JOEL MARTIN

Honky-Tonk Circus to headline George Fourth festivities

GEORGE — For a town of barely 1,000 people, George hosts a whopping Fourth of July Celebration, as befits a community named for the Father of the Country.

Microsoft donates $200K to Quincy nonprofits

QUINCY — Twenty non-profit organizations in Quincy got a surprise Thursday evening, as Microsoft passed out checks for $10,000 each to further their work. “It couldn’t have come at a better time, because our big heritage barn is in terrible need of repainting,” said Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum Director Harriet Weber. “That’s a big, big job.”

11 Wilson Creek grads prepare for the future

WILSON CREEK — The 11 young men who graduated from Wilson Creek High School Saturday will be well prepared for their next steps.

CBTECH Criminal Justice student graduates complete first step to law enforcement career

MOSES LAKE — Thirty-seven students walked out of the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center Tuesday, completing their first step for a career in law enforcement.

BASIN EVENTS: June 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — As we swing out of spring into summer, there is a host of activities in the Basin, both indoors and out. Here are a few suggestions.

Ephrata’s Desert Plains development growing slowly but steadily

EPHRATA — A neighborhood in the northeast corner of Ephrata isn’t growing fast, but it’s growing steadily.

Moses Lake takes to the streets in Spring Fest Parade

MOSES LAKE — The Little Farm Daycare float in the Spring Fest Parade carried a contingent of children, and also a kid of a different kind: an 8-month-old goat named Daisy.

Fest food

Spring Fest vendors keep the crowds fed

MOSES LAKE — You don’t need a map to find where Spring Fest is set up in McCosh Park. The aromas wafting on the breeze call out to you from a block away. “It’s a dangerous place to be,” said Karlee Marion-Swan, who was getting teriyaki ready ahead of the crowds Thursday. Nearly every kind of food and drink imaginable could be had at Spring Fest: hamburgers and hot dogs of all sizes and shapes, elephant ears, stir-fry, tacos and fries in an astonishing variety of forms. Ylse Engler, of Waterville, had her Knotty Delights gourmet soft pretzels ready and waiting. “Everybody loves a pretzel,” Engler said.

Hallowed ground

Othello VFW pays tribute to fallen comrades

OTHELLO — A hushed crowd listened, men with hats off, as Veterans of Foreign Wars Sgt. Robert F. Wiley Post Commander Joel Cantu read out the solemn words of the traditional VFW Memorial Day Ritual. “As long as two comrades survive – so long will the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States render tribute to our heroic dead,” Cantu read. “On this day forever consecrated to our heroic dead, we are assembled once again to express sincere reverence. These graves represent the resting places of many departed comrades who served in all wars. Wherever the body of a comrade lies, there the ground is hallowed.” Cantu and other members of the VFW gathered at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for their country. Cantu’s words were followed by the national anthem, sung by the quartet of Joanna Miller, Kimmy Sanders, Steve Agenbroad and Robbie Flores. Agenbroad took the microphone to lead the assembly in a prayer.

Innovation rewarded at Flywheel Investment Conference

WENATCHEE — Seattle startup Optimly swept the top awards at the 2026 Flywheel Investment Conference in Wenatchee, according to an announcement from NCW Tech Alliance, which organizes the conference every year. Optimly won the $150,000 investment award from the Flywheel Angel Network, the $50,000 relocation offer from NCW Tech Alliance, and the $5,000 Fan Favorite award following Thursday’s live Early-Stage Investment Competition, according to the announcement. Optimly helps its business clients control what AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others believe about their business and corrects misinformation before it can be passed on to potential customers, according to its website. The conference, which was held May 19-21, brought together entrepreneurs, investors, students, educators, and business leaders from across Washington to Wenatchee for three days focused on innovation, business growth, and regional opportunity.

Library activities for June 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — There’s a lot going on at your local library. Find yours and check it out. Coulee City 218 W Main St. – 509-632-8751 June 5, 12 and 26 (Fridays): Preschool storytime | 11 a.m. Half an hour of stories, songs, rhymes, and fun. This program is designed for preschool-age children and their adult caregivers. June 11: Summer Library Program Opener | 3-5 p.m. Now that school’s out, sign up for the Summer Library Program and play a board game or two.

