R. HANS MILLER
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities.
Recent Stories
Looking for an adventure?
Try having a little fun at Steamboat Rock State Park.
ELECTRIC CITY — Summer is just around the corner and there are a million and one things to do, but not all of the adventures you choose have to be expensive or far away.
Moses Lake man convicted of multiple child sex abuse charges
MOSES LAKE — Billy Gene Pinson, 46, of Moses Lake has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted of multiple crimes associated with sexually abusing minors, according to a press release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which worked with the Moses Lake Police Department on the case.
Court cases in March 2025 shooting death of Moses Lake teen moving forward
EPHRATA — Jose D. Beltran Rodriguez, 21, of Moses Lake, and Matthew Gabriel Valdez, 19, also of Moses Lake, remain in custody at the Grant County jail after being arrested in connection with a March 21, 2025, drive-by shooting in Moses Lake.
Sentencing hearing set in 2022 Moses Lake murder case
EPHRATA — Juan Gastelum, the suspect in the March 2022 killing of Yanira Cedillos, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on March 3. He is now scheduled for an April 28 sentencing hearing. According to court documentation, Gastelum, 32, of Hermiston, Ore., pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree with Sexual Motivation. The minimum sentence Gastelum may receive under the law is two years in prison, but the maximum is life imprisonment and up to a $50,000 fine. However, the sentencing hearing is under Special Set Sentencing, an option under Washington state law which allows adjustments to sentencing if a suspect pleads guilty.
Elks Lodge makes $6K donation to veterans nonprofit
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Elks Lodge donated $3,000 in cash and another $3,000 in fuel cards to local nonprofit FOB Columbia Veteran Resources, an organization that supports veterans in need. A variety of food was also delivered to make sure veterans don’t go hungry. “One of the biggest things that we run into, especially when veterans get back on their feet and get back into the community, is that they don't have fuel to get to and from those work interviews,” said Tori Douglass, executive director of FOB Columbia.
Court case in Nov. 2025 Moses Lake shooting moving forward
EPHRATA — The trial into the shooting of a 23 year old Moses Lake man is progressing through Grant County Superior Court. Darwin Nahun Tejada Martinez, 29, of Seattle is on trial facing a single charge of Assault in the First Degree after investigators say he shot the victim in a Nov. 25, 2025, incident.
Ephrata installs new equipment at Lions Park
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Parks and Recreation Department cut the ribbon on new playground equipment at Lions Park, located at 598 Parkway Blvd. in Ephrata, under Beezley Hill.
Tigers prepping for another solid year on the links
LAKEVIEW — Despite cold temperatures and a bit of wind on the course, the Ephrata Tigers golf team is gearing up for the season and prepping for its first meet Friday against the Moses Lake Mavericks, Ephrata Golf Coach Dan Molitor said Tuesday. “We had our first day of qualifying (Monday) and today’s the second day,” he said during the Tuesday interview. “So, we’ll place our top eight to play against Moses Lake on Friday, and then out of the top I’m taking two teams down to an invite on Monday, so I’m going to be taking the top five.” The focus right now is knocking the rust off of skills the 10 returning players have and getting fundamentals down for the six other players who are either new or have less experience, Molitor said. With a squad of 16, the roster is deep enough to make sure Ephrata is represented well throughout the season.
Ephrata tennis squads ready to realize potential
EPHRATA — Despite crisp winds, the Ephrata Tigers boys and girls tennis squads were focused Monday on preparing for the upcoming season on the court. Both teams have a mix of returning players and newcomers giving them seasoned and raw talent to pull from, the coaches said. Both squads had a decent turnout this year, Girls Tennis Coach Michael Bosnar and Boys Coach Greg Becker said. Both had high hopes for the season with a mix of skill levels coming onto their respective teams, with a load of potential in the younger players coming on board. Girls squad
Grant Co. Jail remains on-time, on-budget
EPHRATA — Grant County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy of Corrections Phil Coats said Thursday afternoon that the new county jail is coming close to completion and remains on-time and on-budget. The last few days have even brought about a significant step. “One big milestone that we were able to meet earlier this week is we got our temporary certificate of occupancy,” Coats said.