JOEL MARTIN
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves.
Recent Stories
Righting a wrong
Covenants Homeownership Account Act will help minority buyers get their first homes
MOSES LAKE — It’s well known that racial disparities have historically existed in housing. Official racial discrimination – rules about which races can live where – hasn’t been legal in the U.S. for more than half a century, but its effects are still seen today...
FIRE REPORT: Weather shift could make fire season worse
PORTLAND, Ore. — Despite the recent cooler and rainy conditions that moderated fire activity in the Northwest, fire season continues with a change in the weather pattern underway, according to the U.S. Fire Service. Light east winds are forecast for later this week with significant warming and drying expected to occur throughout Oregon and Washington...
FIRE REPORT: Small fire near Vantage extinguished, Yakima River Canyon blazes grow quickly
YAKIMA — Two wildfires are burning in the Yakima River canyon between Yakima and Ellensburg, according to the Bureau of Land Management...
Pending home sales up for second month in a row
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pending home sales increased 0.9% in July, rising for the second consecutive month, according to an announcement from to the National Association of Realtors. The Northeast and Midwest posted monthly losses, while sales in the South and West grew. All four U.S. regions saw year-over-year declines in transactions...
Royal City mayor moving on
ROYAL CITY — Royal City Mayor Kent Andersen is stepping down after about a decade of service to the city...
George Bluegrass Festival turns 16
GEORGE — The annual George Bluegrass Festival is now in its 16th year, according to organizer Debby Kooy. It started Monday, with people coming in from all over to camp and set up, and continues through Sunday morning...
FIRE REPORT: Fire closes one side of I-82, Cowlitz Complex expected to slow down
MOSES LAKE — The 182-acre Tendollar fire that sprang up Sunday on I-82 between Yakima and Ellensburg was 40% contained Monday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Costs were estimated at $150,000. The fire briefly closed the eastbound lanes of the freeway, according to the Washington Department of Transportation...
Local firefighters mobilized for large wildfires
MOSES LAKE — It’s been a long, hot, smoky summer throughout the state. It seemed like every other day there was a new wildfire starting somewhere and air quality got pretty nasty sometimes. But for some local firefighters, it’s been even hotter and smokier...
FIRE REPORT: Acreage estimates down on Cowlitz Complex fires
MOSES LAKE — Of the 30 fires that make up the Cowlitz Complex in Gifford Pinchot National Forest between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River, half are now out, according to the U.S. Forest Service, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The complex showed 12% containment Saturday and improved mapping has allowed authorities to decrease the acreage to about 660 acres. The U.S. Forest Service reported that 439 personnel are fighting the fire. Estimated costs had risen to a bit less than $7.2 million...
Sourdough fire slowing down, Cowlitz Complex costs rise
MOSES LAKE — With cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and light rains over several days, the Sourdough Fire has had minimal growth and low areas of heat, according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service. The fire was at 6,234 acres with 30% containment Thursday. The Cowlitz Complex of fires in Gifford Pinchot National Forest between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River was 12% contained Thursday and holding fairly steady at 697 acres, according to the Forest Service. Estimated costs had risen to $5.9 million. These fires were also burning or were recently extinguished Thursday, according to data from the National Interagency Fire Center:
One for the books
Royal City approves library deal
ROYAL CITY — Progress toward a new Royal City library took a big step forward Tuesday at the Royal City City Council meeting. The council chamber was filled to standing room only as proponents of the library turned out in support of the lease agreement between the city and the Royal City Friends of the Library. The move was made possible in part by a grant the Friends of the Library received from the Lauzier Foundation: $150,000 in July of this year, to be followed by $200,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2025, for a total of $500,000. Between that and other funds the Friends of the Library have raised, there is currently $620,000 available for the work.
Burn bans lifted on some public lands
MOSES LAKE — Public use fire and shooting restrictions on some public lands were lifted today, according to an announcement from the Bureau of Land Management. The relaxation of the rules applies to lands administered by BLM and the Bureau of Reclamation in Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman and Yakima counties, according to the announcement. The restrictions went into effect May 23. The Cowlitz Complex of fires in Gifford Pinchot National Forest between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River was 10% contained Wednesday and holding steady at 695 acres, according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service. Costs were estimated at $4.3 million.