Making a better apple – Okanagan Specialty Fruits celebrates 30 years

MOSES LAKE — Fruit that stays fresh longer is a dream of orchardists and processors, and Thursday Okanagan Specialty Fruits celebrated 30 years of making that a reality.

Memorial Day ceremonies to remember those who gave their lives Monday

MOSES LAKE — Memorial Day weekend is here, and along with all the fun and festivities that accompany a three-day weekend, some Basin residents will be gathering on Monday for a more solemn occasion. “Memorial Day (is) not about war, it’s about people,” Jane Montaney, of the Art Semro American Legion Post 28 Auxiliary, wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. “They died, most of them young, serving their fellow Americans, their country, future generations – all of us.” Art Semro Post 28, based in Ephrata, will hold ceremonies at the cemeteries in Ephrata, Soap Lake and Quincy. The Quincy ceremony will also feature a performance by the Veterans Operation Creation Choir, VOC member Tom Parrish said.

BASIN EVENTS: May 22-29

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s Memorial Day weekend and there will be celebrations and solemn remembrances all over the Basin. There’s also live music, art and community gatherings to enjoy. Here are a few ways to start the summer. May 22 Historic Marker Dedication A sign detailing the life of Nathaniel “Nat” Washington will be dedicated at the Nat Washington House. Sponsored by the Jonas Babcock Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, the Washington State Society Daughters of the American Colonists and the Sons of the American Revolution, Spokane Chapter No. 1. 11 a.m. at 42 C St. NW, Ephrata. Info: www.jonasbabcockdar.org.

Keep your lawn in shape this summer

MOSES LAKE — It’s getting warmer, and that means it’s time to take a good look at the lawn and get it ready to enjoy. A major consideration in the Basin will be watering. With the limited water supply, a homeowner needs to get the most out of what water is available. Overwatering causes soggy conditions that encourage weeds, starve the grass roots of oxygen and leach out plant nutrients, according to Washington State University Extension. On the other hand, watering lightly and frequently encourages shallow roots on the grass, which makes it less able to withstand sudden changes in temperature or moisture. Dig a little way into your soil and see if the top two inches are dry and crumbly. If they are, irrigate to 12 inches deep, assuming your soil is that deep.

Knowledge on display at Nova Creativity Fair

MOSES LAKE — Some of Moses Lake‘s highly capable students showed what they’re highly capable of at the Nova Creativity Fair at Knolls Vista Elementary School Monday. “For this end-of-the-year project, the kids all get to decide who they want to work with and what topic they want to research,” said Cathy Lane, who teaches the Nova program for the Moses Lake School District. “They’ve done this big research project, and then they come to present (it at) a fair. The parents and community members will come around and ask them questions about what they’ve learned.” The students had fairly free rein in their choice of topics. Lane said. There were scientific, historical and technological displays ranging from non-Newtonian fluids to the Loch Ness Monster. Each display had at least one interactive element for guests to check out, and a wall of facts, pictures and diagrams relating to the topic.

Lunch, prizes and fun coming at Senior Picnic

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Senior Picnic will be bigger this year, said Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Director Debbie Doran-Martinez. “We’re expecting 900 seniors,” Doran-Martinez said. “We’ll have the (Grant County Fairgrounds) 4-H Building full of vendors … and we’ll have some vendors outside the front door as well, because there’s not enough room in the building for everybody.” The picnic part will be held next door in the Commercial Building, with the band Cheyenne playing, Doran-Martinez said.

A wish come true

Royal City boy meets his heroes on a dream trip to Disneyland

ROYAL CITY — What’s better for a little boy than meeting one of his heroes? Meeting all of them at once at Disneyland. “We went to Disneyland to meet Dude Perfect,” said Shaina Davies, whose 6-year-old son Parker was treated to the trip by the Make-a-Wish Foundation. “(Parker) met MrBeast, he met Mark Rober, and he got to meet some of the actors from The Avengers.” Parker, who has been battling stage 4 cancer since September 2024, knew all those names from watching hours of YouTube videos at the hospital in Spokane where he was having his chemotherapy treatments. There wasn’t a TV available, Shaina said, but they had access to YouTube. A couple of Parker’s cousins had mentioned a group called Dude Perfect

Working together

Prevention advocates share ideas at Grant County Key Leader Event

ROYAL CITY — Community leaders and substance use prevention professionals gathered May 14 in Royal City for the Grant County Key Leader Event to collaborate on ways to keep youth off drugs and alcohol.

