Sunny skies predicted for Grant County Fair
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month, 4 weeks AGO
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 18, 2026 3:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Fair opens today, with all its rides, food, entertainment and fun.
The weather should be some of the nicest we’ve had all summer. The National Weather Service is predicting sun with high temperatures around 90, just enough to make a cold treat seem appealing. And the smoky skies we’ve been dealing with since the summer started are clearing up.
The Washington Department of Ecology is predicting that the air will be unhealthy for sensitive groups: older adults, children, and people with heart or lung disease. But even for those folks, it’s just a good idea not to be outdoors too much, and plenty of the things to do at the fair are inside the buildings and barns. For everyone else, the air should be just fine.
The fairgrounds will be open to the public today at 10 a.m., and the carnival will open at 2 p.m. Admission to the fair is free all day today and before 3 p.m. tomorrow and Thursday. The rest of the week, tickets at the gate will be $12 for adults and $8 for youths 8-17 and seniors 62 and older, or $2 less if they’re purchased online. Children under 8 are free.
Carnival wristbands are $45, except today, when ride enthusiasts can buy one for $40 and get a second half price.
See you at the fair!
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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