Othello Food Bank doing well, finances stabilized

OTHELLO – Othello Food Bank Board Chair Adam Janes, pastor of Othello Christian Church, spoke to the Othello City Council during Monday’s regular meeting to provide an update on the organization and its financial status heading into 2024.

Officials stress importance of independent green energy during Moses Lake visit

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake has what it takes to be the hub of the Northwest’s clean energy technology, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, said at a press conference Thursday. “I think there's going to be a corridor, from Moses Lake all the way over to Coeur d’Alene,” Cantwell said. “That's what I think is gonna happen. And this corridor is also going to connect from Moses Lake to the Tri-Cities. What you're seeing is, in this whole area, guess what we have? We have ... a manufacturing workforce, we have a lot of land, we have cheap hydro and we have people who really understand energy technology.” Cantwell was speaking at Group14’s BAM-2 facility in Moses Lake, which is under construction and expected to be the largest advanced silicon battery material factory in the world when it opens later this year, according to company-supplied materials. Group14 manufactures silicon battery materials that can increase the storage capacity of lithium-ion batteries like those found in both electric vehicles and smartphones, replacing less-efficient graphite, which must be imported from China.

Economic Revenue and Forecast Council provides updated state forecast

OLYMPIA — Dave Reich, executive director of the Washington Economic Revenue and Forecast Council, provided an updated economic forecast for the state during the council’s regular Feb. 14 revenue review meeting in Olympia. “I think that's probably the main message, is it's not a recession,” Reich said. “That's not part of our base case, but just a slowly growing economy.” Reich elaborated on what it means to forecast a slow-growth economy. “Nationally that means slow employment growth, it means inflation will continue to trend down slowly from where it is now and it means GDP, or economic growth, will just be slower, sort of in the 1%-2% range,” Reich said. “For Washington, we are also expecting the same to happen here, slower employment growth, but also not a huge spike in unemployment, just fewer job ads pretty much. We also expect, of course, inflation will fall here.”

New crosswalk with lights is first 2024 road project in Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — A crosswalk with flashing lights to make it a little easier to cross Daisy Street South in Soap Lake will be installed sometime this spring. Soap Lake City Council members approved a contract for about $282,620 with Ascent Foundation, Cle Elum, during the regular meeting Feb.21. Michael Woodkey of Gray and Osborne, the city’s engineers, said the city received an additional grant for about $51,200 after bids were opened to pay costs that were higher than projected. Flashing lights will be installed at the crossing, to be activated when pedestrians want to cross the street. State Route 17 is Daisy Street South where it runs through Soap Lake. Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox said the setup would be similar to crossing lights that already exist at the Grant County Courthouse and Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata.

Soap Lake ends season with 78-71 state tournament loss

MOSES LAKE — The season ended for the Soap Lake boys basketball team with a 78-71 loss to Summit Classical Christian Academy in the first round of the state playoffs Friday at Moses Lake High School. Soap Lake and Summit were tied at the end of the first quarter and Soap Lake stayed close throughout the game, but Soap Lake Coach Daniel Simon said one factor made the difference. “They just shot the lights out tonight,” he said. “Sometimes it’s just out of your control. It’s part of the game of basketball.” The Archers took a quick 4-0 lead, but Soap Lake came back, hitting two three-point shots to cut the lead to 10-9. The Eagles took the lead with about three minutes to play, but Summit hit a three-pointer with three seconds left in the quarter to take the lead. A foul called right before the first-quarter buzzer allowed Soap Lake to tie the game at 19.

Fostered passion: Scholarship remembers woman committed to foster children and adoptive families

MOSES LAKE — Patty Honsowetz liked children, all children, and thought all of them deserved a chance. When her husband Rick and their children decided they wanted to do something in her honor, they thought about that. “I started talking to my kids about ways that we could, yes, honor her legacy, but also benefit something she was passionate about,” Rick Honsowetz said. “Which was children, specifically foster children and children from the foster system that had been adopted.”

STEM focused

Warden CWU fellows fostering science, technology, engineering and math program, events

WARDEN – Warden School District will soon host events designed to develop the district’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program. Central Washington University student teachers will be visiting Warden classrooms Feb. 29 and Warden High School will be hosting a Post-Secondary STEM Day on March 14.