Carp Classic removes more than 3/4 ton of invasive fish from Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The weather wasn’t great on Saturday, but the Moses Lake Carp Classic brought out 55 bow fishers in 23 boats, organizer Ty Swartout wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. Fishers shot 147 carp totaling 1,587 pounds, Swartout wrote.

WSU choir visits Ephrata, other high schools to encourage students to sing

EPHRATA — The members of Ephrata High School’s chamber choir had a glimpse of what could be their future Thursday morning, when the Washington State University chamber singers and concert choir joined them.

College-bound students honored at TRIO banquet

MOSES LAKE — The students of the TRIO Upward Bound program and their families gathered May 8 to celebrate another year of preparing students for higher education, and to send off the graduating seniors.

Fire closes SR 243

MATTAWA — A portion of state Route 243 south of Mattawa has been closed due to a wildfire, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office advised Sunday afternoon. The closure is in effect for the area of the highway between Road L and Road O Southwest, just west of the Vernita Bridge, according to GCSO. The blaze was discovered around 1 p.m. near Road N and Road 29 Southwest, according to Grant County Fire District 8 radio transmissions. It was estimated at 150 acres at 1:50 p.m. It was unknown when the highway would reopen. This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Vantage Road SW closed due to rockslides

QUINCY — Vantage Road Southwest, west of Silica Road above the Columbia River, is closed due to unstable rock faces and danger of rockslides, according to a statement from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. The road closed Friday night about 9 p.m. due to a rock slide, according to the GCSO. One lane reopened about two hours later but was closed again at 11:40 a.m. Saturday. Anybody who is in the Frenchman Coulee Recreation Center is being contacted and asked to evacuate the area. The road will be closed until further notice, according to a GCSO release.

Repurpose old dishes into garden art

MOSES LAKE — Somewhere in everybody’s kitchen, there are dishes that just don’t match anything else in the house. So why not put them to work in the garden? “You can do it in any way, shape or form that you want to,” said Micha Goebig, PR and Communications Strategist for Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington. “You can use your own stuff or get it secondhand at (a thrift store).” Thrifted garden art from mismatched dishes is easy to put together; the only thing you need is super glue, Goebig said. She recently led classes in thrift art at Goodwill stores on the west side, she said. “Some people did art pieces, like mushrooms,” Goebig said. “They (had) a broken lamp, so they used that as the stem of the mushroom and then replaced the top with a nice bowl that they turned (upside down).”

‘Faces of 250’

Moses Lake Museum exhibit opens tonight

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake hasn’t even racked up a century of history yet, but the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center has found a way to celebrate the two and a half centuries since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Interest rates hold back home sales in the Basin, statewide

MOSES LAKE — High interest rates are slowing down sales in the Basin real estate market. The average monthly rate for a 30-year mortgage was 6.37% Tuesday, up from 6.30% a week ago but still lower than the 6.76% it was a year ago. The persistently high rates are slowing sales and forcing builders to scale down their offerings, Angel Garza, owner of Palos Verdes Homes, said last week at the opening of Palos Verdes’ Sand Hill development in Moses Lake. “We’re down to a $375,000, $385,000 home, so people can qualify,” Garza said. “We had to go down to a 1,200-square-foot home to make sure that we have product that people can actually finance because of the interest being so high.”

BASIN EVENTS: May 15-23

COLUMBIA BASIN — There’s plenty happening in the Basin as we sneak up on Memorial Day weekend. Check out some of these goings-on. May 15 Spring Hiring Event Bring your resume and take the opportunity to talk to local employers looking to fill their available positions. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at WorkSource, 309 E. Fifth Ave., Moses Lake. Info: 509-766-2559. Live music with Owen Barnhart Country solo artist Owen Barnhart’s sets include soulful banjo, fingerpicking guitar and a crystal clear voice - covering everything from classic country and Americana to classic rock and folk tunes. 5 p.m. at Monkey N’ Around Pizza, 716 13th Ave. SW, Quincy. Info: www.owenbarnhart.com.

