Moses Lake tree lighting kicks off the holidays
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months, 3 weeks AGO
About 400 people gathered at Sinkiuse Square in Moses Lake Nov. 21 for the annual Downtown Tree Lighting.
COURTESY PHOTO/MALLORY MILLER
Between the new LED snowflakes, upper right, and the festivities, the Moses Lake Downtown Tree Lighting was reminiscent of a Hallmark Christmas movie, said DMLA Director Mallory Miller.
Moses Lake’s Downtown Tree Lighting included a fire engine children could climb into and explore.
Darren Starr poses for a photo with Satna at the Downtown Tree Lighting Nov. 21.
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 27, 2025 3:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake has reached a landmark, according to Downtown Moses Lake Association Executive Director Mallory Miller.
“A lot of people noticed our new LED snowflakes, and people said it looked a lot like the Hallmark Channel,” Miller said. “(That) really made me happy, because that’s something I’ve been trying to do for a couple of years for downtown Moses Lake.”
About 400 people came out Nov. 21 for the Downtown Tree Lighting, the unofficial kickoff to the Christmas season in Moses Lake. The tree itself is a 24-footer that will stand in Sinkiuse Square until the holidays are over. The occasion was marked with music from DJ Dale Roth, crafts and coloring sheets for the children and hot cocoa from the Viking Eatery and Coffee Bar, Miller said. Santa Claus made an appearance, arriving on a fire engine.
A highlight that returned this year was the downtown shopping scavenger hunt. Ten downtown businesses hid ornaments somewhere in their shops, and children went from sop to shop looking for them. And where the children went, the parents followed, getting acquainted with businesses they might not have known about before.
“It was really cool to see people running through the streets, and shopping locally,” Miller said. “That’s one of the reasons I love the scavenger hunt. People come up to us at the (DMLA) table and ask ‘Where is this place?’ I don’t know, go find it. That’s the whole point of the scavenger hunt.”
The event was helped along by lots of local sponsors, Miller said. Spokane Teachers Credit Union bought the LED snowflakes, which were installed among the traditional wreaths on the light posts downtown. Renewal by Anderson, Viking Eatery and Arrowhead Roofing also stepped up to make the occasion happen, she said.
The next event downtown will be the Ag Appreciation Parade, which is next Friday.
“These are just fun events we put on for everyone to come and enjoy,” Miller said.
Nance Beston contributed to this report.
Between the new LED snowflakes, upper right, and the festivities, the Moses Lake Downtown Tree Lighting was reminiscent of a Hallmark Christmas movie, said DMLA Director Mallory Miller.
Moses Lake’s Downtown Tree Lighting included a fire engine children could climb into and explore.
Darren Starr poses for a photo with Satna at the Downtown Tree Lighting Nov. 21.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
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