JOEL MARTIN

Purple Party to kick off Alzheimer’s fundraiser Thursday

MOSES LAKE — Purple will be the color to wear Thursday. “(The Purple Party) is a really great kickoff for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Terri Riley-Brown, one of the organizers of the event. “We’re excited. We’ve got lots of prizes to give out. We’ve got beverages and food for everyone who attends.”

Columbia Basin Hospital celebrates 75 years

EPHRATA — Columbia Basin Hospital was important to the community 75 years ago, and it’s still a vital part of Ephrata’s health care. “The grand opening (of the hospital building) was in 1958, and they had over 2,000 people attend,” said Communication and Development Director Susan Scheib.

‘My cup runneth over’

Psalms 23 offers coffee with a dash of hope and a pinch encouragement

MOSES LAKE — The 23rd Psalm is one of the best-known passages in the Bible, filled with assurances of God’s protection and favor. That’s what Larisa Vorobey had in mind when she opened her new business. “I lost my mom, and then my baby, and then I found myself navigating life as a single mom, (all) within six months,” said Vorobey, owner of Psalms 23, a new coffee shop in Moses Lake. “There were moments I didn’t think I would make it through, but even in the darkest times, God was with me. So, Psalms 23 became a promise I held on to.”

People with disabilities should take extra steps in case of fire

MOSES LAKE — Fire danger is always high at this time of year. For people with disabilities, that can be problematic. July 26 is National Disability Independence Day, recognizing the nearly one-third of Americans who live with a disability. Unfortunately, having a disability can make the danger that comes with a fire much greater, according to a statement from the Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office. Of the 72 fire deaths that occurred in Washington state last year, 11 were people with a disability. Physical disability was the second leading human factor contributing to fatalities in residential buildings between 2017 and 2019, a study by the U.S Fire Administration found, accounting for 30% of deaths.

Home inventory up, sales slow but still steady in the Basin

MOSES LAKE — There’s a lot of activity going on in the real estate compared to a year ago, according to data from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which tracks real estate trends in 26 Washington counties. According to the NWMLS, Grant and Adams counties had higher increases in active listings and closed sales in June 2025 over June 2024 than the rest of the state. But the activity on the ground only partly bears that out, said Brian Gentry, principal managing broker for Re/Max in Othello. “Over last year, yes,” Gentry said. “Over three years ago, no. There’s a lot more inventory right now. Where we would typically on any given day see in Othello 11 or 12 things on the market, we’re in about the 35 range right now. Some of those are new construction, so they’re presales, but there’s a lot of people putting their homes on the market.”

Othello dentist delivers home-grown greatness

OTHELLO — It’s been said that some people are born to greatness, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them. And then there are those who do great things on a small scale. “For whatever reason, I always seem to gravitate into leadership,” said Dr. Chris Dorow, owner of Othello Dental Arts and president of the Washington State Dental Association. “When I graduated from dental school in 1995, I was the student body president for the dental school. I went immediately from there into volunteering for the Washington State Dental Association. My first committee was the Communications Committee, and then they moved me to Membership Services … I was there for 16 years, and I (was asked) to be on the board of directors an insane amount of times.”

Moses Lake Museum exhibit, ‘Balance,’ highlights the permanent and the transitory

MOSES LAKE — Some things are temporary and some aren’t. How those intersect is the theme of an exhibit opening at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center Friday. “The world is crazy, and so many things are happening, but some things still (are) not changing,” said artist Mihail Kivachitsky. “The stars (and their) astronomical characteristics are a reflection of that … It can be actual today, it was actual 1,000 years ago, and probably is going to be in the future.”

Moses Lake rocks out at Red, White and Boom

MOSES LAKE — The weather was warm and the music was hot Thursday at Moses Lake’s Red, White and Boom celebration at McCosh Park. About 400 people came out to Moses Lake’s Independence Day celebration July 3, which included two free concerts, food vendors and a craft table set up down near the stage where children could string beads for bracelets. The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, which hosted the table, also had glow sticks, hula hoops and dancing ribbons, long rainbow-colored strips that the youngsters could twirl as they danced.