Students make 250th anniversary quilt and learn American history

MOSES LAKE — Mount Rushmore, Uncle Sam, the White House and the Statue of Liberty are among the American icons immortalized in thread by the students at AIM School in Moses Lake. Students at the school made a star-spangled patchwork quilt with American historical scenes and symbols embroidered on it. “One of our subjects is history so this year, because of the 250th celebration, we’ve been doing the top 10 events in history from the time,” said School Director Kortni Nelson. “We’ve covered 10 major events from signing the Declaration of Independence to national landmarks.”

Juneteenth celebration coming next month

MOSES LAKE — The Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Moses Lake will host a Juneteenth celebration next month at McCosh Park, with live entertainment, an informational question-and-answer and lots of food. “This year we’re going to have foot-long and regular-size corn dogs, cheese curd and … popsicles,” said committee member Sherise Scott.

Spring Fest coming May 21-24

MOSES LAKE — Spring Fest just keeps on growing. According to the city of Moses Lake’s cell phone-counting data, the city’s population more than doubled last year at McCosh Park over Memorial Day weekend. “Fifty-four thousand people attended our venue last year,” said Spring Fest Committee member Lori Valdez. “And that’s not including kiddos who do not have a cell phone.” Just about everything you could hope to find at a community festival is at Spring Fest. There’s a carnival. There’s a car show. There are lots and lots of food and crafts. There are athletic tournaments, fun contests, homegrown entertainment and free concerts from some well-known entertainers

Rotary gives more than $70,000 in scholarships

MOSES LAKE — The Rotary Club of Moses Lake gave 15 local students a boost with more than $70,000 in scholarships, according to President Sean Jenks. “(We want) to recognize these kids for their hard work, and the sacrifice of past Rotarians that have made this possible in our community,” Jenks said. “Rotarians are just glad to be able to help people succeed in life.” Five of the students are set to graduate high school this year, according to an announcement from the Rotary Club, and another 10 are already enrolled in some kind of post-secondary education. It can be a traditional four-year college or university, Jenks said, but it doesn’t have to be. Students can also be enrolled in a technical or trade school.

Restyle Design and Consign opens in Catalyst Center

MOSES LAKE — There’s no one style that defines Restyle Design and Consign, which held its ribbon-cutting May 4 at the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce’s Catalyst Center downtown.

‘A story of hope’

Moses Lake residents gather for the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast

MOSES LAKE — About 80 people gathered in the dining room at Brookdale Hearthstone Assisted Living Facility early Thursday morning for bacon, eggs and prayer.

Skills on display

Job Corps hosts open house

MOSES LAKE — Dylan Sanders credits Job Corps with showing him a path forward. “I graduated high school and I wasn’t really doing much,” Sanders said. “I was working at Walmart as a cashier, but that’s not really what I wanted to do. I wanted to get an education, but I didn’t want to go to college. I heard about Job Corps and (I looked into it) and saw they offered computer networking, which is exactly what I wanted to do.” Sanders was representing the Computer Networking program at an open house Wednesday at the Columbia Basin Job Corps Center in Moses Lake, giving visiting students an idea of what Job Corps has to offer. About 200 students from high schools around central Washington had come through the open house in the first hour and a half, Community Liaison Susan Mann said. Students took a tour of the campus, located in the Larson area across from Big Bend Community College, and then fanned out among tables and displays, inside and out, where current students told them about the programs the center offers. Students from the construction trades – plastering, carpentry, cement masonry – had small workspaces set up in the closed-off driveway to demonstrate the skills they were gaining.

Palos Verdes moves into Moses Lake

Mae Valley homes a first for the Othello-based builder

MOSES LAKE — One of Othello’s biggest developers just started its first new housing development in Moses Lake. “We’ve been building in Othello for the past 12, 13 years, and then moved to the Quincy area seven, eight years (ago),” said Angel Garza, owner of Othello-based Palos Verdes. “We’ve always had our eye on Moses Lake.” Garza was there Wednesday to cut the ribbon at Sandhill Place, the new Palos Verdes development in Mae Valley. Palos Verdes has 31 lots under development, Garza said, with right of first refusal on another 50 or so, including some that face the Moses Lake Golf Club. The homes at Sandhill Estates are a little different from Palos Verdes’ previous floor plans, Garza said, something he had some reservations about at first.

