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
Prep roundup: ACH holds early lead over Odessa
The Almira/Coulee-Hartline High School Warriors took an early lead over the Odessa High School Tigers Friday, finishing the first quarter 15-2, and stayed ahead the rest of the game.
Prep roundup: Tigers defeat Knights in OT
The Ephrata High School Tigers narrowly beat the Royal High School Knights in overtime Wednesday.
Prep sports roundup: Chiefs wrestling defeats Wenatchee, 39-25
The Moses Lake Chiefs defeated Wenatchee High School Tuesday on the mat.
Weekend prep roundup: Quincy sinks Chelan, 80-68
QUINCY — The Quincy High School Jacks defeated Chelan High School Friday. TreyVaughn Bierlink led with 40 points, while Jalen Spence made 16 and Aidan Heikes made 10.
Weekend prep roundup: Ephrata tramples North Central
EPHRATA — The Ephrata High School Tigers dominated the gridiron in their final game, bringing down Spokane’s North Central High School.
Weekend prep roundup: Royal shuts out Connell, 56-0
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights won their last district game handily Friday, trouncing Connell High School 54-0.
Weekend prep roundup: ACH shuts out Columbia
The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors gave Columbia High School a thorough spanking Friday.
Prep roundup: Knights shut out Leopards, 42-0
ZILLAH — The Royal High School Knights needed only half a game to defeat the Zillah Leopards Friday.
Prep roundup: MLHS softball splits with Chiawana
The Moses Lake High School Lady Chiefs split a doubleheader Tuesday against Chiawana High School.
‘Worth fighting for’: Crossroads banquet raises funds and emphasizes life
MOSES LAKE — About 300 people gathered Saturday at the 4-H building at the Grant County Fairgrounds to support an institution dear to their hearts: Crossroads Pregnancy Resource Center.
Weekend prep roundup: Ephrata downs Cashmere 28-12
The Ephrata High School Tigers took and held onto an early lead Friday, with Beau Dechenne scoring two touchdowns off passes from Cole Hertz in the first quarter.
Prep roundup: Ephrata edges out East Valley, 7-6
The Ephrata Tigers may have played a full game against East Valley Friday, but the third quarter was what really counted.
Heroes and buddies: Down syndrome walk lights up downtown Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — The Centennial Amphitheater at McCosh Park was wall-to-wall smiles Saturday afternoon as the Down Syndrome Society of Grant County gathered for its annual Buddy Walk in downtown Moses Lake.
Museum sale raises funds
Crystal Norman, front, and Pat Fitzgerald, both of Moses Lake, browse through the offerings at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center’s Rusty Mammoth sale Saturday.
Weekend prep roundup: Royal shuts out La Salle, 73-0
Royal High School continued its undefeated streak with a whopping victory over La Salle.
Coats for Kids offers protection against the Basin's winter
Winters in the Basin are no laughing matter. The wind, the freezing temperatures and the occasional snow make a good coat invaluable for keeping out the chill. Good coats are not always in every child’s closet, and some kids every year are left facing the elements unprotected.
Parts of Stratford Road to close Monday
Parts of Stratford Road in Moses Lake will be closed for repaving for the next couple of days.
Rusty Mammoth sale a success — outdoors
It was a windy day, but that didn’t deter the folks who came out to the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center’s Rusty Mammoth sale on Saturday.
Swapping cars for tables brings people downtown
MOSES LAKE — The temperature reached triple digits at times, but that didn’t stop folks from coming to downtown Moses Lake on Friday and Saturday to take advantage of the opening of a block of Third Avenue to people, tables and seating instead of traffic.
Pageant moves forward despite COVID-19
Pageant moves forward despite COVID-19
MOSES LAKE — The coronavirus pandemic can be blamed for disrupting a lot of things: businesses, schools, sports, churches, festivals and personal lives. Now we can add one more thing to the list: pageants.
Pared down but enthusiastic: George’s Fourth of July still draws hundreds
GEORGE — The patriotic observance in George on the Fourth of July drew a crowd of about 300 people. Not bad for a town with a population around 500, but still not the level of turnout that George is used to on Independence Day.
Moses Lake store holds food drive
MOSES LAKE — Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Moses Lake last week launched its 10th annual Independence from Hunger Food Drive, according to a press release from the store’s owners.
Local fathers ponder what makes a good dad
MOSES LAKE — It’s been said that 90 percent of success is just showing up. That may well be true of fatherhood. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than one child in four in America lives in a home with no father. Statistics aren’t everything, of course, and not all fathers are good ones, but some statistics suggest that children who grow up with a father in the home have lower rates of poverty, substance abuse, incarceration, teen pregnancy and other problems.
Odessa senior named U.S. Presidential Scholar
ODESSA — There are 3.6 million high school seniors expected to graduate this year in the United States, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education. Of those, more than 5,300 met the qualifications to be U.S. Presidential Scholars, based on college board exams and nominations by chief state school officers and academic organizations. Out of that number, a mere 161 students were actually selected for the honor. Four of those students are from Washington state, and one of them is Madelynn Jae Wagner of Odessa.
American Legion to hold flag retirement ceremony
EPHRATA — American Legion Post 28 in Ephrata will hold a flag retirement ceremony on Flag Day, June 14, according to the post.
Pet pantry helps critters during crisis
SOAP LAKE — Times have been hard lately for a lot of people, what with the state closing businesses due to the coronavirus and some consumer goods unavailable. Food banks and farmers have stepped up to fill some gaps. But there’s another population that’s struggling too, and it doesn’t walk on two legs.
Impromptu concert rocks Sinkiuse Square
MOSES LAKE — A sunny day, a holiday weekend and a group of musicians heartily tired of being cooped up combined Saturday evening to create an impromptu concert in Sinkiuse Square.
