'Homes for Heroes' bill advancing in Olympia

(The Center Square) - One of the Republican-backed proposals for the 2025 Washington state legislative session that earned the endorsement of Gov. Bob Ferguson passed a House committee last week and is now awaiting review by the Capital Budget Committee. House Bill 1022 is called the "Homes for Heroes" program. Kennewick Republican Representative April Connors is the prime sponsor. “It is a down payment assistance program for law enforcement officers, health care workers, and social workers – those kind of folks that need help getting into our communities,” Connors said in a statement emailed to The Center Square by House Republicans.

Legals for January, 24 2025

House Democrats push 11% firearm, ammo excise tax as $10B to $16B shortfall looms

(The Center Square) – As Washington state grapples with an operating budget shortfall upwards of $16 billion through 2029, House Democrats are proposing a tax on firearms and ammunition to take the total combined rate as high as 33%.

BASIN HOOPS ROUNDUP: ACH boys, Wilson Creek girls stack wins

MOSES LAKE – With February quickly approaching, district playoffs will soon begin for boys and girls basketball teams across the state. Read along for a look at where local teams are in their respective league standings, as well as an update on recent games.

LETTER: The battle for our children

“Men are cast-iron, but children are wax” - Horace Mann We will be voting for the Moses Lake School District levy soon. After attending school board meetings for the past five years and talking personally with board members and our new Superintendent, I am convinced that we have a winning team.

Nominations open for American Legion first responder awards

EPHRATA — The American Legion is looking for a few good heroes. Art Semro Post 28 in Ephrata is accepting nominations for its First Responder Recognition Award, according to an announcement from the post.

Gonzaga’s Ejim, Turner earn player of the week honors

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- Gonzaga’s Yvonne Ejim and Allie Turner were both named West Coast Conference player of the week awards on Monday after helping guide the Zags to wins over both Portland and Loyola Marymount.

'More than a dream'

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – Monday night, a group of around 35 people wearing white hoodies blared and sang to music as they walked down fifth avenue as the sun set on downtown Moses Lake. The group shared laughs. The children ran and teased one another. Signs were waved proudly at passing cars. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that!” reads one of the signs.

Chess tournament sharpens wits in Ephrata

Annual strategic competition set for February 1

EPHRATA — A hundred young players will go head-to-head – and brain-to-brain – at the Waypoint Foundation Scholastic Chess Tournament in Ephrata Feb. 1. This is the 18th year the tournament has been held at Parkway Elementary School. said Troy Pugh, who created and manages the tournament with his brother Roger Pugh. This year, Pugh said, the foundation has added online registration for the first time. There were 89 players registered Tuesday morning, he said, which is the fastest it’s ever filled up. “Usually, we don’t get to 89 until the week of the event,” he said.

Knights suffer first loss

ROYAL CITY – Royal suffered its first loss of the 2024-25 season on Friday night, falling 88-82 in overtime on the road against Zillah after allowing 45 first-half points to the Leopards in the game.

AC commissioner says county may get monetary help for mandated services, or not

RITZVILLE — Adams County Commissioner Dan Blankenship said one of Adams County’s biggest challenges is finding the money to fund all the services it’s required to provide. Nor is Adams County alone, which is why county officials from throughout the state are looking to the 2025 Washington Legislature for some monetary help meeting mandates the state has placed on them.

Basin sports schedule Jan. 22-28

MOSES LAKE – Check out this week’s sports schedule for high school athletics across the Columbia Basin, including bowling, competitive cheerleading, basketball, swim and dive and wrestling events.

Legals for January, 22 2025

Othello roundabout, I-90 paving focus of WSDOT projects in Columbia Basin

OTHELLO — Drivers using state Route 26 this summer should prepare for some road closures and delays around Othello as Washington Department of Transportation crews install a roundabout at the highway’s intersection with South First Avenue. Repaving of a substantial section of Interstate 90 between Vantage and Moses Lake also starts this summer.

WA car insurance rates up more than 15% in 2025

MOSES LAKE — Like pretty much everything else, the cost of car insurance is going up – and in Washington, it’s going up by a hefty percentage. Divya Sangam, insurance specialist for LendingTree.com, said in a press release that car insurance rates in Washington are going up by an average of 17.2% in 2025.

Wildcats take down No. 6 Yellowjackets

ELLENSBURG – Tied at 36 entering the fourth quarter, Central Washington used an 8-0 run to retake the lead over the visiting No. 6 Montana State Billings Yellowjackets, holding on for a 48-45 win Saturday after a late defensive stand.

Legals for January, 21 2025

STUDIO BASIN: Halfway point of Kriete's term and Maverick wrestling

MOSES LAKE - In this - slightly delayed - episode of the STUDIO BASIN Podcast, Managing Editor R. Hans "Rob" Miller and Sports Editor Ian Bivona visit about recent news and sports action. Miller was able to sit down with Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete last week as Kriete reached the halfway point in his first term heading up the Grant County Sheriff's Office. Miller reviewed what the sheriff said were the accomplishments of his first term and what he sees on the horizon for GCSO. Miller and Bivona also talked about happenings in Soap Lake like the city considering how water in the lake may be used and why the Soap Lake Police Chief is on administrative leave.

Three MLHS seniors discuss levy election impacts

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District is running an Educational Programs and Operations Levy on the Feb. 11 ballot. MLSD students Javier Gonzalez, Jaciel Valdez and Andee Stevens said they’ve felt the impacts of the double levy failure in 2024.

Fixing energy policy a focus for Ybarra in 2025 session

OLYMPIA – The Washington Legislative session began lasl Monday with many lawmakers, including State Representative Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, unsure of what to expect. Ybarra has served the 13th district since 2019 and is trying to move his legislative priorities forward amid a new administration and a significant $10-$16 billion budget shortfall.