Mulligan’s at the Pointe under new management

MOSES LAKE — Out on the very western edge Moses Lake, away from the downtown core and the shopping centers, there’s a restaurant that many local people still haven’t experienced. “This place really is a little hidden gem,” said Megan Costello, food and beverage manager for Mulligan’s. “(We have) a beautiful view, a huge outdoor seating area, a 75-inch TV for sporting events.”

Columbia Basin Hospital celebrating 75 years

EPHRATA — Columbia Basin Hospital turns 75 years old this year, and the hospital is ready to celebrate. “There’s going to be a free barbecue for everyone,” said Hospital Director of Communication and Development Susan Scheib. “(We’ll have) information on rehab services like our physical occupational speech therapy, a thank-you booth thanking everybody for supporting us through the years.”

New owners celebrate first anniversary at Basin RV

MOSES LAKE — Basin RV has been under new ownership for a year now, and the owners are getting more involved in the community, sponsoring the Brett Reese Memorial Car Show, the Sand Scorpions Bounty Hole, the Cowboy Breakfast and more. “We’ve got five kids ourselves,” said owner RJ McFadden. “They all go to school here in town. So camping in our community is kind of our thing, spreading the dollars here.”

Moses Lake students prepare to head to Japan

MOSES LAKE — Three Moses Lake students will head to Japan this month as part of the Moses Lake-Yonezawa Sister City Exchange. “A lot of people don’t realize that this cultural exchange has been going on for 45 years,” said Moses Lake-Yonezawa Sister City Exchange Program Treasurer Terry Moore. “Everybody knows Yonezawa Boulevard (in Moses Lake), but do they know why it’s called Yonezawa Boulevard? It’s because of the sister city program.”

New shop in Moses Lake carries a little of everything

MOSES LAKE — Determining exactly what kind of store Plume is feels a lot like nailing Jello to the wall. “Some of (the merchandise) was in my house when I was 25 years old,” owner Janine Coutts said. “I lived on a farm that had six outbuildings and was 100 years old, so it was very easy to store stuff.”

Know what you’re getting before investing in an RV

MOSES LAKE — A recreational vehicle is a versatile thing. It can be a portable home for a weekend camping trip, or it can be the home you live in year-round. Either way, it’s important to know what you’re doing when it comes time to buy one, said RJ McFadden, owner of Basin RV in Moses Lake. “A lot of people pull the trigger too fast,” McFadden said. “You want to make sure it fits all your family needs and wants, even though you only use it a few times a year. We use ours 10, 12 times a year, 15 times a year. But most people, they use it five, six times a year. You want to make sure you get what you want to get. Don’t just settle because you’re looking to go camping this weekend.”

Moses Lake pianist shines at conference

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake pianist performed successfully at the Washington State Music Teachers Association Conference June 28, according to an announcement from music teacher Marina Munter.

Grocery Outlet summer food drive aims to help locals

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Grocery Outlet has kicked off this year’s Independence from Hunger campaign, partnering with Care Moses Lake to connect food with the people who need it.

SAIL classes keep seniors moving and active

MOSES LAKE — It can be difficult to stay mobile, let alone fit, after a certain age, which is why senior centers around the Basin offer SAIL, or Stay Active and Independent for Life, classes. “The physicians in town are even recommending it,” said instructor Kaye Ward, who was leading a SAIL class at the Moses Lake Senior Center Monday. “When you have a knee replacement or something, they tell you to come here and then you don't have to do physical therapy. This is good physical therapy.”

Air Force vet raising funds for cancer treatment Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Cancer is scary, but the standard treatments are no fun either. Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery – all take a severe toll on the human body. Disabled Air Force veteran Noemi Salazar is taking a different approach and needs the public’s help to do it.

