JOEL MARTIN

Home repair help available for qualifying seniors

MOSES LAKE — Seniors whose homes need a little upkeep may be eligible for some help. The government offers grants and low-interest loans for home repairs, and some nonprofits are available to help out as well.

FIRST RESPONDER FOCUS: ‘Be the calm’

Quincy PD sergeant builds ties with the community

QUINCY — For Quincy Police Sergeant Joe Westby, it’s all about the people. “It's just been really cool adapting to the community,” he said. “I hold value in the community like they hold in me. I try and make sure when the need arises, I do the best work I possibly can.”

‘More than we ask or imagine’

Othello Nazarene Church celebrates 70 years of faith

OTHELLO — “The days of our years are threescore years and ten,” the Biblical poet wrote in Psalm 90, but the Othello Church of the Nazarene, which celebrated that milestone this year, shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. The church celebrated its 70th birthday with displays of photos and oral history in the gathering area outside the sanctuary.

Miss East Cascades looks to elevate young women

MOSES LAKE — Young women from Grant County are invited to try out for the Miss East Cascades scholarship program, the first step toward Miss America, said Miss East Cascades Executive Director Deloma Sherwood.

Home value increases only slightly nationally, more locally

MOSES LAKE — Home prices are up 4.3% nationwide from a year ago, according to a report released Tuesday by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the lowest price growth year-over-year in a decade.

Big Bend women’s wrestling prospects looking up this year

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend women’s wrestling bobbled a little at the beginning but picked up quickly, according Head Coach Desiree Alejandro. The Vikings lost their first dual Nov. 16 against Umpqua Community College 30-9, but got their own back the next day at the Mike Clock Tournament.

BBCC women’s basketball making some noise this year

MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College women’s basketball Coach Preston Wilks is optimistic this year.

Attitude, solidarity key for BBCC men’s basketball

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend men’s basketball team got thrown a bit of a curve ball when they started their season in Arizona, said Head Coach Jason Hopkins.

BBCC men’s wrestling off to up-and-down start

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend men’s wrestling season started off fast, said head coach Daviaire Dickerson.

ACH girls have height and speed, work on swagger

COULEE CITY — The Almira/Coulee-Hartline girls basketball team is standing tall this year. Literally.

Ritzville Winter Fest set to spread cheer over two weekends

RITZVILLE — Apparently, Ritzville has so much holiday spirit, it must take two weekends for Winter Fest.

‘Mary Poppins’ auditions Dec. 2 at Basin Community Theatre

MOSES LAKE — Basin Community Theatre will hold auditions Dec. 2 for its upcoming production of “Mary Poppins.” “We thought that we would do a family show instead of an adult show,” said Toby Black, director of the play and president of BCT. “You know, one that the kids could come in, laugh and giggle, and try to entertain the younger kids. So we … chose Mary Poppins.”

New CBH reporter loves to tell the community's stories

MOSES LAKE — Nance Beston has always loved finding out things and telling stories. “My grandma got me a camera when I was really young,” Beston said. “And as soon as I got that camera, I harassed everyone to get their photos, including random strangers. At a certain point, my dad no longer allowed me to bring it to the store, because I was taking pictures of random people and they were not happy.”

Ag Parade coming Dec. 6 to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake will celebrate agriculture and the holidays downtown Dec. 6 with music, food and the traditional Ag Parade.

Washington voted to lift natural gas restrictions, but will the changes stick?

OLYMPIA — Of the four initiatives that were on the Washington ballot this year, only one passed, and it’s one that affects housing statewide, including in Grant and Adams counties.

Gesa ‘Stock-the-Sock’ gift drive begins

RICHLAND — Gesa Credit Union announced Wednesday the beginning of its annual “Stock the Sock” gift drive.

Local mothers group collecting toys for Christmas

MOSES LAKE — Christmas can be a really worrisome time for families with children, especially during tough economic times. However, when people are worried, moms come to the rescue.

