JOEL MARTIN

MLHS softball has the numbers and the drive to win

MOSES LAKE — The field outside Moses Lake High School was teeming with softball players March 3. “Our numbers are huge,” said Head Coach Mike Hofheins. “We’ve got a ton of girls out, like 55 girls. We have a huge senior class, (so) we have a lot of veterans. Our expectations are high.” The Mavericks graduated some standout pitchers last year, which means the next crop of pitchers is rushing to build up their skills.

Maverick boys work on basics, teamwork

MOSES LAKE — How’s Moses Lake High School’s baseball team looking this year? “Young. Really young,” said Head Coach Donnie Lindgren. “Inexperienced, but ready to work.” The baseball team graduated nine seniors last year, Lindgren said. The incoming team has boys who have played before in youth baseball and for a club team at The Six, Lindgren said, but not as a unit. Some of the newcomers have played for Moses Lake in football and basketball as well, he said.

Veterans groups to host virtual career fair

ERLANGER, Ky. — Disabled American Veterans and RecruitMilitary® will co-host the National Virtual Veterans Career Fair from 1 to 4 p.m. Pacific time March 17, according to an announcement from DAV. The online event is free to veterans, their spouses, active-duty military personnel and members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Children donate stuffed animals, make up packages for children in foster care

MOSES LAKE — Children from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints East Moses Lake Stake brought in stuffed toys Saturday to add to packages for children in foster care.

Corral Creek kicks off spring season at George CoffeeHouse

GEORGE — The George CoffeeHouse concert season gets underway March 21 with a performance by Corral Creek at the George Community Hall.

Gentlemen’s Quartet set to make sophistication fun March 24

MOSES LAKE — The Gentlemen’s Quartet – plus a lady – will take the stage March 24 at the Wallenstien Theater. The concert is sponsored by the Central Basin Community Concert Association.

Basin churches come together for Lent, fellowship

MOSES LAKE — For some local churches, Lent is more than a time for giving things up; it’s also a season of fellowship and community.

Ellensburg trooper named WSP Trooper of the year

ELLENSBURG — Trooper Thomas Megargle of Ellensburg has been recognized as the Washington State Patrol District 6 Trooper of the Year. “Ever since I've known Thomas … there's no one who's going to outwork him, that's for sure,” said Sgt. John Bryant, Megargle’s sergeant. “He has the drive, the internal drive to get things done.”

‘I thank God for you’

Community Court graduate ready to start new life

EPHRATA — Shannon Robinson never expected to be where he was Wednesday: hugging a judge and walking away a free man. “I’ve been in and out of prison most of my life, with drug addiction being a big part of it,” Robinson said. “I really didn’t know anything other than that. So, every time I got out of prison, I kept going back to the drugs. And there was never any program that I could take advantage of that would show me anything different until this drug court came along. I thought, ‘Well, I’ve tried everything. I might as well try this.’”

Man arrested for arson, assault in Ephrata on Thursday

EPHRATA — A transient was arrested Thursday morning after allegedly setting fire to an apartment building in Ephrata, according to a statement from the Ephrata Police Department.

Oak and Lily Day Spa gets a little bigger

MOSES LAKE — The Oak and Lily Day Spa has been tucked into a little corner next to the downtown end of the Alder Street Fill for several years, but now it’s expanded into a larger space. “We’re going into our fifth year, (and) we just expanded into the other side of the building,” said owner Stephanie Perez. “We added new services and redid some of our services that we started with.” Perez celebrated expansion Tuesday with a ribbon cutting, attended by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. The space she expanded into used to be a law office, Perez said. The building is an older one, built in 1961, according to county records, and Perez has had to make very efficient use of the space. There’s a small room right behind the front counter where she started out doing manicures and pedicures. In the expanded space, there’s a room with a zero-gravity massage chair that reclines all the way back and wraps around to massage your entire body, right down to your feet, Perez said.

BASIN EVENTS: March 6-14

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s spring at last, and the Basin is filled with ways to get out and about. Whether you’re itching to get outside or you still want to huddle inside a warm building, there’s something for everybody. Here are some possibilities.

