Hooray, Bluey is up for adoption

MOSES LAKE – Bluey, not the loveable cartoon character but instead the loveable cat, is up for adoption at Grant County Animal Outreach.

WIAA officially adds girls flag football

MOSES LAKE — The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association passed the amendment to add girls flag football as an official sport. The sport was officially sanctioned in April, and the resolution to hold the state championships in the spring season was passed at the WIAA executive board meeting on June 8. “Passing this year was awesome with the help and continued support of the Seattle Seahawks and all the people that helped get it off the ground,” said WIAA Marketing Coordinator Bryn Langrock, who leads the girls flag football advisory committee. “It’s been a long journey, but I think officially sanctioning this sport is going to make it take off even more than it has so far.” The amendment to add the sport was first brought forward last year where it failed but was brought up again this year where it ultimately passed. Langrock said the drafters of the amendment made the effort this year to make it appealing to both sides of the state to participate.

City of Soap Lake reassumes control of Smokiam Campground, plans upgrades

SOAP LAKE – After years of private management, the City of Soap Lake has officially taken back control of the Smokiam Campground. Mayor Peter Sharp said he supported the transition towards revitalizing the local asset.

Ephrata completes upgrades to Nat Washington Way

EPHRATA – After months of planning and construction, Nat Washington Way has received significant upgrades designed to improve an important thoroughfare in Ephrata. Funded by an almost $158,000 Transportation Improvement Board grant, the improvements include a new layer of chip seal and the addition of a center turn lane, enhancing both accessibility and safety for residents, according to City Engineer Shawn O’Brien.

Lorene Marie Arbuckle

Lorene (Pfeifer) Arbuckle, 94, passed away at Swedish Hospital in Edmonds, Washington on June 8, 2025, surrounded by her family. Lorene was born in Marlin, Washington, and grew up on her family's wheat and cattle farm with 11 siblings. She shared many memories of farm life. She graduated from Marlin High School in 1949 and then attended Kinman Business College in Spokane.

Karen McLaren Stevens

Sept. 18, 1940 — June 16, 2025

Karen Louise Stevens, 84, passed away in her home on June 16, 2025. She was born on Sept. 18, 1940 in El Reno, Oklahoma to Lucille and Floyd J. McLaren. Karen was married to the love of her life, Perry “Pinky” Stevens, for 45 years. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose quiet strength and deep compassion guided her family through life’s seasons. Karen is lovingly remembered by her children Cheri (Rob) Kinder and Mark (Lisa) Stevens; her eight grandchildren (Steven) Tessa Riegel, (Rebecca) John Boyer, Drew Kinder, Denise Kinder, Nate Stevens, (Ashleigh) Brandon Carney, (Aquina) Allen Morrical, (Kendra) Deven Alder; and 11 great-grandchildren, each of whom brought her great joy and pride.

Darrel ‘Smokey’ Kisler

October 27, 1944 – June 13, 2025

Darrel Stephen Kisler, 80, passed away on June 13, 2025, at Sacred Heart Hospital, Spokane, with loving family by his bedside. Memorial services will be held at the Warden Community Church on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 11 a.m., with graveside burial to follow at Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Warden. Darrel was born on Oct. 27, 1944, in Ritzville, Washington, the last of five children born to Clarence and Erna (Rauter) Kisler. Darrel went to school all 12 years at Warden and graduated from high school in 1962. He continued his education at Columbia Basin College and Kinman Business University, earning a degree in accounting. Darrel worked several years in the accounting field and as petroleum supervisor for Cenex before returning home to farm with his family and worked for Doug and Sandi Berg Farms for 20 years.

Little Big Show

Wilson Creek’s annual car show brings vehicles of all vintages

WILSON CREEK — Sometimes, a car owner just can’t help himself. “Originally I bought it because I needed a commuter,” said Ricky Gutierrez, who was showing his 2019 Subaru at the Little Big Show in Wilson Creek Saturday morning. “I work for the county, and I drive everywhere, so I needed something better on gas mileage.” That didn’t last long, he said. “I grew up modifying cars, so I was like, I’ll add wheels, and then suspension,” Gutierrez said. “And then I (thought) it wasn’t fast enough, so I made more horsepower out of it, and kind of decided to do it into a show car. Full air ride, suspension, the carbon fiber hood, the trunk, the seats inside, and just the little details that add up a lot.”

’70s-themed Senior Picnic a groovy time

MOSES LAKE — About 700 people came out to the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce’s annual Senior Picnic June 11, which was pretty much on a par with last year, Chamber Director Debbie Doran-Martinez said. “Everybody really enjoyed themselves,” she said. “We had a lot of people dancing, more than usual.” The theme was “Peace, Love & Party,” and attendees were decked out in tie-dye and bell bottoms. The music that brought folks out to the dance floor was provided by Cheyenne.