Red, White and Boom gets a head start on Independence Day

MOSES LAKE — In some ways, Moses Lake is ahead of the curve. Independence Day celebrations are one of those. Like last year, Moses Lake’s Red, White and Boom celebration will be held on July 3. For several years before that, Independence Day festivities were held on the Saturday before July 4. The reason isn’t just because we love to be first out of the gate, said Moses Lake Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Doug Coutts. “The fireworks company cannot come out for us on the Fourth of July,” Coutts said. “There’s only one that I’ve been able to find that provides the insurance and such that we need is at bigger cities doing larger events that pay more money.”

Early Literacy Fair gets children comfortable with reading

MOSES LAKE — If you can get children reading and learning early, they’ll never stop. That’s the theory behind the Moses Lake Public Library’s Early Literacy Fair. “We have a variety of what are called the big books,” said children’s librarian Zach Walker, holding up an ABCs book that looked to be about 12 inches by 18. “The letters are all nice and big, so (children) can more easily start with the big stuff and work their way down to the smaller ones.” The Early Literacy Fair is the library’s way to give small children, mostly under 5 years old, a chance to get acquainted with books and other brain-stimulating activities. Several activity stations were set up Thursday in the children’s section of the library, with books, coloring sheets and crayons and activities to engage little hands and young minds.

Traditions making a comeback for the Fourth at George

GEORGE — Some traditions are returning to George’s Fourth of July celebration this year. “We’re going to begin the day with the pancake breakfast at the George Community Hall kitchen,” said organizer Debby Kooy. “I don’t think we’ve had a pancake breakfast at the hall on the Fourth of July for about 10 years. It’s fun to see that come back, because people still ask for it every time. And we’re having the return of the cherry pit spitting contest. There might be a few other things added … but we’ll at least do the cherry pit spitting.”

Imagination Library saved by OSPI funding

OLYMPIA — Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will continue to lead children to reading in Washington. The Imagination Library of Washington announced Wednesday that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has taken up funding the early literacy program following budget cuts that left its future in limbo.

Bookmobile brings the library to the rural Basin

MOSES LAKE — It’s a Tuesday afternoon and the library has just rolled in at Doolittle Dream Park, to stay for an hour before moving on. “We’ve had as many as 12 or 15 (people come in),” said librarian Elizabeth McNall. “(The Boys and Girls Club of the Columbia Basin) is doing a free lunch here this summer, but our time is not right for them, so we’ll try to coordinate next year with that.”

State fire marshal encourages home sprinkler installation

MOSES LAKE — They’re in commercial and industrial buildings everywhere you go, but fire sprinklers are still a rarity in homes, where they could save lives, according to a statement from the Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office. “Home fire sprinklers are designed to activate individually, targeting only the area affected by fire, which minimizes water damage,”Fire Marshal Chad Cross wrote in the statement. “They can be seamlessly integrated into new constructions or retrofitted into existing homes.”

Sage Point development sports new look

MOSES LAKE — The newest development from CAD Homes is going vertical. “We’re offering 16 single-family lots … and on the second block there’ll be 19 condo-style townhouses that will be individually owned and operated under a (homeowners association),” said Blake Rollins of Nest Realty, who’s handling sales for Sage Point. “We’ve sold about four of them. We’ve got 12 units left on the single-family side, and then we’ll start on infrastructure for the townhomes.” Rollins celebrated Sage Point’s ribbon cutting Tuesday with the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce and CAD Homes. The event included tours of model homes and corn dogs from The Corn Dog Co. of Moses Lake.

Royal City gears up for Summerfest, library opening

ROYAL CITY — Royal City will pull out the stops once again July 11-12 for the town’s annual Summerfest. “We’re going to have lots of kids attractions,” said Summerfest Committee Chair Jill Larsen. “We’re going to have a rock-climbing wall. We’re going to have a carnival ride and bouncy houses on Saturday.”

