JOEL MARTIN

Trade school scholarship auction coming Feb. 15 in Mattawa

MATTAWA — The Sven Legacy Foundation will hold a fundraiser silent auction Feb. 15 near Mattawa, complete with food, drinks, music and lots to bid on. The foundation was formed in November in memory of its namesake, Sven Leland, a Mattawa farmer who passed away last year. The purpose is to help students who aren’t planning to go to college have career options.

Home solar can trim bills, but research before installing

EPHRATA — With the cost of everything going up, some homeowners want to embrace self-sufficiency in energy by mounting solar panels on their roofs to generate power. And considering the Basin’s abundant sunshine, that seems like a great solution for this area. “We do encourage customers to go into their solar investment fully educated with clear expectations,” said Chris Buchmann, energy programs supervisor for the Grant Public Utility District.

Queen Kaylee

Ephrata graduate named Moses Lake Rodeo Queen

EPHRATA — There’s a new queen in Moses Lake, and she’s got Ephrata roots. Kaylee Stump, 20, of Ephrata was named the 2025 Miss Moses Lake Roundup in November. Stump, the daughter of Mike and Miranda Stump, is a 2022 graduate of Ephrata High School. Her coronation will be March 29, said Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo Board Member Amanda Miller.

Showing the moves

Local hoofers show their moves at Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars

MOSES LAKE — The Wallenstien Theater was almost full Saturday night for the second annual Dancing with the Moses Lake Stars. “It was exciting to see (so many) young people,” said Judy Twigg, vice president of the Central Basin Community Concert Association, which hosted the event. “It shows that if you get the right entertainment in Moses Lake, it draws people.”

New Elks Lodge hosts youth hoop shoot

MOSES LAKE — Four Moses Lake youths will advance in the Elks Hoop Shoot thanks to their free throw skills. Fabian Vargas, Preston Groth, Linden Wiltbank and Brinly Wiltbank emerged the champions in their divisions in the competition held Saturday at Frontier Middle School, according to an email from Debbie Doran-Martinez, a member of the new Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge that formed in November in Moses Lake.

‘Hello, Dolly!’

Matchmaking, mayhem and a little and manipulation light up QVAA musical

QUINCY — Audiences can put on their Sunday clothes and cast themselves back to the Gay Nineties this month as Quincy Valley Allied Arts brings “Hello, Dolly!” to the stage.

Country Sweethearts to benefit cancer patients, families

MOSES LAKE — The 16th annual Country Sweethearts benefit auction is coming up Feb. 1 and it’s going to be a doozy, according to Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation Executive Director Angel Ledesma.

A career of grace

Pastor Walter Klockers prepares to retire

MOSES LAKE — Pastor Walter Klockers has a guiding principle: “This is Christ's Church, and I know my place.” It’s a part of the creed he maintains for his ministry, he said; he regularly reminds himself that he is an imperfect person who is called to proclaim a perfect Gospel and to serve others rather than feed his own ego. “That, I review, because I fail so many times,” he added.

ENZO opens event room, expands kitchen

MOSES LAKE — ENZO owners and staff cut the ribbon on the restaurant’s newest facility, called the Riviera Room, Wednesday. ENZO already had a smaller banquet facility, called the Amalfi Room, owner Rhonda Cacchiotti explained, but it’s also used for everyday dining and even when it’s booked for private functions it can only accommodate 25-30 people. “This (Riviera) room has capacity for 60-80 people.” Cacchiotti said. “It has a private entrance. It has AV equipment (with) a drop-down screen. We have speakers, we have microphones. We have a podium that can be used. We have room to push tables into different configurations, where we can have a small dance floor. We have a full banquet buffet menu that we can also customize.”

Interest rates continue to drag down housing market in Washington

KIRKLAND — 2024 ended with a disappointing housing market statewide, according to data released by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which tracks real estate across 26 of Washington’s 39 counties. Interest rates were responsible for much of the gloom, according to the NWMLS. While potential home buyers and sellers had hoped for a reprieve, the Federal Reserve’s three interest rate cuts in 2024 failed to produce a significant increase in the market. Rather, in early January the average 30-year mortgage rate was 6.91%, the highest it’s been since last July. Median home prices went up statewide by 4.3% between December 2023 and December 2024. In Grant County, however, the median price dropped very slightly from $360,950 to $356,582 over the last year, and in Adams County the median price dropped 10.3% from $322,500 to $292,300, the second-lowest median home price of any county.