Moses Lake tree lighting kicks off the holiday season

MOSES LAKE — Downtown Moses Lake blazed into light Friday evening as the enormous holiday tree in Sinkiuse Square was lit to mark the beginning of the holiday season. About 500 people came to the event, said Mallory Miller, executive director of the Downtown Moses Lake Association, which staged the event. In addition to the tree lighting itself, there were craft tables and a scavenger hunt for the kids and hot dogs and hot cocoa for everybody. The turnout was bigger than last year, said volunteers Jesseanne Polmateer and Mason Golliher, who were handing out fliers for the scavenger hunt. There were about 300 people at the end of the night last year, Golliher said, and within the first half hour they had already given out more than 100 fliers.

Pizza Hut opens in Othello

OTHELLO — Othello’s first Pizza Hut opened Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting followed by a line out the door for lunch.

Youth coding marathon coming to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Budding coders, artists and musicians from sixth through 12 grade are invited this weekend to take part in Counterspell, a 24-hour hackathon in which participants will create games. “It’s going to be the first event of this kind in our region,” said Amiya Saha, a Moses Lake High School senior who’s one of the organizers. “A lot of these have been in Seattle and larger cities, but we want to share technology with rural communities.”

Trimmed and ready

Festival of Trees to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity

MOSES LAKE — Folks who are pining for a Christmas tree will find them all spruced up with lights and decorations at the annual Festival of Trees Dec. 7. The event is Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake’s biggest fundraiser of the year, said President Rebecca Mabius. It will be held in the Advanced Technologies Education Center at Big Bend Community College. “This year we have 13 trees that will be available for purchase, and they’re donated and decorated by individuals and businesses here in the community,” Mabius said.

Socktober drive brings in 1,300 pairs of socks

MOSES LAKE — Some feet will be warmer this winter in Moses Lake. A whole lot of feet, in fact. Greenpoint Technologies and Red Door Cafe’s joint project, Socktober, brought in 1,300 pairs of socks last month, according to an email from organizer Amy Ward. This is the first year that Moses Lake has done Socktober and the response was overwhelming, said Phyllis Lavalle, Ward’s mother, who helped her count and package the socks Nov. 8. The drive was given a big boost by Bombas, a nationwide clothing retailer that specializes in socks.

‘Wonderful people’

Fabric Patch community contributes more than $52,000 to fight cancer.

EPHRATA — The Fabric Patch’s breast cancer auction was not your typical fundraiser. There was no expensive venue, no banquet, no volunteers pouring wine or selling raffle tickets. Just a camera, a few dedicated women, and thousands of bidders.

Serving the unseen

His Helping Hands helps people in need stay warm through the winter

EPHRATA — Cold weather and a tough economy can be a nasty combination, and sometimes people fall unseen through the cracks.

Vets honored at Ephrata parade

EPHRATA — It wasn’t a huge crowd that turned out for the Veterans Day parade in Ephrata, but it was a reverent one.

Local talent takes over at Moses Lake Museum

MOSES LAKE — The members take over the museum this month, as the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center’s Members Exhibition showcases local talent on tap. “The show features a wide variety of art in different styles,” Museum Communications Coordinator Natalia Zuyeva wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. “Ceramics, acrylic, watercolor, stained glass and more are present in this year’s show.”

A family of service

Quincy clan counts 24 veterans

MOSES LAKE — Dietrich and Emma Thiesfeld’s 14 children could just about constitute an army in themselves. “Seven of them are or were veterans, and the other seven married veterans,” said Leland “Lee” Thiesfeld, 84 and the 10th of those children, who served in the Marine Corps in the early 1960s. Lee and his wife Charlene live in Moses Lake, where they raised their four children, one of whom followed his father into the USMC. Some of those overlap, like Lee’s oldest sister Elverda, who both served in the Navy and married a Marine, he said. Between the siblings and their children, the Thiesfeld family tree holds 24 military vets. Ironically, their father Dietrich never served, Lee said. “In the First World War, he got an exemption for farming,” he said. “He had to help on the farm. In those days, 60%, 70% of the population was farmers. Nowadays it isn’t even 10%.”

