Ephrata to light Christmas tree Friday
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 2 years, 8 months AGO
Ephrata residents will step out to get their Christmas celebration as a community started on Friday with a tree lighting get-together that afternoon as the sun sets.
FILE PHOTO
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. | November 22, 2023 1:30 AM
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce will kindle a new tradition Friday, with the first official Downtown Tree Lighting.
“We decided we wanted to get the town lit up ahead of time and Thanksgiving weekend is an awesome weekend to do it,” said Chamber Executive Director Rita Witte.
The tree in question is the tall evergreen — nobody seems certain exactly what kind it is or how long it’s been there — outside the Ephrata Recreation center at 112 Basin St. SW. Sunset is at 4:14 p.m. that day, and the tree lighting will take place shortly after that at 4:30.
Ordinarily the tree is lit up during Bells on Basin, the town’s Christmas parade and celebration, which this year is Dec. 9. Basin Tree Service gave the tree a haircut for the occasion, Witte said, and Grant PUD and the city of Ephrata will hang up the lights this week.
Since this is the first time Ephrata has held a separate tree lighting, there’s not a whole lot planned, Witte said. For future events, she’s hoping to get a choir and maybe some vendors, but this year it will be hot chocolate, some music and a large dollop of good community cheer.
“Next year, we'll see what happens,” she said. “For right now, I'm hoping that people will be downtown and will come down and help us light it up. That'll be fun.”
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Confluence Health names new Chief Medical Officer
WENATCHEE — Confluence Health has selected a new chief medical officer, according to an announcement from Confluence July 23 July 23. Dr. Katie Peterson replaces former CMO Dr. James Murray, who was appointed to Confluence Health’s new chief physician executive position in March, according to an April 29 announcement from Confluence. “Dr. Katie Peterson brings a thoughtful, steady leadership style along with a strong understanding of both clinical care and the broader work required to improve health across a system,” Confluence CEO Dr. Andrew Jones wrote in the announcement. “She has earned the respect of colleagues across our organization and has shown a clear commitment to collaboration, quality, and doing what is right for patients. I’m confident she will serve our physicians, care teams, and community exceptionally well as CMO and will help us continue moving forward together as an organization.”
Podium cuts ribbon on new, expanded physical therapy and training clinic
MOSES LAKE — In physical therapy, it’s good to have plenty of room to work in. Now, Podium Physical Therapy and Performance Training has that space. Owner Dr. Ryan Carpenter cut the ribbon on his new, larger practice Thursday afternoon. “My idea with therapy and training was always to have a space for people to advance what they want to work on,” Carpenter said. “Our space seemed to shrink with equipment and people coming in.” The new space is a huge increase: 6,800 square feet compared to the1,800 square feet in which he opened Podium four years ago. Carpenter moved into the building next door, which was formerly Beck ‘N Call Pet Care, and for many years before that, the Calico Cat thrift store. The process took about six months, he said.
CBCCA unveils 2026-27 concert season
MOSES LAKE — The Central Basin Community Concert Association has released its concert schedule for 2026-27. The season will begin with a CBCCA favorite, the Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra, on Oct. 11. “The Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra has a long tradition as one of the finest student/community orchestras in the region and its repertoire contains some of the most demanding pieces in orchestral music,” the CBCCA wrote on its website. The orchestra is conducted by Ke