Covenant Christian School students grow plants for fundraiser

MOSES LAKE — Many gardeners in the Basin have already started nursing their seedlings in preparation for the day they can put them in the ground. Others can place their orders this month for ready-to-go plants from Covenant Christian School’s first plant sale. Orders will open in mid-March, and be delivered in April and May. “We have herbs, we have vegetables, we have flowers,” CCS seventh- and eighth-grade teacher Valerie Parrott said Wednesday. “We’re growing mainly heirloom, non-GMO plants.” The horticulture class is the beginning of the ag program Covenant Christian School started this year, using a greenhouse donated by school volunteer Ed Macdonald, known around the school as Papa Ed. The greenhouse was still very much a work in progress Wednesday; the frame was mostly put together but the plastic sheeting hadn’t been installed to cover it.

2025 sees slight real estate market improvement

KIRKLAND — The real estate market in Washington improved in 2025 compared to the year before, according to data released by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which tracks real estate trends in 27 Washington counties. The data is compiled from the work of more than 31,000 real estate brokers in more than 2,400 member offices, according to the NWMLS. Closed sales statewide increased slightly, by 0.21%, in 2025 over 2024, according to the NWMLS data. In Grant County, closed sales increased by 10.8%, and in Adams County by 17.82%.

Pages of Redemption

Initiative gathers books to donate to jails

MOSES LAKE — A single book can make a big difference for those who are incarcerated. “Books have the power to change lives,” said Bryson Fico, who collects and donates books to jails through his Pages of Redemption initiative. “If we can educate (inmates) or change their perspective on things, if they can see that somebody on the outside really cares about what’s going on inside these jails, they might be more inclined upon their release to give back.” Fico has collected and donated more than 3,000 books to jails around the Northwest, he said. Those books serve both to educate inmates and to give their minds something to do during the long, dull period of incarceration.

Field trip set to explore ice age geology near Tri-Cities

RICHLAND — The past is right beneath our feet, and a field trip planned for the Tri-Cities area aims to bring that home, according to an announcement from the Ice Age Floods Institute.

Quincy Food Bank auction brings new storage building closer to reality

QUINCY — It was still a couple of weeks shy of St. Patrick’s Day, but the green was being worn at the Quincy Food Bank’s Golden Giving auction Saturday. About 50 people came out to enjoy corned beef, cabbage and potatoes, and dancers from An Daire Academy of Irish Dance showed their fancy footwork, all to raise funds to expand the food bank.

SENIOR EVENTS: March 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — Plays, art shows, auctions and more await seniors in the Columbia Basin this month. Here are some opportunities to get out and about in March.

Valentine’s Day cards flood Brookdale Hearthstone with love

MOSES LAKE — Residents at Brookdale Hearthstone Assisted Living in Moses Lake got Valentine’s Day greetings from across the country last month. “I believe that the only states we have not received (cards from) yet are Vermont and Maine,” Lifestyle Director Imelda Broyles said Feb. 24. “We keep receiving new cards every single day. They have not stopped. My residents are in awe with every single one of the cards that we’ve been receiving.” The Hearts Across America project started as a way for children in school classrooms to exchange Valentine’s Day cards with classes in other states or even countries, but the idea has expanded to senior living facilities, according to the project’s social media.

Space Burger booth open March 13-15

MOSES LAKE — Those who can’t wait for the Grant County Fair can get their Space Burger fix next weekend, according to an announcement from the Lioness Club of Moses Lake. The iconic Grant County sandwiches will be available at the Grant County Fairgrounds March 13-15, according to the announcement. There is no admission fee to get into the fairgrounds that weekend.

More than 100 Basin students make WSU honor roll

PULLMAN — One hundred twenty-one students from Grant and Adams counties were named to the President’s Honor Roll at Washington State University for fall quarter 2025, according to an announcement from the university.

BASIN EVENTS: March 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — Spring is in sight and there’s lots to do this month in the Basin. Here are a few suggestions.

