CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Quincy examines pool, water, sewer issues

QUINCY — Quincy city officials are beginning the process of planning for water and sewer projects designed to upgrade the city’s utility systems. Quincy City Council members voted Tuesday to advertise for proposals for a number of studies, including one that would analyze the city’s existing sewer system. Quincy Administrator Pat Haley said in an earlier interview that the city has reached 85% of its sewer capacity. When that happens the city is required by the Washington Department of Ecology to conduct an analysis of the system and options for enlarging it...

Warrior Academy provides extra support for students

MATTAWA — The first-graders had their tents set up Friday morning, the campfire burning (or at least a paper replica of a campfire burning), but no camping trip is complete without s’mores. The question before the first graders was how to make s’mores. “We are going to start doing writing,” Wahluke School District counselor Dulce Molina told the first-graders...

Adams Co. sheriff pleased with agency’s response to challenging times

OTHELLO — Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said he originally intended a career in medicine, but he really wanted to be a law enforcement officer. “I got into law enforcement pretty early due to my brother, who was a Pierce County sergeant for many years,” Wagner said. “When he was in Pierce County I was a teen, and I was able at that time to go with him on ride-alongs. It just piqued my interest and it really stuck with me.”

Peeling the apple market

Domestic apple sales strong, but tariffs, congestion affecting exports

QUINCY — Washington apple growers, having survived a wild and crazy 2022, are making the turn into a new year with a market that’s looking pretty good domestically, but facing some export challenges. Riley Bushue, director of Congressional relations and export programs for the Northwest Horticultural Council, cited Washington apple sales to India as an example of the export issues. “In India, we face retaliatory tariffs on apples,” he said. “Those were put in place by India in 2018 in response to the U.S. putting in place steel and aluminum Section 232 tariffs.” ...

Moses Lake superintendent, board member to hold monthly Q&A

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake School District patrons will have the chance to ask questions and talk face-to-face with district superintendent Monty Sabin and Moses Lake School Board member Shannon Hintz once each month, beginning in February. Hintz said during Thursday’s regular board meeting that she and Sabin will be at the Red Door Cafe, 202 W. Third Ave., at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 15, and plan to make it a monthly meeting. “Monty or myself will be there for anybody to come in and talk, to voice concerns, ask questions if you want to know why things happened or why things don’t happen. We’re there to help you understand it,” Hintz said. “So if anybody would like to come down and just talk, say whatever you want to say – we’ll be there.” Hintz said she wanted to give district residents another avenue to meet and talk with school officials after the meeting. “To have more community connection,” she said. Monthly meeting dates will be announced. Cheryl Schweizer can be reached at [email protected].

Decades of service

GCFD 3’s Jim Kling retires from fire service after 34 years

QUINCY — Firefighters and EMTs have the chance to help people out in trying times, and Jim Kling said that was something that attracted him to firefighting, and kept him in it over a 34-year career. “We get called when people have bad days,” he said. “If you enjoy helping the community and the people in the community, it’s the perfect job for you.” Kling retired Jan. 1 from his job as assistant chief and fire marshal for Grant County Fire District 3. He joined GCFD 3 as a volunteer in 1988 and became a part of the paid staff in July 1996. He was working for the city of Quincy, he said, when a friend asked him about volunteering for the fire department...

Grant County Jail construction planning process starts today with kickoff meeting

EPHRATA — Grant County officials and representatives of the general contractor and architects will be meeting today to discuss the initial phases of construction of the new Grant County Jail. Tom Gaines, Grant County Central Services director, said Grant County Commissioners selected Lydig Construction out of Spokane Valley as the general contractor. “All of our pieces are in place,” Gaines said. “The team is now together, and we’re (planning) the next six to eight months.” Thursday’s meeting is the start of that process. “Everybody that’s responsible for getting this thing built meets in the same place,” Gaines said, and will review the work done to date. “Where we’ve been and where we’re going.” County voters approved a three-tenths of 1% increase in the county’s sales tax in 2019, with the money to go toward law and justice projects including a new jail. Grant County Commissioners approved the sale of up to $90 million in limited tax general obligation bonds for the project in July 2022.

Law abiding panel: Animal control, traffic topics of conversation at Law Enforcement Appreciation in Mattawa

MATTAWA — Animal control and traffic on State Route 243 were among the topics at a question and answer session during an event to recognize law enforcement officers for their work Monday in Mattawa. The “Law Enforcement Appreciation” event was sponsored by the South Grant County Chamber of Commerce. Wahluke School District Superintendent Andy Harlow said he hoped the participants would come back. “I hope it’s the first time of many to come,” Harlow said...