Pioneer Memorial Gardens carries on ceremony on Memorial Day
MOSES LAKE — The Memorial Day ceremony at Pioneer Memorial Gardens cemetery brought out a scattered crowd of people Monday morning to visit graves and pay their respects to fallen heroes.
Enthusiastic opening for Moses Lake Farmers Market
Enthusiastic opening for Moses Lake Farmers Market
MOSES LAKE — The sun was out, a gentle breeze was blowing, and the crowd at the Moses Lake Farmers Market had the faint air of people emerging from a dungeon into the sunlight. After weeks of limited activity in accordance with Gov. Jay Inslee’s “stay home, stay healthy” measures, a lot of folks were really eager for the chance to get out.
Flowers cover cross to add color for Easter
MOSES LAKE — It was eerily quiet in Moses Lake on Sunday morning. On the most important festival day of the western Christian calendar, churches across the Basin were closed, following Gov. Jay Inslee’s order to avoid gatherings because of the COVID-19 outbreak. But at Immanuel Lutheran Church, a few souls gathered to bring a little brightness to the day after all.
Queen Mykiah takes her place
OTHELLO — When rodeo queens congregate, what should they be called? That question came up at the Othello Eagles Lodge on Saturday night.
Brews and Tunes takes over downtown Moses Lake
MOSES LAKE — Twelve businesses. Nine bands. And a community tired of staying indoors through the winter. It all added up to a great time Saturday afternoon as downtown Moses Lake came alive for the annual Brews and Tunes festival.
Dances with Daddy: Fathers and daughters have a special night in Ephrata
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Recreation Center was awash with cuteness as princesses and their escorts took to the dance floor Saturday night for the town’s annual Daddy-Daughter Dance.
Getting in the holiday shopping spirit
‘Martin... Joel Martin...”
Christmas on 3rd Avenue
MOSES LAKE — Friday was a chilly evening for the Moses Lake Ag Appreciation Parade and Street Party, but the atmosphere was warm and bright.
Festival of Trees lights up the holiday season
MOSES LAKE — The overhead lights were dimmed, but the 4-H Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds was alive with twinkling, inviting lights for the 24th annual Festival of Trees, the fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake.
Costumes, goodies and prizes at 'Trunk or Treat'
MOSES LAKE — A crowd of 300 to 400 kids in costume turned out Saturday afternoon for Sportsman’s Warehouse’s first annual Trunk or Treat event, according to Sportsman’s Warehouse office manager Kimberly Bonick.
Peninsula's first pet adoption event a success
MOSES LAKE — Children and critters got acquainted at Peninsula Elementary Saturday afternoon, as Grant County Animal Outreach teamed up with Peninsula’s student council to hold a combination supply drive and adoption event.
Quincy celebrates a tapestry of cultures
QUINCY — The weather may have been windier than a truckload of campaign promises, but the first annual Celebration of Cultures in Quincy still drew a good-sized crowd to Heritage Park Saturday. Around 500 people came out for food, art, music and dancing from around the world, organizer Harriet Weber estimated.
'God provided the way' Crossroads banquet raises money for pregnancy assistance
MOSES LAKE — The ATEC building at Big Bend Community College was well filled for Crossroads Pregnancy Center’s annual fundraiser banquet Saturday night. Roughly 320 people attended, according to Crossroads executive director Marilyn Hallberg.
Former Herald publisher remembered
MOSES LAKE — Oreos, milk, and Christmas.
State of Cornfusion: Popcorn seller fills farmers market with flavor
MOSES LAKE — This is not, as the saying goes, your father’s popcorn. Unless your father was into flavors like Dill Pickle, Sweet Lime Habanero and Strawberry Lemonade.
Ephrata Eagles Car Show small but star-studded
EPHRATA — It wasn’t the biggest car show of the season, not by a long shot. But there was no shortage of enthusiasm at the 13th annual Ephrata Eagles car show Saturday.
Freedom rings at ML Freedom Fest
MOSES LAKE — It’s almost a capsule description of America: a whole bunch of very different people, all doing their own thing, coming together to make something great. On a much smaller scale, that’s exactly what happened over the weekend in Moses Lake as a collection of clubs and organizations teamed up to create the Moses Lake Freedom Festival.
Annual rubber duck derby feathers Boys and Girls Club's nests
MOSES LAKE — Rubber ducky was certainly the one on Saturday, as the annual Duck Derby filled Cascade Park with kids, noise and fun.
Hot rods and stolen hearts
MOSES LAKE — You could easily fall in love a dozen times walking up Third Avenue in Moses Lake Saturday.
'The little Relay that could' Moses Lake Relay for Life marks 30 years with small but enthusiastic turnout
MOSES LAKE — The rumors of the Moses Lake Relay for Life’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Quincy Valley Historical Society raises a ruckus – and a barn
QUINCY — Webster defines “ruckus” as a row or disturbance, which doesn’t capture the level of fun generated at the Quincy Valley Historical Society’s “Raise a Ruckus” fundraiser Saturday night. The event raised about $3,700 toward the society’s Heritage Barn, which broke ground last August and is now nearing completion.
Play ball! Parade and ceremonies kick off youth sports
MOSES LAKE — The wind was blowing fast and furious, but the sun was bright and so were the spirits of the players, coaches and families who took part in the Moses Lake Youth Baseball Parade and Opening Day Ceremonies Saturday morning. The event is a 15-year-old tradition, said Moses Lake Youth Baseball Association secretary Marie Jones.
Soap Lake Chamber dinner sells out Saturday
SOAP LAKE — A little town got to show off big time, as local folks turned out for the annual Soap Lake Chamber Dinner and Auction Saturday night.