‘Moments of sheer terror’

Soap Lake veteran, comrades, awarded Congressional Gold Medal

SOAP LAKE — War is hell, it’s often said, and soldiers who get hurt or killed in action are rightly honored for their courage and sacrifice. But recently the U.S. Congress honored another group whose courage sometimes goes unnoticed. Operation Dustoff, the collective name for the medical teams who evacuated the wounded from the battlefields of Vietnam in helicopters, was honored in September with the Congressional Gold Medal. One of those men was Glenn Knight, who now lives in the Lakewood area of Soap Lake. “A Dustoff crew was made up of two pilots, a crew chief and a medic,” Knight said. “I was a medic.”

‘A beautiful setup’

Youth Dynamics unveils remodeled facility

MOSES LAKE — Youth Dynamics got a makeover recently, and it was unveiled Tuesday. “We redid the kitchen last year,” said YD Area Director Sean Sallis. “It was a full remodel … so we’re able to feed more kids. It’s a very beautiful setup in here.”

‘A place of peace’

Palos Verdes cuts ribbon on new Moses Lake neighborhood

MOSES LAKE — Palos Verdes at Lakemont became official Tuesday, with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. “We're excited to work together,” said Palos Verdes CEO Angel Garza. “I think it's going to be something that is going to be great for the city of Moses Lake. We've been desiring to be here, and you gave us an opportunity.”

Lighting up the town

Moses Lake downtown tree lighting is Nov. 15

MOSES LAKE — The holiday tree in downtown Moses Lake will blaze up bigger and brighter this year.

‘It’ll come back’

Alumni, families support St. Rose school

EPHRATA — The students at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Ephrata were the winners Saturday evening, as the school’s annual fundraiser banquet and auction brought in more than expected. “The great thing about this dinner is that you are going to lose weight,” Bishop Joseph Tyson, who proudly proclaimed himself a native of Moses Lake, told the crowd. “You’re going to eat as much as you want, and you’re going to lose weight because you’re going to leave your wallets on the table.”

Seniors save on fishing in Washington

COLUMBIA BASIN — A day on the water with a pole and peace and quiet may just be what the doctor ordered, even if you have to wear some mittens as temps decline.

Halloween in Ephrata

EPHRATA — Forty businesses and organizations teamed up Thursday to give young – and some not-so-young – costumed visitors a trick-or-treating experience in downtown Ephrata.

FIRST RESPONDER FOCUS: Hartline firefighter and EMT covers a lot of ground

HARTLINE — Grant County Fire District 6 covers 232 square miles of Northeastern Grant County with a population of a little over 2,200. That means resources can get stretched a little thin, said Charles Erickson, a fifth-generation farmer in the Hartline area. “For the most part, we’re all farmers out here, and a lot of times, I can be 12 miles north and two miles away from my pickup, and when the call comes out, it’s going to take me 10, 15 minutes to get back to my pickup and then another 10, 15 minutes to get into town,” Erickson said. Erickson – he’s equally at home being called “Charlie” or “Chuck” – is a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician who also serves on the fire commission for GCFD 6. That makes him both Fire Chief Daryl Dormaier’s subordinate and one of his three bosses, which Dormaier is just fine with.

Murder in the house

Othello High School drama club presents ‘Clue’

OTHELLO — Othello High School’s fall play has it all: blackmail, murder, fake identities, jump scares and more unexpected twists than a logging road at midnight. “There's a lot of screams,” said Sophia Terayama, who plays Mrs. White in OHS’ performance of “Clue,” which opens Nov. 7 and runs through Nov. 9 at McFarland Middle School. “There's a lot of murders going on. It's kind of to be expected.”

Keep ahead of water damage

MOSES LAKE — With fall turning into winter, there’s always a risk of water damage to the home from a sudden thaw or heavy rain or snowfall. “(Water damage) is one of the most common and expensive claims that homeowners need to file,” said Jennifer Hawton, a spokesperson for Pemco Insurance. “It accounts for 25% of all homeowner insurance claims, and it can move people out of their homes for weeks ... but it is also one of the most preventable kinds of damage.”

The dead live on in memory at the Moravida Festival

MOSES LAKE — This world and the next came together Saturday at the Moravida Festival at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

Pet rescue to hold fundraiser at Moore Brewing

MOSES LAKE — Moore Brewing Company of Moses Lake will host a benefit fundraiser for Lost and Found Pets of Grant County, Washington, according to an announcement from the organization.