Moses Lake Airshow showcases aviation on all scales

MOSES LAKE — The wind wasn’t powerful at the Grant County International Airport Saturday – just enough to make papers blow around and sweep the occasional hat away – but it was enough to make some pilots happy.

Food and Folk Festival grows in its second year

SOAP LAKE — Last year, the sun blazed down on the Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival. This year the temperature was kinder, but Mother Nature still got in her little joke. “Later in the day, it rained, and people got up and just scattered,” said organizer Ruthann Tobiason. “But there were a few who were prepared and had coats with hoods and stuff. (The rain) didn't last very long.”

‘Undeniable freedom’

Juneteenth celebrates African American fight for liberty

MOSES LAKE — Juneteenth has only been a national holiday for a few years, but its meaning resonated deeply Thursday.

Know the local law before setting off fireworks

MOSES LAKE — The calendar is counting down to Independence Day, and fireworks stands are offering combustible fun all over the Basin. Before you start lighting fuses, however, make sure you know the local laws.

Emotional space

Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation unveils new, larger building

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation finally has some breathing room. “We were really shoved into a little box,” said Community Relations Coordinator Amanda Carpenter. “We made it work, and it was great for the time we had it, but this space works so much better for us. It’s a lot more comfortable for our clients and comfortable for us. We’re not climbing on top of each other now.” The foundation unveiled its new office at 1022 S. Pioneer Way Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting for the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce and burgers sizzling on a grill outside. The occasion was also the foundation’s annual Celebrate Life event to honor cancer patients, survivors and caregivers. The new facility has something the foundation has long dreamed of, a family room where patients, caregivers and families can have some privacy as they deal with the emotional cyclone that comes with cancer.

Rock show

Building a beautiful stone garden is inexpensive, and saves water as well

MOSES LAKE — In the Basin, rock gardens are looking like a better idea all the time to some people. Not only do they save money on watering, but they’re not all that expensive to create. Just ask Teresa Fields of Moses Lake. “I just put a little ad out and say I need rock, and people say ‘I have rock,’” Fields said. The majority of her rocks came from a farmer who had it lying around, sorted by size. Fields and her husband just took a trailer to the farmer’s land, loaded it up and hauled it all home.

YMCA exploring possible branch in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The YMCA could have a lot to offer Moses Lake, if the community wants one. “(It) would probably have an aquatic center with one or two pools in it,” said Dorry Foster, CEO of Wenatchee Valley YMCA. “A zero entry pool with a little splash area for the kiddos, three-foot depth, warm water (and a) secondary pool that’s a little bit colder that would be for recreational swimming, aqua exercise, more swim lessons for older kids, family time … There could be a gymnasium, that’s very typical, and then some program amenities, maybe like a community room, a rec room, places where people can come and meet.” It may sound like a pipe dream, but Teresa Fields of Moses Lake thinks it’s a possibility. She and a few other Moses Lake residents recently met with Foster to explore the possibility of Wenatchee Valley YMCA opening a branch facility here.

High Desert Foxes

Local band to drop debut single Friday

SOAP LAKE — Progressive soul folk music may not have been a thing before, but it is now. “It’s a genre that we kind of created,” said Dusty James, singer with the local band High Desert Foxes. “We do soul music, we do folk music, and when we write our own music as a band, it becomes a new experience.” High Desert Foxes will debut its new single, “On the Road,” at Cloudview Kitchen Friday during the Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival. The progressive soul part of the genre owes a lot to the 1960s and 70s sounds of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, James said, and also has echoes of Sade and Lenny Kravitz.