FIRE REPORT: Oregon Road fire under control, Cowlitz Complex holding steady
ELK, Wash. — The Oregon Road fire about 31 miles north of Spokane was 90% contained at 10,817 acres Tuesday, according to a statement from the Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team. The fire, which started Aug. 18, has destroyed 126 residences and 258 outbuildings and occupies 18 fire engines, six water tenders, two skidgens, one bulldozer and 213 personnel. The fire is staying within its current footprint and no further growth is expected. Costs are estimated at $13 million...
Quincy building burns, various fires trouble Washington
QUINCY — An empty building burned in the wee hours of Sunday morning in Quincy, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 3. At a little after midnight, GCFD 3 and Protection One EMS received multiple reports of flames visible at the rear of the former Westside Pizza building in the 700 block of F Street Southwest, according to the statement. On arrival, the engine deployed hydrant and hose lines to suppress the flames and protect adjacent properties. The fire was brought under control and primary search was completed with no persons found. The fire is under investigation...
Brand-new Almira School rises from the ashes
ALMIRA — It was an emotional moment Thursday as the new Almira School was unveiled to the community. The school gym was packed, with a crowd of about 350 people almost shoulder to shoulder. Almira School District Superintendent Dan Read led the crowd in the first flag salute in the new building, then spoke about the outpouring of support the tiny district had received...
Cowlitz Complex grows to more than 40 fires
MOSES LAKE — The Cowlitz Complex that cropped up last weekend in Gifford Pinchot National Forest between Mount Rainier and the Columbia River has now grown to more than 40 small fires totaling about 400 acres, according to a statement from the U.S. Forest Service. The fires were ignited Aug. 25 by a lightning storm and 294 personnel have been dispatched in four divisions to fight the fires. Some of the fires that are smaller, unnamed and are less accessible are unstaffed as available resources focus on incidents of greater concern and greater likelihood of successful containment, the Forest Service wrote in an update Thursday...
Well stocked
Real estate professionals deliver classroom supplies to local schools
MOSES LAKE — Some students in the Basin will be a little better equipped this year thanks to local real estate professionals. “I got a wild idea in May to do a Grant County-wide school supply drive,” Anna Lucero, an agent with CENTURY 21 Alsted Real Estate in Moses Lake. “I chose to do all of Grant County because I personally grew up in Ephrata and that school is still near to my heart. My boys go to Moses Lake, my daughter attends Wilson Creek and my family is originally from the Quincy area.” Lucero started out in early August, publicizing her drive originally through social media and word of mouth. The response to that wasn’t great, she said, so she decided to hit potential donors where it counts: in the taste buds.
‘Bushels of Fun’
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair kicks off today
RITZVILLE — In late summer and early fall, when county fairs are at their peak, the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair can easily slip under the radar. There’s no carnival, no big-name musical acts on the stage or clowns wandering the grounds. This year’s theme is “Bushels of Fun,” and that’s what it offers. “We're a small community fair serving the communities of (Ritzville), Lind, Washtucna and Benge,” said Lori Williams, a volunteer and fair board member. The event used to be called the East Adams County Fair, but the name was changed in 1981 when the fair moved to its current location outside Ritzville. The fair has no staff, just a board of volunteers. It’s grown in the last 42 years, according to its website, from a single building to 13 buildings and an amphitheater...
'Starting fresh'
Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian School Lions take to the gridiron for the first time
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake Christian Academy and Covenant Christian School are breaking new ground on the football field.
FIRE REPORT: Small fires hit locally, regional fires burn on
EPHRATA — A small grass fire near Road J and Road 16 Northwest flared up Tuesday, which was quickly put out by Grant County Fire District 13. Lightning struck a fence post, according to a statement from GCFD 13, then appeared to arc multiple times down the fence starting small spot fires. The cause of a vehicle fire near Soap Lake Wednesday morning was a little less certain, according to a statement from Grant County Fire District 7. The blaze, which is under investigation, destroyed a van but firefighters knocked it down before it could reach a nearby garage. There were no injuries...
