A beacon of warmth in Ephrata

His Helping Hands looking for coat donations to help locals get through winter

EPHRATA – In a world where the cold can bite and hunger gnaws at the edges of self-esteem, a local nonprofit, His Helping Hands, is turning that frost into warmth and that hunger into nourishment. Founded in 2011, the organization continues to make an impact through outreach programs, including a coat closet and a Christmas gift giveaway for children.

Mavs’ historic season ends with quarterfinal appearance

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-1) fell to the Lake Stevens Vikings 76-41 on the road in the quarterfinals of the 4A state football tournament. Despite the loss, Head Coach Brett Jay was proud of how his players fought to the end.

Grant Fairgrounds suspends riding activities amid EHV-1 outbreak

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Fairgrounds has announced a suspension of all private riding and open riding activities until at least December 16, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-1 that was initially reported in Waco, Texas.

Grant County Fairgrounds: a legacy of community and celebration

MOSES LAKE – The Grant County Fairgrounds, a cherished community hub, has stood as a testament to local traditions and agricultural heritage since its establishment in 1949, according to Fairgrounds Director Jim McKiernan. To commemorate its enduring significance, the fairgrounds recently released a collection of vintage photographs that chronicle its rich history. The first Grant County Fair was held Sept. 27-28, 1911, in Wilson Creek. There is not a lot of information available on this original event, but it included three parades. After that, Ephrata hosted the 1912 and 1913 fairs, according to previous reporting done by the Columbia Basin Herald.

Legals for November, 26 2025

Purple Sage Meadows developer considering suit against Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — A dispute between North Pacific Investments and the city of Soap Lake has intensified following NPI’s recent decision to file a formal legal appeal against the city's administration. The developer says Mayor Peter Sharp's denial of the Purple Sage Meadows' affordable housing project—a $66 million initiative intended to provide 232 affordable homes—represents an unjustified obstruction of the planned development.

$75M Ephrata schools bond to go on February ballot

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School Board unanimously approved to move forward on the $75 million bond proposition on the February 2026 ballot to replace Grant Elementary and Parkway Intermediate schools along with partially renovating Ephrata High School.

Grant County Election results

EPHRATA — The Grant County Election results were certified Tuesday with around 16,000 voters having filed ballots.

WA college football recap – Week 13

MOSES LAKE — As college football reaches the end of the regular season, most Washington teams are nearing key rivalry games. As they aim for a strong finish, see how they fared in week 13.

Katherine D. Waters (Turk)

1955 — 2025

Katherine was born October 28, 1955, to Ivan and Agnes Waters in Sapulpa, Okla. She passed away November 18, 2025.

Tim Mullowney

1932 – 2025

Tim William Mullowney passed away peacefully of natural causes on November 18, 2025, at the age of 93. He was born August 6, 1932, in Billings, Mont. Tim grew up in Ballantine, Mont. and graduated from Huntley Project High School in 1950.

Bingo nights raise money for K-9 programs

MOSES LAKE — About 100 people filled the Moses Lake Taproom Thursday, hoisting pints and stamping bingo cards to support Columbia Basin K9s. So far this year, the bingo nights have raised a bit more than $100,000. “I’ve done a ton of fundraisers down there over the last couple of years, and that was probably one of the biggest ones,” said Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete, who served as MC and bingo caller for the event.

Jacqueline Lee Lowry

Jacqueline Lee Lowry, 79, passed away November 18, 2025 surrounded by her family in the comfort of her home. She was born in Ellensburg, Wash., then shortly after moved to Moses Lake where she lived out the remainder of her life. Jackie graduated from Moses Lake High School in 1964.

Mom Helping Moms toy drive accepting donations

MOSES LAKE — With Thanksgiving and Christmas come the opportunity to help people in need, with a plethora of organizations providing plenty of options. The Moms Helping Moms charitable organization is looking for donations and volunteers to help with its seventh annual toy drive. Founder Jeannie Austin said Moms Helping Moms assisted more than 270 children in 20204, and based on the requests, the need is greater in 2025.

Soap Lake Creative District creating tile mural

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Creative District is inviting residents and visitors alike to participate in a unique community art project—the Tile Mural Project. Designed to engage the local community in a creative pursuit while beautifying the town, this initiative encourages participants to paint tiles that will be displayed as a large mural on the James Building.

Quincy to pay Yakama Nation in civil settlement

QUINCY — The city of Quincy will make a $400,000 payment to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation for fisheries restoration along the Columbia River. The payment is part of the settlement of a civil lawsuit brought against the city by the organization Columbia Riverkeeper. Tom Elliot, Yakama Nation fisheries manager, said the money will be used to pay part of the cost of riverbank restoration.

Spice up your life with Peppercorn

MOSES LAKE — Peppercorn is a pup who is full of flavor and ready for his fur-ever home. He was one of four dogs who made a grand appearance at the Grant County Animal Outreach groundbreaking. He came to the shelter at the end of October and since then, he has shown the staff his full personality. He is a hyperactive dog who loves to move. He said walks are his favorite part of the day. He is around six months old, vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. If this sweet boy seems like a perfect fit for you or your family, visit GrantCountyAnimalOutreach.org and turn in an application. If you can’t adopt right now but you would like to help a local shelter, visit the website and click “donate.”

Grant County Sheriff’s Office logs as of Nov. 21, 2025

The reports below were provided by the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Team unity, defense lead to undefeated start for Vikings

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Vikings (4-0) extended their win streak to four-straight after defeating the Edmond Tritons 71-38 at home Friday. Head Coach Preston Wilks said he went with his jumbo lineup. “It was a good win for us, because we had our bigger lineup tonight, and so we were a little nervous about (Edmonds) athleticism and their ability to get by us on the perimeter. I'm happy that we held them to 38 points. I had no idea that we'd be able to do that defensively with all our big girls out on the perimeter... they played really well,” Wilks said.

Joshua Julian

1976 — 2025

Joshua Anthony Julian, age 49, of Ephrata, WA, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on November 13, 2025, following a tragic car accident.