Port of Moses Lake commemorates 60th anniversary
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 2 weeks AGO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | November 18, 2025 3:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — The Port of Moses Lake celebrated the 60th anniversary of its founding with a reception at the terminal Nov. 13.
“The port has served as a venue for remarkable historical moments,” said Dan Roach, port executive director. “It’s also been a catalyst for growth, supporting diverse industries from agriculture to aerospace., and fostering a thriving community.”
What is now the Grant County International Airport and the Port of Moses Lake started as the Larson Air Force Base, out in the middle of nowhere and as a result a good place to train pilots during World War II. It became a B-52 base but was closed in 1966, and the late Clyde Owen, the last base commander, became the first director of the port.
Leaving the Air Force and staying in Moses Lake was one of the best decisions he ever made, Owen recalled in a 2016 interview.
“My wife (Audrey) and I had fallen in love with Moses Lake,” he said.
He was the port director for 17 years.
David Bailey, who was executive director from 1984 to 2002, talked about his years on the job, and how the port changed over time. It has changed – some longtime clients have moved on, like Japan Airlines, but others have arrived, like Stoke Space Technologies.
Boeing has been a customer from the beginning – its relationship with Moses Lake goes back to the Larson AFB days, Roach said.
“They remain a huge part of our port family to this day,” he said.
Port of Moses Lake Commissioner Stroud Kunkle talks with an attendee during the port’s 60th anniversary reception.ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Road closures, roundabout, mean construction season underway
EPHRATA — The grass is starting to turn green, the trees are starting to leaf out, construction crews are starting to build roundabouts – hey, it’s spring. At least one roundabout project is in its final phase, held over from fall 2025. The intersection of State Route 282 and Nat Washington Way will be closed the week of April 6 to allow crews to install permanent lights. “This really is the final (closure),” wrote Grant County Administrator Tom Gaines in a media release. “The roundabout will close at 6 a.m. Monday, and we plan to reopen by Friday, possibly sooner if the work finishes early.”
Ybarra announces run for Washington Senate
QUINCY — State Representative Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, has announced his candidacy for the Washington Senate. If he’s elected, he would replace Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, who announced her retirement in March.
Othello Community Museum to open April 25
OTHELLO — With a couple of new exhibits, a new heating-cooling system, rearranged displays and a thorough cleaning, the Othello Community Museum will open for the summer April 25. The goal, said Molly Popchock, museum board secretary, is to operate for a full season.