Options on display at Outdoor Career Day

MATTAWA — No question, life as a firefighter can be demanding, as the abbreviated version of the physical agility test set up by Grant County Fire District 8 demonstrated. Participants dragged a length of fire hose, used a sledgehammer, dragged a dummy a specified distance, then dragged it back. That, said Wahluke High School student Ricardo Sandoval, was the real challenge.

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.”

ACH Warriors fall to No. 3 Mossyrock in 1B quarterfinals

COULEE CITY – Despite coming back from down two scores in the first half, the No. 6 seed Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors weren’t able to pull off an upset of No. 3 Mossyrock Saturday, falling 46-30 in the 1B state quarterfinals. ACH took a 30-22 lead in the third quarter, but three fourth-quarter Mossyrock touchdowns allowed the Vikings to advance to the semifinals.

Moses Lake considers food truck, court requirements

MOSES LAKE — Food trucks and food courts were the topic of a special study session prior to the Feb. 27 Moses Lake City Council meeting.

Port of Othello lowers airport water costs

OTHELLO – Port of Othello Commissioners discussed utility water line charges during Tuesday’s meeting following a motion made at the Feb. 27 meeting to lower the monthly line charge and turn-off and turn-on fees for water users at Othello Municipal Airport.

Deena Vietzke: Othello’s 2023 Woman of the Year

OTHELLO — Othello resident and Port of Othello Commissioner Deena Vietzke was awarded the 2023 Woman of the Year honor during the Greater Othello Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Awards Banquet Feb. 23 as recognition for her positive impact on the Othello community.

Sweetheart deal

Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation auction is Feb. 3

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation’s Country Sweethearts dinner and auction has leveled up this year. In years past the benefit was held in the Commercial Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds, but this year it will occupy both that building and the 4-H Building next door, said CBCF Executive Director Angel Ledesma. Last year’s event drew 520 guests, which made things a little tight with all the auction items as well. “I take this as a compliment,” Ledesma said. “(Some guests have said) ‘Could you please make more room for the tables?’ So this year, we added the 4-H Building. All the raffle items will be in the 4-H Building, so that leaves us room for all tables and all guests in the main room.”

Vanguard gets creative for kids’ Halloween event

MOSES LAKE — Spiders, cows, ghosts and the occasional giant chicken took over Vanguard Academy Tuesday for the school’s Halloween trick-or-treat event...

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.

‘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.”

Hard-fought Royal-Wahluke game ends in 50-42 Knights victory

ROYAL CITY — A lot of times intense, hard-fought games come down to one or two things that do or don’t go right. In Royal’s 50-42 boys basketball win over Wahluke Friday, Knights coach Greg Jenks said some rebounds went Royal’s way, and Warrior coach Clayton Buck said some shots didn’t go Walluke’s way.

GALLERY: District wrestling

COLUMBIA BASIN — Basin wrestlers from Ephrata, Othello, Quincy, Royal and Wahluke competed at Friday’s District 5 tournaments in Yakima and Saturday’s 2A/1A/B District 6 Sub-Regional at Ephrata this weekend, with many wrestlers moving on to next week’s regional tournaments.

Othello schools implement new point-of-entry security upgrades

OTHELLO – The Othello School District installed new Secure Access Keypads at all its school buildings Feb. 5. Moving forward, all visitors are required to check in through the keypad, which allows school staff to see and speak with the visitor before letting them enter.

Ephrata 2nd, Royal 3rd, Quincy 4th in Region 4 girls wrestling

QUINCY — The Ephrata, Royal and Quincy girls wrestling teams finished second, third and fourth in the Region 4 2A/1A/2B/1B tournament Saturday at Quincy High School. The Wahluke girls took home a 12th-place finish.

Mavs send five boys, two girls wrestlers to state

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake boys and girls wrestling teams qualified a combined seven wrestlers for this year’s Mat Classic, with the Maverick boys sending five and the girls sending two to Tacoma.

Othello boys, girls wrestling teams seek high placements at Mat Classic

Huskies send 19 wrestlers to Tacoma

OTHELLO — Coming off of back-to-back years as the third-place team in the 2A Mat Classic, the Huskies are seeking yet another high finish at this year’s edition of the state tournament.

Quincy girls send four regional finalists to state

Jackrabbit boys, girls qualify seven in total

QUINCY – Seven Jackrabbit wrestlers are moving on to the Tacoma Dome for the 2024 Mat Classic, including two regional champions from the girls wrestling team.

Royal girls aim for another high placement at state

Knight boys send two to Mat Classic

ROYAL — After taking third at the 2023 2A/1A/B Girls Mat Classic, the Royal Knights are sending four girls wrestlers to this year’s edition of the state wrestling tournament; sophomore Sharon Arroyo (100), junior Lauren Jenks (135), senior Emma Villa (170) and sophomore Analy Castillo (235).

Nine Cougars head to Tacoma

WARDEN — All six Warden girls wrestlers that qualified for regionals reached the podium at Saturday’s 2A/1A/B Region 3 tournament in Toppenish, with five Cougars reaching the finals and punching their ticket to the state tournament.

Othello Matters: Adams County Integrated Health Care Services, others, band together to help locals

OTHELLO – Adams County Integrated Health Care Services and several other health care and outreach agencies based in the Columbia Basin came together Thursday to support Othello community members’ needs for the Othello Matters outreach event at the Othello Church of the Nazarene.