CALEB PEREZ

RITZVILLE CITY COUNCIL Q&A: Plumb vs. Ottmar

RITZVILLE – The race for Ritzville City Council consists of two candidates, Michelle Plumb and Eric Ottmar. Plumb responded to a set of five questions presented as follows. The Columbia Basin Herald has reached out to Eric Ottmar, Plumb’s opponent in the race, but received no response.

Basin Sports Schedule: Oct. 29 – Nov. 5

COLUMBIA BASIN – High school athletes around the basin are preparing for district tournaments as the regular season comes to a close. See where the local teams will be playing this week.

Mavs prepare for swim and dive district finals

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks hosted a Big 9 League Invitational for the league championships on Thursday. This invitational was not scored but helped prepare the teams for the district meet this weekend.

District Tournament Schedule CWAC and CWB 1B

COLUMBIA BASIN – Volleyball and soccer have entered postseason play for the Central Washington Athletic Conference and the Central Washington B. See where the local high school teams’ upcoming games will be held.

Huskies fall to Prosser in Districts

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies soccer team (6-10) fell 1-2 to the Prosser Mustangs Saturday afternoon in the play-in round of the Central Washington Athletic Conference District tournament. Huskies head coach Victor Quiroz said he was proud of how the girls fought this season.

Mavs continue win streak on Senior Night

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks Football team (8-0) tacked on another victory to their season Friday night when they hosted West Valley and won 72-7. The Mavs sit on top of the Big 9 after completing their final home game of the regular season.

New BBCC greenhouse expands Ag program for the Fall

MOSES LAKE – The Big Bend Community College’s Greenhouse project finished construction mid-summer, and students in the Agricultural program have been able to utilize the building to assist in their projects. The BBCC Board of Trustees was taken on a tour of the building on Thursday during a board meeting.

BBCC enrollment for fall down from 2024

MOSES LAKE – During Big Bend Community College’s regular Board of Trustees meeting Thursday, it was shown that overall enrollment for the school was down 13.2% from the 2024/2025 school year.

WA College Sports Schedule: Oct. 24-31, 2025

MOSES LAKE – Collegiate athletes enter the final weeks of the regular season for some sports and the start of the season for others. Check out where your favorite team will be headed this week.

Huskies seize victory over Jacks to make postseason

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies Volleyball team (7-9) earned a big 3-0 win for their senior night against the Quincy Jacks (0-14) to finish out the season. This win helps improve the Huskies’ standings as they head into the district tournament.

Trevino named Tigers’ new softball head coach

EPHRATA – Ephrata High School has named Lesa Trevino as the new head softball coach for the Tigers. Trevino will be replacing long-time EHS coach, Heather Wood, who retired from the softball program over the summer. “I’ve always had a deep love for the game and (for) the coaches that pushed me to be better,” said Trevino. “I always wanted to do that for another athlete, I wanted to push them to be their best and so they knew that they could do it in their potential.” Trevino’s softball career began back in fifth grade when she joined a softball camp and fell in love with the game, she said. From there she continued with club softball and played throughout high school until graduating from Quincy High School in 2008.

Eagles win for Senior Night over Lions

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Eagles (10-3) earned a big home victory for their Senior Night going 3-0 over the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions (10-6). The Eagles are still in the fight for the number one spot and drop the Lions to fourth in the Central Washington B league. “I’m really proud of each one of these girls,” said Eagles senior Liana Sushik. “We’ve always been together, it’s Senior Night, and I’m really thankful for how it went today. It really showed who we really are.” The Eagles started the game strong, gaining an early lead in the first set. The Lions mounted a comeback to close the gap, but the Eagles would come out on top with a 25-21 victory in the first set.

QUINCY MAYORAL RACE Q&A: Worley vs. Rodriguez

QUINCY – The Quincy Mayoral Race consists of candidates, incumbent Paul Worley and Manny Rodriguez. Both candidates were given questions with a word count limit for responses and matching deadlines to respond.

Tigers get back on track with win over Toppenish

EPHRATA – The Ephrata Tigers (4-3) earned a 28-0 victory at home against Toppenish Friday evening. The Tigers hold their fifth-place standing in the Central Washington Athletic Conference and look to improve their record in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Ephrata School District announces Hall of Fame inductees

EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District announced the newest additions to its Athletic Hall of Fame. This induction recognizes alumni, coaches and teams whose performances at Ephrata High School and subsequent athletic contributions have brought distinction to themselves, the school and the Ephrata community.

Lions best Devils

Win sets MLCA/CCS at third in conference

MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions (8-5) earned a significant 3-0 victory at home over the Wilson Creek Devils (5-10). This win now ties the Lions with Entiat for third in the Central Washington B conference as the team heads into the final three games of the season.

Lions smash Pateros on the gridiron

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions (5-2) football team proved their strength at home Thursday evening with a 52-0 victory over Pateros. This victory ties the team with Oroville for third in the Central Washington B conference.