GCSO ends contracts in Desert Aire, Coulee City

EPHRATA — The governing board in Desert Aire is requesting proposals for security services following the end of a contract for law enforcement services between Desert Aire and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said a similar contract with the town of Coulee City is also being terminated...

Mattawa examines CAD Homes development

MATTAWA — The nuts and bolts of government - development regulations, comprehensive land use, housing density, traffic impacts and control - was the subject of a lengthy workshop for the Mattawa City Council on Jan. 5. Council members reviewed a proposed housing development agreement with Moses Lake-based CAD Homes and owner Drew Scott, covering details ranging from parking to financial responsibility for street development. The council requested a development agreement before making a decision on a request to annex 40 acres, known as the Brodero property, into the city limits...

Mavericks boys wrestlers get convincing dual meet win

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake boys wrestling Coach Jose Tanguma said the goal in Wednesday’s dual meet with West Valley (Yakima) was to get decisive wins. The Mavericks did that – only one match went to a decision in a 66-15 Moses Lake win. The girls dual featured only one match, with the rest being forfeits; Moses Lake won 54-12. “Our guys went out there and got pins, and that’s what I wanted them to do today,” Tanguma said...

Planning underway for Quincy street improvements

QUINCY — A project to improve connections between 13th Avenue Southwest and the rest of Quincy, and to accommodate development between 13th Avenue and Seventh Avenue Soiuthwest, is in the engineering phase. Quincy City Council members approved a change to a contract with the project engineers at the regular meeting Tuesday. The vote was unanimous with no discussion. The contract revision adds $78,300 to the original contract price. The original contract with Pace Engineers of Kirkland was approved in May 2021 and amended in September 2022 to continue through 2024. A construction schedule has not been announced.

Hours may shorten at Mattawa garbage facility

'We're down to one customer a day, and we can't support that.'

MATTAWA — Declining use of a Grant County-owned garbage collection facility near Mattawa, also called a drop box, may lead to reduced winter hours for the facility. Grant County Public Works Director Sam Castro said he has submitted a request to the Grant County Commissioners to open the facility only on Saturdays for now. “We’re down to one customer a day, and we can’t support that,” Castro said...

Watering the high desert

Othello working on separate water system for outdoor use

OTHELLO — The city of Othello is instituting an irrigation water utility for new subdivisions built around Othello. The new utility will establish a separate water system for lawns, gardens and other outdoor uses, using water from outside the municipal system. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said the goal is to conserve municipal water resources. “Water is valuable in the desert,” Logan said...

Quincy city budget includes money for street revisions, indoor activity center

QUINCY— The city of Quincy will spend about $86 million in 2023. Quincy City Council members voted unanimously to approve the 2023 budget at the Dec. 20 council meeting. The budget includes a general fund of about $21.6 million. Most of the money for employee salaries and many city operations, like most parks and recreation and the Quincy Police Department, comes out of the general fund. The city has about $12 million in a separate fund to build a new indoor sports complex. City Administrator Pat Haley said in a separate interview that the project has been in the works for a while. “We still have the fieldhouse on the drawing board and we’re looking at funding sources for that,” Haley said. “We have been putting that money aside to do something.” Council members voted in November to look for funding for the rest of the project. Estimated total cost is about $23 million, which includes some provisions for inflation. Haley said he doesn’t expect construction to start in 2023.

Othello boys take 71-28 win over Warden

OTHELLO — An aggressive Othello defense and what Warden Coach Brent Erdman said was a depleted Warden bench combined to give the Huskies boys basketball team a decisive 71-28 victory Wednesday in Othello. “We’re still trying to get healthy as a team,” Erdman said. “We’re missing a lot of kids, so we’re not at full strength. So that’s tough.” Warden scored the game’s first two points, but once Othello took a 3-2 lead, they never trailed again. The Huskies led 14-12 at the end of the first quarter, and Othello Coach Roman Pruneda said his team picked up the tempo from there. “We came out a little flat. We weren’t playing as aggressive on defense as I wanted them to, being a little timid,” Pruneda said. “But as we started going in the quarter, the kids picked it up. They found more of a sense of urgency from there on.”