Fresh spin

CyclePath Spin Studio offers healthy workout

MOSES LAKE — Sometimes, you learn best by doing. “I had never taken a spin class until recently,” said CyclePath Spin Studio owner Rita Morfin. “But it was something that I felt like the community needed. So (I thought), ‘If I build it, they will come.’” And they have. Morfin cut the ribbon on CyclePath Spin Studio Monday and opened fully on Tuesday, and already she has five teachers with classes lined up. Spin is basically an exercise program carried out on stationary bikes, Morfin said, but it encompasses a lot more than just riding. There’s a whole routine, she said, with hand motions, presses, standing and sitting and sometimes even lifting weights. The whole workout is done under a teacher’s guidance with music on speakers in the background.

Little Big Show

Wilson Creek’s annual car show brings vehicles of all vintages

WILSON CREEK — Sometimes, a car owner just can’t help himself. “Originally I bought it because I needed a commuter,” said Ricky Gutierrez, who was showing his 2019 Subaru at the Little Big Show in Wilson Creek Saturday morning. “I work for the county, and I drive everywhere, so I needed something better on gas mileage.” That didn’t last long, he said. “I grew up modifying cars, so I was like, I’ll add wheels, and then suspension,” Gutierrez said. “And then I (thought) it wasn’t fast enough, so I made more horsepower out of it, and kind of decided to do it into a show car. Full air ride, suspension, the carbon fiber hood, the trunk, the seats inside, and just the little details that add up a lot.”

’70s-themed Senior Picnic a groovy time

MOSES LAKE — About 700 people came out to the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce’s annual Senior Picnic June 11, which was pretty much on a par with last year, Chamber Director Debbie Doran-Martinez said. “Everybody really enjoyed themselves,” she said. “We had a lot of people dancing, more than usual.” The theme was “Peace, Love & Party,” and attendees were decked out in tie-dye and bell bottoms. The music that brought folks out to the dance floor was provided by Cheyenne.

Open Doors students overcome obstacles to graduate Thursday

MOSES LAKE — It was a short walk across the room, but for the 34 students who graduated from Open Doors Thursday it was the end of a long journey. “I had the motivation I needed to finish school, but not the tools,” said student speaker Mona Martin. “That's when I was directed to Open Doors. Thanks to the support and resources I received there, I was able to make up four years of math and English and pass my GED test with a qualifying score.” Open Doors is a reengagement program established in 2010 to enable students 16-21 years of age, who have left school before graduating, to finish out their high school education. Some students go there to earn their GED, others to earn a high school diploma and some, like Martin, had already earned the GED but wanted to go the extra mile.

The Side Project to play in Moses Lake – for real, this time

MOSES LAKE — When The Side Project takes the stage June 20, the city of Moses Lake’s Summer Concert Series will pick up where it left off, sort of. “They were supposed to be our last concert last summer,” said Jenni Shelton, creative programs coordinator for the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center. “It was the night of a really bad storm, and we had to cancel for the weather. It was one of the nights they even evacuated to the Gorge (Amphitheatre).” The Side Project consists of wife-and-husband Suzie and Ben Bradford, according to its website. The duo, originally from Spokane, have recorded six albums and have performed up and down the west coast for 20 years, according to the announcement. Their music has been broadcast in Starbucks and featured on television shows “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” as well as scoring a positive review in Music Connection Magazine.

Moses Lake Library story time serves special needs adults

MOSES LAKE — It’s 10:30 on a Thursday morning, and Moses Lake Children’s Librarian Zach Walker is reading a picture book to brothers David and Ray Cavazos, two non-verbal men with special needs. “The boys love it,” said the brothers’ caregiver Mary Lybbert. “They ask every week when they can come to the library.”

Masquers’ ‘Firebringer’ breaks some new ground

SOAP LAKE — The Masquers Theater has brought many traditional musical plays to the stage. “Firebringer,” written by Meridith Stepien, Mark Swiderski, Matt Lang, Nick Lang and Brian Holden, is not one of them. “It's a bit of an obscure absurdist musical about a tribe of cave people who want to evolve and advance and do all the fun things, like discover fire, fight sabertooth tigers and mammoths, and at the end is a very sweet surprise,” said Zhane Serrano, who’s co-directing the production with Allison Pheasant. “It's weird and kooky, and it's just a little bit all over the place.”