BASIN EVENTS: May 8-16

COLUMBIA BASIN — The weather is just about perfect and there are things going on all over the Basin. Here are some options to check out. May 8-10 ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Basin Community Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning musical. 7:10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1:10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Moses Lake High School Theater, 803 E. Sharon Ave. Tickets and info: basincommunitytheatre.com.

‘Dear Evan Hansen’

Basin Community Theater musical packs an emotional punch

MOSES LAKE — Some stage musicals are grand, brightly-colored affairs, with lots of dancing and flamboyant sets and unbridled joy. “Dear Evan Hansen” is not that kind of musical. “There’s a lot of emotion,” said Basin Community Theatre producer Marion Wyman. “It’s going to make some people shed some tears. In fact, one of our adult cast members at (a rehearsal) sat down and just cried over the emotion he felt during the last song.” “Dear Evan Hansen,” which opens tonight, is loaded with heavy-duty themes: bullying, mental illness, drug abuse and suicide. The story centers around Evan (Kaleb Stanberry), a high school senior who is beset with social anxiety and depression, with a single mother who works too many hours to provide him the support he needs. Evan’s therapist has him writing notes to himself during the day to cope with his problems. Meanwhile Evan’s school bully nemesis Connor (Gus O’Donnell) comes from an outwardly healthy family but turns to drugs to cope with his own depression. When Connor takes his own life, one of Evan’s notes is found in his possession and Evan pretends to have been Connor’s best friend in an attempt to comfort Connor’s parents Larry (Weston Beck) and Cynthis (Amy O’Donnell), and especially Connor’s sister – and Evan’s crush – Zoe (Emma Leavitt). The story is told partly through Evan’s internal monologue and narration by Connor’s ghost, as Evan’s pretense spirals out of control.

Students write letters, fight for TRIO program

MOSES LAKE — Some Moses Lake High School students gathered April 30 to make their voices heard. “I’ve grown up in a low-income first-generation household,” Vanguard Academy student Daniel Heeney wrote in a letter to state Rep. Alex Ybarra. “I’ve always wanted to pursue higher education and a career as a veterinarian, but that would not have been possible without TRIO (Upward Bound). Before I joined TRIO UB I lacked things like motivation, knowledge, and leadership. TRIO UB provided me with knowledge and insights that have helped me find and win scholarships making college more affordable.”

Mail carriers to collect food Saturday

MOSES LAKE — Mail carriers in Moses Lake will collect food for the Moses Lake Food Bank Saturday, part of the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. “(We’re asking) for a small donation of non-perishable food by your mailbox,” said carrier Michelle Schmidt, who’s coordinating the drive this year for Moses Lake. “And then on Saturday when we’re delivering, we’ll be picking up the food as we go along our route.” Schmidt suggested marking the food donation clearly, so carriers don’t pick up someone’s delivery order from a store. Anyone wanting more information can ask their mail carrier. The drive, put on by the National Association of Letter Carriers the second Saturday in May, has been going on since 1993, according to the NALC’s website.

Rusty Mammoth Sale supports museum in a big way

MOSES LAKE — This year’s Rusty Mammoth Sale at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center was, well, mammoth. “We about doubled what we usually bring in for this type of thing,” said Museum Superintendent Dollie Boyd. “We got really close to $6,000, and we’re accustomed to making closer to $3,000. Our friends and supporters really came out to show us some love.” Part of the reason, Boyd said, was that the sale came at the beginning of yard sale season. “The bargain hunters are hungry after a winter of being trapped inside,” she said. “And I think people are seeing what’s going on with city budgeting and want to help any way they can. And if they get to take home some treasures, then all the better.”

Tooth Fairy visits Moses Lake schools

MOSES LAKE — Some Moses Lake schoolchildren recently got a lesson in dental care from the world’s foremost authority: the Tooth Fairy. “(Presenters) dress up like the Tooth Fairy and come in and explain oral hygiene and read a story to kids,” said Stephanie Bannon, the school nurse at Sage Point and Peninsula elementary schools. “They provide oral hygiene kits for all the students kindergarten through second grade.” The program, called “The Tooth Fairy Experience,” is a service of Delta Dental to improve children’s dental health, according to an announcement from Delta. The kits included a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and a two-minute timer to help children remember how long to brush for, according to the announcement.

