fifth year the tournament has been held at Moses Lake, organizer Ty Swartout said. The purpose is both to remove an invasive species from the water and to educate the public about the damage carp do in the lake by furthering the spread of blue-green algae, he said. Blue-green algae can be dangerous to humans, and parts of the lake are periodically closed to swimming and boating because of it.

Lack of firefighting resources sparks potential building moratorium near Spokane

(The Center Square) – When a building moratorium that prevented development in Latah Valley ended last year, real estate sprung up while firefighting resources idled; now Spokane is considering its return.

Othello council approves new summer youth recreation program

OTHELLO – The Othello City Council unanimously approved Monday the Parks and Recreation Department to implement a three-week summer youth recreation program in June and July for children ages four to 12 with a fee of $45 per child.

Confluence physician wins state award

WENATCHEE — Confluence Health pediatrician Doug Eisert was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Leah Layne Memorial Health Leadership award from the Washington Rural Health Association.

Prayer space: Moses Lake’s first mosque moves into renovated church building

MOSES LAKE — The former church building at Third Avenue and Elm Street is once again a house of worship, as the Moses Lake Islamic Center. “In central Washington state there (were) only three mosques, in Yakima, Tri-Cities and Spokane,” said Abdelnasir Elmalik, one of the regular congregants at the Islamic Center. “But now we have two (more), in Wenatchee and Moses Lake.”

Mattawa working to upgrade, restart Well 2, implement park improvements

MATTAWA – Mattawa Public Works Director Juan Ledezma and Gray & Osborne Civil Engineer Jamin Ankney provided an update to the Mattawa City Council on ongoing Well 2 re-equipping design and construction and park improvements at Hund Memorial Park during Thursday’s regular meeting.

WA economy slowing but in relatively good condition, state economists say

ELLENSBURG — Washington’s economy, its job market and unemployment were topics of discussion at the annual Economic Outlook Conference Monday at Central Washington University. Dave Reich, executive director of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council, said the state is still dealing with the aftereffects of 2020.

WA ranchers bearing brunt of grizzlies returning to North Cascades

(The Center Square) - After years of discussion and public meetings, the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have signed a final agreement to bring grizzly bears back to the North Cascades Mountain range. The plan calls for a “founder population” of 25 bears over the next five to 10 years, releasing the animals in remote parts of the forest.

Cybersecurity education varies widely in U.S.

PULLMAN -- Cybersecurity programs vary dramatically across the country, a review has found. The authors argue that program leaders should work with professional societies to make sure graduates are well trained to meet industry needs in a fast-changing field.

Legals for May, 6 2024

UPDATED: MLPD officer, suspect injured in Motel 6 shooting

MOSES LAKE – Zachary Allen Stockton, 37 of Moses Lake was arrested after an officer involved shooting at the Motel 6 at 2822 W. Driggs Drive in Moses Lake Saturday at about 8:20 p.m.

Moses Lake Farmers Market kicks off Saturday

MOSES LAKE – Beginning on opening day Saturday, the Moses Lake Farmers Market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in McCosh Park, behind the Surf ‘n Slide Water Park, with local craft, produce and food vendors selling their goods. Moses Lake Farmers Market Board President Rachel Naff discussed the basics of the market.

Filling a need: New homes coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Last year, looking for a new home in Moses Lake was like a bad dream. The home construction industry was in a slump, and people who needed a place to live were out of luck. Add to that a spate of manufacturers setting up operations in town, and the crunch became even greater.

Chip sealing underway near Othello, Royal City next

ROYAL CITY — Road crews will start chip-sealing on a 30-mile section of State Route 26 in the Royal City area beginning in mid-May. Crews are scheduled to finish chip-sealing on a section of SR 26 near Othello later this week. Additional chip seal work is scheduled for US Highway 97 between Tonasket and Oroville in Okanogan County, according to a press release from the Washington Department of Transportation.

Columbia Basin farmers hopeful irrigation program will stretch water resources

(The Center Square) – Farmers in the central and eastern portions of Washington state are hoping recent developments related to the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program will mean the eventual completion of canal systems to supply water from the Grand Coulee Dam. In the meantime, farmers have been relying on deep wells they've been given permission to drill as a temporary measure.