Lady Mavericks Christmas Mixer wraps up today

MOSES LAKE — Sydney Macdonald (1) of Moses Lake brings the ball up the court against Addisyn Reffett (24) of Lake Stevens Thursday in the Mavericks’ second game of the Lady Mavericks Christmas Mixer at Moses Lake High School. Lake Stevens defeated Moses Lake 49-29. Mavericks coach Matt Strophy said he was encouraged by the way the Mavericks stuck to the defensive game plan. “Even though we gave up some things, they did what we asked of them,” he said. Moses Lake is back in action tonight in the tournament finale, playing the Othello Huskies at 5:15 p.m. Woodinville takes on Sunnyside at 1:45 p.m., and Central Valley plays Lake Stevens at 3:30 p.m.

Warden defense powers Cougars to 52-42 win over Othello

OTHELLO — The Warden girls basketball team used a scrambling defense and an intense press to come away with a 52-42 win over the Othello Huskies in Othello Wednesday. Warden Head Coach Josh Madsen said the Cougar defense helped make the difference on a night when the offense went cold. “Tonight we had a really rough shooting game. Our defense needs to keep us in it, and it did,” Madsen said. “We were just a mess to start the game, mentally,” he said. “It took us a while to settle down. We shot terribly most of the game, but really bad in the first half. Finally settled down in the late first quarter, second quarter, and started playing our game a little bit.” Othello jumped out to an 11-0 lead, and led 16-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Cougar press started gaining in effectiveness in the second quarter, however, and Warden took its first lead of the game, 23-22, with about two minutes left in the second quarter. The Cougars led 25-24 at the half.

Blanket statement

Keri Perez uses creative skills to make new quilts from old jeans

MOSES LAKE — Keri Perez said what started it all was the quilt made out of old jeans. “I grew up with a blanket my dad had – it was a huge jean blanket,” she said. The fabric came from her dad’s jeans. It was denim on both sides, very heavy, and her dad really liked it. He liked it so much that he paid a quilt maker to take more of his old jeans and make quilts for each of his kids. “He gifted each of us a jean blanket. Then when I moved back home to Moses Lake, I wanted one for my kids, so I just made a couple for my kids,” she said. “Then my dad had more jeans, and rather than paying another gal to put them together, he had me start putting them together. And for him I probably did (about) 45 blankets.”

Bail set at $1 million for suspect in Othello shooting, victim hospitalized

OTHELLO — An Othello man was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the neck after a shooting at his home Tuesday evening. Another Othello man was booked into the Adams County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder and assault in connection with the shooting, and two juveniles were booked on suspicion of assault. Freddy Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 20, was transported to Othello Community Hospital and then to an out-of-town medical facility for further treatment of his wound, according to a statement from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday. The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of Kristina Road, the ACSO statement said. Raphael Chavez-Hernandez, 22, was booked on suspicion of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm. He made an initial appearance in Adams County Superior Court Wednesday, and is being held on $1 million bail, according to an update from the ACSO. The two juveniles were booked on suspicion of first-degree assault and second-degree assault. They also made an initial appearance in Adams County Superior Court, and bail was set at $500,000 each. The ACSO statement said the third juvenile suspect was being sought on the same charges. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said in answer to a separate question from the Columbia Basin Herald that all suspects are from Othello. The ACSO said in the statement a search warrant was served in the 600 block of Eagle Road near Othello late Wednesday morning. The shooting appeared to be gang-related, the ACSO statement said, but as of Wednesday morning the motive was unknown. The case is still under investigation. The ACSO said more information will be released as it becomes available. Cheryl Schweizer can be reached at [email protected].

Grant County Health District receives grant to increase distribution of Narcan

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Health District officials are hoping to get a medication that helps fight narcotics overdoses into the hands of more people, with the aid of a grant from the North Central Accountable Community of Health. Mariah DeLeon, GCHD Harm Reduction Program coordinator, said the grant will provide Narcan kits, along with training in how to use them. “Our goal is to supply people who use drugs, or people who are affected by people who use drugs, with Narcan. Our goal is to get Narcan embedded into the community,” DeLeon said. Narcan inhibits the effect of an opioid overdose, she said.

Othello 2023 budget includes park, city hall upgrades

OTHELLO — The city of Othello is projected to spend about $31.4 million on city services and projects in 2023. Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said city officials have put together a long list of projects for next year. “This 2023 budget is an ambitious budget that’s designed to accomplish a lot of things,” Logan said. The city’s general fund was budgeted at about $8.3 million in 2023; the general fund pays for most city employee salaries and operations not funded through specific departments. The city’s sewer utility fund was budgeted at about $5.7 million, and the water utility fund at about $4.3 million. Operation of water and sewer services are paid for out of those funds. The street fund is budgeted at $2.175 million. The city also has about $1.25 million of the money the city received to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak.