Lots of history: one photo

The former high school in Moses Lake, now Frontier Middle School, was built in 1948. The library on the building’s left was added in 1952. The barracks-like buildings in the background were for workmen building Larson Air Force Base in 1942. The large building in the foreground, Western Cold Storage, was built in 1922 by Seattle Mayor Edwin Brown as an apple-packing plant.

Spring into a new home

MOSES LAKE — Spring is just about here, and that’s the prime home-buying season, said Steve Tagnolli, vice president of home loans at Gesa Credit Union.

‘Footloose’: QHS musical combines high energy with strong emotion

QUINCY — It’s time to kick off those Sunday shoes and pump up the adrenaline. Quincy High School’s production of “Footloose” opens Friday at the QHS Performing Arts Center. “The kids are doing an awesome job keeping that energy and pace up,” Director Haliey Weber said. “There's a lot of dancing … It's very high-energy, very high-paced.”

Artrageous to raise the energy level March 6

MOSES LAKE — There are many words that could describe Artrageous, the show Columbia Basin Allied Arts will present March 6. “Sedate,” “calm” and “slow-paced” are not among those words.

Hands up: Columbia Basin Foundation moves nonprofits ahead one grant at a time

EPHRATA — There are many, many organizations in the Basin making life better for other people, but making life better, unfortunately, costs money. And a vital part of that money comes from charitable grants.

Safe Kids, Strong Communities event promises fun, learning

MOSES LAKE — Children and their families are invited to the Grant County Fairgrounds April 17 for Safe Kids, Strong Communities. The event, hosted by Kids Hope, will focus on child safety through fun activities like face painting, games and pizza, according to an announcement from Kids Hope. The Moses Lake Fire Department will have a truck there for children to explore, said Kids Hope Children's Advocacy Center Coordinator Elisa Adolphsen. Safe Kids, Strong Communities is free for all ages. Anyone who would like to is welcome to drop in any time between 3 and 7 p.m. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

Good officer

GCSO K-9 Edo passes at 11

EPHRATA — Grant County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Deputy Edo passed away last week, and he is sorely missed, said Sheriff Joey Kriete. “He was a very personable dog,” Kriete said. “He was kind of our poster child, if you will, for our K-9 program because he was so social. He would always greet everybody in the office. We all loved Edo.”

WA Legislature considering ‘Blue Envelope Bill’ to make traffic stops safer for neurodivergent drivers

OLYMPIA — A bill in the Washington Legislature has the potential to make encounters between police and people with autism safer.

DMLA kicks off 2026

Local organization celebrates 2025 accomplishments, looks forward to successful year

MOSES LAKE — The Downtown Moses Lake Association held its annual kickoff meeting Thursday to discuss last year’s achievements and the coming year’s plans. The meeting was held at Moore Brewing Company, which is a DMLA member.

CB Tech’s Armstrong wrapping up 40 years in education

MOSES LAKE — Christine Armstrong has run the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center since its inception, and now she’s set to retire after seeing thousands of students move through classrooms there and elsewhere.

Locals work to bring sailing to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — If things go as planned, we could be seeing sails on Moses Lake. “The dream is to … bring water education to the children who don’t have the opportunity (and) make that available to them,” said Teresa Fields, a Trails Planning Team member who’s also spearheading the effort to bring the YMCA to Moses Lake. The YMCA offers sailing camps and lessons in other parts of the country, according to its website, and it was suggested at a TPT meeting that the organization might be interested in doing the same in Moses Lake. Sailing enthusiast Rick Biery of Moses Lake said he’d be willing to teach classes, whether through the YMCA or independently.

Veggies the focus of April gardening symposium

MOSES LAKE — Vegetables will be the main topic of discussion at this year’s Eco-Gardening Symposium April 18.

Home & Garden Show returns next weekend

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Home and Garden Show will kick off the spring season Feb. 27-28. “We have a lot of new vendors this year,” said coordinator Katie Villegas. “We’ve got some from Moses Lake, and some from the Tri-Cities are coming up. I think we have a few coming down from Wenatchee. So, the spread is a lot more diverse.” Last year’s show brought more than 2500 attendees over its two-day period, Villegas said.