On the front line
Job Corps students get first-hand experience fighting fires
MOSES LAKE — Wildfire season is frustrating. There’s smoke in the air, closed-off roads and evacuation alerts galore, but other than being careful with barbecues and praying for the firefighters’ safety, most area residents don’t see the fire line except in the newspaper or on TV. At the Columbia Basin Job Corps Center in Moses Lake, that isn’t the case. Students from the local center, along with Job Corps students across the country, are heading off to the firelines for weeks at a time, both to fight the fires and as support firefighting crews...
‘Hometown rodeo’
Ritzville Rodeo is big entertainment on a small scale
RITZVILLE — It’s not a very big rodeo, but it’s an enthusiastic one. “We have all events,” said Ritzville Rodeo board member Julie Hartz. “Bareback, saddle bronc, ranch bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, breakaway roping, calf roping, team roping head and heel and some junior events like goat tying.” ...
FIRE REPORT: MLFD helping with Oregon Road fire; new blaze appears in Seep Lakes
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Fire Department is taking part in firefighting efforts for the Oregon Road fire, about 31 miles north of Spokane, according to a statement from the MLFD. Firefighter Paramedic Rick Kelly and Probationary Firefighter Paramedic Gary Lebacken have been assisting the Mid-Columbia Strike Team with structure protection, the statement said. The fire, which has been burning north of Spokane since Aug. 18, was up to 10,817 acres and was 49% contained Tuesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Costs were estimated at about $9.3 million...
GCFD 7 gets firefighting grant; small fires dot SW WA Cascades
SOAP LAKE — Grant County Fire District 7, based in Soap Lake, announced Friday it had been awarded a $590,400 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The grant, which will be paid out over a four-year period, is designed to help fire departments recruit and retain volunteer firefighters, according to the announcement. The money will go toward personal protective equipment for new recruits, leadership and career training, new member costs such as apparel and textbooks and a marketing program for recruitment, as well as replacing the fire station sign with a programmable LED sign to assist with disseminating vital information and recruitment information.
Gray and Oregon Road fires exceed 10K acres, continue burning
SPOKANE — The Gray fire, which started Aug. 18 about 17 miles west of Spokane, was 58% contained at 10,016 acres Thursday, according to a statement from the state Department of Natural Resources. The blaze prompted the evacuation of the entire city of Medical Lake, as well as the communities of Lakeland Village, and Four Lakes, for several days, but all evacuations had been downgraded to levels 1 and 2 .by Thursday and SR 902 had reopened...
Water masters
Siphon setters show their skills at the Grant County Fair
MOSES LAKE — It’s a little ironic that the World-Famous Siphon-Setting Contest may be the best-kept secret at the Grant County Fair.
GoFundMe hub set up for fire victims
MOSES LAKE, Wash. — A centralized hub has been established at GoFundMe for anyone who would like to help people affected by wildfires in eastern Washington, according to an announcement from the fundraising site. The hub will direct people to organizations that GoFundMe has verified as legitimate, to keep scam artists from preying on potential donors. “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the wildfires burning throughout Eastern Washington,” GoFundMe Communications Manager and Spokesperson Jeff Platt wrote in the announcement. “At GoFundMe, being a safe and trusted place to give and receive help is our top priority. To help keep the platform safe, donations are processed by our payment partners, held, and then released only to the person named as the recipient of the funds (the beneficiary). Before funds are transferred to the beneficiary, their personal information must be verified. If any questions arise, our processors will hold the funds until the recipient is verified.”
His father’s son
Ned LeDoux follows proudly in his dad’s musical footsteps
MOSES LAKE — Some children of legendary performers struggle to get out from under their famous parent’s shadow when they make a name for themselves. Ned LeDoux is not one of those. “He's Dad to me,” LeDoux said of his father, singer-songwriter Chris LeDoux, who passed away from cancer in 2005. “That's it. And I know what everybody else sees and it just makes me a proud son.” ...