Cougars compete at Apple Ridge cross country course

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars Cross Country team competed in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference’s week three event at Apple Ridge Cross Country course in Yakima. Cougars head coach Karla Banks said the team had multiple runners set new personal records at the meet. “They all had lots of determination,” said Banks. “I was really impressed, they showed off their talents and their skills, and they did it with a big smile on their face.” Aiden Castro led the Cougars boys team in the three-mile race with a time of 22.59.99. Coming up next was Soren Clausen with 23:12.54 and Enrique Gutierrez with 35:42.45 on the course.

Basin teams compete in Hole in the Wall Invitationals

MOSES LAKE – Cross Country teams from around the Columbia Basin had a busy weekend with Lind-Ritzville, Othello and Wahluke going to the Max Jensen Invitational and Quincy going to the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational. The Moses Lake Mavericks split their team between the two meets.

Knights win with last-second goal against Wahluke

ROYAL CITY – The Royal City Knights soccer team (7-3-2) earned a close victory Tuesday evening with a score in the last few minutes of regulation to win 1-0 over the Wahluke Warriors (7-5). The result of the game places the Knights in third and the Warriors in fourth in the South Central Athletic Conference.

Knights gain victory at home against Wahluke

ROYAL CITY – The Royal City Knights earned a solid 3-1 victory on their home court over the Wahluke Warriors. The matchup remained close between the two teams throughout as the South Central Athletic Conference rivals battled it out to stay in the postseason runnings.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Oct. 15-22, 2025

MOSES LAKE – Teams from around the Columbia Basin near the end of the regular season and begin to prepare for their post-season pushes this week. See where the local high school teams will be headed this week.

Soap Lake stuns Waterville-Mansfield in five-set thriller

SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Eagles (8-3) earned a statement victory over the Waterville-Mansfield Shockers Monday night on their fifth straight weekday of games. This win was significant as it was not only their sixth straight win, but it was the team’s first victory over the Shockers.

Lions pull home win with players coming off injured status

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions (4-2) gained a solid 48-22 win over Oroville Friday evening. This win was in part due to the return of some key players on the team who were out with injury.

Huskies earn homecoming victory over Tigers

OTHELLO – The Huskies (5-1) earned a 33-21victory over the Ephrata Tigers (3-3) Friday during the Othello High homecoming game. It was a close game between the two conference rivals from start to finish. “It was very exciting,” said Huskies quarterback Quade Gonzalez. “I like games like that, where you’re fighting the whole time, but there’s lot of stuff we can clean up.”

Mavs split doubleheader to end regular season on the diamond

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks slow-pitch softball team (15-1) split their doubleheader against Eastmont Thursday afternoon. While they ended the regular season with a loss, they are entering the postseason as the top seed in the Big 9.

Mavs compete against Eastmont in home swim meet

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team hosted a meet Thursday, competing against Eastmont in 12 events. The final team scores came close, with Eastmont earning 90 points and Moses Lake earning 87.

Vikings lose out at home to Walla Walla

MOSES LAKE – The Big Bend Community College Vikings (2-16) played at home against Walla Walla Community College Wednesday night where they ultimately fell 0-3. “I think we have a lot of potential, we get out there, we feel good, we make a couple mistakes, we just need to find our groove and stick to it and not let our mistakes dictate our game,” said Vikings freshman Trinity Dotson.

Cougars win in close home matchup

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars volleyball team (2-8) had a tough game against Granger Tuesday evening but rallied to come up with a 3-2 victory. “We just played as a team,” said Cougar Hannah Roylance. “We have our ups and downs, every team does, but in the end, we pulled together, we had energy, we were competing well, and I feel like that's what gains the win.”

Cougars make a comeback in OT

WARDEN — The Warden Cougars soccer team (3-7) gained a 2-1 home victory over Columbia after pushing the game into overtime. “I think we really played as a team, and we just talked and it all came through in the end,” said Cougars player Allie Jensen.

Basin cross country teams compete in Battle for the 509

MOSES LAKE – High school cross country teams from around the state met at the Spokane Polo Grounds on Saturday to compete in the eighth annual Battle for the 509. Basin teams that were part of the competition included Ephrata, Lind-Ritzville, Moses Lake, Othello, Quincy and Warden.

Mavs find success at Yakima meet

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks swim team traveled to Lions Pool in Yakima last Thursday to compete against Sunnyside and West Valley. At the meet the team found success in the pool and built themselves up for the second half of the season.

BASIN SPORTS SCHEDULE: Oct. 8-15, 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — Student athletes now head into the second half of their season for fall sports as they prepare for the coming district and state tournaments. See where the local high school teams will be headed this week.

Mavs dominate in homecoming game

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks (5-0) dominated the field for their homecoming game against Eisenhower on Friday, earning a 70-0 victory. The Mavs remain undefeated this season and sit at the top of the Big 9 conference. “It was a great team win, everybody got in there and got a piece of them,” said Mavs defensive end Treyson Knowles.

Eagles earn win over Devils

WILSON CREEK – The Soap Lake Eagles (4-3) earned a convincing road win over the Wilson Creek Devils (3-7) Wednesday evening. Both teams were looking to overcome losses from the day prior.