How to read the range

Quincy High School’s Levi Kukes to compete in international rangeland management contest

QUINCY — An experienced observer – or somebody who’s done their homework – can study a piece of rangeland and find clues to its condition. The vegetation on a specific section of range, its distribution, the way the land slopes, the soil type – it all has something to say, at least to someone who’s done their homework. Levi Kukes has done his homework.

Planning for A Street next step for Quincy

QUINCY — Planning may start in 2023 for the next phase of a project designed to reroute semi-truck traffic away from Quincy’s Central Avenue and residential streets. The B Street Northeast phase of the project was the focus of the work in 2022, and prompted questions and concerns from residents and business owners along the street. Quincy administrator Pat Haley said city officials will be working on A Street Northeast, with no date for construction established, but hoping it can begin in 2024. “That’s the next step. That’s the next project,” Haley said.

Quincy city service rates to increase in 2023

QUINCY — Quincy residents will see a 10% increase in their water, sewer and garbage rates in 2023. Quincy City Council members approved the rate increase by a unanimous vote at the regular meeting Dec. 20. “We haven’t had a rate increase for a couple of years,” City Administrator Pat Haley said....

School and holiday spirit

Ephrata High School student Eric O’Neel found a seasonally appropriate costume for the Ephrata-Quincy basketball game Dec. 21.

Defense powers Ephrata girls to 50-34 win over Quincy

EPHRATA — The Ephrata girls basketball team used aggressive defense to pull away from the Quincy Jacks and take the 50-34 win Wednesday night in Ephrata. Tigers coach Alain Black said she prefers a man-to-man defense, but Quincy forced the Tigers to switch...

‘One point and about three seconds’

Ephrata wins Battle of the Basin overtime thriller

EPHRATA — Ephrata boys basketball coach Rick Walter detailed the difference between the Tigers and the Quincy Jacks in Ephrata’s 61-60 overtime win Wednesday in Ephrata. “One point and about three seconds,” Walter said. Hayden Roberts hit the winning shot with about two seconds left, after Julian Ibarra had given the Jacks the lead, 60-59, with about eight seconds left. Quincy’s Pierce Bierlink got off a shot at the buzzer, but it bounced off the rim...

Snowdrift closes Quincy-area road, strands drivers

QUINCY — Snowdrifts closed sections of Road 8 NW and Road 9 NW and temporarily stranded some drivers late Wednesday night. No one was stranded overnight, although some vehicles were stuck in the snowdrift until morning. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office issued a travel advisory at about 11:47 p.m., asking drivers to avoid the two roads between Road M.7 NW and Adams Road North. Grant County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman wrote in a release that multiple vehicles were stuck, including a delivery truck blocking the roadway...

QVMC looks at rebranding

New logo, updated website possibilities for Quincy Valley Medical Center

QUINCY — A new logo and an updated website would be part of a possible rebranding campaign for Quincy Valley Medical Center, an option discussed at the regular commission meeting Monday. Shannon Durfee, QVMC community relations and marketing director, said the idea is still in the discussion phase; there’s nothing proposed for a new look yet. But with a new hospital being designed, Durfee said it was time to think about a new look...

Operation Friendship

Moses Lake Food Bank program works to help children in need have a great holiday.

MOSES LAKE — The volunteers circulated among the big cardboard boxes Saturday morning, consulting the notes on the clipboard, selecting a doll and a puzzle here, a game ball and toy cars there. The goal of Operation Friendship, sponsored by the Moses Lake Food Bank, is to empty the bins and get the toys into the hands of children for Christmas. Moses Lake Food Bank Operations Manager Peny Archer said Operation Friendship had more than 300 children registered...

Bitterly cold weather, then freezing rain, in forecast

MOSES LAKE — A combination of cold air and even colder air will cause winds to start blowing and push temperatures to 25 to 30 degrees below zero in Grant County early Thursday morning. Steven Van Horn, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Spokane, said Tuesday night that temperatures are forecast to be about seven to 10 degrees below zero early Thursday morning. But the winds will be blowing out of the north, forecast to be about 10 to 12 miles per hour. “Those winds are going to have a significant impact,” Van Horn said...

QVMC board authorizes bond sale

Proceeds to be used to build new Quincy hospital

QUINCY — A general contractor for the new Quincy Valley Medical Center is scheduled to be hired by the end of January, with the goal of starting construction in the summer of 2023. Hospital district commissioners authorized the sale of $46 million in construction bonds at the regular meeting Monday. “That is a big deal,” said commissioner Anthony Gonzalez. The vote to authorize the bond sale was 4-0; commissioner Sherri Kooy was absent. “That is a huge deal,” commissioner Michelle Talley said in agreement with Gonzalez...

‘I want my car to look cool, but I want to do it my way’

Customizing cars and turning wrenches is for women and girls too

OTHELLO — Jessica Preciado’s car is pretty much like she wants it. More or less. Of course, it still needs some work. A cool car usually needs some work. “I can’t say this car will ever be 100% done,” she said. “I’ll see where it goes.” The 2003 Mazda Protege has had a lot of work done already - a new wheel setup, engine modifications, a modified suspension, among other things. “I have started a list, but I lost track,” she said...

Othello PD, ACSO play Santa

Children fulfill their shopping lists with help of law enforcement at Shop With a Cop

OTHELLO — Even when kids have a shopping buddy - courtesy of the Othello Police Department and Adams County Sheriff’s Office - that Christmas shopping thing is tough. Jesus Caramillo has a big family, and he had a budget. It was a pretty healthy budget. Caramillo was part of OPD’s annual Shop With a Cop day, and OPD Assistant Chief David Rehaume said the community was very generous in 2022...

Walking path construction discussed by Mattawa Council

MATTAWA — The Mattawa City Council wants to know when will work will resume on a walkway along Government Road. At a regular meeting on Thursday, Council Member Tony Acosta asked about the procedure for resuming work, which was halted in late November with the arrival of cold weather, and who is in charge of setting a date for the construction restart. “My concern is figuring out if we were going to put a date to start back up, so the clock can start ticking again,” Acosta said. “Are we going to leave it open-ended?” ...

Late morning fire damages Quincy shop Friday

QUINCY — Grant County Fire District 3 firefighters gain entry to a shop while fighting a fire in the building late Friday morning. The fire, in the 40 block of F Street SE, was reported at about 11:35 a.m., said GCFD 3 Assistant Chief Jim Kling. He added that the building sustained damage but was not destroyed. Kling said the cause of the fire was undetermined, but that an electrical issue was suspected. Firefighters were on the scene about an hour.

Bond question: Samaritan commissioners weighing construction bond for new hospital

MOSES LAKE — Samaritan Healthcare commissioners will sponsor a public forum Jan. 18 to get input from district patrons on a possible proposal for a construction bond to pay some of the costs of building a new Samaritan Hospital. “We are committed to moving forward in some way,” Christian said. “We are (discussing) what the best way is. We’re still gathering data, evaluating our community. We’re not ready to make a decision yet, because we want to make sure the decision is the correct one.” ...

Tentative date set for opening new Othello District Court

OTHELLO — Othello city officials have established Jan. 13 as the tentative date for the first hearings before the new municipal court. Jessica Melo, the court administrator, gave Othello City Council members a timeline for opening the court at the regular meeting Dec. 12. “Currently, we intend on having court once a week,” Melo said...

Othello voters to decide fate of Educational Programs and Operations levy

OTHELLO — Othello School District voters will be asked to approve or reject a three-year educational programs and operations levy in a special election on Feb. 14. The levy would replace one approved by district voters in 2020. If it is approved, the OSD would collect slightly more than $2.8 million in 2024, $3.05 million in 2025 and $3.3 million in 2026. Because it’s a school levy, the proposal requires a bare majority, 50% plus one vote, to pass. If it’s approved, property owners would pay an estimated $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed property value. That’s unchanged from the current levy. The Washington Legislature changed the way levies are funded in 2018, and $1.50 is the maximum levy amount.

Operation Warm

Firefighters help children get through winter with new coats

MOSES LAKE — it’s cold out there, and not every child has a new coat to see them through the snow, ice and 20-degree temperatures. About 100 children at four Moses Lake elementary schools now have a new coat with the help of Operation Warm. Jason Koziol, a firefighter with the Moses Lake Fire Department, said it’s a longtime project. “Operation Warm is a program that has been set up through the (firefighters union Local 1258), for basically purchasing new coats for kids in need in the community that we serve,” he said...

Fuhr reelected as Moses Lake School Board chair

MOSES LAKE — Kevin Fuhr has been reelected for a new term as Moses Lake School Board president. Shannon Hintz was reelected as vice president. Board members voted 4-0 to retain the current officers without discussion during the regular meeting Thursday. Paul Hill is the board’s legislative representative and also retained his position. In other business, Stefanie Lowry, the district’s director of finance, gave the board a budget update through the end of October...

Two sides of a coin

mavs girls win, boys fall in dual meet with Sunnyside

MOSES LAKE — The first Columbia Basin Big Nine dual meet of the young 2022-23 wrestling season ended in a 54-24 win over Sunnyside for the Moses Lake girls wrestling team, and a 55-18 loss to Sunnyside for the boys wrestlers...

Fun times at Othello's Christmas Miracle on Main Street

Residents brave cold temps to celebrate the holiday

OTHELLO — It was cold, but not cold enough to keep people from watching the parade, playing in the beanbag tournament, attending the children’s carnival and taking part in all the activities in the Christmas Miracle on Main Street in Othello Saturday. The parade and other events are sponsored by the Othello Holiday Committee...

Donations sought for Othello Shop With a Cop

OTHELLO — The Othello Police Department is looking for monetary donations to help bring a little Christmas cheer to some Othello children. Donations for the department’s Shop With a Cop program can be dropped off at the OPD office, 500 E. Main St.. People who can’t make it to the office can call 509-488-3314 to make arrangements to donate. Othello Police Chief Phil Schenck said Shop With a Cop 2022 got a boost from Adams County Fire District 5, whose cooks won about $2,000 in the Chili Cook-Off at the Othello Fair in September. The prize money is donated to a charity of the winner’s choice.

Registration open for Light Up Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake residents and businesses are being invited to light up the town in celebration of the holiday season at Light Up Moses Lake, returning for its third year. Registration is $25 and is open to businesses and residences in Moses Lake. Participants must register by Dec. 15 at https://bit.ly/LUML2022. Pretty lights are only part of it – organizers will be collecting donations of money, non-perishable food and new and unwrapped toys for local charities. The 2022 beneficiaries are Moses Lake Youth Dynamics, the People for People transportation service and CARE Moses Lake, which provides food to organizations that serve people in need, and sponsors an information fair for local nonprofits. The Moses Lake Food Bank will receive the donated food items...

Toys and financial donations sought for Operation Friendship

MOSES LAKE — Distribution is scheduled Dec. 17 for Operation Friendship, sponsored by the Moses Lake Food Bank. Operation Friendship is the annual toy drive that provides new toys to families in need. Food bank director Peny Archer said signups started Monday. “We’ll do signups the first two weeks of December,” she said...

Celtic celebration coming

Gothard Sisters return to Moses Lake for holiday concert

MOSES LAKE — A Celtic take on Christmas music comes to Moses Lake when the Gothard Sisters perform in concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Wallenstien Theater on the Big Bend Community College campus. The concert is part of the Central Basin Community Concert Association series, and is sponsored with the help of Moses Lake Steel, according to information from the CBCCA. The sisters are familiar to Moses Lake audiences; they have performed in town on multiple occasions, including earlier Christmas concerts. Sisters Greta, Solana and Willow are Puget Sound-area natives who’ve been performing together for more than a decade, starting at a local farmers market...

Quincy girls defeat Wahluke, 47-32

QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks girls basketball team defeated the Wahluke Warriors 47-32 in the season opener for both teams Friday at Quincy High School Micaiah McCreary, Quincy head coach, said she saw some improvement between the team’s first time on the court earlier in the week. “I thought we were hustling a lot better. We had a jamboree on Monday and it was - not good. They threw that away, and they came out ready to play,” she said. First-year Wahluke Coach Everardo Corrales said he was pleased with his team’s effort in the first game...

Quincy boys defeat Wahluke 71-53 in season opener

QUINCY — With Aiden Bews leading the way, the Quincy Jacks boys basketball team defeated the Wahluke Warriors 71-53 Friday at Quincy High School in the season opener for both teams. Quincy Coach Scott Bierlink said he knew the Warriors would be a quality opponent. “I knew Wahluke was a good team. They bring some guys back that they had last year when they were a game away from going to state. So we knew they were going to be a good scrappy team, and we’ve got a bunch of new guys. I thought we came out and played nervous - there’s no doubt about that. We looked a little rough. For a minute there I thought, ‘Boy, this is going to be a long season.’ But we righted the ship. I think some of our young guys kind of figured it out a little bit.” ...