BASIN EVENTS: Feb. 20-28, 2026
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 months, 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. | February 20, 2026 3:00 AM
COLUMBIA BASIN — We’re rounding out February in the Basin with lots of fun things to do. Here are a few.
Feb. 21
Hand-Built Pottery: Teapots
Learn ceramic slab-building skills as we roll out raw clay and turn it into a lovely teapot, perfect for winter. Return on March 6 or 7 to bring your piece to life with vibrant glazes. 1-3 p.m. at Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, 401 S. Balsam St. Info: 509-764-3830.
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.
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.-12 p.m. at Soap Lake Community & Senior Center, 121 Second Ave. SE. Info: 360-632-0370.
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.
Feb. 23
Coffee and Support
Grab your favorite coffee and start your Monday out with a good cup of joe and support from those who are on the autism journey with you. Sponsored by the Autism Support Group of Grant County. 9-11 a.m. at Cup of Joy Cafe, 430 E. Division St., Ephrata. Info: grantcountyautism.org.
Feb. 26
‘Midway’
Screening of the 1976 film starring Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda about the pivotal World War II naval battle. 2 p.m. at the Ephrata Senior Center, 124 C St. NW. Info: www.ephrataseniorcenter.org.
Take Flight STEM Night
Free, family-centered evening of hands-on learning, connection, and inspiration powered by Boeing and led by NCW Tech Alliance and Apple STEM Network. Free registration required at https://bit.ly/LongviewSTEM26. Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner and keynote address 5:15-6 p.m., rotating STEM activities 6-7 p.m. at Longview Elementary School, 9783 Apple Road NE, Moses Lake. Info: 509-661-9000.
Soroptimist Bingo
Support Soroptimist International with prizes, silent auction items, a 50/50 drawing and bingo. Dinner by Porky’s Hotdogs. 6 p.m. at Moses Lake Taproom, 530 W. Valley Road. Info: 509-707-0052.
Feb. 27-28
Columbia Basin Home & Garden Show
Whether you’re planning spring home projects, dreaming of spring gardens, looking for fresh inspiration, or just love browsing artisan vendors, sipping coffee and connecting with the community, this event has something for everyone. Free admission on Friday. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Grant County Fairgrounds Commercial Building, 3953 Airway Drive NE, Moses Lake. Info: 509-750-8911 or seedcupboardnursery.com.
Feb. 28
Samaritan Hospital Community Open House
The community is invited for a look at the new Samaritan Hospital, which opens for patient care March 7. Preregistration is recommended, but walk-ins will be accepted as space allows. Register for a tour time at WeAreSamaritan.org/Open-House. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at 2000 S. Clover Drive, Moses Lake. Info: 509-765-5606.
Golden Giving Night
Banquet and auction to support the Quincy Food Bank. Irish-themed dinner and live entertainment. 5 p.m. at the Port of Quincy, 101 F. St. SW. Tickets available at https://bit.ly/GoldenGiving26. Info: quincyvalley.org or 509-787-2140.
LJ Polmateer
Live music by Moses Lake singer-songwriter LJ Polmateer. 7-9 p.m. at Moses Lake Tap Room, 530 W. Valley Road. Info: 509-707-0052.
This weekend at the movies:
Fairchild Cinemas: Bendito Corazon (not rated); Crime 101 (R); Dracula (R); GOAT (PG); I Can Only Imagine 2 (PG) Iron Lung (R); 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); GOAT (PG); I Can Only Imagine 2 (PG) How to Make a Killing (R); Scream 7 (R). See showhouse3.wordpress.com for show times.
Ritz Theater: H is for Hawk (PG-13). 7 p.m. Friday, and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. See www.facebook.com/RitzvilleRitz for updates.
Singer-songwriter LJ Polmateer will perform Feb. 28 at the Moses Lake Tap Room.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
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake author’s book, “A Christian Woman Striving to Live Her Faith in a Man-Controlled World,” takes aim at the role to which many churches relegate the female half of their congregations. “It’s to encourage women in the faith,” Linda Curran said. “A lot of churches say, ‘Teach Sunday school, do this, do that, but don’t (evangelize.)’" In her book, Curran recounts a time when she moved to a new community and joined a church there. She was surprised to learn that, as a new female member, she had been automatically assigned church cleaning duties. When she questioned it, she wrote, she was met with condescension and her objections were brushed aside. In other churches, she said, women who were capable of teaching were relegated to “women’s ministry.”