Catch the buzz

Othello class geared to beginning beekeepers

OTHELLO — Some people grow vegetables in their backyard. Some keep chickens and collect the eggs. A class tomorrow in Othello will help folks discover another thing they can grow in their yards: honey. “We've had some interest in the last year or so from people that … would like to have some information on how to get a small apiary going in their backyard,” said Kena Sohler, owner of Tri-Cities-area apiary BeeBlesst. Sohler will teach a basic class on beekeeping Saturday morning at Ironworks Cafe and Market in Othello.

S(up)porting youth

Annual YOU auction will raise money to take disabled children hunting and fishing

MOSES LAKE — Basin folks will have a chance to help make some youngsters’ dreams come true tomorrow. The 14th annual Youth Outdoors Unlimited fundraiser auction will raise money to take Basin youth who are dealing with disabilities or life-threatening illnesses on guided hunting and fishing trips. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. at the Best Western Lake Front Hotel in Moses Lake Saturday.

Lions, Warriors, Knights to play state tournament games Friday

SPOKANE — Three local teams will be playing Friday in the Class 1A and Class 1B basketball tournaments.

COLUMBIA BASIN EVENTS for March 7, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Spring is finally here and there’s plenty to do. Live music, crafts, classes and more. Here are a few options:

Law enforcement logs for March 7, 2025

The reports below were provided by the sheriff’s office or police department indicated. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Business Expo showcases an expanding community

MOSES LAKE — The signs of construction were everywhere at Tuesday’s Business Expo: fluorescent vests, orange shirts, barrier tape and even a traffic cone wandering around the show.

Legals for March, 7 2025

Frank Thompson

1936 – 2025

Franklin Dean Thompson, 88, of Wenatchee, went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on February 6, 2025, at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.

BASIN GIRLS HOOPS SUMMARY

ACH girls end basketball season with loss in state second round

COULEE CITY — The Almira-Coulee/Hartline girls basketball team finished the 2024-25 season with a 58-45 loss to Sunnyside Christian in the second round of the Class 1B state basketball tournament. With the loss ACH just missed a trip to the Spokane Arena.

Van donated to Boys and Girls Clubs

MOSES LAKE — The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin received some new wheels last week, thanks to Group14 and the Moses Lake Elks Lodge. “I swear, it was like the stars aligned,” said Kim Pope, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club.

Sade puppy dog eyes

MOSES LAKE – Sade is a Siberian Husky-slash-retriever-slash-labrador-adorable mix with a red coat and happy eyes that sometimes make you think she’d like a bit of your sammich. Probably because she’d dearly love a bite of your sammich. At just a touch over two years old, she’s a medium dog that made it to the shelter on Jan. 20. She’s had all of her vaccinations and won’t be having any puppies. She will however lay on the puppy dog eyes pretty heavily for a taste of that afore-mentioned sammich. Sade is currently housed at the big dog run at Grant County Animal Outreach and is available for adoption. For those not able to adopt, hit the “donate” button at grantcountyanimaloutreach.org to support the work at GCAO. The shelter may be reached at 509-762-9616 or by email at [email protected].

Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry relocating

Volunteers and trucks needed for moving process

SOAP LAKE — The Rock Bottom Rocker Pet Pantry is officially moving to its new location – a five-acre “raw” plot of land located in rural Soap Lake a couple of miles away from the current location. However, Shawna Kluge, who starts and runs the shelter, said she needs communities worth of help to accomplish the goal. “Right now, we’re focusing on the move which is the 15 dogs on site and then other gear and equipment,” Kluge said. “While we are doing that, I still have to make sure that all the daily operations are kept up with. There is a lot of (stuff) to do. I am overwhelmed and definitely need help.” The new location does not have access to electricity or running water. “The PUD was asking for $110,000 to be split between three properties to bring it to the road, but we are still another mile from the road,” Kluge said. “We don’t have $37,000 and change to do that, so we are going solar.”

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Help us keep perspective...

Regardless of how someone feels about Donald Trump, there are going to be things that happen over the next four years that are going to make you feel one way or another about a controversial something-or-other.

LETTER: H-2A highly regulated, overseen

Dear Editor, I write to correct the misleading claims made by Edgar Franks in the recent article regarding the Washington overtime law and the H-2A program (“WA Ag overtime bill in full effect, despite calls for change,” Feb. 19). Contrary to Franks' assertion that H-2A workers provide a "cheaper" labor alternative, the reality is quite the opposite. The H-2A program is an expensive, highly regulated system that growers turn to only when they cannot find enough local workers willing to take agricultural jobs.

Legals for March, 6 2025

Betty Wallschlaeger looks back on a century

EPHRATA — Betty Wallschlaeger got an early start. “I was a six-month baby, and I fit in the palm of (my mother’s) hand,” she said. “They didn't know how much I weighed, because they didn't want to handle me too much. But I was in an incubator for eight weeks.”

Senior Events for March 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — The weather is getting nicer and there’s no shortage of things for seniors to do in the Basin. Here are a few ideas:

Knights advance to state 1A quarterfinals

ELLENSBURG — The Royal High School boys basketball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the WIAA Class 1A state tournament with a 65-47 win over Meridian (Bellingham) Feb. 28 at Ellensburg High School. Royal Coach Greg Jenks credited the Knights defense and rebounding.

Area districts respond to OSPI immigration guidelines

OLYMPIA —The Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction released guidelines in January outlining practices it said are to ensure the protection of immigrant students' rights in K-12 public schools. The OSPI report comes after President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14148 rescinded a policy that limited Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s ability to operate in schools, hospitals and places of worship.

WA lawmakers consider extending unemployment to striking workers

OLYMPIA - Washington lawmakers are revisiting a bill that would extend unemployment insurance to workers on strike. The bill was reintroduced this year by Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, reviving debate among labor advocates and business associations. “Without a social safety net during a strike, workers are faced with tremendous pressures to end the strike quickly or never go on strike in the first place,” Riccelli said in public testimony. “I think this levels the playing field.”