New tech lets home carers and hospice providers communicate better, more safely

WENATCHEE — Anyone who’s ever had to deal with communication between medical providers, home caregivers and Medicare or insurance knows the frustration of trying to get everybody on the same page. A new system debuted by Confluence Health is expected to make those connections easier and safer. “Suppose a patient fell and (injured themselves) and they go in for (treatment),” said Adam MacDonald, corporate communications program manager for Confluence Health. “This is going to make it so their home health and hospice nurses are looking at the exact same record.” Dorothy, for home health care patients, and Comfort, for hospice patients, are both made by the same company that operates MyChart, which many medical providers use for communication between patients, providers and Medicare. Both systems integrate with MyChart.

GCAO cat room open again after outbreak

MOSES LAKE — The cat room is reopened at Grant County Animal Outreach, and the shelter could use a little help.

Hot stuff

Pride meets taste buds at Greenpoint chili cookoff

MOSES LAKE — Greenpoint Technologies engineer Gary Neu walked away with $100 and some serious bragging rights at the company’s annual chili cookoff April 27. “My reliable meat pimps at Ernie’s (Quality Meats and Wine) came through for me again,” Neu said. His chili wasn’t very spicy, he said, just traditional. “Just a good, solid, basic chili,” he said. “I’ve learned through the competitions that you have to cater to a very neutral element … If it even looks hot (people) will run and hide. There’s bell peppers in there, so it’s got a good color, but it doesn’t really have much heat.” Greenpoint, a company that does custom interiors for private planes, has held chili cookoffs for its employees for years, but this is only the fourth year that the company has invited judges from outside the company. This year’s judges were all from the Port of Moses Lake: Executive Director Dan Roach, Facility Director Milt Miller, Airport Director Rich Mueller, Executive Assistant Bonnie Peterson and Commissioner Darrin Jackson.

CB Job Corps to hold open house Wednesday

MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Job Corps Center will hold an open house Wednesday, to show prospective students and their community what the program has to offer. “We’ll have all our training programs on display,” said Community Liaison Susan Mann. “We … have our construction trades – carpenters, plasterers, cement masons and painters – and computer networking, office administration, culinary arts.” Each program will have an interactive display to let attendees see what the program is all about.

Bourbon & Bowties

Samaritan raises money to bring doctors to the Basin

MOSES LAKE — The fourth annual Bourbon & Bowties fundraiser raised more than $350,000 April 24 to bring more doctors to Samaritan Healthcare. “The population in our hospital district is large enough that we’re about 22 primary care physicians short,” said Roberta Bigalk, executive director of the Samaritan Foundation. The solution Samaritan is working on, Bigalk said, is a partnership with the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University to bring physicians to the Columbia Basin to do their residency. Starting in 2029, Samaritan hopes to bring four or five new resident doctors a year. “The hope is that they come here with their families,” Bigalk said. “They spend three to four years, and they want to stay here because they love the rural community.”

BASIN EVENTS: May 1-9

COLUMBIA BASIN — Spring is finally here and it's time to get out in the sunshine. Music, sales and celebrations galore await you this week.

Hayden unveils Give as you Go community support program

REDMOND, Ore. — Hayden Homes, the Oregon-based builder behind more than a dozen Moses Lake housing developments, announced recently that it is pledging $25 million in charitable giving over the next four years through its Give as you Go initiative. “It always kind of bothered me when my friends’ companies would be like ‘Hey, it’s Christmas, so we should give back,’” said Hayden Homes CEO Dennis Murphy. “And as silly as it sounds, the thing in my head was, ‘Why’d you take so much in the first place?’ If you have to stop and give back, doesn’t it make more sense to just not take as much and give as you go?”

Museum’s Rusty Mammoth sale tomorrow to be the biggest in years

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center’s annual Rusty Mammoth Sale is tomorrow, and it’s a doozy, according to Museum Superintendent Dollie Boyd.