Going to market
Hard work pays off for youth at livestock sale
MOSES LAKE — It’s kind of a high point, the moment when hard work is rewarded in hard cash. Livestock sales are an integral part of a county fair, when a 4-H or Future Farmers of America student sees the benefit from all the effort they put in through the year raising a heifer or a pig or a goat. “What’m I bid? What’m I bid? Do I hear 1,900? 1,900! Do I hear 2,000? All done, all gone…” said auctioneer Chuck Yarbro Jr., machine-gunning the ritual auction phrases Friday morning at the Grant County Fair’s Kenny Ardell Pavilion as one young person after another brought a critter into the ring to be sold. The teens looked nervous but proud as they showed off several months’ to several years’ worth of work.
Spokane-area fires claim two lives, trigger evacuations
SPOKANE — Fires in the Spokane area, including two over 10,000 acres, claimed at least two lives as well as causing evacuations and traffic hassles over the weekend. A body was found in the area burned by the Oregon Road fire north of Spokane on Sunday afternoon, according to an Associated Press report. Another person died in connection with the Gray fire that started Friday west of Spokane. The Gray fire had grown to 10,014 acres by Monday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire was 10% contained Monday and costs were estimated at $1,250,000. The blaze prompted the evacuation of the entire city of Medical Lake, as well as the communities of Lakeland Village and Four Lakes. Interstate 90 is closed to traffic between the Four Lakes and Tyler interchanges until further notice, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. Traffic is being detoured both directions on SR 904 through Cheney.
Three local fires spring up, and one killed in fire near Medical Lake
MOSES LAKE — If going out the front door Saturday morning felt – and smelled – like walking into a giant ashtray, there’s a reason for that. The Air Quality Index in most of central Washington, including the Columbia Basin, was rated unhealthy by the Environmental Protection Agency, using data from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The AQI, determined by measuring particulate matter in the air, ranged between 163 in Mattawa and 190 in Ritzville. Moses Lake’s AQI was 176, while Quincy was at 182 and Soap Lake was at 189. The air in the Spokane area was even worse, according to the EPA, with AQIs well over 300 in places. For the air to be rated as healthy, the AQI must be lower than 50...
‘Professional Zaniac’
Fair performer mixes juggling chops with hyperactive comedy
MOSES LAKE — If ever there was a man who perhaps should consider switching to decaf, it’s Alex Zerbe. “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” Zerbe boomed over the speaker from backstage as he began his set Thursday afternoon at the Grant County Fair. “It is my pleasure to introduce a man so famous, he's giving his own introduction while standing backstage...
Smokey skies prompt health warning
MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Health District has issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for all areas of the county. Wildfires in Washington and British Columbia are affecting air conditions in Grant County, according to the advisory, and air quality is expected to be in the moderate to unhealthy range into the weekend.
FIRE REPORT: High temps increase fire risks
PORTLAND, Ore.— Almost 85% of all fires in the Northwest this year have been caused by human action, according to data from the Northwest Interagency Fire Center, which tracks wildfires in Washington and Oregon...
One killed in Moses Lake shooting
MOSES LAKE — A shooting claimed one life and injured two other people in the Knolls Vista neighborhood of Moses Lake early Sunday morning...
Couple convicted in carjacking on reservation
YAKIMA — A White Swan couple was convicted Friday of serious felonies on the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern Washington...
Fire update for Aug. 14, 2023
LAHAINA, Hawaii — The wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii had claimed at least 80 lives as of Saturday, according to the Associated Press. The city of just under 13,000 on the island of Maui was left in ashes by a fire that began Tuesday, according to the AP. A combination of high winds, an small firefighting force and power outages that interfered with fire warnings made matters worse. “I am devastated by the lives lost and the destruction in Lahaina,” Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands wrote in a statement.
Fair week
Grant County prepares to show off
MOSES LAKE — Everything slows down a little bit in Grant County during the third week of August. It could be because it’s the hottest part of the summer, or it could be that a lot of people are out of town on vacation. But it could also be because that’s the week of the Grant County Fair, and that’s where everybody is. “In 2021 we had 92,000 people through the gates,” said Fairgrounds Manager Jim McKiernan. “In 2022 we had 87,000.” ...