Suspect in custody for Mattawa shooting

MATTAWA — A suspect has been arrested in connection with the Monday morning shooting in Mattawa. The Mattawa Police Department, with assistance from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, located Juan Jose Serrano Berrios in the Ephrata area and took him into custody.

Lions triumph at home over Eagles

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Christian Academy/Christian Covenant School Lions volleyball team earned a 3-0 home win over the Soap Lake Eagles Tuesday evening. The Lions are now 6-3 overall, and the Eagles are 3-3.

Mavs earn home win over Ike

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks volleyball team (4-3) got back on track with a 3-1 home win over Eisenhower Tuesday night. “I think this just gave us some confidence back and just made us realize that this is how we should be playing every game,” said Mavs player Madison Witwer. “I think we came out thinking that we refined some things that we’ve been wanting to work on.”

Huskies earn home victory over Cougars

OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (4-4) volleyball team earned a 3-1 win at home against the visiting Warden Cougars (1-6) Monday evening. “I feel like there were ups and downs, but overall I think we did pretty good,” said Huskies senior Whitlee Hollenbeck. The Huskies started the match strong, coming in with an early lead in the first set to take the victory over the Cougars 25-16. In the second set, the Cougars began to get in a groove, the score coming closer with the Huskies earning another set with a score of25-18. This shift was on full display in the third set as the Cougars pulled ahead of the Huskies to earn a 25-23 victory. The Huskies then rallied back in the fourth set to secure victory with a final score of 25-19.

Vikings fall short against CBC

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings volleyball team (2-13) played in a close three-set match against Columbia Basin College Friday evening, but ultimately fell to their opponent 0-3. “(CBC) has some solid hitters that just came in with a lot of speed and quickness,” said Vikings head coach Lindsey Linthicum. “We’re just still trying to find that inner confidence.” The Vikings started off slow, losing their first set 12-25. Linthicum said she had the players trying out a different rotation to switch things up, but this caused the team to struggle.

Mavs compete at Mukilteo Invitational

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks’ girls swim and dive team traveled to Cascade High School to compete in the Mukilteo Invitational on Saturday where they earned fourteenth overall out of the 31 teams. “It went good – that’s the pool where we go back for our state competition in November, so it was getting some of the girls used to it that have never been there. And for other people that have been there, they get a chance to compete against some of the top swimmers in the state in probably the fastest pool in the state,” said Mavs head coach Tony Preston. The top finish for the Mavs came in the 100-yard freestyle event, where senior Bria Bodenman earned seventh place with a final time of 57.16. Dallie Cobb earned twenty-third in the event with a final time of 59.90 and twenty-second in the 50 Freestyle event.

Live grenade discovered in family’s front yard

HARTLINE – Grant County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence in 600 block of Willard Street in Hartline Monday after a three-year-old boy found a live hand grenade in his family’s front yard.

Ephrata welcomes a sweet new shop

Moonbeam Sweets and Treats opens on First Avenue and offers desserts galore.

EPHRATA – Moonbeam Sweets and Treats is the newest addition to local businesses in Ephrata. The shop is located at 156 First Ave NW and features a variety of different sweet treats.

Palmer’s Adventure Farm kicks off Fall Fest

MOSES LAKE – Palmer’s Adventure Farm has begun its Fall Fest over the weekend. Formerly known as StrawBelly’s, the farm held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday afternoon to celebrate their new branding and new location.

Tigers’ Pichardo in the running for Youth Athlete of the Year

EPHRATA – Ephrata Tigers junior soccer player Diego Pichardo was nominated for the 2025 Youth Athlete of the Year award and placed fourth overall in the rankings after making it to the semifinal round.

Police searching for theft suspect near Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – Law enforcement officers are currently searching for a theft suspect with drones and K-9 units on Road P Northeast and Road 3 Northeast near Moses Lake.

NCW Libraries offers civics, discourse programs

MOSES LAKE – North Central Washington libraries will host a digital Fall Program series for adults in partnership with Oregon Humanities and the NCW Equity Alliance that centers on the core values of listening, learning and building community. “The idea is just to bring people together to have reflective conversations,” said Alicia O’Dell, Adult Services Manager at NCW Libraries. “To think and share together and just kind of reevaluate what we think and hear from different perspectives with the goal of learning from one another.”

Reptiles, learning and local fun

April the Reptile Lady coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE – The City of Moses Lake Museum and Art Center is hosting free family Saturday, Oct. 4, featuring a presentation from April Jackson or as she’s better known, April the Reptile Lady.

Mavs dominate at home

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Mavericks regained a home game on their schedule Friday after air quality shifted their away game against Wenatchee to Lions Field. Grabbing ahold of the home-field advantage, the Mavs showed off their strength with a 56-0 victory over the Panthers. “We had a rough week and then we came out and balled,” said Mavs receiver Carter Anderson.

Cars, Cops, Coffee and First Responders event cruising in

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Classic Car club will be hosting the annual Cars, Cops, Coffee and First Responders Thank You Salute Show ‘n Shine Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 944 W Third Ave at the old Ace Hardware lot in Moses Lake.