Cellarbration! For Education coming March 21

MOSES LAKE — Tickets were still available Wednesday for Cellarbration! for Education, the Big Bend Community College Foundation’s annual fundraising auction and banquet.

BASIN EVENTS: Feb. 20-28, 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — We’re rounding out February in the Basin with lots of fun things to do. Here are a few.

Ladies Night Out

Downtown Moses Lake event draws shoppers, supports local fun

MOSES LAKE — Woman of all ages enjoyed a night of shopping and socializing, at the Downtown Moses Lake Association’s inaugural Ladies Night Out Feb. 12.

CBAA seeks music teachers for local directory

MOSES LAKE — Young musicians need good teachers, and sometimes those can be difficult to find. A Moses Lake High School senior has created a way to connect students with the instruction they need.

Ski season not over yet

Area resorts excited as new snowfall brings out crowds

MOSES LAKE — This hasn’t been our snowiest winter, but ski resorts in the region got a late-season boost this week with a sudden snowfall, just in time for the three-day Presidents Day weekend.

Potato Days

Fifth-graders get a glimpse of CBTECH programs

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes, learning physics and chemistry means making a few hash browns. “(My students) have made, how do I want to say it? Launching devices,” said Christine Armstrong, career and tech education director at the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center. “They have targets out there and if (the fifth graders) hit the targets they win prizes. And they love it.” The occasion was Potato Days, a chance for fifth-grade students across the service area to tour CBTECH and see what opportunities are available to them there when they get older. This year CBTECH hosted three groups of 250 fifth graders over the course of three days, to keep the numbers manageable.

Digging deep: Family roots are easy to find at the FamilySearch Center

MOSES LAKE — Figuring out family roots and heritage can be a daunting task, but there is help out there for those looking to see where their families came from and what legacy they can try to maintain for them and their kin. The task used to be more difficult than it is now.

Homes for Heroes would give homeownership help where it’s needed

OLYMPIA — A bill before the Washington Legislature could make it easier to house people who make a big difference on a small paycheck.

BASIN EVENTS: Feb. 13-21

COLUMBIA BASIN — Winter’s not over yet, but you can almost see spring from here. Here are a few ways to get out and about this week in the Basin.

Miyo Koba loved her garden to the end

MOSES LAKE — Miyo Koba’s yard and garden were her pride and joy.

Lawmakers hear testimony on Truth in Mental Health Coverage Act

OLYMPIA — A bill to streamline access to mental health has been introduced in this year’s session of the Washington Legislature.

14 Basin firefighters complete fire academy training

QUINCY — Fourteen firefighters from Quincy, Mattawa, Soap Lake, Ephrata and Royal Slope completed the Columbia River Fire Academy last week, according to an announcement from Grant County Fire District 3, which hosted the training at the George Fire Station.

No injuries in Moses Lake car fire Monday

MOSES LAKE — A vehicle fire slowed, but didn’t stop, the line of parents dropping off students at Columbia Middle School Monday morning. Nobody was hurt in the incident, according to City of Moses Lake Communications and Marketing Specialist Lynne Lynch. At about 8:20 a.m., a car on Nelson Road across from the school caught fire, Lynch wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. The cause is believed to have been an electrical problem in the rear of the vehicle. No further information was available Monday afternoon.

Country Sweethearts raises money for cancer fighters

MOSES LAKE — It’s a rare person who hasn’t been touched by cancer one way or another, said Jay Ballinger, who delivered the blessing before the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation’s Country Sweethearts banquet and auction Saturday. He asked each person in the room to call to mind someone affected by the disease – a survivor, a passed loved one, a caregiver, a health care worker – and take 30 seconds of silence to think about or pray for those people. “We are going to assail the gates of heaven tonight with prayers for every single person that 580 of us can think of,” Ballinger, a cancer survivor and former CBCF board member, said. “If you let me round that up to 600 and we do 30 seconds, that’s 300 minutes. That’s five hours of prayer.”

McFadden Family Motors cuts the ribbon on new lot

MOSES LAKE — The little lot on Broadway in Moses Lake is again full of cars. Owner RJ McFadden officially cut the ribbon on McFadden Family Motors Wednesday afternoon.