JOEL MARTIN

Grant County detective honored by Girl Scouts

MOSES LAKE — Grant County Sheriff’s Detective Katrina Ball was recognized March 7 as a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. It was an unexpected honor, she said.

BASIN EVENTS CALENDAR: March 20-27, 2026

COLUMBIA BASIN — There’s plenty to do this week in the Columbia Basin. Here are some possibilities.

Kit home bill would pave the way for small DIY housing

OLYMPIA — A bill passed in the Washington Legislature and signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson this year could mean some new options for housing in the state in the future, said the bill’s primary sponsor, state Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview. “When you’ve got a $600,000 beat-up starter home someplace around Seattle, what about a simplified but modernized version of a kit home from the old days?” Wilson said. “We need all choices on the menu for housing options, except living in a blue tarp on the street.”

More inventory, lower interest make buying more appealing in Washington

MOSES LAKE — Housing inventory is up in Washington state and interest rates are down, making buying a home easier than it was a year ago, according to data released by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, which tracks real estate trends in 27 of Washington’s 39 counties.

Brews & Tunes draws crowds despite chill

MOSES LAKE — The weather wasn’t altogether friendly, but that didn’t stop people from enjoying a drink and a shopping trip at Brews & Tunes in downtown Moses Lake Saturday.

‘Divas of Soul’ features strong voices, beloved songs

MOSES LAKE — The last half-century has seen – and heard – some strong female singers, and those voices will be at the Wallenstien Theater March 28 in the Columbia Basin Allied Arts presentation of “Divas of Soul.”

Trout Derby adds a little something extra to lake fishing

MOSES LAKE — Anglers, cast your lines! The 2026 Trout Derby begins April 25. “We stock lakes all over the state,” said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Communications Specialist Nicole Jordan. “Some of the fish are tagged, and people can catch a tagged fish and win a bunch of donated prizes.”

Rotary Club of Moses Lake celebrates 75 years

MOSES LAKE — The Rotary Club of Moses Lake gathered at Pillar Rock Grill Saturday to celebrate 75 years of service to the community. “Every person in this room has chosen to spend some of their time serving others,” said Rotary Club President Tori Douglass. “When I look around this room, I don’t see money; I see value. In fact, I believe this may be the richest room in our city because it’s filled with people who are willing to give their time to make someone else’s life better.”

'A Taste of Ireland' set to showcase Irish music, dance and fun

MOSES LAKE — Three Eastern Washington venues will get their Taste of Ireland this spring when “A Taste of Ireland – The Irish Music & Dance Sensation” comes to Yakima, Spokane and Wenatchee.

Gettin' down to business

MOSES LAKE — Attendees stroll down the aisles at the Moses Lake Business Expo Tuesday afternoon at the Grant County Fairgrounds. The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce puts on the annual event to support businesses and provide a bit of fun for the community. Further coverage of the event will be in an upcoming edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.

Mind Matters

Workshop set to bring together mental health professionals, community

MOSES LAKE — The Mind Matters Mental Health and Behavioral Health Workshop will explore a wide range of related topics March 26 at Big Bend Community College.

Local artists invited to share work at Easter shows

MOSES LAKE — Artists, and people who enjoy art, are invited to participate in Easter art shows in Moses Lake and Ephrata this month, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The theme for the shows will be “A Walk with Christ,” said Becky Earl, a member of the Moses Lake Stake’s communications committee.

BASIN EVENTS CALENDAR: March 13-21

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s been a little bit breezy, but nothing the Basin isn’t used to, and it’s certainly no excuse not to get out and do something fun this week. Here are some options.

‘Stars, Stripes and Shamrocks’

Moses Lake Business Expo combines themes, expands into third building

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce Business Expo has a dual theme for 2026, Executive Director Debbie Doran-Martinez said.

EWU earns rare NSA accreditation

CHENEY — Eastern Washington University has been named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, according to an announcement from the university.

Light moves: Custom exterior lighting marks holidays, shows team spirit

MOSES LAKE — Lighting up the outside of a house for the holidays looks pretty, but it can be a whole lot of work to set up. That’s what Moses Lake brothers Zach and Nate Thomas aim to change.

Home prices down, houses moving faster in much of the Basin

MOSES LAKE — Home prices dropped in January in Moses Lake, Ephrata and Othello compared to January 2025, according to the real estate website Redfin, but showed a substantial increase in Quincy.

Brews & Tunes set for this weekend in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Tickets are still available for Brews & Tunes Saturday, the Downtown Moses Lake Association annual blend of music, beverages and fun, according to DMLA Executive Director Mallory Miller.

MLHS softball has the numbers and the drive to win

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

Maverick boys work on basics, teamwork

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

Veterans groups to host virtual career fair

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

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

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

Corral Creek kicks off spring season at George CoffeeHouse

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

Gentlemen’s Quartet set to make sophistication fun March 24

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

Basin churches come together for Lent, fellowship

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

Ellensburg trooper named WSP Trooper of the year

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

‘I thank God for you’

Community Court graduate ready to start new life

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

Man arrested for arson, assault in Ephrata on Thursday

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

Oak and Lily Day Spa gets a little bigger

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

Covenant Christian School students grow plants for fundraiser

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

BASIN EVENTS: March 6-14

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

2025 sees slight real estate market improvement

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

Pages of Redemption

Initiative gathers books to donate to jails

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

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

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

Space Burger booth open March 13-15

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

Quincy Food Bank auction brings new storage building closer to reality

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

SENIOR EVENTS: March 2026

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

Valentine’s Day cards flood Brookdale Hearthstone with love

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

More than 100 Basin students make WSU honor roll

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

BASIN EVENTS: March 2026

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

Lots of history: one photo

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

Spring into a new home

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

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

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

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

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

Artrageous to raise the energy level March 6

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

Safe Kids, Strong Communities event promises fun, learning

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

Good officer

GCSO K-9 Edo passes at 11

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

DMLA kicks off 2026

Local organization celebrates 2025 accomplishments, looks forward to successful year

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

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

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

CB Tech’s Armstrong wrapping up 40 years in education

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