Monday, December 15, 2025
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Trying their hand

JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 4 months AGO
by 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. | August 16, 2024 1:30 AM

MOSES LAKE – From left: Henry DeBeaumont and Silas DeBeaumont, both 8, and Rylee DeBeaumont, 6, try their hand at milking a cow at the milking simulator in the Agriculture Building at the Grant County Fair Tuesday.

ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN

Mattawa Winter Festival includes crafts, cocoa and ugly sweaters
December 15, 2025 3:20 a.m.

Mattawa Winter Festival includes crafts, cocoa and ugly sweaters

MATTAWA — Mattawa’s annual Winter Festival will take place Wednesday. “The goal is to bring families together to celebrate the holiday and to make crafts as a family,” said Mattawa Mayor Maria Celaya. The event is put together by a coalition of community stakeholders including the city of Mattawa, Wahluke School District, the Mattawa Community Medical Clinic and Columbia Basin Health Association, Celaya said. Crafts play a large part in the Winter Festival, Celaya said. Local first responders will have a table where children can decorate cookies with police officers, and MCMC will have a space where children can write letters to Santa. The Wahluke High School Future Business Leaders of America will have a booth where children can make a Christmas ornament for the 50-foot tree in the school commons. The craft materials are donated by CBHA, Celaya said.

Piano students to support orphans with recital
December 15, 2025 3 a.m.

Piano students to support orphans with recital

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake-area music students will perform to raise money for a Ukrainian orphanage, according to an announcement from piano teacher Marina Munter. Students of Moses Lake-Central Basin chapter of the Washington State Music Teachers Association members will perform “Christmas Songs for Ukrainian Orphans” Dec. 20, at Moses Lake Christian Academy, Munter wrote in the announcement. There is no set admission price but donations are encouraged. Participating piano teachers are Preta Laughlin, Marina Munter, Gracie Payne, Whitney Reck and Harriet West. Violin teacher Iryna Novikov’s students will also perform.

BASIN EVENTS: Dec. 12-20
December 12, 2025 3:20 a.m.

BASIN EVENTS: Dec. 12-20

COLUMBIA BASIN — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas out there, and there are holiday goings-on galore in the Basin. Here are a few things to make your spirits bright: