JOEL MARTIN
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves.
Recent Stories
Wampum auction to support Wheat Land Communities Fair coming
RITZVILLE — A small fair will be supported in a big way next weekend. Wampum, the annual auction for the Wheat Land Communities Fair, will take place Saturday at the Wheat Land Fairgrounds in Ritzville. The event will include a barbecue dinner and a live and silent auction.
Area experts walk potential first-time home buyers through the process
MOSES LAKE — How to facilitate a first home purchase was the topic of a seminar in Moses Lake Tuesday. The Homebuying Process Workshop, hosted by Opportunities Industrialization Center, or OIC, of Washington, featured three experts in home purchasing and a ton of advice for people new to the process.
Teen writers wanted for library fiction contest
WENATCHEE — North Central Washington Libraries is accepting submissions for the 2025 Teen Short Fiction Competition. NCW Libraries oversees the operation of libraries in and near Grant County, among others.
‘We owe it to them’
New Hope copes with rising need and falling funding
MOSES LAKE — The need for New Hope’s and Kids Hope’s services is growing, but the money to fund them isn’t, according to Director Suzi Fode. “Overall … my program is looking at a 24% cut (in funding),” said Fode.
Ritzville offers parks, museums and more
RITZVILLE — For a town of about 1,800, Ritzville has a lot to do. There are museums, golf and a water park, as well as historic walks and buildings to explore.
Respite from violence: New Hope shelter offers escape for domestic abuse victims
MOSES LAKE — More than 500 people find help at New Hope on an annual basis as they work to escape domestic violence situations and abusive relationships that can often feel like traps they’ve fallen into. Fear of the unknown, psychological challenges and fear of homelessness are all factors that can add to that feeling of being trapped.
Dreaming big: Soroptimist conference encourages girls to pursue careers without fear
MOSES LAKE — Women can do any job they want to. That was the theme of Dream It Be It, the annual conference for high school girls put on by the Moses Lake chapter of Soroptimist International. About 60 girls gathered at Vanguard Academy Saturday to hear about possible career paths from women who have already followed them. The point, said Elsa Meservy, one of the organizers, is to show girls they can have more options for their future than they might think.
FIRST RESPONDER FOCUS: GCSO Sgt. Gary Mansford prepares to step into new role as undersheriff
EPHRATA — If Gary Mansford wasn’t planning on a career in law enforcement, other people certainly were planning it for him. “I got pulled over by a state patrolman one day, and he said that he was told by his sergeant that if anybody's seen me, they were to pull me over and tell me that I needed to test for the State Patrol,” Mansford said. “I knew the patrolman and I knew his sergeant, so I looked into the State Patrol, and then Mike Shay and Dean Mitchell from Moses Lake (Police Department), they were both talking to me as well. So, I tested and got hired by the (Grant County) Sheriff's Office.”
Triple play
EHS Spring Showcase features series of one-act dramas
EPHRATA — Audiences at Ephrata High School’s Spring Showcase will be in for a three-fer when EHS Drama presents three one-act plays. “I had another show in mind,” Director Marla Allsopp said. “But I never quite know what I’m going to have for audition, so I always have some (other scripts) kind of in the back of my mind. I didn’t get the right combo or number of kids for the show I was thinking of, and I had these kind of sitting there. (I said), “I would really love to do these shows I’ve had for a couple of years, and I finally have the right group to do it.’” With a cast of 10, several students appear in two plays, and one, senior Monty Muir, is in all three.
Help is available for problem gambling
OLYMPIA — Some people, when they go to the store for milk and coffee, pick up a lottery ticket at the same time. Some people like to spend a day or a weekend at a tribal casino. Some people like to vacation in Las Vegas. And for most folks, that’s just fine. But for other people, any of those things is the first step into a very dark place.