Legals for June, 18 2025

Paw-sitive saving adoption event at Umpqua Bank on Friday

MOSES LAKE – On Friday, Umpqua Bank will host the "Paw-sitive Savings Adoption Event" to help Grant County Animal Outreach find loving homes for local pets in need. The event will feature six to seven adoptable dogs, with discounted adoption fees aimed at encouraging attendees to adopt.

Positive audit result of hard work by Wahluke School District staff, superintendent says

MATTAWA — After a few years of audits that identified deficiencies, Washington state auditors found that the Wahluke School District didn’t have any new deficiencies and corrected previously identified problems. District Superintendent Andy Harlow said the audit findings are a reflection of staff members that are committed to Wahluke, many of them WSD alumni.

WIAA announces raise in ticket prices for 2025-26 season

MOSES LAKE – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association passed an initiative to increase ticket prices for the 2025-26 school year during their executive board meeting on June 8. The official full ticket price list will be approved in the fall.

Moses Lake Library critical part of substance use prevention

MOSES LAKE — In a world where substance use among youth is a growing concern, the Moses Lake Library is a resource in promoting prevention through community engagement, mentorship and diverse programming, according to Moses Lake Community Coalition members.

BBCC celebrates record-breaking graduation

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College held its 62nd commencement ceremony on Friday night at Lions Field, where it celebrated the largest graduating class in the college’s history. A total of 663 graduates received their degrees. Sara Thompson Tweedy, BBCC’s 10th president, highlighted the importance of the occasion. “We are here tonight to recognize and celebrate our graduates, as well as to honor the friends and family, faculty and staff who helped our graduates arrive on this day,” she said. The ceremony was attended by graduates and their families from across the United States, including California, Hawaii, and Idaho, as well as international attendees from Canada and Israel.

Andrea Renee Rodriguez

Jan. 16, 2000 — June 7, 2025

Andrea Renee Rodriguez, 25, of Moses Lake, Washington, passed away in Everett, Washington on June 7, 2025, due to natural causes. Andrea was surrounded by a loving family. Andrea was born on January 16, 2000, in Moses Lake, Washington, the daughter of Juan “Gibby” Rodriguez and Veronica Silva-Rodriguez. Andrea did have a long history of dealing with mental illness, but she worked when should could which included cash register jobs at Safeway, Rite Aid and Grocery Outlet.

Ivan Lee Gephart

1943 — 2025

Ivan Lee Gephart, 81, of Moses Lake, Wash., passed away peacefully at home June 12, 2025. Ivan was born in Winchester, Idaho, in 1943 to Clyde and Evelyn Gephart. He grew up in Dayton, Wash., where he had many adventures and later shared countless stories about his school days, his newspaper route and the unforgettable characters from the Dayton community. After graduating high school, Ivan pursued many interests. He served in the Army Reserves for six years and worked for Green Giant. During this time, he bought land and began raising cattle. He studied agriculture at Columbia Basin College and completed an internship with a fertilizer company in Coulee City, Wash. — where he met the love of his life, Judith Vaughn. The two were married in 1969 and moved to Pasco, Wash., where Ivan worked for the Chevron Pipeline.

Top Tier Sports youth baseball continues in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Top Tier Sports baseball teams have now entered the summer tournament season. Top Tier is partnering with the Moses Lake Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.

The Side Project to play in Moses Lake – for real, this time

MOSES LAKE — When The Side Project takes the stage June 20, the city of Moses Lake’s Summer Concert Series will pick up where it left off, sort of. “They were supposed to be our last concert last summer,” said Jenni Shelton, creative programs coordinator for the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center. “It was the night of a really bad storm, and we had to cancel for the weather. It was one of the nights they even evacuated to the Gorge (Amphitheatre).” The Side Project consists of wife-and-husband Suzie and Ben Bradford, according to its website. The duo, originally from Spokane, have recorded six albums and have performed up and down the west coast for 20 years, according to the announcement. Their music has been broadcast in Starbucks and featured on television shows “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” as well as scoring a positive review in Music Connection Magazine.

Open Doors students overcome obstacles to graduate Thursday

MOSES LAKE — It was a short walk across the room, but for the 34 students who graduated from Open Doors Thursday it was the end of a long journey. “I had the motivation I needed to finish school, but not the tools,” said student speaker Mona Martin. “That's when I was directed to Open Doors. Thanks to the support and resources I received there, I was able to make up four years of math and English and pass my GED test with a qualifying score.” Open Doors is a reengagement program established in 2010 to enable students 16-21 years of age, who have left school before graduating, to finish out their high school education. Some students go there to earn their GED, others to earn a high school diploma and some, like Martin, had already earned the GED but wanted to go the extra mile.