Cougar comeback bid falls short

Warden falls to Brewster in 68-63 loss in Richland

RICHLAND – Despite coming back from a 17-point second-half deficit, the No. 2 seed Warden Cougars were unable to take over the No. 7 Brewster lead in Friday’s 2B Girls State Basketball Tournament regional matchup, falling to the Bears 68-63. “I thought we had a good week of practice, thought we had a good plan,” Warden Head Coach Josh Madsen said. “Ultimately, we didn’t execute it at times as well as I thought we could have. (Brewster) hit some big shots, and we just didn’t respond.”

STUDIO BASIN: Clean energy, levies and Lions b-ball with Emerson Ferguson

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake and its burgeoning battery manufacturing sector were cited as the future of energy in a visit by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Gov. Jay Inslee in a visit to town Thursday. A discussion of their visit is part of the Studio Basin podcast.

Murray visits WA to discuss lack of childcare

SNOQUALMIE – U.S. Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, visited the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Child Development Center Thursday to tour their facilities and discuss the childcare crisis Tribal and rural communities are facing, according an announcement from Murray’s office.

Quincy High School theater group to present ‘The Addams Family’

QUINCY — The curtain rises on a tale of love and its challenges, acceptance and an, um, unusual family March 1. The Quincy High School production of “The Addams Family” runs for two weekends at the QHS Performing Arts Center, 403 Jackrabbit St. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. March 1 and 8, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 2 and 9, and 6:30 p.m. March 7. Tickets will be available at the door, at the QHS office before and after school, or online. Director and QHS Theater advisor Haliey Weber said the 2023-24 drama club season is the year for something different, and the “Addams Family” fits the bill. “It’s a very different tone, different genre than we’ve done. It’s very comedic – it’s really funny,” Weber said.

Legals for February, 23 2024

EPA announces $113M for WA water infrastructure

SEATTLE – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday more than $113 million in federal funding for Washington drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades.

‘Center of the universe’

Officials laud Grant County, Moses Lake EV innovation

MOSES LAKE — Grant County is the tip of the spear when it comes to clean energy, US. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said at a Moses Lake round table Thursday. “Moses Lake, you guys are like the center of the universe,” Granholm said. “What is happening here? It is amazing.”

Youth Outdoors Unlimited to hold auction, award trophies

MOSES LAKE — Youth Outdoors Unlimited will hold its annual banquet and auction March 2 at the Best Western Plus Lake Front Hotel, 3000 W. Marina Drive in Moses Lake. Besides the dinner and live auction, attendees will have an opportunity to hear from the hunters and anglers who benefited from YOU last year. Youth Outdoors Unlimited, started in 2011 by Joe and Cindy Carpenter of Moses Lake, enables youth with disabilities or life-threatening illnesses to have the hunting or fishing trip of their dreams. All of the equipment is donated by community members, as are meat processing and taxidermy services. The young outdoorspersons are accompanied by volunteer guides.

Legals for February, 22 2024

Royal City considers dog park sign, water project

ROYAL CITY — Public works projects were the primary topic of discussion at the Royal City City Council meeting Tuesday. Public Works Director John Lasen first raised the question of putting up a sign at the Royal City Dog Park, setting out rules for the park’s use.

Slope stabilization along SR 17 underway

SOAP LAKE — The section of State Route 17 between the Lake Lenore Caves and the Soap Lake city limits will be subject to frequent closures on weekdays, probably at least through early September. Contractors will be working on a project to remove loose rocks and stabilize the remaining slope where the highway runs between the rock embankment and the lakes, a stretch of about 10 miles.

Pro soccer coming to Spokane

Spokane Velocity set to start playing in March

SPOKANE – Since it was announced in late 2021 that the United Soccer League would be coming to Spokane, soccer fans across the Inland Northwest have been waiting for the first match of the Spokane Velocity’s inaugural season. That match is just weeks away.

Othello boys, girls earn team trophies at Mat Classic

TACOMA – Both the Othello boys and girls wrestling teams left the Tacoma Dome with hardware on Saturday, with the boys taking second in the 2A classification and the girls taking fourth in the 2A/1A/B Girls classification.