BASIN EVENTS: Feb. 13-21
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 months, 3 weeks AGO
The Moses Lake Choir Boosters will host Enchanted Evening, filled with princesses, superheroes and magic, at Moses Lake High School Feb. 21.
FILE PHOTO
The Autism Support Group of Grant County will hold a sensory-friendly showing of the animated film “GOAT” Feb. 21 at Fairchild Cinemas in Moses Lake.
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. | February 13, 2026 2:40 AM
COLUMBIA BASIN — Winter’s not over yet, but you can almost see spring from here. Here are a few ways to get out and about this week in the Basin.
Feb. 13
Community Breakfast
Pancakes and sausage or biscuits, gravy and sausage, coffee and orange juice, plus door prizes. $7 dine in, $8 take-out. Proceeds support H.E. Gritman Senior Center. 7-10 a.m. at 118 W. Main Ave., Ritzville. Info: 509-659-1921.
Comedy Night
Featuring comedians Rachel Aflleje, Erin Ingle and Luis Mendez. Tickets and info: https://bit.ly/MooreBrewingValentines26.
Feb. 14
Family Speed Puzzling
Bring your crew of up to four people to see if you can complete a 350-piece puzzle first. The winning group will receive a gift card to the store. Cost is $20, and participants keep the puzzle whether they win or not. 1-2 p.m. at Sandbox Bookstore and Games, 102 E. Third Ave., Moses Lake. Info: 509-761-9630.
Leanna Shannon
Live music for Valentine’s Day. 5-7 p.m. at Moore Brewing Co., 302 W. Broadway Ave., Moses Lake. Info: 509-707-0192.
Feb. 16
Safe Sitter with Intro to CPR
Safe Sitter is for young teens in grades 6-8 who are ready to learn the skills they need to care for themselves and younger children. This instructor-led class is filled with fun games and role-playing exercises. Students even get to use manikins to practice rescue skills like choking rescue and CPR. In addition, Safe Sitter teaches young teens life and business skills so that they know how to be prepared, be responsible and be considerate whether they are babysitting or doing odd jobs for family, friends, or neighbors. 9 a.m. at Heart Matters Education Group, 341 Basin St. NW, Ephrata. Info and registration: www.hmedgroup.com.
Feb. 18
Working Families Tax Credit Assistance
Working families in Washington may qualify for the Washington Families Tax Credit, which could bring as much as $1,330. State Department of Revenue representatives are available to help with filling out the paperwork to claim the credit. Don't miss this opportunity to ensure you receive the refund you're entitled to. Participants should have copies of their tax returns for the years they’re claiming. Call Melissa at 253-290-2480 and leave a message to set up an appointment. 2-5 p.m. at Worksource Central Basin, 309 E. Fifth Ave., Moses Lake.
Feb. 19
DMLA 2026 Kickoff Event
Join the Downtown Moses Lake Association for a recap of 2025 and plans for 2026. Light refreshments provided. RSVP to [email protected]. 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Moore Brewing Co., 302 W. Broadway Ave., Moses Lake. Info: 509-770-1700.
Feb. 20-21
‘Grease’
The Ephrata High School Drama Department is presenting its second week of Grease. Located at Ephrata High School’s Performing Arts Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m. Reserved seats are $15 and general admission seats are $10.
Feb. 21
Soap Lake Community & Senior Center Supporters Open House
Volunteers are needed to support center programs and expand open hours. Meet new friends and support your community. Light refreshments will be served. 10 a.m. to noon at Soap Lake Community & Senior Center, 121 Second Ave. SE. Info: 360-632-0370.
Lantern Festival
An evening of glowing lanterns, music, food, photos and festival energy. The event will be using led candles and will work closely with Grant County Fire District 7 to ensure safety. The event starts at 3 p.m. at Soap Lake Spa and Resort. For more information, visit SoapLakeCOC.org/lanternfestival.
Autism Movie Day: ‘GOAT’
Autism-friendly screening of the animated film “GOAT,” the story of a small goat who gets a chance to pursue big dreams. Lights and sound will be lowered for sensory-friendly viewing, and there will be a little extra room for viewers with the wiggles. Tickets and rules available at bit.ly/AutismGOATmovie. Doors open at 12:30 p.m., movie begins at 1 p.m. at Fairchild Cinemas, 233 N. Block St., Moses Lake. Info: grantcountyautism.org.
Checkered Chunky Blanket Workshop
Learn how to create a checkered chunky blanket, plus how to make and add embellishments. Participants who don’t finish their blanket at the event will leave with the knowledge and written instructions to finish it at home. Must supply own yarn. 2-6 p.m. at Camas Cove Cellars, 911 Camas Place, Moses Lake. Info, registration and yarn specifications: rusticgirlpainting.com.
Sage Roots: Mom Support Group
Free support group for mothers of children 0-5 years old. Hosted by Grant County Health District in partnership with Embrace Women’s Health and Midwifery Care and Prenatal Support Washington. 2-3 p.m. at 827 Colonial Ave., Moses Lake. Info: 509-766-7960.
Enchanted Evening
Enjoy a magical night of family fun featuring crafts, games, face painting, ice cream floats, dancing and appearances by fairy tale characters and superheroes. For ages 12 and younger and their parents. Hosted by Moses Lake Choir Boosters. 6-9 p.m. at Moses Lake High School, 803 E. Sharon Ave. Tickets and info: mlhs.ticketspice.com/enchantedevening2026.
The Bada Bings
Live music from Wenatchee’s good-time rock-and-roll band. 9 p.m. at Sporty’s Bar & Grill, 507 E. Broadway Ave., Moses Lake. Info: www.sportysml.com.
This weekend at the movies:
Fairchild Cinemas: Bendito Corazon (not rated); Crime 101 (R); Dracula (R); GOAT (PG); Iron Lung (R); Melania (PG); Send Help (R); Solo Mio (PG); Strangers: Chapter 3 (R); Wuthering Heights (R); Zootopia 2 (PG). See www.fairchildcinemas.com for show times.
The Showhouse: Wuthering Heights (R); Solo Mio (PG); GOAT (PG); I Can Only Imagine 2 (PG). See showhouse3.wordpress.com for show times.
Ritz Theater: Mercy (RPG-13). 7 p.m. Friday, and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. See www.facebook.com/RitzvilleRitz for updates.
The Autism Support Group of Grant County will hold a sensory-friendly showing of the animated film “GOAT” Feb. 21 at Fairchild Cinemas in Moses Lake.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.