80th ride: Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo has full slate for its oak anniversary
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Roundup Rodeo turns 80 this year, and it’s doing it in a big way. “It's going to be huge,” said Tyler Brown, treasurer of the rodeo committee. “We've got 430 entries for all the events, which is a pretty big number. Probably up 10-15% (compared to previous years). We've got a full slate of contestants in every event, which is really spectacular.” ...
Crusading against domestic violence
Auction buyers, donors Man Up to support New Hope in battling household violence
MOSES LAKE — If you see folks wearing purple at the Moses Lake Roundup this year, it’s not just a fashion statement. They’re manning up. For the last several years, the Moses Lake Roundup has partnered with New Hope Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services in Moses Lake in the Man Up Crusade, both to raise awareness of domestic violence and to raise funds to actually do something about it...
Regional fire report for Aug. 10
WHATCOM COUNTY — The Sourdough fire, in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area about 60 miles east of Bellingham, was up to 1,710 acres Wednesday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire, which was discovered July 29, is still 0% contained and has cost about $16 million so far...
Moses Lake Alumni select scholarship winners
MOSES LAKE — Fourteen Moses Lake High School seniors will have a little help with college thanks to a scholarship from the Moses Lake Alumni Association. This is the 17th year the association has offered the scholarships, according to association Secretary (and historian) Susan Blackwell...
3-vehicle collision claims 1 on I-90
MOSES LAKE — A three-vehicle accident on I-90 claimed at least one life and injured nine people Wednesday afternoon...
Annexation more complicated than it seems, Royal council told
ROYAL CITY — The Royal City City Council learned some things about the process of annexation at its Aug. 1 meeting. The discussion was occasioned by an application by Gerald Brown, owner of Golden West Farms, LLC, for the city to annex two parcels of Golden West land, one 70 acres and the other 7.7 acres south of the city limits. The council set aside part of the meeting as a public hearing on the petition...
Fire continues to burn near Grand Coulee Dam, blazes continue statewide
GRAND COULEE — Of the five fires that broke out Sunday in the Grand Coulee Dam area, only one, the Pendall Road fire, is listed as burning by the National Interagency Fire Center. The fire was previously reported at 500 acres, but that figure has been reduced to 170 acres, according to the Central Washington Interagency Communications Center...
Bingo-ing out cancer
Local taproom, sheriff host game night to support Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation.
MOSES LAKE — The cage spun, the little balls went clack-clack-clack, and a hand reached in to pull one out. “B-9,” Grant County Sheriff Joe Kriete shouted over the sea of voices, and a room full of people looked up from their beverages and marked their cards...
Vehicles destroyed in Soap Lake area fire, other fires continue statewide
SOAP LAKE — A fire east of Soap Lake burned about 9.5 acres, according to statements from Grant County fire districts 7 and 13. The fire, in the 3800 block of SR 28, destroyed about 20 vehicles, five recreational vehicles and nearly 100 appliances. Volunteers fought the fire until about 4 a.m. Saturday, returning later in the morning for mopping up, according to GCFD 7...
MLFD responds to multiple fires, statewide fire season continues
MOSES LAKE — One building was seriously damaged when a series of four fires sprang up along I-90 Wednesday evening, according to Moses Lake Fire Department Battalion Chief Dave Hollie. The fires were reported a little before 7 p.m., according to the wildfire alert website Watch Duty. All of the fires were in town and on the north side of I-90, Hollie said...
Sewage spill at Sun Lakes stop short of water
COULEE CITY — A power failure at a lift station caused a small sewage spill at Sun Lakes State Park Tuesday, according to Dennis Felton, area manager for Coulee Area State Parks, but the lake water wasn’t affected...
‘The future is happening in our town’
Port tour highlights aviation, innovation
MOSES LAKE — A group of about 60 people – including a number of state legislators and Lt. Gov. Denny Heck – got a first-hand look at the future Wednesday, on a tour that included stops at Big Bend Community College, Boeing and other businesses at the Port of Moses Lake, as well as presentations by three local cutting-edge companies...