Sister story

Quincy High production of ‘Little Women’ takes a fresh look at the classic

QUINCY — One of the most beloved families in American literature will take the stage at Quincy High School. “Little Women,” a stage adaptation of the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott, will be performed at the QHS Performing Arts Center Friday and Saturday, and again Nov. 7-9. The script is a little different from the original novel, said drama teacher and director Haliey Weber.

Homeschoolers host science fair

EPHRATA — Eighteen children showed what they had learned about the world around them Saturday at the Little House Science Fair in Ephrata. “Every year we have a theme, and this year’s theme is “Hands On,” said Hannah Gustafson, who organized the show for the Little House in the Desert Homeschool Group. “So when you look around at the projects, you can see that people are able to pick up something or practice with an example using their hands.”

A dance of murder

Ballet mystery lets the audience pick the villain

MOSES LAKE — It’s not often that the words “ballet,” “interactive” and “murder mystery” appear together. “You actually have never seen it before,” said Shawn Cardwell, executive director of Columbia Basin Allied Arts, which will present Ballet Fantastique’s “Murder at the Ballet” Friday at the Wallenstien Theater. “This is a world premiere. They have found no evidence that anyone else has ever done something like this.”

‘Mystery Masquerade’ the theme of St. Rose auction Saturday

EPHRATA — “Mystery Masquerade” will be the theme of the 41st annual St. Rose of Lima Catholic School auction Saturday. “It’ll be really fun to see what everybody comes as,” said St. Rose Principal Amy Krautscheid. Costumes aren’t required, she added.

A cycle of abuse

Domestic Violence Action Month focuses on a problem often kept under wraps

MOSES LAKE — On a single day in October, the Moses Lake Police Department received 62 calls for service, according to its records. More than one in eight of those was a domestic incident.

New builder in town

Homes ready to go at The Refuge at Mae Valley

MOSES LAKE — The neighborhood is there. Now all it needs is some neighbors. “Being a new builder and a new name to town, it does take a little bit to get name recognition up and running,” said Realtor Amy Leicht at the ribbon-cutting Tuesday for The Refuge at Mae Valley, a new housing development by Tri-Cities-based Pro Made Homes.

Localizing the park

Lower Peninsula Park garden highlights low-water, pollutant-filtering plants

MOSES LAKE — Lower Peninsula Park is moving beyond the usual grassy fields, with some help from the Columbia Basin Conservation District and the city of Moses Lake. Staff from both the city and CBCD were out Wednesday morning preparing a demonstration garden that will show how native, low-water plants thrive in the region

Hayden Homes named among best places to work

REDMOND, Ore. — Hayden Homes recently received two of the nation’s top honors for construction and mid-sized workplaces from Fortune magazine and the website Great Place To Work, according to an announcement from Hayden Homes.

Teaching America

Quincy classes help prepare for U.S. citizenship test

QUINCY — Folks who would like to prepare to become U.S. citizens can get some help through the Quincy Public Library, according to an announcement from NCW Libraries. There is no charge for the classes. The space for the classes is supplied by NCW Libraries, and Hand in Hand Immigration Services, a Wenatchee-based nonprofit, will provide the instruction, content and materials. The classes are offered in both English and Spanish.

Meeting in the middle

Developer looks to fill housing gap with duplexes

MOSES LAKE — A new housing development in progress on the south side of Moses Lake could expand the housing options in town. “You guys need entry-level housing,” said Troy Schmeil, owner of Bellevue-based Sapphire Homes Northwest, which is developing a tract of land off South Division Street. “On both sides of the state, you have … older apartment buildings and single-family (homes), and there’s nothing in between.”

‘They’re amazing’

Moses Lake Chamber honors outstanding members, welcomes new board

MOSES LAKE — Incoming Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Kim Pope had some things to say about the town’s growth Tuesday night. “Moses Lake is growing,” said Pope, the executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin. “We have more businesses coming to town than in – I don’t even want to say this – the 40-plus years that I’ve lived here.”