Neppel Estates could offer workforce housing for Moses Lake, Ephrata

MOSES LAKE — There’s nothing at Neppel Estates yet, but there could be. “Our client is a developer that bought the property years and years ago with the idea that he was going to develop the lot,” said John Rosenthal, president of Realty Marketing Northwest, which has the property listed for auction. “He’s over in western Washington and he doesn’t want to spend more time … he wants to get it unloaded on an as-is basis.”

No house? No problem: Vacant land selling well in the Basin

MOSES LAKE — More people in the Basin are opting for land over houses these days, according to real estate professionals. “(People think) it’s a lesser cost (if) it’s got power and services nearby,” said Johnny Reyes, an agent with Windermere in Ephrata. “Slowly, over a year, two years, three years, they’ll put the services into the property and then they’ll put a home on it. They’re trying to save a little money that way. Also, there are people who are more inclined to live out in the country (for) a little bit more privacy.”

Soap Lake Class of 2025 faced trials, came out stronger

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Class of 2025 has not had an easy time getting where it is, said principal William Britt. “This journey, your journey, has been one to remember, from the late nights spent on homework to the anxiety of exams to moments when everything felt overwhelming,” Britt said. “You have made it all with grit, humor and heart. Statistically, many of you weren't expected to be here, and yet here you are walking proudly, head held high, chest out, proving to the world that I am someone. I am great. I will not be another statistic.” The 27 seniors who graduated May 31 persevered through the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, Britt said, as well as facing personal challenges and setbacks. But the students who struggle become creative thinkers and world-changers, he said.

Lind-Ritzville seniors ready to face the world

RITZVILLE — The Lind-Ritzville Class of 2025 has made it. “Today, we're walking across the stage in wizard hats, holding diplomas that prove we endured through it all: the chaos, the cramming and the laughter and all the growing pains that came with high school,” said salutatorian Temple Gefre.

Royal Knights prepared to face the future

ROYAL CITY — The Royal High School Class of 2025 can face anything together; class President Aaliyah Guerrero told them at graduation Friday.

'Diverse personalities’ and ‘interesting times’ discussed at Wilson Creek graduation

WILSON CREEK — The Wilson Creek High School Class of 2025 is going places. “Every one of you has made this bold and admirable decision to pursue higher education,” Dean of Students Anna Thomas told the nine graduating seniors May 31.

‘It was humongous’

Little Big Show expands this weekend

WILSON CREEK — The Little Big Show keeps getting bigger. “Last year we doubled,” said organizer Nicholas Odorizzi. “We usually have 100 cars, and last year we had 208. It was humongous.”

RMS Oceanic Outlaws take award at national robotics tournament

ROYAL CITY — The Oceanic Outlaws think fast. The robotics team from Royal Middle School, representing Washington state, took first place at the national First Lego League Western Edge national competition May 30-June 1 in a special “On the Spot” challenge.

Shining skill

CBTECH students headed to national competitions

MOSES LAKE — This isn’t exactly the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center’s first trip to the nationals. “For 11 years straight we have placed at state competition, and eight of those years we’ve qualified for nationals,” said Terri Pixlee, who teaches video game programming at CBTECH. “We’ve been all over the country. We’ve been to Chicago, Utah, Georgia twice, Florida (and) Maryland and this will be our second time in California.” Pixlee’s students Alex Meyer, Hailey Harper and Ethan Huntley competed in April at the Future Business Leaders of America game programming competition in Bellevue, she said. One team of three students took second place and will go on to nationals in Anaheim, California. Another team of two, Neri Hernandez and Jaden Salazar, placed seventh, not high enough to be assured of a berth but enough to be alternates in case some other Washington team doesn’t show. So far, that doesn’t seem likely, Pixlee said.